An organizer for medicines, toiletries, and other similarly-sized articles adapted as a free-standing frame adapted to fit inside a household medicine cabinet, with a horizontal base panel forming a lowermost of a plurality of shelves. The base panel and each shelf being attached to a back panel. Preferably, each of the shelves is incrementally less deep than the next lower shelf and incrementally less wide that the next lower shelf to facilitate visibility of the stored items to the user and to facilitate access to stored items by the user. Peferably, the base panel and each shelf has a rim along its front edge to prevent stored items from falling off the front edge. At least one of surfaces of the organizer is mirrored and others are transparent to increase visibility of stored items the user. The organizer is formed of materials amenable to cleaning with common household surface cleaning products.

Cabinets for storing medicines, toiletries, and similarly-sized articles, i.e., medicine cabinets, are well known. Medicine cabinets typically provide a plurality of shelves, each of which span the cabinet's full interior width. Typically, the shelves may be installed at a limited number vertical positions within the medicine cabinet. The distance between any two adjacent shelves must be great enough to accommodate the tallest item stored upright on the lower of the two shelves.
However, adjusting the vertical distance between full width shelves to accommodate the tallest item stored upright on the lower of two adjacent shelves typically results in inefficient use of the remainder of space between those shelves. Even with the ability to adjust the vertical distance between shelves, access to small items stored in the medicine cabinet and visibility of those items may be hampered by the construction of the medicine cabinet. Further, stored items may fall off a shelf.
Typical solutions to increase utilization of the space inside a medicine cabinet include replacing the entire medicine cabinet with one which allows more efficient use of space or fixedly installing an organizer inside the existing medicine cabinet using fasteners or adhesives. While enabling more efficient use of space inside the cabinet, such approaches still have disadvantages, e.g., visibility and accessibility of stored items may continue to be hampered; de-installation and subsequent re-installation of the organizer may be required for complete cleaning; stored items may fall off the front of a shelf; the organizer may not be adapted to use outside the medicine cabinet. The need exists for an organizer that addresses these drawbacks.
Therefore, in view of this need and potential benefits to be enjoyed in addressing these drawbacks, the present invention has been designed and developed.


A series of novel polyamine-linked acridine dimers and derivatives thereof are described. The polyamine-linked acridine dimers and derivatives are potential anti-cancer agents.

The invention relates to novel derivatives of polyamine-linked acridines and salts thereof and the processes and intermediates for their preparation.
DNA intercalating drugs are a class of antitumor agents that interact with the DNA double helix. DNA intercalating drugs include synthetic intercalating drugs, anthracyclines and other intercalating antitumor antibiotics.
Several antitumor agents are traditionally clinically useful, such as actinomycin D, adriamycin and daunomycin. Recently, several intercalating antitumor agents were also developed or under clinical trials. Amsacrine, an aminoacridine, and mitoxantrone hydrochloride, an anthracenedione, are synthetic intercalating drugs that were launched in 1982 and 1984, respectively. Bisanthrene hydrochloride, an anthracene bishydrazone cytostatic intercalant, was launched in 1989 for the treatment of nonlymphocytic leukemia. Three examples of anthrapyrazoles under clinical trial include: piroxantrone; iosoxantrone hydrochloride; and teloxantrone. Other synthetic DNA intercalating antitumor drugs include crisnatol mesylate, polyamine-linked naphthalimide antitumor agents, quinobenzoxazine antineoplastic compounds, and aza-anthracenedione antitumor agents.
DNA polyintercalating drugs based on polyamine-linked acridine dimers have been shown to be fluorescent probes of DNA sequence. See, Le Pecq, J. B., Le Bret, M., Barbet, J., Roques, B. Proc.Nat.Acad.Sci, USA Vol.72. No.8. 2915 (1975). The effect of the rigidity of the polyamine linking chain on the DNA-intercalating properties were also studied. See, Markovits, J., Garbay-Jaureguiberry, C., Roques, B., Le Pecq, J. B. Eur. J. Biochem. 180, 359 (1989). One can consider these drugs to consist of a DNA intercalation domain (i.e., the acridine ring region) and a protein binding domain (i.e., sidearms or linkers).


The water- and air-cooled reflection mirror of this invention, which can be applied to light projector, sterilizing lamp and development device, cools with water and air the reflection mirror that is heated by intense heat of the light source. The water flowing into the water passages formed in the reflection, mirror base body cools the base body to cool the air present in the opening in the base body, thereby preventing overheating of the reflection mirror by the circulating water and cooling air.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water- and air-cooled reflection mirror incorporated in such equipment as a light projector, sterilizing lamp, and developing device, and more particularly to a water- and air-cooled reflection mirror which cools with water and air the reflection mirror that is heated by a light source.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional reflection mirrors of this kind have different illumination intensities according to the use of the apparatuses and the objects being illuminated. When the illumination intensity required is relatively weak, the light source uses a low kilowatt bulb. Where an intense illumination is required as in a development device for printing, a bulb of 500 kW or 800 kW may be used. Such a high kilowatt bulb produces a large amount of heat, so that some provisions are made to protect the illumination devices from intense heat and to keep the temperature in the case or cubicle low. The most common measure is to use a fan to exhaust the hot air from the case.
As mentioned above, the reflection mirror using the high kilowatt bulb has the drawbacks of causing cracks and discoloration to the film formed on the surface of the reflection mirror, deteriorating the illumination function. Another drawback is that the reflected heat may deform the objects being illuminated or cause food to rot. Thus, even with the use of fans, it is not possible to remove heat sufficiently by discharging the heated air from the case. The use of fan therefore is not only unsuitable for the illumination equipment that uses a high kilowatt bulb but has a drawback of increasing the size of the illumination equipment as a whole.


Control gate electrodes 12 are formed on field oxidation layers 19. Anisotropic etching is carried out by covering all the regions except for a source region by photo-resist layers 31 and using the control gate electrodes 12 as a mask. Concave parts 20 are formed in the inner side of the control gate electrodes 12 of the field oxidation layer 19. A source region 4b is formed by carrying out ion implantation. Drain regions 3 and a source region 4 are formed by removing the photo-resist layers 31, and by carrying out ion implantation using the control gate electrodes 12 as a mask. The source region is formed by removing a part of the isolation region positioned adjacently to the source region located in a peripheral part of the control gate electrodes 12. As a result, it is possible to reduce the distance between two of the control gate electrodes positioned adjacently as well as increasing integration level of the nonvolatile memory devices.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device, more specifically an increased integration level of the semiconductor memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional nonvolatile memory is described with reference to FIG. 7A, 7B and FIG. 8 hereinbelow. FIG. 7A shows a plan view of the nonvolatile memory 35. Also, FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of a line VIIB--VIIB of the nonvolatile memory 35 shown in FIG. 7A. The nonvolatile memory 35 having a plurality of memory elements 35a, 35b which carry out data-storage and data-erase by injecting electrons to a floating gate electrode 11 and pull out the electrons therefrom as shown in FIG. 7B. A source region of each element is formed extendedly as in a column as one region as shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a line VIII--VIII of the nonvolatile memory 35 shown in FIG. 7A.
The field oxidation layers 19 are isolated regions as shown in the figures. The floating gate electrode 11 is formed partially on the field oxidation layers 19. Also, control gate electrodes 12 are formed as word lines extendedly in a column as one electrode on the field oxidation layers 19.
The source region is formed by carrying out ion implantation by utilizing the control gate electrodes 12 as a mask in the nonvolatile memory 35. As a result, the source region can not be formed under the field oxidation layers 19 because implanted ions can not reach to the field oxidation layer 19. Consequently, it is necessary to maintain a certain distance (a distance .beta.2) between the control gates located adjacently in order to form the word lines properly (see FIG. 8).
Further, an additional distance .beta.1 is required between the control gates located adjacently as a margin in consideration of mis-alignment of the mask. That is, the width of the source region 4 is narrowed for a certain width when the control gate electrode 12 is formed out of a predetermined position. In order to avoid such a case, a certain width of margin for the narrowed width expected is required.
In addition, a passivation layer which covers the surface is formed unevenly with steps when the distance between the adjacent control gates becomes large as described above. As a result, there is slight probability of disconnection of wiring when a wiring layer is formed on the passivation layer.


A phone charging stand includes a casing and a cover. The casing has a socket on one surface to hold a phone, and a first universal serial bus (USB) connecting port on another surface of the casing is used to connect a wireless dongle having a USB interface. The cover is pivotally connected to one end of the casing. The cover can be rotated toward the socket to be attached to the casing to hold the phone. The cover can also be rotated toward the another surface of the casing to support the charging stand.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a phone charging stand and, more particularly, to a phone charging stand which is carried conveniently.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since a conventional phone charging stand is not thin enough, it is difficult to be carried together with a phone. When a user travels, he needs to carry a travel charger (usually consisting of a connecting cable and a transformer) to charge the phone during his travel. Therefore, the user needs to buy two types of phone chargers that occupy much space. It is inconvenient for a modern person to manage a plurality of travel chargers or charging stands of portable electronic products.


The invention provides a composition in concentrated form (“the concentrate”) for dilution with water in the preparation of an agricultural composition for application to crops, soil or animals, comprising a carbohydrate-based pH modifying agent and a pH indicator. The agricultural composition comprises an agricultural chemical whose agricultural activity varies with the pH of the water. The proportions of the pH indicator and the pH modifying agent in the concentrate are selected so that when the concentrate is diluted with an appropriate amount of water, the pH indicator indicates visually by coloration of the composition, whether or not the pH of the water is suitable for acceptable agricultural activity of the chemical. The invention also provides a process for preparing the agricultural composition by mixing the concentrate with water, and adding the agricultural chemical to the composition, if it is not already present in the concentrate.

Agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, are typically applied to plant crops, soil and/or animals as an aqueous solution. Many agricultural chemicals have an activity that varies with the pH of the solution, in that they may be sensitive to degradation in solutions that are too alkaline or too acidic. Such agricultural chemicals commonly have an optimum agricultural activity in aqueous solutions having a slightly acidic pH range, for example pH 4-6.
When such agricultural chemicals are used in areas where the water supply has a pH unsuitable for the agricultural chemical in question (for example, "hard" waters which may be alkaline), the user or operator typically modifies the pH of the water whereby the agricultural chemical is diluted, so that the water is in an acceptable and preferably optimum pH range to ensure optimum or at least acceptable agricultural activity of the chemical in question. This is effected by adding to the water a suitable adjuvant for adjusting the pH, for example, an acid adjuvant when the water is too alkaline. For most agricultural chemicals which are alkali sensitive or acid sensitive, the optimum or at least acceptable pH range for good agricultural activity of the chemical in question may be obtained from known references in the relevant art (for example, The Agrochemicals Handbook, Hartley, D. and Kidd, H. (Eds.), Royal Society of Chemistry, Nottingham, 1991) or such information may be provided by the manufacturer of the chemical in question.
To prepare an aqueous solution of a pH sensitive agricultural chemical, the pH of the water supply is first measured, and a suitable quantity of adjuvant is added to the water to obtain the desired pH. The user must accordingly be equipped with suitable equipment to test the pH of the water, and the pH of the resultant solution following addition and mixing of the agricultural chemical(s) to the water. Commonly used equipment for testing pH includes, for example, a pH meter and a pH indicator which provides visual colour changes indicative of pH range, such as pH sensitive paper (test strips) or chemicals. However, it is cumbersome and time consuming for the user to perform such operations while in the field. In addition, it may be uneconomical to carry pH testing equipment into the field as pH meters can be expensive, bulky and inconvenient, and pH test strips can degrade and become unreliable upon exposure to moisture or temperature extremes. Also, such pH determinations done in the field are often prone to human error. All of these issues can lead to significant wastage of the agricultural chemicals to be applied, as well as possible overuse and/or overexposure of crops, soil and animals to the agricultural chemicals. Accordingly, it is preferable to avoid such pH determinations or measurements during preparation of the aqueous solution of agricultural chemical(s) ("the agricultural composition") and to provide automatic identification of the desired pH or an acceptable pH during preparation of the agricultural composition.
Commonly used agricultural chemicals and compositions are known to have negative impacts on the environment. For example, phosphate-based compositions that run off into nearby waterways may cause eutrophication (over-fertilization) of aquatic ecosystems, which typically results in loss of oxygen from the water and concomitant loss of fish populations and other aquatic species. In addition, application of nitrogen- and/or phosphate-based agricultural compositions may cause fertilizer burn (leaf scorch), wherein plant tissues are exposed to localized high concentrations of the agricultural compositions. This causes hypertonicity and dessication of the exposed plant tissues, which results in crop damage and loss. At the same time, increasing public awareness of the negative impacts of such agricultural compositions on crop, soil and animal health, as well as the environment in general, have led consumers to turn increasingly towards agricultural products which are raised and labelled as "organic", such as crops that have been grown using a minimum of only fertilizers and pesticides that are known to be environmentally friendly, and animals that have been raised on such crops. This in turn has led the agricultural industry to seek out alternative agricultural chemicals that are more environmentally friendly. It is also desirable to find a means to increase the efficacy of existing agricultural compositions and thus reduce the total amount of chemicals applied.
Previously, agricultural compositions in concentrate form, comprising a visual pH indicator and a pH modifying agent, were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,132 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,639.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,132 disclosed a concentrate comprising a pH modifying agent and a pH indicator for colouring water, which concentrate may be diluted with water and added to a pH sensitive agricultural chemical, having an optimum activity within the range of pH 4-6. The proportions of the pH modifying agent and the pH indicator in the concentrate are such that when the concentrate is diluted to the appropriate concentration with water, and the pH of the resultant solution is modified by the pH modifying agent, the pH indicator indicates visually when the pH of the water is in the range of pH 4.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,639 disclosed a concentrate comprising a mixture of a pH indicator for colouring water, an agricultural chemical, and a pH modifying agent for modifying the pH of water with which the concentrate is diluted. The agricultural chemical has an activity that varies with the pH of the water and has an acceptable agricultural activity within a range of pH 4-6. The proportions of the pH modifying agent, the pH indicator and the agricultural chemical in the concentrate are such, that when the concentrate is diluted with an appropriate amount of water, an effective concentration of the agricultural chemical is provided and the pH indicator indicates visually when the pH of the solution is in the range of pH 4-6.
Although the compositions disclosed in both U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,132 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,639 provided a simple means for immediate visual identification of an aqueous solution of agricultural chemical being in the optimum pH range, in both cases the preferred pH modifying agent was a phosphate-based buffer system and the preferred pH indicator was methyl red, resorcin blue, 2,5-dinitrophenol and chlorophenol red. Examples of suitable phosphate buffer systems included phosphoric acid, and a conjugate base provided by any one of the following: monoammonium phosphate, potassium phosphate, monoorthophosporic esters and diorthophosphoric esters. However, it is not desirable to have a high concentration of phosphates present within agricultural compositions due to their ability to cause eutrophication and the associated negative impact on the environment. Also, agricultural compositions containing phosphoric acid and phosphates may cause leaf scorch which results in crop damage and loss. Inorganic phosphates and salts have also been found to lack compatibility and reduce the efficacy of a number of pesticides. For example, copper hydroxide-based fungicides lack compatibility with compositions containing phosphates. In the presence of phosphates, copper will form a water-insoluble salt, copper phosphate, which precipitates out of solution. As such, it is desirable to significantly reduce the concentration of phosphates in compositions for agricultural use.
A possible alternative to agricultural compositions containing high levels of phosphoric acid and phosphates could be provided by the use of one or more carbohydrate acid(s) as the pH modifying agent or as a component of the pH modifying agent of the concentrate in the place of an inorganic acid. The inclusion one or more carbohydrate acid(s) of could provide a number of advantages over agricultural compositions comprising phosphates and/or phosphoric acid. Carbohydrate acids typically have smaller dissociation constants (Ka) than phosphoric acid, and thus tend to be weaker acids than mineral acids such as phosphoric acids, which have large dissociation constants. As such, the inclusion of one or more carbohydrate acids in the pH modifying agent could result in a less harmful and corrosive composition. In addition, the presence of the carbohydrate moiety assists in the uptake of pesticides and nutrients in plants and soil microbes that have been treated with the agricultural composition. In addition, a carbohydrate-based pH modifying agent within the concentrate and the agricultural composition prepared from the concentrate could provide an additional nutrient source to treated plants and soil microbes. Carbohydrates are a compatible and effective source of organic nutrients for treated plants and soil microbes, particularly if micronutrients are present in the composition.
However, it has been surprisingly discovered that pH indicators previously used in agricultural compositions such as methyl red, resorcin blue, 2,5-dinitrophenol, chlorophenol red and anthocyanins have low stability when used in conjunction with carbohydrate acids in agricultural compositions and hence are not effective for indicating pH levels in such compositions. In fact, it has been determined that methyl red breaks down with the presence of carbohydrate acids in the agricultural compositions making the colour change ineffectual in a relatively short period of time, particularly when temperatures exceed thirty degrees Celsius.
Accordingly, there is a need for a means for simple and automatic identification of the desired pH during preparation of the agricultural composition, wherein such means is also environmentally friendly to crops, soil and animals. There is a need for such a composition that includes a carbohydrate acid in the pH modifying agent and a pH indicator that is compatible with carbohydrate acids.

Agricultural composition comprising pH sensitive agricultural chemicals and organic pH buffer


An electronic mail network, comprising a plurality of nodes or computer stations, permits an E-mail message originator to control down stream routing of the message. The system enables the sender of a message to specify which addresses should automatically be set when a recipient of the message replies to or forwards the message.

The proliferation of electronic office systems has created a need for exchanging and storing information. One reason for this proliferation is the popularity of E-mail networks. Electronic mail networks permit a network of communicating users to transmit documents (e.g. text, graphics, facsimile, voice, etc.) from one user to another. It is well known in the art that many of the text and word processors used for this purpose are implemented using a family of popular processor chips manufactured and marketed by Intel, Motorola, and others.
When E-mail is sent, the recipient often replies to the note, and the destination address field for the reply is automatically filled in with the address of the originator. However, the originator often wants the recipient to reply to a third party. Thus, a method is needed to allow automatic addressability by the recipient to that third party. As used herein, the term "downstream recipient" refers to any such third party recipient.
An E-mail item generally comprises two essential parts: (1) the content, the information one is trying to communicate to recipients, and (2) attributes, for example in a heading. Attributes includes such things as the identification of recipients, the date the E-mail message was created, time that the message was sent, the sender or originator, a title or name for the message, and other information about the document that the recipient may be interested in. Such attributes are normally sent with the E-mail message as a profile, and may be referred to herein as an Interchange Document Profile (IDP).
In the past, the Interchange Document Profile that has been provided by all vendors has failed to provide a capability for an originator to dictate subsequent routing for any document sent. Carbon copy recipients have been specified but this falls short of providing multi-stage routing. Thus, there remains a need for a method and system for automatic routing of electronic mail to sender-selectable third parties.

