This invention relates to an improved process for the production of dinitrotoluene wherein one is able to effectively employ a feed sulfuric acid, which is referred to as "weak acid" as the feed sulfuric acid for the nitration facility. The weak acid concentration, as feed, ranges from 86-91%, preferably 87-89% sulfuric acid by weight, to meet the total sulfuric acid requirements for the facility. This is accomplished by utilizing cocurrent processing in a mononitration zone and countercurrent nitration with respect to sulfuric acid in the dinitration zone.

Dinitrotoluene is an important intermediate in producing toluenediisocyanate based polyurethanes. One of the conventional processes for producing dinitrotoluene is referred to as the mixed acid nitration process wherein toluene is reacted with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid in a mononitration zone to produce the intermediate product, mononitrotoluene (MNT), which then is separated from the spent acid and the recovered mononitrotoluene contacted with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid to form dinitrotoluene in a dinitration zone. Dinitrotoluene (DNT) then is separated from the aqueous phase and the spent sulfuric acid purified and concentrated. Typical, product specifications (weight %) for commercial grade dinitrotoluene generally will be greater than 98.5% dinitrotoluene, less than 0.1% mononitrotoluene, less than 0.1% trinitrotoluene, less than 0.1% by-products, less than 1.0% water and yield of toluene to dinitrotoluene greater than 98% at conversion levels of >99.9%. The isomer content of product DNT contains a minimum of 95% (on a water free basis) 2,4-plus 2,6-isomer with the balance of the DNT being made up of 2,3-; 3,4-; 2,5-; and 3,5-isomers. The normalized 2,4-plus 2,6-isomer content is between 79.0-81.0% 2,4-isomer and between 19.0-21.0% 2,6-isomer.
Commercially, toluene is converted to mononitrotoluene employing a "cycle acid" having an approximate concentration of from 0.5 to 2% by weight nitric plus nitrous acid and from 80 to 84% by weight sulfuric acid (all acid concentrations are on an organic free basis). Cycle acid s the spent sulfuric and nitric acid recovered from the dinitration zone and used for the nitration of toluene in the mononitration zone. The reaction product from the mononitration zone is separated into an organic phase and a spent acid phase that is recovered for purification and concentration to feed acid strength. The spent acid from the mononitrators typically contains from 0.2-1.5% by weight nitric plus nitrous acid and from 70 to 74% by weight sulfuric acid. The organic phase from the mononitration zone which contains a mixture of toluene, MNT, and DNT is fed to the dinitration zone and is contacted with additional mixed acid where the reaction to form DNT is essentially completed. Mononitrotoluene is typically converted to dinitrotoluene at mixed acid reaction concentrations of from 0.5 to 2% by weight nitric plus nitrous acid and from 80 to 84% by weight sulfuric acid.
Two moles of water are produced for each mole of dinitrotoluene produced, Accordingly, the concentation of feed nitric acid and feed sulfuric acid for the plant must be substantially greater than the concentration of nitric and sulfuric acid in the cycle acid. To meet the sulfuric acid requirements of commercial plants and produce commercial grade dinitrotoluene for the mixed acid nitration process, the feed sulfuric acid concentration has been within a range of approximately 93-98% or higher, generally above 95% by weight when used with subazeotropic nitric acid. Subazeotropic nitric acid has a concentration range from about 57 wt. % up to 69 wt. % nitric acid with nitric acid concentrations of 60-65 wt. % being typical for nitric acid used for the production of dinitrotoluene. Concentrations of >69% nitric acid require more costly methods of concentration, such costs are primarily associated with overcoming the azeotrope.
In a commercial DNT plant, the concentration of sulfuric acid in the cycle acid is set by the concentration of the feed sulfuric acid and feed nitric acid and the concentration of sulfuric acid in the spent acid from the mononitration zone. For a given concentration of sulfuric acid in the spent acid obtained from the mononitration zone, the concentration of sulfuric acid in the cycle acid will decrease as the concentration of feed sulfuric acid and the concentration of feed nitric acid decrease. Typically, the concentration of sulfuric acid in the cycle acid will have to be greater than 80 wt. % to yield a spent acid from the mononitration zone having a concentration of sulfuric acid ranging from about 70 to 74% by weight. There are essentially two problems associated with the generation of a spent acid from the mononitration zone having a sulfuric acid greater than about 74%, they are: it requires increased sulfuric acid usage, and it creates problems associated with the purification and concentration of the spent acid to feed sulfuric acid strength. Sulfuric acid concentrations lower than about 70% by weight result in excessive by-product formation and low conversions of toluene to mononitrotoluene.
Spent sulfuric acid recovered from the mononitration zone which has been diluted by virtue of the production of two moles of by-product water in the process has to be purified and concentrated to be reused for nitration. Typically, nitric acid, nitrous acid and organics in the spent acid are removed prior to concentration. One of the conventional ways to effect concentration of the spent sulfuric acid has been via a series of multiple-effect evaporators operating under vacuum. The concentration of spent sulfuric acid imposes substantial energy requirements upon the nitration facility, not to mention the environmental control problems associated with avoidance of volatile sulfur oxide emission from multi-stage evaporators. Control of environmental loss of sulfuric acid becomes more difficult as the concentration of the product sulfuric acid increases. These losses can become increasingly significant at a concentration above 89% sulfuric acid. Capital and operating costs associated with the evaporators and vacuum equipment are high ever for increases of 1% acid strength and greater when producing sulfuric acid of strengths greater than 89%.
Representative patents which show the production of nitroaromatics including dinitrotoluene and the concentration of spent sulfuric acid to feed acid strength are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,000 discloses the continuous, countercurrent nitration of toluene through a plurality of stages to produce trinitrotoluene. In a multi-stage, countercurrent process a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and oleum is fed to the final nitrator to effect final nitration of the toluene. The spent acid which has been diluted by the production of water is cycled to stages upstream of the final nitrator and thus the feed toluene which enters the first nitrator is contacted with the most dilute or weakest acid mixture. To avoid undesired oxidation of trinitrotoluene and dinitrotoluene by nitrous acid in the process, the aqueous phase and the organic phase are separated after intermediate stages of nitration in order to remove nitrous acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,971 discloses a continuous process for producing nitroaromatics coupled with a simultaneous reduction in by-product due to oxidation losses. The process is conducted such that the sulfuric acid concentration is maintained within a level of from 86-95%, the nitric acid is maintained within a range of about 14% and the water is maintained within a range of from 0-13.5% on a weight basis. Dinitration is effected in at least two steps in which from 60 to 75% of the sulfuric acid requirements and up to 20% but not more than 30% of the nitric acid requirements for trinitrotoluene are available for the last step. In the last step where trinitrotoluene is produced, the balance of the nitric acid and sulfuric acid is introduced as a mixture of concentrated nitric and oleum with at least 20% free SO.sub.3. Thus, the trinitrotoluene product is withdrawn in an acid mixture nearly free of water. The feed acid to the facility to maintain reactor concentration is oleum containing 25% free SO.sub.3.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,095 discloses a continuous process for the production of trinitrotoluene with the nitration process divided into three divisions. In the first division mononitrotoluene is formed, in the second division the mononitrotoluene is converted to a mononitro/dinitrotoluene mixture, and in the third stage the mixture of mono and dinitrotoluene is converted into trinitrotoluene. A composition at the end of the first stage is shown to comprise 71% H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, 25% H.sub.2 O.sub.1, 1% HNO.sub.3, in the second stage the concentration is shown to comprise 78% H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, 15% H.sub.2 O.sub.1, 2% HNO.sub.3, and 3% nitro-products. At the end of the third stage the concentration is shown to comprise 81% H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, 3% H.sub.2 O.sub.1, 6% HNO.sub.3 and 7% dissolved trinitrotoluene. Mixed acids having at least 30% free SO.sub.3 and at least 30% nitric acid are preferred as the feed acid starting material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,157,706 discloses a process for producing dinitrotoluene wherein it was found that if the concentration of sulfuric acid was higher than 65%, trinitrotoluene was produced. The process comprises nitrating mononitrotoluene with a mixed acid consisting of 33-36% by weight nitric acid, 60-65% by weight sulfuric acid and the remainder water.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,791 discloses a process for producing both mono and dinitrotoluene by the mixed acid nitration method. In that process toluene is continuously nitrated to form mononitrotoluene in a two reactor system which then is subsequently nitrated to a dinitrotoluene product in the form of a mixture containing approximately an 80:20 ratio of 2:4-/2:6-dinitrotoluene isomers. The nitrating mixture contains about 50-60% sulfuric acid, 20-40% nitric acid and 10-20% water. The mixture is prepared by blending 95% nitric acid with a spent sulfuric acid solution. The spent sulfuric acid from the second reactor contains from about 62-75% sulfuric acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,782 discloses a process for recovering nitric acid from the mononitration of toluene wherein toluene is reacted with nitric acid in the presence of sulfuric acid to form mononitrotoluene. To recover the value of the nitric acid in the spent acid, the mononitrotoluene is subsequently adiabatically nitrated in the presence of the spent acid in a dinitration reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,012 discloses a process for producing dinitrotoluene by a single stage nitration of toluene under adiabatic conditions. The examples show the nitration of toluene utilizing a mixture of sulfuric acid and nitric acid where the molar ratio of nitric acid to toluene is slightly greater than 2:1. The nitrating acid is comprised of inorganic components consisting of 60-90% by weight sulfuric acid and 1-15% nitric acid.

