Fully hindered secondary amines, typically tetramethyl piperidine, are reacted with terminally unsaturated electrophilic compounds having at least five carbon atoms to obtain tertiary hindered amines. The reaction is conducted with an excess of secondary amine, preferably in the presence of a specified solvent such as N-methyl pyrrolidinone.

Hindered amines are widely used as stabilizers for polyolefins. The largest category of hindered amine stabilizers is made from triacetoneamine, a hindered secondary amine. In some stabilizers sold commercially, the hindered amine remains secondary, unchanged from the parent triacetoneamine. In other commercial stabilizers the hindered amine is tertiary, and alkylation of the hindered secondary amine is required during their production.
The alkylation of hindered secondary amines has a general drawback: many hydrocarbon electrophiles eliminate to alkenes in competition with amine alkylation. Elimination converts the electrophile into a waste alkene, and it makes the secondary amine into an ammonium salt. The ammonium salt does not alkylate without being turned back into a free amine.
Due to elimination, numerous hindered tertiary amines which might exist are presumed to be costly and probably impractical, based on prior art. In commercial stabilizers, only electrophiles which cannot easily eliminate are used to alkylate hindered secondary amines. Thus, the available hindered tertiary amines contain either 2-hydroxyethyl groups from alkylation by ethylene oxide, or they contain methyl groups from alkylation by methyl electrophiles. Methyl groups may also be introduced by reductive alkylation with formaldehyde, a reaction which is not readily extended to alkyl groups other than methyl.
For example, alkylation by ethylene oxide is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,448 issued Mar. 15, 1988 to Ciba-Geigy. The alkylation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) by ethylene oxide is described in J. Org. Chem. 6 381 (1963).
An example of the methylation with formaldehyde may be seen in column 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,127 of Aug. 10, 1976 to Du Pont.
The difficult alkylation of hindered secondary amines can lead to side reactions other than elimination. In Chem. Abstr. 108:221569t Huaxue Shiji 9, 212 (1987) authors D. Shen, B. Su, Z. Yliang L. Shu and X. Su describe competing oxygen alkylation during the attempted N-alkylation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-ol (TMPOH).
Elimination can be prominent during efforts to alkylate hindered secondary amines. Note that TMPOH has been used as a reagent in a method for alkyl bromide dehydrobromination. In Z. Naturforsch, 33b, 792-796 (1978), Konieczny and Sosnovsky heat 1-bromoheptane and 1-bromooctane in dimethyl sulfoxide with TMPOH. Heptene and octene are isolated in yields of 82% and 93%, respectively. Also obtained in each case is a high yield of the hydrobromide salt of TMPOH.
A method of alkylating TMPOH is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,887 of Mar. 29, 1977 to Ciba-Geigy. In example 1, 12.5 parts 1-bromododecane and 15.7 parts TMPOH are heated to reflux in 50 parts ethyl alcohol for 72 hours. No yield is given for the claimed product 1-(1-dodecyl)-2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidin-4-ol. The only analytical data provided are combustion analysis and melting point, and these do not prove the absence of the ether 4-(1-dodecyloxy)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine. In addition to uncertain product purity, this method may suffer from a low yield. The three day reaction time is highly undesirable.
Three days at reflux are also used in U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,310 (May 11, 1976 to Ciba-Geigy). In example 25, a large molar excess of bromohexane is heated in acetonitrile with TMPOH. The isolated yield is only 27% of the theoretical for 1-(1-hexyl)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-ol, based on TMPOH.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,887 was filed in the United Kingdom as no. 48601 in 1972. According to Chem. Abstr. 81:153691, UK 48601/72 is also DE 2,352,658 on Apr. 25, 1974. In Makromol. Chem. 818, 595-633 (1980), F. E. Karrer cites DE 2,352,658 as reference 58. Karrer reports the formation of 1-(1-butyl)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-ol in 69% yield using the method of reference 58. Since Karrer characterizes the product only by melting point, the absence of the ether 4-(1-butoxy)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine is not proven.
Authors Kurumada, Ohsawa, Fujita and Toda in J. of Polymer Science: Polymer Chem. Edition, 22, 277 (1984) alkylate4-benzoyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (6.6 parts) with n-butyl iodide (25 parts) in N,N-dimethylformamide (47 parts) in the presence of potassium carbonate (6 parts). The reaction temperature is 130.degree.-140.degree. C. for 29 hours. The large molar excess of butyl iodide is an inefficient use of this electrophile, and might lead to acidification of the reaction mixture through elimination to butene and hydrogen iodide. The hydrogen iodide will form ammonium salt of the starting material which will not alkylate, reducing conversion and yield. The combination of hydrogen iodide and potassium carbonate at elevated temperature might hydrolyze the benzoate ester for a loss of yield and purity. The potassium carbonate at elevated temperature might decompose the butyl iodide. These drawbacks lead to a low yield of 44%.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,363 (Feb. 24, 1976 to Sankyo) the bisalkylation of 4-benzoyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine is described. The yield of diamine product is unspecified using either 1,2-dibromoethane at reflux for four hours, or using 1,6-dibromohexane at reflux. The use of 5 parts 1,2-dibromoethane to 3 parts 4-benzoyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine is a large molar excess of alkyl bromide, so the reaction mixture might become acidic by elimination of hydrogen bromide. An acidic reaction mixture could decompose a terminal alkene electrophile.
One object of this invention is the preparation of N-alkylated derivatives of TMPOH free of O-alkylated (ether) impurities and in an overall high state of purity. Furthermore, this invention achieves shorter reaction time. The yield with respect to electrophiles is improved for those electrophiles prone to elimination.
An alkylation of 2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,357 (Aug. 17, 1976 to Sankyo in referential example 1. Over 120 hours at 125.degree.-130.degree. C., 56.4 parts TMP and 38.6 parts 1-bromooctane give 1-(1-octyl)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine in unspecified yield. The five day reaction time is highly undesirable. The same method is described using 1-bromododecane, also with no yield.
The long reaction times used in the prior art during hindered amine alkylation do not minimize the risk of terminal to internal alkene isomerization. Terminal alkenes are less stable than their internal isomers. In addition, the long reaction times cause inefficient preparation.
A published synthesis of 1-(1-butyl)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine requires 37 hours at 50.degree. C. In J. Am. Chem. Soc. 111 6070 (1989) Bonessen, Puckett, Honeychuck and Hersh obtain 3.5 parts product (64% yield based on TMP) from 3.9 parts TMP and 26.9 parts 1-iodobutane. Also present during the reaction are 5.5 parts potassium carbonate and 28.3 parts N,N-dimethylformamide. The large excess of electrophile used would be uneconomical on a practical scale, particularly so with any expensive electrophile bearing a terminal alkene. The presence of the added carbonate base allows higher than 50% TMP conversion, but it precludes the higher reaction temperatures used in the present invention; the carbonate would decompose the electrophile as temperatures are increased. Because of the excess of iodobutane the reaction mixture could become acidic; an acidic reaction mixture would decompose a terminal alkene.
A synthesis of 1-ethyl-2,2,6,6-tetraethylpiperidine requires ten hours at 50.degree. C. In J. Polymer Sci: Polymer Chem. Ed. 23 1477 (1985), Kurumada et al obtain 6.8 parts product from 14.1 parts TMP (40% yield based on TMP) using 30 parts ethyl iodide and 8 parts potassium carbonate in 14 parts N,N-dimethylformamide. This method uses excess iodoethane, requires added carbonate, and gives a low yield.
Authors Dagonneau, Kagan, Mikhailov, Rozantsev and Sholle in Synthesis 1984 895 review hindered amines and cite Hall, J. Am. Chem Soc. 79 5444 (1957) for alkylations of TMP with methyl toluenesulfonate and ethyl toluenesulfonate. The 63% methylation yield in 30 minutes at 100.degree. C. drops to a 9% yield of 1-ethyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine using prolonged heating.
The difficulty in making tertiary amines from hindered secondary amines is shown by a synthesis of 1-(1-propyl)-2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine as described by Anderson, Casarini, Corrie and Lunazzi in J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2 1993, 1299. TMP (7.5 parts) is combined with excess propionyl chloride and triethylamine to give 5.3 parts crude amide. Reduction by 1.5 parts lithium aluminum hydride gives only 1.3 parts product, for a yield of 13%. In addition to the multiple steps and the low yield, the metal hydride reagent is impractical.

Method of making teritiary hindered amines


A technique is provided to facilitate connection of multiple stage completions. A first completion stage is deployed at a wellbore location. Subsequently, the next completion stage is moved downhole into engagement with the first completion stage. The completion stages each have communication lines that are coupled together downhole via movement of the completion stages into engagement.