System for email messages wherein the sender designates whether the recipient replies or forwards to addresses also designated by the sender

International Business Machines Corporation


Gelled biopolymer based foams are disclosed. The gelled foams comprise a cross-linked biopolymer, preferably alginate; optionally, a foaming agent such as hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose; and a plasticizer, preferably glycerin sorbitol, or a mixture thereof, that forms the predominant portion of the gelled foam. The foams are soft and pliable and have high absorbency. They are used as wound dressing materials, controlled release delivery systems, cell culture, barrier media for preventing tissue adherence, and bioabsorbable implants. They also have various personal care applications, especially in oral hygiene, and can be used in food applications.

Biopolymer foams, especially gelled alginate containing foams, have been described for applications such as wound dressings, controlled release delivery systems, cell culture, barrier media for preventing tissue adherence, and bioabsorbable implants. However, these foams are either brittle, difficult to handle, and/or difficult to manufacture, requiring expensive equipment such as freeze dryers.
Two important functions of surgical or wound dressings are the ability to absorb and hold liquid and the ability to wick and transfer exudate of a wound away from the wound site. However, because wound healing is enhanced by keeping the wound bed moist, a wound dressing should absorb and transfer wound exudate away from the wound surface without desiccating the wound bed. Additionally, the wound dressing should release from the wound easily so that removal of the dressing does not damage the newly formed tissue.
Eagles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,80,777, and Bakis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,461, for example, each disclose methods of producing gelled polysaccharide foams that can be used as wound dressings. However, there is little or no control over the foam size and the resultant products are relatively difficult to handle. Polyurethane foams have also been used as wound dressings, but these foams do not contain biomaterials and are, consequently, not absorbable when used in implants. Eccard, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2003/0180242, discloses solid polymeric foams, but preparation of the foam requires heating and cooling of the reaction mixture to form the foam.
Thus, a need exists for a gelled foam that comprises biomaterials, has a high absorbency, is easy to manufacture and handle, and does not require expensive equipment, such as freeze dryers, for its manufacture.


An axial gap rotating-electric machine includes a stator, a rotor arranged via an air gap in the direction of an axis of rotation of a rotating-electric machine with respect to the stator, and a housing configured to accommodate the stator and the rotor, and the stator includes a plurality of stator cores arranged in the circumferential direction, coils configured to wind the peripheries of the respective stator cores, and a resin for molding the plurality of stator cores wound with the coils, and the stator cores each include a protruding portion protruding partly from the coil in the direction of axis of rotation, and a conductive member is provided so as to come into contact with peripheral surfaces of the protruding portions of the stator cores, and grounding is achieved by the conductive member.

Axial gap rotating-electric machines include a two-rotor one-stator axial gap rotating-electric machine having a structure including a pair of disk-shaped rotors arranged in the direction of the rotating shaft of the rotating-electric machine so as to face each other, and a stator interposed between the pair of rotors with a predetermined gap therebetween. The rotor includes a rotor core and one or a plurality of magnets arranged in the circumferential direction, and the stator includes a plurality of stator cores arranged in the circumferential direction and coils wound around the stator cores. The axial gap rotating-electric machine in this configuration is described for example in JP-A-2005-269778 as well.
In contrast, when the stator is held by a mold resin, a problem of electrical corrosion of the bearing arises. In other words, since the stator core is electrically insulated by the mold resin and is at a floating potential, a voltage is generated between the stator and the rotor due to the electrostatic capacity between the rotor and the stator. When this voltage is higher than the discharge starting voltage of an oil film of the bearing, electric discharge occurs in the bearing, and hence the service life of the bearing is shortened. As a countermeasure of the electrical corrosion of the bearing, a method of grounding the stator core is known (JP-A-2009-118628, for example).


A light source for an atomizing device, specifically an atom absorption spectrometer comprising one, two, or more lamps, whose ray can be selected by means of at least one two-dimensionally moveable optical selection element, and which can be directed in the direction of atomizing device. Fine-tuning is thereby achieved quickly with little constructive expenditure and with low costs. A very high degree of accuracy is possible from the selector through a rotational and highly adjustable rotation spindle.

A known example for a corresponding selection device is the rotational circular transporter, on which the different lamps are arranged and then turned to the corresponding position for the emission of the light radiation in the direction of the atomizing device.
Furthermore, in practice the usual arrangement is known, in which at least one optical element is moved, in order to select a particular lamp of the light source. Such an arrangement has the advantage that automatic fine-tuning can be achieved without moving the lamp itself. For this reason, selection is constructively easier and also much quicker. With such a structure, several measurements can be carried out successively during the atomizing of specific tests with different lamps.
The movement of the optical selector in the above-mentioned device, occurs in two dimensions for the lamp selection and for accuracy. Another disadvantage of this device is that it is relatively large and the device controlling two-dimensional movement of the optical element is relatively complex.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Sulky apparatus for use behind a self-propelled operator controlled machine such as lawn mowers that includes a sulky riding platform, a sulky boom having an inner end and an outer end for connecting the sulky riding platform to the self-propelled machine that is to tow the sulky riding platform, a pivotal connecting system for pivotally connecting the sulky riding platform to the outer end of the sulky boom and an adjusting system for adjusting the pivotal connecting system. The adjusting system for adjusting the pivotal connecting system is particularly useful in properly connecting the sulky apparatus to self-propelled machines that have different height frames. In another embodiment of the sulky apparatus invention for use behind a self-propelled machine that has operator control handles that includes a sulky riding platform, a sulky boom having an inner end and an outer end for connecting the sulky riding platform to the self-propelled machine that is to tow the sulky riding platform the invention includes a storage system for storing the sulky riding platform below the operator control handles of the self-propelled operator controlled machine. The storage system also includes an important brake system for preventing swinging or similar movement of the stored sulky riding platform.

Sulky apparatus for use with self-propelled machinery such as self-propelled lawn mowers have been in use for sometime and they allow the operator of self-propelled machinery to operate the machinery much more efficiently and allow much more to be accomplished with the machinery than was possible prior to such sulky apparatus. Typically, the sulky apparatus includes a platform for the operator to stand upon that has a single wheel that rides on the ground and some type of boom that was attached to the operator platform at one end and to the self-propelled machinery at the other end of the boom. Examples of such a sulky apparatus are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,285 and in U.S. Pat. No. 8,448,957. In spite of the extensive use of such sulky apparatus, there are a number of problems that detract from the effective use of the present sulky apparatus. This sulky apparatus invention solves three of the present problems that are associated with current sulky apparatus and with their use.
The sulky usually has a riding platform that rides on the ground that an operator stands on and this is pivotally connected to a connecting boom that is in turn connected to the vehicle, such as a lawn mower, that is being driven by the operator. The pivotal connection between the riding platform and the boom usually uses a circular cross section cylinder that extends upward from the riding platform and a corresponding connecting portion on the outer end of the connecting boom that has a circular cross section hole that accepts and slides over the circular cross section cylinder that extends upward from the riding platform. This arrangement permits the riding platform to freely pivot about the outer end portion of the connecting boom. The proper operation of the sulky apparatus requires that the circular cross section cylinder or pivot pin that extends upward from the riding platform be substantially perpendicular to the adjacent ground. If this upward extending cylinder becomes tilted, this causes the riding sulky platform to not maintain a level riding surface while it is rotating during turns and maneuvers, which sulkies are constantly required to perform during their operation. This creates a rough irregular ride for the mower operator, and can also cause platform "shoveling" while the mower is driven backwards in reverse with the operator on foot off the sulky riding platform which is quite common. Shoveling is where, due to the upward extending cylinder becoming tilted, in the reverse mode, the reversing sulky platform edge actually attempts to dig into the adjacent ground or turf creating a very hazardous mower linear jack-knifing action which potentially can cause the mower, or other connected equipment, to flip over onto the operator causing operator injury.
Other operational problems, caused by the upward extending cylinder becoming tilted, is a constant platform grinding and scraping during turns due to constant riding platform wobbling. This, of course, is undesirable do to the damage to the customer's property as well as the physical damage this causes to the parts of the sulky itself.
Another problem with previous sulkies is that self-propelled mowers from different manufacturers have mower frames that have different heights and hence different height attachment points for the inner end of the sulky attachment boom. With the wide variety of commercial walk behind mowers types and the various different manufactures thereof, sulky mower frame mounting points can deviate by up to 12 inches in height as measured from the ground up to the mower frame's mounting area of a particular mower machine. This means that with a rigid or fixed sulky pivotal connection between the riding platform and the boom, most sulkies either are mounted and operated in poor working condition with a undesirable pivot pin tilt either aft or stern, or an attempt was made to correct this through the use of specially designed mounting brackets. Unfortunately for sulkies and their operators, generally sulkies are never properly matched to the correct mower deck height primarily because most sulkies are mass produced with just one particular pivotal connection between the riding platform and the boom. Whether or not the pivot pin is 90 degrees with the ground is strictly determined by the particular degree or angle the factory welded the pivoting axis structure to the end of the protruding boom arm and also the distance from the ground up to the sulky platform hitch mounting connection of the particular mower's rear frame. Consequently, pivot pin angles are rarely correct, at 90 degrees with the adjacent ground.
To help solve this industry wide problem, certain sulky manufacturers began providing various optional mounting hardware such as an inner end pivoting sulky attachment coupler height adjustment plates to use during the sulky attachment process. Unfortunately, however, most or all of these mounting kits and hardware either confused the purchaser and were not used at all, or were used but became cantilevering devices which began bending, deforming, and frequently actually broke the mower frames adjacent to where the adjustment plates were used.
The present invention allows the operator to manually attach the inner end portion of the sulky boom for different height frame attachment locations and then make the adjustments to insure that the circular cross section cylinder that extends upward from the riding platform, the pivot pin, is substantially perpendicular to the adjacent ground. With an adjustable pivot pin connection, discussed previously, the mounting height point becomes irrelevant because after the sulky hitch is attached to any particular mower frame at virtually any potential sulky hitch mounting height off the ground, the operator simply permanently adjusts the sulky riding platform's pivot pin to substantially 90 degrees to the ground below the pivot pin and the operator is done.
Another problem with previous sulkies is that that they do not provide proper compact onboard storage for the sulky riding platform that permits the operator to use the self-propelled mower or the like in the normal manner without using the sulky. This operator walking mode typically is desired to mow hills, embankments, drainage ditches, narrow turf areas and difficult tight spots or physically complicated mowing situations such as for example around a tree, near a fence, or abreast of a hill or fragile object such as a cable service box or telephone pole, etc. These examples and others can occur on any particular mowing job.
Currently, the sulky riding platform is stored on the mower when it is not in use by hanging it on a chain or strap or the like. Unfortunately, this allows the stored sulky platform to dangle in a free-swinging manner, usually just underneath the mower's handle bars, which also happens to be very close to the operator's own body. As a consequence, the operator, while attempting to operate their mower in a normal manner, is undesirably faced with a loose swinging and flailing sulky platform near the operator's body that can strike the operator and cause injury. With this invention, this problem is eliminated through the use of a brake system that prevents the stored sulky platform from swinging. Even though swing is prevented by this brake, it is very easy to release the brake and move the sulky platform into position for the operator to ride upon the sulky's riding platform.