Weak acid process for producing dinitrotoluene


Provided are a composition for forming film which can form porous film excelling in dielectric constant, adhesiveness, uniformity of the film, mechanical strength and having low hygroscopicity; porous film and a method for forming the film; and a high-performing and highly reliable semiconductor device comprising the porous film inside. More specifically, provided is a composition for forming porous film, the composition comprising siloxane polymer and one or more quaternary ammonium salts represented by following formula (1) or (2):[(R1)4N]+[R2X]−  (1)Hk[(R1)4N]m+YV−  (2)wherein X represents CO2, OSO3 or SO3; Y represents SO4, SO3, CO3, O2C—CO2, NO3 or NO2; and k is 0 or 1, m is 1 or 2 and n is 1 or 2 in proviso that n=1 requires k=0 and m=1, and n=2 requires k=0 and m=2, or k=1 and m=1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition for film formation, which can be formed into a porous film that excels in dielectric properties, adhesion, film consistency and mechanical strength, and has reduced absorption; a porous film and a method for forming the same; and a semiconductor device, which contains the porous film inside.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits, as the circuits are packed tighter, an increase in interconnection capacitance, which is a parasitic capacitance between metal interconnections, leads to an increase in interconnection delay time, thereby hindering the enhancement of the performance of semiconductor circuits. The interconnection delay time is called an RC delay, which is in proportion to the product of the electric resistance of the metal interconnections and the static capacitance between the interconnections. Reducing the interconnection delay time requires reducing the resistance of metal interconnections or the interconnection capacitance.
The reduction in resistance of the interconnection metal and the interconnection capacitance can prevent a densely packed semiconductor device from causing an interconnection delay, thereby realizing a smaller and faster semiconductor device with reduced power consumption.
In an attempt to reduce the resistance of metal interconnections, in recent years, metallic copper interconnections have been employed more than conventional aluminum interconnections in the structure of a device. However, use of this structure all has limits in the enhancement of the performance, so the reduction in interconnection capacitance is an urgent necessity for higher performance of semiconductors.
One method for reducing interconnection capacitance is to reduce the relative permittivity (dielectric constant) of an interlevel insulator film disposed between metal interconnections. As such an insulator film with a low relative permittivity, it has been considered to use a porous film instead of a silicon oxide film, which has been used conventionally. A porous film can be said to be the only practical film as a material with a relative permittivity of 2.0 or less, and various methods for forming a porous film have been proposed
A first method for forming a porous film is as follows: a precursor solution of a siloxane polymer containing a thermally unstable organic component is synthesized; then the precursor solution is applied on the substrate to form a coating film; and later, a heat treatment is applied to decompose and volatilize the organic component. The result is a number of micro-pores formed in the film.
As a second method for forming a porous film, it is well known to carry out processing as follows: a silica sol solution is applied onto a substrate by coating or using a CVD method so as to form a wet gel; and then the silica sol is subjected to a condensation reaction while restricting volume reduction by controlling the speed of the evaporation of the solvent from the wet gel.
As a third method for forming a porous film, it is well known that a silica micro-particle solution is applied on a substrate to form a coating film, and then the coating film is sintered to form a number of micro-pores between silica micro-particles.
As a fourth method, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2000-44875 proposes a composition for porous film formation, which is characterized by containing a compound having (A) a component expressed by (R′)mSi(O R″)4-m (R′ and R″ are univalent organic radicals, and m is an integer of 0 to 2); (B) a metal chelate compound; and (C) a compound having a polyalkylene oxide structure.
However, these methods have respective major drawbacks as follows.
In the first method for forming a porous film, the synthesis of the precursor solution of the siloxane polymer increases the cost. In addition, the formation of the coating film by coating the precursor solution increases the amount of silanol groups remaining in the coating film, which causes a degassing phenomenon indicating the evaporation of water and the like in the heat treatment process that is conducted later and, which also deteriorates the film quality due to the porous film absorbing humidity.
In the second method for forming a porous film, the speed control of the evaporation of the solvent from the wet gel requires a special type of coating device, which increases the cost. In addition, a significant amount of silanol remains on the surface of the micro-pores, which must be silanized because otherwise hygroscopicity is high and the film quality decreases. The silanization makes the process more complicated. In the case where a wet gel is formed by the CVD process, it is necessary to use a special type of CVD device, which is different from the plasma CVD device generally used in the semiconductor process, thereby also increasing the cost.
In the third method for forming a porous film, the diameter of the micro-pores formed between the silica micro-particles, which is determined by the accumulation structure of the silica micro-particles that are accumulated geometrically, becomes very large. This makes it difficult to set the relative permittivity of the porous film to 2 or below.
In the case of the fourth method, out of the three components (A), (B), and (C), the metal chelate compound of (B) is essential to increase the compatibility of the components (A) and (C), and to make the thickness of the coating film uniform after being hardened. However, it is not preferable because it makes the manufacturing process complicated and increases the cost. Therefore, it is desired to develop a material, which enables a homogeneous solution to be formed without a chelate component and the coating film to be flat after being hardened.
Contrary to the conventional method for forming porous film, it has been found that aluminosilicate, silica and the like are first condensed using a mold of micelle formed by a surfactant and then the surfactant is removed from the produced construction by calcination or solvent extraction, which results in the formation of a porous structure having a mesopore (2–50 nm in diameter)—sized channel structure. For instance, according to Inagaki et al. (J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., p. 680, 1993), polysilicate is reacted water in the presence of surfactant as a mold. Moreover, according to the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 9-194298, the tetraalkoxysilane is reacted in water under an acidic condition in the presence of surfactant as a mold and coated on a substrate to form a silica porous film containing pores having pore diameter of 1 to 2 nm.
However, there is a problem with these methods. In the former, although a powdery porous body is easily made, a porous film cannot be formed on a substrate which is used for producing a semiconductor device. In the latter, although a porous film can be formed, the orientation of pores cannot be controlled so that uniform film in a large area thereof cannot be obtained.
Further, according to Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2001-130911, the silica meso-porous film is formed using a mixture of a surfactant and a product obtained by acid hydrolysis and condensation of silicon alkoxide, where the mixture has been prepared and stabilized at pH value of 3 or less.
However, in this case, because a solute concentration is specified, it is difficult to control the coating film thickness. Then, it is difficult to apply this method to an actual semiconductor manufacturing process. Moreover, when this solution is diluted with water, although the thickness of the coated film can be controlled, the rate of condensation polymerization of the silica component increases, so that the stability of the coating liquid is lost.
On the other hand, the following methods are in the 2001-110529th according to the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication Nos. 2001-115029 and 2001-203197, a coating liquid is obtained by hydrolysis and condensation of a silane compound and provides excellent dielectric properties. Because a modulus of elasticity required in the manufacturing process of an actual semiconductor is 5 GPa or higher, however, the mechanical strength is not sufficient in these inventions.
As mentioned above, when porous film produced by conventional material is used as an insulator film in multi-level interconnects of the semiconductor device, there are problems such that moisture-absorbed porous film increases dielectric constant and lowers the adhesiveness in the lamination of films. Moreover, when the dielectric constant of the porous film used as an insulator film increases, the RC delay in the multi-level interconnects of the semiconductor device is increased. Consequently, the performance of the semiconductor device (high speed and low power consumption) has not been improved. Furthermore, higher cost for forming porous film leads to higher cost for a semiconductor device. Moreover, when conventional porous film is incorporated as an insulator film into the multi-level interconnects of the semiconductor device, there is a problem of the film having insufficient mechanical strength. The low mechanical strength results from the porous film property. Thus, there is a problem that low mechanical strength of the porous film as an insulator film lowers the reliability of a semiconductor device.

