A wireless communication system uses a circuit switched link between a wireless unit and a base station to establish a data session with a network device in a packet data network. After the data session is established, the data session can proceed using a packet switched link between the wireless unit and the base station. By using the circuit switched link to send data session setup packets, the system avoids the delay associated with requesting and being allocated wireless resources in sending the setup packets using the packet switched link. Decreasing the delay associated with setting up the data session improves the data rate and throughput between the wireless communications system and the packet data network. For example, in an exemplary CDMA system, a circuit switched link is established to carry primary traffic (such as voice) and secondary traffic. The setup packets for the data session can be directly sent as secondary traffic on the circuit switched link, thereby avoiding the delay associated with sending the setup packets over a packet switched link. In this way, the round trip time (RTT) associated with setting up the data session can be reduced to improve the overall data rate and throughput through the wireless network to the packet data network.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, to a data session setup system for a wireless network.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless communications systems include conventional cellular telephone systems which comprise a number of cell sites or base stations, geographically distributed to support transmission and receipt of voice-based communication signals to and from cellular telephones, often referred to as mobile units or wireless units which may actually be stationary or fixed. Each cell site handles voice communications over a particular region called a cell, and the overall coverage area for the cellular telephone system is defined by the union of cells for all of the cell sites, where the coverage areas for nearby cell sites overlap to some degree to ensure (if possible) contiguous communications coverage within the outer boundaries of the system's coverage area.
When active, a wireless unit receives forward-link signals from and transmits reverse-link signals to (at least) one cell site or base station. Each active wireless unit is assigned a forward link channel on which it receives its forward link signals and a reverse link channel on which it transmits its reverse link signals. There are many different schemes for defining wireless channels for a cellular telephone system, including TDMA (time-division multiple access), FDMA (frequency-division multiple access), and CDMA (code-division multiple access) schemes. In CDMA communications, the baseband data sent between the base station and the wireless unit is multiplied by a spreading sequence, such as a pseudo-noise (PN) code which is a binary sequence that appears random but can be reproduced by the intended receiving station or unit. As such, different wireless channels are distinguished by different spreading sequences that are used to encode different voice-based streams, which may then be modulated at one or more different carrier frequencies for simultaneous transmission. A receiver can recover a particular voice-based stream from a received signal using the appropriate spreading sequence to decode the received signal.
Due to the delay-intolerant nature of voice communication, wireless units in conventional cellular systems transmit and receive over circuit switched links between a wireless unit and a base station as part of a circuit switched path between the wireless unit and another device, such as a landline telephone. A circuit switched path is a dedicated communications path established between the wireless unit and another device and has a relatively fixed amount of bandwidth. Since the paths are dedicated to the users with a relatively continuous throughput, there is no noticeable delay in transmission. Thus, voice-based systems rely on dedicated circuit switched links to provide continuous streams with fairly uniform bit rates to prevent unacceptable quality of service.
In the context communications between the wireless unit and the base station, a circuit switched link is a dedicated communications path established between the wireless unit and the base station. A circuit switched link also has a relatively fixed amount of bandwidth and can be a portion of a circuit switched path between the wireless unit and another device. While the wireless unit is using the circuit switched link, no other wireless unit can use that link. The circuit switched link is maintained for the duration of the call, and although the wireless unit can hand-off to other base stations, a circuit switched link (a dedicated wireless channel) is maintained between the wireless unit and the base station to service the call. Generally, each active wireless unit requires the assignment of a circuit switched link on the forward link and a circuit switched link on the reverse link.
Traditional data applications are typically bursty and, unlike voice communications, relatively delay tolerant. A block of data is sent followed by inactivity, and so long as the data is not corrupted, a short delay, for example on the order of seconds, may be acceptable. As such, circuit switching or using circuit switched links to transmit data is an inefficient use of network resources. Data transmission relies on packet switching to more efficiently use network resources. Packet switching networks, such as frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), and Internet Protocol (IP), share network resources rather than dedicating network resources to a particular user. For example, the packet switching network can use a single packet switched path to forward packets of data from different users over the packet switching network. A data packet ("packet") is a finite set of data having a predefined protocol and organization. The packet is forwarded over the packet switching network based on a unique address contained in the packet header to deliver the packet message in the body of the data packet. As such, data packets with different destinations can share the same packet switched path.
Wireless communication systems are evolving from conventional voice systems to provide a wide range of wireless applications. For example, some cellular communication systems, such as those conforming to the IS-95B standard or wideband CDMA standards, such as the CDMA2000 and the WCDMA standards, or TDMA Packet Data standards currently being developed, will support wireless units that transmit and receive signals other than just voice-based signals. To provide efficient wireless data communications with packet data networks, wireless communications systems take advantage of the inherently bursty and delay-tolerant nature of the data traffic to more efficiently use wireless resources, such as wireless channels. Accordingly, next generation cellular systems will use packet switched links between wireless units and base stations to establish packet switched connections with a packet data network (PDN), such as the Internet, using packet data services, such as World Wide Web (the Web).
FIG. 1 shows a general block diagram of a wireless communication system 100 with access to a public switched telephone network 102 (PSTN) and a packet data network 104. The wireless system comprises a set of interconnected mobile switching centers (MSCs) 106, each supporting a number of cell sites 108. A wireless unit 110 can establish a voice call using a circuit switched link between the wireless unit and the base station as part of the circuit switched path with another device, such as a wireless unit 110 or a landline terminal in the PSTN 102. For example, a circuit switched link can be on a wireless channel, such as a forward traffic channel, between the wireless unit 110 and the base station 108. If the wireless unit is making a voice call, a circuit switched link is established for the forward link and the reverse link between the wireless unit 110 and the and the base station 108. In current cellular CDMA systems, a forward fundamental code channel is established on the forward link between the cell site 108 and the wireless unit 110, and a reverse fundamental code channel is established on the reverse link. A fundamental channel (circuit switched link) is maintained throughout the duration of the call and can carry voice, circuit switched data and/or packet data. The selection and distribution unit (SDU) 111 routes the high priority voice traffic from the circuit switched link to the MSC 106.
The wireless units 110 communicate with packet data networks 104 by establishing packet switched connections over the wireless network with the PDN 104. Multiple packet switched connections share wireless network resources to establish a packet switched path between the wireless units 110 and the PDN 104. A packet switched link is established between the wireless units 110 and the base station 108 by a burst management system which coordinates the sharing of available wireless resources, such as wireless channels, among multiple packet switched connections. In current cellular CDMA systems, the fundamental channel and/or one or more supplemental channels can be temporarily assigned to packet switched connections to form the packet switched link. The selection and distribution unit (SDU) 111 routes the lower priority packet data traffic from the packet switched link to a data interworking function (IWF) 112. The IWF 112 provides the interface between the wireless system and the PDN 104, such as the Internet.
For transmission of packet data in the wireless unit 110 to PDN 104 direction over the packet switched link, the wireless unit 110 requests wireless resources, such as supplemental code channels, to support the packet switched connection. For transmission of packet data in the PDN 104 to wireless unit 110 direction, the IWF 112 makes the requests for wireless resources for the packet switched connection. The burst management system collates the burst requests and temporarily assigns the available wireless resources to the packet switched connection. The burst management system uses reported or measured radio environment information to make decisions on the burst allocation strategy, burst size and duration. In doing so, the burst management system takes advantage of the delay-tolerant nature of data to more efficiently use the wireless resources and/or to ensure that sufficient wireless resources remain to handle the higher priority voice traffic. After the temporary allocation of the wireless resources lapses, the packet switched connection must again make a request for wireless resources to be able to transmit packet data.
For the wireless unit 110 to communicate with a device in the PDN 104, a series of rules exists that enable the wireless network and the device on the PDN to understand each other. These rules are called protocols. Because of the large amount of issues which must be resolved for the communications between devices to take place, layered protocols are used which divide the resolution of these issues between layers in the protocol. Each layer operates independently to resolve certain issues to enable the communication between the devices. At the lowest layer is the physical layer which comprises a physical medium(s) between the wireless unit 110 the device in the PDN 104, such as wireless channels, twisted pair, optical cables, and/or coaxial cables. On the physical layer, the information signals simply take the form of bits. Error correction of the communications signals sent over the physical medium is handled by the link layer, such as point-to point protocol (PPP), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), and frame relay, which group the information sent over the physical layer into frames. To format addresses for the information being transmitted and ensure the information proceeds to the proper destination, a network layer, such as Internet Protocol (IP) is used for routing of data packets. A transport layer, such as transport control protocol (TCP), is used to establish a data session between two devices and to determine if data packets are lost in transit. The transport layer provides also provides recovery from a broken transport or data session. In data communications, the transport layer is performed at the endpoints of the communications, and the information from the endpoint devices is passed down to the lower layers for transmission. Each layer interfaces with the layer immediately below it, and the layer below perform a service to the layers above it. The interfaces between the layers is throughly defined, providing a specific format for the information sent between layers.
In the context of communications between the wireless unit 110 and the packet data network 104, additional issues, such as the transmission of data packets over the wireless channels, must be resolved. A radio link protocol resolves issues related to transmitting data packets over the wireless channels. When a wireless unit 110 requests to make a packet data connection or call, a link layer connection, such as a PPP link, is created in the IWF 112. The link layer connection can be controlled using the PPP Link Control Protocol (LCP), such as defined in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comment (RFC) 1661. The link layer manages the flow of data leaving the transmitting device and performs error correction for the data packets at the receiving device. As such, the link layer connection acts as the interface for the wireless unit between the wireless communications system and the PDN 104.
Packet data communication on the Internet is dominated by traffic transported using TCP/IP in which data is transmitted using data sessions, referred to as TCP sessions or connections, in a request/response fashion. Before the wireless unit 110 can establish a data session, the link layer connection must be established. Once the link layer connection is established, a requesting device, such as the wireless unit 110, can attempt to establish a TCP session with a responding device, such as a web server on the PDN 104. For example, when a user requests a web page containing embedded images, a number of TCP sessions will typically be required to transmit information between the wireless unit 110 and the web page server using TCP/IP. In typical current usage, all of these TCP sessions must be set up or established before data or information can transmitted. Further background information on TCP/IP can be found in W. R. Stevens, TCP/IP Illustrated, Vol. 1 (Addison-Wesley, 1994).
FIG. 2 shows packets being exchanged over a TCP session initiated by a user. The bold arrows indicate data transfer while thin arrows show synchronization or acknowledgment packets. The TCP session is established with a three-way handshake between the user, such as the wireless unit 110, and the network device, such as a server, as will be described below. To set up the TCP session initiated by a user, the user sends a request to the network device to open a TCP session with the network device. The initial requesting packet does not contain data other than information in the header used in establishing the TCP session, such as a sequence number and a synchronization (SYN) flag which is set to indicate that the TCP session is in the process of being synchronized.
The network device responds by sending a response packet to acknowledge the initial request from the client. In responding to the initial request from the user, the network device sets an acknowledgment (ACK) flag in the header of the response packet, adds one to the sequence number from the user, and puts the modified sequence number into an acknowledgment field of the response packet. The SYN flag is set to indicate that synchronization is not yet complete. When the user receives the response packet from the network device, the user acknowledges the network device's response with an acknowledgment packet. In acknowledging the response packet, the user adds one to the network device's sequence number and puts that sequence number in an acknowledgment field of the acknowledgment packet. The user sets the ACK flag, but the SYN flag is no longer set. After this three-way handshake, the network device and the user continue to acknowledge each other's transmissions, but data can now be transmitted.
The round trip time (RTT) for setting up the TCP session is the amount of time required to send the request packet and receive the response packet. Because TCP session setup is typically associated with every TCP session, frequent TCP setup and tear-down or disconnect can adversely effect the data throughput. For relatively small request-response type packets, the packet switched connection must still request resources and be allocated them, and further data cannot be sent until the data session is set up. When the TCP session is associated with wireless communications, the RTT increases due to the delay associated with sending the setup packets for the data session over the packet switched link between the wireless user 110 and the base station 108. The additional delay arises because the burst management system must receive requests for and temporarily allocate wireless resources to send and receive the setup packets over the packet switched link between the wireless user 110 and the base station 108. The increased RTT can throttle the throughput and data rate. For example, in the wireless environment where the TCP setup time can be 280 ms or more, the setup time may far exceed the data burst time. Such a result contributes to increased delay for most users and degrades the overall data rate and throughput of data communications through the wireless network.

