To provide a disk drive system provided with an inertial latching mechanism which has high reliability and can be arranged in a thin-model disk drive system. There is provided an inertial arm (7) engaging an actuator (22) when a head arm (25) is in or near a parking position and releasing engagement 3with the actuator (22) when the head arm (25) is in or near a position close to a disk (1) and energizing means for holding a position of the inertial arm (7) in a position where the engagement with the actuator (22) is released. Even if a rotational shock is externally applied when the actuator (22) remains in the parking position, moment of rotation is applied on each of the actuator (22) and inertial arm (7) in the same direction, the actuator (22) and inertial arm (7) mutually restrain their operations at an engaging part, and the oscillation of the actuator (22) to a data area can be avoided. When loading, a position of the inertial arm (7) is held by the energizing means in the position where the engagement with the actuator (22) is released so that the release of the engagement and mode of operation of the engagement between the actuator (22) and inertial arm (7) when loading/unloading can be surely achieved.

In a disk drive system, especially the disk drive system arranged in a portable personal computer such as of notebook size, higher reliability is now required with respect to a shock during non-operation.
When a slider mounted on an actuator is moved from a parking position to a data area on a surface of a disk by the shock during non-operation of the disk drive system, the slider is attached to or harms a surface of the data area, which causes a fatal fault.
An actuator locking mechanism is known as a mechanism for holding the actuator in the parking position during non-operation and preventing the actuator from being oscillated and moved to the surface of the data area by the shock.
Considered in a recent disk drive system is a loading/unloading mechanism of the slider for the purpose of preventing the slider from being attached to a surface of the shunting area and of obtaining higher reliability with respect to the above described shock. The loading/unloading mechanism is such that the actuator is held by a component called a ramp provided near an outer periphery of the disk during non-operation of the disk drive system to thereby shunt the slider so as not to make contact with the surface of the disk.
One of the actuator locking mechanisms uses an inertial latching mechanism. In the actuator locking mechanisms using the inertial latching mechanism, the above described ramp of the loading/unloading mechanism or a magnetic locking mechanism or the like is usually used together as an actuator holding mechanism.
The inertial latching mechanism operates when the shock is applied on the disk drive system and latches the actuator by utilizing a force of inertia produced by the shock. This inertial latching mechanism can latch the actuator against a strong shock which cannot be dealt with only by the above described magnetic locking mechanism. The above described actuator holding mechanism holds the actuator when a slight shock is applied against which the inertial latching mechanism does not operate and increases reliability of the actuator locking mechanism.
An example of such an actuator locking mechanism using the inertial latching mechanism is shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. This actuator locking mechanism uses the ramp of the loading/unloading mechanism as the actuator holding mechanism.
In the inertial latching mechanism shown in FIG. 17, when the shock is applied such that an actuator 22 is counterclockwise oscillated (toward a disk 1), a latch lever 101 is oscillated counterclockwise around an oscillatory axis by a force of inertia and an engaging projection 102 abuts against a tip 26c of a coil arm of the actuator 22 to latch the actuator 22.
The inertial latching mechanism shown in FIG. 18 uses two balls 202, which push a latch lever 201 with the force of inertia, and the latch lever 201 latches the actuator 22 around the oscillatory axis (National Publication International Patent Application No. 1997-503608 specification).
An another example of the actuator locking mechanism using the inertial latching mechanism is provided with the inertial latching mechanism shown in FIG. 17 and a magnetic or electromagnetic locking mechanism for magnetically or electromagnetically latching the actuator as the actuator holding mechanism (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-339645 specification).
A component such as the actuator oscillatably provided on the oscillatory axis is generally accelerated linearly and angularly by the external shock. A force by linear acceleration (a translational force) is applied on a mass center of gravity and a force by angular acceleration (a couple of force) is applied mainly on the oscillatory axis. In a circle around the oscillatory axis which passes the mass center of gravity, a tangential component on the mass center of gravity of the circle is regarded as an effective component and a normal component of the mass center of gravity as an ineffective component. Involved in the oscillation of the above described component is the effective components of the angular and linear acceleration.

Disk drive system with inertial arm preventing shock

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In a method of synthesis of polybenzoxazole and polybenzothiazole precursors, a dicarboxylic acid or a dicarboxylaic acid ester is reacted with a bis-o-aminophenol or bis-o-aminothiophenol in a suitable solvent in the presence of an activating reagent having the following structure: ##STR1##

In microelectronics, high-temperature-resistant polymers are needed especially as insulation layers and dielectrics. Precursors of such polymers, such as polyimides (PI) and polybenzoxazoles (PBO) can be made photoreactive with suitable additives and can directly be structured photochemically. The precursors, which are also known as prepolymers, are converted to the corresponding polymer (PI or PBO) by a temperature treatment, thus yielding the final properties.
In contrast to most photosensitive PI precursors, photosensitive PBO precursors offer the advantage of structurability in a positive mode and the possibility of developing with an aqueous alkaline medium (see European Patent No. 23,662 and Unexamined European Patent Application No. 264,678). An important advantage of the positive structurability is the low defect density in structuring so-called "via holes," because only a fraction of the area is exposed--in comparison with systems that work negatively. In addition to having an adjusted alkali solubility, i.e., solubility in aqueous alkaline metal-ion-free developers, PBO precursors suitable for direct structuring must have a good solubility in organic solvents so that they can be applied to a substrate from a solution--by means of centrifugal or spray methods.
The most common method of synthesizing alkali-soluble PBO precursors is to react a dicarboxylic acid chloride with a suitable bis-o-aminophenol. As a rule a soluble base such as pyridine or triethylamine is added to capture the hydrogen chloride (HCl) formed in the reaction (see Unexamined European Patent Application No. 264,678 and European Patent No. 291,779). The residual chloride remaining in the PBO precursor and optionally other ions must be removed by means of ion exchangers because they can impair the functioning of.microelectronic components in the long run. However, this is complicated and expensive.
A requirement that must be met in synthesis of PBO precursors is that the dicarboxylic acid or dicarboxylic acid derivative must react mainly with the amino groups of the bis-o-aminophenol (forming an amide), but there must be little or no reaction with its hydroxyl groups (forming an ester), i.e., the reaction selectivity in formation of the amide in comparison with formation of the ester must be high. If the selectivity of the reaction is not high enough, the reaction will lead to polymers with inadequate alkali solubility or to gelation, i.e., then the PBO precursor cannot be used.
Methods of chloride-free synthesis of polybenzoxazole precursors-- and likewise polybenzothiazole precursors-- have already been described. Thus, it is known from Unexamined European Patent Application No. 158,726 that dihydroxy- and dimercaptodiamino compounds can be reacted with a dicarboxylic acid in the presence of a carbodiimide. However, urea residues remaining in the resin due to side reactions often cause problems in this reaction. They have a negative effect on the thermal stability of the polybenzoxazole or polybenzothiazole as well as the quality of layers produced from them. In addition, the polymers synthesized by this method do not have adequate solubility in aqueous alkaline metal-ion-free developers.
An alternative chloride-free synthesis process for poly-o-hydroxyamides consists of using condensation reagents such as 1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1, 2-dihydrocuinoline or dicyclohexyl carbodiimide and 1-hydroxy-1,2,3-benzotriazole to react the dicarboxylic acid with bis-o-aminophenol (see Unexamined European Patent Application No. 391,196). However, the polymers synthesized by this method also have an inadequate solubility in aqueous alkaline metal-ion-free developers.
Another method of synthesizing polybenzoxazole and polybenzothiazole precursors in a chloride-free process is proposed in Unexamined European Patent Application No. 761,718, where bis-o-aminophenols or bis-o-aminothiophenols are reacted with dicarboxylic acid derivatives in the form of (thio)esters or amides with compounds based on benzoxazole, benzothiazole and benzotriazole, i.e., with so-called activated acid derivatives, such as activated esters. Polymers synthesized in this way are soluble in aqueous alkaline metal-ion-free developers, although the dicarboxylic acid derivatives used in this process must be synthesdized seately or isolated (see Unexamined European Patent Application No. 761,641). However, this is more expensive in comparison with direct synthesis, i.e., reacting a dicarboxylic acid with a bis-o-aminophenol, for example.
Unexamined German Patent Application No. 3,716,629 discloses thermally stable positive resists based on polybenzbxazole precursors (in the form of hydroxypolyamides) and diazoquinones. In addition to the actual starting materials, triphenylphosphine and hexachloroethane are used to synthesize the PBO precursors. Thus, the synthesis is not chloride free. In addition, the resists are developed with developers containing metal-ions.