Composition for forming porous film, porous film and method for forming the same, interlevel insulator film, and semiconductor device

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A rotating torque transmission buffered shaft is provided with a casing tube, a shaft tube and a lock mounting member. The casing tube is formed with a receiving space and the inner walls of both ends of the casing tube are formed with a first inner screw thread and a second inner screw thread respectively. The shaft tube is installed within the receiving space and the middle section of the shaft tube is formed with a screw thread portion corresponding to the first inner screw thread. The lock mounting member is engaged and locked on the second inner screw thread. The rotating torque transmission buffered shaft is applicable to ships and vehicles for public transportation. The buffered shaft can absorb and balance intense rotating torque generated instantly, and can reduce the torque difference generated during the operation due to the linkage between the engine and the transmission device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to buffered shafts and more particularly to a rotating torque transmission buffered shaft which can transmit the torque force, generated from the power output of a vehicle or an engine through a gearbox or an automatic transmission device, to roll or rotate the tires.
2. Description of Related Art
According to the fact, regardless what the form to install an engine and driving wheels is, there must be a complete transmission line, namely a transmission shaft, between the engine and the engine-driven wheels in order to output the power of an engine to the wheels through the clutch, gearbox, transmission shaft, transmission assembly, and finally axle beam, that makes the tires to rotate and thus to drive the vehicle. Once the part of the transmission shaft is damaged, worn, deformed, and loss of dynamic balance can cause the car to make unusual noise and vibration while in driving. In worse cases, such condition can lead to damage to relevant parts. Besides, the transmission shaft is a rotary member of high rotation speed and with little support, and therefore having dynamic balance is critically important.
However, when a vehicle is travelling, changing gear or moving along an uneven road, the vehicle will generate more engine power which causes significant differences in speed ratio between tires as well as the transmission rotation speed to overload instantaneously leading to an unbalanced torque value and causing damage to the engine, gearbox, and differential device. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

Rotating torque transmission buffered shaft


The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel, comprising a steering wheel skeleton encased in foam and consisting of a steering wheel rim, a hub and at least one spoke connecting the hub with the steering wheel rim. The steering wheel further comprises a panel which is visible from outside on the steering wheel rim. A clip is provided which is constructed as a separate part and engages on the steering wheel rim. the panel is fastened to the steering wheel rim by means of the at least one clip and the panel together with the clip completely surround the steering wheel rim.

