Packaging for components of an optical module. The packaging includes a flexible circuit coupled to two stiffeners. The packaging has a first sub-assembly with the first stiffener for receiving a first component. The packaging also has a second sub-assembly with the second stiffener for receiving a second component and for coupling to an external circuit. The packaging has a flexible portion with a first end for coupling to the first sub-assembly and a second end for coupling to the second sub-assembly. The flexible portion allows the first sub-assembly to be oriented with respect to the second sub-assembly to form an angle that is greater than zero degrees and less than 180 degrees.

The present invention relates generally to packaging, and more particularly, to a packaging for components of an optical module that employs a flexible circuit with two stiffeners packaging.
An optical module includes components for performing the functions of the optical module. One common optical module is the optical transmitter. The primary function of the optical transmitter is to translate electrical signals into corresponding optical signals. The major components of an optical transmitter are a laser (e.g., a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL)) and one or more integrated circuits for driving the VCSEL and controlling the functions of the optical transmitter. The optical module interfaces with an external circuit (e.g., a printed circuit board of a switch or router) to receive data signals that need to be converted into corresponding optical signals.
As can be appreciated, the components in an optical module need to be arranged and packaged in such a manner as to efficiently interface with (1) the source of data signals, and (2) the optical medium (e.g., the fiber optic cable). One problem that the packaging must address is the bending of light.
The bending of light problem is related to the orientation of the external circuit with respect to the fiber optic cable and the optical module. The external circuit typically lies in a first plane. The optical module couples to the external circuit and is generally parallel to the first plane. Unfortunately, the VCSEL emits light in a generally perpendicular direction from the first plane, and the optical link (e.g., fiber optic cable) is generally disposed parallel to the first plane. Consequently, the light emitted from the VCSEL. must be bent about 90 degrees in order to interface with the optical link. In addition to solving this problem, it is desirable for the components of the optical module to have a packaging that arranges the components in an efficient manner, that is efficient to assemble, and that can be assembled reliably across variations in process and assembling technique.
A first prior art approach packages the laser on the same plane near the other circuit components, such as the laser driver integrated circuit, in order to improve the electrical performance of the system. This approach requires optics to bend the light about ninety degrees so that the light emitted by the laser can be directed into the fiber optic cable.
Regrettably, this prior art approach suffers from several disadvantages that stem primarily from the difficulties of processing the optical components needed to bend the light by about ninety degrees. First, the components utilized to bend the light need to be optically aligned with each other and with the laser. Since the alignment can vary across different processes, alignment of these components can become a severe challenge. This disadvantage is further exacerbated when there are multiple lasers (e.g., an array of VCSELs in a parallel multichannel optical module) Second, the optical interface of each of the components must be polished and cleaned so that the loss of light through each component is minimized. Unfortunately, the polish and clean steps require added costs to the process and injects processing complexities. Consequently, there are many difficulties in assembling a package that uses optical elements to bend the output light beam.
A second prior art approach packages the laser to optically couple with the fiber optic cable without using additional optics. In order to direct the light from the laser without bending optics, the laser is placed in a plane that is generally perpendicular to the plane of the other electrical components, such as the laser driver circuit. Wires are then employed to make the 90 degree turn and to connect the laser to the laser driver.
Although the second approach avoids the difficulties of using optics to bend the light, this approach unfortunately suffers from the following disadvantages. First, the electrical performance of the wires used to connect the laser to the laser driver is often poor due to the length of the wires, thereby leading to slower signal propagation speeds. The electrical performance is of particular concern for high-speed applications. Consequently, it is desirable to decrease the length of the wires, and thus, the distance between components in the system in order to increase the speed of the signal propagation. Second, the second prior art approach typically requires three-dimensional assembly of components. Consequently, it is desirable to simplify the manufacturing and assembly process.
Furthermore, the trend is that the number of optical module component is increasing due to multiple optical transmitters or receivers being assembled into a single optical module package. Unfortunately, at the same time the physical dimensions or size of the optical module are decreasing. Consequently, there is a need for packages to address this trend and to effectively assemble these additional components in an efficient manner without sacrificing signal integrity and process or assembly efficiency.
Based on the foregoing, there remains a need for a package that conveniently couples to an external circuit disposed in a first plane, that houses a laser and electronic components, and that ensures that light transmitted from the laser is oriented in a direction that is generally parallel to the first plane and that overcomes the disadvantages set forth previously.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a packaging for components of an optical module is provided. The packaging includes a flexible circuit coupled to two stiffeners. The packaging has a first sub-assembly with the first stiffener for receiving a first component (e.g., a VCSEL laser array and an associated laser driver circuit). The packaging also has a second sub-assembly with the second stiffener for receiving a second component (e.g., a memory circuit) and for coupling to an external circuit (e.g., a printed circuit board of a network device). The packaging has a flexible portion with a first end for coupling the first sub-assembly and a second end for coupling to the second sub-assembly. The flexible portion allows the first sub-assembly to be oriented with respect to the second sub-assembly to form an angle that is greater than zero degrees and less than 180 degrees.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the packaging provides a mechanism (e.g., a flexible portion) for allowing or enabling a laser to emit light with an orientation that is generally parallel to the plane of an external circuit without optics for bending the light.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the packaging of the present invention includes a flexible circuit coupled to two stiffeners. The packaging includes a first sub-assembly having an integrated circuit receiving area that can receive a first integrated circuit and a second sub-assembly having an integrated circuit receiving area that can receive a second integrated circuit. A flexible circuit has at least one conductive trace to communicate signals between first integrated circuit in the first sub-assembly and the second integrated circuit in the second sub-assembly.
In the preferred embodiment, the first sub-assembly packages a VCSEL array and a VCSEL driver and the second sub-assembly packages a memory (e.g., an EEPROM) and provides a connection (e.g., BGA solder bumps) to an external circuit. The first and second stiffeners are fixably secured to a first and second surface of a heat sink in such a manner as to orient the first sub-assembly with respect to the second sub-assembly to form an angle of about 90 degrees. This arrangement disposes the VCSEL array in close proximity to the VCSEL driver so that the electrical performance and signal propagation speed are enhanced. Furthermore, this arrangement allows light to be directed from the laser array to the fiber optic cable without the need for optics for bending the light.

Flexible circuit with two stiffeners for optical module packaging


Above ground fences are constructed with used tires from vehicles. Various arrangements of tires and inter-tire binding and anchorage of tires in place are disclosed. Usage for area fencing for animal containment, for privacy fencing, for limited privacy screening, for noise control, for roadway collision safety and for building wall protection are disclosed. Avoidance of collection and stagnation of water from rain, snow and sprinkling, is disclosed. The use of the tread portion of waste tires, for tire fence binding material, is disclosed.