The present invention relates to a novel process for converting a substrate of formula (III) and/or (IV) into a product of formula (I) or (II) comprising the following reactions: a) oxidation of at least one terminal C-atom, b) dehydratation, c) decarboxylation and d) reduction and/or amination. At least step b is enzyme-catalyzed. In a preferred embodiment, all reactions are enzymatically catalyzed. The enzymes catalyzing the reactions are selected from oxidoreductases, decarboxylases, dehydratases and/or aminotransferases. The process may be performed in a cell-free in vitro production system or in an improved fermentative production system.

Climate change and the eventual depletion of the world's fossil raw materials reserves are threatening sustainable development [1, 2]. Renewable resources display a large potential for the substitution of chemical compounds derived from petrochemicals. They allow a more sustainable chemistry with the attempt to design chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances, minimize waste and energy consumption, favor renewable resources and integrate aspects of recycling [3]. Besides, nature offers a wide range of resources mainly from plants due to fast biomass building with low efforts. At the moment only a few industries are using this immense reservoir of resources [4]. Additionally there have been 12 principles postulated for a Green Engineering concerning new processes or the displacement of antiquated processes to engage in a more sustainable development [5]. Several programs were initiated by the European Union and miscellaneous German institutions that promote the research and development concerning this topic.
Succinic acid is a chemical substance with a broad area of application in the chemical industry. Succinic acid represents an important building block that can be converted into various valuable compounds [6]. Beyond fossil based chemistry, derivatives of succinic acid are announced to have a potential of hundreds of thousands tons [7]. Succinic acid is an intermediate of the TCA cycle (tricarboxylic acid cycle) and one of the fermentation end-products of anaerobic metabolism. The research for biotechnological production processes mainly focused on a whole-cell approach using natural overproducers or recombinant producers. The downstream purification cost for fermentation-based processes normally amounts to more than 60% of the total production costs. For succinic acid purification, the separation of byproducts has a crucial effect on process cost [4].
1,4-Butanediol (BDO) is a four carbon dialcohol that is at the moment manufactured exclusively through various petrochemical routes. BDO represents a chemical building block which can be used for production of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), tetrahydrofuran (THF), pyrrolidone, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and N-vinyl-pyrrolidone [8]. Presently this family has a market opportunity that exceeds 3.000 M. Approximately 1.4 M t BDO is produced by chemical catalyst [8]. The demand for BDO stems largely from its use as an intermediate for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) plastic resins, polyurethane thermoplastics and co-polyester ethers. BDO also serves as a primary precursor to THF, which is employed as an intermediate for poly(tetramethylene glycol) PTMEG copolymers required for lycra and spandex production. Approximately 0.32 M t of THF is produced globally per year with an annual growth rate over 6%. A significant percentage of growth (>30%) for both BDO and THF is occurring in Asia (China and India). GBL currently is a smaller volume (0.18 M t/year) product which has numerous applications as a solvent, as an additive for inks, paints, and dyes, as well as the primary precursor to pyrrolidone derivatives such as NMP.
However, the replacement of fossil raw materials by biogenic resources is still one of the major obstacles preventing widespread commercialization of such devices.
Enzymes exhibit a great advantage compared to chemical catalysts because they are accepting a wide array of complex molecules as substrates, catalyzing reactions with unparalleled chiral (enantio-) and positional (regio-) selectivities. For this reason, the need of tedious blocking and deblocking steps known in traditional organic synthesis is dispensable [9]. Biological catalysts allow the development of sustainable technologies for the production of chemicals by waste reduction using solvent-free reaction media and minimizing the amount of unrequested by-products complicating the downstream processing [10]. Biocatalyst can be used either as isolated enzymes or in the form of whole cell preparations. The use depends on the requirements of the production process like the half-life of the biocatalyst or the dependency on co-factors. Reaction processes regarding co-factors, especially NAD(P)+, which are utilized in stochimetric quantities whole-cell fermentation is favored. The use of isolated co-factor depending enzymes for establishing a multi-step substrate conversion requires an additional co-factor recycling system for a continuous reaction. Presently, there are some co-factor recycling systems like glucose dehydrogenase/glucose established which allow TTN's (total turnover number) from 103 to 106 or higher for an economical efficient reaction process. It is, however, preferred that cofactor recycling can be achieved without additional substrates.
Carbohydrates represent 95% of the annually renewable biomass. Being renewable carbohydrates such as glucose or other monosaccharides have the potential to compensate the emerging lack of petroleum for the production of bulk chemicals or biofuels. For use as chemicals or fuel carbohydrates contain too many polar functional groups. In the past this was the reason they were disqualified as well-suited precursors for applications in organic chemistry [11]. The use of low molecular weight carbohydrates as well as high molecular weight carbohydrates as the C-source for fermentation processes to produce industrial important chemical compounds is well known. Succinic acid or 2,3-butanediol are two examples of compounds produced by fermentation from carbohydrates. In contrast, the specific conversion of glucose with a multi-step cell free biocatalytic or catalytic process into chemical intermediates is mostly undeveloped. The only economically viable examples are the hydrogenation of glucose to sorbitol followed by the conversion to isosorbide and the oxidation of glucose to gluconate. For the production of C4-compounds from hexoses to date only fermentative processes have been developed, mostly aiming at succinic acid. The Department of Energy of the US has proposed 1,4-diacids, and particularly succinic acid, as key biologically-produced intermediates for the manufacture of the butanediol family of products [6]. However, using fermentation processes, always side products are formed due to the presence of many different enzymes within the organisms. In addition the conditions of the production process (temperature, pH, salt etc.) are limited by the viability of the cells. Product purification often is the most costly process step in a fermentative production system. All these difficulties can be diminished when a cell free production process can be used. By limiting the number of enzymes in such a cell free production to only those essential for the targeted conversion, fewer side products are formed. By applying conditions far from being ambient (e.g. high temperatures, co-solvents) product purification can be more easily integrated into the conversion process. The known pathways from glucose to bifunctional C4-compounds, modified at position 1 and 4, all go via succinate and have never been used in cell free production systems and are probably too difficult to handle (>>10 enzymes) to ever be used in a cell free production system. There is a need for a production process lacking live organisms using just enzymes or other catalysts to cheaply convert hexoses to bifunctional C4 compounds and therefore, there is a need of new and simpler enzymatic pathways, requiring fewer enzymes than existing natural pathways. There is a demand for a new enzymatic pathway that can be applied using purified enzymes or enzymes in cell lysates for a completely cell free in vitro production process or in whole cells containing the enzymes. In addition, it would be beneficial if a new enzymatic pathway could help to improve the yield and productivity of a fermentation process when the enzymes of the pathway are recombinantly expressed in microorganisms.
It is desirable to have such a synthetic pathway for the production of C4 chemicals by alternative means not only to substitute petroleum-based feedstocks but also to facilitate a sustainable process with less waste.
All previously described microbial routes for the production of bifunctional C4-chemicals like 1,4-butanediol or 1,4-aminobutane from C6 polyols and hexoses use more than 10 enzymes in complex metabolic pathways (glycolysis, TCA cycles) requiring a multitude of cofactors (at least NAD+/NADH, ATP/ADP, Coenzyme A) and break down the C6-molecules in two C3-molecules like 3-phospho-glycerate to then reconstruct the C4 entity.