Data session setup system for wireless network


A calendering device has a plurality of pressure rollers and an opposing plurality of counterpressure rollers, each rotatably mounted on a piston rod movable in a direction for permitting the pressure rollers and counterpressure rollers to approach one another to calender a product. The pistons of the piston rods are mounted within pneumatic casings and are moved by a diaphragm within the pneumatic casings. There is no contact between the pistons and the walls of the pneumatic casings, thereby reducing the frictional resistance to the movement of the rollers. Means are provided for equalizing the pressure applied to a roller and its corresponding counter roller. Separate pneumatic casings and diaphragms may be provided for each piston rod, or several of the pressure rollers or counterpressure rollers may be moved by a single diaphragm, which can be in the form of an elongated hose. In the case of the provision of individual pneumatic casings for each roller, pressure regulating means can be provided for each pair of a pressure roller and its corresponding counterpressure roller.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with a device for joining by calendering at least one sheet of glass and at least one film of plastic material. The device is composed of a series of pressure rollers mounted side-by-side in a flexible manner and cooperating with the pressure rollers, it being understood that the pressure rollers and the counterpressure rollers are each mounted at the extremity of a piston rod, the other extremity of which bears a pressure piston actuated by pneumatic pressure and moving in a pneumatic casing.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Calendering devices of this type are used particularly in the manufacture of automobile windows of laminated glass which are cylindrically or spherically curved, and serving to calender thicknesses of glass and plastic material to be joined or laminated in such a manner that the air occluded between these layers is expelled as far as possible and that a temporary reciprocal joining of the various layers is obtained. Thanks to their flexible mounting, the position of the individual pressure rollers adapts itself to the particular shape of the laminated window. The final joining together of these layers is effected, after a preliminary pressing operation, in the course of an autoclave process involving high temperature and high pressure.
In the case of a known calendering device of the aforementioned type (U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,635), the pressure required is produced by pneumatic jacks in which the pressure piston is in direct contact with the inside wall of the cylinder of the jack, and in this manner provides tightness for the cylinder chamber into which the pressure is introduced. In the case of this known arrangement, the mobility of the pressure rollers leaves much to be desired, due to the inevitably produced friction, and consequently the risk of breaking is increased during the calendering of the laminated window. Because of the friction of the pressure roller in the cylinder of the jack, it becomes necessary, during a change of the shape of the glass sheet, to first use a relatively great force, to wit, the so-called "tearing" force (difference of the frictional force between the static friction and the sliding friction), in such a manner that the piston overcomes the static friction at the level of the cylinder wall. The tearing force required for the individual pressure rollers may, in this case, assume values exceeding the bending stress permissible for a glass sheet, so that it results in breaking of the glass sheet.

Device for joining by calendering at least one sheet of glass and at least one film of plastic material


An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, at least one photodiode, which is formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, at least one trench, which extends from the surface of the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor substrate and surrounds a region of the semiconductor substrate on which the photodiode Is arranged, and at least one cavity in the semiconductor substrate, which is located below the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The at least one trench and the at least one cavity form an electrical insulation structure between the region of the semiconductor substrate on which the photodiode is arranged and one or more adjacent regions of the semiconductor substrate.

It is known to use photodiodes as photocells for supplying energy to integrated circuits. The photodiodes can be provided, for example, in the form of an external module via which the integrated circuit is supplied with electrical energy. In order to achieve the supply voltage which is necessary for a typical integrated circuit, series circuits of photodiodes can be used, for example.
However, for many areas of application, for example integrated circuits for implementing an autonomous sensor device, a highly integrated and thus compact design is important, with the result that an energy supply via an external module is not desirable. Integration of series-connected photodiodes on the semiconductor substrate of an integrated circuit is connected with considerable expense, however.

Integrated circuit with cavity-based electrical insulation of a photodiode


The particle sizes of agglomerates of carbon nanospheres are reduced by dispersing the carbon nanospheres in a polar solvent. The carbon nanospheres are multi-walled, hollow, graphitic structures with an average diameter in a range from about 10 nm to about 200 nm, more preferably about 20 nm to about 100 nm. Spectral data shows that prior to being dispersed, the carbon nanospheres are agglomerated into clusters that range in size from 500 nm to 5 microns. The clusters of nanospheres are reduced in size by dispersing the carbon nanospheres in the polar solvent (e.g., water) using a surface modifying agent (e.g., glucose) and ultrasonication. The combination of polar solvent, surface modifying agent, and ultrasonication breaks up and disperses agglomerates of carbon nanospheres.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of carbon nanomaterials. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for manufacturing carbon nanospheres that are highly dispersible in a polar solvent.
2. The Related Technology
Carbon materials have been used in various fields for a variety of applications. Examples of current uses of carbon materials include pigments, fillers, catalyst supports, and fuel cell electrodes, among others. Pyrolysis of organic compounds is a known method for preparing carbon materials. For example, carbon materials can be produced by pyrolyzing resorcinol-formaldehyde gel at temperatures above 600° C.
Most carbon materials obtained by pyrolysis of organic compounds at temperatures between 600-1400° C. tend to be amorphous or have a disordered structure. Obtaining highly crystalline or graphitic carbon materials can be very advantageous because of the unique properties exhibited by graphite. For example, graphitic materials can be thermally and electrically conductive.
Recently, methods have been developed to make highly ordered graphitic structures such as carbon nanotubes. One way to make graphitic nanostructures is to carbonize a carbon precursor (carbon gas or carbon resin) in the presence of a metal catalyst. The catalyst is typically a salt of iron, nickel, or cobalt that is mixed with carbon precursor and then heated. During the carbonization process, the carbon nanostructure grows from or around the catalytic metal to yield a well ordered structure. The metal catalyst can be removed from the carbon nanomaterial by treating with strong acids. Amorphous carbon can be removed using an oxidizing agent such as potassium permanganate.

Highly dispersible carbon nanospheres in a polar solvent and methods for making same


A pressure gauge includes a pressure measurement-display portion (11) for measuring a pressure and displaying the pressure by a pointer, a fitting portion (21) extending from the pressure measurement-display portion and having a pressure detection passage (22) formed therein, and an orifice member (60) arranged in the pressure detection passage and having an orifice (62) formed therein. This pressure gauge prevents breakage of an internal mechanism of the pressure gauge owing to a pressure change phenomenon. Incidentally, an orifice may be formed at a part of the pressure detection passage in place of the orifice member. A pressure gauge assembly (1) includes a pressure gauge (10) having a fitting portion having a pressure detection passage formed therein, and a joint (30, 40) for connecting the fitting portion of the pressure gauge to a conduit line, wherein an orifice (49) is formed at a part of an internal passage of the joint.