This invention relates to the safe disposal of used tires and the creation of useful fences from used tires.
My invention thus has important ecological benefits.
Scrap Tire Disposal
Every year in the United States there are 280 million scrap tires generated. While some used racing tires are used as temporary barriers at race tracks, and other proposed uses have been patented, there are possibly over a half billion scrap tires located in illegal dumpsites across the United States. The existence of these scrap tires creates environmental hazards and concerns. The tires collect and hold stagnant water, which becomes an excellent mosquito-breeding system. With the spread of the West Nile Flue virus by mosquitoes, this pestilence is more deadly and serious than ever before. The tires sometimes catch fire and, if they are in the customary unregulated pile, the fire is very difficult to extinguish. A burning tire pile will create black smoke, soot, terrible odor and serious air pollution. Residue from the burning also creates soil and ground-water pollution.
The potential for severe fire and/or smoldering of scrap tire stock piles exists across the United States. State and local landfills have become burdened by the large landfill resources required to dispose of used tires. In fact, most local and state authorities charge tire merchants a disposal fee of one to two dollars per standard automobile tire. Of course, this cost is normally passed on to the consuming public. Cradle-to-grave tracking systems like those applicable to toxic waste have been enacted to regulate the problem.
Threats of fines and other punishments have greatly reduced the problem, but at substantial costs to the consuming public and the handlers. This cost creates incentives to cheat on the regulatory system, and it is believed that many do. Figures published by the Rubber Manufacturers Association indicated that 60 million scrap tires per year remain unaccounted for.
Many novel ideas have been explored to convert the scrap tire liability into an asset because it is realized that economic benefit, rather than regulatory coercion, is the better solution. California alone spent $25 million in 2002 searching for an economic solution and has budgeted $28 million on the effort for 2003. Nearly every state has a similar program on a smaller scale. To-date, most ventures have been marginally successful at best, even with the subsidy of coercive threats.
Consumers pay $1.00 to $2.00 per tire for disposal plus $1.00 per tire average tax to the state to clean up illegal dumps. Clean-up costs for states have ranged from $0.75 to $10.00 per tire. The potential economic benefit gained from properly disposing of used tires has led many to attempt to solve the disposal problems noted above.
A common technique for disposing of whole tires is to shred the tires into discrete pieces and dumping the scraps into landfills. Although this decreases the overall landfill volume required for disposal and prevents tires from floating, it does not address other problems associated with tire disposal. First, the tires still prevent fire and/or contamination problems discussed above. Second, the process of shredding adds significant cost to the disposal process without any associated benefit. Moreover, mere shredding does not offer an alternative productive use for scrap tires and continues to present many landfill problems.
Recycling scrap tires into other commercially useful products offers another disposal alternative. Tires are often used to make other petroleum-based products, such as floor mats. However, because of the problems attributed to recycling, such as cost and lack of potential use, less than 7% of scrap tires are recycled in this matter. Accordingly, tire recycling has not proven to be a viable tire disposal alternative.
Attempts have been made to utilize scrap tires as an energy source. Specifically, furnaces have been developed to burn scrap tires in the creation of heat energy. This disposal technique has also proven of limited value. First, high capital cost associated with the development of furnaces has curtailed their widespread use. Moreover, other environmental concerns are associated with the burning of tires.
My invention minimizes both hazards by preventing the collection of water to eliminate mosquito breeding and by spreading the tires in long lines so that, if they do catch fire, the non-burning source of the fence, can easily and readily be removed from the burning portion so that the fire quickly burns itself out from the lack of a continuing source of fuel.
Five Primary Types of Fences
Large amounts of scrap tire casings could readily and economically be used to provide primarily five types of fences.
The first type would simply be an enclosure for farm animals or a boundary marker for farms and ranches. The second type would be a highway safety fence dividing lanes of opposite-bound traffic to prevent disastrous head-on collisions. A third would be a sound barrier fence to shield other areas of human activity from highway noise. And the fourth would be a wall around unsightly industrial or other areas to screen them from less unsightly uses. According to my invention, there are various means of arranging the tires in relation to one another and binding them together to create varying degrees of resistance to possible collision, highway noise, resistance to animals, visibility screening, and attractiveness. The cost of construction will be slightly affected by the method chosen.
Farm or Ranch Fencing
The bluegrass country of Kentucky is renowned for its beautiful stone fences that mark the boundaries of many large farms. The inventor imagines that the stones comprising these fences originally littered the fields making the fields difficult to till. Removing the stones from the fields made the fields more tillable and, when the stones were placed on the boundaries of the fields in the form of fences, the stones had less distance to be carried and became permanent boundary markers for the farm owner's field that endure for many years even without mortar and with little maintenance.
Old tires do not have quite the same proximity to their final resting place in the form of farm fences building blocks, as the stones in the fields did. But old tires are a ubiquitous problem nationwide, so these building blocks are not far from farmers and ranchers needing fences. Placing these building blocks in the form of farm or ranch fences would convert a serious societal and possessor liability into an asset that would endure for years with little or no maintenance, and this conversion would greatly reduce the initial construction cost of fencing to the farmer or rancher.
The problems with old tires and the needs of farmers and ranchers are thoroughly explained in the Moore Tire Fence U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,434. Advantages of my invention over the Moore Tire Fence include:
(1) The tires lay flat and are self-supporting and more stable, needing fewer expensive additions to make them function.
(2) They are easier to build and, if necessary, to repair, needing little, if any, non-tire accessories that would increase the cost.
(3) In the horizontal position, they are less subject to the ravages of gravity and other natural elements.
(4) Also, in the horizontal position, they are more aesthetic because, from the common perspective, they look less like construction from old tires.
Highway Collision Barrier Fence
With my invention embodied in its strongest form of fence as a wall, it is doubtful that such wall can be broken through by a collision with even a very heavy tractor trailer combination, a 70,000 pound 18-wheeler, for example. Also, in its strongest form, it creates a relatively "soft" barrier, which helps to protect the occupants of vehicles colliding with the wall, and protects those in highway lanes on the other side of the fence. This "soft" but strong and collision energy absorption effect occurs because the resistance of the fence grows and accumulates as the initial portions of the fence with which collision is made, are moved farther and farther from their initial position. The greater the movement of any portion of the fence, the greater the amount of the drag that is required to move it further, so long as the binding mechanism remains intact. This is because the original section of the fence moves rather easily but it must pull along more and more of the fence's weight in order to keep moving. The flex and resistance of the fence may be increased by constructing the wall in a wave pattern rather than a straight line. This wave pattern might be considered more aesthetically pleasing than a straight linear pattern. Finally, the wave pattern of construction will increase the stability of higher fences. In addition, if the fence is broken through or compromised in any way, it is easily and readily repaired or put back in place.
Highway safety engineers are faced with the problem of keeping separate many miles of traffic moving in opposite directions. Generally, the separation is maintained only by a little space and the alertness of the drivers. As that alertness breaks down, disasters occur and many families have been wiped out, not to mention the property damage done. Economically feasible solutions have not been found. Society is plagued with a superabundance of waste tires that endure the natural elements indefinitely and take tremendous punishment without noticeable effects. Both of these problems can be solved simultaneously by my invention, creating an inexpensive and effective deterrent to head-on collisions.
Highway Noise Barrier Fences
The proliferation of superhighways and widening of existing highways have required that they pass near residential neighborhoods and other areas of human activity where the noise from such highways causes a substantial nuisance to the proper enjoyment and use of the neighboring property. More and more, highway engineers are taking note of the problem and attempting to solve it with various types of noise barriers, usually taking the form of walls that are both unsightly and expensive. An effort to incorporate rubber salvaged from waste tires has been shown to increase the effectiveness of the noise abating qualities of such walls, apparently by decreasing its echoing ability.
An effective noise abatement wall made from waste tires would, in its preferred embodiment, need to be free of gaps. It would be constructed preferably as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 herein. The visual aspects of such a wall could be improved by covering it with vines that also bind the tires together. Vines may also increase its noise abatement qualities by providing additional irregular, flexible material to absorb sound waves. This gap-free construction of the sound barrier wall fence would increase the amount of waste tires to be disposed of in a given area and would increase the rigidity of the fence.
Visibility Screening Fence
Many industrial and commercial uses are considered to be unsightly. Screening efforts have even been enacted into law to surround such uses as junkyards and landfills. While not all uses demand screening laws in all situations, intense uses will more likely be allowed by land use permitting officials in some situations, if the requested use can be screened appropriately from nearby sensitive uses.
Efforts to provide such screening sometimes fail because attractive screening is expensive, and inexpensive screening frequently deteriorates to become less attractive than the use it is supposed to hide.
Scrap tires will never be made into a thing of beauty. The fact that they are readily recognized as waste, and the fact that they frequently are discarded in areas of otherwise pristine beauty, creates a natural aesthetic prejudice that probably cannot be overcome. However, placing tires to create orderliness and purpose may succeed in overcoming some of this adverse impression. By analogy, stones strewn haphazardly throughout a field are ugly to a farmer, but when removed from the field and placed by artisans to become a boundary wall, the stone walls become a thing of beauty. Their durability and low maintenance adds both to their beauty and their profit making.
Interestingly, one of the least expensive walls to build from scrap tires may be the most attractive; that is, one where the only binding material is made of vines. When fully covered with vines, such a wall may appear to be a well-kept hedge. Such hedge-like walls could be used to screen parking lots, junkyards, or other intense uses that are generally considered unsightly.
In whatever way the screening wall is constructed from the tires, its creation, like the removal of stones from the field to build a boundary wall, serves the dual purpose of removing them from places where they are a problem, to place them where they are useful to human endeavors.
Bumper Fence
Industrial buildings, and in particular metal buildings, need vehicle bumpers to protect their exterior walls and, perhaps their interior walls, from bumps by trucks and other vehicles inside and outside of the building. Such a bumper could be formed from scrap tires deployed in the same manner as the tire fence around whatever needs the protection. Interior fence tires would not need a drain hole, and possibly, they would not need any binding material. Stacked against the wall of the building, the wall itself may be the only stabilization needed. If one or more tires are knocked out of position, they can quickly and easily be restored by hand.
The resistance to bumps can be increased by adding something rigid near the area likely to receive the bumps, which rigid member will press against more than one tire when the bump occurs. For example, a 2×6 plank of substantial length could be attached to the face of the bumper fence to receive the bump. This would further lessen the indirect force of the bump against the wall of the building to avoid damaging the wall.
If aesthetics are important, the bumper fence could be totally or partially covered with something flexible.
The space above the bumper fence could be made more useful by placing a rigid member above or simply resting it atop the bumper fence to create a shelf or counter. The shelf or counter should be set back from the face of the bumper fence to allow a reasonable amount of flex from the bumps the fence is designed to take, without contacting the shelf or counter.
Vehicle bumps are a major cause of the deterioration in appearance and functionality of metal buildings. Conventional methods of protecting walls against such hazards are either expensive or marginally effective. The tire bumper fence effectively protects the walls and is either cheap or conceivably free to the building owner. It finds a safe storage place for scrap tires and makes them functional, turning a liability into an asset with virtually no conversion costs. This use solves a societal problem as well as a problem of the building owner.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An ozone faucet contains a body and a mixer. The body includes an outlet end and an ozone tube, and the outlet end has inner threads for screwing with a casing, between the casing and the outlet end is defined an accommodating space. The mixer includes a water guiding member, a resilient element, and a check tube. The water guiding member has a groove and a plurality of increasingly conical orifices, the resilient element is accommodated in the groove and has a stopping plug pushed by the resilient element. The check tube has a disc covering the water guiding member, the disc has a plurality of decreasingly conical apertures matching with the plurality of increasingly conical orifices The check tube also has a channel passing therethrough and contacting with the stopping plug, the mixer is secured in the accommodating space, and the check tube connects with the ozone tube.