Many types of wells, e.g. oil and gas wells, are completed in multiple stages. A lower stage of the completion is moved downhole on a running string and may comprise either a stand-alone screen or a screen with a gravel pack in the annulus between the screen and the open hole or casing. After the lower completion running string is retrieved, an upper stage of the completion is deployed.
In many applications, it is desirable to instrument the lower completion with electrical or optical sensors or to provide for transmission of fluids to devices in the lower completion. For example, a fiber optic cable can be placed in the annulus between the screen and the open or cased hole. To enable communication of signals between the sensor in the lower completion and the surface or seabed, a wet-mate connection is needed between the upper and lower completion equipment.
Optical, electrical and fluid wet-mate connectors typically are designed as discrete stand-alone components. The stand-alone connectors are mated in a downhole environment that can be full of debris and contaminants. For instance, the mating can take place after an open hole gravel pack which creates a high probability for substantial amounts of debris and contaminants in the wellbore at the vicinity of the connectors during the mating sequence. Existing discrete optical, electrical and fluid wet-mate connectors have proven to be very susceptible to contamination by debris during the mating process.
Furthermore, the discrete nature of the connectors results in an unfavorable geometry that can be difficult to integrate into the completion equipment. The outer diameter of the completion equipment must fit within the inner casing diameter. A centralized, large diameter inner port also is needed to provide access for service equipment into the lower completion and to provide a large flow area for production or injection of fluids. The remaining annular space is not well suited to the typical circular cross section of discrete connectors. This limitation compromises the overall design of the completion equipment and also limits the total number of channels that can be accommodated within a given envelope.
The geometry of the discrete connectors also increases the difficulty of adequate flushing and debris removal from within and around the connectors prior to and during the mating sequence. Attempts to protect the connectors from debris and/or to provide adequate flushing have lead to completion equipment designs that have great complexity with an undesirable number of failure modes.

System and method for connecting multiple stage completions


The device (V) serves the optical coupling of a light-beam (L) arriving from any optical component with a further-transmitting light-guiding fiber (F). It contains in each case an input-side and output-side coupling body (1,2) with in each case a centric lead-through (13, 22) for leading through the light (L) wherein in the device (V) there is arranged at least one lens (40) or a lens system. Between the input-side (1) and the output-side coupling body (2) there is arranged an intermediate coupling body (3) with a centric lead-Through (34), which in one of the input-side or output-side coupling bodies (1,2) is displaceably and lockably held in a plane, whilst the outer input-side or output-side coupling bodies (1,2) in the intermediate coupling body (3) is counted in an elastically (25) pivotally movable and axially displaceable manner. The device (V) permits a separate angular adjustment or parallel displacement of the input-side and output-side coupling bodies (1, 2) relative to one another.

The transmission of information and energy by way of light, which is transmitted via fiberglass guides, has been known for more than 30 years. The transmission by way of a complete fiber bundle is effected usually only over very short distances, whereas information may be led over large distances via a single glass-fiber line. At the same time several coupling locations occur, specifically on the one band for supplying the light beam into tie fiber and on the other hand at various connection locations at which a coupling from fiber to afar is effected. Each coupling of course entails a certain loss of energy. The best possible coupling between two fibers is achieved in that the ends of both fibers are polished into smooth surfaces and we pressed onto one another in a planar manner. This type of correction demands a highly accurate equipping and is only suitable for permanent connections.
For the releasable coupling of a light transmission a collimated light beam is fed into a further-transmitting light fiber by way of a focusing lens or a focusing lens system. For a transmission at the coupling location which is as loss-free as possible one must ensure that a highly exact axially flush alignment of the arriving light beam with the lightguide transmitting the light further is possible. This may be achieved in the most varied of manners. From U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,155 there is for example known a plug connection for this in which a fiber-to-fiber coupling is realized in which the fibers to be coupled may be directly led exactly to one another without optical lens systems. Each individual fiber at the same time rests between at least three elastically mounted spherical balls which may be slightly displaced on coupling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,999 shows a completely different solution. Here two coupling bodies are connected to one another as exactly and rigidly as possible, wherein one assumes that as a result practically no axial displacement from the centered position occurs. Each fiber of this connection is in each case connected to a lens or to a lens system, and the lenses or lens systems may be moved to one another or away from one another in the axial direction (z-direction), for the purpose of focusing.
The document EP-B-0,198,657 is particularly fundamental, in which there are described and illustrated devices for optical coupling between the light source and the light-guiding fiber as well as couplings between two light-guiding fibers. At the same time there are disclosed two basic principles. In one case at least one lightguide with a focusing lens is held in a sleeve, and this sleeve is held in a coupling tube with the intermediate arrangement of rubber-elastic, flexible tubing pushed over the sleeve. By way of screws acting radially on the sleeve, this may be displaced in the radial directions (x- and y-direction), by which means one may set an angular alignment to the second, fixedly arranged lightguide arrangement. A focusing adjustment in the z-direction is not envisaged, but with regard to design is taken to be given. In a second solution the coupling bodies are configured as a flange. By way of peripherally arranged screws with a different pitch the two flanges on the one hand may be moved to one another in the z-direction and may be adjusted in a desired angular position in the x- and y-direction.
Even though the known coupling devices could carry out all required movements, the adjustment however was still very time-consuming and required suitable experience. This lies in the fact that with the known solutions the singular adjustment as well as the parallel displacement within the xy-plane is to be effected by way of the same screws. Thus with the state of the art it was unavoidable that also a slight shifting was effected with the angular adjustment. As a result, this slight displacement out of the axis has often been accepted in order to avoid a renewed adjustment, possibly again with the adjustment of the angular position.


A commuter train ferry system includes a train engine. A plurality of boxcars is joinable to each other and to the train engine to form the commuter train ferry. Each of the boxcars includes a plurality of decks for transporting a plurality of vehicles and their occupants during a commuter trip. At least one ramp includes a plurality of driving surfaces for accessing the plurality of decks for loading and unloading the vehicles and their occupants from the boxcars where the occupants of the vehicles load and unload the vehicles from the boxcars and remain within the vehicles for at least a part of the commuter trip.

Currently there are too many cars on the freeway causing problems such as road congestion and accidents. Furthermore, drivers are not cooperating with the concept of carpooling, and carpooling has failed to reduce traffic on freeways in a measurable way. A large number of people insist on driving their cars to work so they can control when they leave their work and where they go after. This car dependency causes horrendous traffic jams with severe side effects such as traffic deaths, reduced productivity due to fatigue, pollution, wasted fuel on long commutes and while stuck in traffic, financial drain due to the high cost of fuel, inhalation of smog that causes long-term health problems, and wasted money on car wear and tear.
Present-day solutions to these traffic issues are not effective. Firstly, carpool lanes have been added to roads at enormous cost; however, this idea has been unsuccessful in reducing traffic jams. Also, in some areas metro trains are used to carry passengers along major freeways. However, the use of these trains requires people to leave their cars and solely depend on public transportation, which most commuters resist. The result is that metro trains and rail lines are under utilized and therefore not very effective in reducing traffic.
In another currently known solution, Amtrak has a system called Auto Train that carries both passengers and drivers long distances (e.g., 855 miles one-way) on the East Coast between Lorton, Va. and Sanford, Fla. In this system half of the train is designed for passengers and the other half of the train carries the passenger's empty vehicles in racks. However, this solution is exclusively used for long distance travel where the drivers at the end of their trips have their vehicles available to them. In this system the drivers and passengers are kept separated from their vehicles during the trip and reunited afterwards. For short-term trips lasting one, two or three hours this system is ineffective, inefficient and impractical as it would require long delays at each station for loading/unloading passengers and their vehicles separately as at each stop. The way the present system works right now, each box car would be separated from the train and ramps attached and vehicles loaded/unloaded and then joined together with the train
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved techniques for reducing traffic on the roadways with a system that is practical for daily commutes where commuters are able to remain with their vehicles.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Commuter train ferry system for commuters and their vehicles


Methods and apparatus are provided for allowing flexible on-chip datapath interfaces on a device. Datapath connections allow data streamlining without any knowledge of channels or packet boundaries. Flexible and modular interface adapters are used to allow component designers to efficiently provide interoperable components without having to adhere to a strict datapath interface specification. Interface adapters from an adapter library are instantiated and configured automatically when two components are connected.

A variety of interconnection mechanisms are used to connect components on a device such as a programmable chip. In some examples, a standard on-chip data path interface specification is defined and components such as intellectual property (IP) cores are configured to conform to the interface specification. For example, components usually are configured to comply with a set of signals and particular timing requirements in order for components to operate with other components on a device.
Unfortunately, designers often select components that have support for particular standards or characteristics, thereby preventing design flexibility. In other examples, standard crossing bridges are manually inserted into a design and components supporting particular standards are segregated onto different portions of a design.

Flexible on-chip datapath interface having first and second component interfaces wherein communication is determined based on a type of credit condition


Protective eyewear includes a frame having a first side with a first member and an opposing second side with a second member. A foldable strap has openings at either end and is folded about the first and/or the second member and is held in place by a clip. The clip has a base portion and a swivel portion. The base portion and the swivel portion of the clip engage one another at least partially within the openings of the folded strap. The swivel portion has a range of rotation relative to the base portion of the clip.

