Apparatus for heating and/or cooling a particulate material, e.g. vegetables, by heat exchange with a liquid comprises a horizontal tubular chamber of waisted internal cross-section containing a rotatable mesh cylinder having an auger blade corotatable therein. A row of inlets for heat exchange liquid along the bottom of the chamber are connected via external pipe work to a row of outlets for heat exchange liquid at the top of the chamber. Upward flow of heat exchange liquid causes suspension of particulate matter as it is conveyed through the chamber by the auger, thus minimizing rubbing contact on the particulate material. The apparatus includes a heating section defined by inlets A-D, a holding section defined by inlets E to L, and a cooling section defined by inlets M to Q, all within a common chamber. Within each section, each outlet is connected externally to the alphabetically preceding inlet except for the leftmost outlet which is connected to the rightmost inlet. The heating and cooling flows recover heat via a regenerative heat exchanger.

A common operation in the foodstuff industries is to heat a particulate foodstuff material, e.g. vegetables, contained in a liquid which is commonly water. For instance, vegetables such as peas or carrot slices are heated to about the boiling point of water for a period to cook the vegetables or alternatively to sterilise them. Because of rubbing contact between the foodstuff particles and the container through which they are transported during heating, the liquid within which the foodstuff particles are contained tends to become discoloured with material abraded from the foodstuff particles. Also, in a continuous system, it is difficult to ensure that the time of passage of the foodstuff particles is sufficiently uniform that none are overcooked if none are to be undercooked.
Apparatus for this purpose is known in GB-A-1223792, in which the particulate product is contained within a horizontal perforate sleeve containing an auger which drives the product along the sleeve. The sleeve is contained in an elongate treatment chamber and a heating liquid is passed into the sleeve along its bottom and withdrawn with the product at its downstream end.
No very intimate contact and mixing between the heated liquid and the product is easily achieved as there is a direct path between the liquid inlet and outlet involving little contact with the particulate material. The liquid and particulate flows are co-current so that the incoming liquid will have to be heated much in excess of the desired end temperature of the product.
Counter current arrangements are shown in GB-A-1453972 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,941 in which the sleeve is non-perforate and the liquid is introduced at the downstream (with respect to product conveyance) end of the sleeve and withdrawn at the opposite end.
None of these specifications address the problem of preventing or reducing rubbing of the products. A separate problem left unresolved by these teachings is the need to hold the product at an ideal heat treatment temperature for a desired period once its temperature has been raised and in some cases to reduce the temperature sharply at the end of the heat treatment. It would be desirable to develop forms of apparatus in which, after heating, the product can be kept at a holding temperature and/or cooled in the same treatment chamber.

Apparatus for effecting heat exchange between a liquid and a particulate material


Provided herein are methods for preparing a polyolefin containing one or more exo-olefinic end groups on the polyolefin chain, comprising quenching an ionized polyolefin with an alkoxysilane or an ether. In some embodiments, the methods are represented by the following scheme:

Exo-olefin terminated polyolefins, such as polyisobutylene (PIB), are useful precursors for the preparation of polymers containing specific functional end groups. Specifically, exo-olefin end groups may be transformed into other specific functional end groups. Polymers containing specific end groups have several useful purposes. For example, PIB-based succinimido amine dispersants are useful as engine lubricants. Thus, there is a need for methods of selectively or exclusively producing exo-olefin terminated polyolefins.

Preparation of exo-olefin terminated polyolefins via quenching with alkoxysilanes or ethers

Abstract: In some embodiments, the alkoxysilane or ether compound has the formula:

Abstract: wherein Y is carbon or silicon;R1 is hydrocarbyl; and R2-R4 are each, independently, hydrogen or hydrocarbyl.


A cryogenic refrigerator includes a Scotch yoke mechanism including a Scotch yoke and a bearing movably engaged with the Scotch yoke, and a displacer caused to reciprocate in a cylinder by the Scotch yoke mechanism, so that a refrigerant gas inside an expansion space formed in the cylinder is expanded by the reciprocation of the displacer to generate cold temperatures. The Scotch yoke includes a concave part at a position corresponding to a top dead center of the displacer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cryogenic refrigerators, and more particularly to a cryogenic refrigerator including a displacer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gifford-McMahon (GM) refrigerators have been known as cryogenic refrigerators that include a displacer. In the GM refrigerator, the displacer is caused to reciprocate in a cylinder by a drive unit.
In such an environment, an expansion space is formed between the cylinder and the displacer. The displacer reciprocates in the cylinder to expand a high-pressure refrigerant gas fed into the expansion space, thereby producing cryogenic temperatures.
In general, in this type of GM refrigerator, during one cycle of reciprocation in a cylinder, the speed at which the displacer moves from the top dead center to the bottom dead center is equal to the speed at which the displacer moves from the bottom dead center to the top bottom center. That is, conventionally, during one cycle of its reciprocation, the displacer is designed to move in a cylinder so that when plotted, its movement is along a substantial sine wave. (See, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2617681.)


A decorative wheel cover for the wheel of a truck. The center cap is provided with wings or other decorative embellishments and is affixed to the cover plate by tabs. The nuts have an annular groove are used for securing the wheel cover over the lug nuts mounting the wheel. The cover plate has a plurality of nut-shaped projections which, together with the securing nuts, are covered with finishing caps.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a decorative wheel cover for truck wheels.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of wheel covers are known in the art. Of these known wheel covers, the majority are designed for use on passenger automobiles and the like. There has long been a desire to enhance and improve the ornamental appearance of trucks and other large vehicles. Passenger automobile wheel covers are not suitable for use on most trucks, due to differences in size. The existing covers for trucks also show a lacking of decorative appearance. Prior art wheel covers include, simulating a wire wheel with a knock-off for trucks, trailers, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,002 issued to Simpson, discloses a simulated wire wheel cover adapted to be mounted on the wheels of trucks, trailers, and the like. The wire covered disk of Simpson is adapted to be mounted onto a casting means of by mounting bores positioned at its outermost ends. An inner mounting flange separately attaches to the truck wheel in Simpson.
Other types of wheel covers for trucks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,040, issued to Johnson, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,681, issued to Wang et al. Johnson discloses a hub extension for mounting a wheel cover. The wheel cover of Johnson mounts onto a plate member which is in turn mounted to an axial end portion by means of axially directed bolt and rod assemblies. Wang et al discloses a simulated custom wheel cover attachable to an automotive wheel by means of a number of lug nuts and decorative lug nut covers.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,639, issued to Holmstrom, discloses a wheel cover support pedestal having a cylindrical portion threaded to accept the wheel cover nut for mounting a wheel cover to the hub of a wheel. The wheel cover of Holmstrom provides a threaded cavity for threadably engaging an extended element of the wheel pedestal.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide an ornamental truck wheel cover for a truck wheel. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a cover which displays attractive and ornamental features.


A bowstring drawing device for a crossbow has a mounting base, a reeling device and a hook. The mounting base has a rail. The reeling device has a casing with a bottom face and a rail recess defined in the bottom face of the casing to slidably engage with the rail of the mounting base. A wheel assembly is accommodated inside the casing and a crank arm connected to drive the wheel assembly. A clutch is operationally connected to the wheel assembly. The hook is retractably connected to the reeling device by a string. Because the reeling device and the mounting base are engaged with the rail and rail recess, detachment or engagement of the reeling device is convenient. Moreover, the crank arm and the wheel assembly also make the operation of the bowstring drawing device effort-saving.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bowstring drawing device for a crossbow, and more particularly to a bowstring drawing device that is detachably mounted on the crossbow and is easily operated.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to FIG. 10, a conventional bowstring drawing device is undetachably mounted on a crossbow (50) and comprises a reeling device (60) and a hook (70). The crossbow (50) contains a butt (52), a barrel (54), a bowstring holder (56) and a bow assembly (58). The barrel (54) is attached between the butt (52) and the bow assembly (58) and has a front end, a rear end, and a trigger (542). The bowstring holder (56) is mounted at the rear end of the barrel (54). The trigger (542) is movably attached under the barrel (54) to operationally actuate the bowstring holder (56).
The reeling device (60) is directly mounted on butt (52) and can not be detached from the crossbow. The hook (70) is slidably mounted on the barrel (54) to draw the bowstring to the bowstring holder (56) by operating the reeling device (60). However, because the reeling device (60) is undetachable from the butt (54), the bowstring drawing device (60) may become an obstacle and redundant accessory when some users do not want to use the bowstring drawing device (60).
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an improved and detachable bowstring drawing device to obviate the aforementioned problems.


A method is provided for coherently tracking a radio signal including a plurality of digitally modulated reference subcarriers. The method comprises the steps of receiving symbols transmitted on the reference subcarriers, combining the reference subcarrier symbols with a known reference sequence conjugate to produce a plurality of samples, median filtering the samples to produce filtered samples, and smoothing the samples for each of the reference subcarriers over the plurality of reference subcarriers to produce a coherent reference signal estimate for each of the subcarriers. A receiver for coherently tracking a radio signal including at least one digitally modulated reference carrier is also provided.

