A bonding component for electrically connecting a semiconductor chip or wafer to a support substrate includes a dielectric layer having a central region, elongated slots defining the central region, and a peripheral region surrounding the slots. Metallic bonding pads are arranged on the central region, and leads extend from the bonding pads to the edge of the central region and extending partially across the elongated slots. The leads are detached from the peripheral region of the dielectric layer on the side of the slots opposite the central region. The leads are adapted to be deformed during bonding to a semiconductor chip or wafer. To form the bonding component, a dielectric layer is first provided having a central region, slots and a peripheral region. A metallic structure is also provided having bonding pads on the central region, and leads electrically connected to the bonding pads and to a plating bus disposed in the peripheral region. A resist is applied to the metallic structure in zones separating the leads, the metallic structure is plated in regions outside the zones with an etch resistant metal, the resist is removed and the leads are etched so as to form gaps in the metallic structure over the elongated slots.

Semiconductor chips and other microelectronic elements typically have contacts which must be connected to external circuitry, such as the circuitry of a supporting substrate or circuit panel. Various processes and components for making these connections have been provided heretofore. For example, in a wire bonded assembly the chip is physically mounted on a substrate and individual fine wires are connected between the contacts of the chips and contact pads on the substrate. In tape automated bonding or "TAB" processes, a dielectric supporting tape such as a thin foil of a polymer is provided with a hole slightly larger than the chip. An array of metallic leads is provided on one surface of the dielectric tape. These leads extend inwardly from around the hole so that an inner end of each lead projects inwardly beyond the edge of the hole. These ends are arranged side by side at spacings corresponding to the spacings of the contacts on the chip. The inner ends of the leads are bonded to the contacts on the chip, whereas outer ends of the leads are attached to contact pads on the substrate. In the "beam lead" process, the chip is provided with leads extending from contacts on the chip outwardly beyond the edges of the chip. The chip is positioned on the substrate so that the outer ends of the leads lie over the appropriate contact pads of the substrate and the leads are bonded to the contact pads.
The rapid evolution of the semiconductor art has created a need for progressively greater numbers of contacts and leads in a given amount of space. An individual chip may require hundreds or even thousands of contacts and leads. For example, a complex semiconductor chip in current practice may have rows of contacts spaced apart from one another at center-to-center distances of 0.5 mm or less. These distances are decreasing progressively with continued progress in the semiconductor art. With such closely spaced contacts, the leads connected to the chip contacts such as the wires in wire bonding and the leads used in the TAB and beam lead processes must be extremely fine structures, typically less than 0.1 mm wide.
As disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,489,749 and 5,536,909 and in PCT Published International Application WO 94/03036, published Feb. 3, 1994, all of which are incorporated by reference herein, a component for mounting a semiconductor chip may include a support structure such as a polymeric film defining one or more slots and one or more leads extending across such slots. The support structure typically has terminals on it for connection to a circuit panel or external circuitry. Each lead has a connection section with a first end permanently secured to the supporting structure on one side of the slot and a second end remote from the first end. The first ends of the lead connection sections typically are connected to the terminals. The second end of each connection section is releasably secured to the opposite side of the slot. For example, each lead may include a frangible section connecting the second end of the connection section to the support structure. Thus, each lead bridges across the slot in the support structure.
Each lead is then engaged by a bonding tool which enters the slot and forces each lead downwardly into engagement with the appropriate contact of the chip. This motion releases the lead from the side of the slot opposite the terminals. For example, the frangible section of the lead may be severed by the downward movement of the lead. Preferably, each lead is guided by the bonding tool during this operation. When the leads are bonded to the contacts of the chip, the terminals on the supporting structure are electrically connected to the chip. Thus, the chip can be connected to external circuitry by attaching the terminals on the supporting structure to a larger substrate, as by solder bonding the terminals to the larger substrate. The bonded leads typically provide flexible interconnections between the contacts of the chip and the terminals and thus allow compensation for thermal expansion and contraction of the chip and substrate. Components and bonding methods as disclosed in the '749 and '909 patents and in the '036 International Publication provide rugged, compact and economical chip mountings, and offer numerous advantages. Still further improvements and enhancements to such chip mountings are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,863 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,302, the disclosures of which are hereby also incorporated by reference herein. Bonding tools useful in attaching leads according to the '794 patent and '036 publication and for other purposes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,844 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/630,375, filed Apr. 10, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,301, the disclosures of which are also incorporated by reference herein.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/491,809, filed Jun. 16, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,470, and Ser. No. 08/374,559, filed May 8, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,752, disclose metallic buses that are formed on the support structure, extending parallel to the slot and perpendicular to the leads, on the side of the slot opposite the terminals. The leads are each electrically and mechanically connected to the bus. The metallic bus is used for providing current to the leads and terminals during a plating process. For example, the terminals and leads may be plated with a bondable cover material such a gold, silver, platinum, palladium and alloys thereof, using the bus to provide current during the plating process. After the plating process is completed, the leads are mechanically severed from the plating buses during the process of bonding the leads to the chip. As the lead is displaced downward through the slot and into contact with a terminal on the chip, a frangible portion of the lead near the side of the slot where the leads connect to the plating buses is broken, disconnecting the lead from the support structure on that side of the slot and electrically severing the lead from the plating bus. The lead may be displaced downward using a specially configured bonding tool.
The '809 application discloses a preferred embodiment in which the leads are severed from the plating bus one at a time. In this process, a bonding tool displaces each lead downward and bonds it to a terminal on the semiconductor chip before advancing to the next lead. In this way, each lead is connected to either the plating bus or the semiconductor chip except the lead actually undergoing the bonding process.
In some cases, the manufacturer performing the lead bonding operation does not wish to detach the lead from the supporting structure, as by breaking a frangible section of the lead, during the bonding operation. In this case, it would be desirable to provide cantilevered leads extending partially across the bonding slots, with free ends available for downward displacement and bonding. However, it has not been practical heretofore to provide such free ends on leads arranged to form a "fan-in" chip mounting, in which the contacts on the chip are arranged at the periphery of the chip and the terminals mounted on a dielectric structure and connected to the leads are disposed overlie the center of the chip.

Method of making chip mountings and assemblies


A composite panel comprises first and second sheets 20, 22 of a natural fibre material such as corrugated cardboard, each sheet 20, 22 having been impregnated with a liquid composition comprising a thermosetting resin, an extending liquid for the thermosetting resin and a catalyst for the thermosetting resin, the thermosetting resin having been polymerized, a cellular core 10 of a natural fibre material such as kraft paper, the cellular core 10 having been impregnated with a liquid composition comprising a thermosetting resin, an extending liquid for the thermosetting resin and a catalyst for the thermosetting resin, the thermosetting resin having been polymerized, the cellular core 10 being sandwiched between and adhered to the first and second sheets 20, 22; and a filler composition located in all of the cells of the core 10, the filler composition comprising a mixture of an inorganic insulating material and a material which releases water at elevated temperatures, in granular form. The composite panel is an acoustic absorber and thermal insulator and is fire resistant.

This invention relates to a composite panel and to a method of making the composite panel, which composite panel may be used as a building panel.
Many types of dry wall partitioning and exterior wall sheathing are known. Examples of the materials used to construct these include plywood, wood particle or fibre board, gypsum board, and fiber reinforced cement board, which may be secured to timber, galvanized steel or extruded aluminum studding or framing and which may include fibre glass, mineral wool, polymer foam or similar cavity installed insulation.
Exterior wall sheathing, dry wall partitioning and building panels made of these materials are not generally factory-prefabricated, because the resulting panel structures would be too heavy to allow for site handling without expensive equipment.
There is a need for a new type of composite panel with a good strength to weight ratio, which is constructed of materials which have the necessary stiffness, impact resistance and ease of decoration, which is an acoustic absorber and thermal insulator and which is fire resistant.

Plascon Technologies (Proprietary) Limited


Treatment with a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor and a leukotriene B4 receptor antagonist is described as being useful in reducing recipient rejection of transplanted organs and for treatment of autoimmune diseases.