The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel.
Steering wheels having an expensive appearance increasingly have a panel or cover of hard material, visible from outside, on the steering wheel rim, preferably on the inner face of the steering wheel rim facing the hub. Such panels generally have on their outer face an imitation of wood, which is intended to give the steering wheel a higher-quality appearance. The fastening of such panels to the steering wheel is complicated and expensive. The embedding of the panel into the foam casing of the steering wheel rim or the direct attachment on the steering wheel skeleton, more precisely on the steering wheel rim of the steering wheel skeleton, are provided as fastening possibilities.
The invention provides a vehicle steering wheel in which the fastening of the panel can take place quickly, simply and at a favorable cost. This is achieved in a vehicle steering wheel which comprises a steering wheel skeleton encased in foam and consisting of a steering wheel rim, a hub and at least one spoke connecting the hub with the steering wheel rim. The steering wheel further comprises a panel which is visible from outside on the steering wheel rim. A clip is provided which is constructed as a separate part and engages on the steering wheel rim. The panel is fastened to the steering wheel rim by means of the at least one clip, and the panel together with the clip completely surround the steering wheel rim. The panel and the clip form a unit which fully embraces the steering wheel rim in the circumferential direction, seen in a cross-sectional view through the rim. In steering wheels known hitherto, the steering wheel skeletons had to be coordinated with the fastening of the panel, which made the skeleton more complicated in its construction. In the steering wheel according to the invention, on the other hand, the clip is a separate part which is only fastened to the steering wheel skeleton when required and in addition can be positioned at various points. Through the use of the clip, a greater flexibility is achieved in the production of different steering wheels with and without a panel, or with various panels. In addition, it is possible through the flexible clip to hold the clips on the steering wheel skeleton and/or the panel on the clip permanently with pre-stressing, so that a loosening of the parts from each other or a vibrating after several years of driving operation can be avoided which is achieved by the panel and the clip completely surrounding the steering wheel rim.
Preferably, the panel and the clip are connected with each other by means of a clip connection, i.e. a very simple type of fastening which requires little installation time.
The clip can embrace the steering wheel rim and is thereby securely positioned. For example, provision is made for this that the clip, according to a preferred embodiment, has a C-shaped cross-sectional profile. The panel can engage on the outer or inner face on the free edges, lying opposite each other. Through the C-shaped profile with the free edges, the clip achieves a sufficiently high flexibility in order to realize the desired clip connection
Hook-shaped extensions on the panel engage behind the free edges, in accordance with the preferred embodiment, to provide a secure connection.
According to another development of the invention, the panel presses the free edges towards each other so that it endeavors to close the clip which is open in cross-section. The clip and panel thereby reciprocally secure each other on the steering wheel skeleton.
The clip is of course also encased in foam, the panel, the clip and the foam casing being coordinated with each other such that with the steering wheel encased in foam, the panel can be clipped onto the clip from outside. Preferably, this clipping on should still be possible even after a covering of the steering wheel with leather, if a covering with leather takes place at all, in order to avoid the panel having to be integrated into the process of encasing in foam.
The clip can in addition have a dual function by on the one hand arresting the panel and on the other hand arresting an additional mass on the steering wheel rim. Separate additional masses, fastened at desired sites on the steering wheel rim, are intended to increase the inert mass of the vehicle steering wheel as a whole and to largely prevent vibrations.
Between the clip and the steering wheel rim, a form-fitting connection can also be provided, so that the positions of the parts to each other are fixed. This prevents faulty installations.

TRW Automotive Safety Systems GmbH and Co. KG


A wet chemical process tank for processing semiconductor wafers equipped with a specially designed fluid dispenser positioned at the bottom of the tank where the dispenser has a fluid dispensing member having an elongated body connected on at least one end to at least one support member for stabilizing the member and a fluid passage therein in fluid communication with a plurality of openings provided on at least one of the vertical sides of the member such that a fluid may only exit the member in a horizontal direction so that bubbles generated do not directly contact the semiconductor wafers suspended at the center of the tank.