FIG. 7a shows a pressure gauge according to the prior art disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-310823. To measure a pressure of a fluid flowing inside a conduit line 101 as shown in FIG. 7a, a pressure gauge 102 is interposed into the conduit line 101. The pressure gauge 102 is fitted by screwing it into a fitting hole 105 of a coupling 104 to which the conduit line 101 is connected. The pressure gauge 102 detects the pressure of the fluid flowing inside a flow passage 106 formed in the coupling 104 and communicated with the conduit line 101 and displays the pressure of the fluid by a display portion 108 having a pointer 107.
FIG. 7b is a partial enlarged view of the pressure gauge shown in FIG. 7a. As shown in FIG. 7b, the pressure gauge 102 includes a fitting portion 111 having a male screw to be screwed into the fitting hole 105 of the coupling 104 and a measurement portion 112 fixed to this fitting portion 111. A pressure detection passage 111a is formed in the fitting portion 111 and the pressure of the fluid from the pressure detection passage 111a acts on a diaphragm 113. The diaphragm 113 is shaped into a bottomed cylinder shape and its peripheral surface is an expandable-contractible bellows portion 114 shaped into a bellows shape. An operation rod 115 of the measurement portion 112 is fitted into the diaphragm 113 from the upper side thereof. In other words, in the pressure gauges 102 of this kind, the contractible diaphragm 113 is disposed in such a fashion that the fluid does not directly contact the operation rod 115 of the measurement portion 112 and the pressure of the fluid is transmitted to the operation rod 115 via the diaphragm 113.
In the pressure gauge 102 disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-310823, a protective cap 119 is disposed for covering around an end portion of the operation rod 115. The protective cap 119 is formed of a corrosion-resistant material and prevents corrosion of an internal mechanism of the pressure gauge 102 by a chemical solution when the pressure of the conduit line 101 through which the chemical solution flows is measured.
The pressure of the fluid flowing inside the conduit line 101 is transmitted from the pressure detection passage 111a of the fitting portion 111 to the diaphragm 113, and as a result, the diaphragm 113 is compressed upward by the pressure of the fluid and the operation rod 115 fitted into the diaphragm 113 is lifted up. With the movement of this operation rod 115, the pointer 107 of the display portion 108 of the measurement portion 112 is pivoted to indicate the pressure.
When a valve (not shown in the drawing) for opening and closing the conduit line is disposed in the conduit line immediately downstream from the pressure gauge, for example, the pressure drastically increases immediately before the valve if the fluid inside the conduit line 101 is abruptly stopped by the valve, and the pressure drastically drops if the valve is abruptly released, which results in what is known as a "water hammer". Even when such a water hammer occurs, the pressure gauge linearly responds in accordance with the magnitude of the water hammer and consequently, the internal mechanism portion of the pressure gauge such as the diaphragm and the operation rod may be broken owing to the force of the water hammer.
The pressure gauge disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-310823 avoids the influences of the chemical solution by using the material having high chemical resistance as described above, but cannot prevent a water hammer from occurring. Therefore, breakage of the pressure gauge is likewise a matter of concern.
The present invention is completed in view of the circumstances described above and is directed to provide a pressure gauge capable of suppressing breakage of an internal mechanism resulting from a pressure change phenomenon inside a conduit line such as a water hammer, and a pressure gauge assembly having such a pressure gauge.

Pressure gauge and pressure gauge assembly


Tunneling field effect transistors are provided. The tunneling field effect transistor includes a source region, a drain region, and a channel region disposed between the source region and the drain region. The channel region includes a first region adjacent to the source region and a second region adjacent to the drain region. A first energy band gap of the first region is lower than a second energy band gap of the second region, and the first region has a direct energy band gap.

The inventive concepts relate to semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to tunneling field effect transistors.
Semiconductor devices are widely used in the electronics industry because of their small size, multi-function, and/or low manufacture costs. Semiconductor devices may be categorized as any one of semiconductor memory devices storing logical data, semiconductor logic devices processing logical data, and hybrid semiconductor devices having both the function of the semiconductor memory devices and the function of the semiconductor logic devices. Semiconductor devices having excellent characteristics have been increasingly demanded with the development of the electronics industry. For example, high-reliable, high-speed and/or multi-functional semiconductor devices have been increasingly demanded. To satisfy these demands, structures of semiconductor devices have been complicated and semiconductor devices have been highly integrated.

Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


There is provided an antenna apparatus including a first wire connecting a first metal part to a fourth metal part, a second wire connecting a second metal part to a feeder, and a third wire connecting a third metal part to a fourth metal part, wherein the first, second, and third wires are arranged in parallel to one edge of a semiconductor chip, and the second wire is disposed between the first wire and the third wire.

For communication between devices in a wireless communication network, an antenna apparatus for transmitting desired waves toward other devices and receiving waves transmitted from other devices is needed. A technique of connecting one or more wires to a chip mounted on a board, and using the wires as radiating elements is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2008-509597.
An antenna apparatus disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2008-509597 tends to have directivity in a direction perpendicular to a board, wherein metal on a chip or on the board acts as a reflector. For wireless communication between a plurality of chips mounted on a board, an antenna apparatus having directivity in a direction at least horizontal to a board is needed.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.

Directive antenna apparatus mounted on a board


A support for a lithographic printing plate obtained by performing surface graining and anodizing of an aluminum alloy plate, wherein the foregoing aluminum alloy plate contains specific contents of Fe, Si, Cu, Ti, Zn and Mg, with the balance being Al and incidental impurities. The presensitized plate obtained from this support for a lithographic printing plate is excellent in press life and in resistance to dot ink stain when processed into a lithographic printing plate. Preferably, the support for a lithographic printing plate, with regard to the surface of the support, has a center line average roughness Ra in the range of 0.2-0.6 xcexcm, a maximum height Rmax in the range of 3.0-6.0 xcexcm, a ten-point mean roughness Rz in the range of 2.0-5.5 xcexcm, a center line peak height Rp in the range of 1.0-3.0 xcexcm, a center line valley depth Rv in the range of 2.0-3.5 xcexcm, a mean spacing Sm in the range of 40-70 xcexcm, an average inclination xcex94a in the range of 6.0-12.0xc2x0, and a peak count Pc in the range of 100-200.