Successful organ transplantation requires effective physiological and pharmacological intervention of the immune system of an organ recipient. Immunologic mechanisms are universal within the human species, but histocompatibility variations between organ donor and recipient may lead to rejection of donor tissue by stimulation of the recipient's immune system, except perhaps, in donor-recipient pairing of the monozygotic type. One approach to intervention of immune response in an organ transplant recipient, especially a recipient targeted for an allogenic graft, is by the use of immunosuppressive drugs. These drugs are used to prolong survival of transplanted organs in recipients in cases involving, for example, transplants of kidney, liver, heart, lung, bone marrow and pancreas.
There are several types of immunosuppressive drugs available for use in reducing organ rejection in transplantation. Such drugs fall within three major classes, namely: antiproliferative agents, antiinflammatory-acting compounds and inhibitors of lymphocyte activation.
Examples of the class of cytotoxic or antiproliferative agents are azathioprine, cyclophosphamide and methotrexate. The compound azathioprine acts by interrupting DNA synthesis through inhibition of purine metabolism. The compound cyclophosphamide is an alkylating agent which interferes with enzyme actions and cell proliferation and interrupts DNA synthesis by binding to cellular DNA, RNA, and proteins. The compound methotrexate is a folic acid antagonist which interferes with nucleotide and protein synthesis. Drugs of the antiproliferative class may be effective immunosuppressives in patients with chronic inflammatory disorders and in organ transplant recipients by limiting cell proliferation. These drugs which abrogate mitosis and cell division have severe cytotoxic side effects on normal cell populations which have a high turn-over rate, such as bone marrow cells and cells of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract lining. Accordingly, such drugs often have severe side effects, particularly, lymphopenia, neutropenia, bone marrow depression, hemorrhagic cystitis, liver damage, increased incidence of malignancy, hair loss, GI tract disturbances, and infertility.
A second class of immunosuppressive drugs for use in transplantation is provided by compounds having antiinflammatory action. Representatives of this drug class are generally known as adrenal corticosteroids and have the advantage of not exerting globally systemic cytotoxic effects. These compounds usually act by preventing or inhibiting inflammatory responses or by reducing cytokine production, or by reducing chemotaxis, or by reducing neutrophil, macrophage or lymphocyte activation, or effector function. Typical examples of adrenal corticosteroids are prednisone and prednisolone which affect carbohydrate and protein metabolism as well as immune functions. Compounds of this class are sometimes used in combination with cytotoxic agents, such as compounds of the antiproliferative class because the corticosteroids are significantly less toxic. But the adrenal corticosteroids lack specificity of effect and can exert a broad range of metabolic, antiinflammatory and immune effects. Typical side effects of this class include increased organ-recipient infections and interference with wound healing, as well as disturbing hemodynamic balance, carbohydrate and bone metabolism and mineral regulation.
A third class of immunosuppressive drugs for use in organ transplantation is provided by compounds which are immunomodulatory and generally prevent or inhibit leukocyte activation. Such compounds usually act by blocking activated T-cell effector functions or proliferation, or by inhibiting cytokine production, or by preventing or inhibiting activation, differentiation or effector functions of platelet, granulocyte, B-cell, or macrophage actions. The cyclosporin family of compounds is the leading example of drugs in this class. Such compounds are polypeptide fungal metabolites which have been found to be very effective in suppressing helper T-cells so as to reduce both cellular and humoral responses to newly-encountered antigens. Cyclosporins alter macrophage and lymphocyte activity by reducing cytokine production or secretion and, in particular, by interfering with activation of antigen-specific CD4 cells, by preventing IL-2 secretion and secretion of many T-cell products, as well as by interfering with expression of receptors for these lymphokines on various cell types. Cyclosporin A, in particular, has been used extensively as an immunosuppressive agent in organ transplantation. Other microbial metabolites include cyclosporins such as cyclosporin B and cyclosporin G, and another microbial product known as FK-506. Cyclosporin A suppresses humoral immunity as well as cell-mediated reactions. Cyclosporin A is indicated for organ rejection in kidney, liver, heart, pancreas, bone-marrow and heart-lung transplants. Cyclosporin A is also useful in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, Graves' disease, severe psoriasis, aplastic anemia, multiple-sclerosis, alopecia areata, penphigus and penphigoid, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, Behcet's disease, uveitis, pulmonary sarcocidiosis, biliary cirrhosis, myasthenia gravis and atopic dermatitis.
Cyclosporins possess several significant disadvantages. While cyclosporins have provided significant benefits in organ transplantation, cyclosporins are non-specific immunosuppressives. Desirable immune reactions may be reduced against foreign antigens. Tolerated dosages do not provide complete suppression of rejection response. Thus, immunologic reactions to transplanted tissue are not totally impeded, requiring concomitant treatment with prednisone, methylprednisolone, and/or other immunosuppression agents, including monoclonal antibodies such as anti-CD3 or anti-CD5/CD7. Cyclosporins can produce severe side effects in many organ recipients, and show host-variable effects on the liver, kidney, the CNS and GI tract. Significant among the adverse side effects are damage to the kidney and liver, hyperplasia of gum tissue, refractory hypertension and increased incidence of infections and malignancy.
Thus, the need remains for efficacious and selective immunosuppressive drugs in organ transplantation, especially for grafts between less-than-perfectly matched donor-recipient pairs.
Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are lipid mediators produced in a variety of inflammatory disease states. Both are products of metabolism of arachidonic acid. Cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) are the enzymes that catalyze the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) catalyzes the conversion of arachidonic acid to leukotrienes. Products of both pathways have been described in association with transplant rejection in humans and animal models. Excess production of these mediators may play a role in accelerating loss of the transplant function, particularly in the kidney. However, little research has been directed at determining direct effects of eicosanoids on tissue rejection.
Compounds which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 have been described. U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,738 describes oxazoles which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,991 describes cyclopentenes which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,790 describes spiro compounds which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. WO documents WO94/15932 describes thiophene and furan derivatives which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. WO94/27980 describes oxazoles which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. WO95/00501 describes compounds which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. WO94/13635 describes compounds which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. WO94/20480 describes compounds which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. WO94/26731 describes compounds which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2. WO documents WO95/15316 describes pyrazolyl sulfonamide derivatives which selectively inhibit cyclooxygenase-2.
Compounds which affect leukotriene B4 receptors have been described. U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,318 describes substituted sulfonamides for the treatment of asthma. U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,965 describes aryl ethers as leukotriene B4 receptor antagonists.
Combined therapies of NSAIDs and other reagents are known in the art. Combination analgesics have been reported (W. Beaver, Am. J. Med., 77, 38 (1984)) although such combinations do not substantially reduce adverse effects. The combination of NSAIDs and steroids have been described. A combination of indomethacin, steroid and lipopolysaccharide has been reported for the treatment of spinal injury (L. Guth et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91, 12308 (1994)). G. Hughes et al. describe combinations of corticosteroids with NSAIDs for the treatment of sunburn (Dermatology, 184, 54 (1992)). C. Stewart et al. (Clin. Pharmacol. Ther., 47, 540 (1990)) describe the combination of naproxen and methotrexate as safe, although concurrent administrations of methotrexate with other NSAIDs have been reported to be toxic and sometimes fatal. A combination of a dual 5-lipoxygenase/cyclooxygenase inhibitor with a glucocorticoid is described for the treatment of skin disorders (K. Tramposch, Inflammation, 17, 531 (1993)). Combinations of NSAIDs and steroids should be used in the treatment of scleritis only if patients are not responsive to any other treatment (S. Lightman and P. Watson, Am. J. Ophthalinol., 108, 95 (1989)). Combinations of cyclooxygenase inhibitors, lipoxygenase inhibitors, collagenase inhibitors and cytotoxic agents have been used in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancers (B. Teicher et al., Cancer. Chemother. Pharmacol., 33, 515 (1994)). Combinations of naproxen with other NSAIDs have been described in the treatment of arthritis. R. Willikens and E. Segre (Arthritis Rheum., 19, 677 (1976)) describe the combination of aspirin and naproxen as being more effective than aspirin alone for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Naproxen and acetaminophen together were described for treating the pain associated with arthritis (P. Seideman et al., Acta Orthop. Scand., 64, 285 (1993)). However, combinations of naproxen with indomethacin or ibuprofen offer no advantage in the treatment of arthritis (M. Seifert and C. Engler, Curr. Med. Res. Opin., 7, 38 (1980)).
Tenidap has been described as inhibiting cyclooxygenases and cytokine-modifying [F. Breedveld, Scand. J. Rheumatol., 23 (Supp. 100), 31 (1994)]. WO patent Publication 94/02448, published Feb. 3, 1994, describes hydroxamic acid derivatives as dual 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase inhibitors having immunosuppressant utility. U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,699, to Terada et al., describes phenyl alkanoic acid derivatives as having analgesic, antiinflammatory and immune regulating activity. R. Bartlett et al. describe thiazolo(3,2-b) (1,2,4)triazin-7-ones as antiinflammatory agents with immunomodulating properties [Drugs Exptl. Clin. Res., 15, 521 (1989)]. J. Shaw and R. Greatorex [Adv. Prostaglandin, Thromboxane, Leukotriene Res., 13, 219 (1985)] describe that whereas aspirin and sodium salicylate prolong graft survival, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor reduced the survival period. V. Fimiani, et al. describe some NSAID's that may have activity in the treatment of autoimmune diseases [EOS-Revista di Immunologia and Immunofarmacologia, 13, 58 (1993)]. A. Badger et al. describe an indomethacin enhancement of suppressor cell population [Immunopharm., 4, 149 (1982)]. J. Shelby et al. [Transplantation Proc., 19, 1435 (1987)] describe indomethacin as reversing transfusion-induced graft prolongation. D. Latter et al. indicate that indomethacin was effective as an immunomodulator following burns [J. Surg. Res., 43, 246 (1987)]. J. Tarayre et al. describe indomethacin as having an effect in their delayed hypersensitivity models [Arzneim.—Forsch./Drug Res., 40, 1125 (1990)]. D. Braun et al indicate that a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor may help prevent chemotherapy-induced decline in immune reactivity [Proc. Am. Soc. Clin. Oncol., 4, 21 Meeting, 223 (1985)]. Administration of tepoxalin (dual 5-LO and COX inhibitor) and cyclosporine has been described [Fung-Leung, et al., Transplantation, 60, 362 (1995)] in suppression of graft versus host reaction although the effect of tepoxalin did not appear to be related to the inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolism.
There have been no reported combinations of a cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitor and a leukotriene B4 receptor antagonist as having a significant prolongation of graft survival.