The iBiquity Digital Corporation HD Radio™ system is designed to permit a smooth evolution from current analog amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) radio to a fully digital in-band on-channel (IBOC) system. This system delivers digital audio and data services to mobile, portable, and fixed receivers from terrestrial transmitters in the existing medium frequency (MF) and very high frequency (VHF) radio bands. Broadcasters may continue to transmit analog AM and FM simultaneously with the new, higher-quality and more robust digital signals, allowing themselves and their listeners to convert from analog to digital radio while maintaining their current frequency allocations.
Both the hybrid and all-digital formats of the HD Radio™ system utilize a plurality of orthogonal frequency division modulated subcarriers. Reference subcarriers are inserted among the data subcarriers. Coherent demodulation is used in the digital portion of an FM IBOC (In-Band On-Channel) signal for the HD Radio™ system. The multiple roles of the reference subcarriers for acquisition, tracking, estimation of channel state information (CSI) and coherent operation have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,544. This system was designed for operation in the FM broadcast band (88-108 MHz) with fading bandwidth to accommodate vehicles at highway speeds. The various coherent tracking parameters are estimated using filters with bandwidths that approximate the maximum expected Doppler bandwidth (roughly 13 Hz). With a fixed antenna, the pertinent tracking statistics of the input signal to the tracking algorithms are assumed to vary at a rate no greater than the Doppler bandwidth. However the use of switch diversity antennas in vehicle windows introduces abrupt transients in the coherent tracking which degrade performance of the coherent digital demodulation.
This invention provides improvements to the coherent tracking algorithms which are used autonomously with a blind switch diversity antenna system. These same improvements can also mitigate degradation due to impulsive noise or nongaussian noise such as from an adjacent FM analog interferer. In addition, performance of receivers including fast Automatic Gain Control (AGC) is improved.

Coherent track for FM IBOC receiver using a switch diversity antenna system


A field programmable gate array integrated circuit which has numerous features for testing prior to programming the antifuses in the integrated circuit is provided. The circuits used to program the antifuses are also used for much of the preprogramming testing. The functionality of continuous series transistors and latch logic blocks may be tested together with the continuity of their programmable connections. Programmable input/output buffer circuits and clock circuits which set the desired clock network paths may be tested with signals on a serial scan path which passes through the input/output buffer circuits and clock circuits. Process characterization tests without the requirement of high-speed test equipment are also provided.

The invention relates generally to the field of testing of integrated circuit devices and, more particularly, to the testing of user-programmable or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
In a field programmable gate array (FPGA), the connections between the transistors, logic blocks, and input and output circuits are made by the user of this type of integrated circuit. The transistors, logic blocks, and input and output circuits are connected to line segments which intersect or abut each other at various points. At most of these points programmable elements known as antifuses are located to make a connection between the line segments if desired.
In an unprogrammed state, each antifuse remains in a high impedance, or "open circuit" state. When programmed, the antifuse is in a low impedance, or "closed circuit" state. The antifuses in the FPGA are selectively programmed by the user to make desired interconnections between the transistors, logic blocks and input and output circuits of the FPGA for a particular application. In this manner an FPGA is configured for a particular application.
It is thus highly desirable for a FPGA to be tested prior to its programming to check the functionality of the various elements of the FPGA, including its line segments and antifuses. Heretofore, if provisions had been made for the testing of a FPGA, special test transistors and circuits were added to the integrated circuit. These additions increased the complexity and space requirements for what is typically an already complex and crowded integrated circuit.
A typical FPGA integrated circuit has specified programming pins by which large voltages are introduced into the circuit for the programming of antifuses. In the FPGA of the present invention, the input/output buffer circuits are provided with a serial scan path for test signals according to the IEEE 1149.1 test standards. During the programming of the antifuses, signals in the 1149.1 serial scan path become control signals for the programming circuits which address wiring segments to specify the particular antifuses to be programmed while the programming voltages are supplied through the specified pins.
In accordance to the present invention, the programming circuits controlled by signals in the serial scan path and the specified programming pins are used to provide paths for testing the FPGA prior to the programming of the antifuses. In this manner the present invention is able to achieve the goals of testing the elements and functions of an FPGA with a minimal amount of additional transistors and circuits.

Preprogramming testing in a field programmable gate array


A drag mechanism of a spinning reel includes friction discs disposed at a forward position of a spool for applying a braking force to relative rotation between the spool and a spool shaft, an adjuster member attached to a front end of the spool shaft for adjustment of a pressing force to be applied to the friction discs, a case member including a bottom wall having a hole for inserting the spool shaft and a cylindrical side wall. The case member is disposed at a space formed inside the spool at a position adjacent the spool shaft inside a line-takeup face of the spool. The friction discs are positioned inside the case member. A closing structure is disposed at an opening of the case member for applying a pressing force to the friction discs while maintaining a sealed condition relative to the opening of the case member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drag mechanism of a spinning reel, and more particularly to a drag mechanism of the above type including friction discs disposed at a forward position of a spool of the reel for applying a frictional braking force against relative rotation between the spool and a spool shaft and an adjuster member screw-engaged with a front end of the spool shaft for adjusting a pressing force to be applied to the friction discs.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional drag mechanism of a spinning reel of the above-described type is known from e.g. a Japanese laid-open utility model gazette No. 63-68773. In this mechanism, the friction discs are bound between the spool and a metal plate; and the adjustment of the braking force of the drag mechanism is effected through a variation in the pressing force applied against the metal plate. Further, intrusion of foreign substance such as water is prevented through contact between a front face of the spool and an elastic seal having a rib fitted about an outer periphery of the metal plate.
The above-described conventional reel uses an elastic seal having a relatively large diameter; and therefore, the contacting length between the seal rib and the front face of the spool tends to be long as well. For this reason, compared with a construction using an elastic seal of a smaller diameter, the above construction is disadvantageous and is vulnerable to intrusion of water and also for a rotational speed, i.e. peripheral velocity of the spool being relatively high at its rib-contacting portion. Moreover, because of the large relative rotation amount, it is difficult to set the braking force of the drag mechanism at a small value without sacrificing the effect of the braking force.
On the other hand, with the above-described conventional reel, the friction discs are placed into direct contact with the front face of the spool. Therefore, it is difficult also to obtain e.g. a large braking force, because this requires a member having a greater friction coefficient to be affixed to the front face of the spool. In short, it is difficult for the conventional construction to obtain an appropriate amount of braking force.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved drag mechanism of a spinning reel through rational construction of the mechanism, the improvement enabling the mechanism to constantly provide an appropriate amount of braking force even after an extended period of time without any deterioration of sealing effect.

Spinning reel having a sealed front drag mechanism


Disclosed herein is an inventory system with stackable trays that permits access to individual trays. The inventory system comprises an upright pole having a top and bottom, a support attached to the bottom of the pole, and at least two stackable trays, each tray having a fastening device to engage a back of the tray to the pole, wherein when a tray is moved away from the pole, the fastening device disengages the pole, and when a tray is pushed toward the pole, the fastening device can engage the pole. Also disclosed is a stackable tray. Also disclosed is method for removing a lower stacked tray from underneath a higher stacked tray.

Retail store locations, such as grocery stores, drug stores, discount stores, and convenience stores, typically use shelving both to store and display items, such as yogurt. Frequently such items are not displayed in stores using the same shipping containers (e.g., cardboard boxes and other shipping systems, such as a combination of cardboard trays and plastic wrap) that are used to ship the items to the stores. Rather, items are frequently taken out of shipping containers and placed in display systems within stores.
Hand-trucks are frequently used to move shipping containers between store display systems in areas where customers select products for purchase and backroom storage areas (including but not limited to backroom coolers) and/or store shipment areas.
Frequently, shipping systems are opened from the top to access products within the systems. Thus, when shipping systems, such as cardboard boxes, are stacked on top of each other on a typical hand-truck, access is limited to the top of the top stacked shipping system or box.
When items like overstock or expired items are to be sent from a store display area to a backroom storage area and/or a store shipment area, such items frequently are placed into a shipping system, such as cardboard box, from the top, and then the individual shipping systems are stacked on top of one another on a hand-truck. Sometimes, the original shipping system may have been discarded and/or otherwise is not available for this purpose.

Stackable tray and inventory system with stackable trays


A method, computer program product, and apparatus configured to improve attribute uniformity of a substrate is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method involves calculating corrective data based on measured values of an attribute of a substrate processed by a lithographic exposure apparatus, the corrective data configured to at least partially correct non-uniformity of the values of the substrate attribute by controlling the temperature generated by a zone of a thermal plate used to heat or cool the substrate, and making the corrective data available to the thermal plate.