This invention relates to a support for a lithographic printing plate and a presensitized plate, particularly to a presensitized plate that can be processed into a lithographic printing plate having longer press life and higher resistance to dot ink stain and a support for a lithographic printing plate used for the presensitized plate.
Photosensitive lithographic printing plates using aluminum alloy plates as supports are extensively used in offset printing. Such lithographic printing plates are prepared by processing presensitized plates. Generally, the presensitized plate is made by graining the surface of an aluminum alloy plate, anodizing it, applying a photosensitive solution, and drying the applied coat to form a photosensitive layer. The presensitized plate is exposed imagewise, whereupon the exposed areas of the photosensitive layer change in physical properties. The photosensitive layer is then treated with a developer solution so that it is removed from the exposed areas (if the presensitized plate is positive-acting) or from the unexposed areas (if the presensitized plate is negative-acting). The areas from which the photosensitive layer has been removed are hydrophilic non-image areas and the areas where the photosensitive layer remains intact are ink-receptive image areas. Thus, presensitized plates are processed into lithographic printing plates using the changes in the physical properties of the photosensitive layer that take place upon exposure.
The lithographic printing plate is then mounted on the plate cylinder for printing. In printing, an ink and a fountain solution are supplied to the surface of the plate. The ink adheres only to the image areas of the plate and the image is transferred to the blanket cylinder, from which it is transferred to the substrate such as paper, thereby completing the printing process.
Aluminum alloy plates are conventionally grained by three known techniques, mechanical (e.g. ball graining and brush graining), electrochemical (electrolytic etching with a liquid electrolyte based on hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, etc.; this technique is also hereunder referred to as xe2x80x9celectrolytic grainingxe2x80x9d), and chemical (etching with an acid or alkali solution). Since the plate surfaces prepared by electrolytic graining have homogeneous pits and exhibit better printing performance, it is common today. In order to produce further uniform grained surface, it is also common today to combine the electrolytic graining method with another method such as mechanical graining or chemical graining.
The nonuniformity of the roughened surfaces of supports for lithographic printing plates have considerable effects on press life and other parameters to the printing performance of lithographic printing plates. In order to deal with this problem, many proposals have been made that try to eliminate the nonuniformity. Particularly, in the electrochemical graining method, many proposals have been made try to produce uniform grained surface by changing the aluminum alloy composition of the plates and many proposals have also been made concerning the waveform and frequency of the power supply for electrolytic graining.
With a view to producing uniform grained surfaces on supports for lithographic printing plates, it has been proposed that streak occurrence be restrained and uniform graining by electrolytic etching be ensured by incorporating 0.05-0.1 wt % of Cu in an aluminum alloy support containing 0.05-1 wt % of Fe and 0.01-0.15 wt % of Si (JP-A-11-99763, the term xe2x80x9cJP-Axe2x80x9d as used herein means an xe2x80x9cunexamined published Japanese patent applicationxe2x80x9d).
According to another proposal, it is described that the Fe, Si and Cu levels in an aluminum alloy plate are adjusted to the ranges of 0.05-1 wt %, 0.015-0.2 wt % and xe2x89xa60.001 wt %, respectively, with the distributed elemental Si level in the metal structure being regulated to 0.015 wt % or more and the uniformity in surface graining by electrolytic etching, fatigue strength and burning characteristics are improved (JP-A-11-99764).
According to yet another proposal, it is described that the Fe, Si and Cu levels in an aluminum alloy plate are adjusted to the ranges of 0.05-1 wt %, 0.015-0.2 wt % and 0.001-0.05 wt %, respectively, with the distributed elemental Si level in the metal structure being regulated to 0.015 wt % or more and no streaks occur and uniformity in surface graining by electrolytic etching, fatigue strength and better burning characteristics are improved (JP-A-11-99765).
According to a further proposal, it is described that the Fe, Si and Ti levels in an aluminum alloy plate are adjusted to 0.20-0.6 wt %, 0.03-0.15 wt % and 0.005-0.05 wt %, respectively, with part or all of these elements forming intermetallic compounds and the number of the grains of said intermetallic compounds present on the surface and of a size between 1 and 10 xcexcm being regulated to 1000-8000 grains/mm2 and pits can be formed by a short period of electrolytic graining treatment without producing unetched areas and uniform pits can be formed by graining treatment even if they are shallow (JP-A-11-115333).
However, if the Cu content of aluminum alloy supports is zero or very small (xe2x89xa60.001 wt %) as proposed in JP-A-11-115333 and JP-A-11-99764, supra, no deep enough pits are generated and the supports have short press life and low ink stain resistance. Also problematic is the micro-streaking (unevenness in the form of very fine streaks) that results from low Cu levels.
Conversely, if aluminum alloy supports contain Cu in large amounts (xe2x89xa70.05 wt %) as proposed in JP-A-11-99763, there is no problem of xe2x80x9cmicro-streakingxe2x80x9d which occurs in the case of low Cu content but, on the other hand, no uniform electrolytic graining can be achieved and xe2x80x9cyet-to-be etchedxe2x80x9d, or undergrained, areas are prone to occur, leading particularly to poor ink stain resistance.
The aluminum alloy support proposed in JP-A-11-99765, supra has such a large content (xe2x89xa70.015 wt %) of elemental Si (which is one of the forms in which Si occurs in aluminum alloy supports) that defects will readily develop in the anodized layer, leading to poor resistance to aggressive ink staining. The term xe2x80x9caggressive ink stainingxe2x80x9d will be explained later in detail and suffice it here to say that when printing is done with the occurrence of many interruptions, the non-image areas of the lithographic printing plate have so much increased ink receptivity on the surface that stain appears as spots or rings in the print (e.g. paper) and this stain is referred to as xe2x80x9caggressive ink stainingxe2x80x9d.
The Assignee previously proposed that an aluminum alloy support containing 0.05-0.5 wt % of Fe, 0.03-0.15 wt % of Si, 0.006-0.03 wt % of Cu and 0.010-0.040 wt % of Ti, with at least one of 33 elements including Li, Na, K and Rb being contained in an amount of 1-100 ppm and with the purity of Al being regulated to 99.0 wt % or higher, should be subjected to graining treatments including electrolytic graining so as to produce a support for lithographic printing plates that has been grained with high efficiency to give a very high degree of uniformity in the grained surface (JP-A-2000-37965).
This is not a prior art, but the Assignee filed Japanese Patent Application No. 11-349888 and taught that when the aluminum alloy support disclosed in JP-A-2000-37965, namely, the one containing specified amounts of Fe, Si, Cu, Ti and at least one of 33 elements including Li, Na, K and Rb, was modified by further incorporating a very small amount of Mg, a surface of a support for a lithographic printing plate could be uniformly grained by electrochemical graining, and also filed Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-91197 wherein an aluminum alloy support exhibits improved resistance to aggressive ink stain of the foregoing support.
However, according to these supports, if particularly sharply inclined portions locally exist on the wavy surface of supports, and when these particularly sharply inclined portions are located within non-image areas of the lithographic printing plate, ink tends to be caught on these particularly sharply inclined portions upon printing, giving rise to a phenomenon so-called xe2x80x9cdot ink stainxe2x80x9d to locally stain the non-image areas with the ink. Additionally, although the supports described in JP-A-2000-37965 and in the specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 11-349888 are effective in producing uniform electrolytically grained surface, exhibiting an excellent press life when processed into a lithographic printing plate, it is nevertheless required, for the purpose of further improving the press life, to further increase the depth of pits to be generated through the electrolytic surface graining.
An object of the present invention is to provide a support for a lithographic printing plate, with improved resistance to dot ink stain, which was the defect of the conventional supports, and enhanced press life, while making it possible to retain the advantages of the aluminum alloy support for a lithographic printing plate containing, as essential ingredients, Fe, Si, Cu, Ti, Zn and Mg, and to provide a presensitized plate which makes use of this support.
As already mentioned, presensitized plates are a dual-layered structure comprising an aluminum alloy plate support having pits formed in its surface and which is overlaid with a photosensitive layer. After imagewise exposure of the plate surface, development is performed to make non-image areas from which the photosensitive layer has been removed and image areas where the photosensitive layer remains intact to record an image on the surface. For printing, ink and a fountain solution are supplied to the image-bearing lithographic printing plate, so that the fountain solution adheres to the non-image areas and the ink adheres to the image areas, from which it is transferred to the substrate such as paper via a blanket.
By the way, when the pits generated on the surface of the support through the electrolytic graining treatment are made deeper, the adhesion between the photosensitive layer and the support can be further increased, thereby making it possible to improve the press life. On the other hand, however, if a region where the pits are excessively deep is generated, a prominently sharply inclined portion tends to be generated on the wavy surface of the grained surface, and if this portion is located within a non-image area of the lithographic printing plate, ink tends to be caught in this portion upon printing, thus giving rise to a generation of local dot-like ink stain (i.e. dot ink stain).
Therefore, it is very important to delicately control the depth of the pits, and the control is executed by taking each of the following indices into consideration.
Water receptivity is a very important factor to influence various printing performances. Although the center line average roughness Ra is effective as an index representing the magnitude of the water receptivity of the non-image areas (the capacity to hold a fountain solution on the surface of the non-image areas), Ra is further known as being also effective as an index representing the magnitude of waviness of the wavy grained surface.
It is also effective to control the maximum height Rmax as an index to indicate there is no excessively deep portion, in combination with controlling the ten-point mean roughness Rz as an index, differing from Rmax, which excludes any influences by peculiarly concave portions or convex portions. Additionally, it is also effective to control the indices Rp and Rv, which indicate the averages of the height of convex portion and depth of concave portion, respectively. In addition to these conditions mentioned above, the mean spacing Sm, the average inclination xcex94a and the peak count Pc also should be in a specific range thereof so as to make it possible to obtain a further preferable result.
Here, Ra, Rmax and Rz represent xe2x80x9ccenter line average roughness,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cmaximum heightxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cten-point mean roughness,xe2x80x9d respectively, which are specified as an index of surface roughness in JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) B0601-1982. Sm represents xe2x80x9cmean spacing of profile irregularities,xe2x80x9d which is specified as an index of surface roughness in JIS B0601-1994.
Rp is a value representing a distance between the center line and a straight line parallel and also passing through the highest peak point within a portion where the measurement length L has been cut out from the roughness curve along the center line of the roughness curve. Rv is a value representing a distance between the center line and a straight line parallel and also passing through the deepest valley or bottom point within a portion where the measurement length L has been cut out from the roughness curve along its center line. xcex94a is an average value of angles formed by the average line and the sectional curve within a portion where the measurement length L has been cut out from the roughness curve, and it can be determined by the following formula:                                           Δ                                      xe2x80x83                                    a                    =                                    1              L                                                  ∫              0              L                                      "RightBracketingBar"                                    ⅆ          y                          ⅆ          x                      "RightBracketingBar"          ⅆ    x
(wherein L represents measurement length)
Pc is a total number of counts that are counted within a portion where the measurement length L has been cut out from the roughness curve along its center line. In this portion, a straight line H at a consistent standard level in both positive and negative direction, parallel to the center line, was set, and it was considered one count when it went over the positive straight line after going over the negative straight line. Counting continued in this method until it reached the measurement length L.
The parameters employed to measure each of indices in the present invention are as follows:
Ra: Cut-off value 0.8 mm, Measurement length 4 mm;
Rmax: Reference length 0.8 mm, Measurement length 4 mm;
Rz: Reference length 0.8 mm, Measurement length 4 mm;
Sm: Reference length 0.8 mm, Measurement length 4 mm;
Rp: Reference length 0.8 mm, Measurement length 4 mm;
Rv: Reference length 0.8 mm, Measurement length 4 mm;
Pc: Reference level 0.3 xcexcm, Measurement length 6 mm, Cut-off value 0.8 mm.