Immunosuppressive effects of administration of a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, a leukotriene B


A reloader for reloading cartridges. A reciprocating plunger carries a turret that rotates around the axis of the plunger. The turret carries a plurality of cartridges for reloading, the cartridges being symmetrically spaced around the turret axis and adapted to be indexed around the axis in a step-by-step sequence. An overhead die holder contains a plurality of dies spaced in a symmetrical pattern similar to that of the cartridges but in fixed positions. A center opening the die holder houses a rotatable bushing. The rotation of the bushing is controlled in part by a one-way clutch. An indexing shaft affixed to the turret extends from the turret axis through the bushing. The shaft has a multi-sided cross section and is slidably fitted to the bushing in a manner that prevents relative rotation. The configured cross section has an axial twist and when forced through the bushing by the reciprocating plunger, causes turning of one or the other of the shaft and turret or the bushing. A secondary invention is the adaptation of this concept to a conventional single stage reloader.

It is very common for active shooters of hand guns and rifles to reload their spent cartridges. A cartridge that is purchased new can be repeatedly fired and reloaded, e.g. commonly five or six times, before the case is considered to be non-reloadable. The savings to the shooter can be substantial and just as important to many hobbyists, the cartridges can be custom tailored to fit the shooter's concept of the ideal cartridge case for his particular event.
The operations to be performed on a cartridge for reloading are numerous. The spent primer cap must be removed, the case must be resized, a new primer cap and powder must be inserted, a bullet must be seated in the casing's mouth and the casing mouth needs to be crimped. Certain combinations of these operations may be accomplished by a single die but, in any event, between four and six reloading dies are employed with the corresponding four or six reloading steps to be performed. For each step, a cartridge case is seated on a reloading ram or plunger and the case is forced by the plunger into or onto an appropriate die.
Typically a single station reloading tool includes a fixture that is secured to a workbench. The fixture includes a guide for the plunger and mechanism for manually moving the plunger up and down in the guide. The top of the plunger is designed to receive a cartridge case. The fixture also includes a die holding plate aligned above the plunger. Various dies are adapted for sequential interchangeable mounting in the die holding plate. The cartridges are individually positioned on the plunger and pressed into the first die. The die is replaced and the process repeated as many times as required for completion of the reloading process.
The present invention is directed to a modification of the single station reloading tool. By positioning dies in a circular pattern to form multiple stations, and then loading cartridge cases in sequence on an indexable rotatable turret, the cartridge cases can be moved in sequence through the multiple stations. For example, if there are four reloading stations, the first cartridge case is placed on the turret and the plunger activated to perform the first step. The turret is then indexed to place the cartridge in line with the next die station and a second cartridge is placed on the turret in line with the first die station. The plunger is activated to accomplish two independent reloading die functions. Third and fourth cartridges are added in sequence until four reloading steps are simultaneously performed on different cartridges. Thereafter a completed reloaded cartridge is removed and a new cartridge added to the turret in its place so that each plunger action performs four reloading steps on four separate cartridges.
The above broad concept of multi-station reloading is not new to this invention. Assignee of the present application developed a multi-station cartridge reloading tool wherein the rotatable turret is indexed manually. The present invention is, however, more specifically to a tool having the feature of automatic indexing of the turret which is broadly stated also is not unique to this invention as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,063, issued to Richard J. Lee. Lee provides an indexing turret carried by a plunger. Indexing is achieved by an indexing shaft that is projected through the center of the turret. The turret slides up and down on the shaft but is rotatably fixed to the shaft. The turret is rotatable relative to the plunger. A clutch mechanism has one component fixed to the plunger and rides up and down with the plunger but not engaged with the shaft. A second component of the clutch mechanism rise on a guide surface of the shaft and is engaged with the first component in downward movement of the plunger and is disengaged in the upward movement. The guide surface on the shaft has a spiral section. The second component of the clutch mechanism is guided over the spiral section in both the upward and downward movement of the plunger. Indexing of the turret does not take place in the plunger's upward movement because the clutch components are disengagd. In the downward movement, the engaged clutch components are engaged and force turning of the shaft and thus indexing of the turret.


A piston ring which is resinous includes an annular main body portion having an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface facing each other and a pair of side surfaces interconnecting the inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface and a joint portion 3 formed in the main body portion. The joint portion has a step shape when viewed from at least one of the pair of side surfaces and the outer peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface has a tapered surface having an outer diameter increasing from a side of one side surface of the pair of side surfaces of the main body portion toward a side of the other side surface.

A piston ring used in an internal combustion engine of an automobile or the like has the function of preventing blow-by gas from a combustion chamber side to a crank chamber side by, for example, the piston ring being provided in a ring groove in a piston outer peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface of the piston ring being in sliding contact with a bore inner peripheral surface, and a side surface side of the piston ring abutting against a side surface of the ring groove to form a seal surface. Such a piston ring has a split ring shape having a joint portion, and thus blow-by gas suppression in the joint portion is required. Suppressing blow-by gas by giving a joint shape a special structure as in Patent Literature 1 has been studied in this regard.


The invention is directed to novel, purified and isolated IL-1 eta polypeptides and fragments thereof, the polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, processes for production of recombinant forms of such polypeptides, antibodies generated against these polypeptides, peptides derived from these polypeptides, and uses thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to novel, purified and isolated IL-1 eta polypeptides and fragments thereof, the polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides, processes for production of recombinant forms of such polypeptides, antibodies generated against these polypeptides, fragmented peptides derived from these polypeptides, and uses thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a member of a large group of cytokines whose primary function is to mediate immune and inflammatory responses. There are seven known IL-1 family members which include IL-1 alpha (IL-1α), IL-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-1 delta (IL-1δ), IL-1 epsilon (IL-1ε), IL-1 zeta (IL-1ξ) and IL-18 (previously known as IGIF and sometimes IL-1 gamma). IL-1 that is secreted by macrophages is actually a mixture of mostly IL-1β and some IL-1α (Abbas et al., 1994). IL-1α and IL-1β, which are first produced as 33 kD precursors that lack a signal sequence, are further processed by proteolytic cleavage to produce secreted active forms, each about 17 kD. Additionally, the 33 kD precursor of IL-1α is also active. Both forms of IL-1 are the products of two different genes located on chromosome 2. Although the two forms are less than 30 percent homologous to each other, they both bind to the same receptors and have similar activities.
IL-1ra, a biologically inactive form of IL-1, is structurally homologous to IL-1 and binds to the same receptors. Additionally, IL-1ra is produced with a signal sequence which allows for efficient secretion into the extracellular region where it competitively competes with IL-1 (Abbas et al., 1994).
The IL-1 family of ligands binds to a family of two IL-1 receptors, which are members of the Ig superfamily. IL-1 receptors include the 80 kDa type I receptor (IL-1RI) and a 68 kDa type II receptor (IL-1RII). IL-1 ligands can also bind to a soluble proteolytic fragment of IL-1RII (sIL-1RII) (Colotta et al., 1993).
The major source of IL-1 is the activated macrophage or mononuclear phagocyte. Other cells that produce IL-1 include epithelial and endothelial cells (Abbas et al., 1994). IL-1 secretion from macrophages occurs after the macrophage encounters and ingests gram-negative bacteria. Such bacteria contain lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecules, also known as endotoxin, in the bacterial cell wall. LPS molecules are the active components that stimulate macrophages to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-1. In this case, IL-1 is produced in response to LPS and TNF production. At low concentrations, LPS stimulates macrophages and activates B-cells and other host responses needed to eliminate the bacterial infection; however, at high concentrations, LPS can cause severe tissue damage, shock, and even death.
The biological functions of IL-1 include activating vascular endothelial cells and lymphocytes, local tissue destruction, and fever (Janeway et al., 1996). At low levels, IL-1 stimulates macrophages and vascular endothelial cells to produce IL-6, upregulates molecules on the surface of vascular endothelial cells to increase leukocyte adhesion, and indirectly activates inflammatory leukocytes by stimulating mononuclear phagocytes and other cells to produce certain chemokines that activate inflammatory leukocytes. Additionally, IL-1 is involved in other inflammatory responses such as induction of prostaglandins, nitric oxide synthetase, and metalloproteinases. These IL-1 functions are crucial during low level microbial infections. However, if the microbial infection escalates, IL-1 acts systemically by inducing fever, stimulating mononuclear phagocytes to produce IL-1 and IL-6, increasing the production of serum proteins from hepatocytes, and activating the coagulation system. Additionally, IL-1 does not cause hemorrhagic necrosis of tumors, suppress bone marrow stem cell division, and IL-1 is lethal to humans at high concentrations.
Given the important function of IL-1, there is a need in the art for additional members of the IL-1 ligand and IL-1 receptor families. In addition, in view of the continuing interest in protein research and the immune system, the discovery, identification, and roles of new proteins (such as the human IL-1 eta of the invention) and their inhibitors, are at the forefront of modern molecular biology and biochemistry. Despite the growing body of knowledge, there is still a need in the art for the identity and function of proteins involved in cellular and immune responses.