In semiconductor fabrication process, various techniques of etching resist-imaged photomasks, silicon wafers or other semiconductor materials have been used. A wet etching technique conducted in an immersion tank is generally a practical high-throughput, flexible fabrication process. By properly selecting etchant chemicals, etch reactions with a target film are thermodynamically favored over reactions with other films. Desirable etch-rate ratios can be usually obtained.
A wet etching method is especially suitable for the blanket etching of materials such as polysilicon, oxide, nitride and metal. The method is capable of providing a desirable etch selectivity, a damage-free interface and particle-contamination-free wafers. In the more recently developed wet etching technology, automated robotic handling systems and ultra-pure chemicals are used to further improve particle control and process consistency. A well-controlled wet etching technique is therefore the choice of etching process in VLSI and ULSI fabrication techniques.
One of the key criteria in carrying out a wet etching process is that the etch products must be soluble in the etchant solution and therefore, no contaminating particles are generated. In an immersion etching process, the volume of the etching tank should be large enough to create enough pressure on the wafer surface in order to ensure an accurate balance of the etchant components; to keep the concentration of the etchant relatively constant; and to minimize the number of times the etchant tank must be changed. An etchant bath change creates expensive down time, and furthermore, the handling of highly hazardous corrosive materials creates potential safety problems.
Wet etching is a frequently used technique for stripping photoresist films from silicon wafers where the complete removal of resist images without adversely affecting the wafer surface is desired. The resist layer or images should be completely removed without leaving any residues, including contaminant particles that may have been present in the resist. The underlying surface of the photoresist layer should not be adversely affected, for instance, accidental etching of the metal or oxide surface should be avoided. Liquid etchant strippers should produce a reasonable bath yield in order to prevent redeposition of dissolved resist on the wafers. The etchant should completely dissolve the photoresist layer in a chemical reaction, and not just lifting or peeling so as to prevent redeposition. It is also desirable that the etching or stripping time be reasonably short in order to permit high wafer throughput.
Wet etchants such as sulfuric acid (H.sub.2 SO.sub.4) and mixtures of H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 with other oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) are widely used in stripping photoresist or in cleaning a wafer surface after the photoresist has been stripped by other means. For instance, a frequently used mixture is seven parts H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 to three parts 30% H.sub.2 O.sub.2, or a mixture of 88% sulfuric acid and 12% nitric acid. Wafers to be stripped can be immersed in the mixture at a temperature between about 100.degree. C. and about 150.degree. C. for 5.about.10 minutes and then subjected to a thorough rinse of deionized water and dried in dry nitrogen. This type of inorganic resist strippers, such as the sulfuric acid mixtures, is very effective in the residual-free removal of highly postbaked resist. They are more effective than organic strippers and the longer the immersion time, the cleaner and more residue-free wafer surface can be obtained.
In a typical wet chemical process tank, in order to ensure a perfect mix of acid and other components or a good uniformity in the acid itself, constant stirring or agitation of the solution in the tank is desired. While mechanical stirring or agitation techniques have been used, the moving components of a stirrer or agitator frequently generate contaminant particles that are detrimental to the wafer surfaces. Furthermore, a mechanical stirrer or agitating device tends to work only in a localized area of a large chemical tank while leaving a large area of the tank unmixed. Since wafers are usually loaded into a wafer boat and positioned at or near the center of the tank, too vigorous stirring or agitation of the liquid in the tank may cause the wafers in the wafer boat to move and as a result, stick to each other. Such wafer sticking problems result in uneven and unsatisfactory etching on the wafer surfaces.
An improved mixing method for liquids in a wet chemical tank is to force a fluid to enter the wet chemical tank at the bottom of the tank and then forming gas bubbles to rise from the bottom to the top of the tank and thereby carrying out mixing function along the way. The fluid used is normally a substance that readily reacts with the liquid in the tank such that either a gas or a vapor is generated to form the bubbles. One of such suitable chemical reactions occurring between a liquid in a tank and a fluid pumped therein is an acid and water. For instance, when phosphoric acid (H.sub.3 PO.sub.4) and ionized water are mixed in a tank, water reacts with the strong acid violently and immediately boils to form water vapor in bubbles and then the bubbles rise to the top of the liquid surface in the tank. During the process where the bubbles rise to the top of the liquid surface, the bubbles cause disturbance in the liquid and thus improve its uniformity by the agitation occurring in the liquid. A conventional system of a wet chemical process tank equipped with a fluid dispensing member, which is commonly called a spray bar, positioned at the bottom of the tank is shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 shows a wet chemical process system 10 including a process tank 12 formed by a bottom wall 14 and four sidewalls 16 which are joined perpendicular to the bottom wall 14 forming a fluid-tight enclosure. The bottom wall 14 and the sidewalls 16 can be constructed of a corrosion-resistant material such as panels of stainless steel or steel panels coated with a corrosion resistant material such as Teflon. Due to the extreme corrosive nature of the processing liquids that are normally used in the wet chemical processing of semiconductor wafers, a securely sealed enclosure is a critical requirement for both maintenance and safety. The size of the tank 12 should be sufficiently large such that, for instance, two wafer boats (not shown) which are capable of holding twenty-four wafers each can be placed in the center of the tank while leaving an adequate space between the wafers and the walls such that a constant movement in the processing liquid can be achieved. Into the wet chemical process tank 12, a fluid dispensing member, or a spray bar, 22 is positioned at the bottom of the tank. A plurality of openings 24 are formed in the top surface 26 of the dispensing member 22 for allowing a fluid to enter the tank.
An enlarged, cross-sectional view of the dispensing member 22 taken at an opening 24 is shown in FIG. 1A. An internal fluid passage 28 is provided in dispensing member 22 which is in fluid communication with conduit 32 through a connector 34 and an elbow section 36 in the dispensing members 22. A precision volumetric pump 42 is used to pump a fluid such as deionized water from an inlet 44 through conduit 32 into the fluid passage 28. Since the volume of the deionized water that enters the process tank for reaction with phosphoric acid must be precisely controlled such that just the right amount of bubbles are generated, the pump 42 utilized must be a high precision volumetric pump that is capable of precisely controlling the amount of liquid pumped therethrough. For instance, into a normal wet chemical process tank of 20-liter capacity that is filled with phosphoric acid, only 40 cubic centimeter of deionized water should be pumped into the tank per minute. At such precisely controlled flow rate, just the right amount of water vapor in bubbles can be generated to suitably mixing the phosphoric acid contained in tank 12.
The fluid dispensing member 22, due to its extended exposure to strong acids when immersed in a tank, must be made of a corrosion-resistant material. A suitable material is Teflon which can be easily machined to provide the internal fluid passage 28 and the openings 24. The connector 34 and the conduit 32 should also be made by a corrosion-resistant material due to their prolonged exposure to corrosive liquids.
In a conventional wet chemical process tank, the fluid dispensing member, as shown in FIG. 1, has fluid outlets facing upward for easier exit of the fluid. Since wafer boats are normally positioned at the center of the tank and therefore, directly above the fluid dispensing member and are in the path of the bubbles formed by water vapor exiting the openings in the dispensing member. This can cause various processing problems. For instance, the bubbles can sometimes stick to a wafer surface such that the specific surface area can not be wetted by the etchant. This can lead to uneven etching of a wafer surface. The rising bubbles can also cause disturbance or movement of the wafers and thus causing the wafers to stick to each other. When the wafer sticking problem occurs, the wafer surfaces which are stuck together are not exposed to etchant solution and thus, poor etching occurs on the surfaces as a result. Furthermore, when the wafers are stuck together due to excessive disturbance from the rising bubbles, the temperature of the etchant liquid in the area immediate adjacent to the stuck wafers differs from the rest of the tank which also causes uneven etching at such local areas. This further creates non-uniformity of etching on the wafer surfaces.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wet chemical process tank for processing semiconductor wafers that does not have the drawbacks or shortcomings of a conventional wet chemical process tank.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wet chemical process tank for processing semiconductor wafers that does not cause uneven etching of the wafers and requires only minor modifications in the equipment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wet chemical process tank for processing semiconductor wafers that does not cause non-uniform etching of the wafers by preventing bubbles from a fluid dispensing member positioned at the bottom of the tank from directly contacting the wafers.
It is another further object of the present invention to provide a wet chemical process tank for processing semiconductor wafers equipped with a fluid dispensing member positioned at the bottom of the tank which allows a fluid to be dispensed only from one or both sides of the member such that bubbles formed do not contact the wafers directly.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a wet chemical process tank for processing semiconductor wafers that is equipped with a fluid dispensing member positioned at the bottom of the tank which dispenses bubbles from the vertical sides of the member to achieve uniform mixing of a liquid etchant while not directly disturbing the wafers.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a fluid dispenser for use in a wet chemical process tank that is equipped with a fluid dispensing member having an elongated body, a generally rectangular shaped cross-section and a fluid passage contained therein in fluid communication with a plurality of openings provided on the two vertical sides of the elongated body.
It is another further object of the present invention to provide a fluid dispenser for use in a wet chemical process tank that is equipped with at least one support member of elongated shape connected to at least one end of a fluid dispensing member to support and stabilize the member when fluid is pumped through a fluid passage and a plurality of openings to enter the tank.
It is still another further object of the present invention to provide a method of treating semiconductor wafers in a wet chemical process tank by providing a fluid dispenser for positioning at the bottom of the tank which has an elongated body containing a fluid passage therein in fluid communication with a number of openings provided in at least one vertical side of the elongated body such that fluid may only enter the tank in a horizontal direction.

Fluid dispensing device for wet chemical process tank and method of using

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


Methods and systems for providing computer-assisted guided review of unstructured data to generate a structured data output based on customizable template rules. In embodiments, an unstructured file is received, and a predefined template is selected. The predefined template includes a plurality of fields, each field corresponding to a field of the structured report. The predefined template also defines extraction rules for each field of the predefined template, and the extraction rules define parameters for identifying unstructured data relevant to the associated field. The extraction rules are applied to the unstructured file to identify data relevant to the field associated with the corresponding extraction rule, and the data identified as relevant is confirmed. Confirming the relevant data includes determining to refine the relevant data based on a condition, and modifying the extraction rule associated with the field to refine the relevant data.

Given the large amounts of data related to any facet of life, it is no wonder that any manual review of even relatively small amounts of documents can prove to be time consuming, tedious, and expensive. This is the case for any manual review process implemented with respect to, e.g., claim processing. In these cases, claim processing can involve large amounts of documents that need to be reviewed to find, identify, and extract data that is relevant to a particular case, such as client and involved parties information, and factual evidence. Complicating the process is the fact that most documents that need to be reviewed are not structured documents, in the sense that the documents include natural language expressions rather than structured language fields. Claim processors thus must parse through the large amounts of volumes looking for relevant information, which may lead to missed information, and, in the best of cases, may be a very expensive process.
Some solutions have been proposed to address the challenges with manual document review, most involving computer-assisted review. In one particular solution, a system provides functionality to recognize and extract all specific items, such as entities, dates, etc. However, this solution offers no semantic context to the extracted data. As such, a user must still parse through the extracted items, without context, to identify desired data. Thus, this solution offers marginal improvements.
Another solution that has been proposed involves more sophisticated data extraction methods, such as using business rules or machine learning algorithms. In some cases, the extraction algorithms need to be trained by the user before they can be applied. However, in these cases, the rules and algorithms may be hardcoded and non-transparent. These extraction algorithms are essentially a black box that does not provide transparency into the extraction process or allow a user to make dynamic modifications. Thus, these solutions are inflexible.