The present inventor has found out that, taking each of the aforementioned indices into account, if aluminum alloy support for a lithographic printing plate containing, as essential ingredients, Fe, Si, Cu, Ti, Zn and Mg is electrolytically grained on the surface while specifying the content of Zn to the range of 0.002-0.02 wt % and the content of Mg to the range of 0.05-0.5 wt %, it is possible to form deep pits to not only further improve the press life with the foregoing aluminum alloy support when processed into a lithographic printing plate, but also to prevent the generation of a sharply inclined wavy surface of non-image areas of the lithographic printing plate, thus preventing the dot ink stain. In other words, it has been found out that by specifying the range of each of the indices in relation to surface roughness, it is made possible to obtain an aluminum alloy support containing, as essential ingredients, Fe, Si, Cu, Ti, Zn and Mg, exhibiting excellent properties when processed into a lithographic printing plate.
Therefore, the present invention provides a support for a lithographic printing plate which is obtained by performing surface graining treatment and anodizing treatment of an aluminum alloy plate, characterized in that, the said aluminum alloy plate contains 0.2-0.5 wt % of Fe, 0.04-0.11 wt % of Si, 0.003-0.04 wt % of Cu, 0.010-0.040 wt % of Ti, 0.002-0.02 wt % of Zn and 0.05-0.50 wt % of Mg, with the balance being Al and incidental impurities.
It is preferable in particular that the foregoing support for a lithographic printing plate, with regard to the surface of the support, satisfies at least one of the following conditions; a center line average roughness Ra in the range of 0.2-0.6 xcexcm, a maximum height Rmax in the range of 3.0-6.0 xcexcm a ten-point mean roughness Rz in the range of 2.0-5.5 xcexcm, a center line peak height Rp in the range of 1.0-3.0 xcexcm, a center line valley depth Rv in the range of 2.0-3.5 xcexcm, a mean spacing Sm in the range of 40-70 xcexcm, an average inclination xcex94a in the range of 6.0-12.0xc2x0, and a peak count Pc in the range of 100-200.
Preferably, the aforementioned surface graining treatment should be a combination of an electrochemical graining, and a mechanical graining and/or a chemical graining.
The present invention also provides a presensitized plate comprising the aforementioned support for a lithographic printing plate.
The present invention is described below in detail.
The support for a lithographic printing plate according to the present invention uses an aluminum alloy. The aluminum alloy contains Al, Fe, Si, Cu, Ti, and Zn as the essential ingredients.
Iron (Fe) has the ability to enhance the mechanical strength of the aluminum alloy. If the Fe content is less than 0.2 wt %, the mechanical strength of the aluminum alloy is so low that the lithographic printing plate prepared by processing the support is mostly likely to break when it is mounted on the plate cylinder of the press.
If the Fe content exceeds 0.5 wt %, the strength of the aluminum alloy becomes higher than necessary and the lithographic printing plate prepared by processing the support has such poor fitting properties that after being mounted on the plate cylinder of the press, the plate may readily break during printing. If the support strength is a predominant factor, the Fe content is preferably adjusted to lie between 0.2 and 0.4 wt %. If the lithographic printing plate is intended for use in press proofing, the limitations about strength and fitting properties are not necessarily critical and the ranges set forth above may be slightly varied.
Silicon (Si) as it occurs in the aluminum alloy either dissolves in Al or forms precipitates of Alxe2x80x94Fexe2x80x94Si intermetallic compounds or Si alone. The Si dissolved in Al has dual functions, one of providing a uniform electrochemically grained surface and the other of establishing uniformity in the electrolytic graining pits, chiefly in their depth. Si is contained as an incidental impurity in the base Al metal which is the starting material for the support and, in certain cases, the Si content is already at least 0.03 wt %. Therefore, Si levels less than 0.03 wt % are not practically feasible and in order to prevent variations from one lot of the starting material to another, intentional addition of Si is often made in very small amounts. If the Si content is less than 0.04 wt %, not only the above-mentioned dual functions of Si are unattainable but it is also necessary to prepare a high-purity and, hence, costly base Al metal; such low Si levels are therefore practically infeasible. If the Si content exceeds 0.11 wt %, the plate prepared by processing the support has only poor resistance to aggressive ink staining during printing. Therefore, the Si content should lie within the range of 0.04 0.11 wt %, preferably 0.05-0.10 wt %.
Copper (Cu) is a very important element for controlled electrolytic graining and contributes to improving the uniformity of electrolytic graining pits, chiefly the uniformity of their diameter. This is due to the ability of Cu to increase the diameter of electrolytic graining pits. Uniformity in pits is essential for better printability. If the Cu content is less than 0.003 wt %, the surface oxide layer in which pits are to be formed electrochemically may have such a low electric resistance that the formation of uniform pits is sometimes impossible. Conversely, if the Cu content exceeds 0.04 wt %, the surface oxide layer in which pits are to be formed electrochemically has such a high electric resistance that coarse pits are prone to form. Therefore, the Cu content should lie within the range of 0.003-0.04 wt %, preferably 0.01-0.02 wt %.
Titanium (Ti) is conventionally contained in order to refine the crystal structure of the aluminum alloy as it is cast. If the Ti content exceeds 0.040 wt %, the surface oxide layer may have such a low electric resistance during electrolytic graining that the formation of uniform pits is sometimes impossible. Conversely, if the Ti content is less than 0.010 wt %, the crystal structure of the aluminum alloy being cast may not be sufficiently refined that even after it is finished to a thickness of 0.1-0.5 mm through various steps, the vestigial coarse crystal structure remaining after the casting operation may occasionally cause significant deterioration in appearance. Therefore, the Ti content should lie within the range of 0.010-0.040 wt %, preferably 0.020-0.030 wt %. Titanium (Ti) is added as an Alxe2x80x94Ti alloy or an Alxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x94Ti alloy.
Zinc (Zn) is an important element for controlled electrolytic graining and contributes to restraining the occurrence of coarse pits. The Zn content should lie within the range of 0.002-0.02 wt %, preferably 0.003-0.01 wt %. The present inventor has found out that particularly deeper pits can be generated by incorporating Zn in an aluminum alloy plate containing Mg and Cu.
Magnesium (Mg) has dual functions, one of refining the recrystallized structure of Al and the other of improving various mechanical strength characteristics such as tensile strength, yield, fatigue strength, flexural strength and resistance to heat softening. Mg helps achieve uniform pit distribution during electrolytic graining, so it is also an important ingredient that contributes to providing a uniform grained surface.
The distribution of pits may deteriorate if the Mg content is less than 0.05 wt % and the same problem may occur if the Mg content exceeds 0.5 wt %. Therefore, the Mg content should lie within the range of 0.05-0.50 wt %, preferably 0.08-0.50 wt %, more preferably 0.10-0.40 wt %.
The aluminum alloys to be used in the present invention preferably have an Al content (Al purity) of at least 99.0 wt %, more preferably at least 99.4 wt %.
In the present invention, the content of incidental impurities can be calculated by subtracting the Al content and the above-specified contents of the essential alloy ingredients from the total of 100%.
The mechanical strength of aluminum alloys depends on their Al purity and usually, low Al purity results in less flexible aluminum alloys. Therefore, if the Al content in the aluminum alloys to be used in the invention is lower than the range specified above, problems may sometimes occur when they are processed into lithographic printing plates as typified by poor mountability on the press.
In order to work the aluminum alloys into plates, the following method can typically be employed. First, a melt of aluminum alloy adjusted to have specified contents of alloy ingredients is purified and cast by conventional methods. In the purification step, hydrogen, other unwanted gases and solid impurities in the melt are removed. The examples of purification process to remove the unwanted gases are fluxing process and degassing process using argon gas, chloride gas or the like. The examples of purification process to remove the solid impurities are filtering process using-a so-called xe2x80x9crigidxe2x80x9d media filter such as a ceramic tube filter or a ceramic foam filter, a filter using alumina flakes, alumina balls or some other filtering media, glass cloth filter or the like. Alternatively, the purification process can be applied by the combination of degassing process and filtering process.
In the next step, the molten aluminum alloy is cast by using either a fixed mold as in DC molding or a driven mold as in continuous casting. In the case of DC molding, ingots 300-800 mm thick are produced and a surface layer is removed by scalping by a thickness of 1-30 mm, preferably 1-10 mm. If necessary, soaking is subsequently performed. If soaking is to be done, heat is applied at 450-620xc2x0 C. for 1-48 hours in order to prevent coarsening of intermetallic compounds. If the application of heat lasts for less than an hour, only insufficient soaking may occur.
Thereafter, the aluminum alloy plate is subjected to cold rolling and hot rolling. It is suitable to start hot rolling at 350-500xc2x0 C. Intermediate annealing may be performed either before or after or during cold rolling. If intermediate annealing is to be performed, heat may be applied in a batchwise annealing furnace at 280-600xc2x0 C. for 2-20 hours, preferably at 350-500xc2x0 C. for 2-10 hours, or in a continuous annealing furnace at 400-600xc2x0 C. for no more than 6 minutes, preferably at 450-550xc2x0 C. for no more than 2 minutes. A finer crystal structure may be produced by heating at a rate of 10xc2x0 C./sec or more in a continuous annealing furnace. The aluminum alloy plate finished to a predetermined thickness, say, 0.1-0.5 mm may be straightened by a roller leveler, a tension leveler or the like to have a higher degree of flatness. It is common practice to pass the plate through a slitter line so that it is worked to a predetermined plate width.
The aluminum alloy plate is then subjected to a surface graining treatment to be made into a support for a lithographic printing plate. As mentioned above, the aluminum alloy plate used in the present invention is suited for an electrochemical graining, enabling a grained surface having fine pits to be easily formed, and thus is suited for producing a lithographic printing plate with excellent printing property. The electrochemical graining is performed in aqueous solution mainly consisting of nitric acid or aqueous solution mainly consisting of hydrochloric acid by employing direct current or alternating current. The aluminum alloy plate used in the present invention is also suited for a combination of an electrochemical graining, and a mechanical graining and/or a chemical graining.
It is possible, through the electrochemical graining, to generate crater-shaped or honeycomb-shaped pits having an average diameter of 0.5-20 xcexcm on the surface of the aluminum alloy plate at an area ratio of 30-100%. Such pits are capable of improving the stain resistance of non-image areas of printing plate and the press life thereof. Furthermore, it is possible, through the foregoing treatment, to form at the same time a wavy grained surface where the center line average roughness Ra is in the range of 0.2-0.6 xcexcm.
However, if a sharply inclined portion is locally generated, it will cause a generation of dot ink stain. More specifically, the dot ink stain tends to be generated if the maximum height Rmax exceeds 6.0 xcexcm, the ten-point mean roughness Rz exceeds 5.5 xcexcm or the center line valley depth Rv exceeds 3.5 xcexcm, and therefore it is preferable to restrict the Rmax to the range of 3.0-6.0 xcexcm, the Rz to the range of 2.0-5.5 xcexcm, and the Rv to the range of 2.0-3.5 xcexcm.
Furthermore, if the center line peak height Rp is in the range of 1.0-3.0 xcexcm, the mean spacing Sm is in the range of 40-70 xcexcm, the average inclination xcex94a is in the range of 6.0-12.0xc2x0, and the peak count Pc is in the range of 100-200, the depth, size and shape of the peak can be further in uniformity, thereby eliminating the local sharply inclined portion, and thus, it results in a preferable situation where the press life can be improved, and at the same time, the generation of dot ink stain can be effectively inhibited, when processed into a lithographic printing plate.
In the electrochemical graining, quantity of electricity necessary for forming sufficient pits, namely the product of the electric current and the duration of current-carrying becomes an important requirement. It is preferable in view of saving energy if it is possible to form sufficient pits with less electricity. There are no particular limitations to other conditions.
The mechanical graining is suited for forming a wavy grained surface of 0.2-1.0 xcexcm in Ra on the surface of an aluminum alloy plate. In the present invention, the grained surface is formed with a center line average roughness Ra preferably in the range of 0.2-0.6 xcexcm, and more preferably, in the range of 0.3-0.4 xcexcm. Although the mechanical graining is able to form a wavy surface more effectively than the foregoing electrochemical graining, the mechanical graining may not be adopted to make the Ra smaller. Although there are no particular limitations with regard to the mechanical graining in the present invention, it is for example performed as described in JP-B-50-40047 (the term xe2x80x9cJP-Bxe2x80x9d as used herein means an xe2x80x9cexamined Japanese patent publicationxe2x80x9d). Further, there are no particular limitations with regard to the chemical graining also, and it can be performed in the publicly known manner, thereby forming waviness and pits of the same features as those formed through the mechanical graining.