A splash guard is configured to control the flow of excess liquid generated by an interaction between a first roller and a second roller by splitting the flow of the excess liquid into a first flow and a second flow.

In printing devices that utilize liquid ink, the flow of ink can result in splashing. As the ink splashes, it can adhere to some parts of the printing device. Over time, the carrier liquid is evaporated and the accumulated layers of concentrated ink (or sludge) can block or limit the further flow of the ink. This, in turn, can result in malfunctions and breakdowns.
Cleaning the parts that contain the accumulated ink can be time-consuming and costly. In particular, removing the accumulated ink can be difficult without disassembling the device, which sometimes makes this option unworkable in the field.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

Apparatus for containing splashes in an ink developer

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers includes a bath for receiving semiconductor wafers and for holding a fluid, a chamber for providing an area where vapor is flowable over the bath, a supply pipeline for supplying vapor to the chamber, a vapor discharging pipeline for expunging vapor in the chamber, a fluid discharging pipeline for draining fluid in the chamber therefrom, and a protector for maintaining a distance between the semiconductor wafers during a drying process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for drying a semiconductor wafer, and more particularly, to an apparatus for drying a semiconductor wafer using an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor drying method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a cleaning process of a semiconductor chip includes the removal of impurities generated on a semiconductor wafer during a manufacturing process. The cleaning process may include processing the semiconductor wafer using chemical solutions, rinsing the chemically processed semiconductor wafer using deionized water (DIW), and drying the rinsed semiconductor wafer.
In the prior art, a spin drying method is commonly used to dry a semiconductor wafer. Recently, due to an increase in an integration density of semiconductor devices, a vapor drying method has been used. The vapor drying method takes uses isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor to remove the DIW.
In a conventional apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers, semiconductor wafers are loaded in a chamber and an IPA solution is supplied into the chamber. The IPA solution supplied into the chamber is vaporized by heat produced by a heater positioned under the chamber. As the IPA solution is vaporized, the DIW remaining on the semiconductor wafers substantially removed.
The conventional apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers cannot precisely control the degree at which the IPA solution is vaporized. If the IPA solution is excessively vaporized in the chamber, a considerable amount of carbon (C) remains on the surfaces of the dried semiconductor wafers.
Recently, an apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers using IPA vapor, which includes an integrated bath and chamber, has been suggested. According to this apparatus, during a drying process DIW overflows the bath, and nitrogen gas and IPA vapor can be supplied to the chamber. More particularly, a drying process according to the apparatus is performed as follows. The bath, in which a semiconductor wafer is loaded, is made to overflow with DIW, and then nitrogen gas and IPA vapor are supplied from above the semiconductor wafer into the chamber. Simultaneously, the DIW is slowly discharged toward a lower part of the semiconductor wafer.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers using a conventional IPA vapor drying method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers includes a bath 200, which is provided so that a semiconductor wafer 100 can soak in DIW 210. In addition, a chamber 300 is included, which surrounds the bath 200 and overlaps an upper part of the bath 200.
The bath 200 includes a DIW outlet 220, through which the DIW 210 can drain. A semiconductor wafer supporter 230 is arranged under the semiconductor wafer 100 to support the semiconductor wafer 100. Guides are formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer supporter 230 facing the semiconductor wafer 100. The structure of the guides will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
A pipeline 312 for supplying nitrogen gas and/or, a pipeline 314 for supplying nitrogen gas and IPA vapor, and a pipeline 320, through which overflowed DIW drains, are connected to the chamber 300. An outlet 330, through which nitrogen gas and IPA vapor in the chamber 300 drain to the outside, is provided through a sidewall of the chamber 300.
FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating guides formed on the semiconductor wafer supporter 230 of the apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2B-2B′ of FIG. 2A and as seen from a direction indicated by A. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, three guides, i.e., first, second, and third guides 231, 232, and 233, are formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer supporter 230 facing the semiconductor wafer 100. The first and second guides 231 and 232 are formed to have a substantially V-shaped groove so that the semiconductor wafer 100 can be inserted in the substantially V-shaped grooves of the first and second guides 231 and 232. When a drying process is performed with semiconductor wafers supported by the semiconductor wafer supporter 230 having the three guides 231, 232, and 233, adjacent semiconductor wafers may be attached to one another, as will be described in greater detail in the following paragraphs.
FIGS. 3A through 3D are diagrams illustrating a drying process performed in an apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers using a semiconductor wafer supporter having three guides. Referring to FIG. 3A, semiconductor wafers 100 are loaded in the bath 200 filled with the DIW 210. The semiconductor wafers 100 are supported by the semiconductor wafer supporter 230. The structure of the semiconductor wafers 100 being supported by the semiconductor wafer supporter 230 has been described above with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. When the semiconductor wafers 100 are loaded in the bath 200, the bath 200 is filled so that the semiconductor wafers 100 can completely soak in the DIW 210.
Referring to FIG. 3B, the DIW 210 is drained from the bath 200 through the DIW outlet 220, and nitrogen gas and IPA vapor are supplied toward the semiconductor wafers 100. The DIW 210, as marked by arrows 212 in FIG. 3B, is drained in a downward direction so that an upper part of each of the semiconductor wafers 100 is exposed. The IPA vapor supplied into the bath 200 removes any residual DIW 210 remaining on the surfaces of the semiconductor wafers 100. During the cleaning process, the semiconductor wafers 100 may move slightly, thereby possibly attaching to one another due to the surface tension therebetween. Various semiconductor wafers 100 in contact with each other are shown by points C in FIG. 3B.
As shown in FIG. 3C, the DIW 210 may remain attached between the semiconductor wafers 100. Moreover, as illustrated in FIG. 3D, the remaining DIW 210 may flow down a surface of a semiconductor wafer 100 due to gravity. This may cause the occurrence of a water mark 210′ on the surface of the semiconductor wafer 100.
Recently, the size of semiconductor wafers has increased. In particular, many semiconductor wafers are manufactured having a size greater than 200 mm. In order to batch-process a considerable number of semiconductor wafers having an increased size, with an apparatus for drying semiconductor wafers using IPA vapor, the drying process is performed using a half pitch technique where a plurality of semiconductor wafers are loaded in the apparatus so that a gap between the semiconductor wafers is very small. If the half pitch drying technique is used, semiconductor wafers may move laterally, which may cause a plurality of the semiconductor wafers to attach to one another. If adjacent semiconductor wafers attach to one another during a drying process, DIW is likely to remain on the surface of the semiconductor wafers and ultimately leave watermarks. When this happens, device malfunctions may occur.

Apparatus and method for drying semiconductor wafers using IPA vapor drying method


Methods are provided for enhancing viability comprising administering at least one inhibitor of p53 or a p53-associated pathway to one or more of the following: the embryo, oocytes, sperm, a femme animal or a male animal.