Synthesis of polybenzoxasole and polybenzothiazole precursors


A TV camera system comprises a TV camera unit and a lens unit that can be attached to, and detached from, the TV camera unit. The lens unit includes an iris mechanism the operation of which is controlled by signals from the TV camera unit. The TV camera unit and lens unit are electrically connected by a cable that also includes an amplifier section that amplifies the signals sent from the TV camera unit to control the operation of the iris.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a TV camera system, and more particularly to a TV camera system having separable TV camera and lens units that are combined for use as a TV camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In prior art TV camera systems the lens unit that attaches to the TV camera unit is provided with an auto-iris mechanism, which requires an amplifier section to amplify iris drive signals transmitted from the TV camera section to thereby drive the iris mechanism. In this type of TV camera system the lens unit and the camera unit are separate units that are detachably mountable, enabling lenses and camera to be replaced by other lenses and cameras. TV camera units that incorporate an amplifier section and TV camera units that do not incorporate an amplifier section are both available in today""s marketplace. This means that it is also necessary to have lens units that incorporate an amplifier section and lens units that do not incorporate an amplifier section, which increases the size of product lineups and decreases production efficiency.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a TV camera system that enables the lens unit to be produced more efficiently.
In accordance with the present invention, the above object is attained by a TV camera system comprising a TV camera unit; a lens unit that is detachably mountable on the TV camera unit and includes an iris mechanism driven by signals from the TV camera unit; and a connecting cable having terminal portions for electrical connection at one end to the TV camera unit and at the other end to the lens unit, and an amplifier section for amplifying signals from the TV camera unit to drive the iris mechanism.
The above object is also attained by a TV camera system comprising a TV camera unit; a lens unit that is detachably mountable on the TV camera unit and includes an iris mechanism driven by signals from the TV camera unit; a first connecting cable having terminal portions for electrical connection at one end to the TV camera unit and at the other end to the lens unit; and a second connecting cable having terminal portions for electrical connection at one end to the TV camera unit and at the other end to the lens unit, and an amplifier section for amplifying signals from the TV camera unit to drive the iris mechanism, wherein said first connecting cable is used to connect the TV camera unit and lens unit when the TV camera unit does incorporate an amplifier section, and said second connecting cable is used to connect the TV camera unit and lens unit when the TV camera does not incorporate an amplifier section.
Each arrangement enables the amplifier section for amplifying the signals from the TV camera unit to drive the iris mechanism to be placed outside the lens unit. This eliminates the need to incorporate an amplifier section in the lens unit, thereby making it possible to produce lens units more efficiently.
Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description of the invention.

TV camera system with external cable having built-in amplifier for connecting TV camera unit to lens unit


The present invention relates generally to methods and compositions for targeting the vasulature of solid tumors using immunologcially-based reagents. In particular aspects, antibodies carrying diagnostic or therapeutic agents are targeted to the vasculature of solid tumor masses through recognition of tumor vasculature-associated antigens, or through the specific induction of endothelial cell surface antigens on vascular endothelial cells in solid tumors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and compositions for targeting the vasculature of solid tumors using immunologically-based reagents. In particular aspects, antibodies carrying diagnostic or therapeutic agents are targeted to the vasculature of solid tumor masses through recognition of tumor vasculature-associated antigens, or through the specific induction of other antigens on vascular endothelial cells in solid tumors.
2. Description of Related Art
Over the past 30 years, fundamental advances in the chemotherapy of neoplastic disease have been realized. While some progress has been made in the development of new chemotherapeutic agents, the more startling achievements have been made in the development of effective regimens for concurrent administration of drugs and our knowledge of the basic science, e.g., the underlying neoplastic processes at the cellular and tissue level, and the mechanism of action of basic antineoplastic agents. As a result of the fundamental achievement, we can point to significant advances in the chemotherapy of a number of neoplastic diseases, including choriocarcinoma, Wilm's tumor, acute leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma, retinoblastoma, Hodgkin's disease and Burkitt's lymphoma, to name just a few. Despite the impressive advances that have been made in a few tumors, though, many of the most prevalent forms of human cancer still resist effective chemotherapeutic intervention.
The most significant underlying problem that must be addressed in any treatment regimen is the concept of "total cell kill." This concept holds that in order to have an effective treatment regimen, whether it be a surgical or chemotherapeutic approach or both, there must be a total cell kill of all so-called "clonogenic"0 malignant cells, that is, cells that have the ability to grow uncontrolled and replace any tumor mass that might be removed. Due to the ultimate need to develop therapeutic agents and regimens that will achieve a total cell kill, certain types of tumors have been more amenable than others to therapy. For example, the soft tissue tumors (e.g., lymphomas), and tumors of the blood and blood-forming organs (e.g., leukemias) have generally been more responsive to chemotherapeutic therapy than have solid tumors such as carcinomas. One reason for this is the greater physical accessibility of lymphoma and leukemic cells to chemotherapeutic intervention. Simply put, it is much more difficult for most chemotherapeutic agents to reach all of the cells of a solid tumor mass than it is the soft tumors and blood-based tumors, and therefore much more difficult to achieve a total cell kill. The toxicities associated with most conventional antitumor agents then become a limiting factor.
A key to the development of successful antitumor agents is the ability to design agents that will selectively kill tumor cells, while exerting relatively little, if any, untoward effects against normal tissues. This goal has been elusive to achieve, though, in that there are few qualitative differences between neoplastic and normal tissues. Because of this, much research over the years has focused on identifying tumor-specific "marker antigens" that can serve as immunological targets both for chemotherapy and diagnosis. Many tumorspecific, or quasi-tumor-specific ("tumor-associated"), markers have been identified as tumor cell antigens that can be recognized by specific antibodies. Unfortunately, it is generally the case that tumor specific antibodies will not in and of themselves exert sufficient antitumor effects to make them useful in cancer therapy.
Over the past fifteen years, immunotoxins have shown great promise as a means of selectively targeting cancer cells. Immunotoxins are conjugates of a specific targeting agent typically a tumor-directed antibody or fragment, with a cytotoxic agent, such as a toxin moiety. The targeting agent directs the toxin to, and thereby selectively kills, cells carrying the targeted antigen. Although early immunotoxins suffered from a variety of drawbacks, more recently, stable, long-lived immunotoxins have been developed for the treatment of a variety of malignant diseases. These "second generation" immunotoxins employ deglycosylated ricin A chain to prevent entrapment of the immunotoxin by the liver and hepatotoxicity (Blakey et al., 1987). They employ new crosslinkers which endow the immunotoxins with high in vivo stability (Thorpe et al., 1988) and they employ antibodies which have been selected using a rapid indirect screening assay for their ability to form highly potent immunotoxins (Till et al., 1988).
Immunotoxins have proven highly effective at treating lymphomas and leukemias in mice (Thorpe et al., 1988; Ghetie et al., 1991; Griffin et al., 1988) and in man (Vitetta et al., 1991). Lymphoid neoplasias are particularly amenable to immunotoxin therapy because the tumor cells are relatively accessible to blood-borne immunotoxins; also, it is possible to target normal lymphoid antigens because the normal lymphocytes which are killed along with the malignant cells during therapy are rapidly regenerated from progenitors lacking the target antigens. In Phase I trials where patients had large bulky tumor masses, greater than 50% tumor regressions were achieved in approximately 40% of the patients (Vitetta et al., 1991). It is predicted that the efficacy of these immunotoxins in patients with less bulky disease will be even better.
In contrast with their efficacy in lymphomas, immunotoxins have proved relatively ineffective in the treatment of solid tumors such as carcinomas (Weiner et al., 1989; Byers et al., 1989). The principal reason for this is that solid tumors are generally impermeable to antibody-sized molecules: specific uptake values of less than 0.001% of the injected dose/g of tumor are not uncommon in human studies (Sands et al., 1988; Epenetos et al., 1986). Furthermore, antibodies that enter the tumor mass do not distribute evenly for several reasons. Firstly, the dense packing of tumor cells and fibrous tumor stromas present a formidable physical barrier to macromolecular transport and, combined with the absence of lymphatic drainage, create an elevated interstitial pressure in the tumor core which reduces extravasation and fluid convection (Baxter et al., 1991; Jain, 1990). Secondly, the distribution of blood vessels in most tumors is disorganized and heterogeneous, so some tumor cells are separated from extravasating antibody by large diffusion distances (Jain, 1990). Thirdly, all of the antibody entering the tumor may become adsorbed in perivascular regions by the first tumor cells encountered, leaving none to reach tumor cells at more distant sites (Baxter et al., 1991; Kennel et al., 1991). Finally, antigen-deficient mutants can escape being killed by the immunotoxin and regrow (Thorpe et al., 1988).
Thus, it is quite clear that a significant need exists for the development of novel strategies for the treatment of solid tumors. One approach would be to target cytotoxic agents or coagulants to the vasculature of the tumor rather than to the tumor. Indeed, it has been observed that many existing therapies may already have, as part of their action, a vascular-mediated mechanism of action (Denekamp, 1990). The present inventors propose that this approach offers several advantages over direct targeting of tumor cells. Firstly, the target cells are directly accessible to intravenously administered therapeutic agents, permitting rapid localization of a high percentage of the injected dose (Kennel et al., 1991). Secondly, since each capillary provides oxygen and nutrients for thousands of cells in its surrounding `cord` of tumor, even limited damage to the tumor vasculature could produce an avalanche of tumor cell death (Denekamp, 1990; Denekamp, 1984). Finally, the outgrowth of mutant endothelial cells lacking the target antigen is unlikely because they are normal cells.
For tumor vascular targeting to succeed, antibodies are required that recognize tumor endothelial cells but not those in normal tissues. Although several antibodies have been raised (Duijvestijn et al., 1987; Hagemeier et al., 1985; Bruland et al., 1986; Murray et al., 1989; Schlingemann et al., 1985) none has shown a high degree of specificity. The most promising antibodies described thus far are TP-1 and TP-3, which were raised against human osteosarcoma cells. Both antibodies appear to react with the same antigen and, besides reacting with proliferating osteoblasts in normal degenerating bone tissue, cross-react with capillary buds in a number of tumor types and in placenta but not with capillaries in any of the normal adult tissues examined (Bruland et al., 1986). It remains to be seen whether the TP-1/TP-3 antigen is present on the surface of endothelial cells or whether the antibodies cross-react with gut endothelial cells, as was found with another antibody against proliferating endothelium (Hagemaier et al., 1985). Thus, unfortunately, while vascular targeting presents promising theoretical advantages, no effective strategies incorporating these advantages have been developed.