Process for the enzymatic production of C4 compounds from C6 substrates


The invention relates to novel bispecific antibodies and their use in tumor therapy. The novel antibodies have the ability to bind to ErbB receptors, preferably ErbB1 receptors, which are overexpressed on many cancer tissues. Since the different specificities of the antigen-binding sites are directed to different epitopes within the binding domain of same or different ErbB receptors, these antibodies are more effective with respect to inhibition and down-regulation of the ErbB receptor and the corresponding signaling cascade.

Biological molecules, such as monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) or other proteins/polypeptides, as well as small chemical compounds directed against various receptors and other antigens on the surface of tumor cells are known to be suitable for tumor therapy for more than twenty years. With respect to the antibody approach, most of these MAbs are chimerized or humanized to improve tolerability with the human immune system. Mabs or above-mentioned chemical entities specifically bind to their target structures on tumor cells and in most cases also on normal tissues and can cause different effects that dependent on their epitope specificity and/or functional characteristics of the particular antigen. MAbs to orphan receptors or other non-functional cell surface molecules as well as MAbs against structures outside the ligand-binding site of functionally active receptors (e.g. growth factor receptors with kinase activity) would be expected to induce primarily immune effector functions against the target cell (antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC)). Additionally, depending on the properties of antigen and MAb, binding of the antibody can result in cross-linking of the receptors. Consequent internalization of the receptor-antibody complexes may result in a prolonged down-modulation of the receptor density on the cell surface.
MAbs which bind to an epitope within the ligand-binding site or in its direct neighborhood compete for binding of natural ligands to their receptor and thus reduce or completely inhibit ligand binding and can displace already bound ligands from their receptors. This receptor blockade inhibits ligand-dependent receptor activation and downstream signaling. For example, blockade of ErbB receptors, such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), by monoclonal antibodies results in various cellular effects including inhibition of DNA synthesis and proliferation, induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis as well as antimetastatic and antiangiogenetic effects.
ErbB receptors are typical receptor tyrosine kinases that were implicated in cancer in the 1980s. Tyrosine kinases are a class of enzymes that catalyze the transfer of the terminal phosphate of adenosine triphosphate to tyrosine residues in protein substrates. Tyrosine kinases are believed, by way of substrate phosphorylation, to play critical roles in signal transduction for a number of cell functions. Though the exact mechanisms of signal transduction is still unclear, tyrosine kinases have been shown to be important contributing factors in cell proliferation, carcinogenesis and cell differentiation. Tyrosine kinases can be categorized as receptor type or non-receptor type. Both receptor-type and non-receptor type tyrosine kinases are implicated in cellular signaling pathways leading to numerous pathogenic conditions, including cancer, psoriasis and hyperimmune responses. Many tyrosine kinases are involved in cell growth as well as in angiogenesis. The non-receptor type of tyrosine kinases is also comprised of numerous subfamilies, including Src, Frk, Btk, Csk, Abl, Zap70, Fes/Fps, Fak, Jak, Ack, and LIMK. Each of these subfamilies is further sub-divided into varying receptors. For example, the Src subfamily is one of the largest and includes Src, Yes, Fyn, Lyn, Lck, Blk, Hck, Fgr, and Yrk. The Src subfamily of enzymes has been linked to oncogenesis. For a more detailed discussion of the non-receptor type of tyrosine kinases, see Bolen Oncogene, 8:2025–2031 (1993).
Receptor type tyrosine kinases have an extracellular, a transmembrane, and an intracellular portion, while non-receptor type tyrosine kinases are wholly intracellular. Receptor-linked tyrosine kinases are transmembrane proteins that contain an extracellular ligand binding domain, a transmembrane sequence, and a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domain. The receptor-type tyrosine kinases are comprised of a large number of transmembrane receptors with diverse biological activity.
Different subfamilies of receptor-type tyrosine kinases have been identified. Implicated tyrosine kinases include fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors, epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors of the ErbB major class family, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors. Also implicated are nerve growth Factor (NGF) receptors, brain-derived neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) receptors, and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) receptors, and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) receptors.
One receptor type tyrosine kinase subfamily, designated as HER or ErbB subfamily, is comprised of EGFR (ErbB1), HER2 (ErbB2 or p185neu), HER3 (ErbB3), and HER4(ErbB4 or tyro2). Ligands of this subfamily of receptors include epithelial growth factor (EGF), TGF-a, amphiregulin, HB-EGF, betacellulin, heregulin and neuregulins. The PDGF subfamily includes the FLK family which is comprised of the kinase insert domain receptor (KDR).
EGFR, encoded by the erbB1 gene, has been causally implicated in human malignancy. In particular, increased expression of EGFR has been observed in breast, bladder, lung, head, neck and stomach cancer as well as glioblastomas. Increased EGFR receptor expression is often associated with increased production of the EGFR ligand, transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-a), by the same tumor cells resulting in receptor activation by an autocrine stimulatory pathway (Baselga and Mendelsohn, Pharmac. Ther. 64:127–154 (1994)).
The EGF receptor is a transmembrane glycoprotein which has a molecular weight of 170.000, and is found on many epithelial cell types. It is activated by at least three ligands, EGF, TGF-α (transforming growth factor alpha) and amphiregulin. Both epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha TGF-a) have been demonstrated to bind to EGF receptor and to lead to cellular proliferation and tumor growth. These growth factors do not bind to HER2 (Ulrich and Schlesinger, 1990, Cell 61, 203). In contrary to several families of growth factors, which induce receptor dimerization by virtue of their dimeric nature (e.g. PDGF) monomeric growth factors, such as EGF, contain two binding sites for their receptors and, therefore, can cross-link two neighboring EGF receptors (Lemmon et al., 1997, EMBO J. 16, 281). Receptor dimerization is essential for stimulating of the intrinsic catalytic activity and for the self-phosphorylation of growth factor receptors on tyrosine residues. The latter serve as docking sites for various adaptor proteins or enzymes, which simultaneously initiate many signaling cascades. In higher eukaryotes, the simple linear pathway has evolved into a richly interactive, multi-layered network in which combinatorial expression and activation of components permits context-specific biological responses throughout development. The ErbB network might integrate not only its own inputs but also heterologous signals, including hormones, lymphokines, neurotransmitters and stress inducers.
It should be remarked that receptor protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are able to undergo both homo- and heterodimerization, wherein homodimeric receptor combinations are less mitogenic and transforming (no or weak initiation of signaling) than the corresponding heterodimeric combinations. Heterodimers containing ErbB2 are the most potent complexes (see review articles by Yarden and Sliwkowski, 2001, Nature Reviews, Molecular cell Biology, volume 2, 127–137; Tzahar and Yarden, 1998, BBA 1377, M25–M37).
It has been demonstrated that anti-EGF receptor antibodies while blocking EGF and TGF-a binding to the receptor appear to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. In view of these findings, a number of murine and rat monoclonal antibodies against EGF receptor have been developed and tested for their ability inhibit the growth of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo (Modjtahedi and Dean, 1994, J. Oncology 4, 277). Humanized monoclonal antibody 425 (h MAb 425, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,864; EP 0531 472) and chimeric monoclonal antibody 225 (c MAb 225, U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,533 and EP 0359 282), both directed to the EGF receptor, have shown their efficacy in clinical trials. The C225 antibody (Cetuximab) was demonstrated to inhibit EGF-mediated tumor cell growth in vitro and inhibit human tumor formation in vivo in nude mice. The antibody, moreover, appeared to act, above all, in synergy with certain chemotherapeutic agents (i.e., doxorubicin, adriamycin, taxol, and cisplatin) to eradicate human tumors in vivo in xenograft mouse models. Ye et al. (1999, Oncogene 18, 731) have reported that human ovarian cancer cells can be treated successfully with a combination of both chimeric MAb 225 and humanized MAb 4D5 which is directed to the HER2 receptor.
The second member of the ErbB family, HER2 (ErbB2 or p185neu), was originally identified as the product of the transforming gene from neuroblastomas of chemically treated rats. The activated form of the neu proto-oncogene results from a point mutation (valine to glutamic acid) in the transmembrane region of the encoded protein. Amplification of the human homologue of neu is observed in breast and ovarian cancers and correlates with a poor prognosis (Slamon et al., Science, 235: 177–182 (1987); Slamon et al., Science, 244:707–712 (1989); U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,603). ErbB2 (HER2) has a molecular weight of about 185.000, with considerable homology to the EGF receptor (HER1), although a specific ligand for HER2 has not yet been clearly identified so far. The antibody 4D5 directed to the HER2 receptor, was further found to sensitize ErbB2-overexpressing breast tumor cell lines to the cytotoxic effects of TNFα (U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,171). A recombinant humanized version of the murine anti-ErbB2 antibody 4D5 (huMAb4D5-8, rhuMAb HER2 or HERCEPTIN® ; U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,337) is clinically active in patients with ErbB2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancers that have received extensive prior anti-cancer therapy (Baselga et al., J. Clin. Oncol. 14:737–744 (1996)); HERCEPTIN® received marketing approval in 1998 for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer whose tumors overexpress the ErbB2 protein.
Besides anti-ErbB antibodies there are numerous small chemical molecules which are known to be potent inhibitors of ErbB receptor molecules blocking the binding site of the natural ligands (see detailed description), or blocking the tyrosine residues of the binding site of the receptor kinase, thus preventing phosphorylation and further cascade signaling. One representative showing high efficacy in clinical trials is Iressa™ (ZD-1839) which can be applied for NSCLC indication (non-small cell lung cancer).
Although there are already some promising drugs and methods of treatment tumors under development and in the market, there is a continuous need for further agents and pharmaceutical compositions and combinations with improved properties and enhanced efficacy.