Failure of survival of the embryo over the first weeks of its existence is considered to be a major cause of subfertility and infertility in mammals. This is particularly exemplified by embryos produced by assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and all related techniques. A large proportion of ART embryos are lost during the pre- and immediate post-implantation periods through apoptosis.
A total of 27,067 ART treatment cycles were performed in Australia in 2000 (Hurst and Lancaster, 2001, AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit, Sydney, ISSN 10387234) resulting in 4,319 viable pregnancies (success rate of 16%). Given that an average of 2.1 embryos were transferred per treatment cycle (and over 90% of successful treatment cycles had 2 or more embryos transferred), this equates to less than 10% of embryos produced by ART having the capacity for long-term viability. ART is expensive. The average cost per treatment cycle in the USA is US$9547 (Collins, 2002, Human Reproduction Update. 8:265-77).
It is well established that much of the loss of embryo viability during ART occurs in the preimplantation phase or soon after implantation. ART causes a characteristic retardation of embryo development so that 96-120 h after fertilization embryos are commonly at least a full day behind their naturally produced counterparts in their developmental program. There are also fewer cells per embryo and many of the cells in embryos undergo apoptosis (Jurisicova et al., 1996, Molecular Human Reproduction. 2:93-8; O'Neill, 1997, Biology of Reproduction. 56, 229-237). In many cases the phenotype is sufficiently severe to result in the degeneration of the entire embryo. This retardation is a consequence of cellular stressors related to culture conditions. The preimplantation embryo constitutively expresses the machinery necessary for apoptosis and possesses the effectors and regulatory elements of apoptosis. Successful embryo development seems to require the suppression of this apoptotic machinery. Attempts at treatment of the various stressors have met with only limited success. For example, an interaction between oxidative damage and reduced stimulation of embryos by autocrine and paracrine growth/survival factors is a significant contributor to IVF-induced embryonic death. However relief from oxidative stress and provision of a wide range of putative embryonic survival/growth factors only partially ameliorate the effect of IVF. This suggests that there are other relevant stressors acting on the embryo, and/or that the nature of action of stressors on the embryo is not yet well defined.
Loss of embryo viability is a significant factor limiting the success of ART and there is a clear need to more completely elucidate the factors which lead to reduced embryo death during ART and to devise appropriate strategies to improve ART embryo viability.
Much is known about the response of somatic cells to various environmental stresses. For example, cells respond to many forms of genotoxic and nongenotoxic stress by the stabilisation and increased expression of the transcription factor p53 (see for example Agarwal et al., 1998, Journal of Biological Chemistry 273, 1-4). p53 is a 'sensor' of cell stress that plays an important role in maintaining normal genome stability. p53 operates within a complex network of interconnected cellular pathways by which cells sense and respond to inappropriate stresses. Other tumour suppressors operating within this network include, but are not limited to, Rb, PTEN, p21, p27, ARF and INK.
p53 has the capacity to either induce reduced cycle-cell progression (by the induction of CDK inhibitors such as p21) or to induce apoptosis (by inducing the synthesis of pro-apoptotic mediators such as Bax, PUMA, AlF, etc). Mutations in p53 lead to loss of regulation of cellular processes and are associated with the development of many cancers. Mutations in p53 are found in more than half of all human cancers. It is also now believed that many adult diseases derive, at least in part, from constraints during embryonic and fetal development, including during the embryo pre-implantation stage. Accordingly, an understanding of the stresses acting on the embryo and the embryo's response to these strategies will be important in devising strategies to minimise the onset of many adult diseases.
Preimplantation mammalian embryos normally produce an array of trophic factors that act to stimulate growth and survival of the embryo (Hardy and Spanos (2002) Journal of Endocrinology 172, 221-236). A major cause of the reduced viability of embryos produced by ART is diminished production of a number of these growth factors. For example, it has been observed that the production of platelet activating factor (PAF; 1-0-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glyceryl-3-phoshocoline) and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) is retarded in IVF-derived embryos (O'Neill et al., 1987, Fertility and Sterility 47, 969-975; and Stojanov et al., 1999, Molecular Human Reproduction 5, 116-124).
Such observations have led to the development of a range of protocols for the supplementation of in vitro embryo culture media with exogenous trophic factors, including PAF (Ryan et al., 1990, Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 89, 309-315; O'Neill et al., 1989, The Lancet ii, 769-772), in an effort to increase embryo viability. However the efficacy of such media supplementation is limited. Australian Patent No. 608530 describes the use of exogenous PAF or PAF analogue to increase the rate of implantation. However the effect observed was not a great as had been anticipated. Given the experimental evidence of the requirement for autocrine and paracrine trophic factors in normal embryonic development (O'Neill, 1997, Biology of Reproduction 56, 229-237), this clinical outcome is surprising.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods for enhancing embryo viability.


An index detection unit (2030) detects indices allocated or set on an object from a sensed image. An evaluation amount calculation unit (2060) calculates evaluation amounts of the indices using two-dimensional geometric features of the indices on the image and/or three-dimensional geometric features that represent relationships between an image sensing device (2010) and the indices on a three-dimensional space. A reliability calculation unit (2070) calculates reliabilities of the indices according to the calculated evaluation amounts of the indices. A position and orientation calculation unit (2080) calculates the position and orientation of the object or the image sensing device (2010) using at least the calculated reliabilities of the indices and information associated with the image coordinates of the detected indices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for improving the precision and stability of viewpoint position and orientation measurement.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, studies about mixed reality (MR) that aims at seamless merging of physical and virtual spaces have been extensively made. An MR image is generated by superimposing and rendering virtual space images generated according to the position and orientation of an image sensing device such as a video camera or the like on a physical space image sensed by the image sensing device. An image display apparatus used in an MR system is implemented by, e.g., a video-see-through system. Note that the virtual space images include a virtual object rendered by computer graphics, text information, and the like.
In order to implement the MR, the accuracy of registration between the physical space and virtual space is important, and many approaches have been made conventionally in regard to this issue. A problem about registration in the MR eventuates in a problem of calculating the relative position and orientation between a target object on which virtual information is to be superimposed, and the image sensing device (to be referred to as the position and orientation of the image sensing device hereinafter).
As a method of solving this problem, the following attempt has been made. That is, a plurality of indices whose allocations on a target coordinate system are known are placed or set in an environment or on a target object. Then, the position and orientation of the image sensing device with respect to the target coordinate system are calculated using the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates on the target coordinate system of the indices as known information, and the coordinates of projected images of the indices in an image sensed by the image sensing device (see Sato and Tamura: "A Review of Registration Techniques in Mixed Reality", Meeting on Image Recognition and Understanding (MIRU2002) Transactions I, IPSJ Symposium Series, vol. 2002, no. 11, pp. I.61-I.68, July 2002).
Also, an attempt that attaches an inertial sensor on an image sensing device and uses the sensor measurement value to achieve more stable registration than a case using only image information has been made. For example, a method that uses the position and orientation of the image sensing device estimated based on the sensor measurement value in index detection processing has been proposed. Also, a method that uses the estimation results as initial values for the position and orientation calculation based on an image has been proposed. Furthermore, a method that uses the estimation results as a rough position and orientation even in a situation in which indices are not observed has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-33319, and Hirofumi Fujii, Masayuki Kanbara, Hidehiko Iwasa, Haruo Takemura, and Naokazu Yokoya, "A Registration Method Using Stereo Cameras with an Gyro Sensor for Augmented Reality", Technical report of IEICE PRMU99-192 (Technical Report of IEICE, vol. 99, no. 574, pp. 1-8)).
The conventional registration technique using image information is premised on that all index detection results are correct. Furthermore, all index detection results are handled as even. For this reason, correct position and orientation measurement often fails due to the large influence of indices as detection errors or those with low detection precision.
Hence, the following technique has been proposed in recent years. That is, a statistical estimation method such as M estimation is adopted to calculate errors (re-projection errors) between the observation coordinates of the detected indices (feature points) on an image and the image coordinates (re-projected coordinates) of indices estimated from the position and orientation of the image sensing device and the positions of indices. Then, the reliabilities of the detected indices are calculated based on the errors to eliminate erroneously detected indices or to reduce their influences (see Sato, Kanbara, Yokoya, and Takemura, "Camera Movement Parameter Estimation from a Long Image Sequence by Tracking Markers and Natural Features", Transactions of IEICE, D-III, vol. J86-D-II, no. 10, pp. 1431-1440, 2003).
However, the attempt that calculates the reliabilities based only on the statistical amounts of the re-projection errors, and weights the indices to eliminate detection errors or to reduce the influences of indices with low detection precision (the precision of image coordinates to be detected) is not always effective. This is because the above technique is effective to eliminate erroneously detected indices which appear exceptionally when many indices are detected correctly. However, when the number of erroneously detected indices is larger than that of correctly detected indices, the position and orientation measurement may be affected by indices with low detection precision. Since even indices sensed in a single image may often include those with low detection precision depending on the allocations of markers and the conditions upon image sensing, such indices lead to the drop of the position and orientation measurement precision.