Methods for targeting the vasculature of solid tumors

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


An analyte test sensor strip is disclosed having information coded thereon as well as a method of forming the same and conducting an analyte test using the analyte test sensor strip. Information relating to an attribute of the strip or batch/lot of strips may be coded based on resistance values pertaining to electrical aspects of the strip, such as a primary resistive element and a secondary resistive element, the secondary resistive element having one of a plurality of states defined by a location of a closed tap to form a unique resistive path for the secondary resistive element that includes a portion of the primary resistive element depending on the location of the closed tap. The states may be formed on the strip by a secondary processing step in the manufacture of the strip in which a plurality of taps are severed leaving only one tap in a closed state.

Biosensors provide an analysis of a biological fluid, such as whole blood, urine, or saliva. Measuring the concentration of substances in biological fluids is an important tool for the diagnosis and treatment of many medical conditions. For example, the measurement of glucose in body fluids, such as blood, is crucial to the effective treatment of diabetes. The sample of biological fluid may be directly collected or may be a derivative of a biological fluid. Typically, biosensors have a nondisposable measurement device or test meter that is used to analyze the sample of biological fluid that is placed on the test strip.
Many biosensor systems provide calibration information to the measurement device prior to the analysis. The measurement device typically uses this information to adjust the analysis of the biological fluid in response to one or more parameters. The accuracy and precision of the analysis is improved by using the calibration information. If the calibration information is not used, the measurement device may not complete the analysis or may make a wrong analysis of the concentration of the analyte in the biological fluid.
It is common practice in such test meter/test strip systems to ensure proper identification of the test strip in order to ensure proper test results. For example, a single test meter may be able to analyze several different types of test strips, wherein each type of test strip is designed to test for the presence or concentration of a different analyte in the biological fluid. In order to properly conduct the test, the test meter must know which type of test is to be performed for the test strip currently in use.
Also, lot-to-lot variations in the test strips normally require calibration information to be loaded into the test meter in order to ensure accurate test results. A common practice for downloading such calibration information into the test meter is the use of an electronic read-only memory key (ROM key) that is inserted into a corresponding slot or socket of the test meter. Because this calibration data may only be accurate for a particular production lot of test strips, the user is usually asked to confirm that the lot number of the test strip currently in use matches the lot number for which the ROM key was programmed.
Many other instances in which it is desirable to have information relating to the test strip are known to those having skill in the art. Prior art attempts to code information onto the test strip for reading by the test meter have suffered from many problems, including a severely limited amount of information that can be coded and the use of relatively large amounts of test strip surface area for the information coding function.
Thus, a system and method are needed that will allow information to be coded onto a biosensor for reading of the information by the test meter.

Encoded biosensors and methods of manufacture and use thereof


An equalizer comprising a pair of high pass filters for receiving an input signal, each filter having gain, a first of the filters having gain which is substantially flat within its passband, a second of the filters having gain over a range of its passband which is controlled by an error signal, a differential amplifier for generating the error signal, having an output applied to a control input of the second filter, a pair of broadband amplitude peak detectors each for receiving an output signal of a respective one of the filters, apparatus for applying loop signals derived from outputs of the filters and passing though the peak detectors to corresponding inputs of the differential amplifier, apparatus for providing an offset to a loop signal derived from the output of the first filter, and apparatus for providing an output signal from the output of the second filter.

Data signals carried by lossy media such as twisted-pair copper wire are subject to amplitude and phase distortions which are frequency and cable length dependent. Uncompensated, this results in both amplitude and timing jitter, such as intersymbol interference, (ISI) which imposes practical limitations on the attainable bit error rate (BER) performance after reception. Amplitude and phase equalization is typically employed to correct the distortions.
Adaptive receiver equalization techniques have been employed in the highest speed data communications networks such as ATM (155 MBits/s), 100BaseTX Ethernet (100 MBits/s) and FDDI TP-PMD (Twisted-Pair FDDI, 100 Mbits/s) to allow for transmission on up to 100 m of Category 5 Unshielded Twisted-Pair (UTP5) and Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP) at BERs exceeding 10E.sup.-10 with radiated emissions within FCC Class A and Class B limited.
Many, if not all, available solutions for receiver adaptive equalization use the received voltage amplitude and a fixed amplitude reference to control equalization. Given a tight tolerance on the transmitted amplitude and fixed amplitude reference proper equalization can be attained. However performance is degraded as tolerances increase.
Because of the required transformers for system isolation and radio frequency emission control, baseline wander degrades performance as well, if transmitted data is not strictly balanced. If positive or negative peak detection schemes are used to extract amplitude information, baseline wander will cause an apparatus shift in received amplitude thereby introducing an error in the required equalization. If equalization is fixed, the baseline wander will not impact equalization but will reduce the decision threshold noise margins at the data quantizer, impacting BER performance.
In data communication systems which are subject to large baseline wander components, baseline wander correction is required to maintain the required BER. However, even small residue errors in this correction circuit can introduce an amplitude error into the adaptive equalizer path which can degrade performance.


An apparatus and method for releasing a filament wound tube (4) from a mandrel (1) utilizing a removable fiber (2) covered with a wrap (3). After a tube is filament wound, the removable fiber (2) is pulled out from beneath the wrap (3) to create a plane of slippage between the mandrel (1) and tube (4) to provide for easy removal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to releasing filament wound tubes from a mandrel, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for releasing a filament wound tube from a mandrel employing a removable fiber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Filament wound tubes are fabricated by winding a fiber around an axisymmetric rotating mandrel in a predetermined manner. The fiber is guided onto the mandrel using roller guides that are moved back and forth axially along the mandrel as is well known in the art. By coordinating the positions of the guides and mandrel, it is possible to wind a geometric pattern with the fiber oriented in a specific direction.
Because of friction between the mandrel and the tube, it is not possible to remove the tube from the mandrel unless some type of slippage plane exists therebetween. Attempts to force a tube off a mandrel typically cause significant damage to the tube.
One prior art approach of releasing a filament wound tube from a mandrel is to coat the mandrel with a lubricant containing spray. This approach is successful with short tubes having small diameters such as about six inches long and about one and a half inches in diameter.
Another prior art approach employs the use of collapsible or semi-collapsible mandrels. The mandrels are disassembled fully or partially and withdrawn from the completed filament wound tube. Ordinarily these devices are expensive particularly when their shape is complex.
Still other prior art approaches use tubes or covers for the mandrel such as cardboard tubes or wrapping the mandrel with multiple layers of a wrap made from plastic or polytetrafluoroethylene to create a slippatge plane. Experience has shown that long tubes, for example, twenty-four (24) inches or longer cannot be slipped off a mandrel even when three layers of a plastic wrap is applied.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method for releasing a filament wound tube from a mandrel that allows short or long tubes to be easily removed from a mandrel without damage to the tube. The method and apparatus should be inexpensive, easy to use, and reliable.

Apparatus and method to release a filament wound tube from a mandrel


An original media object, such as an image, is edited without loss of the data comprising the media object. Changes applied to the media object are defined by metadata associated with the media object. For example, metadata define the cropping of an original JPEG image without loss of the original image. The metadata from a previous editing session can be used to further revising a change to the media object. Preferably, the metadata are stored as a stream in a substorage of an object linking and embedding (OLE) file. For display purposes, and for ease of modification, an edited version of the media object is stored as another stream of data in the substorage of the OLE file. The edited version of the media object is preferably compressed and serves as an intermediate object for faster display during editing and as a surrogate if the original media object is unavailable.