Subsequent to the graining step, the aluminum alloy plate is anodized so that its surface has increased wear resistance. Any electrolyte can be used in anodization as long as it can form a porous oxide film. Generally, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, oxalic acid, chromic acid or mixtures thereof are used. The concentration of the electrolyte is determined as appropriate for various factors including its kind. The conditions for anodization defy generalization since they vary considerably with the electrolyte used but the following may be given as guide figures: electrolyte concentration, 1-80 wt %; electrolyte temperature, 5-70xc2x0 C.; current density, 1-60 A/dm2; voltage, 1-100 V; electrolysis time, 10-300 seconds.
In order to provide higher stain resistance during printing, the electrolytically grained and rinsed aluminum alloy plate may be etched lightly with an alkali solution and rinsed. In order to remove any alkali-insoluble matter (smut) that remains on its surface, the plate may be desmutted with an acid such as sulfuric acid and rinsed before dc electrolysis is performed in sulfuric acid to form an anodized layer. If necessary, the anodized surface may be rendered hydrophilic with a suitable agent such as a silicate.
The support for a lithographic printing plate of the present invention provided by these procedures is excellent in uniformity of graind surface or pits, and therefore exhibits excellent printing performance when processed into a lithographic printing plate.
In order to process the support for the lithographic printing plate of the present invention into a presensitized plate, sensitizers can be applied to its surface and dried to form the photosensitive layer. The sensitizers that can be used are in no way limited and any types may be applied that are commonly used on presensitized plates. The thus presensitized plate is exposed imagewise with a lith film and subsequently developed and gummed to prepare lith plate that can be mounted on the press. If the applied photosensitive layer has high enough sensitivity, direct imagewise exposure can be accomplished with a laser.
Any sensitizers may be employed as long as they change solubility or swellability in liquid developers upon exposure. Typical examples of sensitizers are listed below. (A) Photosensitive layer composed of o-quinone diazide
Compounds
Positive-acting photosensitive compounds include o-quinone diazide compounds typified by o-naphthoquinone diazide compounds. A preferred o-naphthoquinone diazide compound is described in JP-B-43-28403 and it is the ester of 1,2-diazonaphthoquinone-sulfonic acid chloride and a pyrogallol-acetone resin. Also preferred is the ester of 1,2-diazonaphthoquinonesulfonic acid chloride and a phenol-formaldehyde resin which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,046,120 and 3,188,210. Other known kinds of o-naphthoquinonediazide compounds are also useful.
Particularly preferred o-naphthoquinonediazide compounds are those obtained by reacting polyhydroxy compounds of no more than 1,000 in molecular weight with 1,2-diazonaphthoquinonesulfonic acid chloride. Preferably, the polyhydroxy compound is reacted with 0.2-1.2 equivalent amounts, more preferably 0.3-1.0 equivalent amount, of 1,2-diazonaphthoquinonesulfonic acid chloride assuming that the hydroxy groups in the polyhydroxy compound are in one equivalent amount. A preferred 1,2-diazonaphthoquinonsulfonic acid chloride is 1,2-diazonaphthoquinone-5-sulfonic acid chloride although 1,2-diazonaphthoquinone-4-sulfonic acid chloride is also useful.
The o-naphthoquinonediazide compounds are mixtures in which the 1,2-diazonaphthoquinonesulfonic acid chloride has substituents introduced in different positions and amounts. Preferably, the content of the complete ester in the mixture (i.e., the proportion of the mixture that is assumed by a compound in which all hydroxy groups present have been converted to the 1,2-diazonaphthoquinonesulfonic acid ester) is at least 5 mol %, more preferably between 20 and 90 mol %, most preferably between 20 and 99 mol %.
Instead of the o-naphthoquinonediazide compounds, polymers having o-nitrocarbinol ester groups as described in JP-B-56-2696 may be used as positive-acting photosensitive compounds. Also useful are systems in which compounds that generate acids upon photodegradation are combined with compounds having acid-dissociable xe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Cxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Sixe2x80x94 groups. For example, a compound that generates an acid upon photodegradation may be combined with acetal or O,N-acetal compound (JP-A-48-89003), an ortho-ester or an amide acetal compound (JP-A-51-120714), a polymer having acetal or ketal groups in the backbone chain (JP-A-53-133429), an enolether compound (JP-A-55-12995), an N-acyliminocarbon compound (JP-A-55-126236), a polymer having ortho-ester groups in the backbone chain (JP-A-56-17345), a silyl ester compound (JP-A-60-10247), or a silylether compound (JP-A-60-37549 and JP-A-60-121446).
The positive-acting photosensitive compound (which may be in the combination system described above) preferably assumes 10-50 wt %, more preferably 15-40 wt %, of the photosensitive composition in the photosensitive layer.
The photosensitive layer may solely be composed of o-quinonediazide compounds but the latter are preferably used together with binder resins that are soluble in aqueous alkalis. Binder resins that are soluble in aqueous alkalis include: cresol-formaldehyde resins such as novolaks, phenol-formaldehyde resins, m-cresol-formaldehyde resins, p-cresol-formaldehyde resins, m-/p-mixed cresol-formaldehyde resins and phenol/cresol mixed (which may be m-, p- or m-/p-mixed)-formaldehyde resins; phenol modified xylene resins; polyhydroxystyrene and polyhalogenated hydroxystyrene; acrylic resins having phenolic hydroxy groups as disclosed in JP-A-51-34711; acrylic resins having sulfonamido groups as described in JP-A-2-866; and urethane-base resins. The binder resins that are soluble in aqueous alkalis preferably have weight average molecular weights of 500-20,000 and number average molecular weights of 200-60,000.
The binder resins that are soluble in aqueous alkalis are contained in such amounts that they assume no more than 70% of the total mass of the photosensitive composition. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,279, resins such as t-butyl phenol-formaldehyde resin and octyl phenol-formaldehyde resin that are obtained by polycondensation of formaldehyde and phenol having a C3-8 alkyl group as a substituent may be used with the binder resins soluble in aqueous alkalis and this is preferred for the purpose of improving the ink receptivity of the image areas.
The photosensitive composition may further contain various substances such as sensitivity enhancing cyclic acid anhydrides, print-out agents for providing visible image right after exposure, dyes as image colorants, and other fillers. Exemplary cyclic acid anhydrides that can be used are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,128 and include phthalic anhydride, tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, hexahydrophthalic anhydride, 3,6-endoxy-xcex944-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, tetrachlorophthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride, chloromaleic anhydride, xcex1-phenylmaleic anhydride, succinic anhydride and pyromellitic anhydride. Sensitivity can be enhanced by a factor of up to about 3 by incorporating the cyclic acid anhydrides in amounts of 1-15% of the total mass of the photosensitive composition. The print-out agent for providing visible image right after exposure may be exemplified by a system in which a photosensitive compound that releases an acid upon exposure is combined with a salt-forming organic dye.
Specific examples include the combination of o-naphthoquinone-diazide-4-sulfonic acid halogenides with salt-forming organic dyes that is described in JP-A-50-36209 and JP-A-53-8128, as well as the combination of trihalomethyl compounds with salt-forming organic dyes that is described in JP-A-53-36233, JP-A-54-74728, JP-A-60-3626, JP-A-61-143748, JP-A-61-151644 and JP-A-63-58440. Not only these salt-forming organic dyes but also other dyes can be used as image colorants. Suitable dyes including the salt-forming organic dyes are oil-soluble dyes and basic dyes.
Specific examples include Oil Yellow #101, Oil Yellow #103, Oil Pink #312, Oil Green BG, Oil Blue BOS, Oil Blue #603, Oil Black BY, Oil Black BS and Oil Black T-505 (all being the products of Orient Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), Victoria Pure Blue, Crystal Violet (CI 42555), Methyl Violet (CI 42535), Rhodamine B (CI 45170B), Malachite Green (CI 42000) and Methylene Blue (CI 52015). The dyes described in JP-A-62-293247 are particularly preferred.
The photosensitive composition is applied to the support as dissolved in a suitable solvent that dissolves the ingredients described above. Exemplary solvents include ethylene dichloride, cyclohexanone, methyl ethyl ketone, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, 2-methoxyethyl acetate, 1-methoxy-2-propanol, 1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate, toluene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl lactate, ethyl lactate, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylacetamide, dimethylformamide, water, N-methylpyrrolidone, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, acetone, diacetone alcohol, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, diethylene glycol and dimethyl ether. These solvents may be used in admixture.
When in solution, the above-mentioned ingredients (as the solids content) assume 2-50 wt %. The coating weight varies with the use and generally ranges from 0.5 to 3.0 g/m2 in terms of the solids content. As the coating weight decreases, higher sensitivity to light is attained but, on the other hand, the physical properties of the photosensitive layer deteriorate.
In order to provide better applicability, the photosensitive composition incorporates surfactants such as fluorine-base surfactants of the types described in JP-A-62-170950. The content of the surfactants preferably ranges from 0.01 to 1%, more preferably from 0.05 to 0.5%, of the total mass of the photosensitive composition. (B) Photosensitive layer composed of diazo resin and binder
Negative-acting photosensitive diazo compounds that can suitably be used in the present invention are so-called xe2x80x9cphotosensitive diazo resinsxe2x80x9d which are the product of condensation between formaldehyde and a diphenylamine-p-diazonium salt which is the product of reaction between a diazonium salt and an organic condensing agent such as aldol or acetal that has a reactive carbonyl group (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,063,631 and 2,667,415).
Other useful condensed diazo compounds are described in JP-B-49-480001, JP-B-49-45322, JP-B-49-45323, etc. This type of photosensitive diazo compounds are usually obtained in the form of water-soluble inorganic salts and can, hence, be applied as aqueous solution. If desired, water-soluble diazo compounds may be reacted with aromatic or aliphatic compounds having at least one phenolic hydroxy group or sulfonyl group or both a phenolic hydroxy group and a sulfonyl group in accordance with the method described in JP-B-47-1167 and the resulting substantially insoluble photosensitive diazo resin is subsequently used.
The diazo resins are preferably contained in the photosensitive layer in amounts of 5-50 wt %. A smaller content of the diazo resins naturally leads to higher sensitivity to light but, on the other hand, the storage stability of the photosensitive layer decreases. An optimum content of the diazo resins is approximately between 8 and 20 wt %. While various polymers can be used as a binder, preferred are those which have functional groups such as hydroxy, amino, carboxy, amido, sulfonamido, active methylene, thioalcohol and epoxy groups.
Specific examples of such polymers include: the shellac described in BP 1,350,521; the polymers described in BP 1,460,978 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,276 which contain hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate units as primary repeating units; the polyamide resins described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,257; the phenol resins described in BP 1,074,392; poly(vinyl acetal) resins such as poly(vinyl formal) resin and poly(vinyl butyral) resin; the linear polyurethane resins described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,097; phthalated poly(vinyl alcohol) resins; epoxy resins prepared from bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin; polymers having amino groups such as polyaminostyrenes and polyalkylamino(meth)acrylates; and cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate, cellulose alkyl ethers and cellulose acetate phthalates.
The composition composed of the diazo resins and binders may further contain additives such as pH indicators of the types described in BP 1,041,463, the phosphoric acid and dyes described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,646.
The photosensitive layer preferably has a thickness of 0.1-30 xcexcm, more preferably 0.5-10 xcexcm. The amount (solids content) of the photosensitive layer to be provided on the support is typically within the range of from about 0.1 to about 7 g/m2, preferably from 0.5 to 4 g/m2.
The presensitized plate thus processed from the support for the lithographic printing plate of the present invention is then subjected to imagewise exposure and subsequent treatments including development in the usual manner, whereupon a resin image is formed to prepare a lithographic printing plate.
Consider, for example, a positive-acting presensitized plate having the photosensitive layer (A). After imagewise exposure, development is effected with aqueous alkali solutions of the types described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,434 and JP-A-3-90388, whereupon the exposed areas of the presensitized plate are freed of the photosensitive layer to prepare a lithographic printing plate.
Consider next a negative-acting presensitized plate having the photosensitive layer (B) composed of a diazo resin and a binder. After imagewise exposure, the plate is treated with a liquid developer of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,006, whereupon the unexposed areas of the plate are freed of the photosensitive layer to prepare a lithographic printing plate. In the case of the negative-acting presensitized plate described in JP-A-5-2273 or JP-A-4-219759, development may be done by treatment with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal silicate as described in those patents, whereby a lithographic printing plate is prepared.