Systems and method for generating a structured report from unstructured data


Isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding T-bet, and isolated T-bet polypeptides, are provided. The invention further provides antisense nucleic acid molecules, recombinant expression vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule of the invention, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced and non-human transgenic animals carrying a T-bet transgene. The invention further provides T-bet fusion proteins and anti-T-bet antibodies. Methods of using the T-bet compositions of the invention are also disclosed, including methods for detecting T-bet expression and/or activity in a biological sample, methods of modulating T-bet expression and/or activity in a cell, and methods for identifying agents that modulate the expression and/or activity of T-bet.

Cells of the immune system alter patterns of gene expression in response to extracellular and intracellular signals. A group of polypeptides, designated cytokines or lymphokines, which affect a range of biological activities in several cell types, are among the most important of these signals. While many cell types in the immune system secrete cytokines, the T helper (Th) lymphocyte is the major source of these polypeptides. More than a decade ago it was discovered that Th cells differentiate into two distinct subsets, Th1 and Th2, upon T cell receptor engagement, defined both by their distinct functional abilities and by unique cytokine profiles (Paul and Seder, 1994, Cell 76, 241-251; Mosmann and Coffman, 1989, Annu. Rev. Immunol. 7, 145-173; Mosmann et al., 1986, J. Immunol. 136, 2348-2357; Snapper and Paul, 1987, Science 236, 944-947). Th1 cells mediate delayed type hypersensitivity responses and macrophage activation while Th2 cells provide help to B cells and are critical in the allergic response (Mosmann and Coffman, 1989, Annu. Rev. Immunol. 7, 145-173; Paul and Seder, 1994, Cell 76, 241-251; Arthur and Mason, 1986, J. Exp. Med. 163, 774-786; Paliard et al., 1988, J. Immunol. 141, 849-855; Finkelman et al, 1988, J. Immunol. 141, 2335-2341). The evidence that Th1 cells directed cell-mediated immunity while Th2 cells contributed to humoral responses fit nicely with the observations that an organism tends to mount either a cell-mediated or humoral response, but not both, in response to pathogens. These functional differences between the Th subsets can be explained most easily by the activities of the cytokines themselves. IFN-γ is the "signature" cytokine of Th1 cells although Th1 cells also produce IL-2, TNF and LT. The corresponding "signature" cytokine for Th2 cells is IL-4. Th2 cells also secrete IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10 and IL-13.
Upon encountering antigen, the naive CD4+ T helper precursor (Thp) cell enacts a genetic program that ultimately sends it down a Th1 or Th2 lineage. While it is clear that polarization can be achieved by manipulating the antigen and costimulatory signals i.e. the "strength of signal" received by the Thp (Constant and Bottomly, 1997. Annu. Rev. Immunol. 15, 297-322), the most potent inducers of effector Th cells are undoubtedly the cytokines themselves. IL-4 promotes Th2 differentiation and simultaneously blocks Th1 development, an effect that is mediated via the Stat6 signaling pathway. Thus, mice that lack IL-4 or Stat6, fail to develop Th2 cells (Kopf et al., 1993, Nature 362, 245-248; Kuhn et al., 1991, Science 254, 707-710; Kaplan et al., 1996, Immunity 4, 313-319; Shimoda et al., 1996, Nature 380, 630-633; Takeda et al., 1996, Nature 380, 627-630). In contrast, IL-12, IL-18 and IFN-γ are the cytokines critical for the development of Th1 cells (Hsieh et al., 1993, Science 260, 547-549; Okamura et al., 1995, nature 378, 88-91; Gu et al., 1997, Science 275, 206-209; Meraz et al., 1996, Cell 84, 431-442; Magram et al., 1996, Immunity 4, 471-481). IFN-γ acting via the Stat1 pathway (Meraz et al., 1996, Cell 84, 431-442), and IL-12, acting via the Stat-4 signaling pathway (Jacobson et al., 1995, J. Exp. Med. 181, 1755-1762) together promote the differentiation of Th1 cells and block commitment to the Th2 lineage (Szabo et al., 1995, Immunity 2, 665-675; Szabo et al., 1997, J. Exp. Med. 185: 817-824). Mice deficient in IL-12 or Stat4 do not have Th1 cells (Magram et al., 1996, Immunity 4, 471-481; Takeda et al., 1996, Nature 380, 627-630; Shimoda et al., 1996, Nature 380, 630-633). Another important Th1-inducing cytokine is IL-18, whose receptor is related to the IL-1 receptor family (Cerretti et al., 1992, Science 256, 97-100). Mice lacking IL-18 have defective in vivo Th1 responses (Takeda et al., 1998, Immunity 8, 383-390) and both IL-12 and IL-18 regulate IFN-γ expression (Barbulescu et al., 1998, Eur. J. Immunol. 27, 1098-1107; Robinson et al., 1997, Immunity 7, 571-581; Ahn et al., 1997, J. Immunol. 159, 2125-2131). The cytokines themselves, then, form a positive and negative feedback system that drives Th polarization (Powrie and Coffman, 1993, Immunol. Today 14, 270-274; Scott, 1991, J. Immunol. 147, 3149; Maggi et al., 1992, J. Immunol. 148, 2142; Parronchi et al., 1992, J. Immunol. 149, 2977; Fargeas et al., 1992, Eur. J. Immunol. 149, 2977; Manetti et al., 1993, J. Exp. Med. 177, 1199; Trinchieri, 1993, Immunol. Today 14, 335-338; Macatonia et al., 1993, Immunol. 5, 1119; Seder et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 10188-10192; Wu et al., 1993, J. Immunol. 151, 1938; Hsieh et al., 1993, Science 260, 547-549) (reviewed in (Seder and Paul, 1994, In Annual Review of Immunology, Vol. 12, 635-673; Paul and Seder, 1994, Cell 76, 241-251; O'Garra, 1998, Immunity 8, 275-283).
Over the last few years, significant progress has been made in identifying the transcription factors that control the transition of a Thp to a Th2 cell as evidenced by the capacity of such factors to drive IL-4 production reviewed in (Glimcher and Singh, 1999 Cell 96, 13-23; Szabo et al., 1997, Current Opinions in Immunology 9, 776-781). The provision of three distinct proteins, the c-Maf proto-oncogene, the transcription factor Nuclear Factor of Activated T cells (NFAT), and a novel nuclear antigen, NFAT-Interacting Protein 45 kD (NIP45), have been shown to confer on a non-T cell the ability to produce endogenous IL-4 (Hodge et al., 1996, Science 274, 1903-1905; Ho et al., 1998, J. Exp. Med. 188:1859-1866). These factors and others such as GATA-3 (Zheng and Flavell, 1997, Cell 89, 587-596) and Stat6 clearly can drive the production of IL-4, and therefore the development of Th2 cells, both in vitro and in vivo.
In contrast, little is known about the molecular basis of Th1 differentiation. For example, the only known transcription factors whose absence results in a failure to generate Th1 cells are Stat4 (Thierfelder et al., 1996, Nature 382, 171-174; Kaplan et al., 1996, Nature 382, 174-177) and IRF-1 (Lohoff et al., 1997, Immunity:681-689; Taki et al., 1997, Immunity 6:673-679), neither of which is Th1-specific. The Ets family member ERM which is induced by IL-12 in a Stat4-dependent manner has recently been reported to be Th1-specific but it does not affect the production of Th1 cytokines (Ouyang et al, 1999, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 96:3888). The absence of Th1 cells in Stat4 deficient mice is secondary to the failure of IL-12 to drive the Th1 program while the lack of Th1 cells in IRF-1 deficient mice is likely due to its direct effect in controlling transcription of the IL-12 gene (Lohoff et al., 1997, Immunity 6: 681-689; Taki et al, 1997, Immunity 6:673-679). However, some of the signaling pathways upstream of such putative Th1-specific regulatory factors are beginning to be elucidated. The p38 kinase is one such signaling molecule as demonstrated by the ability of constitutively activated MAP kinase kinase 6 (MKK6) to boost IFN-γ production. Conversely, overexpression of a dominant negative p38 MAP kinase or targeted disruption of Jnk2 or Jnk1 reduces Th1 responses (Rincón et al., 1998, EMBO J. 17, 2817-2829; Yang et al, 1998, Immunity 9, 575-585; Dong et al., 1998, Science 282, 2092-2095). The JNK signaling pathway might affect Th development by a direct effect on the transcription of the IFN-γ gene, but this has not been shown. For example, the ATF-2 and AP-1 transcription factors are both substrates of JNK kinases and these factors as well as NFκB and Stat4 proteins are known to bind to sites in the IFN-γ promoter (Zhang et al, 1998, Immunol. 161, 6105-6112; Ye et al., 1996, Mol. Cell. Biol. 16:4744; Barbulescu et al., 1997, Eur. J. Immunol. 27, 1098-1107; Sica et al., 1997, J. Biol. Chem. 272, 30412-30420). The production of IFN-γ is, however, normal in mice lacking ATF-2. Because cytokines are critical in the development of Th1 and Th2 cells and, thereby, in determining whether an immune response will be primarily cellular or humoral, compositions and methods for modulating the production of Th1 and/or Th2 cytokines would be of tremendous benefit in modulating the immune response.