The term "digital media object" is generic to several different kinds of data that can be rendered either aurally or visually. This term thus encompasses digital images, audio sounds, and video images, all of which are now commonly accessed on personal computers and other types of electronic devices. For example, digital cameras, scanners, and digital video cameras are widely used to create digital media objects of the visual variety, while *.wma and *.mp3 files are typical digital media objects of the audio type.
Software applications are also readily available to manipulate digital media objects. For instance, it is common for users to employ image editing software to modify digital images by cropping, rotating, and inverting, or by changing contrast, color, or sharpness of an image. However, if a user applies an editing change to the original image, and then closes the editing application after saving the modified image to the original file name/location, it will normally not be possible for the user to again open the original image. Accordingly, most users have learned to save any modified image to a new file, retaining separate files for the modified and original images. Because image files can be relatively large, saving multiple modified versions of an image often requires substantial additional storage space on a user's hard drive or other storage media. Also, for certain editing changes such as cropping of an image, if the user wishes to change the amount of the modification, e.g., reduce the amount of the original image that was cropping that was applied, the user must start over with the original image to regain any portion of the image that was trimmed from the original image in the earlier editing. The user must also start over if default settings were applied in a previous editing session, such as application of a default cropping rectangle.
Some software applications, such as Adobe Corporation's Photoshop™ keep a history of modifications made to a media object, and allow the user to undo most of the modifications made during an editing session. However, once the changes are saved to an original file, and the current editing session is closed, the option to undo an editing modification is lost.
Also, the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) 2000 standard provides history metadata to provide partial information about how a picture was modified to achieve its current state. However, the JPEG 2000 standard specifically states that the history metadata is not designed to be used to reverse (undo) image editing operations. Nor does the JPEG 2000 standard enable subsequent further changes to an editing modification based on the previous editing operations. Instead, the JPEG history metadata simply provides a list of editing operations that were performed on the picture. (See Sections M.5.3 & M.6.3 of Annex M to JPEG 2000 Part II Final Committee Draft, Dec. 7, 2000, Joint Photographic Experts Group, available at http://www jpeg.org/public/fcd15444-2.pdf).
It would be desirable to minimize the number of versions of a modified media object that must be saved, while enabling a user to retain the original image data and to modify the changes previously made, and it would be desirable to enable the user to retain the highest quality media object after changes have been made. It would also be desirable to enable a user to be able to observe the modification previously made and to revise those modifications without starting over with an original image.


At least one isocyanate-reactive monomer is reacted with an excess of molten monomeric diisocynate to produce at least one reaction product and a maximum of 0.5 wt % of free isocyanate groups. The reaction product is then mixed with at least 20 wt. %, based on the total weight of reaction product, of at least one isocyanate-terminated prepolymer which is essentially free of diisocyanate monomers and has a viscosity at 20° C. of at least 1.500 mPa·s, the isocyanate-terminated prepolymer having a content of free NCO groups of up to 25 wt % and containing a maximum of 0.1 wt. % of diisocyanate monomer(s) based on the weight of the isocyanate-terminated prepolymer. A polyurethane composition containing less than 0.1 wt. % of monomeric diisocyanate, based on the total weight of the resulting polyurethane composition, is produced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a process for producing polyurethane compositions with a low content of diisocyanate monomer(s), the polyurethane compositions that can be produced by this process, and their use, especially in bonding processes (e.g., in hot-melt bonding processes) or for coating purposes. The invention also concerns adhesives and coating compounds that contain polyurethane compositions of this type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different processes for producing polyurethane compositions are known. However, these processes usually involve more than two process steps. The more complex the process and the greater the number of components, the more expensive and susceptible to error the process becomes.
There are a huge number of polyurethane compositions. In industrial applications, they are generally adjusted to specific applications according to user specifications, and in this regard, especially moisture-reactive polyurethane compositions are used as hot-melt adhesives.
However, the use of these polyurethane compositions is not without its problems, because the diisocyanate monomers they contain are toxic, injurious to health, irritating, and sensitizing. This means that during the processing of polyurethane compositions, care must be taken to ensure that the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of the isocyanates, which depends on their vapor pressures, is not exceeded. The MAC Commission has even classified various monomeric isocyanates in Category 3 "Substances with Well-Founded Suspicion of Carcinogenic Potential" of Section III (Carcinogenic Workplace Substances) of the MAC List. The Trade Association of the German Chemical Industry published a special code of practice entitled "Polyurethane Production and Processing/Isocyanates" with information on the safe handling of isocyanates. According to this publication, the handling of monomeric diisocyanates and compositions that contain monomeric diisocyanates requires special care, and according to the provisions of the Hazardous Substances Act, monomeric diisocyanates and compositions that contain diisocyanates must be labeled accordingly. However, when the content of monomeric diisocyanates in the composition is very low (less than 0.1 wt. %), there may no longer be an obligation to provide hazardous substance labeling.
DE 199 57 351 A1 describes the production of a reactive polyurethane adhesive/sealant composition with a low content of isocyanate monomers, in which a diol component is reacted with a monomeric diisocyanate, the unreacted monomeric diisocyanate is removed from the reaction product by recrystallization and/or washing with an aprotic solvent, and the high-molecular-weight diisocyanate formed in this way is reacted with a polyol. This process has the disadvantage that the excess monomeric diisocyanate must be removed to obtain a low content of monomeric diisocyanate in the polyurethane composition.
DE 199 31 997 A1 describes a polyurethane binder with a low content of readily volatile residual monomers and improved slip agent adhesion and a multistep process for producing it. Various difunctional isocyanates and polyol components are used in the multistep process. This makes the process very expensive and subject to error, since the various components must be used in the production process at precisely the right times and in precisely the right amounts.
Therefore, one of the goals of the invention is to develop a process for producing a polyurethane composition with a low content of diisocyanate monomer(s).
Another goal of the present invention is to make available a polyurethane composition with a low content of diisocyanate monomer(s), which can be used in a bonding process or for coating purposes.

Polyurethane compositions with a low content of diisocyanate monomer(s)


Methods and devices are described for monitoring a therapeutic effect in a red blood cell-related disease by detecting the size of a reticulocyte using a full-automatic blood cell counting device.

A reticulocyte is the youngest red blood cell that has been denucleated. An increase in reticulocyte serves as an index of the increase in red blood cell production in bone marrow. The inside of a reticulocyte contains RNA that is a residue of a nucleus, which is present as a reticular granule. While it is observed as a large polychromatic red blood cell in an ordinary Wright's staining, it may be stained as a reticule or granule in a supravital staining. It is represented usually as a reticulocyte rate per 1000 red blood cells (0/00; pro Mille).
The reticulocyte count increases or decreases in response to increase or decrease in the production of red blood cells. Since its elevation precedes the red blood cell count or hemoglobin level in the treatment of an iron deficiency anemia or megaloblastic anemia, it is useful in evaluating therapeutic effect at an early stage.
Diseases characterized by an increase in reticulocyte count include, for example, hemolytic anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency anemia, folic acid deficiency anemia, iron deficiency anemia, megaloblastic anemia, and the like. Hemolytic anemia is accompanied by a reduced lifetime of red blood cells, increased serum, indirect reacting bilirubin, reduced haptoglobin, and the like. Diseases exhibiting reduced reticulocyte count should be diagnosed based on bone marrow findings in addition to peripheral blood findings, and include, for example, acute leukemia, aplastic anemia, and the like.
With regard to reticulocyte counting technology, a flow cytometric counting technology has been employed (see, for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,544,546; 4,957,870; 5,360,739; and 5,821.127), and an automatic blood cell counter incorporating this technology has been marketed.
An automatic blood cell counting device may measure the degree of maturity of a reticulocyte in addition to reticulocyte count (rate). The clinical significance of measuring the degree of maturity of a reticulocyte is related to the chemotherapy, hematopoietic recovery monitoring after a bone marrow implantation. When attempts are made to recover bone marrow function that was once suppressed (e.g., by an anticancer agent) by discontinuing chemotherapy, an increase in the count of rather young reticulocytes reportedly precedes others by 2 to 3 days (see, for example: "High fluorescence reticulocytes are an indicator of bone marrow recovery after chemotherapy" in Eur. J. Haematol., 1995, 54, 61-63). Since clinical practitioners expect bone marrow function recovery to be achieved as soon as possible, an identification of the recovery at an early stage is of a great significance.
In the past, the count and the degree of maturity of a reticulocyte were typically the only parameters taken into consideration in diagnosing an anemia or in monitoring the hematopoietic condition after chemotherapy. Heretofore, the size of a newly produced red blood cell (reticulocyte) has not been taken into consideration.
It would be extremely useful in investigating the effect of a therapeutic agent to monitor the size of a reticulocyte. Nevertheless, conventional approaches, which take only the number (rate) or maturity of reticulocytes into consideration, are at risk of producing false judgments as to whether a newly produced red blood cell has a normal function or not.
Moreover, conventional measurements of reticulocytes, when employed alone, pose a problem in that a red blood cell having a low hemoglobin content can not be detected even if it is produced. In erythropoietin therapy for a renal anemia patient in which the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow is increased, a simple deficiency of stored iron is combined with the inability to transport the stored iron to the bone marrow on time (i.e., functional iron deficiency). This is observed clinically when the response to erythropoietin becomes poor in spite of the normal index of kinetics for existing iron species (e.g., iron and ferritin), and leads to the production of a hypochromic red blood cell whose hemoglobin level is reduced.
As described above, the conditions of functional iron deficiency can not be fully assessed if only the number and the rate of a reticulocyte are observed.