Conventional ozone supply member is coupled with an outlet end of a faucet so as to supply water with ozone. With reference to FIG. 7, a conventional ozone faucet contains an outlet end 40, and the outlet end 40 has an ozone tube 41 extending outwardly therefrom. The outlet end 40 has a check valve 50, a control ring 42, an aerator 43, and a spray head 44. The check valve 50 has a first end disposed on the ozone tube 41 and has a second end with a joining section 51. The check valve 50 further has a guiding hole 52 passing therethrough, a valve tube 53 inserted into the guiding hole 52, a stopping fringe 54 defined on a first end of the valve tube 53, and a closing ring 55 fitted on a second end of the valve tube 53. The control ring 42 has an air inlet 421 defined on a central portion and connecting with the joining section 51 of the check valve 50. The air inlet 421 has a through orifice 422 arranged around a peripheral side thereof, and the aerator 43 is mounted on the bottom end of the control ring 42, the spray head 44 has a locking portion 441 for locking with the outlet end 40, such that the ozone is mixed with water so as to sterilize, disinfect, deodorize, bleach, and preserve an object. When the water cannot flow out of the spray head 44, a water pressured is raised so as to control the water to adversely flow toward the air inlet 421 of the control ring 42, and then the valve tube 53 is pushed by the water pressure so that the closing ring 55 of the valve tube 53 contacts with the joining section 51 of the check valve 50, thus stopping the water flowing adversely.
However, the conventional ozone faucet still has defects as follows:
1. The check valve 50 has a valve tube 53 and is inserted into the ozone tube 41 of the outlet end 40, and the outlet end 40 is placed in the control ring 42, the spray head 44 is fixed on the aerator 43 and the outlet end 40 so that the control ring 42 is secured on the outlet end 40, since the outlet end 40 has an opening facing downwardly, the check valve 50 and the control ring 42 cannot have two outlet ends 40, and the control ring 42 cannot align with the spray head 44 exactly.
2. The ozone flows toward the check valve 50 from the ozone tube 41, and the water flows below the aerator 43 via the control ring 42 and the spray head 44, thereafter the water flows through the control ring 42 and the aerator 43 from the outlet end 40 and then flows out of the ozone faucet. In addition, the ozone is fed beside the aerator 43 by a pressure of an ozone end, so the ozone cannot be increased and cannot mix with the water.
3. When the water pressure is high or the spray head 44 is blocked, the closing ring 55 is pressed by the valve tube 53 and the guiding hole 52 to drop off, such that the check valve 50 cannot guide the water to flow in a single direction so that the water flows into the ozone tube 41. Furthermore, the valve tube 53 removes from the check valve 50 to slide into the ozone tube 41, thereby damaging ozone equipment.
4. The guiding hole 52 is provided to insert the valve tube 53 so that the water pushes the valve tube 53 to block the guiding hole 52, but when the water flows into the valve tube 53, it penetrates into the ozone tube 41, thus damaging the ozone equipment easily.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.


A transmission system for louver type signs wherein the signs consist of a plurality of multiple faced louvers having indicia defined thereon and the side-by-side relationship of the louvers permits pre-selected faces to define a completed image. The adjacent transmissions are operated by a constantly rotating drive shaft and the louvers may be simultaneously rotated or may sequentially operate in a delayed manner wherein the indicia on the louvers is progressively revealed in a "wave" manner. The drive shafts of adjacent transmissions are interconnected and a plurality of transmissions are operated by a single constantly operating motor drive source, and in the disclosed embodiment, a complete rotation of the transmission's drive shaft produces one-third of a rotation of the output shafts operating the louvers. A positive detent lock operated by a cam formed on the drive shaft gear produces a positive locking of the output shaft and the position of the louver, and the detent is automatically engaged and released in the proper sequence by the cam.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to gear transmissions for louver type signs wherein a plurality of multi-faced elongated louvers having indicia or images appearing thereon are indexed and a plurality of transmissions are driven by a single constantly rotating power source.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a louver type sign, a plurality of long and narrow elements or louvers are mounted in side-by-side relationship and the louvers are indexed to present different faces having indicia defined thereon whereby upon the coplanar alignment of predetermined faces a desired image is produced. The longitudinal edges of adjacent louvers are closely spaced as to permit a continuity of the image appearing on a plurality of adjacent louver faces. Usually, the louvers are provided with three sides or faces and the louvers are usually indexed in a predetermined time cycle as to permit a different louver face to be visible each 30 seconds or so.
It has been the usual practice to simultaneously rotate or index the louvers constituting a complete sign by a belt or chain arrangement operated by an intermittently energized electric motor.
However, it is known to index adjacent louvers with a constantly rotating drive shaft for simultaneous operation or wherein the images defined thereon sequentially become visible and the total image is revealed in a "wave" adding interest to the sign and attracting the viewer's attention for a longer duration, thereby rendering the sign particularly effective.
With constant drive rotation signs and with sequential or wave louver type signs, it is important that the louvers be locked during each indexing to assure alignment of adjacent faces, and to prevent inadvertent partial rotation of the louvers due to external forces, such as wind. In order to lock such indexed louver signs in the desired position, it is known to mount a locking member on the transmission drive shafts which periodically engages a gear mounted upon the transmission output shaft upon which the louvers are mounted, please see U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,421 wherein such a lock mounted upon the transmission drive shaft intermittently meshes with the output shaft gear teeth.
The locking arrangement of the aforementioned patent has the disadvantage of incorporating excessive "play" in the index locking structure because of the necessity of the drive shaft mounted lock to intermesh with the output shaft gears. Such "play" may result in a slight misalignment, and permit a louver to slightly vibrate under high wind conditions, and such vibration is very apparent to the viewer detracting from the desired visual effect.


Disclosed is a membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which is composed of a hydrocarbon anion-ex-change resin membrane wherein an anion-exchange group is covalently bonded to a hydrocarbon resin, and an adhesive layer formed on at least one side of the hydrocarbon anion-exchange resin membrane. The membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cells is characterized in that the adhesive layer is made of an anion-exchange resin having a Young's modulus of 1-1000 MPa.