Bispecific anti-Erb-B antibodies and their use in tumor therapy


A method for forming a multilayer structure having a dimension at most substantially equal to the minimum printable image wherein a substrate structure including a lithographic feature having a first minimum printable image dimension has a layer of hybrid photoresist disposed thereon above the lithographic feature of the substrate. A mask is provided over the hybrid photoresist layer with the mask having an edge aligned with the lithographic feature to within the tolerance of the semiconductor processing technology. The hybrid photoresist layer is exposed through the mask and developed to provide a window opening in the photoresist layer which is at most substantially equal to the minimum printable image.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to multiple layer integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a method for forming a subminimum size feature on a structure having a minimum or subminimum width.
2. Background Art
In integrated circuit fabrication of multiple layer structures it is frequently required that a second structure be formed on a first structure without the edge of the second structure extending beyond the edge of the first structure. Also, it may be required that the first structure have a width which is the minimum or subminimum size defined by the lithography employed in the fabrication.
For example, in forming a contact opening such as a via between two wiring levels as shown in FIG. 1 it is important that the subminimum via opening 10 in the dielectric layer 12 does not overlap the edge of an underlying conductor 14.
Another example is the formation of a contact 16 to a diffusion 18 disposed between two gate conductors 20a and 20b as shown in FIG. 2 wherein it is important that the contact 16 does not short to either gate conductor 20a or 20b. This would eliminate the need for a robust etch barrier when forming a borderless contact to a diffusion.
A third example as shown in FIG. 3 is the case wherein it is desirable to minimize the depth of a Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) 22 within a substrate 24 in order to reduce the aspect ratio of the trench and facilitate filling the trench with an insulating material.
Problems occur in the prior art fabrication techniques of FIG. 3. The presence of the full isolation implant through the implant window in photoresist layer 28 into the active device area such as area 26a requires the STI 22 be made deeper to prevent interaction with the devices. This happen when the isolation implant window misaligns with the STI, which occurs on a random basis. Since the isolation implant peak needs to be approximately at the bottom of the STI, deep STI moves the relatively high isolation doping concentration away from the surface of the device. Also, when the field implants are done prior to STI filling while the pad nitride layer covers the active areas 26a and 26b, then the filled implant self aligns with the STI 22. Subsequent high temperature steps will significantly diffuse any implant aligned to the STI region into the active device regions producing increased sensitivity, increased junction capacitance and enhanced fields within the silicon. Furthermore, the substrate hot carrier effect becomes a significant design constraint when minimum isolation depth is desired.
An example of a prior art technique is disclosed in the publication "Doping Profile Design For Substrate Hot Carrier Reliability In Deep Submicron Field Effect Transistors," Tonti et al., 29'th Annual International Reliability Physics Symposium.
The present invention uses what is referred to as a dual tone or hybrid photoresist. Dual tone or hybrid photoresists and their application are disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 08/715,287, filed Sep. 16, 1996, entitled FREQUENCY DOUBLING HYBRID PHOTORESIST; Ser. No. 08/715,288, filed Sep. 16, 1996, entitled LOW "K" FACTOR HYBRID PHOTORESIST; and Ser. No. 08/851,973, filed May 7, 1997, entitled ESD PROTECTION STRUCTURE AND METHOD.

Fabrication method for fully landing subminimum features on minimum width lines


A method for controlling transmission engagement during restart of an engine in a hybrid electric powertrain includes moving a gear lever between a forward position and reverse position, using electric power to drive an auxiliary pump whose output causes a transmission to engage a gear that corresponds to the lever position and to stroke, to zero torque capacity, an oncoming clutch that corresponds to said gear, initiating the restart, and discontinuing use of the auxiliary pump.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a powertrain for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and, more particularly, to control of a transmission that switches from drive-to-reverse or reverse-to-drive preparatory to an engine restart event.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a vehicle configured with a hybrid propulsion system that utilizes at least two different sources of torque for propelling the vehicle. As one non-limiting example, a hybrid propulsion system may combine a conventional propulsion system that includes an internal combustion engine and a stepped-ratio automatic transmission with an electric propulsion system that includes one or more electric motors and a rechargeable energy storage device, such as a battery, that can power the electric motors or store energy to improve fuel economy over the conventional vehicle. A hybrid electric vehicle typically provides different powertrain operating modes with the engine running or shutdown depending on the vehicle operating conditions, battery conditions, and driver's propulsion request. Hence, one of the major functions that an HEV provides is the ability to start or stop the engine during certain conditions. When the engine is running, the electric portion of the propulsion system may be used to assist the engine in providing the required vehicle propulsion. During the conditions when the engine is shutdown, the driver's propulsion request can be provided entirely by the electric motor.
Motor vehicles can be designed to employ certain aspects of hybrid electric technology to reduce fuel consumption, but without use of a hybrid drivetrain. In such vehicles, called "micro-HEVs", shutting down the engine during conditions where the engine operates at idle speed will be used to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions in a conventional powertrain that includes an internal combustion engine and a stepped-ratio automatic transmission, but no electric machine for driving the wheels. The primary condition that is checked by the micro-HEV powertrain control system before stopping the engine is that the driver has applied the brakes and the vehicle is stopped since the engine would typically be idling during these conditions in a conventional vehicle. Once the driver releases the brake pedal indicating a request for vehicle propulsion, the powertrain control system will automatically restart the engine.
In a micro-HEV application using an internal combustion engine with an enhanced starter motor for engine start/stop and a dual-clutch (DCT) automatic transmission, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is important to provide vehicle propulsion upon an engine restart in a responsive, consistent, and predictable manner. Delays due to transmission engagement and clutch torque capacity application will directly result in poor vehicle propulsion response.
Premature clutch torque capacity application can also lead to driveline torque oscillations and potential engine stall while restarting. In addition, poor vehicle performance will be sensed by the driver if the transmission engagement feel is too harsh during or after the engine restart. Temperature and other environmental conditions may further amplify these issues.
A powertrain control system for a micro-HEV powertrain must also provide an immediate response to a request for vehicle propulsion when the engine is restarted after the gear shift lever was moved from the Drive position to the Reverse position, or from Reverse to Drive during the time while the engine was off.
For example, during an engine stop event while the gear shifter is in Drive and the brake pedal is depressed, the driver can move the shifter into Reverse while continuing to depress the brake pedal, thereby keeping the engine off while the vehicle is stopped. Given this condition, if the transmission is not engaged into reverse gear while the engine is off and the vehicle is stopped at the time the driver moves the gear shifter to Reverse position, there will be an excessive delay in vehicle propulsion once the driver releases the brake and the engine is started. The excessive vehicle propulsion delay is due to delaying the transmission engagement into reverse gear until the engine is started. In DCT applications in which the first and reverse gears are applied on the same shaft (e.g. odd shaft), if the transmission is engaged into reverse at the time of the engine start rather than at the time that the gear shifter was selected to Reverse, the gearbox shift synchronizers within the DCT must be disengaged from first gear, engaged into reverse gear, and then the clutch must be filled and stroked before any clutch torque can be applied. In DCT applications in which the first and reverse gears are applied on different shafts (e.g. 1st gear on odd, reverse on even), the gearbox shift synchronizer must be engaged into reverse gear and then the clutch must be filled and stroked before applying any clutch torque.
Since vehicle propulsion cannot be provided until the clutch torque is applied, the delays in gearbox engagement and clutch actuation directly result in wheel torque delays and poor vehicle propulsion response.
A powertrain control strategy is needed to avoid this problem in a micro-HEV with a dual-clutch transmission.

Transmission engagement control during an engine restart of a hybrid electric vehicle


A method, device and computer product suitable for determining the source of failing to achieve a desired level of service quality in communication between at least two components in a distributed system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of developing a model of the distributed system, the model including at least configuration non-specific representations of types of managed components, and representations of relationships among the managed components, determining associated managed components within each route of data communication between the at least two components, augmenting the representation of the associated managed components with information associated with each of the routes of data communication, monitoring at least one performance criterion of the communication between the at least two components and determining a source of degradation when the performance criteria is indicated to be outside acceptable limits. The device discloses a processor which is capable of executing the method steps recited. The computer program product represents instructions, which when loaded into a computer system provide instruction for the computer system to execute the method steps recited.

1. Related Field
This application relates to the field of distributed systems and more specifically to providing a method and apparatus for determining the source of a noted performance degradation in transmission within the distributed system.
2. Background of the Art
With the continuous expansion in speed and capability of distributed systems, such as public networks (POTS, Internet), user-specific dedicated Wide-Area Networks (WANs), Local Area Networks (LANs), home-based WiFi networks, and/or Application software distributed over these networks, the expectation of the availability and performance of these distributed systems is of considerable concern to organizations that provide services to a plurality of users. In many cases, minimum levels of system availability and performance are not only expected but are required. Such required performance may be imposed, for example, in the distribution of multi-media materials from a service provider to a customer who has paid to receive such multi-media material. In a typical video-on-demand operation, a user pays to view a particular service (i.e., a movie) and expects that the presentation of the service over a public network be essentially flawless. That is, there is sufficient capability in the network that the movie is presented without packet dropouts, which result in frame freezing, or loss of synchronization, which results in picture tiling. Thus, the service provider is required to establish a link, which may be over a plurality of physical routes or paths, with sufficient bandwidth to essentially guarantee flawless presentation of the selected materials.
However, as new information is added to, or old information is dropped from, the data traffic, the conditions or loads within a network may change considerably and affect the distribution of a multi-media presentation, with its imposed performance requirements.
Hence, there is a need in the industry for a method and system for determining one or more level of service (SLA) or Quality of Service (QoS) criteria and determining the network element or component that is the source of performance or service degradation that interferes with satisfying the required SLA or QoS.