Methods and devices for measuring reticulocytes


A telescoping wall joint system is disclosed, for connecting adjacent sections of an architectural structure, while accommodating substantial relative movement, such as might result from seismic activity Extended motion is provided in the joint system while avoiding the use of excessively wide components, which are both costly and aesthetically undesirable. A center cover plate, which spans the open space between two adjacent structural units, is received along one or both sides in a tubular sleeve. The cover plate is slidably extendable within a predetermined range in the tubular sleeves to accommodate normal movements of the structural units, such as may result from thermal expansion and contraction, for example. The tubular sleeves themselves are slidably received within fixed housings mounted on the respective structural units. When the separating movement of two adjacent structural units becomes so great that the cover plate reaches a limit condition in its slidable extension out of the tubular sleeves, the sleeves themselves slidably extend in relation to the housings in which they are carried. The capacity of the system to accommodate separating movement of the structures is thus greatly increased.

In the design and construction of architectural structures, it is a common practice to provide for segmented construction, with a space being provided between adjacent structural units, which may be relatively movable with respect to each other as a result of normal expansion and contraction, and in some cases as a result of seismic activity. It is typical, in such structural arrangements, to provide a suitable cover means for spanning the gap between the adjacent structures. Such cover arrangements typically may include a cover plate which extends across the gap between the adjacent structures and is movably received with respect to one or both of the structures, frequently in a recess or chamber provided therein. In many cases, facilities are provided for maintaining the cover plate in a centered or symmetrical relation to both of the adjacent architectural units.
In one well known form of expansion joint system of the general type described above, a generally flat cover plate extends across the space between two adjacent structural units and projects slidably into a cavity in at least one of them. As the two structures are caused to move toward and away from each other, the cover plates slides into and out of a recess provided to receive it. Examples of known designs of such joint systems are reflected in the Balzer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,456 and the Hallock U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,528, for example.
Where the movement to be accommodated by the expansion joint system is purely a function of normal expansion and contraction, a conventional joint system of suitable proportion can provide adequate performance. Where occasional seismic activity must be accommodated, however, the joint must be designed for significantly greater than normal motion on at least an occasional basis. To accommodate such exceptional occasional motion with joint systems of conventional design requires joint systems that are undesirably large in relation to the normal separation between the adjacent structural units. This is not only costly but, perhaps equally important, tends to be aesthetically unattractive.
In accordance with the present invention, a novel and improved architectural joint system is provided which incorporates multiple stages of expansion, by reason of a telescopic construction. During normal expansion and contraction activities, the new joint system has the appearance and function of systems of more conventional design. However, when, due to seismic activity or other reasons, the normal separation of the structures is exceeded, the joint system of the invention is capable of expanding accordingly, through a second stage expansion feature. The new joint system thus accommodates a substantially greater degree of separation between the structural units, without at the same time requiring the components of the joint system to be undesirably wide. The joint system of the invention is especially well suited for use in walls and ceilings, while not being limited thereto.
In a preferred form of the invention, an otherwise conventional sliding cover plate is received within normally stationary but telescopically movable sleeves, which are in turn slidably received within chambers defined by the stationary structure of the expansion joint system. During normal expansion and contraction, the cover plate slides with respect to the telescoping sleeves to accommodate normal motion. When the separation of the structural unit exceeds the width of the cover plate, however, the telescoping sleeves themselves slide within the mounting structure, to greatly increase the ability of the structures to separate without destroying the expansion joint system.
For a more complete understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention and to the accompanying drawings.

Telescoping wall joint system, especially for seismic applications


In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte membrane; a pair of electrodes composed of catalyst layers sandwiching the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte membrane between them and gas diffusion layers in contact with the catalyst layers; a conductive separator plate having a gas flow channel for supplying a fuel gas to one of the electrodes; and a conductive separator plate having a gas flow channel for supplying an oxidant gas to the other electrode, in order to bring a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte and a catalyst metal of the catalyst layers containing the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte and conductive carbon particles carrying the catalyst metal sufficiently and uniformly into contact with each other, the polymer electrolyte is provided in pores of an agglomerate structure of the conductive carbon particles. Consequently, the reaction area inside the electrodes is increased, and higher performance is exhibited.

A fuel cell using a polymer electrolyte generates electric power and heat simultaneously by electrochemically reacting a fuel gas containing hydrogen with an oxidant gas containing oxygen such as air. This fuel cell is basically composed of a polymer electrolyte membrane for selectively transporting hydrogen ions; and a pair of electrodes arranged on both surfaces of the polymer electrolyte membrane. The electrode is usually composed of a catalyst layer comprising a carbon powder carrying a platinum group metal catalyst, and a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte; and a gas diffusion layer having both gas permeability and electronic conductivity, which is formed on the outer surface of the catalyst layer and made of, for example, carbon paper subjected to water repellent treatment.
In order to prevent the supplied gas from leaking out and prevent the fuel gas and oxidant gas from mixing together, a gas sealing material or gaskets are arranged on the periphery of the electrodes with the polymer electrolyte membrane therebetween. The sealing material or gaskets are combined integrally with the electrodes and the polymer electrolyte membrane in advance. This is called "MEA" (electrolyte membrane and electrode assembly). Disposed outside the MEA are conductive separator plates for mechanically securing the MEA and for electrically connecting adjacent MEAs in series. The separator plates have, in the portions in contact with the MEA, a gas flow channel for supplying a reaction gas to the electrode surface and for removing a generated gas and an excess gas. Although the gas flow channels may be provided separately from the separator plates, grooves are generally formed on the surfaces of the separator plates to serve as the gas flow channels.
As a catalyst layer of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, in general, a thin sheet formed from a mixture of a hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte and a carbon fine powder carrying a platinum group metal catalyst is used. At present, as the hydrogen ion conductive polymer electrolyte, a perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid is generally used. The catalyst layer is formed by mixing a carbon fine powder carrying a catalyst such as platinum with a dispersion of a polymer electrolyte, which was prepared by dispersing a polymer electrolyte in an alcohol based solvent such as ethanol, and adding an organic solvent having a relatively high boiling point such as isopropyl alcohol and butyl alcohol to the mixture so as to form an ink; and applying the ink using a screen printing method, a spray coating method, a doctor blade method, or a roll coater method.
In the catalyst layer of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the size of the reaction area of a three-phase interface consisting of pores serving as reaction gas supply channels, a polymer electrolyte having hydrogen ion conductivity and an electrode material of an electron conductor is one of the most important factors that affect the discharge performance of the cell.
In order to increase the three-phase interface, conventionally, attempts were made to provide the interface between a polymer electrolyte membrane and a porous electrode with a layer in which the electrode material and the polymer electrolyte are mixed and dispersed. For instance, Japanese Examined Patent Publication Nos. Sho 62-61118 and Sho 62-61119 propose a method in which a mixture of a dispersion of a polymer electrolyte and a metal salt for a catalyst is coated on a polymer electrolyte membrane, an electrode material is hot-pressed on the coating layer, and then the metal salt is reduced; or a method in which, after reducing the metal salt in the mixture including the polymer electrolyte, the mixture is coated on the polymer electrolyte membrane, and the electrode material is hot-pressed on the coating.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 2-48632 proposes a method in which, after molding a porous electrode, a solution of an ion exchange resin is sprayed on the electrode, and then the electrode and ion exchange film are hot-pressed. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 3-184266 proposes a method in which a powder prepared by coating the surface of a polymer resin with a polymer electrolyte is mixed into the electrode, while Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 3-295172 proposes a method in which a polymer electrolyte powder is mixed into the electrode. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 5-36418 proposes a method in which an electrode is produced by mixing a polymer electrolyte, a catalyst, a carbon powder and a fluorocarbon resin together and making the mixture to form a film.
In addition, the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,984 reports a method which comprises preparing an ink-like dispersion composed of a polymer electrolyte, a catalyst and a carbon powder using glycerin or tetrabutyl ammonium salt as a solvent, applying the dispersion on a film of polytetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter referred to as "PTFE") and then transferring it onto the surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane; or a method which comprises converting a proton exchange group of a polymer electrolyte membrane to a Na type, applying the ink-like dispersion on the surface of the membrane, and heating and drying the coat at a temperature not lower than 125° C. to convert the exchange group converted to the Na type again to the H type.
Moreover, in order to realize a high output current that is a characteristic feature of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, it is important to increase the gas permeability/diffusing performance by forming reaction gas supply channels (gas channels) in the electrode catalyst layer. Therefore, attempts have been made to form the gas channels by adding a water repellent agent such as a fluorocarbon resin to the electrode catalyst layer. For instance, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 5-36418, a catalyst layer is formed by dispersing and kneading a carbon powder carrying a catalyst and a PTFE powder into a dispersion of a polymer electrolyte. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 4-264367, an electrode is formed using a mixed liquid of a carbon powder carrying a catalyst and a PTFE colloid. Further, according to J. Electroanal. Chem. No. 197 (1986), p. 195, a gas diffusion electrode for an acidic electrolyte is formed by mixing a carbon powder subjected to water repellent treatment using PTFE with a carbon powder carrying a catalyst. On the other hand, according to the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,984, the catalyst layer of the electrode is fabricated using only a polymer electrolyte, a catalyst and a carbon powder without using a water repellent agent as mentioned above.
With the above-mentioned techniques, however, since a carbon powder carrying a catalyst and a water repellent agent such as a fluorocarbon resin, or a carbon powder subjected to water repellent treatment are added simultaneously to a polymer electrolyte solution, a large amount of the polymer electrolyte adheres to the water repellent agent or the carbon powder subjected to the water repellent treatment, and accordingly the degree of contact between the polymer electrolyte and the catalyst becomes uneven, resulting in a drawback that a sufficient reaction area is not secured in the interface between the electrode and the polymer electrolyte membrane. Besides, when the electrode is fabricated using only a carbon powder carrying a catalyst and a polymer electrolyte, there is a drawback that the cell voltage at a high current density is unstable due to flooding caused by generated water.
As means for solving these drawbacks, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 8-264190 discloses a method in which a colloid of a polymer electrolyte is produced and adsorbed to a catalyst powder. However, this method has a problem that, when a conventionally used perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid ionomer having a polymerization degree of about 1000 is used as the polymer electrolyte, it is impossible to cause a noble metal catalyst present in pores smaller than colloid particles to function effectively.
Other examples of electrodes improved by focusing on the pores of the catalyst layer like the above, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. Hei 8-88007, Hei 9-92293, and Hei 11-329452 specify 40 to 1000 nm and 30 to 1000 nm as the optimum values of the pores of the catalyst layer. Further, as examples of electrodes improved by focusing on the pores in the primary particles of carbon particles, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. Hei 3-101057, Hei 9-167622, 2000-003712, and 2000-100448 specify that the threshold value for the pores in the carbon particles used for the catalyst layer is between 2.5 and 7.5 nm, not more than 8 nm, or not less than 6 nm.
Conventionally, one obtained by dispersing a generally used perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid ionomer in a solvent is generally called a polymer electrolyte solution. However, as disclosed in Macromolecules, 1989, No. 22, p.p. 3594–3599, for example, in a polymer electrolyte solution, the polymer electrolyte ionomer is just dispersed and is not dissolved in the solvent. Therefore, if the molecular weight of PTFE that is a main chain of the ionomer increases or if a polymerization degree of the ionomer increases, the particle size of the polymer electrolyte particles in the dispersion of polymer electrolyte increases.
On the other hand, when carbon particles gather, the gathered state forms an aggregate structure in which the primary particles bond together in a fused state, or an agglomerate structure in which the primary particles are simply intertwined physically and secondary. Carbon particles used generally in a fuel cell form a particulate structure called an agglomerate particle resulting from further gathering of the aggregate structures. At this time, if carbon particles with 10 to 50 nm primary particles and a large specific surface area of not less than 200 m2 are used, the pores in the agglomerate structure of the carbon particles become very small. Then, when a generally used perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid ionomer with a polymerization degree of about 1000 is used as a polymer electrolyte, the polymer electrolyte cannot enter the pores in the agglomerate structure and cannot come into contact with a catalyst metal in the pores, and therefore the catalyst cannot be used effectively.
In the structure of the catalyst layer of a conventional fuel cell, a perfluorocarbon sulfonic acid ionomer with a polymerization degree of about 1000 is used as the polymer electrolyte. Hence, optimization from the above-mentioned structural view point has not been made. In other words, in order to bring the catalyst in the pores and the polymer electrolyte into contact with each other for an increase of the reaction area, the state of the polymer electrolyte also needs to be optimized, and it is insufficient to just optimize the pores of the catalyst layer or the pores of carbon particles as in the conventional examples.