Ion exchange resin membrane is in wide use as a membrane for cell (e.g. polymer electrolyte fuel cell, redox flow cell or zinc-bromine cell), a membrane for dialysis, etc. Polymer electrolyte fuel cell uses an ion exchange resin membrane as the solid electrolyte membrane. When a fuel and an oxidant are fed continuously into this polymer electrolyte fuel cell, they react with each other, generating a chemical energy. The chemical energy generated is taken out as an electric power, and the fuel cell is one of power generation system which is clean and highly efficient.
In recent years, the polymer electrolyte fuel cell has increased its importance for uses in automobile, household and portable devices because it can be operated at low temperatures and can be produced in a small size.
The membrane-catalyst electrode assembly (hereinafter, this may be abbreviated as membrane-catalyst electrode assembly) incorporated in the polymer electrolyte fuel cell generally comprises an ion-exchange resin membrane acting as an electrolyte and diffusion electrodes bonded to each side of the membrane. Each diffusion electrode is generally constituted by a porous electrode material and a catalyst-loaded electrode bonding to the porous electrode material. When an electric power is taken out from the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, hydrogen gas or a liquid fuel (e.g. methanol) is fed into a chamber (a fuel chamber) in which one of the two diffusion electrodes is present, and an oxygen-containing gas (e.g. oxygen or air) as an oxidant is fed into a chamber (an oxidant chamber) in which the other diffusion electrode is present. When, in this state, an external load circuit is connected to the two diffusion electrodes, the fuel cell works as such and an electric power is supplied to the external load circuit.
Of polymer electrolyte fuel cells, direct liquid fuel cell utilizing methanol or the like for fuel, is evaluated highly because it uses a liquid fuel easy to handle and the fuel is inexpensive. For these reasons, the direct liquid fuel cell is expected as a power source of relatively small output which is used for portable devices.
The fundamental structure of polymer electrolyte fuel cell is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, 1a and 1b are each a partition wall of cell. The cell partition walls 1a and 1b are formed at the both sides of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6 made of an ion-exchange resin membrane, so as to sandwich the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6 functions as a membrane.
2 is a fuel passage formed in the inner wall of one cell partition wall 1a, and 3 is an oxidant gas passage formed in the inner wall of other cell partition wall 1b. 4 is a diffusion electrode of fuel chamber side, and 5 is a gas diffusion electrode of oxidant chamber side.
In using a cation-exchange electrolyte membrane as the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6, when a liquid fuel (e.g. alcohol) or a gaseous fuel (e.g. hydrogen) is fed into a fuel chamber 7, protons (hydrogen ions) and electrons are generated by the action of the catalyst provided in the fuel chamber side diffusion electrode 4. The protons pass through the inside of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6 and reach an oxidant chamber 8, where the protons react with the oxygen in air or in oxygen gas, generating water. Meanwhile, the electrons generated at the fuel chamber side diffusion electrode 4 pass through an external load circuit (not shown) and are sent to the oxidant chamber side gas diffusion electrode 5. At this time, an electric energy is supplied to the external load circuit.
In the polymer electrolyte fuel cell having the above-mentioned structure, there is ordinarily used a cation-exchange resin membrane as the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6. On the surface of the cation exchange resin membrane are formed diffusion electrodes 4 and 5. Ordinarily, hot pressing is used for formation of the diffusion electrodes 4 and 5. In this hot pressing, first there is formed, on a substrate, a diffusion electrode constituted by a porous electrode material and a catalyst electrode layer formed on one side thereof. Then, the diffusion electrode is heat-transferred from the substrate onto the surface of a cation-exchange resin membrane. The cation-exchange resin membrane and the catalyst electrode layer are made into one piece by the thermal compatibilization of the polymer electrolyte binder impregnated into the catalyst electrode layer and the cation-exchange resin consisting the cation-exchange resin membrane.
A perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid resin membrane has been used most typically as the cation-exchange resin membrane used as a membrane for fuel cell. However, the following problems are pointed out for the cation-exchange fuel cell using the perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid resin membrane.    (i) Since the field of reaction is strongly acidic, only a noble metal catalyst is usable.    (ii) The perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid resin membrane is expensive and there is a limit in cost reduction.    (iii) Since the physical strength of the resin membrane is low, it is difficult to reduce the electrical resistance of the resin membrane by making thin the resin membrane.    (iv) The resin membrane is low in water retention.Accordingly, it is necessary to supplement water in order to maintain the proton conductivity of the resin membrane.    (v) When methanol is used as the fuel, the permeability of methanol through the resin membrane is high and methanol reaches the gas diffusion electrode of oxidant chamber side, where methanol reacts with oxygen or air at the catalyst surface of the diffusion electrode, generating an overvoltage. As a result, a reduction in output voltage takes place (the same occurs also when other liquid fuel is used).
In order to solve these problems, it is being actively investigated to use, in place of the perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid resin membrane, a hydrocarbon cation-exchange membrane. However, the above problem (i) has not been solved by using any of such hydrocarbon cation-exchange membranes.
Hence, in order to solve the above problems, particularly the problem (i), it is being investigated to use, in place of the perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid resin membrane, a hydrocarbon anion-exchange membrane; and several proposals have been made (see, for example, Patent Literatures 1 to 3). In the fuel cell using an anion-exchange membrane, the field of reaction is basic and the risk of catalyst corrosion is low. Therefore, a catalyst other than noble metal is considered to be usable.
The mechanism in which a fuel cell using an anion-exchange membrane generates an electric energy, is described below. In this case, the ionic species moving inside the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6 differs from the ionic species of the fuel cell using a cation-exchange membrane. That is, a liquid fuel (e.g. methanol) or a gaseous fuel (e.g. hydrogen) is fed into the fuel chamber side and oxygen and water are fed into the oxidant chamber side, whereby, in the oxidant gas diffusion electrode 5, the catalyst contained in the electrode contacts with the oxygen and the water, generating hydroxide ion (OH−). This hydroxide ion passes through the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 6 made of the above-mentioned hydrocarbon anion-exchange membrane and moves into the fuel chamber 7. The hydroxide ion reacts with the fuel at the fuel diffusion electrode 4, generating water. In this case, the electron generated at the fuel diffusion electrode 4 is sent to the oxidant gas diffusion electrode 5 via an external load circuit.
In the fuel cell using an anion-exchange membrane, the energy generated by the above reaction is utilized as an electric energy.
In the fuel cell using a hydrocarbon anion-exchange membrane, not only the above problem (i) but also the problems (ii) to (iii) can be greatly reduced generally.
In the direct liquid fuel cell using a liquid fuel (e.g. methanol), the problem (iv) is reduced by the water fed from a water-containing fuel. Further, it is expected that the problem (v) of methanol permeation through membrane can be considerably reduced for the following reason. That is, during the flow of electric current, hydroxide ion of large ionic diameter moves from the oxidant chamber side toward the fuel chamber side (the direction of this movement is opposite to the direction of methanol permeation). The movement of methanol is hindered by the above movement of hydroxide ion and is suppressed.
Besides, since the field of reaction is basic, the overvoltage of oxygen reduction at the diffusion electrode of oxidant chamber side can be lowered.
The polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a hydrocarbon anion-exchange membrane has such advantages. The hydrocarbon anion-exchange membrane incorporated into a fuel cell includes a membrane comprising a porous membrane (e.g. woven fabric) and a hydrocarbon type crosslinked polymer having an anion-exchange group (e.g. quaternary ammonium salt group or quaternary pyridinium salt group), filled in the porous membrane (Patent Literature 1); a membrane obtained by introducing a quaternary ammonium salt group into a hydrocarbon engineering plastic and then subjecting it to casting (Patent Literature 2); a membrane obtained by graft-polymerizing a hydrocarbon monomer having an anion-exchange group, on a substrate made of a fluorine-containing polymer; etc.
The formation of catalyst electrode layers 4 and 5 on the anion-exchange membrane (solid electrolyte membrane 6) is conducted in the same manner as in the formation on the cation-exchange membrane. That is, each catalyst electrode layer is formed using a coating fluid comprising an electrode catalyst, a binder made of an anion-exchange resin, and a solvent; then the catalyst electrode layer formed is bonded to an anion-exchange membrane by hot pressing. As the binder made of an anion-exchange resin, there is disclosed an anion-exchange resin obtained by aminating a chloromethylation product of a copolymer of aromatic polyethersulfone and aromatic polythioethersulfone (Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
The formation of catalyst electrodes can also be conducted by producing a catalyst electrode sheet made of an electrode catalyst and a polytetrafluoroethylene binder, coating thereon a binder made of an anion-exchange resin, and press-bonding the coated catalyst electrode sheet to an anion-exchange membrane to bond them to each other. As the binder, there is used a polymer obtained by treating the terminal of a perfluorocarbon polymer having a sulfonic acid group, with a diamine, for quaternization (Patent Literature 3).
Such an anion-exchange membrane has a high hardness because the membrane uses a reinforcing material or the resin constituting the anion-exchange membrane has a crosslinked structure so that the membrane can suppress the permeation of fuel or can give a mechanical strength. Or, the anion-exchange membrane uses a resin material of relatively high hardness (e.g. engineering plastic) for the same purpose. Further, as the binder made of an anion-exchange resin, used in formation of catalyst electrode layer, an engineering plastic of relatively high hardness is used. As the binder made of an anion-exchange resin, there is also used a resin whose main structure is a fluorocarbon resin low in compatibility with hydrocarbon anion-exchange membrane.
For these reasons, the adhesivity between the catalyst electrode layers 4 and 5 and the anion-exchange resin membrane is inferior and the adhesion at their interface tends to be poor. Consequently, the resistance at the interface is high. Further, the interface between the catalyst electrode layer and the anion-exchange resin membrane is exposed to a liquid fuel when used in a fuel cell. As a result, the adhesion strength at their interface tends to decrease. Further, each catalyst electrode layer and the anion-exchange resin membrane differ in chemical structure, composition, etc. and accordingly differ in the degree of swelling in liquid fuel. Therefore, poor adhesion tends to appear at the interface and peeling occurs ultimately between the anion-exchange membrane and the catalyst electrode layer.
In order to enhance the bondability between the hydrocarbon anion-exchange membrane and the catalyst electrode layer, there is a proposal of using, as the binder for catalyst electrode layer, an anion-exchange resin in which an anion-exchange group is introduced into a hydrocarbon polymer elastomer (Patent Literature 4). This literature discloses only a method for bonding, to an anion-exchange membrane, a catalyst electrode layer formed using the above-mentioned anion-exchange resin and an electrode catalyst, by thermal pressing, to bond them to each other. Their bondability, however, is not sufficient.
Patent Literature 1: JP-A-1999-135137
Patent Literature 2: JP-A-1999-273695
Patent Literature 3: JP-A-2000-331693
Patent Literature 4: JP-A-2002-367626

Separation membrane for solid polymer fuel cell and separation membrane-catalyst electrode assembly


A method is disclosed for producing sulphate or phosphate-based fertilizer from hydrogen sulphide. The method involves feeding a stream containing a substantial volume of hydrogen sulphide and air to a furnace, where it is burned to produce a sulphur dioxide rich gas stream. The sulphur dioxide rich gas stream is then fed to a reactor to produce a sulphuric acid stream and a waste stream comprising carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, trace impurities and trace amounts of unreacted sulphur dioxide. The sulphuric acid stream is finally converted to a sulphate or phosphate-based fertilizer.