The present invention relates generally to protective sports equipment, and more particularly to protective eyewear for use during sports such as lacrosse and field hockey.
Lacrosse and field hockey are rough contact sports, and injuries to players are not uncommon. Such injuries can be caused by bodily contact with another player or by being struck with a stick. Contact with a lacrosse ball also can cause injuries because lacrosse balls are relatively heavy and travel at high speeds during play. As a result, players use a variety of protective equipment to avoid these injuries. For example, players typically use protective gloves, arm pads, shoulder pads, helmets and face guards.
Some types of protective equipment have been adapted specifically for male and female players. For example, male players often use helmets with face guards, while female players typically use a smaller protective eyewear device, such as goggles. Goggles, however, are typically formed from a polycarbonate material or a steel cage and can produce glare in the sun. They can also fog up, particularly in cold, wet or humid weather. Further, caged or bulky goggles can impede a player's vision and can be easily scratched or shattered.
Conventional goggles typically include an elastic strap that extends around the player's head to secure the goggles over the player's eyes. Such a strap is impractical for female players, who typically tie their hair back, for example, in a ponytail. A female player can position the strap above her ponytail, but the strap will likely pull the goggles upward on her face. Additionally, positioning the strap too high on the player's head can result in the elastic force of the strap sliding the strap over the player's head, which may cause the goggles to fall off. Alternatively, the player can locate the strap below her ponytail, which can pull the goggles downward on the player's face and ears.


A unitary single use analytic device for detecting an enzyme in a liquid. The device comprises a support structure for manual manipulation and a composition associated therewith which is responsive to the enzyme in such a way as to cause a change in appearance of the device. The device may be adapted for detecting an enzymes from a plurality of classes by having compositions selectively responsive to an enzyme of one class, each responding in such a way as to cause a change in appearance of the device indicative of the presence of an enzyme of a respective class. Also disclosed is a method for estimating the activity of an enzyme in a liquid comprising the steps of inserting a test strip of the present invention into the liquid and measuring the time taken from the moment of insertion until a predetermined change in appearance of the test strip is observed, or noting the appearance of the strip after predetermined time.

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Living cells produce a series of catalytic agents the purpose of which is to accelerate the reactions that occur under the conditions that occur in living matter. These biocatalysts are called enzymes They are proteins that speed up certain chemical reactions without being themselves affected by the reaction. They are now manufactured on a large scale and used for many purposes.
Enzymes are widely used in industrial processes, food processing and manufacturing, and in household products. For example they have been used in such household products as laundry detergents to assist in digestion of soiling of biological origin, in dishwashing detergents to assist in digestion/removal of food scraps. They are widely used in manufacturing industries for example in tanning of leather, dewooling of fleeces, manufacture of cheeses, of paper, of bread and in many other industries. Enzymes have also been employed in hospitals, medical, dental practices, and the like to assist in digestion and removal of biological contamination from surgical instruments and paraphernalia.
A number of assay methods have been proposed to determine the presence of an enzyme, and to quantify its activity. Generally this involves the conduct of sophisticated and always time consuming chemical assays which need to be conducted by skilled analysts. Annexed hereto and marked annexure 1 is a typical method for determining the proteolytic activity of protease and based on a USP method. The method requires a spectrophotometer and other apparatus, reagents (some of which must be made up fresh daily) and a skilled technician to perform the work. The procedure cannot be completed in less than about 2 hrs.
It would be useful to have means for quickly detecting whether or not a particular enzyme or class of enzymes was present in a sample of a composition. It is also often important to know the degree of activity of one or more enzymes in a system and it would be desirable to have a relatively quick, simple and inexpensive assay method, and preferably one which could be conducted by relatively unskilled persons.
In recent years a large number of test strips have been developed which employ immobilized enzymes to detect an analyte of interest in a sample, for example to measure glucose in a blood sample or of blood in fecal material. Many of these devices require complex amperometric measuring devices to provide a read out and are of relatively complex and costly construction. While such devices employ enzymes, they do not provide a measure of the activity of an enzyme nor an indication of its presence in an analyte.
It is an object of the invention to provide a means of enzyme detection and/or activity assay which avoids or at least ameliorates one or more disadvantages of the above discussed prior art, or provides a commercially useful alternative.


A float glass production facility comprising a furnace including a melter, a refiner and a working end, the working end having two or more exits, each of which supplies a separate canal and float glass forming chamber, the working end being operable so that the glass flow through each of the two or more exits is independent of the flow of glass through the other exits.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of float glass.
2. Related Arts
A conventional float glass production line comprises a glass melting furnace, otherwise known as a tank, in which batch material is melted and the resultant molten glass is refined and conditioned, a float glass forming chamber, otherwise known as a bath, in which molten glass received from the furnace is formed into a float glass ribbon, and an annealing lehr in which the ribbon cools during its travel from the bath to a wareroom in which the glass is cut into plates and stacked. The capacity, i.e. the maximum throughput, of such a line is determined by the maximum throughput of the lowest capacity part of the line, and the line may be required to operate at different throughputs and to make different products, e.g. different glass thicknesses (substances), at different times. This can limit the efficient use of the furnace which may frequently have to operate below capacity and of the float forming chamber which may have to be equipped to produce a variety of products.
There have been prior proposals for feeding a plurality of flat glass forming chambers from a single glass melting furnace--see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,165. However, such production arrangements run the risk of impaired glass quality, both with regard to discrete faults such as stones or bubble and with regard to the overall optical quality, which with float glass generally has to be of a standard considerably higher than that for other forms of glass including other forms of flat glass.


Optical data record/reproduction apparatus which records and reproduces data to and from a record medium by moving a movable portion of an optical head including a reflecting member, a condenser lens, and the like, in the track direction of the optical record medium by drive unit. An adiabatic member is placed in the junction area between the movable portion and a tubular drive coil constituting the drive unit to move the movable portion in the track direction.