A distributed virtual desktop infrastructure system includes at least one management server and a plurality of client management applications. The management server includes at least one processor, and is programmed and/or configured to determine a home system of the plurality of client systems for at least one user. The plurality of client management applications are in communication with the at least one management server, and are configured to execute on the plurality of client system and display, on at least one client system, a virtual desktop of at least one virtual machine executing on the home system. Related systems and methods are also described.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to virtual desktop infrastructures and, more specifically, to systems and methods for providing, executing, and/or interacting with a distributed virtual desktop infrastructure.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditionally, virtual desktop infrastructures (VDIs) require a large amount of infrastructure to run all of the virtual machine workloads in a data center. At the same time, thin clients used by end-users to access the VDI sessions generally serve no greater purpose than normal thick clients. The price differential between a suitably configured thin client and a fully robust thick client is small. Further, users often want or need to perform some local processing while accessing a VDI, which results in them accessing their VDI session from a traditional laptop or desktop computing system.
However, thin clients for accessing VDI sessions pose advantages over traditional thick client computing because information technology (IT) support can offer a guaranteed service-level agreement (SLA) for VDI sessions since IT controls the complete environment. Further, environments with fixed client equipment can offer session portability that is not possible with traditional computing (e.g., doctors/nurses moving between patients rooms can use the hardware in each room to connect to an existing VDI session).

System and method for a distributed virtual desktop infrastructure


A conductor attachment wherein each conductor is mounted on a dielectric tape and has an attachment portion that is supported by the tape to an adjacent location a uniform distance from the bonding location and that contacts on a level with the plane of the underside of the tape. One conductor supporting tape has portions of the tape that extend into a central contacting area opening to contact locations at contacting pads in rows remote from the edge. Another supporting tape has window openings at the contacting locations. The conductor ends are brought into the level of the underside of the tape by a manufacturing rolling operation between an elastomer surface roller and a solid backing roller.

Electronic apparatus involving such items as semiconductor devices have circuit density to the level that the contacting locations, such as the pads on the surface of a semiconductor chip which provide the interface with external circuitry, now must be in more than one row and may be at random locations in a larger attachment area. This in turn results in a large quantity of very small and closely positioned contacting locations that require interconnection to outside or external circuitry and which are not uniformly located with respect to an edge of the attachment area. The sizes involved and volume of production are such that normal manual dexterity can no longer be employed. The structural shapes, the materials, the processes and the conditions of processing must be compatible both to make the fabrication possible within the design constraints and to provide reliability over the life of the device and circuitry package.
In semiconductor technology, the connection between the pad or contact area on the semiconductor chip and the external circuitry is made using an array of conductors on an insulating backing member with very closely spaced inner lead cantilevered members extending into a semi-conductor chip accommodating opening with the inner lead member being bonded to the pad or contact area on the chip and the array expanding outwardly to a more easily connectable spacing. This type of conductor array has become known in the art as the lead frame.
In some electronic wiring, the conductors are mounted on flexible insulating backing with solder reflow and thermocompression bonding type connections to pads or connecting locations on electronic devices being made at locations along the edges of the devices.
Generally, in the art, the contacting area has been confined to a small region in the vicinity of the edge of the device or circuitry being contacted.
As the art has continued to progress, a variation of the lead frame technology has evolved in which a conductor pattern, such as an array of leads, is placed on a dielectric tape filament. One version of this technology is known as flexible tape wiring or FLEX tape. Another version for high precision device contacting is known as Tape Automated Bonding (TAB). It facilitates many registration aspects in automated semiconductor packaging. In the TAB technology, the conductive connecting members extend as beam leads cantilevered into an opening for the semiconductor chip in the tape filament. The TAB technology is described in the "Microelectronics Packaging Handbook" edited by R. R. Tummala and E. J. Rymazewski, published by Van Nostrand, (1989), pages 409-431.
The specifications in the art have now reached the range where multiple rows of pads are being used on the chip to relax spacing constraints as illustrated in Japanese patent 55-12791 and widening the ends of the connecting leads is used in relaxing registration problems as illustrated in Japanese patent 54-124677.
In electronic packaging where lead size and spacing is 5 mils or less on 10 mils or less separation, it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve high yields of reliable bonded contacts to the packages.

Electronic substrate multiple location conductor attachment technology

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a packing machine 1 for the packing of packed items, in particular encompassing a deep drawing machine 3 with a mold and/or a sealing device with a sealing tool. The packing machine is distinguished in that a cleaning device is provided for the mold and/or the sealing tool. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a deep drawing machine and a sealing machine.