A lithographic exposure apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a target portion of a substrate. Lithographic exposure apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that circumstance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the IC, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer) that has a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively exposed. Known lithographic exposure apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through the projection beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction.
Irrespective of the tool used, the substrate may be subjected to a variety of processes before the exposure process. For example, as indicated above, the substrate will generally be treated with resist before exposure. Also, prior to exposure, the substrate may be subjected to cleaning, etching, ion implantation (e.g., doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, priming, resist coating, soft bake processes, and measurement processes.
The substrate may also be subjected to a host of post-exposure processes, such as, for example, post exposure bake (PEB), development, hard bake, etching, ion implantation (e.g., doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, cleaning, and measurement processes. And, if several layers are required, which is usually the case, the entire procedure, or variants thereof, will have to be repeated for each new layer.
These pre- and post-exposure processes are typically performed by stations or modules designed for their respective purposes. The substrate is subjected to these processing modules, as well as the lithographic exposure apparatus, typically in a pre-defined sequence. In this arrangement, the substrates travel in a pre-specified processing path to get serviced by specific processing modules that can be tracked. The processing path can be monitored, recorded, controlled, and limited to specific paths.
As indicated in FIG. 1A, which schematically depicts a lithographic system 100, substrate track apparatus 104 interconnects lithographic exposure apparatus 102 with a host of pre-processing modules 104, 106 and post exposure processing modules 104, 108. The pre- and post-exposure processing modules 104, 106, 108 may be apparatus that are external and/or internal to the substrate track 104. To accommodate the transfer of substrates between these processing apparatus, the substrate track 104 may include interface sections and apparatus configured to transport the substrates to and from the lithographic exposure apparatus 102, pre-processing apparatus 106, and post-processing apparatus 108, and include transport apparatus to move the substrates between the various processing modules internal to the substrate track 104. Pre-exposure processes typically performed by apparatus external to the substrate track 106 may include, for example, cleaning, etching, ion implantation (e.g., doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, and measurement. Pre-exposure processes typically performed by apparatus internal to the substrate track 104 may include, for example, substrate supply, resist coating, measurement, and soft bake. Post-exposure processes typically performed by apparatus internal to the substrate track 104 may include, for example, post-exposure bake (PEB), hard bake, and measurement. Post-exposure processes typically performed by apparatus external to the substrate track 108 may include, for example, cleaning, etching, ion implantation (e.g., doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, and measurement.
To facilitate manufacture of a good substrate, the features and profile of the pattern exposed on the target field of the substrate are replicated as accurately as possible. To this end, one or more attributes of the exposed features on the substrate are typically specified in order to characterize the features and profile of the pattern and establish a benchmark level of quality and/or uniformity. The attributes may include, for example, the gap between features, X and/or Y diameter of holes and/or posts, ellipticity of holes and/or posts, area of feature, feature sidewall angle, width at the top of a feature, width at the middle of a feature, width at the bottom of a feature, and line edge roughness.
There are, however, numerous activities during the lithographic fabrication process that may affect attribute uniformity and/or compromise the quality of the exposed pattern. For example, the very pre- and post-exposure processes that service and treat the substrates along the substrate track, such as the post exposure bake (PEB) processing module, may contribute to variation in attribute uniformity. Such a variation may occur across a target field, across a substrate, and between substrates and ultimately result in loss of yield.


A system for accessing a spine from a curved postero-lateral approach may include a curved cannula positioned along a curved path from an opening in the skin to a location proximate the spine. A guide member may be first inserted to establish the path between the tissues and fascia, and one or more intermediate cannulas may be temporarily inserted over the guide member to dilate the tissues prior to insertion of the main cannula. An interbody device may be implanted in an intervertebral space through the cannula. The system may include a guide bar removably coupled to a targeting post. The targeting post may be inserted adjacent the spine to provide a target, and the guide bar may be removably attached to the guide member, to guide it along the path to the target location. An external support arm may be secured to any other component of the system.

1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates to orthopaedics, and more particularly, to systems and methods for providing access to the spine to facilitate various implantation procedures.
2. The Relevant Technology
Many spinal orthopaedic procedures including discectomy, implantation of motion preservation devices, total disk replacement, and implantation of interbody devices require unimpeded access to a targeted portion of the spinal column. A lateral interbody fusion approach requires the patient to be turned mid-process to complete the disc and interbody device procedures. An anterior approach requires the presence of a vascular surgeon or highly experienced general surgeon, due to the risk of injury to vascular anatomy. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for systems and methods that facilitate access to the spine, thereby simplifying surgical procedures and expediting patient recovery.

System and method for providing surgical access to a spine


An electrically operated slicing machine for cutting slices from product has cutting device with a circular knife mounted in a machine housing that rotates in a cutting plane (E; E′) and a substantially flat support plate having a support surface for placement of the carriage carrying the product. The carriage is guided parallel to the cutting plane via a carriage base along a slide rail rigidly connected to the machine housing. The carriage base is supported to be movable relative to the machine housing via at least two support elements that are movably accommodated within a guide space.

The invention relates to an electrically operated slicing machine for cutting slices from a product to be sliced, which is strand-shaped in particular and is preferably a foodstuff, comprising a cutting device, which includes a circular knife, which is mounted in a machine housing and rotates in a cutting plane, and comprising a substantially flat support plate having a support surface for placement of the carriage carrying the product to be sliced, wherein said carriage is guided parallel to the cutting plane via a carriage base along a slide rail rigidly connected to the machine housing, said carriage being displaceable parallel to the plane of the support plate, wherein the carriage base is supported via at least two support elements such that it is movable relative to the machine housing, and wherein the machine housing comprises a separating wall extending at least partially between the support plate and the carriage base, said separating wall partially enclosing, on the side thereof facing away from the support plate, a guide space in which the slide rail is disposed.
Such slicing machines are known from EP 0 823 314 A1, for example.
The product to be sliced, more particularly in automatically operated slicing machines for strand-shaped foodstuffs such as sausage, ham, salmon, cheese, etc., is moved against the cutting device with the aid of a feed device, usually in a direction perpendicular to the cutting plane in which usually one or more rotating circular knives rotate, in order to cut slices off of the conveyed product to be sliced. The cutting device is driven by an electric motor, which is fully enclosed by the machine housing as protection against splash water and contamination and as a mechanical safeguard against penetration from the outside.
In order to now separate the desired slice from the product to be sliced by way of the rotating knife, the product to be sliced, which is lying on the support surface of the support plate, is moved parallel to the cutting plane using a carriage and is fed toward the rotating knife blade until the rotating knife has cut completely through the product to be sliced and has cut the slice off of the product to be sliced. The support plate is usually rigidly connected to a carriage base, which extends downward from the support plate and is movably supported on a slide rail, which itself is rigidly connected to the machine housing.
Such a design is described in DE 200 20 065 U1, for example. In that case, the carriage base bears upwardly against the slide rail by way of an external carriage guide, wherein additional sliding surfaces for absorbing torques that occur are provided on the machine housing, on which said sliding surfaces the carriage base is situated in such a way that it slides from above.
Two-point support is provided in the slicing machine comprising an internal carriage guide, which is described in DF 201 18 836 U1, wherein the carriage guide is supported on a slide rail and, additionally, bears from above on a slide rail rigidly connected to the machine housing, via a roller.
Three-point support of the carriage base via a slide rail and via two roller-shaped support elements is depicted in the initially-mentioned document EP 0 823 314 A1. In this case, however, the carriage guide is disposed outside of the machine housing in an exposed manner and is therefore extremely susceptible to contamination and is not entirely suitable for use in such a hygienically sensitive manner such as in the food industry.

Slicing machine having an external carriage guide


It is an object of the invention to provide a video projector which can be driven by a battery and can be reduced in both size and weight. A packing case for a video projector is composed of a cabinet, which is divided into two upper and lower parts, and a cover disposed behind the cabinet. The cover is disposed removably with respect to the cabinet. By opening the cover situated behind the projector light source, a lamp forming the projector light source can be replaced easily. Also, the cover includes on the back surface thereof a battery mounting portion for mounting a battery used to drive the projector, so that the battery can be mounted to the outer back surface of the cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video projector and, in particular, to a video projector which enlarges and projects an image displayed on transmission-type display means such as a transmission-type liquid crystal panel or the like by use of a projection lens and a projector light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, this type of video projector uses, as a projector light source, a lamp of large power consumption (for example, a halogen lamp of several hundreds of watts).
Also, according to the prior art, a liquid crystal view finder of a VTR with a camera is used, a projector light source having a high brightness is provided instead of a normal back light, and the upside and downside and/or right and left of a display image are inverted, whereby the above-mentioned view finder can be used as a video projector (see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 1-115371).
However, conventionally, there has been available only an exclusive video projector which uses commercial power provided through a wall outlet because the projector light source thereof consumes a large quantity of power. Also, since the projector light source produces a large quantity of heat, the conventional exclusive video projector requires a cooling fan of a large size. For these reasons, there has not been available an exclusive video projector of a small size and a light weight which is handy to carry and can be driven by a battery.
On the other hand, another type of conventional video projector which is used in combination with the liquid crystal view finder of the VTR with a camera as described above, uses the battery of the VTR with a camera as the power supply source thereof and thus is reduced in size. However, in order to project enlargedly the same image as the finder image, it is necessary to invert the upside and downside and/or right and left of the finder image before it is projected.


Display apparatuses are provided that includes a light source, a first liquid crystal display on the light source, and a second liquid crystal display on the first liquid crystal display. The first liquid crystal display is configured to allow a variable amount of light transmission based on a first control signal. The second liquid crystal display is configured to allow a variable amount of light transmission based on a second control signal.