The present invention relates to an optical data record/reproduction apparatus which records and reproduces data into and from an optical record medium, such as an optical disk or an opto-magnetic disk, or which records, reproduces, and erases data to, from and in the optical record medium. More particularly, the invention relates to an optical data record/reproduction apparatus of which the optical head is capable of being moved accurately and at high speed.
An optical data record/reproduction apparatus as shown in FIG. 16, has been known in the art of record/reproduction apparatus. As shown, the optical data record/reproduction apparatus is provided with a light source "a", such as a semiconductor laser; a collimator "b" for converting diffusion laser light emitted from the light source "a" into parallel beams of laser light; a beam shaping prism "c" for shaping the spot shape of the laser beam from an elliptic shape to a substantially circular shape; a beam splitter "e" for splitting an incident laser beam to be incident on an optical record medium "d" and a reflected laser beam reflected by the optical record medium "d", one from the other; a 1/4.lambda. plate "f" for transforming the laser beam of linear polarization emanating from the beam splitter "e" into a laser beam of circular polarization; an objective lens "g", movably installed, for focusing the laser beams after passing through the 1/4.lambda. plate "f" at the focal plane on the optical record medium "d"; and a cylindrical lens "j" for directing the reflected laser beam split by the beam splitter "e" toward a quartered PIN photo diode "h" for producing a tracking error signal, a focusing error signal, and a reproduced RF signal.
In the optical data record/reproduction apparatus, data is recorded in the optical record medium "d" in a spiral fashion or a concentric circular fashion. To reproduce the stored data, an optical head incorporating an optical system thereinto, which includes the objective lens "g", for example, is moved in the radial direction of the optical record medium "d" (i.e., in the track direction). To cope with the problem of, for example, the plane inclination of the optical record medium "d", the optical head is moved in the direction orthogonal to the optical record medium "d" (i.e., in the focus direction). To realize this orthogonal movement, a drive system to be set forth below is used.
An example of the drive system will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. The drive system is provided with a movable table k1 shaped like an H in cross section; a linear bearing k3 and a carriage k2; paired bobbins k4 and k5; magnetic yokes k6 and k7; paired permanent magnets for track control m1, m2, and m3, m4, focus control permanent magnets m5 and m6; and magnetic holders k8. The movable table k1 is disposed near the optical record medium "d" and carries an optical head He thereon, which includes a focus control drive coil p1. The carriage k2, provided on the lower surface of the movable table k1, cooperates with the linear bearing k3 to movably support the movable table k1. The paired bobbins k4 and k5 are respectively provided on either side of the movable table k1 and have drive coils p2 for track control, which are respectively wound around the bobbins. The magnetic yokes k6 and k7 are respectively inserted into the tubular portions of the bobbins k4 and k5. For track control, paired permanent magnets m1, m2 and m3, m4 are respectively provided above and under the bobbins k4 and k5. The focus control permanent magnets m5 and m6 are disposed extending in the longitudinal direction of the permanent magnets m1 to m4. The magnetic holders k8 hold the permanent magnets m1 to m6. In the record/reproduction apparatus thus constructed, for the focus control, the optical head He is moved in the focus direction by an electromagnetic force developed when current is fed to the drive coil p1. For track control, the optical head He carried on the movable table k1 is moved in the direction of an arrow A by the electromagnetic force developed from each drive coil p2 when current is fed to a drive coils p2.
Another example of the conventional optical data record/reproduction apparatus is shown in FIG. 19. The record/reproduction apparatus is comprised of an optical head He, which is disposed near the optical record medium "d" and is configured to float by an air stream produced when the optical record medium "d" rotates. The record/reproduction apparatus of FIG. 19 includes a flat-spring like suspension n1 for supporting the optical head in a floating state, and a moving member n3 which supports the base end of the suspension n1 and is moved by a drive unit n2. In the apparatus, for track control, the optical head He is moved in the track direction by the moving member n3. For focus control, the floating action of the optical head He is used.
The optical data record/reproduction apparatus of FIGS. 17 and 18, formerly described, is constructed so as to perform the focus control by utilizing the focus control drive coil pl. Accordingly, the control system is complicated. Also in the apparatus, as shown in FIG. 18, the optical head He is disposed at a location apart from the drive source "k", which is made up of the movable table k1, carriage k2, bobbins k4 and k5, magnetic yokes k6 and k7, and the like. Accordingly, in operation, a moment tends to act on the optical head He. This makes the track control instable.
The optical data record/reproduction apparatus of FIG. 19 utilizes the floating action of the optical head He for the focus control. Accordingly, the control system is simplified in construction. However, also in the apparatus, the optical head He is disposed at a location apart from the drive source "n", which is made up of the drive unit n2, the moving member n3, and the like, in a manner that it is suspended from the drive source by means of the suspension n1. Accordingly, in operation, a moment also tends to act on the optical head He of FIG. 19. Hence, the apparatus of FIG. 19 also suffers from instability in track control.
To solve those problems, an optical data record/reproduction apparatus, as will be given below, has been proposed.
A proposed record/reproduction apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 20 through 22, is provided with a carriage q3 and a linear bearing q4, a pair of magnetic yokes q5 and q6, a drive unit "q" with permanent magnets q7 and q8, and an optical head He.
The carriage q3 and a linear bearing q4 are disposed under first and second movable members r1 and r2 located near the optical record medium. Each of the members is shaped like a tube with an elliptic cross section and consists of a drive coil q1 for track control and a bobbin q2 with a coil q1 wound therearound. The magnetic yokes q5 and q6 are respectively inserted through the tubes of the first and second movable members r1 and r2 and extended in the radial direction of the optical record medium. The drive unit "q" includes permanent magnets q7 and q8 which are disposed in the vicinity of the magnetic yokes q5 and q6 and extended in the longitudinal direction of the yokes. The optical head He is supported by resilient support member "s" extended between the first and second movable members r1 and r2. The head is caused to float by an air stream produced when the optical record medium rotates, and focuses converted light from a light source at the focal plane of the optical record medium. The optical head He is moved in the track direction when the first and second movable members r1 and r2 are moved by an electromagnetic force developed from the drive coil q1 when it is fed with current.
In the optical data record/reproduction apparatus, the floating action of the optical head He is utilized for focus control. This feature simplifies the control system. In the construction of the apparatus, the optical head He is disposed between the first and second movable members r1 and r2. This feature allows the optical head He to be disposed near the drive center. A moment acting on the optical head He is reduced, thereby stabling the track control.
The record/reproduction apparatuses as described above have the following problems, however. In the case of the apparatus shown in FIG. 20, to move the optical head He in the track direction of the optical record medium "d", a linear motor is driven, which, is made up of the drive coil q1 for track control, permanent magnets q7 and q8, and the like. At this time, current is fed to the drive coil q1, so that heat is generated in the coil. The generated heat is transferred through the resilient support member "s" to the optical head He and through the movable members r1 and r2 to the carriage q3. Accordingly, the head movable portion connected to the coil q1 tends to displace. Accordingly, the frequency characteristic when the optical head He is moved in the track direction of the optical record medium "d" deteriorates as shown in FIG. 23. This makes it difficult to control the optical head highly accurately. Accordingly, it is difficult to move the optical head He to a predetermined position quickly and accurately.
In the case of the record/reproduction apparatus shown in FIG. 19, the focus control is performed utilizing the air stream acting on the optical head He. This provides a simplified control system. The optical head He is mounted, by means of the flat-spring like suspension n1, at a location apart from the drive source including the drive unit n2, the moving member n3, and the like. With this construction, when the optical head He is moved, a moment acts on the optical head He, thereby hindering quick and accurate movement of the optical head to a desired position.
In the case of record/reproduction apparatus shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the drive coil, the bearing, and the floating section are directly coupled with one another. Therefore, the heat generated in the drive coil owing to the current passage therethrough is transferred to the bearing and the floating section, possibly deteriorating the vibration characteristic of the optical head.

Optical data record/reproduction apparatus with tubular coil body


The present invention is directed to an oil-free, water-soluble, liquid, polymer dispersion for use in thickening aqueous mediums, particularly completion and workover fluids used in the oil and gas drilling business. The dispersions of the present invention are comprised of hydroxyethyl cellulose and propylene glycol derivatives, preferably both propylene glycol polyether polyols and an aliphatic propylene glycol ether. Optionally these dispersions include water. Because of their low toxicity, these dispersions are particularly useful for drilling in offshore environments. These compositions rapidly disperse in and viscosity a variety of brines, including sea water and other light brines, with minimum shear and without fisheye formation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to compositions for use as thickening agents in aqueous systems and to aqueous well servicing fluids prepared therefrom. More specifically, the present invention relates to liquid, polymer-containing compositions for use as thickening agents to viscosify brines to provide thickened aqueous well drilling and treating fluids.
2. Description of the Background
The use of polymers in fluids, and particularly in brines, used in well drilling and treating fluids, to improve viscosity, solids removal and/or filtration control is well known. Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) has typically been the preferred hydrophilic, polymeric material chosen to provide the desired thickening of brines in the oil and gas drilling industry. Compositions including HEC have long been used to viscosify drilling fluids, workover fluids, completion fluids, packer fluids, well treating fluids, subterranean formation treating fluids, spacer fluids, hole abandonment fluids and other aqueous fluids in which an increase in viscosity is desired.
Hydroxyethyl cellulose, however, does not come without its own problems. Attempts to directly incorporate HEC into a well servicing fluid as a dry powder result in the formation of fisheyes, i.e., unhydrated lumps of polymer which can result in operational problems. Potential problems include the blinding of shaker screens and the plugging of the formation.
Hydroxyethyl cellulose is not readily hydrated, solvated or dispersed in aqueous systems without the use of elevated temperatures and/or mixing under high shear for extended periods of time. In many cases, and particularly in workover operations, the equipment available for preparing the well servicing fluids does not readily lend itself to high temperature, high shear mixing. HEC polymers are particularly poorly hydrated, solvated or dispersed in aqueous solutions containing one or more water-soluble salts of multivalent cations such as heavy brines which are commonly used in well servicing fluids.
One successful attempt to solve these problems was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,414, incorporated herein by reference. The '414 patent disclosed a water miscible, polar, organic liquid for use as a solvating agent to form a semi-solid to viscous mixture with the hydroxyethyl cellulose.
In another approach to solving these problems, the polymer was added in the form of a solution, colloid or other suspension dispersed in a non-solvent carrier medium, e.g., an oil-based liquid such as diesel oil or kerosene. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,153, incorporated herein by reference. However, it was found that compositions prepared in accord with the disclosure of the '153 patent experienced undesirable settling and hard packing of the HEC when stored under static conditions for extended periods of time. Resuspension and dispersion of the HEC was a time consuming process and required special equipment. Accordingly, solutions prepared in accord with the disclosure of the '153 patent were not conducive to use at on-site drilling, workover or completion operations.
Another effort to solve these problems was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,740, incorporated herein by reference. The '740 patent disclosed a liquid, polymer-containing composition for viscosifying oilfield brines including, in addition to hydroxyethyl cellulose, an oil-based liquid, an aluminum phosphate compound and optionally a surfactant.
While the thickening compositions described in the foregoing patents have been successful, changing times have created a need for new and improved thickening compositions. Environmental concerns, and particularly toxicity concerns, have arisen with respect to well servicing fluids including oil-based components such as those described above. As the number of offshore drilling operations has proliferated and as environmental concerns have increased, the continued use of these prior compositions has become unacceptable. Recent changes to the NPDES Offshore Discharge Permit requirements prohibit the discharge of fluids containing oil into offshore environments. The changes essentially prohibit the use of oil-containing products in offshore environments where discharge may occur. Accordingly, oil-free completion and workover fluids, including oil-free thickening agents, must be used in operations in environmentally sensitive areas covered by these regulations.
Therefore, there has developed a pressing need in the well servicing industry to develop and implement the use of safer and less toxic well servicing fluids. The present invention solves that need.