Support for lithographic printing plate and presensitized plate


An intraosseous infusion device includes a base and an upper frame mounted to the base. An elongated needle is fixed to the upper frame. A fitting is provided for receiving liquid to be delivered to a patient's bone marrow and for supplying the liquid to a bore in the needle. The base includes a cam surface and the upper frame includes a cam follower. The cam surface is configured to cause the upper frame to rotate relative to the base as the needle moves longitudinally between a retracted position within the base and an extended position below the base.

This invention relates generally to intraosseous infusion devices and, in particular, to such a device having a self-rotating needle that is insertable a predetermined depth into the bone of a patient.
Drugs and other liquids are customarily delivered to patients via their vascular systems, using a needle or catheter inserted into a peripheral blood vessel. Such techniques function generally satisfactorily in cases where the patient's blood pressure is at normal levels. However, in cases where the patient is in circulatory shock due to heart failure, drug overdose, or severe hemorrhaging, the peripheral blood vessels frequently are collapsed and access to those blood vessels can be difficult. Peripheral vessel catherization also is exceedingly difficult in pediatric patients because of the small size of their peripheral vessels. Substantial delays in administering the drugs and liquids can therefore result and, in many instances, vascular access cannot be obtained at all. Severe injury to the patient, even death, can therefore result.
In such cases of serious circulatory shock and hemorrhaging, one suitable alternative to vascular infusion is intraosseous infusion. In particular, the resuscitative fluid or drug solution is injected directly into the bone marrow of the patient's bone. Typically, the sternum, femur, tibia, or other long bone located near the skin is used. Intraosseous infusion also is sometimes used on newborns and small children when suitable blood vessels cannot easily be accessed. Intraosseous infusion requires the penetration by a needle or the like of the patient's skin and outer bone to gain access to the bone marrow.
One device used for intraosseous infusion includes an infusion tube or needle having an enlarged threaded tip that is threaded into the bone. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,870 to Kramer et al. With this device, the bone marrow is known to be reached when continued rotation of the threaded tip no longer advances the needle into the bone. This is because the bone marrow typically has insufficient structural integrity to be threaded. Once the threaded tip is placed in the bone marrow, liquid can be infused through a port located in the threaded tip. This device, however, has a drawback in that it requires an operator to continuously monitor the resistance to penetration during threading. Additionally, the enlarged tip often damages the outer bone and also leaves a hole in the outer bone for possible leakage of infused liquid.
Other intraosseous infusion devices are known that insert the needle a fixed depth into the patient's bone. Typically, a collar or other stop is fixed on the needle's shaft to indicate when the needle has penetrated the patient's body a sufficient depth that is estimated to be within the bone marrow. Such devices, however, often require complicated mechanisms to drive the needle into the bone, see e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,643 to Kramer et al. Other devices utilize a drill to thread the needle into place or require a significant amount of operator manipulation during insertion of the needle. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,523,068, 2,773,500 and 2,773,501.
It should, therefore, be appreciated that there is a need for an improved intraosseous infusion device that provides assured access to the bone marrow without requiring significant operator manipulation or monitoring. Such a device would also permit infusion of drugs, plasma, etc. into the bone marrow with little damage to the bone itself or leakage of the infused liquid. The present invention satisfies this need.


A sensor mounting system for enabling image stabilization in a digital camera is described. An electronic array light sensor is moved in relation to other parts of the camera in response to camera motion. In one embodiment, the sensor is moved by at least one linear motor having a ferrofluid in a gap of the linear motor. Other aspects of the system are described, including methods of heat sinking the sensor, a suspension system, methods of compensating for an effect of temperature on the ferrofluid, and a compact magnet configuration for forming the linear motor and providing feedback as to the position of the sensor.