The present invention relates to displays, and more particularly, to liquid crystal displays (LCDs).
Liquid crystal displays are commonly used in, for example, laptop computers, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and, increasingly, in televisions. The use of LCDs in these devices is common because, for example, LCDs may be thinner and lighter and may draw less power than, for example, cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and may be less expensive than plasma displays or light emitting diode (LED) displays, such as organic LED displays and/or polymeric LED displays. LCDs are typically backlit by a light source, for example, by a light emitting diode (LED) or an electroluminescent (EL) panel. Backlit LCDs displays may operate well in poorly lit environments but may not function adequately in bright environments, for example, in brightly lit office environments or sunlight. LCDs may also provide less contrast differential between bright and dark areas than CRTs, plasma displays, and LED displays.

Display apparatuses having layered liquid crystal displays


A system and method for retrieving an implantable device includes a delivery catheter, a recapture section, and a sheath. The delivery catheter has a proximal end and a distal end. The recapture section is axially extendable from the distal end of the delivery catheter. The sheath has a proximal end and a distal end and a lumen sized to receive the delivery catheter. A portion of the lumen of the sheath is actuatable from an enlarged inside diameter to a reduced inside diameter to apply an inwardly directed force to the recapture section. The delivery catheter can be actuated with respect to the sheath to extend or retract the recapture section with respect to the delivery catheter.

Embolic stroke is the nation's third leading killer for adults, and is a major cause of disability. There are over 700,000 strokes per year in the United States alone. Of these, roughly 100,000 are hemorrhagic, and 600,000 are ischemic (either due to vessel narrowing or to embolism). The most common cause of embolic stroke emanating from the heart is thrombus formation due to atrial fibrillation. Approximately 80,000 strokes per year are attributable to atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia of the heart that results in a rapid and chaotic heartbeat that produces lower cardiac output and irregular and turbulent blood flow in the vascular system. There are over five million people worldwide with atrial fibrillation, with about four hundred thousand new cases reported each year. Atrial fibrillation is associated with a 500 percent greater risk of stroke due to the condition. A patient with atrial fibrillation typically has a significantly decreased quality of life due, in part, to the fear of a stroke, and the pharmaceutical regimen necessary to reduce that risk.
For patients who develop atrial thrombus from atrial fibrillation, the clot normally occurs in the left atrial appendage (LAA) of the heart. The LAA is a cavity which looks like a small finger or windsock and which is connected to the lateral wall of the left atrium between the mitral valve and the root of the left pulmonary vein. The LAA normally contracts with the rest of the left atrium during a normal heart cycle, thus keeping blood from becoming stagnant therein, but often fails to contract with any vigor in patients experiencing atrial fibrillation due to the discoordinate electrical signals associated with atrial fibrillation. As a result, thrombus formation is predisposed to form in the stagnant blood within the LAA.
Blackshear and Odell have reported that of the 1288 patients with non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation involved in their study, 221 (17%) had thrombus detected in the left atrium of the heart. Blackshear J L, Odell J A., Appendage Obliteration to Reduce Stroke in Cardiac Surgical Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Ann Thorac. Surg., 1996.61(2):755-9. Of the patients with atrial thrombus, 201 (91%) had the atrial thrombus located within the left atrial appendage. The foregoing suggests that the elimination or containment of thrombus formed within the LAA of patients with atrial fibrillation would significantly reduce the incidence of stroke in those patients.
Pharmacological therapies for stroke prevention such as oral or systemic administration of warfarin or the like have been inadequate due to serious side effects of the medications and lack of patient compliance in taking the medication. Invasive surgical or thorascopic techniques have been used to obliterate the LAA, however, many patients are not suitable candidates for such surgical procedures due to a compromised condition or having previously undergone cardiac surgery. In addition, the perceived risks of even a thorascopic surgical procedure often outweigh the potential benefits. See Blackshear and Odell, above. See also Lindsay B D., Obliteration of the Left Atrial Appendage: A Concept Worth Testing, Ann Thorac. Surg., 1996.61(2):515.
During surgical procedures, such as mitral valve repair, thrombus in the left atrial appendage may leave the LAA and enter the blood stream of a patient. The thrombus in the blood stream of the patient can cause embolic stroke. There are known techniques for closing off the LAA so that thrombus cannot enter the patient's blood stream. For example, surgeons have used staples or sutures to close the orifice of the LAA, such that the closed off LAA surrounds the thrombus. Unfortunately, using staples or sutures to close off the LAA may not completely close the orifice of the LAA. Thus, thrombus may leave the LAA and enter the patient's blood stream, even though the LAA is closed with staples or sutures. Additionally, closing the orifice of the LAA by using staples or sutures may result in discontinuities, such as folds or creases, in the endocardial surface facing the left atrium. Unfortunately, blood clots may form in these discontinuities and can enter the patient's blood stream, thereby causing health problems. Moreover, it is difficult to place sutures at the orifice of the LAA and may result in a residual appendage. For example, an epicardial approach to ligate sutures can result in a residual appendage. Similarly, thrombus may form in the residual appendage and enter the patient's blood stream causing health problems.
Despite the various efforts in the prior art, there remains a need for a minimally invasive method and associated devices for reducing the risk of thrombus formation in the left atrial appendage. Various implantable devices and methods of delivery and retrieval of these devices have been previously described. Some systems for deploying, releasing, repositioning, or recapturing an implant to or from the left atrial appendage of the heart are known to those of skill in the art. For example, U.S. application Ser. No. 10/642,384, filed Aug. 15, 2003, published as U.S. Publication No. 2005/0038470; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/607,638, filed Dec. 1, 2006, titled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RETRIEVING AN EMBOLIZED IMPLANT": U.S. application Ser. No. 11/607,253, filed Dec. 1, 2006, titled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING AN IMPLANT WITHOUT BIAS TO A LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE"; and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/607,769, filed Dec. 1, 2006, titled "METHOD FOR ACCESSING THE LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE WITH A BALLOON-TIPPED TRANSEPTAL SHEATH," are all incorporated by reference herein and describe several such systems. Some of the embodiments of some systems described in the references include a separate sheath for recapture of the implant into the delivery system once extra thickness and stiffness to the delivery system. When reducing delivery system thickness and increasing flexibility is desired, it would be advantageous to have a delivery system for providing an implant to the left atrial appendage, where an additional sheath is not used to recapture the implant.

Method and apparatus for recapturing an implant from the left atrial appendage


An apparatus includes a device substrate including an array of sensors. Each sensor of the array of sensors can include a electrode structure disposed at a surface of the device substrate. The apparatus further includes a wall structure overlying the surface of the device substrate and defining an array of wells at least partially corresponding with the array of sensors. The well structure including an electrode layer and an insulative layer.

Electrochemical detection is attractive because it provides high sensitivity, small dimensions, low cost, fast response, and compatibility with microfabrication technologies. These characteristics led to the development of a variety of sensors based on amperometric, potentiometric, and impedimetric signals, and the assembly of sensors into an array format for chemical, biochemical, and cellular applications. Typically, in such systems, analytes are distributed among an array of confinement regions or microwells (also referred to herein as "wells" or "reaction chambers"), and reagents are delivered to such regions by a fluidics system that directs the flow of reagents through a flow cell containing the sensor array.
Some applications involve the distribution of nucleic acid molecules attached to supports (e.g., particles or microbeads) in an array format. For example, several sequencing methods involve analysis of nucleic acid libraries, where individual members of the libraries are attached to particles that are distributed into an array of microwells. For such applications, increasing the number of microwells into which particles (or microbeads) are loaded can be desirable, because empty microwells may not provide useful information. The percentage of microwells that receive a particle or microbead can be referred to as the "loading efficiency." Alternatively, in sequencing applications the loading efficiency can refer to the percentage of microwells in the array yielding a readable sequence. Poor loading efficiencies (e.g., loading efficiencies less than 50%) increase the overall cost and effort associated with a chemical/biological experiment.
Therefore, improved loading efficiencies in microwell arrays would be desirable.

Electric field directed loading of microwell array


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a first control electrode, a first electrode, a second control electrode, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and a first insulating film. The first control electrode is provided on or above the first semiconductor region. The first electrode is provided on the first control electrode. The second control electrode is provided on or above the first semiconductor region and includes a first portion which is beside the first control electrode and a second portion which is provided on the first portion and beside the first electrode. The second semiconductor region is provided on the first semiconductor region. A boundary between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region is above the lower end of the first electrode.

As an example of achieving miniaturization of a semiconductor device, a trench gate structure in which a gate electrode is formed in a trench is employed. As the gap between trench gates is narrowed, a gate density per unit area is increased and an advantage of reducing an ON-state resistance is also increased.
On the other hand, when the gap between the trench gates becomes narrow, there is trouble for controlling the threshold of the semiconductor device and for securing a short-circuit resistance. It is important for the semiconductor device to achieve the miniaturization and an improvement in characteristics while securing the controllability and the resistance using the gate.
For example, having conductivity modulation of a high resistance semiconductor layer, a bipolar power device (a thyristor, a pn diode, an IGBT, an IEGT, a bipolar transistor, and the like) is realized with the low ON-state resistance, and is secured with a large current-carrying capability. However, for the conductivity modulation, the device is hard to make the current flow when a drain voltage (Vd) is equal to or below a built-in potential (Vbi). The bipolar power device is advantageously operated at Vd>Vbi.
On the contrary, a unipolar power device (a MOSFET or the like) has no limitation caused due to the built-in potential, and the current flows linearly in proportion to the drain voltage. However, when the drain voltage is equal to or greater than the built-in potential, the effect of the conductivity modulation cannot be used, and there is no large current-carrying capability. The unipolar power device is advantageously operated at Vd<Vbi.
There is required a device which can realize the characteristics of each of the bipolar power device and the unipolar power device, that is, maintaining a good current-carrying characteristic of the bipolar power device at Vd>Vbi, and achieving an ON-state characteristic lower than a normal MOSFET at Vbi>Vd>0 V.