Oil-free water-soluble hydroxyethyl cellulose liquid polymer dispersion


A sill knob and cable assembly, for interconnecting a lock button and a vehicle latch, includes a tubular sheath and a cable slidably disposed in the sheath. The cable has a sill knob attached to an upper end thereof. The sheath has a hollow housing attached to an upper end thereof for slidably receiving the sill knob. The housing includes a guide sleeve and a shield, integrally attached to the top of the guide sleeve, for limiting unauthorized access to the sill knob and the base of the lock button, when the vehicle is locked. The housing may also include a ledge extending between the shield and the top of the guide sleeve. The shield may be a cylindrical collar for protectively surrounding the sill knob when said sill knob is in a lowered position. A sleeved housing for use with a sill knob and cable assembly is also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to locking hardware for vehicle doors. More particularly, the present invention relates to sill knob housings and to vehicular door latch-actuating sill knob and cable assemblies. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a sill knob housing and door latch-actuating cable assembly which is adapted to resist unauthorized entry into a locked vehicle.
2. Description of the Background Art
Vehicle theft remains a problem in society today. Vehicle theft creates problems for owners of the targeted vehicles, as does the theft of items from within vehicles, such as purses, cell phones, CDs and other items. Unfortunately, certain individuals take advantage of vehicle owners by stealing from the vehicle, and/or may even steal the vehicle outright. Many times, a dismantled vehicle's parts may be worth more than the resale value of the stolen vehicle.
When these types of crimes occur, all drivers lose through increased insurance premiums.
Many times a flat metal tool, such as a "slim-jim" or ruler, is slipped between the window and the window seal by an unauthorized person, and the tool is then pushed, pulled or twisted to engage the locking device in the door. When this tool is engaged with the locking mechanism and pulled, pushed or twisted in the right spot (depending on the configuration of elements), the vehicle latch can be unlocked.
A number of different devices are known for discouraging unauthorized entry into a vehicle. Examples of some of previously known anti-theft door apparatus are given below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,300 to Amato discloses a motor vehicle lock cover device having a cover strip running nearly the length of the door between the glass and door frame to prevent instruments from being inserted into the door to release the lock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,609 to Igata et al. discloses an anti-theft apparatus for vehicle door lock having an anti-theft tube that covers the rod which locks and unlocks the vehicle opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,266 to Yi discloses a door latch cover for an automotive vehicle. The cover has an extended portion that prevents access to the door latch and actuator and eliminates a cover for the actuator.
Published U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 2002/0036408 to Jang, which discloses an automotive door having a burglarproof structure designed to prevent the unauthorized entry to a vehicle opening. The device includes a slider and blocking plate which prevent access to a lock lever of the lock assembly.
Other issued patents relating to vehicle door locks and related hardware include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,093,289, 4,238,133, 4,674,780, 4,813,727, 4,842,312, and 6,457,753.
Although the known devices have some utility for their intended purposes, a need still exists in the art for an improved device to secure the openings of vehicles. In particular, there is a need for an improved sill knob housing, and for an improved sill knob housing, and for a sill knob and cable assembly which will increase the security of vehicle locks.

Anti-theft sill knob housing and cable assembly for a vehicle


The assembly includes a body in which there is formed a bore (3) for letting in gas under pressure, containing an isolation valve (4) exposed to the gas under pressure, at least one pressure reducer (5), an element (9) for selecting and regulating the flow rate through at least one outlet (8) for gas at reduced pressure, and a tubular member (11) for controlling the isolation valve sitting on top of the body. The isolation valve is a spool (4) which can be moved back and forth in a transverse housing (26) in the body and the opposite ends of which interact directly with curved guide ramps (18, 19) formed by the tubular control member. The direct control of the isolation spool (4) by turning the tubular member (11) simplifies the architecture of the assembly and reduces the manufacturing and servicing costs thereof. The assembly is useful in transporting bottles of gas, especially of medical oxygen.

A control assembly of this type is described in document EP-A-0,629,937. In this prior-art control assembly, the tubular member contains a subassembly which can be moved longitudinally by turning the tubular control member by means of appropriate cutouts forming cams, and this movement in turn controls the axial movement of the isolation valve. This structure is relatively complex and therefore expensive.
Furthermore, the valve for discharging the remaining compressed gas, which valve is arranged on the side of this structure, can have only a small diameter. This therefore means that it has to be actuated by a substantial variation in pressure (2 to 3.times.10.sup.5 Pa), which means that this valve has to be set laboriously. Its cost of manufacture is also relatively high on account of the number of components and machining operations required. In this prior-art control assembly too, the passage holes in the disc of the flow rate selector are longitudinally offset from the low-pressure gas outlet and have to be produced by a chemical means on account of their very small diameter (of the order of 0.1 mm for the first hole), these chemical boring means being very expensive. Finally, this technology requires extremely tight piercing tolerances on these holes (of the order of 1 micron).

Assembly for controlling and dispensing gas for a container of pressurized gas


A thermal control unit for controlling a patient's temperature includes a fluid outlet for delivering temperature-controlled fluid to a patient, a pump, a heat exchanger, and a controller that automatically pauses thermal treatment of the patient prior the patient reaching a target temperature. During the pause, the controller assesses a reaction of the patient and changes a temperature of the fluid only inside the thermal control unit if the patient is likely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment. However, if the patient is unlikely to reach the target temperature without further thermal treatment, the controller restarts the thermal treatment. The controller may pause thermal treatment again prior to reaching the target temperature and assess the patient's reaction. In some embodiments, the controller may selectively include and exclude a fluid reservoir in a circulation channel within the thermal control unit.

The present disclosure relates to a thermal control system for controlling the temperature of circulating fluid that is delivered to one or more thermal pads positioned in contact with a patient.
Thermal control systems are known in the art for controlling the temperature of a patient by providing a thermal control unit that supplies temperature-controlled fluid to one or more thermal pads or catheters positioned in contact with a patient. The thermal control unit includes one or more heat exchangers for controlling the temperature of the fluid and a pump that pumps the temperature-controlled fluid to the pad(s) and/or catheter. After passing through the pad(s) and/or catheter, the fluid is returned to the thermal control unit where any necessary adjustments to the temperature of the returning fluid are made before being pumped back to the pad(s) and/or catheter. In some instances, the temperature of the fluid is controlled to a static target temperature, while in other instances the temperature of the fluid is varied as necessary in order to automatically effectuate a target patient temperature.
The thermal control unit can be used to warm or cool a patient, and it is often desirable to heat or cool the patient to a target temperature relatively quickly. However, it is also often desirable to heat or cool the patient to a target temperature without overshooting the target temperature.


A female-male combination type ornament with easily coupled male and female members and a coupling state between the female and male member is more stably and firmly maintained. The female-male combination type ornament includes a female member having a plurality of insertion grooves formed at predetermined intervals in an inner circumferential surface of a hollow of a first tubular body. A first color is integrally formed on a lower rim of the first tubular body; and a male member correspondingly coupled to the female member is configured such that a plurality of insertion projections that are inserted into the plurality of insertion grooves in a crammed manner are formed at predetermined intervals on an outer circumferential surface of a second tubular body that is inserted into the hollow of the first tubular body and a second color is integrally formed on an upper rim of the second tubular body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a female-male combination type ornament, and more particularly to a female-male combination type ornament in which a male member and a female member can be easily coupled and a coupling state between the female member and the male member can be more stably and firmly maintained.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, in order to display brands, logos, or emblems, to increase salability of a product by providing a luxurious decorative effect and beautifying an appearance, or to connect members such as bag straps, rings, or handles, various ornaments are attached to various fashion items or personal belongings such as handbags, wallets, bags, belts, hats, shoes, or clothes.
Methods of fixedly attaching an ornament to any of various target objects including a bag may be roughly classified into methods of directly adhering an ornament using an adhesive and methods of physically coupling an ornament by forming holes in a target object, inserting female and male ornaments into the holes in opposite directions, and coupling the female and male ornaments using screws or a compressive force.
Among these, methods of directly adhering an ornament using an adhesive have problems in that an adhesive force is reduced due to an external force applied to the ornament, restrictions according to characteristics of a material of the target object, or washing, and thus the ornament tends to be easily detached after a predetermined period of time passes.
Also, methods of physically coupling female and male ornaments using screws have problems in that, since an operator has to fasten and fix each of the screws, an operation is cumbersome and delicate, work efficiency and productivity are reduced, and when an external force is applied in use, the screws come loose and are separated. Further, in methods of physically coupling female and male ornaments using a compressive force, an additional compression tool or an additional press device has to be used. Since a coupling state between the female and male ornaments is maintained only due to a simple frictional force, when an external force is applied, cracks form and the female and male ornaments may easily rotate or move. In addition, the female and male ornaments are worn down, noise is generated, the female and male ornaments are detached and separated from the target object, and thus the target object is disfigured.
A "combination type ornament" disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-1165164 that is one example of the method of physically coupling the female and male ornaments includes a front body 30 having a rear surface from which a coupling unit 31 protrudes, and a rear body 40 having a front surface from which a coupling unit 41 that is correspondingly coupled to the coupling unit 31 protrudes. A projection 32 is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30, and a groove (not shown) that is correspondingly coupled to the projection 32 is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40.
Also, in order to firmly couple the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 to the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40 in a crammed manner, the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 and the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40 are formed to have no assembly tolerance between sizes of the outer circumferential surface of the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 and the inner circumferential surface of the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40.
The combination type ornament (hereinafter referred to as a conventional ornament) is formed using a shape-forming method such as die casting, and then is subjected to surface treatment that is a process of forming a thin film of gold or silver using electroplating in order to create a luxury image and a precious metal image, provide a gloss effect, and improve corrosion resistance.
However, the conventional ornament has the following problems. Since the coupling state between the front body 30 and the rear body 40 is maintained only due to a simple frictional force, when an external force such as an external impact is applied to the conventional ornament, cracks may form and the conventional ornament may easily rotate and move. As a contact portion is worn away due to a frequent external force, noise is generated. In addition, the front body 30 is easily detached and separated from the rear body 40 along a central axis, thereby disfiguring the target object.
Also, since the electroplating is performed as a post-process, a total thickness is slightly increased due to a plating layer that is formed after plating. In particular, since a plating film is unevenly additionally applied to edge portions of the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 and the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40 due to a current difference that occurs during the electroplating, a thickness of the plating layer is further increased, and thus the coupling state between the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 and the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40 is badly affected and the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 and the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40 are not easily engaged with each other.
Furthermore, since the conventional ornament maintains an assembly and coupling state between the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 and the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40 only using the frictional force between the coupling unit 31 of the front body 30 and the coupling unit 41 of the rear body 40, a fixing force is less than that of a typical method using a compressive force.