Position and orientation measurement method and apparatus


An enhanced video conferencing system and method includes at least two conference rooms, the conference rooms connected together electronically to permit the transmission of images and sound from one room to the other room. Each room has a large format display system for projecting images and a camera positioned with respect to the large format display system to capture images of the conference room and its participants while the participants are looking at the large format display system, without obscuring the participants' view of the display system, so as to provide the perception that the participants in one conference room are looking directly at the participants in the other conference room. The enhanced video conferencing system may also include an additional camera for capturing an image of an item located at a pre-determined location within the conference room for ultimate transmission to the other conference room for viewing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video conferencing generally and, more particularly, to an enhanced video conferencing system and method that provides the illusion to the video conference participants located at different sites of being in the same physical space, such as being in the same room.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventional video conferencing facilities do not provide video conference participants located at different locations with the perception or feeling of being in the same physical space. Typically, a video conference system includes one or more standard definition cameras, and one or more television-sized monitors in each room. The cameras are located to capture an image of a view of an entire room (a source room) including its participants and to send the captured image to the video monitors in a destination room. The camera is typically located at one remote end of the source room, such as mounted on a wall or placed above the display monitors. The situation is generally the same in the destination room. The overall approach is simply to enable participants in each room to see each other on their respective video monitors, much like watching television. Where the camera is set to capture an image of the entire room, the participants in that room often appear small and remote to the viewers in the destination room. Where the camera is zoomed to capture the face of one or the participants, then it appears oversized in scale, and without any of the context of the rest of the participants. In particular, the viewers in the remote room cannot see the reactions, body language or other activity of the participants in the source room when the camera is zoomed in on only one of the participants there. Overall, no effort is made to create the perception of a single shared physical space between the participants where participants in both rooms can see the entire other room in a realistic and properly scaled fashion.
Further, the television-to-television model of current video conferencing systems is not at all conducive to how individuals normally interact in a group setting, such as in a group meeting. In actual physical meetings, individuals make eye contact with each other, use body language and other non-verbal cues. The typical arrangement of a conventional video conference room all but makes realistic eye contact between individual participants impossible, and either overly exaggerates or suppresses body language and other non-verbal cues. A participant does not get the feel of realistic eye contact when looking at the enlarged face of another person on a television monitor. Likewise, there is a feeling of eye contact when the camera is zoomed out to capture the entire source room. The result is a rather primitive form of video conferencing where participants rely primarily on voice and much less on useful visual information and cues in order to communicate and which thereby fails to convey much of the emotional content experienced with "in-person" meetings.
Further shortcoming of many conventional video conferencing systems include quite poor quality images, most often with low resolution due to bandwidth limitations, inability to properly handle simultaneous dialog, and improper lighting, and poor sound due to improper acoustics.
Moreover, the equipment of such conventional video conferencing systems can be obtrusive, with no effort made to hide the video conferencing equipment. Most video conference systems are sold in a cart configuration, with one or two video monitors mounted on top of a rolling or fixed stand, which is then placed at one of end of the conference room; the camera is typically mounted above the monitors, sometimes in a large cabinet that houses a motion tracking system and multiple microphone array. Because this equipment is so obtrusive, communication may be hindered because the participants feel like they are talking to a camera rather than another person and may be camera shy.
Furthermore, conventional video conferencing facilities are typically unable to capture and transmit images with high fidelity resolution. In many video conferencing applications, it is desirable to be able to view an image with high resolution in order to see the details of such image. For example, in the film industry, a director may wish to view and review the details of sketches or "storyboards" from a remote location and also to be able to discuss and collaborate on such storyboards in a video conference setting. Another example, in the area of technical design, an engineering team at one location may wish to view and discuss via video conferencing images on a computer screen, including lines of code, CAD drawings, schematics and/or other detailed figures with another engineering team located at a remote location. Because conventional video conference facilities typically use a standard definition camera located at one remote end of a conference room for capturing an image of the entire room, they are unable to capture and transmit images within the conference room with high fidelity resolution. Such conventional video conference systems are, at best, sufficient for capturing the rough outlines of participants in a conference room, but insufficient for capturing the details of a storyboard, lines of code, a CAD drawing, a schematic or any other detailed figures.
All of the above shortcomings substantially reduce the effectiveness of video conferencing as a way for remote individuals to collaborate, communicate and share ideas.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hard floor panels.
2. Related Technology
In the first instance, the invention is intended for so-called laminated floors, but generally it can also be applied for other kinds of floor covering, consisting of hard floor panels, such as veneer parquet, prefabricated parquet, or other floor panels which can be compared to laminated flooring.
It is known that such floor panels can be applied in various ways.
According to a first possibility, the floor panels are attached at the underlying floor, either by glueing or by nailing them on. This technique has a disadvantage that is rather complicated and that subsequent changes can only be made by breaking out the floor panels.
According to a second possibility, the floor panels are installed loosely onto the subflooring, whereby the floor panels mutually match into each other by means of a tongue and groove coupling, whereby mostly they are glued together in the tongue and groove, too. The floor obtained in this manner, also called a floating parquet flooring, has as an advantage that it is easy to install and that the complete floor surface can move which often is convenient in order to receive possible expansion and shrinkage phenomena.
A disadvantage with a floor covering of the above-mentioned type, above all, if the floor panels are installed loosely onto the subflooring, consists in that during the expansion of the floor and its subsequent shrinkage, the floor panels themselves can drift apart, as a result of which undesired gaps can be formed, for example, if the glue connection breaks.
In order to remedy this disadvantage, techniques have already been through of whereby connection elements made of metal are provided between the single floor panels in order to keep them together. Such connection elements, however, are rather expensive to make and, furthermore, their provision or the installation thereof is a time-consuming occupation.
Examples of embodiments which apply such metal connection elements are described, among others, in the documents WO 94/26999 and WO 93/13280.
Furthermore, couplings are known which allow coupling parts to snap fit into each other, e.g., from the documents WO 94/1628, WO 96/27719 and WO 96/27721. The snapping-together effect obtained with these forms of embodiment, however, does not guarantee a 100-percent optimum counteraction against the development of gaps between the floor panels, more particularly, because in fact well-defined plays have to be provided in order to be sure that the snapping-together is possible.
From GB 424.057, a coupling for parquetry parts is known which, in consideration of the nature of the coupling, only is appropriate for massive wooden parquetry.
Furthermore, there are also couplings for panels known from the documents GB 2.117.813, GB 2,256.023 and DE 3.544.845. These couplings, however, are not appropriate for connecting floor panels.

Unilin Beheer B.V., besloten vennootschap


A three dimensional (3D) sensing method and an apparatus thereof are provided. The 3D sensing method includes the following steps. A resolution scaling process is performed on a first pending image and a second pending image so as to produce a first scaled image and a second scaled image. A full-scene 3D measurement is performed on the first and second scaled images so as to obtain a full-scene depth image. The full-scene depth image is analyzed to set a first region of interest (ROI) and a second ROI. A first ROI image and a second ROI image is obtained according to the first and second ROI. Then, a partial-scene 3D measurement is performed on the first and second ROI images accordingly, such that a partial-scene depth image is produced.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a three dimensional sensing method for dynamically adjusting an image sensing region and a resolution and a device therewith.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional image sensors are sophisticatedly developed, but with which two-dimensional information can be acquired. Therefore, how to effectively acquire information of a third dimension (that is, depth) with a high speed and a high resolution in real time is a topic in such technology development. A depth image can provide more complete spatial image information, and thus can be designed as an operation interface of 3D games or an interactive browsing device. In addition, the depth image also has a development potential in application for safety image monitoring, robot vision, and medical imaging. At the end of 2010, Microsoft Corporation officially releases a new generation of a smart sensory game device Kinect using human actions as an interactive medium of games, in which a depth sensor is a main core element. It can be expected that more and more technologies and applications thereof related to gestures and human interactive interfaces will be developed in a next year.
With a progress of manufacturing technology, a high-resolution image capture devices such as cameras, video cameras are in widespread use. While an image transferring rate and an image processing speed of those cameras are limited, it is difficult that the high-resolution image capture device performs a real-time high-resolution 3D measurement. In more details, the depth measurement precision is determined by two factors, a measurement range and a resolution of the image capture device. Therefore, the smaller the measurement range is, the higher the precision will be. However, if the measurement range is too small, it is possible to raise the restrictions on the use. On the other hand, the higher the resolution is, the higher the precision will be, but the amount of data turns over-large that it could cause such problems like consuming excessive resources for image processing, reducing the reaction rate significantly, and delaying the time for transmission. Therefore, in the situation of limited computing resources, how to balance the precision and the processing speed for the measurement and to dynamically adjust the image sensing area and the resolution is an issue in the real-time high-resolution 3D measurement.

Three dimensional sensing method and three dimensional sensing apparatus

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A method for inhibiting and/or ameliorating the occurrence of diseases in a human subject whereby a subject is administered a carotenoid analog or derivative, either alone or in combination with another carotenoid analog or derivative. In some embodiments, the administration of analogs or derivatives of carotenoids may inhibit and/or ameliorate the occurrence of diseases in subjects. In some embodiments, analogs or derivatives of carotenoids may be water-soluble and/or water dispersible. Maladies that may be treated with analogs or derivatives of carotenoids embodied herein may include diseases that provoke or trigger an inflammatory response. In an embodiment, asthma may be treated with analogs or derivatives of carotenoids embodied herein. In an embodiment, administering analogs or derivatives of carotenoids embodied herein to a subject may control or affect the bioavailability of eicosanoids. In an embodiment, atherosclerosis may be treated with analogs or derivatives of carotenoids embodied herein. In an embodiment, administering the analogs or derivatives of carotenoids embodied herein to a subject may control or affect the bioavailability of 5-LO-catalyzed eicosanoid metabolites. In an embodiment, 5-LO-catalyzed eicosanoid metabolites that may be controlled or affected by administering analogs or derivatives of carotenoids to a subject may include proinflammatory effector molecules (e.g., leukotrienes).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the fields of medicinal and synthetic chemistry. More specifically, the invention relates to the synthesis and use of carotenoid analogs or derivatives.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Recent studies have demonstrated that initiation of lipid peroxidation and formation of bioactive eicosanoids are critical processes occurring in inflammation, particularly in both atherosclerosis and asthma (reactive airways disease; Zhang et al. 2002; Spanbroek et al. 2003; Dwyer et al. 2004; Helgadottir et al. 2004 are each incorporated herein). The current state of knowledge suggests that lipoxygenases, cyclooxygenases, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) are the primary enzymatic participants in these lipid peroxidation events (Spector et al. 1988 (incorporated herein); Zhang et al. 2002). In addition, myeloperoxidase (MPO), a heme protein secreted by activated leukocytes, can also generate reactive intermediates that promote lipid peroxidation in vitro and in vivo (Baldus et al. 2003; Brennan et al. 2003 which are each incorporated herein).
In addition to their potent bronchoconstrictor properties, leukotrienes and other products of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway induce pathophysiologic responses similar to those associated with asthma. Specifically, 5-lipoxygenase products can cause tissue edema and migration of eosinophils and can stimulate airway secretions. The leukotrienes also stimulate cell cycling and proliferation of both smooth muscle and various hematopoietic cells; these observations provide further evidence of a potential role of leukotriene modifiers in altering the biology of the airway wall in asthma. Since all these responses contribute to asthma, the pharmaceutical industry initiated research programs to identify substances that could inhibit the action or synthesis of the leukotrienes.
Inhibition of 5-LO pathway activity in vivo will likely find application in those anti-inflammatory applications (e.g. atherosclerosis, asthma) for which downstream mediators of 5-LO activity (e.g. leukotriene B4 or LTB4) are involved in the pathogenesis of disease.