The invention features the use of a purified first targeted oligonucleotide in combination with either 1) a subtargeted oligonucleotide, 2) second targeted oligonucleotide, or 3) a non-targeted phosphorothioate oligonucleotide, to inhibit protein production of a targeted nucleic acid sequence, cell proliferation, and/or the multiplication of a foreign organism. The subtargeted oligonucleotide contains a truncated version of the targeted oligonucleotide.

This invention relates to enhancing the ability of oligonucleotides, such as antisense oligonucleotides and ribozymes, to inhibit protein production, cell proliferation, and/or the multiplication of a foreign organism.
Oligonucleotides such as antisense oligonucleotides and ribozymes can hybridize to a target RNA, such as mRNA, and inhibit production of protein from that RNA. Numerous mechanisms have been proposed to explain the effects of antisense oligonucleotides. For example, see Helene, C. and Toulme, J. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1049:99 (1990), and Uhlmann, E. and Peyman, A. Chemical Reviews 90:543 (1990). Proposed mechanisms include formation of a DNA:RNA substrate for cellular RNAse H, which degrades the RNA strand involved in the duplex; hybridization of an antisense oligonucleotide to nascent mRNA leading to premature transcription termination; and interfering with mRNA processing by hybridizing to a pre-mRNA intron/exon junction. These and several other proposed mechanisms for inhibiting nucleic acid activity by antisense oligonucleotides are based upon the ability of antisense oligonucleotides to hybridize to a target RNA sequence.
Oligonucleotides can also inhibit viruses by a sequence non-specific mechanism. For example, Majumdar, et al., Biochemistry 28:1340 (1989) describe the use of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides to inhibit HIV reverse transcriptase.
Hybridization of an oligonucleotide to a target nucleic acid sequence occurs by hydrogen bonding between complementary nucleotides present on the oligonucleotide and the nucleic acid target site. If the individual nucleotides on the target nucleic acid sequence are not accessible to the oligonucleotide, hybridization will be prevented. Inaccessibility of nucleotides can be due to various factors such as secondary structure of the target nucleic acid and proteins associated with target nucleic acid.
Hogan, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,557, describe the use of a "helper" oligonucleotide to help a probe oligonucleotide hybridize to its target nucleic acid sequence in a diagnostic assay.
Goodchild, J., Abstract in Third International Symposium On Catalytic RNAs (Ribozymes) And Targeted Gene Therapy For The Treatment Of HIV Infection, San Diego Calif. (1992), describes the use of "facilitators" to improve the performance of hammerhead ribozymes. Facilitators are oligoribonucleotides that bind to a RNA substrate target sequence contiguously with a ribozyme binding site.
Tullis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,243, provides a general description of use of antisense oligonucleotides. Kaji, U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,320, provides data allegedly showing a decrease in mortality in mice infected with herpes simplex virus when treated with an antisense oligonucleotide having a nucleotide sequence targeted to herpes simplex virus. Goodchild et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,463, provide data to demonstrate the ability of several different specified antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit HTLV-III (HIV) replication and gene expression in cultured cells infected with HIV. Cantin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,802, describe the use of a particular methylphosphonate-linked oligonucleotide to inhibit HIV replication (these U.S. patents are hereby incorporated by reference herein).
Matsukura et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 86:4244, describe inhibition of HIV expression without killing the host cell using a phosphorothioate-linked oligonucleotide targeted to a rev sequence. Matsukura et al. also discuss using oligonucleotides joined by linkages other than phosphodiester or phosphorothioate groups. According to Matsukura et al., "certain chemically modified oligomers (e.g., methylphosphonates) have inherent limitations in that they are quite insoluble and require exceedingly high concentrations for biological effects."
Ribozymes, like antisense oligonucleotides, can be targeted to specific nucleic acid sequences based upon hybridization to a complementary nucleic acid sequence target site. The hybridized ribozyme can inhibit protein production from a target nucleic acid sequence by cleaving the nucleic acid sequence. Rossi et al., Aids Research And Human Retroviruses 8:183 (1992), in discussing using ribozymes as possible anti-HIV therapeutic agents, mention potential factors which may decrease accessibility of a target site. These factors may include HIV RNA having extensive secondary structure and cellular proteins associated with RNA.
Ribozymes and antisense oligonucleotides can be used to inhibit the functioning of nucleic acid sequences present in different organisms such as bacteria, plants, fungi, animals, or humans. For example, Fung et al., entitled "Gene therapy for cell proliferative diseases," PCT/US91/02478, discuss using ribozymes in humans to inhibit the functional expression of positive-acting growth regulatory elements to treat pathological cell proliferative diseases. Fung et al. also mention using antisense RNA as a means of suppressing gene expression.

Enhancement of oligonucleotide inhibition of protein production, cell proliferation, and/or multiplication of infectious disease pathogens


A threshold voltage distribution scheme for multi-level Flash cells where an erase threshold voltage and at least one programmed threshold voltage lie in an erase voltage domain. Having at least one programmed threshold voltage in the erase voltage domain reduces the Vread voltage level to minimize read disturb effects, while extending the life span of the multi-level Flash cells as the threshold voltage distance between programmed states is maximized. The erase voltage domain can be less than 0V while a program voltage domain is greater than 0V. Accordingly, circuits for program verifying and reading multi-level Flash cells having a programmed threshold voltage in the erase voltage domain and the program voltage domain use negative and positive high voltages.