A molded semiconductor package includes a lead frame having one or more first leads monolithically formed with a die pad and extending outward from the pad in a first direction. A semiconductor die is attached to the die pad at a first side of the die. A metal clip of a clip frame is attached to a power terminal at a second side of the die. One or more second leads monolithically formed with the metal clip extend outward from the clip in a second direction different than the first direction. A mold compound embeds the die. The first lead(s) and the second lead(s) are exposed at different sides of the mold compound and do not vertically overlap with one another. Within the mold compound, the clip transitions from a first level above the power terminal to a second level in a same plane as the leads.

Power semiconductor packages include a power semiconductor die embedded in a mold compound. Electrical connections within the mold compound are formed between terminals of the power semiconductor die and leads of the package. The leads are part of a lead frame to which the power semiconductor die is attached. Some types of power semiconductor packages use a metal clip to connect the source terminal at the top side of the power semiconductor die to a lead post of the lead frame. The clip assembly typically includes two parts: the metal clip itself and the lead post. Both parts are typically soldered together, which requires a landing zone for attaching the clip on the lead frame. The clip landing zone consumes space on the lead frame, since attachment of the clip to the lead frame is done by soldering, diffusion soldering or a similar process. The contact area required for the clip cannot be used for additional die area in the package. Also, the clip attachment process is done in a serial manner and therefore is slow and costly. Furthermore, the gate terminal of the power semiconductor is typically contacted by a bond wire which requires an additional process step with extra equipment investment and has different requirements regarding surfaces on the die and the lead frame.
Thus, there is a need for an improved contact structure for power semiconductor packages.

Clip frame assembly, semiconductor package having a lead frame and a clip frame, and method of manufacture


A apparatus is provided for detecting deformation in solids in deep holes having a resilient vessel pre-stressed into a rock formation. The vessel is filled with fluid and is sealed except for an outlet tube of small diameter which extends all the way to, or close to, the surface. There the outlet tube terminates in an extensible bellows isolated from the atmosphere in an enclosed sealed vessel. The whole apparatus is completely filled with fluid. Any deformation of the vessel will cause fluid to be forced through the outlet tube and so cause the bellows to extend or contract. This motion can be monitored by any position-sensitive transducer such as a linear variable differential transformer or capacitance bridge. A second tube of the same length and size as the outlet tube is filled with the same fluid. This tube terminates at the bottom in close proximity to the resilient vessel. It also has a bellows and a displacement transducer at its upper end at the surface housed in an enclosed sealed vessel.

This invention relates to method and apparatus for monitoring and detecting strains and deformations in solids, and more particularly to method and apparatus adapted to detect strains within subterranean formations.
In accordance with one aspect, the invention relates to a strainmeter instrument and strain monitoring system capable of operating at great subterranean depths and measuring rock formation movement without being adversely affected by high temperatures in the rock formation.
The use of borehole strainmeters and systems to measure movement of subterranean rock formations is known. Many different strainmeters and systems have been devised for commercial use, but most have defects and limitations in operation, especially under extreme borehole depth conditions.
One known borehole strainmeter comprises a resilient metal tube prestressed into a borehole with an expansive grout so that the tube follows the deformation of the rock exactly. The deformation of this is amplified by hydraulic means and drives a small, thin-walled bellows, which in turn drives an electronic transducer. All power and signals reach the surface through an electric cable. There are a number of these devices in use worldwide.
However, because culturally induced noise decreases with depth, and because in many critical areas, e.g., Tokyo alluvial cover can be kilometers thick, and because earthquake faults lock at depth, there is a continuing and increasing need for more sensitive detectors capable of operating at multi-kilometer depths where temperatures are too high for electronics to survive for long periods of time.


A baseball bat which can minimize the slippage between the bat hitting surface and the ball at the instant of impact with the ball. Increased adherence between the ball and the bat hitting surface allows a spin to be easily imparted to the ball, so that the flying distance of the ball can be increased. The metallic baseball bat includes numerous longitudinal polishing streaks extending along the longitudinal axis of the metallic bat.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a metallic bat for baseball, more particularly, it relates to a metallic bat provided with an improved hitting surface.
The improvement provided for a bat related to the present invention can be applied to any metallic bat such as a regulation-ball baseball metallic bat, a rubber-ball baseball metallic bat, a semi-regulation-ball baseball metallic bat, and a softball metallic bat.
2. Prior Art
With conventional metallic bats for regulation-ball baseball, rubber-ball baseball, semi-regulation-ball baseball, and softball, numerous polishing streaks 11 formed on a bat at the stage of final polishing, following the forming and working have normally been made annular about the longitudinal axis of the bat 10 as shown in FIG. 2. The reference No. 12 in FIG. 2 denotes the grip portion.
However, the annular polishing streaks 11 provided on various conventional metallic bats have presented a problem in that the annular polishing streaks 11 hit the ball vertically (longitudinally) at the instant of impact to the ball, thus, the hitting surface of the bat and the ball slightly slides each other, which lowers the adherence between the ball and the hitting surface of the bat, resulting in the factor of increasing the flying distance of the ball, i.e., the probability of the ball hit as provided with a spin being decreased, which leads to difficulty in further increasing the flying distance for the ball.
Created in consideration of such conventional situations, the present invention is directed to a metallic bat which can minimize the slippage between the bat hitting surface and the ball at the instant of impact to the ball, and increase the adherence between the ball and the bat hitting surface, thus allowing a spin to be easily imparted to the ball, so that the flying distance of the ball can be further increased, thus solving the conventional problem.


Disclosed herein is a novel toothbrush design and associated carrying case. In one embodiment the toothbrush may have a handle cylindrical in shape, and may break down into three separable sections, each joinable at threaded joints. One element may be configured to receive a removable bristle assembly. In one embodiment, the toothbrush elements may each be stored in separate compartments in the carrying case. The carrying case may also include a slidably extendible drawer configured to dispense floss. The carrying case may also include separate compartments for storing consumables such as toothpaste tablets and mouthwash tablets.

Traditional toothbrushes suffer from a variety of disadvantages, especially relating to portability, reusability, and ecological friendliness.
Regarding portability, the traditional toothbrush tends to be about six to seven inches long. This size is not convenient for travel nor carrying on one's person. It would be convenient if a quality toothbrush could be made portable by having one half to one third of the traditional size when being transported.
Also regarding portability, a number of associated items are typically desired for travel along with the toothbrush itself. Specially, toothpaste, dental floss, and mouthwash or breath fresheners are often desired. In the past, travel kits have been available for carrying a collection of these items. However, such traditional kits are bulky and inconvenient because they must accommodate a six or seven inch toothbrush together with a bulky tube of toothpaste, and floss often tossed into an oversized travel case compartment. What is needed is an innovatively designed carrying case system that is extremely compact yet carries all the desired items in a very user-friendly configuration.
Regarding reusability, the traditional toothbrush wears out in two to three months' time, at which point the old brush must be disposed of, and a new brush must be purchased. Therefore, the entire toothbrush, including the substantial portion of it, which is the handle and the head, is often of poor quality and made of cheap materials so that it can be regularly replaced less expensively. What is needed is a high-quality toothbrush that has its substantial portions, namely the handle and head, made of premium materials and which never needs to be disposed of.
Regarding ecological friendliness, and environment sustainability, traditional toothbrushes are again very troublesome. This is because millions of non-biodegradable toothbrushes, made of plastics and other environmentally unfriendly materials, are thrown away every year. What is needed is a toothbrush system that minimizes any disposable elements.