Carotenoid analogs or derivatives for the inhibition and amelioration of inflammation


A method and device for producing a tear line on a planar workpiece by material removal by means of a pulsed laser, wherein machining cycles are preceded by a method step for generating and storing a reference signal curve which is formed by reference signals, causing the pulse amplitude of the laser pulses, via removal locations along the contour of the tear line. The achievement of a respective predetermined percentage of the reference signal or of an absolute distance from the reference signal by a measurement signal is used as the space-resolved deactivation criterion for each removal location, which measurement signal is obtained from a transmitted part of the pulse amplitude at the respective removal location.

It is common nowadays, in many fields of application, to introduce integrated tear lines into planar workpieces so as to open them along said tear line if necessary. Examples include tearing and separating aids in packaging materials, medical auxiliary materials, stationery or safety clothing. Particularly high quality requirements apply to tear lines in airbag covers which, on the one hand, should not be visible and, on the other hand, allow the airbag to penetrate unhindered when activated.
Due to this particularity, the prior art with respect to methods for producing tear lines is described almost exclusively with reference to airbag covers. Therefore, the description of the method disclosed herein will also be explained with reference to an airbag cover or a component of an airbag cover, respectively.
In high-quality embodiments of airbag covers, a stable, shaping layer is often provided with further layers constituting covering materials by which the surface of the cover element facing the passenger compartment is optically and haptically improved. These covering materials are usually foam materials forming an intermediate layer or spacer fabrics as well as flexible and thin-walled materials serving as a decorative layer, such as plastic sheets, leatherette, textile fabrics, microfibre nonwovens or natural leather. In order to ensure safe deployment of the airbag, tear lines are usually introduced not only into the shaping layer but also into the covering materials. The tear lines can be introduced along a contour in the final layer structure or into the individual layers prior to mounting them. Any mention made hereinafter of planar workpieces may refer to either a single layer or a layer structure.
A great number of methods are known from the prior art by which tear lines are introduced by means of a laser either into the final layer structure of an airbag cover or into individual layers (components) which are subsequently assembled to form a layer structure.
DE 10 2013 104 138 B3 describes a method for introducing a defined tear line into a covering material by material removal, wherein the linear guidance of a pulsed laser beam consists in multiple repetitions of a scanning movement along the line formed by removal locations, emitting only one laser pulse per removal location. In this case, the parameters of the laser pulse are selected such that the laser pulse causes an energy input which leads to heating of the covering material at the respective removal location to a temperature above an ablation threshold and, thus, to material removal, while keeping the temperature in regions of the covering material adjacent to the respective removal location below a limit temperature that would lead to changes in the structure of the covering material.
The multiple repetitions of the scanning movement can be performed until a low residual wall thickness is achieved at which an array of sensors below the tear line then detects the transmitted laser radiation. Achieving the minimum allowable residual wall thickness in any single removal location causes space-resolved deactivation of the laser beam during the scanning movement. The achievement of the minimum allowed residual wall thickness is determined by detection of a predetermined amount of transmitted laser power.
To ensure that only one laser pulse impinges per removal location, the speed of the scanning movement and the pulse repetition frequency of the pulsed laser beam are adjusted to each other.
As an alternative to a pulsed laser beam, a continuous laser beam may be used, which is advantageously switched on and off according to a fixed regime during the repeated scanning movement, with the tear line introduced along the line having the shape of a slot-bridge line with an alternating sequence of slots and bridges.
By detecting the achievement of a minimum residual wall thickness per removal location and performing a corresponding space-resolved deactivation, a tear line can be produced which exhibits constant tear strength over its entire length, regardless of variations in material thickness. In this case, the tear resistance level can be adjusted not only via the remaining residual wall thickness, but also via the number of removal locations or the number of perforations formed, respectively, which penetrate the material up to a residual wall, and their spacing or bridge lengths, respectively.
In a method disclosed in patent EP 0 991 551 B1, a tear line is also produced by forming a sequence consisting of a plurality of sequentially produced perforations by means of a pulsed laser beam in an airbag cover. The perforations may be introduced either overlapping each other or spaced apart by residual bridges. The perforations are completed as soon as transmission of the laser radiation is detected. In addition to perforations, tear lines, sections in the tear line or individual holes can also be produced without fully perforating the material. The depth of such non-perforating weakening can be estimated and adjusted on the basis of the pulse number and/or pulse duration required to produce a perforation. The patent does not disclose any details on the adjustment of said depth.
A method known from DE 10 2014 108 133 B4 differs from the present method in that, in an alternating manner, a higher energy input is effected into first segments of the tear line than into second segments and the transmitted laser radiation causes signals to pass through the residual walls of the first segment from which conclusions are drawn as to the thickness of the residual walls of the second segments without detection.
The aforementioned methods all have in common that the removal along the contour of the tear line to be produced is effected by means of a laser, with material being removed, thereby reducing the remaining residual wall below the respective removal location. Depending on the transmittance of the material, laser radiation power is transmitted through the residual wall as soon as the latter is below a certain thickness. The transmitted laser radiation power of a laser pulse is detected when it is above a lower limit of the sensitivity range of the sensor, so that the latter generates a signal. For materials with very low transmittance, this will occur just before the complete breakthrough or not until a microhole forms. In materials with comparatively high transmittance, a signal may even be generated when the residual wall thickness is still too high. In this case, a threshold value for the signal may be found by a prior test correlating with a desired thickness of the residual wall.
It may be assumed that in the aforementioned methods the obtained signal serves directly as a deactivation criterion for the laser.
A method is known from EP 0 827 802 B1 wherein the obtained signals of a sensor are upwardly integrated and the integral value thus formed is compared as a deactivation criterion with a target value correlating with the desired residual wall thickness. In this case, however, the tear line is produced by sequentially completing the blind holes forming a tear line. Forming the integral value is to enable the creation of a deactivation criterion which takes into account, in particular, combustion residues and evaporation gases generated when forming the blind holes.
DE 10 2007 024 510 B3 discloses a method for producing a tear line by material removal on a planar workpiece, wherein a laser beam is guided along a predetermined contour of a tear line. In this case, a material removal per removal location is generated to a predetermined residual wall thickness in each case. In order to achieve a high-precision residual wall thickness, reference measurement values are obtained therein by means of sensors, through measurement or test machining of reference workpieces, respectively, and are stored, assigned to the respective machining locations.

Method and device for producing a tear line in a planar workpiece along a predetermined contour by material removal by means of a laser


The present invention generates a color template design. According to one aspect, a source image is selected. A histogram is generated for the selected source image. Colors are suggested automatically for the generated histogram. At least one of the suggested colors is selected by the user to serve as the color for a selected template design.

Growth in technology and business transactions has given rise to a need for making presentations in all occupational fields. Presentations are regularly conducted in sales, advertising, negotiations, speeches, seminars, educational courses, and several other areas. Due to the extensive amount of presentations made today, it has become important to format the presentation is an attractive template to bring forth the information being presented.
Currently several template options are available to a consumer for making a presentation. The options available are for a user to select a type of pre-designed template for their information or image being presented. Pre-designed templates are of a pre-determined format and pre-determined color. A consumer has the options of selecting one of the pre-determined templates and using it as the template for the presentation.
A drawback of choosing a predetermined template with pre-determined format and pre-determined color is that the consumer is not able to match the template's appearance to the appearance of the information or the image being presented. Since appearance is the main reason for using a template, a pre-determined template creates a mismatch and does not bring forth the information being presented in its best format. The mismatch in some cases creates a distraction for the viewers instead of enhancing the information.
Another drawback for selecting a pre-determined template with pre-determined format and colors is that the consumer is not able to modify or change the parameters of the pre-determined template to suit the presentation. Thus the consumer has to spend a large amount of time trying to find a pre-determined template that is close to the desired format and color and thus creates a non-user friendly template which lacks in providing ease of use to the consumer.