Natural gas streams produced from some subterranean formations frequently contain substantial volumes of various acid gas fractions such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2) and the like. The natural gas, commonly referred to as "sour gas", must be purified and the acid gas fractions removed before being sent to market. The process of removal of these acid gas fractions is referred to in the industry as "sweetening" the sour natural gas stream.
There are various methods for sweetening sour gas to remove acid gas fractions therefrom. One of the most common methods has been to recover those acid gas fractions from the natural gas stream and to process it in a plant to produce elemental sulphur or, alternatively, inject it into well spaces below the ground. Such practices are very expensive with almost no monetary returns or gains. Beyond the cost associated with this type of method, there are negative environmental impacts on a number of levels.
The safe handling of sour gas and the removal of acid gas fractions therefrom is a significant economic factor in the feasibility of certain hydrocarbon recovery projects. In cases where it has been desired in the past to remove hydrogen sulphide and other acid gas fractions from a natural gas stream for example, solvent absorption methods have been practiced in the past whereby the gas stream from the well site is conveyed to a central processing facility where the hydrogen sulphide or other identified non-desirable acid gas fractions are removed by solvent absorption or other similar techniques.
Another source of by-product H2S is from the gasification of coal. Gasification is a process by which coal or other low-value carbonaceous solid fuels are gasified in a large chemical reactor. The resulting synthesis gas (syngas) comprises mostly hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and conventionally is cleansed and then used to fire an electric power plant. Syngas may also be converted into high value products such as synthetic fuels or ammonia. Several by-product streams are generated during gasification, including a stream of hydrogen sulphide gas.
There has been little effort made to produce an economically valuable product from by-product hydrogen sulphide gas. Sulphuric acid is one such valuable product that could be further produced from hydrogen sulphide that is recovered from acid gas waste streams of hydrocarbon processing. Several commercially established techniques are available in the market to convert hydrogen sulphide gas to sulphuric acid. However the production of sulphuric acid from hydrogen sulphide is commercially limited due over production consequently resulting in low market price.
Some work has been done relating to conversion of sulphur dioxide (SO2), such as from flue gasses in coal powered electricity generation, to sulphuric acid. There have also been efforts in developing processes for conversion of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) to sulphuric acid by treatment with hydrogen peroxide, sodium sulphates and ferric sulphates, however these have proven to be costly and difficult to implement on a large, industrial scale. It is therefore desirable to find an economic and safe method of converting otherwise waste acid gas streams to valuable sulphuric acid, which can then further be used to produce fertilizer.

Conversion of acid gas to sulphate or phosphate-based fertilizers


The earth's magnetic field has not been mined as a source of energy. With average field strength of 0.5×10−4 Tesla around the world it is easy to understand why. A disruptive technology is needed to mine the earth's magnetic field. Such a technology, graphene, is now at an early stage of development with excellent properties in the form of high conductivity, low resistivity, durable, light weight, low cost sheets. Multiple sheets of graphene provide a significant multiplier to earth's magnetic field yielding a feasible source of ecologically clean power. Graphene based EcoCharge units can be driven by electric motors putting graphene in motion to mine the earth's magnetic field. Estimates show that for a Solar Impulse 2 like electric plane, eight EcoCharge units weighing 64 lbs generate 60 kW RMS continuously replacing 3,000 lbs of photovoltaic cells generating 50 kW RMS during the day only.

Nature provides many resources that can be used to reduce dependence on coal, oil, gas, and nuclear for powering our homes, offices, factories, and modes of transportation. Solar and wind power have been the most used natural resources to supplement coal, oil, gas, and nuclear for powering and heating homes, offices, and factories. Prototypes for gathering energy from waves and tides have also been constructed and are being evaluated as a supplement to coal, oil, gas and nuclear as well. In addition, much work has been done in the area of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) cells for supplementing the grid (P. Fairley, "How Rooftop Solar Can Stabilize the Grid," IEEE Spectrum, February 2015, p 10.). Solar powered PV cells have shown the most promise when it comes to providing electric power for planes and drones (http://info.solarimpulse.com/en/our-adventure/solar-impulse-2/#.VlzB9GaFPIU), (http://www.gizmag.com/solara-uav-atmospheric-satellite/28886/).
There is another natural resource that has not been mined as an alternate source of energy: the earth's magnetic field. With average field strength approximately 0.5×10−4 Tesla (T) around the world, it is easy to see why this resource has been overlooked. If a system to mine the earth's magnetic field is developed for a plane or drone using moving electrical wire after Faraday then Maxwell, even the most efficient aluminum wire requires an impractical length to generate a small amount of power at a usable voltage. As good as the electrical properties of aluminum wire are, they are not sufficient for this application. It is clear that a disruptive technology is needed to mine the earth's magnetic field to power planes and drones in lieu of solar PV technology.
Such a disruptive technology, graphene (The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, "Scientific Background on the Nobel Prize in Physics 2010," Kungl. Vetenskaps-Akademien, 5 Oct. 2010.) which is used in EcoCharge, is now at an early stage of development. Graphene has excellent electrical properties in the form of high conductivity and low resistivity, is extremely strong and durable, and is relatively inexpensive. It is now being produced in sheets (http://www.graphene-info.com/sony-developed-new-r2r-method-make-graphene-produced-100-meter-long-sheet) large enough to be used for EcoCharge. In addition, MIT has set up an industrial scale graphene printing press in its graphene lab (http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/09/mit-setting-up-industrial-scale-graphene-printing-press.php) and Purdue University spin-off BlueVine Graphene Industries, Inc. (http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2014/Q3/purdue-based-startup-scales-up-graphene-production,-develops-biosensors-and-supercapacitors.html) produced roll-to-roll graphene before losing funding with the founders continuing research and development at Purdue's Birk Nanotechnology Center. In addition, novel research (A. Chakrabarti, J. Lu, J. C. Skrabutenas, T. Xu, J. A. Maguire, and N. S. Hosmane, "Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Few-Layer Graphene," J. Mater. Chem, 2011, 21, 9491.) aims to contribute to the reversal of global warming by converting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to sheets of graphene. Finally, the European Union has selected graphene research and development as one of its ten year objectives with funding of approximately one billion dollars.
The unique feature of graphene for mining the earth's magnetic field is its ability to conduct electricity in low resistivity, two-dimensional sheets. In effect, graphene is a two-dimensional "wire" that will generate current proportional to its resistivity, area, and orientation and motion with respect to the earth's magnetic field. As will be shown below, these properties provide a significant multiplier to earth's weak magnetic field yielding a feasible source of ecologically clean electric power for planes and drones. Not only is it ecologically clean but it is constant, day and night, through typical plane (39,000 ft.) and drone (65,000 ft.) altitudes (https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/WMM/DoDWMM.shtml) solving the solar regulation problem faced by current solar powered planes and drones from night time loss of sunlight.
EcoCharge units convert earth's magnetic field to electrical current continuously powering planes and drones. Planes and drones are general categories including all types of airborne vehicles. The basic EcoCharge concept of using graphene for the conversion medium was taught by U.S. Pat. No. 9,130,414 B2, EcoCharge System With Layered Graphene Sheets for Generating EMF From the Earth's Magnetic Field to Power Electric Vehicles, Sep. 8, 2015. Many of the present EcoCharge Powered Plane and Drone implementation techniques are also taught by U.S. Pat. No. 9,130,414 B2 and will be noted herein. As will be shown below, the EcoCharge Planes and Drones application is enough different from U.S. Pat. No. 9,130,414 B2 to warrant a separate patent application. For the vehicle mounted application, U.S. Pat. No. 9,130,414 B2, EcoCharge units are mounted on the axles and driveshaft of the vehicle, orthogonal to one another and with obvious size and weight restrictions, in order to generate electrical power when the vehicle is moving at any orientation to the earth's magnetic field. For the present plane and drone application, it is a matter of replacing many heavy PV cells and complex wiring with much lighter weight, simply wired orthogonal EcoCharge units allowing longer and faster flights with additional capabilities such as more cargo and passengers.