Numerous types of consumer electronics products rely on some form of mass storage for retaining data or software for the execution of code by a microcontroller. Such consumer electronics are prolific, and include devices such as personal digital assistants (PDA's), portable music players, portable multimedia players (PMP's) and digital cameras. In PDA's, mass storage is required for storing applications and data, while portable music players and digital cameras require large amounts of mass storage for retaining music file data and/or image data. The mass storage solution for such portable electronics is preferably small in size, consumes minimal power, and has high storage density. This limits the selection to non-volatile forms of memory since volatile memories, such as static random access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), require a constant application of power in order to retain data. As is known in the art, portable electronics rely on batteries that have a finite power supply. Therefore, non-volatile memories that retain data after power is removed are preferred.
While many consumer products use commodity Flash memory, Flash memory is indirectly used by consumers in products such as cell phones and devices with microprocessing functions. More specifically, the application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) commonly found in consumer electronics can have integrated Flash memory to enable firmware upgrades. Needless to say, Flash memory is versatile due to its optimal balance in size, storage density, and speed, making it a preferred non-volatile mass storage solution for consumer electronics.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical Flash memory device. Flash memory 10 includes logic circuitry for controlling various functions of the Flash circuits, registers for storing address and data, high voltage circuits for generating the required program and erase voltages, and core memory circuits for accessing the Flash memory array. The functions of the shown circuit blocks of Flash memory 10 should are well known in the art. Persons skilled in the art will understand that Flash memory 10 shown in FIG. 1 represents one possible Flash memory configuration among many possible configurations.
A read operation is a relatively straightforward access of data stored at a particular memory location of the memory array, called an address. Prior to a write operation to a specific block of the memory array, the specific block must first be erased with the application of high voltages. A write operation, more accurately called a program operation, requires the careful application of high voltages to a selected memory location, followed by a program verify operation to ensure that the data has been properly programmed. Furthermore, since high voltages are used, the Flash chip must be designed to be relatively tolerant to inadvertent programming of non-selected memory cells.
FIG. 2 is a circuit schematic showing a NAND cell string used in memory cell array shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a circuit schematic of two NAND memory cell strings. Each NAND memory cell string includes 32 serially connected floating gate memory cells 50 each connected to respective wordlines WL0 to WL31, a string select transistor 52 connected between the bitline 54 and the first floating gate memory cell 50, and a ground select transistor 56 connected between a common source line (CSL) 58 and the last floating gate memory cell 50. The gate of string select transistor 52 receives a string select signal SSL, while the gate of ground select transistor 56 receives a ground select signal GSL. The NAND memory cell strings of a block share common wordlines, string select SSL, and ground select GSL signal lines. The construction and arrangement of the shown NAND memory string is well known in the art.
As previously mentioned, the NAND memory cell strings of the memory array are first erased, according to well-known techniques in the art. Each block of NAND memory cell strings can be selectively erased; therefore one or more blocks can be simultaneously erased. When successfully erased, all erased floating gate memory cells 50 will have a negative threshold voltage. In effect, all erased memory cells 50 are set to a default logic state, such as a logic "1", for example. Programmed memory cells 50 will have their threshold voltages changed to a positive threshold voltage, thus representing the opposite "0" logic state.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic of a typical Flash memory cell. A structure of such cells in well known in the art. Generally, control gate 60 is connected to a word line, while the floating gate 62 is isolated from all other nodes by an oxide insulator 61. Electrons (charge carriers) are injected into or ejected from floating gate 62 and substrate 68 having a source 64 and a drain 66, through thin tunneling oxide 63 between floating gate 62 and substrate 68.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional schematic of a nitride ROM cell having charge traps. Such a cell is also known in the art. In a nitride ROM cell, the floating gate is eliminated and the data is placed in a "holding chamber" or "charge traps" of the non-conductive layer 72, for example, of silicon nitride, between the control gate 70 and substrate 78 having a source 74 and a drain 76. Recently, silicon nanocrystals have also been used as charge traps.
Generally, a cell is programmed by applying a high voltage to its gate while keeping its source and drain terminals grounded. The high electrical field causes electrons in the memory cell channel to cross the gate oxide and embed in the floating gate (known as Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) Tunneling), thereby increasing the effective threshold voltage of the memory cell.
Due to the ever-increasing need for size reduction as well as the desire to increase the density of data storage, multi-level FLASH cells are now being widely used. As the name suggests, multi-level cells have more than two logic states per cell. A single cell storing two bits of information has 4 logic states corresponding to different levels of charge levels stored in the floating gates (or charge traps). Generally, a multi-level cell capable of storing N binary bits of data will have 2N states or logic levels.
However, each floating gate transistor has a certain total range of threshold voltages in which it may practically be operated. The total range is divided into the number of states defined for the memory cell including allowances for clear distinction of one state from another. Variations in fabrication processes and ageing of the device may cause shifts in the threshold voltages. These shifts can weaken the strength of cell states by moving one state closer to the next state. Also, as more levels are squeezed into a fixed total range (for example, fixed supply-voltage range), the tolerance for these shifts decreases.
FIG. 5 is a threshold voltage (Vt) distribution graph for a multi-level Flash memory cell. The intermediate reference voltages are also shown. This particular graph illustrates the thresholds of a Flash memory cell capable of storing 2 bits of data. Therefore, each multi-level Flash memory cell must store one of four threshold voltages. In this prior art scheme, an erased state represented by a negative threshold voltage lies in an erase voltage domain. All erased memory cells will by default have this negative threshold voltage. The remaining three states must be programmed, and their corresponding threshold voltages will be positive in value and lie in the program voltage domain. In this example, the erase voltage domain is below zero while the program voltage domain is above zero volts. A problem with this scheme is the required tightness of the distribution for each state and the distance between the states.
Programming is typically done by the page, meaning that all the memory cells 50 in the block connected to the same wordline are selected to be programmed with write data (logic "0") at the same time. The remaining memory cells are thus unselected during programming. Since the memory cells start in the erased state (logic "1") prior to programming, only the memory cells to be programmed with the logic "0" should be subjected to the high electric fields necessary to promote F-N tunneling. However, due to the physical connections of the memory array, all the memory cells along the same wordline receive the same high voltage programming level. As a result, there is a potential that erased memory cells will have their threshold voltages unintentionally shifted. This is called program disturb, which is well known in the Flash memory field. This problem is more pronounced in multi-level cells as more levels are squeezed into a fixed voltage range.
Several parameters such as, Vt window, Vt distance, and Vread distance, are key parameters to determine read/write speed, reliability and lifetime of multi-level flash memory shown in FIG. 5. These three parameters influence one another: the cell Vt window and the cell Vt distance in a multi-level flash memory are much tighter than those in single-level flash memory since, in the case of a 2 bit cell, three cell states are in the program voltage domain with a positive Vt. If the cell Vt window is wider, the cell Vt distance is narrower. This reduces read sensing margin and eventually leads to a failure to sense neighboring cell states. In other words, Vt overlap or even minimum Vt distance between neighboring cell states leads to device failure.
The strength or safety margin of a Vt-state is greatest when the Vt is half-way between adjacent reference voltages. Upper and lower limits for each Vt-state defining a cell Vt window may be specified. For example, in FIG. 5, cell state 0 is between lower limit VL0 (−3 volts) and upper limit VU0 (−2 volts). Cell state 1 is between lower limit VL1 (0.3 volts) and upper limit VU1 (0.8 volts). Typically, the cell Vt window in multi-level flash memory is in between 0.5 to 1.0 volts. Ideally, a narrow cell Vt window is preferred for better definition and distinction of a state.
The cell Vt distance, which is defined as the difference in Vt between the lower limit of Vt of the threshold voltage range of one cell state and the upper limit of Vt of the threshold voltage range of the previous cell state. For example, the Vt distance between cell state 2 and cell state 1 is 1.5−0.8=0.7 volts. Typically the cell Vt distance in a multi-level flash memory cell is in between 0.7 to 1.0V. As is evident, larger cell Vt distances are preferred.
It is also desirable to have the Vread distance, the distance between the read pass voltage and the upper limit of the fully programmed state as high as possible. For example, in FIG. 5, Vread distance is 5.5-3.3=2.2 volts. However, for optimum performance of the memory cell, a lower Vread is preferred as high Vread can cause disturbance. Therefore, there is a trade-off between Vread distance and the value of Vread. Moreover, the fixed supply-voltage range available may determine the maximum Vread value.
Furthermore, as the number of rewrite (erase & program) cycle increases, the cell Vt window becomes wider by tunnel oxide degradation due to trapped charges. Also, the read pass voltage Vread should be lower to minimize read disturbance to unselected cells in the selected string. However, in order to accommodate the three cell states (in 2 bit cell) in the program voltage domain, the Vread distance has to be maintained at least well above VU3. This increases the level of Vread.
In order to tightly control the Vt of the programmed cell, incremental step pulse programming (ISPP) has been proposed and widely used in flash memories. FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the number of program pulses applied to a wordline for programming a threshold voltage versus the size of each pulse. Generally, tight threshold voltage distributions can be obtained when the step size of each program pulse is small. However, the trade-off is programming time since more program pulses would be required.
Accumulated program/erase cycles in multi-level flash memories with the above prior art scheme for cell Vt distribution typically results in well-known problems as described below.
Repeated charge transfer causes electrons to be trapped in the floating gate and the dielectric, which degrades program and erase characteristics of the cells. Consequently, cells require gradually higher program and erase voltages as the number of erase-program cycle increases; resulting in limiting the number of erase-program cycles on a cell.
The data retention characteristic in multi-level cells will be drastically degraded due to a small cell Vt distance. Moreover, as the Vt distribution for a given state is larger, the maximum Vt of programmed cells is higher. The higher Vt requires a higher programming voltage Vpgm, and adversely affects the data retention characteristics due to the larger electric field across the tunnel oxide. Moreover, the higher Vt required in multi-level cells require higher Vread. This causes read disturbance to unselected memory cells in the selected NAND cell string during read operations (i.e. soft-program by higher Vread to unselected memory cells).
In addition, the higher voltage requirements for read and write operations in multi-level flash memory does not scale with device dimension scaling as the electric field across all transistors including memory cells cannot be reduced.
Therefore, the life of a multi-level Flash memory cell is relatively short, typically only 10,000 cycles. This is significantly shorter than the 100,000 cycle limit for single bit per cell Flash memory devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Flash multi-level threshold distribution scheme

Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc.


A method of enabling an on-board vehicle navigation system to compute a route from a current position of the vehicle to a desired destination is provided. A user of the navigation system in a vehicle utilizes a cellular telephone or any other wireless, two-way audio communications link to contact an operator in a remote communications center. The user informs the operator of his desired destination. The operator in the communications center accesses a computer database to determine the exact location of the desired destination in terms of latitude/longitude, street address, or other similar information. The operator then causes the information specifying the exact location to be transmitted from the communications center to the on-board vehicle navigation system over a data link. The on-board vehicle navigation system receives the location information and uses it to compute a route from the vehicle's current position to the desired destination.

An on-board navigation system can be advantageous to a driver of an automobile when navigating streets in an unfamiliar area. Such systems are often found in rental cars and are becoming increasingly more available as options in new cars. An on-board navigation system may include a computer, a stored street map database, and various sensors to detect vehicle movement. The system is designed to compute a route to a selected destination and generate guidance instructions to guide the user along the computed route. The system may include a visual display device, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), by which navigation information and other information are provided to the user. For example, the system might display a moving vehicle symbol on an image of a street map to indicate the movement of the vehicle through a given area. The system might also display symbolic or textual navigation instructions, such as a directional arrow to indicate the next turn, or the instruction, "Right turn on Innsbruck Drive." Visual navigation instructions may be accompanied by audible instructions generated as digitized or synthesized speech. The system generally includes some type of input device, such as push buttons, to allow the user to select a destination and perform various functions, such as changing the scale level of the map display. On-board automobile navigation systems having features such as those mentioned above are produced by Zexel USA Corporation, located in Sunnyvale, Calif.
One problem with many on-board navigation systems is that the manner of selecting the desired destination is inconvenient for some users. With one existing system, the driver pushes buttons to select a destination from a displayed list of possible destinations. The user first selects a city from a list of cities, then selects a street name from a list of street names, and then selects a street number. Some people, however, dislike having to manually input the destination. In some cases, the user may be in a hurry and may not wish to be delayed by having to input the destination. Further, certain people are apprehensive about using even relatively simple electronic devices; having to manually input a destination may tend to discourage such people from using a navigation system. Hence, it is desirable to provide an on-board automobile navigation system which simplifies the process of entering a desired destination for the user.
Another problem with many on-board navigation systems is that they tend to be expensive; on-board navigation systems in new cars are still generally among the highest-priced options. It is desirable, therefore, to reduce the overall cost of on-board navigation systems to make such systems more available to consumers. One significant factor in the cost of these systems is the visual display device and its associated hardware, which typically represent a large fraction of the cost of the entire system (approximately 30 percent in at least one existing system). It would advantageous, therefore, to reduce or eliminate costs associated with these components without sacrificing the essential functionality of the navigation system and without reducing the appeal of the system to consumers.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an on-board automobile navigation system which simplifies the process of entering a desired destination for the user. It is further desirable to reduce the cost of such a system while preserving the ability of the system to provide clear, step-by-step navigation instructions along a computed route to guide the user to a selected destination.