Image blur caused by camera shake is a common problem in photography. The problem is especially acute when a lens of relatively long focal length is used, because the effects of camera motion are magnified in proportion to the lens focal length. Many cameras, including models designed for casual "point and shoot" photographers, are available with zoom lenses that provide quite long focal lengths. Especially at the longer focal length settings, camera shake may become a limiting factor in a photographer's ability to take an unblurred photograph, unless corrective measures are taken.
Some simple approaches to reducing blur resulting from camera shake include placing the camera on a tripod, and using a faster shutter speed. However, a tripod may not be readily available or convenient in a particular photographic situation. Using a faster shutter speed is not always feasible, especially in situations with dim lighting. Shutter speed may be increased if a larger lens aperture is used, but larger-aperture lenses are bulky and expensive and not always available. In addition, the photographer may wish to use a smaller lens aperture to achieve other photographic effects such as large depth of field.
Various devices and techniques have been proposed to help address the problem of image blur due to camera shake. For example, Murakoshi (U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,510) uses an accelerometer to detect camera shake, and provides an indication to the user of the camera if the acceleration exceeds a threshold level. The photographer can then make appropriate adjustments.
Satoh (U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,332) also senses camera shake, and combines the shake information with other camera parameters to estimate how much image blur might result. A set of light emitting diodes communicates the estimate to the photographer, who can then make adjustments.
Another approach has been to automate the camera operation, and let the camera choose settings that will minimize blur. For example, Bolle et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,440) applies a variety of image analysis techniques in an attempt to improve several aspects of photographs.
Some cameras or lenses are equipped with image stabilization mechanisms that sense the motion of the camera and move optical elements in such a way as to compensate for the camera shake. See for example Otani et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,266) and Hamada et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,512).
In a digital camera, the photosensitive element is an electronic array light sensor onto which a scene image is projected by the camera's lens. Some recent digital cameras compensate for camera shake by moving the sensor during the exposure in response to camera motions so that the sensor approximately follows the scene image projected onto it, thus reducing blur.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of compensating for an effect of temperature on a control system

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An etching method in which bowing or lateral etching is reduced or minimized, particularly with respect to bowing which can occur in etching of an oxide layer in high aspect ratio structures. It has been recognized that such bowing typically occurs in the upper portion of the oxide layer in terms of its location, but that the timing at which the bowing occurs is during the etching of the lower regions of the oxide layer and also during etching of a poly-Si or SOI layer located under the oxide layer. In a preferred form, a thicker passivation layer is formed in the upper region of the oxide layer and a thinner passivation layer is formed when etching the lower portion of the oxide layer or deeper in the etch trench. As a result, reduction in the passivation layer in the upper region which can occur during etching of the lower or deeper region of the trench can be accommodated by the increased thickness passivation layer. In addition, the bowing can be additionally reduced by accelerating the poly-Si or SOI etch, for example, by poly-Si simultaneously using both argon and nitrogen during the etch.

Fabrication of semiconductor devices involves multi-step processes of forming features on a semiconductor substrate. Steps can include material growth, patterning, doping, deposition, etching, metallization, planarization, and so forth. Techniques herein relate to etching features in semiconductor substrates. Such features can include trenches, vias, through-silicon-vias, and other patterns etched in wafers or other substrates. Etching of substrates typically involves using a plasma processing system. Plasma processing systems create a plasma above a substrate by supplying power to a process gas. Various species from the plasma can then be used to etch features into a substrate.
One challenge with etching features—especially deep (high aspect ratio) features—is controlling and limiting a bowing effect that enlarges trench diameters or widths, such as bowing in an oxide layer of a deep trench capacitor or other feature device. A typical example of bowing is shown in FIG. 1. Bowing is an enlargement of a hole or trench diameter (hole width), for example, in an upper part of an oxide layer of a given hole feature such as a deep trench.
Ideally, for many etch processes, the diameter of the trench should remain constant for an entire depth of the trench. However, diameter consistency of trenches is difficult to achieve. Accordingly, bowing becomes undesirable and a significant challenge for etching, including etching of high aspect ratio deep trench masks. A consequence of an enlarged bowing diameter is that adjacent trenches can merge leading to electrical shorts. An example of trench merging can be seen in FIG. 2. Merged trenches can also cause irregular flow of etchants along the trenches and can adversely affect ion scattering of ion-based etching, leading to defects such as "side-pockets" in deep trenches during the Si (silicon) substrate etch process (which can follow a mask open process).

Reducing bowing bias in etching an oxide layer


A tree harvester head comprises a drive wheel, a delimb knife, a pin, a wheel-mounting inner sleeve to which the drive wheel is mounted, and a knife-mounting outer sleeve to which the delimb knife is mounted. The wheel-mounting inner sleeve surrounds the pin for rotation of the wheel-mounting inner sleeve and the drive wheel mounted thereto about the pin. The knife-mounting outer sleeve surrounds the wheel-mounting inner sleeve for relative rotation therebetween for rotation of the delimb knife about the pin.

A tree harvester head is used to process a tree. The harvester head is normally attached to the end of an arm of a forestry work machine. In operation, the head grips an upright growing tree and fells it. One or more drive wheels of the head feed the felled tree through the head during which one or more delimb knives delimb branches from the tree trunk. If configured to do so, the head may then cut the delimbed tree trunk into pieces or fixed length with a chain saw or other cutting device.
The delimb knives may be located on one or both sides of the drive wheels. For applications involving trees with branches near the tree base, it may be particularly useful to employ a lower delimb knife on the same side of the drive wheels as the butt saw.

Delimb knife mounting arrangement for tree harvester head


The invention relates to a disposable article and method relating to attachment tabs on a disposable article. The disposable article typically comprises a non-woven layer, an absorbent layer, and an outer film-wrapping layer associated with an attachment tab. The tabs are adhered to the polymer film and can be used to close the absorbent garment when in use. The invention also relates to a method of attaching the tabs to the polymer film using an adhesive having improved adhesive properties.

The invention relates to a tab or closure system adhered to an outer film or non-woven wrapper in a disposable absorbent article. The tab or closure is adhered to the film wrapper or outer non-woven cover of the article with an attachment adhesive. In particular, the invention relates to a unique attachment adhesive having enhanced properties for attaching the tab to the film or non-woven. The tab closure system comprises a flexible film having, on one end, means to substantially permanently attach the tab to the disposable article and, on the opposite end, a positioning means such as a mechanical attachment system or a layer of adhesive that can hold the tab to the polymer film outer wrapper or outer non-woven layer during application, positioning, closure or repositioning.
Disposable absorbent articles typically include disposable diapers, adult incontinent pads and other systems for retaining or absorbing substantial quantities of bodily fluids. Such articles are typically used by placing or positioning the disposable article on a human subject and then closing and positioning the article on the subject with closure tabs securing the article to the subject. The tabs are attached to the article during manufacture with an attachment adhesive. The closure tabs also have a mechanical fastening system or a layer of a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) that positions or holds the tab to the outer polymer film layer or outer non-woven layer, and act to position or reposition the disposable article. Tabs are generally placed at corner positions of one end of the article and are adhered to opposite ends of the article. Typical fastening tabs have one end which is substantially permanently attached and bonded to the absorbent article and a second free end, which can be attached to the opposite end and used to position or reposition, or maintain the article in place on the user. Typically, the tab is initially attached or bonded to the polymer layer or non-woven with a substantially permanent adhesive during manufacture. In the instance that the positioning adhesive comprises a hot-melt pressure sensitive system, the adhesive used to close or position the article can be the same adhesive than is used to attach the tabs to the corner of the disposable article. When different formulations are used for attachment and positioning, the tab attachment adhesives are typically formulated to permanently attach the tabs to the polyolefin film while the positioning or closure adhesives can be less aggressive and can sometimes be a repositionable hot-melt pressure sensitive adhesive (HMPSA).
One example of a typical tab attachment adhesive is shown in Bany et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,071. That adhesive comprises a styrene/isoprene AB or ABA block copolymer, a solid C5 tackifying resin combined with a diluent aromatic containing aliphatic plasticizing oil. The adhesive disclosed by Bany et al. includes about 33-50 wt % of block copolymer, a plasticizing oil comprising 5 to 45% aromatic, the balance being aliphatic, and a solid essentially aliphatic tackifying resin. This adhesive and the adhesive HL-1696 sold by HB Fuller Company, comprising an SIS triblock polymer, a Benzoflex plasticizer and a tackifier, are characteristic of the tab attachment adhesives currently on the market in this general market.
The tab attachment adhesive of the invention is a substantially permanent adhesive, is typically non-pressure sensitive and has a substantial static shear character. These adhesives are a substantially different class of adhesives than the typical pressure sensitive adhesive used in positioning or adhering absorbent articles to undergarments. One example of such a pressure sensitive adhesive is shown in Beal et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,630. The absorbent article has an elongated shape having an absorbent surface tabs 26 and 28. The Beal et al. article is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The absorbent article and the tabs have a pressure sensitive adhesive used to adhere the article to the undergarment. Such a structure does not contain a tab that is attached to an absorbent article using a non-pressure sensitive, substantially permanent adhesive having high shear. In Beal et al., the tabs are adhered not to the absorbent article, but to the undergarment for positioning purposes using a different class of adhesive.
In the past, the attachment adhesives have been difficult to use. In large part, the adhesives used to attach the tabs to the polymer (e.g.) polyolefin film tend to have a relatively short open time, i.e., the time during which the adhesive can form substantially permanent bonds to the polymer film. Such short open times limited manufacturing flexibility. Once the adhesive bonds were formed, the bonds often failed to have either sufficient tensile strength or failed to maintain such bonds at temperatures (i.e. body temperatures) in shear conditions in excess of 100° F. Adhesives that do not meet these criteria often fail to attach the tabs permanently to the polymer film for successful manufacturing purposes.
Substantial need exists for an attachment adhesive for use with a tab and a polymer film having a substantial open time, tensile strength and the ability to survive with a permanent attachment for a substantial period of time at or above 100° F.

Disposable article tab attachment adhesive


A gear mechanism for use in horology is described. The gear mechanism not only returns one of the wheels therein to its original position but also carries along with it a second wheel thereby enabling the mechanism to be made thinner and reducing the number of parts needed to carry out these two functions. The mechanism has a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel constituting a toothed wheel fitted on an axis on which is fixed a heart-shaped cam, the point of this cam functioning as the gear engaging means for the second wheel, the cam enabling return of the said first wheel to its starting position by means of a hammer. The invention is of particular value in chronographs.

Heart-shaped cams are often used in horology especially in chronographs, and they are therefore designated "chronograph-hearts". The heart is fixed on the wheel of a counter of the chronograph to permit resetting of the hand of this counter to zero after the setting in operation and the stopping of the chronograph.