An undergarment facilitating the process to transition from disposable protective undergarments and diapers to underwear or “toilet/potty-training” in individuals where a subject is able to access and use facilities independently and at the proper time. The training undergarment can be made of textile of differing colors and prints with a particular thickness integrated with fasteners, which lock together creating a garment with a front and back. The snaps enable the training undergarment to be removed by unsnapping the closures and removing said undergarment without the individual becoming completely undressed or disrobed. The training undergarment protects the clothing of the individual from excrement in said transition until the individual is fully “trained” and able to use proper facilities at the proper time.

The present invention was created after using all options on the market for "potty-training" and incontinence challenges and finding those options to be unacceptable for several reasons. Some of the reasons include being inept at aiding in training the subject to actually go to the bathroom by being: too absorbent, too focused on shielding wetness, too cheaply constructed, too costly, too toxic, and too environmentally unsafe. The unacceptable attributes are largely because the training products consist largely of diapers and diaper-like products. The early introduction of potty-training and incontinence tools have largely focused on being absorbent.
Notwithstanding absorbency, the next generation of tools focused on being convenient and the garments being disposable. Hence, the use of cheap and toxic fillers and liners in diapers and diaper-like products began to be commonplace. The most recent innovation in current art includes all of the aforementioned attributes plus the use of graphics and tactile sensation to aid the subject-wearer in becoming oriented to using the available facilities instead of the garment. The graphics are to help the child and caregiver understand the garment is soiled in some way. The tactile reaction is a sensation sent to the subject-wearer from the garment to alert of the garment being soiled. Newer art further focuses on more convenience with the inclusion of seams attached by fasteners which can be opened and closed at-will. However, the designs have not been durable, discreet or secure for the user.
All children will go through the potty-training process at some age. For some children, it is quick and painless. For other children and sometimes adults, it is not so easy. Some of the challenges faced in the process are due in large part to the current tools on the market. The principal improvement with the training undergarment disclosed herein is its protective make-up which allows for an absorbent nature while still allowing the subject-wearer to feel wetness but also still preserving their clothing and their environment from wetness.
The present invention is designed to eliminate the issues and challenges with products currently on the market and in production. The disclosed invention herein is: non-toxic, environmentally-friendly, reusable, cost-efficient, washable, durable, simple to use, effective, not overly absorbent, more like underwear than a diaper, superior in aiding early childhood development and can help children of all ages facing challenges in potty-training as well as adults facing the challenges of incontinence and is good for both females and males.
A large part of the challenge in potty-training is alerting the subject to go to the bathroom when the urge to urinate or defecate arises. This urge, when supplemented by wet or soiled garments, should lead the subject to become uncomfortable and over time, essentially resulting in the subject using the facilities instead of the training garment. If a garment is too absorbent, the subject will not become as uncomfortable as necessary to lead to the subject's resolution from or prevention of soiling the garment. The importance of the urge is reduced because of the high level of absorbency of the garment leads masks feeling of wetness which then reduces the priority of using the facilities and ultimately ignoring the urge. This impedes the rate at which a subject "takes" to being trained to relieve him or herself in the facilities rather than in the "trainer." Not feeling the wetness allows the subject-wearer to ignore the urge because he/she is protected from the result—a soiled garment. The level of absorbency can keep the subject-wearer from an urgency to stop using the garment for excrement and even the urge to remove the garment because he/she cannot feel the discomfort. The invention disclosed herein answers this challenge.
Because many parents and caregivers struggle with potty-training and managing incontinence in children of all ages and even adults, another way this invention will help with the overall training process and the management of incontinence is by providing an efficient, effective and inexpensive garment. The invention disclosed herein is an easier and cheaper alternative to the current solutions being marketed i.e. diapers, pads, and disposable underwear, and in its preferred embodiment it feels rather luxurious and rich because of the textile used in the construction. Adding the current invention into the training regimen can save nearly $1500 for the patent or caregiver using pull-on disposable trainers and other diaper-like supplies currently on the market. The toxic nature of cheap products on the market is a real concern for parents and caregivers when using for babies, children and other classes of subject-wearers. The toxicity causes skin irritation and rashes. The present invention, the training undergarment, can also be re-used until the subject outgrows the garment or becomes proficient and is potty-trained, saving the parent or caregiver time and money. The idea is the design and mechanism by which the present invention facilitates training will allow subject to become trained faster than currently possible with other trainers on the market. Further, this invention is washable by normal washing methods both by hand or by machine. Parents and caregivers are saved from purchasing diaper-like trainers over and over again throughout the "potty-training" process which can last for months or even years.
The latest options in potty-training innovation include graphics and sensations upon wetness or soiling. While this is helpful for the parent or caregiver for alerting the subject has soiled themselves, the practicality of these notions can backfire as "rewards" for soiling the garment. The graphics show up on the diaper-like trainer or garment once it is soiled. Perhaps this was a great idea in theory but in practice when things appear, especially to children, it is more of a game or magic trick. A magic trick which can only be brought about by the subject soiling the garment with no prompting towards using the facilities. Perhaps a negative reaction in the trainer would be more purpose-driven for the trainer. If the subject uses the garment and soils it, the picture should disappear. This "nothing" to "something" would appeal to most subject-users for the purpose intended; besides alerting their parents or caregivers of a soiled garment, as a reward and not a negative result. This effect would not further the purpose intended.
As for the tactile sensations given to the subject by the garment upon soiling; this would also seem to be counter the goal of deterring the behavior of soiling the garment. Not being able to dispense anything more than a slight vibration or tingle, effectiveness seems questionable. The tactile sensation is to reduce garment soiling and induce the subject to use the facilities. The subject can, again, view a slight sensation by the garment as a reward prompting the subject to actually avoid going to the facilities to release to feel the sensation. However, any stronger of a sensation which would actually prompt the child in a manner to go to the toilet instead of soiling the garment would quite possibly be inhumane. Both the graphics and the sensations as tools to aid garments in deterring subjects from soiling their training garments seem to miss the effective mark and can arguably counter potty-training efforts altogether. The effects of these products could actually lead to stretching the training process out for a lot longer than needed.
Another challenge with current art is the inclusion of padding, both fixed and non-fixed padding, which can move around and leave clothing susceptible to excrement and waste. Padding in and of itself tends to not be reusable contributing to waste; it also has to be purchased throughout the training process making it cost prohibitive; further, it can be uncomfortable because it can bunch up in odd places for the subject-wearer; and finally, it is sometimes removable which means it is not stationary and misses the mark on protecting in the manner intended and causing un-planned friction while subject-wearer is moving often preventing the sensations needed for the appropriate sensory responses used in training if at all and preventing learning through embarrassing "accident" situations. The pull-on diaper-like garments used in potty-training tend to have the same issues and thus less effective in the training process.
For as far as the world of trainers has come, the options which include durability, eco-friendly, effective, absorbent-enough, sensory stimulating, underwear-like solutions have just not evolved as quickly. However, the current invention addresses all of these concerns and offer improvements over the aforementioned challenges. The current invention further improves over current art in the look and feel of the trainer combined with how the trainer is easily accessed on subject-wearer.


A two piece wheel having a partial wheel rim mechanically attached to a full face wheel disc by at least one locking pin. The locking pin extends through an aperture formed in a collar extending from an inboard surface of the wheel disc and a corresponding aperture formed through the wheel rim end and is secured by a weld. A resilient material is disposed between the wheel disc and rim end to form an air-tight seal therebetween.