Mixed matrix membranes are prepared from zeolites and polymers, such as polyimides, in a void free fashion where either no voids or voids of less than several Angstroms are present at the interface of the polymer and the zeolite by bonding (hydrogen, ionic, or covalent) functional groups on the zeolite with functional groups on the polymer. The mixed matrix membranes may be cast or formed by ISAM processes, and may be present on a variety of supports including hollow fibers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to membrane materials and systems for selective removal of specified gases and, more particularly, to a gas separation membrane which employs a zeolite material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Membrane separations represent a growing technological area with potentially high economic reward, due to low energy requirements and facile scale-up of membrane modular design. Advances in membrane technology, especially in novel membrane materials, will make this technology even more competitive with traditional, high-energy intensive and costly processes such as low temperature distillation and adsorption. In particular, there is need for large-scale gas separation membrane systems, which could handle processes such as nitrogen enrichment, oxygen enrichment, hydrogen recovery, acid gas (CO2, H2S) removal from natural gas and dehydration of air and natural gas, as well as various hydrocarbon separations. Materials employed in these applications must have durability, productivity and high separation performance if they are to be economically viable. Currently, polymers and certain inorganic membranes are the only candidates.
While inorganic membranes have permselectivities that are five times to ten times higher than traditional polymeric materials and moreover are more stable in aggressive feeds, they are not economically feasible for large-scale applications. Most ceramic, glass, carbon and zeolitic membranes cost between one- and three-orders of magnitude more per unit of membrane area when compared to polymeric membranes and furthermore are difficult to fabricate into large, defect-free areas. An advantage of polymeric materials is that they can be processed into hollow fibers, which offer high separation productivity due to the inherently high surface area to volume ratio. Thus, most commercially available gas separating membranes are still made from polymers despite the limited membrane performance.

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A method for adding intelligence into the tape drive subsystems of a media storage library. The present invention improves overall system availability by enhancing existing control, monitoring, and diagnostic functionalities. As a result of inserting intelligence into the drive trays, certain control and monitoring functions traditionally performed by the main library controller may be performed locally at the drive trays. Since certain functions are performed locally at the drive trays, fewer connections are required between the tape drive trays and the main library controller. Also, the main library controller's performance is not degraded as the number of tape drives increases. The present invention also provides flexibility to the storage system since new features and functions may be added to the drive tray subsystem without the need to modify the base library cabling infrastructure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved library storage system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for adding intelligence to the tape drive tray subassembly in order to provide better control, monitoring, and diagnostics of a library's subsystems.
2. Background of the Invention
Existing automated storage libraries are capable of storing and retrieving large quantities of information stored on media cartridges. This capability is accomplished by the use of a large number of drive trays, each of which houses a tape drive, that are installed within a library frame. Electrical connections cabled between the tape drive trays and the main library controller or processor provide the main library controller with the means to control and monitor tape drive tray functions.
Designing the interface to monitor and control the tape drive tray subassembly can be a complex endeavor in systems having large enterprise libraries. Currently, customer demands for high availability in the enterprise tape library market require more monitoring of the library's subsystems. As the enterprise market targets larger and larger libraries, designing the electrical and mechanical infrastructure needed to control and monitor these subsystems becomes a challenging issue.
A conventional tape drive array includes a number of tape drive trays installed in a tape library frame. FIG. 1 depicts an example of a large-scale tape library system which supports 64 tape drive trays. Tape drive trays 102 are grouped into tape drive arrays 104. Each tape drive tray 102 is connected to the main library controller 106. Each connection line 108 as shown in FIG. 1 represents multiple signals. Electrical connections between main library controller 106 and tape drive trays 102 provide main library controller 106 with the means to control and monitor tape drive tray functions.
In view of current demands for high availability in the enterprise tape market, conventional tape drive systems contain several disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that as the number of supported tape drive trays increases, more of the library's main controller's bandwidth is required to monitor and control the tape drive trays. For example, the library system as shown in FIG. 1 may require that fans, temperature, and power supply status, as well as software controlled power-on, be monitored for each of the 64 tape drive trays.
Another challenge encountered in designing large-scale libraries is that as the number of tape drives increases, the number of signals between the main library controller and the tape drive array becomes extremely large. This is an important issue for tape subsystems that support a large number of tape drives (e.g., up to 64 tape drives). Since each tape drive tray interface typically contains fifteen signals, almost one thousand signal connections to the main library controller are required if each drive tray signal is connected directly to the main controller. Physically connecting and routing all of these signals are difficult and costly.
Furthermore, current methods for adding features to a conventional drive tray system typically require adding new signals to the drive tray cabling. As a result, it may be difficult to add features to the drive tray at a later point in time. For systems designed for high availability, adding new signals to the drive tray cabling is problematic because the library must be shut down to make the necessary changes.
Consequently, it would be advantageous to have a system for providing local control and monitoring of a tape drive's subsystems in order to overcome the electrical and mechanical issues encountered in high availability enterprise libraries in the prior art. It would further be advantageous to have a system that provides flexibility for the addition of future features.

Method for intelligent tape drive subsystem control and monitoring in a tape library


An embodiment of the present invention provides, as a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator excellent in cycle characteristic, a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator including a polyolefin porous film, wherein a ratio of a displacement amount of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator at a 10th loading-unloading cycle to a displacement amount of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator at a 50th loading-unloading cycle is in a range of 100% to 130%.

Nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries such as a lithium secondary battery are currently in wide use as (i) batteries for devices such as a personal computer, a mobile telephone, and a portable information terminal or (ii) on-vehicle batteries.
As a separator for use in such a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a porous film containing polyolefin as a main component is mainly used.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses that it is possible to use, as a separator for a battery that is excellent in output characteristics and durability, a microporous film having (i) specific compression characteristics such as a specific amount of compression deformation and a specific amount of increase in compression deformation and (ii) a specific pore ratio (porosity).

Method for producing nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator


A rotatable cutting tool includes a cutting tool body that has an axial forward end and an axial rearward end. The cutting tool body further has an axial length. There is a hard tip, which has a distal end, affixed to the cutting tool body at the axial forward end thereof. The cutting tool body has a clearance portion axial rearward of the distal end of the hard tip wherein the clearance portion has a transverse dimension. The clearance portion includes an axial forward transverse dimension and a minimum transverse dimension that is axial rearward of the axial forward transverse dimension. The axial forward dimension is greater than the minimum transverse dimension. The clearance portion has an axial length equal to between about ten percent and about thirty-five percent of the axial length of the cutting tool body.

The invention pertains to a rotatable cutting tool that is useful for the impingement of earth strata such as, for example, asphaltic roadway material, coal deposits, mineral formations and the like. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a rotatable cutting tool that is useful for the impingement of earth strata wherein the cutting tool body possesses improved strength and design so as to provide for improved performance characteristics for the entire rotatable cutting tool.
Heretofore, rotatable cutting tools have been used to impinge earth strata such as, for example, asphaltic roadway material. Generally speaking, these kinds of rotatable cutting tools have an elongate cutting tool body typically made from steel and a hard tip (or insert) affixed to the cutting tool body at the axial forward end thereof. The hard tip is typically made from a hard material such as, for example, cemented (cobalt) tungsten carbide. The rotatable cutting tool is rotatably retained or held in the bore of a tool holder or, in the alternative, in the bore of a sleeve that is in turn held in the bore of a holder.
The holder is affixed to a driven member such as, for example, a driven drum of a road planing machine. In some designs, the driven member (e.g., drum) carries hundreds of holders wherein each holder carries a rotatable cutting tool. Hence, the driven member may carry hundreds of rotatable cutting tools. The driven member is driven (e.g., rotated) in such a fashion so that the hard tip of each one of the rotatable cutting tools impinges or impacts the earth strata (e.g., asphaltic roadway material) thereby fracturing and breaking up the material into debris.
Especially in a road planning operation in which the rotatable cutting tools impinge an asphaltic kind of material, the so-called breakout angle (or which is sometimes referred to as a fracture angle) is smaller in comparison to other kinds of more brittle material such as, for example coal. In this regard, one can define the breakout angle as the included angle between the central longitudinal axis of the rotatable cutting tool and a plane that generally lies on the fracture surface of the chip or fragment.
When impinging materials like asphaltic material in which there is a smaller breakout angle, there occurs an increase in the extent of contact between the rotatable cutting tool, and in particular the cutting tool body, and the asphaltic material. There are at least two occurrences that result from this increase in side contact.
One such occurrence is that this increase in contact creates more resistance to the movement of the rotatable cutting tool through the asphaltic material so as to thereby require an increase in the horsepower of the driven drum. Although one can increase the horsepower of a driven drum, such an increase adds to the cost of the machine itself, as well as to the cost to operate the road planing machine. It thus becomes apparent that it would be very desirable to provide an improved rotatable cutting tool that can be used for the impingement of earth strata wherein an increase in the horsepower of the driven drum is not necessary to satisfactorily operate for the impingement of material in which there is a smaller breakout angle. Along this same line, it would be desirable to provide an improved rotatable cutting tool that is of such a design so as to reduce the degree of resistance experienced by a rotatable cutting tool in impinging earth strata, and especially for a rotatable cutting tool when it impinges materials like asphaltic material, halite, gypsum, potash or trona in which there is a smaller breakout angle.
Another such occurrence is that this increase in contact creates more abrasive wear of the rotatable cutting tool and especially abrasive wear of the steel cutting tool body. The location of this wear on the steel cutting tool can sometimes be near the axial forward end thereof so as to jeopardize the integrity of the braze joint between the hard tip and the steel cutting tool body. The premature failure of the braze joint between the hard tip and the tool body typically leads to the loss of the hard tip which effectively ends the useful life of the rotatable cutting tool. The loss of the hard tip also typically results in a decrease in the overall operational efficiency of the road planing machine.
It thus becomes apparent that it would be very desirable to provide an improved rotatable cutting tool that has a cutting tool body of such a design so as to reduce the extent of abrasive wear of the cutting tool body during operation, and especially reduce the extent of abrasive wear of the cutting tool body when impinging materials like asphaltic materials that exhibit a smaller breakout angle. It also becomes apparent that it would be very desirable to provide an improved rotatable cutting tool that has a cutting tool body of such a design so as to improve or increase the protection of the braze joint between the hard tip and the cutting tool body during operation, and especially to improve or increase the protection of the braze joint between the hard tip and the cutting tool body when impinging materials like asphaltic materials that exhibit a smaller breakout angle.
In addition to the abrasive wear experienced by a rotatable cutting tool (and especially the cutting tool body) during a road planing application (or other applications in which the rotatable cutting tool impinges earth strata), there is a considerable amount of stress exerted on the rotatable cutting tool including the cutting tool body. If the cutting tool body does not exhibit sufficient strength then there is the risk that the cutting tool body may prematurely fail. Such a premature failure of the cutting tool body is an undesirable result that typically leads to the termination of the useful life of the rotatable cutting tool and a decrease in the operational efficiency of the machine such as a road planing machine. It would thus be very desirable to provide an improved rotatable cutting tool that has a cutting tool body of improved strength so as to reduce the potential for premature failure of the cutting tool body.