T-bet compositions and methods of use thereof

President and Fellows of Harvard College


An optical disk transport device for an optical disk player includes a carrying roller, an optical disk guiding part located above the carrying roller, an elastic part for pressing the carrying roller towards the optical disk guiding part, and a motor for driving the carrying roller to rotate. The roll body of the carrying roller is of a bipyramidal structure with the diameter gradually decreasing from the two ends to the middle. The positions on the optical disk guiding part opposite to each pyramid of the carrying roller are provided with at least one rotatable driven roller. The ends adjacent to the middle of the carrying roller of each driven roller slant upwards, so as to make the driven rollers only contact the outer margin of the optical disk when the optical disk is inserted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk transport device in an optical disk playing device, especially relates to an optical disk transport device which transports an optical disk from the insertion inlet to the playing position by the rotating of a carrying roller when the optical disk is inserted from between the carrying roller and the optical disk guiding part.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an optical disk is inserted from between the carrying roller and the guiding part, the transport device that transports the optical disk from the insertion inlet to the playing position by the rotating of a carrying roller is well known. Such as the Japanese patent application with the publication number of 2005-332461, it disclosed an optical transport device composed of a carrying roller of bipyramidal structure, a guiding part, an elastic part to press the carrying roller towards the guiding part, and a motor to drive the carrying roller to rotate. It holds the optical disk between the carrying roller and the guiding part, and by controlling the carrying roller to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise, with the action of the friction of the carrying roller, it transports the optical disk from the insertion inlet to the optical disk plummer (or hub) or transports the optical disk from the optical disk plummer to the insertion inlet.
In the above mentioned optical transport device, for the optical disk is held between the carrying roller of bipyramidal structure and the guiding part, in the transporting process, scratches could occur on the disk surface contacting the guiding part, so it can not be used to the optical disk playing device using the optical disks with the both surfaces being recording surfaces.

Optical disk transport device for optical disk player

Valley Wood Electrical (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A process for preparing an irreversibly dried coal. In the first step of this process, there is provided a fluidized bed reactor with a fluidized bed density of from about 20 to about 40 pounds cubic feet, which is at a temperature of from about 480 to about 600 degrees Fahrenheit. To this reactor is fed coal with a moisture content of from about 25 to about 30 percent, an oxygen content of from about 10 to about 20 percent, and a volatile matter content of from about 35 to about 45 percent; also fed to this reactor is from about 0.5 to about 3.0 weight percent (by weight of dried coal) of mineral oil with an initial boiling point of at least about 900 degrees Fahrenheit. A coated coal is produced in the reactor, and it is subjected to a temperature of from about 480 to about 600 degrees Fahrenheit for from about 1 to about 5 minutes while simultaneously being comminuted and dewatered. The comminuted and dewatered coal is passed to an elutriator in which said comminuted and dehydrated coal is contacted with air and separated into a coarse fraction and a fine fraction. The coarse fraction from the elutriator is fed to the fluidized bed, while the fine fraction from the elutriator is quenched to reduce its temperature to ambient temperature within about 5 seconds.

Many coals contain up to about 30 weight percent of moisture. This moisture not only does not add to the fuel value of the coal, but also is relatively expensive to transport.
Consequently, many processes have been developed to dry coal. Illustrative of these processes is the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,544 of Blake, in which coal is dried in a fluidized bed in which the heat necessary for drying is provided by partial combustion of the coal in the bed. By way of further illustration, U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,710 of Ottosan discloses a drying process in which particulate low rank coal is dried in a fluidized bed in which the coal is fluidized above a first portion of a gas flow distributor using a hot fluidizing gas, and also above a second portion of the gas flow distributor using a recycle gas stream at a temperature less than about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The disclosure of each of these United States patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
The coal produced by the processes of the Blake and Ottosan patents suffers from two major disadvantages. In the first place, the drying process is reversible, and when the coal is allowed to stand in the presence of a moisture-laden atmosphere, it regains some or all of its initial water content. In the second place, the coal is often likely to undergo spontaneous combustion upon standing in air.
It is an object of this invention to provide a process for irreversibly removing moisture from coal which does not require substantial amounts of externally provided energy to drive it.
It is another object of this invention to provide a process for producing coal which is not likely to undergo spontaneous combustion.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process for comminuting coal without using mechanical grinding means.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a coal which, even after it is stored under ambient conditions for prolonged periods of time, has a relatively high heating value.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a novel coal-water slurry.


In order to obtain a brake caliper for a disk brake which is light and at the same time resistant to bending, the caliper is manufactured from a metal-matrix composite material having embedded ceramic particles. In order not to have to carry out the necessary subsequent machining steps in the hard composite material, it is provided according to the invention that, at least in the area of the brake cylinder and the supply connection, the caliper housing is provided with one or several inserts made of an easy to machine material, preferably an aluminum alloy.