Automatic color adjustment of a template design


A deflectable stylet system optimized for use in conjunction with a lead of the type having a fixation helix that is screwed into body tissue by rotation of the lead's connector pin is disclosed. The system includes an attachment that is rotatable and longitudinally slidable with respect to the handle of a deflectable stylet. A lead coupled to the attachment may be moved longitudinally with respect to a stylet to account for slight variances in the lead length. In one embodiment, the attachment couples to the lead via a pushbutton mechanism that can be locked to the lead using one hand. The attachment may be rotated to thereby rotate the lead connector. This allows for retraction and extension of a retractable fixation helix, and for further attachment or detachment of a fixation helix to adjacent tissue. In one embodiment, the attachment may be longitudinally rigidly positioned in predetermined locations with respect to the handle. According to another aspect of the system, a deflection device is coupled to the handle to facilitate deflection of the stylet. In one embodiment, this deflection device may be rotatably and/or slidably activated to accomplish the stylet deflection. The system allows a user to adjust lead length with respect to the stylet length, and to further perform stylet deflection and lead rotation all with one hand.

The present invention relates generally to implantable leads and catheters and more particularly to mechanisms for deflecting implantable leads and catheters to assist in guiding them through the vascular system.
Over the years, quite a number of mechanisms have been disclosed and employed to deflect catheters and implantable leads. These have taken the form of deflectable guidewires and deflectable stylets, typically operable from the proximal end of the lead or catheter, which controllably impart a curve to the distal portion of the catheter. One group of devices comprise deflectable stylets or guidewires which employ a straight, tubular outer member with a curved inner member, the inner and outer members movable relative to one another. Examples of this type of deflection mechanism are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,703 issued to Wittkampf and U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,148 issued to Bostrom et al. Alternatively, deflection devices employing a curved outer member and a relatively straight inner member are also known to the art, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,249 issued to Arenas and U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,543 issued to Badera et al. In devices of both types, the relative position of the inner member with respect to the outer member determines the degree to which the curved member (inner or outer) is allowed to display its preset curvature.
A more commonly employed approach to providing controllable deflection employs a generally straight outer member and a tension or push wire located within the outer member that, upon advancement or retraction, causes the outer member to bend. Examples of such deflection mechanisms can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,478 issued to Buchbinder et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,062 issued to Hampton et al. Particularly in the context of deflectable stylets intended for use in conjunction with implantable medical leads such as pacing and cardioversion leads, steerable stylets employing this third type of deflection mechanism are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,119 issued to Brennan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,787 issued to Lindegren, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,906 issued to Fideler et al, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Additional deflectable stylet designs are disclosed in the above-cited Bauman and Greene et al applications. In these designs, the handle for the stylet is provided with a rotatable knob which, like in the above-cited Fideler patent, is employed to curve and straighten the stylet. This knob is provided with a distally facing recess at its distal end. The connector assembly of the lead is located in this distally facing recess.
In conjunction with the use of deflectable stylets to implant leads having screw-in fixation mechanisms which require rotation of the connector pin to screw the fixation mechanism into body tissue, it is also known to employ a spinner ball or clamp to rotate the connector pin, as described in the Pacesetter Locator Steerable Stylet User Manual for the Pacesetter Model 4036 Steerable Stylet. The spinner ball, as described, however, does not allow compensation for variations in lead length or allow for ready adjustment of the position of the stylet within the lead body. For example, the spinner ball mechanism must be disconnected from the handle to allow for retraction of the stylet tip within the lead to reduce the stiffness at the lead tip.

Method and apparatus for deflecting a screw-in lead


A method for the purification of spent sulfuric acid and particularly the purification of spent acid, from titanium dioxide rutile manufacture through a chloride route, is provided. In the chloride route of titanium dioxide manufacture, sulfuric acid is used to clean the un-reacted gaseous flow coming out of the oxidizer, so the spent acid mainly contains un-reacted Ti4+ ions, trace amounts of Fe3+ ions, and NO2 gas. Titanium phosphate can be precipitated using acidic and or alkaline phosphate-containing precipitants in stoichiometric amounts. The method can include the addition of cutting water. NO2 gas evolved during the reaction can be scrubbed in water. The resulting aqueous acid-rich portion, or supernatant, can be separated from the precipitated phosphates and is very clear. Evaporation under vacuum conditions can increase the sulfuric acid concentration. The resultant purified acid can be re-used.

Sulfuric acid is one of the most widely used chemicals in industrial chemistry. Though not often evident in the final product, sulfuric acid plays a significant role in the production of many chemical products. Most sulfuric acid is discharged from industrial production either as a waste sulfate or in the form of sulfuric acid. Either waste can be discharged in varying degrees of dilution and contamination. The treatment and disposal of spent sulfuric acid from industrial waste streams has long been a problem in many industries.
Sulfate route titanium dioxide industries use concentrated sulfuric acid to digest ilmenite ore, and after precipitation of titanium dioxide, the spent acid needs to be removed. The recycling or disposal of the acid is one of the most difficult hurdles facing the industry. In chloride route titanium dioxide manufacture, sulfuric acid is used to clean the outlet gas from the oxidizer, contains un-reacted titanium chlorides and trace amounts of iron chlorides. This acid is replaced by fresh acid once the specific gravity exceeds a particular limit.
Neutralization is the most popular method for treating waste sulfuric acid solutions. To neutralize sulfuric acid, a variety of bases are added to a sulfuric acid wastewater stream until the stream has been neutralized. A considerable drawback to the total neutralization process is the huge quantity of solid waste generated, which generally requires landfill disposal. Increasingly, higher disposal costs, numerous environmental issues connected with traditional neutralization and landfill practices, and the diminishing amount of landfill space, have led to the need to develop alternative methods to re-use sulfuric acid rather than neutralize it.
Although various alternative methods are available for sulfuric acid treatment and disposal, most of them are very specific, highly dependent on particular impurities present, and dependent on the degree of acid dilution. For example, reverse osmosis has been used to treat or dispose of sulfuric acid. Reverse osmosis forces waste sulfuric acid through costly filtration systems until the acid content of the stream is reduced to a level where the remaining stream can be disposed of by conventional means. This process requires an expensive filtration system that is generally difficult to build and maintain. Moreover, current reverse osmosis filtration systems are only effective for treating small volume streams.
Evaporation is another disposal and treatment method for waste sulfuric acid. Dissipating or removing water from an aqueous sulfuric acid solution, however, requires significant energy input and therefore carries a high cost. The removal of impurities before evaporation presents a further complication. Incineration may also be used to dispose of waste sulfuric acid, but like evaporation, incineration may lead to the creation of acid rain, rendering the process environmentally unacceptable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,985 describes a process for recycling waste sulfuric acid by photo-decomposition of waste acid that is contaminated by organic compounds.
High temperature recycling of highly contaminated waste sulfuric acid by decomposition in water, SO2, and oxygen is described in Winnacker, Kichler; Chemische Technologie; Vol. 2; Page 1; 4th edition. This type of recycling is also performed when the acid is contaminated with organic compounds.
EP 132820 B1 describes the possibility of evaporating dilute acid, optionally extracting metal sulfates, and reacting the remaining metal sulfates with CaO, Ca(OH)2 and/or CaCO3 to form gypsum and sparingly soluble metal compounds. This method, however, is not very economical, in particular because of the energy needed to concentrate the dilute acid. The processing of other spent sulfuric acids that contain heavy metals is generally also costly and uneconomical.
WO 1998/043716 A2 describes an aqueous sulfuric acid purification process that uses freeze concentration involving cooling the aqueous sulfuric acid solution to a temperature at or near its freezing point and separating the resulting acid-rich region from the acid-poor region. U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,706 also describes a freeze concentration method. The acid rich-region is separated from acid-poor region either by centrifuging or by using a density separation column. This method, however, fails when impurities are dissolved uniformly because the impurities are also frozen along with the acid. Moreover, this method cannot purify the acid to minute levels of impurities. The energy efficiency of this method is also of concern.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,537,749 B2 describes a method for processing heavy metal-laden spent sulfuric acid. Iron-laden spent sulfuric acid or iron-laden sulfuric materials are reacted with a material that contains iron chloride and optionally other metal chlorides, producing iron (II) sulfate. The spent sulfuric acid can come from a sulfate route titanium dioxide production.
Both reuse and disposal of spent sulfuric acid has become a nuisance for industries that use acid either as a reactant or as an auxiliary chemical. In most cases, the regeneration of spent sulfuric acid is more expensive than the production of fresh acid from raw materials. Given the limitations in current disposal methods, there exists a need for a cost effective and environmentally prudent method to treat and/or dispose of waste sulfuric acid, particularly sulfuric acid waste resulting from the chloride route for manufacturing titanium dioxide.

Method for purification of spent sulfuric acid from titanium dioxide rutile industry

The National Titaniun Dioxide Co., Ltd. (CRISTAL)