This invention relates in general to vehicle wheels and in particular to a two piece vehicle wheel having a partial wheel rim mechanically pinned to a fill face wheel disc and a process for fabricating such a wheel.
It is known in the art to fabricate a vehicle wheel by attaching a wheel rim to a separately formed wheel disc. Typically, the wheel rim is rolled from steel strip stock and the disc is stamped from steel sheet stock. The rim is welded to the disc to form the wheel. Such a wheel is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,455 to Iwatsuki. Alternately, the wheel rim can be rolled from steel and the wheel disc cast or forged from a light weight metal, such as aluminum, titanium or magnesium, or an alloy of a light weight metal. Because the metals forming the rim and disc are different, a ferrous weld anchor is usually attached to the wheel disc. The wheel rim is welded to the weld anchor to assure that a good weld is formed between the rim and the disc. Such a wheel is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,506,311 to Nobach and is commonly referred to a bimetal wheel. A bimetal wheel combines the economy, flexibility and strength of a steel rim with the pleasing ornamental appearance of three dimensional contours formed in a cast or forged wheel disc. It also is known to form the wheel rim from an alloy of a light weight metal, in which case it might be possible to eliminate the weld anchor.
To enhance the appearance of a two piece wheel, it is known to attach a wheel disc which includes the outboard tire retaining flange to a partial wheel rim. Such a wheel is commonly referred to as a full face wheel. When a tire is mounted upon a full face wheel, the joint between the wheel disc and wheel rim is completely hidden and only the wheel disc is visible. A decorative finish is often applied to the face of the wheel disc to further enhance the appearance of the wheel. Examples of typical decorative finishes include metal plating, such as chromium plating, clear coatings and paint.
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, a fragmentary sectional view of a typical prior art bimetal full face wheel 10. The wheel 10 is described in the Nobach patent listed above and includes a full face wheel disc 11 formed from a light weight metal or light weight metal alloy by a conventional process, such as gravity or low pressure casting, or forging. The full face wheel disc 1 includes a central wheel hub (not shown) which is supported by a plurality of wheel spokes (one shown) within an annular sidewall 12. An outboard tire bead retaining flange 13 extends in an outward radial direction from the sidewall 12.
A ring-shaped weld anchor 15 formed from a ferrous material, such as steel, is partially embedded in the wheel disc sidewall 12. An exposed portion of the weld anchor 15 forms a welding surface 16. An alternate structure for the weld anchor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,642 to Archibald where the weld anchor includes an annular collar which is received by the outboard end of a partial wheel rim. The weld anchor collar positions the wheel rim on the wheel disc. The wheel disc 11 shown in FIG. 1 further includes a cylindrical collar 17 which extends axially from the inboard side of the sidewall 12. The collar 17 also extends radially over a portion of the weld anchor 15 to secure the weld anchor 15 to the wheel disc 11.
A conventional partial wheel rim 20 is attached to the inboard side of the wheel disc 11. The wheel rim 20 is typically formed from steel strip stock with conventional rim roll forming machinery. The wheel rim 20 includes a cylindrically-shaped outboard end 22. The outboard wheel rim end 22 includes an outboard tire bead seat 23 and outboard safety bead 24. The outboard rim end 22 extends over the wheel disc collar 17 and into contact with the welding surface 16 of the weld anchor 15. Typically, the outboard rim end 22 and the wheel disc collar 17 are sized to form a clearance fit therebetween, allowing the wheel rim 20 to be rotated relative to the wheel disc 11.
A continuous circumferential air-tight weld 25 is formed between the wheel rim 20 and the weld anchor 15. Typically, a conventional friction or inertial welding process is used to form the weld 25. During the welding process, the wheel disc 11 is held stationary while the wheel rim 20 is rotated with the outboard rim end 22 pressed against the weld anchor 15. The friction between the rim end 22 and the weld anchor 15 generates sufficient heat to partially melt the outboard wheel rim end 22 and the adjacent portion of the weld anchor 15 to form the weld 25. Alternately, the wheel disc and rim assembly can be rotated while one or more welding torches form the weld 25.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a flow chart for a known manufacturing process for fabricating the full face wheel 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. In functional block 30 a full face wheel disc is formed by a conventional process, such as casting or forging. A weld anchor is embedded in the wheel disc during the casting or forging process. Alternately, a weld anchor can be secured to an inboard surface of the wheel disc after the wheel disc has been formed. The wheel disc is heat treated in functional block 31 and then machined to final shape in functional block 32.
While the wheel disc is being formed, a flat strip of metal is rolled into a circular hoop and the ends butt welded together in functional block 35. The hoop is shaped into a partial wheel rim in functional block 36 by a conventional process, such as rolling or spinning.
In functional block 37, the partial wheel rim is attached to the wheel disc formed in functional blocks 30 through 32 by a conventional welding process. The weld extends circumferentially around the wheel and forms an air-tight seal between the wheel rim and wheel disc. Typically, it is difficult to weld the hoop concentrically upon the disc. If the outboard and inboard tire bead seats of the assembled wheel are outside the required tolerance limits for concentricity, undesirable vibrations may occur when the wheel is mounted upon a vehicle and the vehicle operated. Accordingly, the tire bead seats of the assembled wheel are machined in functional block 38 to assure that the required amount of concentricity is achieved.


The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and proposes a gate driving circuit and a driving method thereof, and a display panel. The gate driving circuit includes a plurality of cascaded shift register units and switch unit groups. Each of the shift register units and at least one row of pixel units are correspondingly arranged; and switch unit group are arranged between at least a part of adjacent two shift register units. The switch unit group includes a first switch unit and a second switch unit. The first switch unit is used to turn on the output terminal of the shift register unit of the previous stage and the input terminal of the shift register unit of the adjacent next stage in response to a control signal; and the second switch unit is used to turn on the output terminal of the shift register unit of the previous stage and the output terminal of the shift register unit of the adjacent next stage in response to a control signal, wherein the first switch unit and the second switch unit are turned on selectively during a driving period.

A display panel displays images in a manner of sequentially displaying one frame by one frame. Due to mutual interference between frames, the display panel usually will be dynamic blur when displaying images. In the related art, a black picture is usually inserted between display of the frames to improve the problem of dynamic blur of the image. However, the manner of inserting the black picture will reduce display duration of a frame of a picture, thereby causing problems such as image flickering and low display brightness.
It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background section is only used to strengthen the understanding of the background of the present disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Gate driving circuit and driving method thereof, display panel


An adhesion preventive material including a cross-linking polysaccharide derivative containing at least one active ester group introduced in a polysaccharide side chain, which is capable of reacting with an active hydrogen-containing group, and being capable of forming a crosslinked material due to covalent binding among the active ester group and an active hydrogen-containing group upon contact with water under an alkaline condition, is disclosed. The adhesion preventive material is able to reduce preparation works to be carried out while previously estimating the time of application and does not require a special device.

In a surgical operation, in the case where a biological tissue is invaded by operation works, adhesion occurs by inflammation during the process of tissue cure of that site, and normal actions of tissues or organs are hindered by the adhesion, thereby possibly producing a problem as a complication after the operation. For example, in an abdominal region, intestinal obstruction which is caused due to adhesion between an intestinal tract and a peritoneum after the operation is a critical complication.
For the purpose of preventing such adhesion after the operation from occurring, a bioabsorbable adhesion preventive material is sometimes used while expecting a barrier effect between tissues or organs.
As materials of adhesion preventive materials, there have hitherto been proposed, for example, a fibrous cellulose which is produced by microorganisms (Patent Document 1); a dry film of a polyion complex of an acidic polysaccharide containing an anionic group (a carboxyl group or a sulfonic group) and a basic polysaccharide containing a cationic group (an amino group) such as chitosan (Patent Document 2); a membrane of an intermacromolecular complex of a carboxyl-containing polysaccharide and a polyether (Patent Document 3); and an aqueous formulation containing polysaccharide dextrin (Patent Document 4).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2853165
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2000-116765
Patent Document 3: JP-A-2002-511897
Patent Document 4: JP-T-2003-520243


The heater module wire connection structure for a battery pack includes a battery pack (11), and first and second heater modules (22L, 23L) which warm the inside of the battery pack and have lead wires (44L, 45L) connected thereto. Further, the heater module wire connection structure includes a power supply cable (42) to which the lead wires of the first and second heater modules are crimped and connected, and a temperature sensor (43C) which is placed inside of the battery pack and detects the temperature of the first heater module (23L). The lead wire (45L) of the first heater module, the temperature of which is detectable by the temperature sensor, and the lead wire (44L) of the second heater module (22L), the temperature of which is not detectable by the temperature sensor, are simultaneously crimped and connected to the same position on the power supply cable.

As a heater module for warming the inside of a battery pack in order to adjust the temperature thereof, a heater module set forth in Patent Literature 1 is conventionally known. In Patent Literature 1, a heater module (heater body) tightly contacts the outer side surface of a casing of a battery pack which stores a number of battery modules, and the heater module is attached to the casing of the battery pack by using a heater unit casing. Also, a heat insulating sheet is placed between the surface of the heater module which faces away from the outer side surface of the casing of the battery pack, and the heater unit casing.