Automobile navigation system using remote download of data


Various embodiments provide an MOS transistor, a formation method thereof, and an SRAM memory cell circuit. An exemplary MOS transistor can include a channel region including an asymmetric stressing layer having a stress gradually varied from a compressive stress to a tensile stress or from a tensile stress to a compressive stress from a first end of the channel region adjacent to a source region to a second end of the channel region adjacent to a drain region. The MOS transistor can be used as a transfer transistor in an SRAM memory cell circuit to increase a source-drain saturation current in a write operation and to reduce a source-drain saturation current in a read operation. Read and write margins of the SRAM can be increased.

Static random access memory (SRAM), as one of memory devices, has advantages including high speed, low power consumption, and compatibility with industry standard technologies. SRAM is widely used in areas such as personal computers (PC), personal communications, and consumer electronic products (e.g., smart cards, digital cameras, and multimedia players).
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustrating a circuit of a memory cell of a conventional six-transistor (6T) SRAM memory. The memory cell includes a first PMOS transistor P1, a second PMOS transistor P2, a first NMOS transistor N1, a second NMOS transistor N2, a third NMOS transistor N3, and a fourth NMOS transistor N4.
The first PMOS transistor P1, the second PMOS transistor P2, the first NMOS transistor N1, and the second NMOS transistor N2 form a bistable circuit. The bistable circuit forms a latch for latching data information. The first PMOS transistor P1 and the second PMOS transistor P2 are pull-up transistors. The first NMOS transistor N1 and the second NMOS transistor N2 are pull-down transistors. The third NMOS transistor N3 and the fourth NMOS transistor N4 are transfer transistors.
A gate of the first PMOS transistor P1, a gate of the first NMOS transistor N1, a drain of the second PMOS transistor P2, a drain of the second NMOS transistor N2, and a source of the fourth NMOS transistor N4 are electrically connected forming a first storage node 11. A gate of the second PMOS transistor P2, a gate of the second NMOS transistor N2, a drain of the first PMOS transistor P1, a drain of the first NMOS transistor N1, and a source of the third NMOS transistor N3 are electrically connected forming a second storage node 12.
Gates of the third NMOS transistor N3 and the fourth NMOS transistor N4 are electrically connected to a word line WL. A drain of the third NMOS transistor N3 is electrically connected to a first bit line BL. A drain of the fourth NMOS transistor N4 is electrically connected to a second bit line (complementary bit line) BLB. A source of the first PMOS transistor P1 and a source of the second PMOS transistor P2 are electrically connected to a power supply line Vdd. A source of the first NMOS transistor N1 and a source of the second NMOS transistor N2 are electrically connected to a ground line Vss. The operating principle of the memory cell of the 6T SRAM memory is as follows.
In a read operation, the word line WL is set at a high level so that the third NMOS transistor N3 and the fourth NMOS transistor N4 become conductive. The first bit line BL and the second bit line BLB are set at a high level. One of the first storage node 11 and the second storage node 12 is set at a low level. Therefore, a current flows from the first bit line BL and the second bit line BLB to the first storage node 11 or the second storage node 12 that is set at a low level. The electric potential of the first bit line BL or the second bit line BLB decreases so that a voltage is generated between the electric potentials of the first bit line BL and the second bit line BLB. After the voltage reaches a certain value, a sensitivity amplifier (not shown) is activated to amplify the voltage and then transfers the voltage to an output circuit (not shown) for data reading.
In a write operation, the word line WL is set at a high level so that the third NMOS transistor N3 and the fourth NMOS transistor N4 become conductive. One of the first bit line BL and the second bit line BLB is set at a high level and the other is set at a low level. One of the first storage node 11 and the second storage node 12 is at a high level and the other is at a low level. When data information of the write operation is different from originally stored data information, a current may flow from, the first storage node 11 or the second storage node 12 that is set at a high level, to the first bit line BL or the second bit line BLB that is set at a low level. Therefore, the electric potential of the one set at a high level of the first storage node 11 and the second storage node 12 is decreased. The electric potential of the other one set at a low level of the first storage node 11 and the second storage node 12 is increased. New data are thus stored in the SRAM memory cell.
However, SRAM memories face challenges in reading/writing stability, as process node shrinks in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) manufacturing processes with reduced operating voltages and increased variations of threshold voltages due to random doping. To allow an SRAM memory to be stably operated, it is necessary to increase read and write margins of the SRAM memory.
Therefore, there is a need to provide MOS transistors, SRAM memory cell circuits, and fabrication methods to at least increase read and write margins of an SRAM memory.

MOS transistor, fabrication method thereof, and SRAM memory cell circuit

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL CORP.


The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device to protect device users from EMI coming from the liquid crystal display panel. The liquid crystal display device of the present invention comprises: a first substrate, wherein the substrate has a black matrix; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a first electro-magnetic interference shield layer on the first substrate, wherein the position of the first electro-magnetic interference shield layer corresponds to the position of the black matrix.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a liquid crystal display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device, which can protect device users from electro-magnetic interference ("EMI").
2. Description of Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) panel has been widely used because of its lightweight, compact size, low power consumption, and low voltage operation. However, for those electronic products that use LCD modules such as notebook computers or LCD monitors, the existing EMI shield can only be positioned on the LCD panel casing. But EMI shield cannot be positioned on the surface of the LCD panels even though the LCD panel is the one of the major sources of the EMI when the users use the computers. Hence, the existing EMI shield for LCD device cannot effectively protect the users of such device from EMI.


Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of making articles having portions of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a surface of a substrate and polycrystalline diamond compacts made using the same. In an embodiment, a molding technique is disclosed for forming cutting tools comprising polycrystalline diamond portions bonded to the outer surface of a substrate.

Wear resistant polycrystalline diamond ("PCD") materials are utilized in a variety of mechanical applications. For example, PCD materials are used in drilling tools (e.g., cutting elements, gage trimmers, etc.), machining equipment, bearing apparatuses, wire-drawing machinery, cutting tools (e.g., endmills, drills, etc.), and in other mechanical apparatuses.
PCD material has found particular utility in superabrasive cutting elements such as rotary drill bits, endmills, and drills. A polycrystalline diamond compact ("PDC") such as those used in rotary drill bits includes a PCD layer commonly known as the PCD body or table. The PCD body is formed and bonded to a substrate using a high-pressure/high-temperature ("HPHT") process.
Conventional PDCs are normally fabricated by placing a cemented carbide substrate into a container or cartridge with a volume of diamond particles positioned on an upper surface of the cemented carbide substrate. A number of such cartridges may be loaded into an HPHT press. The substrate(s) and volume of diamond particles are then processed under HPHT conditions in the presence of a catalyst material that causes the diamond particles to bond to one another to form a matrix of bonded diamond grains defining a PCD body or table. The catalyst material is often a metal-solvent catalyst (e.g., cobalt, nickel, iron, or alloys thereof) that is used for promoting intergrowth of the diamond particles.
In one conventional approach, a constituent of the cemented carbide substrate, such as cobalt from a cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide substrate, liquefies and sweeps from a region adjacent to the volume of diamond particles into interstitial regions between the diamond particles during the HPHT process. The cobalt acts as a metal-solvent catalyst to promote intergrowth between the diamond particles, which results in the formation of a matrix of bonded diamond grains having diamond-to-diamond bonding therebetween, with interstitial regions between the bonded diamond grains being occupied by the metal-solvent catalyst.
Traditional methods of making milling tools such as drills and endmills having a PCD portion thereon have typically included forming slots in substrate, forming a PCD body in the slot in a substrate and removing the substrate back to expose the PCD body. However, such methods can result in cracking and delamination of the PCD body due to mismatches in the coefficients of thermal expansion ("CTE") between the substrate material and the PCD body.
Despite the availability of a number of different types of PCD cutting tools, manufacturers and users of PCD cutting tools continue to seek improved PCD cutting tools.

Positive relief forming of polycrystalline diamond structures and resulting cutting tools


Switching circuits are disclosed which activate lighting in conjunction with the operation of a video recorder. The switching circuits employ signalling means such as relays, photo emitters or transistors to detect current flow in the video recorder motor circuit. Circuit elements receive the signal and activate a light. If the motor circuit is inoperative, the light remains off.