Packing machines are frequently used in the packing of food products and must satisfy accordingly high hygiene requirements. In particular, machines of this type are regularly cleaned and disinfected in order reliably to prevent contamination of the packed items to be packed by residues or germs from the packing machine.
A basic element of the packing machine is a deep drawing or shell molding machine by means of which containers, which are subsequently filled with the packed items to be packed and sealed, are molded for example from film webs and a corresponding mold. Machines or devices of this type can consist of a plurality of parts: for example an upper and a lower shaping tool between which the film, which is generally drawn off from a roll, is drawn through in the transport direction and molded therewith to form a shell-shaped receptacle for the packed item to be packed, preferably in the clamping position.
For carrying out a deep drawing or shaping process of this type, the deep drawing or shaping device can encompass further elements, such as for example one or more heat sources, in order appropriately to preheat for the shaping process the film to be deep drawn, a lower and an upper matrix shaping the shell-shaped container to be molded, fluid line connections for applying reduced pressure and/or excess pressure to the shaping device, for example to bring the film as effectively as possible into abutment with a matrix, in particular in the corner regions, and optionally also one or more connections for applying the fluid, which is adapted to the packed item to be packed, to the molded container in order positively to influence the durability thereof and/or the visual appearance thereof when packed. If appropriate, the matrices can also be configured as insert elements which can be connected to corresponding sockets in order to be able to mold a plurality of differently molded packing containers, for example using a set consisting of an upper and a lower part of the deep drawing machine, by simple exchange of insert elements of this type.
Overall, a deep drawing or shaping device of this type has in the conventional manner a large number of edges, depressions, holes and the like in which impurities and in particular also residues from the packed item to be packed can become deposited.
Furthermore, a packing machine of this type can also encompass a sealing station or sealing device by means of which the packings filled with packed items can be sealed. For this purpose, the filled containers are conventionally covered with what is known as a cover film and connected to the packing securely and in an air-tight manner in the edge surrounding the packing troughs. Depending on the embodiment, this can be carried out in a manner which produces either a one-off fixed seal or else a seal which can be opened and resealed repeatedly. If appropriate, the packing can subsequently be isolated from a packing composite in a cutting station.
The sealing and cutting stations of this type also have to be cleaned again and again to avoid any contamination.

Packing machine, in particular encompassing a deep drawing machine

Multivac Sepp Haggenmuller GmbH & Co. KG


A separator comprises a first and second metal plates laid over each other. A cooling medium flow passage is integrally provided between the first and second metal plates. The cooling medium flow passage has inlet buffer portions communicating with a cooling medium inlet communication hole, outlet buffer portions communicating with a cooling medium outlet communication hole, and linear flow passage grooves linearly extending in the direction of arrow B and that of arrow C.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a fuel cell formed by alternatively stacking an electrolyte electrode assembly and separators. The electrolyte electrode assembly includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte interposed between the anode and the cathode.
2. Background Art
For example, a solid polymer fuel cell employs a polymer ion exchange membrane as a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane is interposed between an anode and a cathode to form a membrane electrode assembly. Each of the anode and the cathode is made of electrode catalyst and porous carbon. The membrane electrode assembly is sandwiched between separators (bipolar plates) to form the fuel cell. In use, generally, a predetermined number of the fuel cells are stacked together to form a fuel cell stack.
In the fuel cell, a fuel gas (reactant gas) such as a gas chiefly containing hydrogen (hereinafter also referred to as the hydrogen-containing gas) is supplied to the anode. The catalyst of the anode induces a chemical reaction of the fuel gas to split the hydrogen molecule into hydrogen ions and electrons. The hydrogen ions move toward the cathode through the electrolyte, and the electrons flow through an external circuit to the cathode, creating a DC electrical energy. An oxidizing gas (reactant gas) such as a gas chiefly containing oxygen (hereinafter also referred to as the oxygen-containing gas) is supplied to the cathode. At the cathode, the hydrogen ions from the anode combine with the electrons and oxygen to produce water.
In the fuel cell, a fuel gas flow field (reactant gas flow field) is formed on a surface of the separator facing the anode for supplying the fuel gas to the anode. An oxygen-containing gas flow field (reactant gas flow field) is formed on a surface of the separator facing the cathode for supplying the oxygen-containing gas to the cathode. Further, a coolant flow field is provided between the anode side separator and the cathode side separator such that a coolant flows along the surfaces of the separators.
Normally, the separators of this type are formed of carbon material. However, it has been found that it is not possible to produce a thin separator using the carbon material due to factors such as the strength. Therefore, recently, attempts to reduce the overall size and weight of the fuel cell using a separator formed of a thin metal plate (hereinafter also referred as the metal separator) have been made (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 8-222237). In comparison with the carbon separator, the metal separator has the higher strength, and it is possible to produce a thin metal separator easily. The desired reactant flow field can be formed on the metal separator under pressure to achieve the reduction in thickness of the metal separator.
For example, a fuel cell 1 shown in FIG. 28 includes a membrane electrode assembly 5 and a pair of metal separators 6a, 6b sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly 5. The membrane electrode assembly 5 includes an anode 2, a cathode 3, and an electrolyte membrane 4 interposed between the anode 2 and the cathode 3.
The metal separator 6a has a fuel gas flow field 7a for supplying a fuel gas such as a hydrogen-containing gas on its surface facing the anode 2. The metal separator 6b has an oxygen-containing gas flow field 7b for supplying an oxygen-containing gas such as the air on its surface facing the cathode 3. The metal separators 6a, 6b have planar regions 8a, 8b in contact with the anode 2 and the cathode 3. Further, coolant flow fields 9a, 9b as passages of a coolant is formed on back surfaces (surfaces opposite to the contact surfaces) of the planar regions 8a, 8b.
However, in the metal separators 6a, 6b, the shapes of the coolant flow fields 9a, 9b are determined inevitably based on the shapes of the fuel gas flow field 7a and the oxygen-containing gas flow field 7b. In particular, in an attempt to achieve the long grooves, assuming that the fuel gas flow field 7a and the oxygen-containing gas flow field 7b comprise serpentine flow grooves, the shapes of the coolant flow fields 9a, 9b are significantly constrained. Therefore, it is not possible to supply the coolant along the entire surfaces of the metal separators 6a, 6b. Thus, it is difficult to uniformly cool the electrode surfaces, and achieve the stable power generation performance.
In view of the above, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2002-75395 discloses a separator of a fuel cell. The separator is a metal separator, and includes two corrugated metal plates having gas flow fields, and a corrugated metal intermediate plate sandwiched between the two metal plates. The metal intermediate plate has coolant water flow fields on both surfaces.
However, according to the disclosure of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2002-75395, the metal separator has three metal plates including the two metal plates having gas flow fields, and the one intermediate metal plate having the coolant flow fields on its both surfaces. Therefore, in particular, when a large number of metal separators are stacked to form the fuel cell stack, the number of components of the fuel cell stack is large, and the dimension in the stacking direction of the metal separators is large. Thus, the overall size of the fuel cell stack is large.

Fuel cell having coolant inlet and outlet buffers on a first and second side


A liquid-crystal projector includes: liquid-crystal panel sections a first illumination section including a red light source, red light emitted from the red light source being applied to a liquid-crystal panel section; a second illumination section including a green light source, a blue light source and a polarizing beam splitter that splits green light emitted from the green light source into p-polarized light and s-polarized light, the green s-polarized light being applied to a liquid-crystal panel section, the green p-polarized light and blue light being applied to a liquid-crystal panel section on the same optical path; a cross dichroic mirror that combines images displayed on liquid-crystal panel sections; a projection lens that projects the combined image; and a control unit that controls on/off states of the red light source, the green light source and the blue light source based on an input video signal to display respective images on the liquid-crystal panel sections.