Heater module wire connection structure for battery pack


A fuel cell device includes at least one and preferably two gas storage chambers, the gas storage chambers being connected via gas flow channels to a fuel cell membrane, such as a proton exchange membrane. A piston in each gas storage chamber moves to compress the gas upon being subject to an acceleration force. A flow control opens upon a predetermined condition being achieved to provide the compressed gases to a fuel cell membrane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fuel cell, and more particularly to a fuel cell having a pump or other gas transfer apparatus for moving gases in the fuel cell, as well as to a method for construction of and operation of a fuel cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a fuel cell, the chemical energy that is present in hydrogen and the oxidant (oxygen) is cleanly, quietly and efficiently converted electrochemically into electrical energy. The hydrogen is oxidized at the anode (negative pole) and the oxygen (or oxygen from the air) is reduced at the cathode (positive pole) of a single cell. The catalyst on the anode promotes the oxidation of hydrogen molecules into hydrogen ions (H+) and electrons: the hydrogen ions migrate through a special membrane to the cathode, where the cathode catalyst causes the combination of the hydrogen ions, electrons and oxygen to produce water. In this construction, the membrane is a polymer membrane so that the fuel cell is a so-called Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cell (or PEMFC or PEM). The membrane conducts the hydrogen ions from one side to the other while blocking the free electrons but does so more efficiently when fully hydrated.
When connected to an electrical circuit, the electrical energy of the fuel cell produces a flow of electrons through the external circuit as electric current, which can be used, for example, to run a direct current (DC) electric motor. For utilization in an AC circuit, an inverter provides alternating current (AC) for those kinds of applications.
The electrodes may be formed by a thin layer of a catalyst applied to an appropriate backing placed on the opposite surface of the thin polymer membrane. Two bipolar plates are positioned against this backing, one on each side of the membrane. The bipolar plates have two functions: transmission of electrons through the elementary cells and release of heat to the external environment. The side of the bipolar plates facing the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) may be provided with ribs, which allow for the distribution of the gases (hydrogen and air) and the discharge of the resultant product water.
Increased power is achieved in fuel cell technology by enlarging the cell area (to handle an increase in the amperage requirements) and by combining a number of single cells in series to produce a fuel cell stack. The bipolar plates are configured to handle increased voltage requirements.
The several types of fuel cells are characterized by means of the electrolyte type. The electrolyte in between the electrodes defines the operating temperature of the fuel cell and a suitable catalyst can be selected for that operating temperature.
There is a major need for standby power for munitions production suitable for military applications. Munitions today are "smart" which means they have embedded electronics to aid in achieving hits on the desired targets. This use of electronics requires electricity to power the embedded hardware and software.
Currently, batteries and in particular lithium batteries are employed in most smart munitions. However, since munitions are generally produced during periods of non-use and are for later use during periods of conflict, storage or "shelf life" becomes a critical issue in this application. Batteries that are embedded in such devices must be capable of long term survival, requiring continued reliably for perhaps decades in storage, and generally under the most demanding environmental conditions. As an alternative, the batteries may need to be put into the munitions immediately prior to use of the munitions, not something one would want to do in combat. These batteries are called "reserve" batteries in the military.
Thermal reserve batteries are employed in some munitions but more commonly are used in bombs and missiles. The only difference in operating function between lithium batteries and thermal batteries is that thermal batteries are generally used for higher power applications. Beyond that, thermal reserve batteries are generally subject to the same demanding operating conditions as the lithium batteries.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2003 0152815 discloses microscopic batteries that are integrated or integratable with and provide internal power to MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) and integrated microcircuits, either on a retrofit or original manufacture basis. The MEMS involve the fabrication and use of miniature devices, which comprise microscopic moving parts (such as motors, relays, pumps, sensors, accelerometers, etc.). The MEMS devices can be combined with integrated circuits, and can perform numerous functions. For example, military applications for remote sensors and accelerometers include: safing and arming of fuses; friend or foe identification; embedded sensors for system integrity monitoring; communications systems monitoring, such as with satellites; low power mobile displays; flexible sensing surfaces; and numerous others. The microscopic batteries of patent publication application No. 2003 0152815 do not employ fuel cell technology due to the perceived limitation of providing sufficient power to drive the microdevices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,513 and U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2003 0082421 each disclose a fuel cell assembly in which a fuel tank is located separate from the fuel cell and feeds the fuel to the cell via capillary action using a fuel permeating material U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2003 0129464 discloses a fuel cell assembly employing a separate fuel source which is rupturable by a needle for drawing out the fuel which is supplied to the fuel cell.
Although generators could be considered as standby power sources, their large size precludes them from all but the most energy intensive applications, so they are not normally considered where small size is necessary, but may be utilized when size is not a concern. Batteries in all their many types and sizes fill most short and medium shelf life niches with little problems. It's only where the shelf life requirements go into the decades that traditional batteries start to have failure issues because of their inherent chemical nature.

Inertial pump for moving gases in a micro fuel cell


A host group which uses a specific port as a data transfer path is retrieved to be detected from data transfer paths of respective hosts, and then such a report of an I/O conflict is generated in which only performance data of the retrieved host group is extracted. As a result, such a condition that I/O loads are concentrated to a specific port employed in an SAN (Storage Area Network) can be easily detected, and such hosts which give the loads can be readily specified.

The present invention is related to a managing system of an SAN (storage Area Network, will be referred to as "SAN" hereinafter). More specifically, the present invention is directed to such a technique suitably applied to a performance information display/analysis system in the SAN.
Very recently, storage capacities which are required in enterprises are increased in an acceleration manner, and thus, scales of SANs which are conducted to these enterprises are rapidly increased. Since SANs are conducted, operation business such as backup operations and failure management can be localized, and operation management cost can be reduced. Generally speaking, however, since scales of SANs are increased, performance management practically becomes difficult. For instance, in such a case that a large number of hosts are connected to an SAN, loads are concentrated to a specific port provided within the SAN, which may cause a bottleneck. Thus, there are some possibilities that I/O performance of the hosts cannot be established.
The SAN managing system described in JP-A-2003-92571 can discover malfunction of a network appliance and a performance deterioration of a network appliance in an earlier stage by co-operating a monitoring function of a network appliance with a monitoring function of network performance.
In such an arrangement that a large number of hosts are connected to an SAN, I/O process operations from the plural hosts are concentrated to a specific port provided in the SAN. As a result, there are some possibilities that I/O performance deteriorations of the hosts may be induced. An I/O amount processed by a specific port employed in an SAN can be viewed/analyzed by a tool which is provided by an FC switch apparatus. However, in accordance with this method, it is practically difficult to specify a reason as to the I/O conflict performance problem which is conducted by setting an FC switch apparatus on the outer side. In other words, concretely speaking, this method can hardly specify such a host group which gives an I/O load to the specific port provided in the SAN.

Method of managing a storage area network


A splashguard device for a dishwasher includes an angular sector of a circular plate. A sector angle of the angular sector has an angle of from about 100 to 130 degrees. The radius of the circular plate substantially equals the radial length of a dishwasher door determined from the hinge axis of the dishwasher door. A plurality of fastening devices permanently secures the angular sector at a radially extending edge to a radially directed side face of the dishwasher door. Spacer devices are provided for spacing the angular sector at a distance of approximately 0.5 inch from the radially extending side face of the dishwasher door in a vertical plane parallel to an outer face of a dishwasher outside wall. A guide is attached to the dishwasher outside wall to ensure a free movement of the splashguard.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improvement for a dishwasher in a kitchen environment.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
Dishwashers have been produced conventionally for installation in kitchens. In general, it was desired that the dishwasher be accessible from various sides and, therefore, a mounting position in a corner was not practical. However, in view of the cost associated with space in housing, kitchens of only a limited size are frequently available and, consequently, it may be necessary and desirable to place a dishwasher in a corner of a kitchen.
Manufacturers of household dishwashers frequently advise prospective buyers not to install a dishwasher unit in an inside corner. The reason for this is that, when loading the dishwasher, items may or may not be rinsed off, resulting in fluids and/or food particles to fall onto the horizontal surface of the opened dishwasher door, and to splash onto the adjacent walls or cabinets. Also, when the dishwasher door is opened, soon after its operation, hot humid air will escape. If the dishwasher door is opened during the washing cycle, hot water vapors will also be combined with the cleaning detergent. These hot water vapors, with or without cleaning detergent, will condense on any adjacent cool surfaces. Repeated exposure of walls, cabinets and adjacent surfaces to the above-mentioned adverse conditions and frequent cleaning thereof will eventually cause the protective finish to be damaged and/or corroded. In particular, finished wood surfaces will eventually discolor, swell, warp, and/or crack.

Splashguard for corner-positioned dishwashers


An implementation of a MEMS device includes a constrained diaphragm comprising a surface, the diaphragm having a net compressive stress; and a backplate comprising a surface facing the surface of the diaphragm, the surface of the backplate having a center, and a post extending from the surface of the backplate, wherein the post is located at or near a center of the surface and limits a maximum deflection of the diaphragm.

It has generally been accepted that a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)-based acoustic sensor needs to have a diaphragm whose net stress is tensile. This is because a diaphragm having a net compressive stress will tend to buckle during operation.
In the following detailed description, various embodiments are described with reference to the appended drawings. The skilled person will understand that the accompanying drawings are schematic and simplified for clarity. Like reference numerals refer to like elements or components throughout. Like elements or components will therefore not necessarily be described in detail with respect to each figure.

MEMS device with a diaphragm having a net compressive stress