Method and apparatus for determining a source of performance degradation in distributed systems transmission


Golf ball 2 has numerous dimples 8. Provided that mean diameter of all the dimples 8 is Da, ratio (N1/N) of number N1 of adjacent dimple pairs having a pitch of (Da/4) or less to total number N of the dimples is equal to or greater than 2.70. Ratio (N2/N1) of number N2 of the adjacent dimple pairs having a pitch of (Da/20) or less to the number N1 is equal to or greater than 0.50. The northern hemisphere N and the southern hemisphere S of this golf ball 2 have a pole vicinity region 20, an equator vicinity region 22 and a coordination region 24, respectively. The pole vicinity region 20 includes 5 units which are rotationally symmetric each other centered on the pole point P. The equator vicinity region 22 includes 6 units which are rotationally symmetric each other centered on the pole point P. The coordination region 24 does not include any unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf balls. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvement of dimples of golf balls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf balls have numerous dimples on the surface thereof. The dimples disrupt the air flow around the golf ball during flight to cause turbulent flow separation. By causing the turbulent flow separation, separating points of the air from the golf ball shift backwards leading to the reduction of drag. The turbulent flow separation prolongs the gap between the separating point on the upper side and the separating point on the lower side of the golf ball, which results from the backspin, thereby the lift force that acts upon the golf ball is enhanced. Reduction in drag and elevation of lift force are referred to as "dimple effect". Excellent dimples disturb the air flow more efficiently. Owing to the excellent dimples, great flight distance can be achieved.
It is known to persons skilled in the art that a great dimple effect is achieved according to golf balls having the dimples densely arranged. Some proposals have been made in connection with dimple pattern aiming at improvement of the dimple effect.
JP-A-S50-8630 (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,729,861, 4,936,587 and 5,080,367) discloses a golf ball provided with numerous dimples having a uniform size. In this golf ball, pitch is smaller than 0.065 inch for most of the dimple pairs. According to this golf ball, relationship between the pitch and dimple diameter was not considered. In comparison with general dimple diameter, the pitch of 0.065 inch is not small enough. According to the pattern of the dimples having a uniform size, the diameter can not be set to be great. The dimples in this golf ball are not arranged densely enough.
JP-A-S62-192181 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,677) discloses a golf ball provided with large dimples and small dimples. In this golf ball, high dimple density is achieved by arranging small dimples in the region surrounded by multiple large dimples. However, the small dimples are not sufficiently responsible for the dimple effect.
JP-A-H4-347177 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,132) discloses a golf ball having the dimples arranged so that any rectangle having a predetermined size can not be formed on the land. In this golf ball, small proportion of the land is achieved by arranging many small dimples. However, the small dimples are not sufficiently responsible for the dimple effect.
Top concern to golf players for golf balls is their flight distance. In light of flight performance, there is room for improvement of the dimple pattern. An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball that is excellent in the flight performance.


A safety device for a front-loading weapon of the type comprising a mortar barrel having a closed breech end and an opposite open end for launching a mortar projectile. The device includes at least one sensor, configured for mounting adjacent the mortar barrel, for sensing a mortar projectile upon its insertion in the barrel and an electronic circuit, coupled to said sensor, for detecting movement of the mortar projectile past said sensor, thereby to detect the presence of the projectile in the barrel.

The present invention concerns a safety device for a front-loading weapon, commonly called a "mortar," which launches projectiles in a high trajectory. The mortar comprises a relatively short barrel having a closed breech end, attached to a breech block forming a base, and an opposite open end, aimed upward, for ejecting the projectile. The mortar is loaded by inserting self-propelled projectiles into the open end of the barrel. Each round is inserted, front end forward, and falls backward inside the barrel. At the breech end of the barrel the projectile is automatically ignited by a firing pin and propelled forward by the propulsive gases emitted from its tail end.
While such an weapon is relatively simple and easy to use, it has been the source of frequent and serious accidents resulting in the loss of life and limb to the attending soldiers, called "mortar men." Such accidents arise from a dangerous combination of circumstances, such as misfires, hang-fires (failure to fire right away) and double loading of the mortar rounds, that lead to inadvertent detonation of this ammunition.
Modern mortars are capable of high rates of fire (up to 30 rounds for the first one or two minutes of fire). Mortar men are trained to detect hang fires, but in the frenzy of firing, hang fires and misfires can go undetected with catastrophic results.
The chart below is a short list of known accidents associated with a mortar crew inadvertently double loading a mortar. This situation can easily occur when (1) the mortar has a "low order" event, (2) the mortar crew is rushed and does not observe proper firing, and/or (3) the mortar suffers a hang-fire and the crew is unaware that a mortar round did not fire and exit the barrel before a new round was inserted.
Unit/MortarCasualtiesProbableLocationYearTypeKilledWoundedCauseUS Marines201360 mm78Double(Nevada)loading andHang FireRomanian2010Unspeci-33DoubleArmyfiedloadingBritish198281 mm32DoubleArmyloadingUS Army200681 mm14Double(Hawaii)loadingUkrainian2008120 mm 13DoubleArmyloadingFinnish2005120 mm 15DoubleArmyloadingTotal164056 Casualties
Some attempts have been made to address this situation by providing ways to prevent double loading in mortars. One important reference is the U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,835 to Karl Gartz entitled "Apparatus for Monitoring the Loaded or Unloaded Condition of a Front Loading Weapon." This patent discloses a mortar safety device that employs an array of acoustic sensors located inside the barrel and in the breech block. The sensors are piezoelectric devices tuned to measure characteristic vibrations of the round impacting the firing pin, in particular the reaction of the base plate as well as oscillations of the barrel. A filter is used to collect only those signals from such sensors that are compatible with the impact of the round on the firing pin. After processing these signals, information provided by the electronic controller is used to turn on an alert lamp and/or a mechanical device in the muzzle that prevents further loading.
The fact that the sensors are located inside the barrel is a serious drawback of this system because it is not easy retrofit this equipment to existing mortars. The patent fails to teach how the sensors are to be installed, nor does it describe in detail how the tuning is realized.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,282 of Zigmund Albatys, issued Oct. 17, 1972, and entitled "Mortar Safety Device for Preventing Double Loading" describes a purely mechanical device that prevents loading of a mortar round if the barrel has not been cleared by firing a previously loaded projectile. A mechanism located in the muzzle uses a series of arms and locking devices to block the loading of a fresh round until the prior round is fired. This mechanical device returns to its initial position once the barrel is cleared so that a new round can be loaded into the weapon.


A piezoceramic material according to an embodiment of the present invention has a composition represented by Pbm{Zr1-x-y-zTixSny(Sb1-nNbn)z}O3 where 1.000≦m≦1.075, 0.470≦x<0.490, 0.020≦y≦0.040, 0<n<1.000 and 0<z≦0.025 and a crystallite size of 30 to 39 nm.

The present invention relates to a piezoceramic material suitable for use in piezoelectric sensors such as pressure sensor, acceleration sensor, knock sensor, yaw rate sensor, gyro sensor and shock sensor and other piezoelectric devices, a piezoelectric element using the piezoceramic material and a non-resonance knock sensor using the piezoelectric element.
Various piezoelectric sensors have widely been used in the areas of electronics and mechatronics. Each of the piezoelectric sensors includes a piezoelectric element equipped with a sintered piezoceramic body (bulk) and at least one pair of element electrodes so as to convert a mechanical stress applied thereto to an electricity or voltage by the piezoelectric effect of the piezoceramic body and generate an electrical signal based on the converted electricity or voltage. The sensitivity (output voltage) of the piezoelectric sensor varies as the piezoelectric characteristics of the piezoceramic body change with the ambient temperature of the operating environment. When the temperature of the piezoelectric sensor changes during operation or changes with the ambient temperature of the operating environment, there occurs a thermal stress in the piezoelectric element due to the difference in thermal expansion between the piezoceramic body and the element electrodes or other adjacent sensor parts. There also occurs a voltage in the piezoelectric sensor by the pyroelectric effect of the piezoceramic body in response to the temperature change. These introduce noise into the output of the piezoelectric sensor and thus lead to variations in the sensitivity of the piezoelectric sensor. Further, the piezoelectric characteristics of the piezoceramic body may deteriorate to cause a decrease in sensor output under the weight applied to the piezoelectric element. For the above reasons, the operating temperature of the piezoelectric sensor is generally set to about −40° C. to 170° C. It is however desired that the piezoelectric element exhibit no variations in temperature characteristics over a wider temperature range in view of the fact that the piezoelectric sensors are used under severe conditions in e.g. automotive engines.
In order to achieve such a temperature-stable piezoelectric element, Japanese Patent No. 2789374, Japanese Patent No. 2964265 and Japanese Patent No. 2957002 disclose PZT (lead zirconate titanate) piezoceramic materials doped with Sn, Nb and Sb so as to obtain improvements in thermal stability by the addition of Sn and to enable low-temperature sintering and softening (i.e. improvements in piezoelectric characteristics with large crystal distortion) by the addition of Nb and Sb.