Since solid state light sources such as LEDs have advantages of, e.g., good purity of color of emitted light, compact size and excellent lifetime characteristic compared to high-pressure mercury lamps; recently, three panel-type projectors including solid state light sources have been provided.
For example, three panel-type liquid-crystal projectors including three light sources, a red LED, a green LED and a blue LED, have been known.
In such three panel-type liquid-crystal projectors, red light emitted from the red LED is applied to a liquid-crystal panel section for red, green light emitted from the green LED is applied to a liquid-crystal panel section for green, and blue light emitted from the blue LED is applied to a liquid-crystal panel section for blue. Then, the red light, the green light and the blue light that have passed through the respective liquid-crystal panel sections are combined by a color combining section, and the light of the respective colors combined by the color combining section is projected onto a screen via a projection lens.
Although LEDs have been enhanced in performance year after year, the luminous flux of light emitted from such LEDs is still small compared to that of discharge lamps, and thus, brightness of an image projected by a projector using LEDs is not sufficient. Here, a luminous flux represents brightness of the entire light radiated from a light source in a certain direction, and the unit of the luminous flux is lumen (lm). A large luminous flux is synonymous with a large amount of light.
As a first approach for obtaining a bright projection image, there is the method of increasing luminous fluxes of light emitted from light sources. More specifically, use of LEDs with a large light emission area or LEDs arranged in an array enables provision of light sources with a large luminous flux.
However, the above first approach has the following problem.
In general, the amount of light from a light source that can be used as projection light in a projector is determined by the relationship between the light source-side etendue defined by the product of the light emission area of the light source and the divergence angle and the image formation-side etendue defined by the product of the area of a liquid-crystal panel and the acceptance angle (solid angle) determined by the F number of a projection lens. In other words, in a projector, unless the value of the light source-side etendue is smaller than the value of the image formation-side etendue, light from the light source cannot efficiently be used as projection light.
Accordingly, even where the luminous flux of light emitted from a light source is increased by arranging LEDs in an array or using a LED with a large light emission area, the brightness of a projection image cannot be enhanced if the value of the light source-side etendue is larger than the value of the image formation-side etendue. Because of such etendue restriction, a projection image with sufficient brightness cannot be provided by merely increasing the luminous flux of light emitted from a light source under the current circumstances.
As a second approach for obtaining a bright projection image, there is the method of increasing the utilitization efficiency of light emitted from a light source. The method will briefly be described below.
In general, in a liquid-crystal projector, a liquid-crystal panel section includes a liquid-crystal panel and two polarizing plates arranged respectively on the incident surface side and the exit surface side of the liquid-crystal panel. In the liquid-crystal panel section, light that has passed through the incident surface-side polarizing plate becomes linearly-polarized light and the linearly-polarized light is entered onto the liquid-crystal panel. While the incident linearly-polarized light is propagating through the liquid-crystal layer of the liquid-crystal panel in the thickness direction of the liquid-crystal panel, the polarization state of the linearly-polarized light varies according to the refractive index anisotropy (birefringence) of the crystal. The exit surface-side polarizing plate transmits, of output light that has passed through the liquid-crystal layer, only polarized light in a particular direction.
In the above liquid-crystal panel section, only one type of polarized light (s-polarized light or p-polarized light) in the incident light is used and the other type of polarized light is absorbed or reflected and thus does not contribute to formation of an image. Thus, if incident light is non-polarized light, a light loss of approximately 50% will occur in the liquid-crystal panel section.
In the above three panel-type liquid-crystal projector, light of each of the colors emitted from the red LED, the green LED and the blue LED is non-polarized light, and thus, if the light emitted from each LED is entered onto the liquid-crystal panel section without any alteration, a light loss of approximately 50% will occur in the liquid-crystal panel section.
Therefore, the method (second approach), in which a polarization conversion element that includes a first prism and a second prism is provided on an optical path of light of each of the colors emitted from the red LED, the green LED and the blue LED to reduce the loss in the respective liquid-crystal panel sections and to improve light utilitization efficiency, has been considered.
Each of the first prism and the second prism is a cuboidal prism formed by bonding two right angle prisms together.
The first prism includes a polarized light splitting film formed in a surface on which the two right angle prisms are bonded together, the polarized light splitting film transmitting p-polarized light and reflecting s-polarized light, and light emitted from an LED is entered into the polarized light splitting film at an incident angle of approximately 45 degrees. A surface of the first prism that is positioned in a travelling direction of p-polarized light that has passed through the polarized light splitting film is an exit surface, and the p-polarized light is exited from the exit surface.
The second prism includes a reflective film formed in a surface on which the two right angle prisms are bonded together, and s-polarized light reflected by the polarized light splitting film in the first prism is entered into the reflective film at an incident angle of approximately 45 degree. A surface of the second prism that is positioned in a travelling direction of light reflected by the reflective film is an exit surface, and on the exit surface, a retardation plate for converting s-polarized light into p-polarized light is provided.
The p-polarized light that exits from the first prism and the p-polarized light that exits from the second prism travel in a same direction.
However, in the second approach, the area of the exit surface (the first and second exit surfaces) of the polarized light conversion element is approximately twice the light emission area of the LED. Thus, the value of the light source-side etendue is larger than the value of the image formation-side etendue, and as a result, light not used as projection light is increased, resulting in a decrease in light utilitization efficiency. As described above, because of the etendue restriction, even if a polarized light conversion element is used, the light utilitization efficiency cannot be enhanced so much and a projection image with sufficient brightness cannot be provided under the current circumstances.
As a third approach for obtaining a bright projection image, there is the method of increasing the luminous flux of light emitted from a light source without increasing the value of the light source-side etendue (see Patent Literature 1).
A three panel-type projector described in Patent Literature 1 includes a first green LED and a second green LED with different peak wavelengths, and a red LED and a blue LED.
The optical axis of the first green LED is perpendicular to the optical axis of the second green LED, and a dichroic mirror is provided at a position where the optical axes of the first and second green LEDs cross.
A green light beam emitted from the first green LED is reflected by the dichroic mirror, and the reflected light is applied to a liquid-crystal panel for green. A green light beam emitted from the second green LED passes through the dichroic mirror and the passed light is applied to the liquid-crystal panel for green.
A red light beam emitted from the red LED is applied to a liquid-crystal panel for red. A blue light beam emitted from the blue LED is applied to a liquid-crystal panel for blue.
The red image light from the liquid-crystal panel for red, the green image light from the liquid-crystal panel for green and the blue image light from the liquid-crystal panel for blue are combined by a cross dichroic prism. Image light resulting from the combination by the cross dichroic prism is projected onto a screen via a projection lens.
In the above three panel-type projector, the first green light beam emitted from the first green LED and the second green light beam emitted from the second green LED are applied to the liquid-crystal panel for green on the same optical path via the dichroic mirror. According to this configuration, since the value of the light source-side etendue is not increased, most of the first and second green light beams emitted from the first and second green LEDs can be used as projection light. Also, most of the red and blue light beams emitted from the red LED and the blue LED can be used as projection light.


A magnetic disk drive is disclosed which has a tunnel erase head assembly comprising a read/write head for writing and reading data on a magnetic disk, and a pair of tunnel erase heads for trimming a pair of opposite marginal edges of the record track being formed by the read/write head, with the consequent formation of spaces intervening between the record tracks. The spaces created on the same disk by different disk drives may be of one polarity of magnetization or the other, with the possibility of noise production due to an abrupt change in the polarity of magnetization as the read/write head scans any of the spaces as a result of mistracking. For the reduction of such noise the coil of the tunnel erase heads is connected to an erase current source via a circuit whereby the erase current is made to have a staircase or ramp rise and fall.

Our invention relates generally to a data storage apparatus for use with magnetic record media such as, typically, those in the form of flexible disks. More particularly, our invention pertains to such a magnetic data storage apparatus, or disk drive according to common parlance, that has an electromagnetic head assembly of the familiar tunnel erase or equivalent type for trimming or erasing the opposite marginal edge portions of each record track as data is written thereon. Still more particularly, our invention concerns a system in such a magnetic data storage apparatus for defeating inconveniences arising from a difference in the polarity of magnetization on the blank spaces created by the erase heads of different disk drives between the record tracks on the flexible magnetic disk or like record media.
The rotating disk data storage apparatus has been known which has a tunnel erase head assembly, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,799 to Aikawa. The tunnel erase head assembly is an integral combination of a read/write head and a pair of tunnel erase heads. As the read/write head creates a record track on the disk, the pair of tunnel erase heads trim off the opposite marginal edge portions of the track. The successive record tracks are therefore created with intervening spaces. These intervening spaces make it possible for the read/write head to subsequently read the data on the tracks in the face of some mistracking.
There has, however, been a problem left unsolved with the tunnel erase head assembly. As indicated in the Aikawa patent, supra, the common tunnel erase coil of erase heads is energized and deenergized under the control of a tunnel erase signal which is derived from the write gate signal. As is well known in the disk drive art, the write gate signal is fed from the host system to enable the read/write head to write on the magnetic disk. If the read/write gap and erase gaps of the tunnel erase head assembly are spaced longitudinally or circumferentially of each annular record track, as is usually the case, then the tunnel erase signal is obtained by delaying the write gate signal a length of time corresponding to the spacing between read/write gap and erase gaps. Thus, as the read/write head starts writing data on any track, the tunnel erase coil is energized with a direct current for trimming the marginal edges of the data track being created.
The problem arises from the fact that the tunnel erase signal, like the write gate signal, is a binary digital signal. Consequently, switched on and off by this digital tunnel erase signal, the tunnel erase coil is energized with a direct erase current that has so far had an instantaneously rise and an instantaneous fall. Such instantaneous rise and fall of the tunnel erase current would present no problem at all if the disk spaces created by the tunnel erase heads were magnetized in the same polarity. The fact is, however, that the polarity of disk magnetization by the tunnel erase heads is not standardized in the disk drive art but differs from one disk drive to another.
The widespread practice now is to put the same magnetic disk to use with two or more different disk drives. This same disk may therefore be tunnel erased in one polarity in one disk drive and in the other polarity in another. In that case the disk spaces between the record tracks will have parts (sectors) that are magnetized in one polarity and other parts that are magnetized in the other. Since the direct current flowing through the tunnel erase coil has hitherto risen and fallen instantaneously as aforesaid, an abrupt change has occurred in the polarity of magnetization from one part to another of any one space.
We object to such an abrupt change in the polarity of magnetization because the read/write head of the tunnel erase head assembly may subsequently scan the spaces as a result of mistracking. The read/write head will then produce a noise output that may interfere with the data to be retrieved. We will later discuss this inconvenience in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

System for eliminating noise arising from difference in polarity of magnetization by tunnel erase heads