Video cameras have recently enjoyed increasing popularity throughout the world. This is particularly true of small, hand-held video cameras designed for use by amateurs in the home, and also employed by professional and semi-professional photographers in non-studio locations. In these environments, available ambient lighting must often be supplemented by additional lighting in order to successfully record an image on video tape. Inferior lighting conditions often result in poor color fidelity and indistinct recorded images.
To reduce these problems, lighting devices have been designed to operate with said video cameras to provide additional lighting, thereby permitting superior videotape image quality. Such devices are typified by separate lighting units that are manually switched by the video camera operator prior to the start of taping. Because such devices are manually switched, they usually remain on until after taping is completed, creating a hazard resulting from the heat generated by such devices. In addition, in remote locations, such devices are often powered by battery, and the waste of power supplied to such lighting units before and after the actual camera operation presents a substantial problem.
Such devices also present the problem that the video camera operator may fail to operate the lighting unit prior to the start of taping, thus defeating the entire purpose of providing supplemental lighting to enhance image quality.

Switching mechanism for video lighting apparatus


A damping control system for a stabilizer bar with an electronic shock absorber between a low arm and the stabilizer bar for controlling the rolling of the vehicle. Included are a potentiometer, a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, an electronic control unit and a voltage amplifier.

A. Field of the Invention PA1 B. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention relates to a damping control system for a stabilizer bar. More particularly, the present invention relates to a damping control system for a vehicle stabilizer bar to enhance ride comfort and handling safety by providing, a shock absorber between a low arm and a stabilizer bar and controlling the rolling strength of the stabilizer bar with the shock absorber.
Generally, a stabilizer bar, which is part of a suspension system, is mounted in a vehicle to prevent rolling of the vehicle, when the vehicle is moving. However, an automobile with a conventional stabilizer bar has a disadvantage in that ride comfort is not as good, as it should be when a vehicle is driven on level ground.

Damping control device for a stabilizer bar


Profile for window and door frames which is formed by an outer metal profile (1, 2), a plastic profile (3, 4), a resin layer (5) and an inner wood fillet (6, 7). The plastic profile (3, 4) is coupled to the metal profile (1, 2) thanks to two plastic wings (8, 9) on the elastic profile engaged in grooves on the metal profile. The plastic profile (3, 4) is engaged to the wood fillet (6, 7) by the resin layer (5) which fills a channel formed by spacing the metal profile apart from the plastic profile by an arm between the two profiles.

The invention consists of a profile formed by the union of four elements; it is validly used in the field of window and door frames.
The technique of connecting aluminium profiles and wood fillets aimed at forming window and door frames has been known for some time now. The metallic profile constitutes the outer part of the frame, while the wood makes its inner part. Thus, the weather resistance and waterproof properties of aluminium and the beauty and thermal insulating properties of wood are all exploited.
Metal can be coupled with wood by means of a bonding resin, which is percolated in the space present between these materials. It is for example known the European Patent filed with no. 91116315.2 and published with no. 0 479 106. In this invention, the profile is formed by metal and wood with the interposition of a bonding resin layer. The wood is divided into a plurality of laths placed tightly one close to the other adjacents held together by at least said bonding resin layer. This last one is divided by detachers. Between the bonding resin layer and the metal, also a layer of dethaching materials is applied in order to allow a longitudinal relative sliding between the bonding resin layer and the metal.
Yet, more recently, the method of coupling these materials by means of an intermediate plastic profile spread. For instance, the International Patent filed with no. PCT/EP92/02105 is well known. In this invention, the plastic profile has wings tending towards the outer part of the frame, and fit with corresponding wings created on the wall heading towards the inner part of the frame of the outer metallic profile. In detail, the fitting takes place between a rib created on the lateral internal wall of each metallic wing and a complementary groove created on the lateral outer wall of the plastic wing.
Other metallic wings can be present between the above mentioned plastic wings with the function of maintaining the latter in pretensioning during coupling. The intermediate plastic profile is equipped, on the opposite side of the one in which the above mentioned wings are positioned, with at least one rib which fits in a corresponding groove created in the wood element on the wall tending towards the external part of the frame.
The International Patent filed with no. PCT/EP94/01273 describes an interconnected profile in which, between the metal profile and the plastic profile, there is an anchorage enabling a sliding movement in a longitudinal and transversal sense between these two profiles. This anchorage is obtained by the union of the external elements of shear joint of the plastic profile and those of the metal profile and between the internal elements of joint of the two profiles constituted by two return flanges of the plastic profile and a corresponding number of flanges of the metal profile. These are equipped with a convex surface or with an angle-bent surface. The return flanges of the plastic profile, used to restore the interconnected elements after a transversal movement, are deformed during the assembling stage so that they press against the flanges of the metal profile.
Even though they do not deny the validity of the above mentioned inventions, it has to be considered the fact that the movements between the intermediate plastic profile and the wood fillet are extremely limited. Yet it is well known that, in case of a thermal shock, since the plastic material and wood have a different dilation, the frame formed in this way can undergo permanent deformations.
The ribs of the plastic profile, in both Patents, are pushed with strength in the grooves of the wood fillet. In order to ease this operation a certain tolerance between these elements is envisaged. Yet, in the minimum space that is therein created, water and air can infiltrate with the consequence of the deterioration of wood, caused by humidity, fungus, mildew etc.
Furthermore, the screws fixing the accessories of movement of each sash are fixed onto the metal profile of the sash itself, directly or after having drilled the plastic profile. The screws therefore constitute as many thermal bridges which transmit heat from the outside towards the inside of the metal profile causing condensation or even the formation of dew.
Aim of the invention is that of creating a several elements profile that, thanks to its building characteristics, does not undergo the above mentioned problems.
These as well as other aims are met by the profile for the production of window and door frames as in object, which is formed by a outer metal profile, a plastic material profile, a bonding resin layer and an inner wood fillet.
The plastic profile is equipped with two wings tending towards the outer part of the frame, which laterally embrace the metal profile and slide on it until they meet two wings made on the lateral walls of the metal profile itself. The end of each wing tending towards the outer part of the frame comprises a support pin which is shaped so it shows a rib tending towards the lateral wall of the metal profile. On each lateral wall of the latter profile, starting from the metal wing, a groove is created, having an edge at its end facing the plastic profile.
The wings of the metal profile are chamfered and thus they press the support pins, forcing their ribs to enter in the grooves of the metal profile. The shear between the tooth of each rib and the edge of the corresponding groove, even granting that the two profiles cannot detach one from the other, enables the longitudinal sliding of a profile as compared to the other.
The metal profile of each sash shows the wall facing the inner part of the frame moulded in such a way that, after the coupling of the metal profile with the plastic profile, between the two profiles a chamber is formed. Its extension is sufficient to handle the screws fixing the accessories of movement of the sash itself.
On the wall facing the wood fillet, the plastic profile furthermore comprises at least two wings tending towards the wood fillet itself. At least one of these wings or an arm extending from one of these wings is positioned on a base edge on the side of connection with the wood fillet to carry out the double function of constant fixed spacer of the wood fillet from the plastic profile and of acting as a containing part of the bonding resin percolated.
At least two wings of the wall of the plastic profile facing the wood fillet have the ends hook-bent so that between them and the named wall of the plastic profile some channels, facing each other, are formed.
In the sash, at least one of said wings of the plastic profile facing the wood fillet is extended with an arm having the function of hooking the wood fillet. In the jamb, at least one of said wings of the plastic profile facing the wood fillet is extended with an arm having the function of embracing its lateral outer wall, partially protecting it against weather. This last arm houses in an adequate groove created in the wood fillet itself.
On the wood fillet wall facing the outer part of the frame some slots are created, preferably moulded in dovetail profile.
In the dead bottom channel existing between the plastic profile, the wood fillet and the wing or arm acting as containing part the resin is injected. The resin fixes on the wood fillet. The above mentioned slots created on the wood fillet enable the resin to increase the support surface and therefore to increase the cohesion of the resin itself with wood. The resin also covers the surface of the plastic profile facing the wood fillet but it does not fix on the plastic profile. The hook-shaped wings of the plastic profile, though, act as retainers that avoid the resin to detach from the plastic profile, only enabling it to longitudinally slide with respect to it.
The so formed profile therefore enables a double longitudinal inner sliding: between the resin and the plastic profile and between the latter and the metal profile. This enables the maximum balance to thermal dilations.
The resin completely fills the slots of the wood fillet and melts with it thus strengthening the structure of the frame. The outer wall of the wood fillet is this way protected from water and air.
The screws fixing the accessories of movement of each sash are fixed to the plastic profile and are housed in the channel existing between the latter and the metal profile. Therefore the screws no longer constitute sources of conduction of the external temperature towards the inside of the metal profile.
The metal is completely isolated from the wood because between the two profiles constituted by these two materials the plastic profile and the resin are interposed. There is no contact between metal and wood.
The shear between the wings of the plastic profile and the grooves of the metal profile, thanks to the shape of the parts in contact, is extremely safe and avoid the possible detachment of the parts even though the pressure of the metal chamfered metal wings reduces (because of their flexibility) on the hooking pins.

Multiple structure profile for the production of windows and door frames