Piezoceramic material, piezoelectric element and non-resonance knock sensor


An air filter assembly for removing particulate matter from an incoming dirty air stream. The assembly includes a housing having an inlet, an outlet, a dirty air chamber and a clean air chamber and a non-cylindrical shaped elongated filter element arranged within the dirty air chamber constructed to remove particulate matter from an incoming air stream. A plurality of non-cylindrical filter elements are preferred. The non-cylindrical filter elements provide a decreased incoming air stream velocity when compared to conventional cylindrical filter elements having the same surface area. Alternately, the non-cylindrical filter elements allow an increase in the volume of incoming air when compared to conventional cylindrical filter elements having the same surface area.

The present disclosure is related to air filtering systems having non-cylindrical filter elements, and methods of using systems equipped with non-cylindrical filter elements.
Many industries often encounter particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere. In some industries, this particulate matter is a valuable product, for example, starch; it would be beneficial if these suspended particulate could be recovered and reintroduced into the process. For other industries, such as metal or wood working, the particulate matter may be simply dust; it is desirable to remove dust particles from the air in order to provide a clear working environment.
Systems for cleaning an air or other gas stream laden with particulate matter include air filter assemblies that have filter elements disposed in a housing. The filter element may be a bag or sock of a suitable fabric or pleated paper. The gas stream, contaminated with particulate, typically is passed through the housing so that the particulate are captured and retained by the filter element. Cleaning is accomplished by periodically pulsing a brief jet of pressurized air into the interior of the filter element to reverse the air flow through the filter element, causing the collected contaminants to be collected . Such air filter assemblies are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,227 (Frey) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,269 (Schuler), which patents are hereby incorporated by reference.
Cylindrical filter elements are usually used in an air filter assembly to process dust particles from an airstream. In a standard design of air filter assembly, an air filter assembly has a clean air chamber and a dirty air chamber. The two chambers are separated by a sheet metal, commonly referred to as a tube sheet. The tube sheet has a number of openings from which cylindrical filters are aligned. The filters suspend downwardly with or without an angle from the tube sheet openings into the dirty air chamber. Particulate-laden air is introduced into the dirty air chamber, and the particulates collect onto the filter. The filtered air passes through the filters to the interior of the filters, and upwardly out through the openings in the tube sheet into the clean air chamber. From the clean air chamber, the cleaned air is exhausted into the environment, or recirculated for other uses. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,424,070 (Robinson), U.S Pat. No. 4,436,536 (Robinson), U.S Pat. No. 4,443,237 (Ulvestad), U.S Pat. No. 4,445,915 (Robinson), U.S Pat. No. 5,207,812 (Tronto et al.), U.S Pat. No. 4,954,255 (Muller et al.), U.S Pat. No. 5,222,488 (Forsgren), and U.S Pat. No. 5,211,846 (Kott et al.) are prior art examples of prior art cylindrical filter elements of the pleated cartridge type.
Non-cylindrical filter elements are sometimes used to process dust, particles from an airstream and provide increased filtration area within a housing than cylindrical filter elements. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,766 (Clements) discloses a non-round unitary filter cartridge having a unitary structure with pleated filter media formed securely about a perforated interior core in a dust collector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,131 (Howeth) discloses non-cylindrical filters having a greater clean air flow area than a plurality of cylindrical elements fitted within the same dimensional envelope.
In one conventional design of air filter assembly with non-cylindrical filter elements, non-cylindrical filter elements simply replaces cylindrical filter elements. With less space between adjacent filter elements, more non-cylindrical filter elements are placed within a housing than cylindrical filter elements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,766 (Clements) discloses this type of use of non-cylindrical filter elements.
In another conventional design of air filter assembly with non-cylindrical filter elements, a plurality of cylindrical elements are replaced by a single non-cylindrical filter element. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,131 (Howeth) discloses this type of use of non-cylindrical filter elements.
Unfortunately, each of these conventional designs which utilize non-cylindrical filter elements has its disadvantages and drawbacks.
The construction and arrangement of the disclosed air filter assembly helps to overcome the problems of the prior art. In particular, in one embodiment, the structure and arrangement of the assembly of the present disclosure enables the processing of 25% more dust laden airflow compared to conventional systems. In preferred systems, the assembly of the present disclosure results in a dust laden airflow increase greater than 25% without an increase in the geometric size of the filter housing apparatus or the number of filter cartridges required. The present design provides this 25% volume increase, preferably greater than 25% increase, by maintaining the amount of filtration media available for filtering the dirty air rather than increasing the amount of filtration media. In another embodiment, the assembly of the present disclosure results in an airflow increase greater than 25% by decreasing the amount of filtration media available. Also, the structure and arrangement of the air filter assembly provides more efficient filter retention/sealing, filter housing apparatus manufacturing, and filter handling.
In one aspect, the disclosure describes an air filter assembly adapted for removing particulate matter from a high volume air stream. The air filter assembly of the present disclosure, utilizing non-cylindrical filter elements, is capable of handling 25% more air than a conventional air filter assembly utilizing cylindrical filter elements having the same amount, or less, surface area available for filtration. In particular, an air filter assembly of the present disclosure comprises a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, and a spacer wall separating the housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber, the spacer wall including a first air flow aperture therein. The air inlet provides a dirty air volume to the air filter assembly, where the dirty air volume has an air flow direction. The air filter assembly further includes a first filter construction positioned in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; the first filter construction including an extension of filter media disposed between proximal end cap and distal end cap. The filter media, proximal and distal end caps defines a filter construction inner clean air chamber. The first filter construction: is oriented within the filter inner clean air chamber in air flow communication with the spacer wall first air flow aperture; has a cross-sectional area, when taken parallel to the first air flow aperture, the cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; and has a width along the long axis and a width along the short axis, the long axis width being greater than the short axis width and the long axis positioned parallel to the air flow direction.
In another aspect or embodiment, an air filter assembly is provided that comprises a housing including an air inlet, an air outlet, a spacer wall separating said housing into a filtering chamber and a clean air chamber and including a first air flow aperture therein. The air inlet provides a dirty air volume to the air filter assembly, the dirty air volume having an air flow direction and an air speed. The air filter assembly further includes a first filter construction: positioned in air flow communication with the first air flow aperture in the spacer wall; including an extension of filter media defining a filter construction inner clean air chamber; having a cross-sectional area, when taken parallel to the first air flow aperture, the cross-sectional area having a long axis perpendicular to a short axis; having a width along the long axis and a width along the short axis, the long axis width being greater than the short axis width and the long axis positioned parallel to the air flow direction; and further having a first surface area defined by the extension of filter media. The volume of dirty air processable by this air filter assembly is at least 10 percent greater, preferably 20 percent greater, and most preferably at least 25 percent greater than a volume of dirty air processable by an air filter assembly differing from the claimed assembly only by the shape of the filter elements.
In another embodiment, the structure and arrangement of the assembly of the present disclosure results in an air speed that is at least 10 percent, preferably 20 percent, and most preferably at least 25 percent less than the air speed of a similar volume of air being filtered by an air filter assembly differing from the claims assembly only by the shape of the filter elements.
Such an air filter assembly provides for longer filter life and increases the capacity for particulate removal from the incoming dirty air stream, thus decreasing the need to change used filter elements.
In another aspect, such an air filter assembly provides greater capacity, both for the airflow capacity and the amount of particulate removed from the dirty air stream, without decreasing filter life. This decreases the total amount of filters needed at each replacement cycle and over the life of the operation.
A method of filtering or cleaning dirty air to provide clean air is also disclosed.

Air filter assembly having non-cylindrical filter elements, for filtering air with particulate matter


A hydroformed dovetail joint and method of joining tubular members includes a first hydroformed tubular member having a depression therein and a second hydroformed tubular member having an end. The end of the second hydroformed tubular member is disposed over the depression of the first hydroformed tubular member to join the first hydroformed tubular member and the second hydroformed tubular member together to form a dovetail joint between the first hydroformed tubular member and the second hydroformed tubular member.

It is known to hydroform tubular components. Hydroformed tubular components are becoming increasingly popular in automotive body structural applications. During vehicle body manufacturing, many of the hydroformed tubular components are joined to one another. One method for joining the hydroformed tubular components is to make a straight cut butt joint as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1A. In this joint, hydroformed tubular members 6 and 7 have straight cut ends and one end of the tubular member 7 is butted against the side of the other tubular member 6 and welded together. Another method for joining the hydroformed tubular components is to make a shirt tail joint as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2A. In this joint, hydroformed tubular members 6 and 8 have straight cut ends and the tubular member 8 has a flange 9 overlapping the tubular member 6 when one end of the tubular member 8 is butted against the side of the other tubular member 6 and welded together. However, these joints require costly precision end cut processing due to joint dimensional variation and positional variation.
As a result, it is desirable to provide a new method of joining tubular members together to form a joint therebetween. It is also desirable to provide a method of joining tubular members together without costly precision end cut processing. It is further desirable to provide a joint for joining tubular members together that accommodates joint dimensional variation and positional variation. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a new joint and method of joining tubular members together that meets these desires.

Method of joining hydroformed tubular members