Rotatable cutting tool with reverse tapered body


A method for a user equipment setting configurations of an uplink transport channel in a wireless communications system includes receiving an uplink transport channel message, and setting configurations of an enhanced dedicated transport channel (E-DCH) according to the uplink transport channel message when an uplink transport channel of the user equipment is set to be E-DCH.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for setting configurations of an uplink transport channel in a wireless communications system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for a user equipment of a wireless communications system properly setting configurations of an uplink transport channel to enhance system performance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The third generation (3G) mobile telecommunications system has adopted a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) wireless air interface access method for a cellular network. WCDMA provides high frequency spectrum utilization, universal coverage, and high quality, high-speed multimedia data transmission. The WCDMA method also meets all kinds of QoS requirements simultaneously, providing diverse, flexible, two-way transmission services and better communication quality to reduce transmission interruption rates. Through the 3G mobile telecommunications system, a user can utilize a wireless communications device, such as a mobile phone, to realize real-time video communications, conference calls, real-time games, online music broadcasts, and email sending/receiving. However, these functions rely on fast, instantaneous transmission. Thus, targeting third generation mobile telecommunication technology, the prior art provides High Speed Downlink Package Access (HSDPA) and High Speed Uplink Package Access (HSUPA), which are used to increase bandwidth utility rate and package data processing efficiency to improve uplink/downlink transmission rate.
HSUPA increases upstream network performance, reduces transmission delay by rapid retransmission of erroneous data transmissions, and can adjust transmission rate based on channel quality. To realize this type of "power control," HSUPA adopts technologies such as NodeB Scheduling, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ), Soft Handover, and Short Frame Transmission. Correspondingly, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) defines an Enhanced Dedicated Transport Channel (E-DCH) for controlling operations of HSUPA. E-DCH introduces new physical layer channels, such as E-HICH, E-RGCH, E-AGCH, E-DPCCH, and E-DPDCH, which are used for transmitting HARQ ACK/NACK, Uplink Scheduling Information (SI), Control Plane information, and User Plane information. Detailed definitions of the above can be found in the Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification, and are not given here.
In HSUPA, a network, e.g. UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), can configure transmit time interval (TTI) and HARQ info of an E-DCH for a user equipment (UE) through an information element (IE) named Added or Reconfigured UL TrCH information. Additionally, at the same time, the network can also add one or several MAC-d flows to the E-DCH or reset configurations of the MAC-d flows carried on the E-DCH through an IE "Added or Reconfigured E-DCH MAC-d flow list" included in the above IE. The operations when the UE receives the IE "Added or Reconfigured UL TrCH information" are briefly introduced in the following.
When the UE receives the IE "Added or Reconfigured UL TrCH information", the UE can configure the TTI and the HARQ info of the E-DCH according to content of the IE if an uplink transport channel of the UE is set to be E-DCH and there are more than one MAC-d flows carried on the E-DCH. Next, if the IE "Added or Reconfigured UL TrCH information" further includes the IE "Added or Reconfigured E-DCH MAC-d flow list", the UE can reconfigure the MAC-d flows carried on the E-DCH or add one or several MAC-d flows to the E-DCH according to the IE "Added or Reconfigured E-DCH MAC-d flow list".
As mentioned above, in the prior art, the IE "Added or Reconfigured UL TrCH information" for E-DCH configuration is allowed only if there is more than one MAC-d flow carried on E-DCH. Thus, if there is only one MAC-d flow carried on E-DCH, the UE cannot change TTI and HARQ info of the EDCH according to the received IE "Added or Reconfigured UL TrCH information". However, this is the only way to change TTI and HARQ Info for E-DCH. Furthermore, in this case, the only one MAC-d flow carried on the E-DCH cannot be reconfigured as well.

Method and apparatus for setting configurations of uplink transport channel in a wireless communications system


An amplifier for use in, for example, Public Address Systems to send audio signals over long distances, is of the push-pull type and includes a first and a second switch and an output transformer having a primary winding coupled to the switches and a secondary winding coupled to the output of the push-pull amplifier. The output transformer further includes a further secondary winding coupled to a comparator as a feedback loop.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an amplifier with an output transformer. The invention further relates to an output stage for use in such an amplifier. The invention further relates to a public address system comprising such an amplifier.
2. Description of the Related Art
Amplifiers are known in the art and are, for example, used as so-called PA amplifiers (Public Address amplifiers) in a Public Address System to send audio signals over long distances, for several different uses, such as, fire indicating installations, call installations, etc.
Such a system receives an audio signal at an input, and the PA amplifier supplies, via an output transformer, an audio signal with, for example, an output voltage of 100 Vrms over long distances to speakers having input transformers.
The known amplifier use a so-called H-bridge or Half H-bridge with four or two FETs, respectively.
A disadvantage of these known amplifiers is that the efficiency is less than 70%. A further disadvantage of these known amplifiers is that the output behavior in relation to noise is not good.
An object of the invention is to provide an amplifier not having the disadvantages of the prior art amplifiers. To this end an amplifier according to the invention comprises an input for receiving an input signal, an output for supplying an output signal, a comparator for converting the input signal into a pulse-width modulated signal, and a push-pull output stage comprising a first and a second switch and an output transformer having a primary winding coupled to the switches and a secondary winding coupled to the output of the push-pull amplifier, the output transformer further comprising a further secondary winding coupled to the comparator as a feedback loop.
The amplifier according to the invention is of the so-called push-pull type. Further, the amplifier comprises an output transformer, which is required in many Public Address Systems because the user requires a galvanic separation.
An extra secondary winding is used as a feedback connection.
In this way, a push-pull amplifier is obtained having a much higher efficiency than the prior art amplifiers, and uses a feedback loop for obtaining a stable amplifier.


An embodiment of a transmitter includes an amplifier having first and second differential output nodes, a first supply node, a first pull-up impedance having a first node coupled to the first differential output node and having a second node coupled to the supply node, and a second pull-up impedance having a first node coupled to the second differential output node and having a second node coupled to the supply node. An embodiment of a receiver includes an amplifier having first and second differential input nodes, a first supply node, a first pull-up impedance having a first node coupled to the first differential input node and having a second node coupled to the supply node, and a second pull-up impedance having a first node coupled to the second differential input node and having a second node coupled to the supply node. In an embodiment, the transmitter and receiver are capacitively coupled to one another.

HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. An HDMI connection is a DC open drain connection between a transmitter and a receiver respectively. An example of an HDMI transmitter/receiver can be seen in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, a transmitter 110 comprises a differential pair of open drain transistors 111 which transmit differential data over lines TX+ 140 and TX− 150 to a receiver 120 over the channel 130. The transistors 111 draw current from a voltage source AVcc 121 of the receiver and a voltage drop across terminating resistors 123 and 122 is used to determine the transmitted data. A current source 112 is used to determine the current drawn from the receiver which may be 10 mA in accordance with the HDMI specification. HDMI also specifies that the AVcc supply voltage 121 at the receiver 120 is 3.3 volts with a +/−5% tolerance.
In order to comply with the HDMI specification, current technologies may require thick gate oxide layers or the application of a level shift to prevent the active regions of a CMOS transistor from directly experiencing the 3.3 volts. The manufacturing of thicker gate oxide layers may be problematic because of the expense and the thicker layers reduce a maximum switching rate of the transistor. Level shifting may limit the switching rate of a circuit. Level shifting may further require additional current drain circuitry to prevent the level shift transistors from becoming inactive, and this may increase power consumption.
Moreover in advanced technologies it may be difficult to provide 3.3V capabilities. For example the basic components of 40 nM, 32 nM and 20 nM technology may only handle about 1V, and thicker gate components in these technologies may be unable to handle the 3.3V required by the HDMI specification.