The invention involves a caliper for disk brakes according to the preamble of claim 1.
Higher and higher demands are being placed on the performance of modern disk brakes. Thus the brake itself and especially the caliper housing should be light on the one hand, in order to minimize the unsprung weight on the vehicle wheel while on the other hand, the caliper must be very rigid so that it does not bend very much under large stress.
The use of aluminum alloys for the brake caliper, instead of the conventional iron workpieces, is increasing in order to save weight. Aluminum alloys have the disadvantage, however, that their strength decreases for temperatures above 300.degree. C. Such temperatures can certainly occur for disk brakes in extreme cases. To solve this problem materials are suitable which are known as metal-matrix composite materials. These involve composite materials made of metal and ceramic particles or fibers of varying lengths. In order to cast brake calipers, a composite material of aluminum and ceramic particles is especially suitable, for example particles of silicon carbide.
Such a metal-matrix composite material with ceramic particles is considerably less flexible than aluminum alloys. It allows the construction of lightweight brakes which are considerably reduced in construction space as opposed to brakes made of aluminum and nevertheless have a high rigidity. A disadvantage of this composite material is its high hardness which is attributable to the ceramic particles. A rough-cast caliper housing is thus very difficult to subsequently machine, in order, for example, to put in threading for the hydraulic fluid supply connection or a gasket ring groove in the brake cylinder. The processing is laborious, expensive and only possible using diamond tools, unless one is willing to put up with minimal service life for the tools. Subsequent machining is thus out of the question for economic reasons.
For the casting of metal-matrix composite materials, the known "lost-foam-process" is available. In this process, a high-resistance foam core of the caliper housing is manufactured which is embedded in a casting mold in sand and then cast using the metal-matrix composite material. It is possible to cast undercuts using this process so that the unfinished part does not have to be subsequently machined, at least as far as the undercuts are concerned. In this process, several subsequent machining steps are already saved. At other positions, a subsequent machining is necessary in spite of this, especially if very small tolerances are necessary, which cannot be achieved in the mold. This is regularly the case for threaded connections, piston bore holes, grooves or recesses.


A process for upgrading a residua feedstock using a short vapor contact time thermal process unit comprised of a horizontal moving bed of fluidized hot particles. The residua feedstock is preferably atomized so that the Sauter mean diameter of the residua feedstock entering the reactor is less than about 2500 μm. One or more horizontally disposed screws is preferably used to fluidize a bed of hot particles.

The present invention relates to upgrading a residua feedstock using a short vapor contact time thermal process unit comprised of a horizontal moving bed of fluidized hot particles.
In a typical refinery, crude oils are subjected to atmospheric distillation to separate lighter materials such as gas oils, kerosenes, gasolines, straight run naphtha, etc. from the heavier materials. The residue from the atmospheric distillation step is then distilled at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. This later distillation step produces a vacuum gas oil distillate and a vacuum reduced residual oil that often contains relatively high levels of asphaltene molecules. These asphaltene molecules usually contain most of the Conradson Carbon residue and metal components of the resid. They also contain relatively high levels of heteroatoms, such as sulfur and nitrogen. Such feeds have low commercial value, primarily because they cannot be directly used as a fuel oil because of environmental regulations. They also have little value as feedstocks for refinery processes, such as fluid catalytic cracking, because they produce excessive amounts of gas and coke and their high metals content causes catalyst deactivation. Thus, a need exists in petroleum refining for a process for upgrading residual feeds to more valuable cleaner and lighter feeds.
There are a number of techniques used for recovering the lighter components from various petroleum residual feeds that contain high concentrations of alphaltenes. Many such processes involve separation, via extraction, of the lighter components with a deasphalting solvent such as propane, and thereafter separating and recovering the lighter components from the solvent. Other processes may use solvents that include lower alkanes, alkenes, and their halogenated derivatives, and even carbon dioxide and ammonia under certain circumstances. These processes use conventional physical separation techniques, with little or no significant chemical reactions occurring.
There is nevertheless a continuing need in the art for an upgrading and conversion process that yields higher amounts of liquid products. There is also a need in the art for a conversion process that can upgrade an asphalt-containing residual feedstock without using a solvent, while increasing liquid product yields and without causing an increase in dry gas and coke yields.

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company


A wheel mounting arrangement includes a holder plate connected to the frame of a golf cart, a wheel axle holding a wheel and having a rectangular coupling block at one end fitted into a rectangular coupling block of the wheel axle has a locating groove; a press knob is slidably mounted in a transverse hole on the holder plate and supported on a spring, the press knob having a springy hook hooked in the locating groove on the rectangular coupling block of the wheel axle to stop it from axial movement, the springy hook being disengaged from the locating groove when the press knob is depressed, enabling the wheel axle to disconnected from the holder plate.

The present invention relates to a wheel mounting arrangement, and more particularly to such a wheel mounting arrangement which enables the wheel axle to be quickly installed simply by operating a press knob.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,068, which is issued to the present inventor, discloses a golf cart wheel axle assembly having a holder plate connected to the frame of a golf cart to hold a wheel axle by a lock screw. When the wheel axle is installed, the lock screw must be screwed through a tapered hole on the wheel axle into a bolt hole on a tapered rod at the wheel axle. It takes much time to fasten or unfasten the lock screw. U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,054, which is another invention of the present inventor, indicates a wheel mounting structure including a wheel shaft fastened to a locating hole on the leg of a golf club carrier to hold a wheel, and lever pivoted to the leg and turned to lock the wheel shaft. The lever has a stop rod section and a retainer rod section which are respectively forced into engagement with a recessed bottom hole on a locating block at the wheel shaft and a bottom retaining groove on a collar at the wheel shaft when the lever is turned to the locking position to lock the wheel shaft on the leg of the golf club carrier. The main drawback of this wheel mounting structure is that the positioning parts wear quickly with use, causing a high noise to be produced.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a wheel mounting arrangement which can be conveniently assembled or dismounted simply by means of pressing down a press knob. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a wheel mounting arrangement which allows the golf cart user to mount/dismount the wheel by oneself without any special training.
According to the invention, a holder plate is connected to the frame of a golf cart to hold the rectangular coupling block of a wheel axle in a rectangular coupling hole thereon, and a press knob is slidably mounted in a hole on a holder plate and supported on a spring to lock the wheel axle on the holder plate. The press knob is disengaged from the rectangular coupling block of the wheel axle when it is depressed to compress the spring, enabling the wheel axle to be disconnected from the holder plate.

Wheel mounting arrangement for a golf cart


A hybrid motor vehicle, having an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, an interior climate-control device, a catalytic converter assigned to the internal combustion engine with a catalytic heating device which is operable from a medium-voltage network at a first voltage, particularly 48 V, a high-voltage network to which the electric motor is connected, at a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage, a voltage converter for converting the second voltage into the first voltage, a heat exchange device for heating a temperature-control medium, which is circulating in a temperature-control circuit, of the interior climate-control device by waste heat from the internal combustion engine, and a control device for operating the catalytic heating device as a function of the operation of the internal combustion engine.

Hybrid motor vehicles are characterized in that they have, in the drive train, both a particular conventional internal combustion engine and an electric motor, which can be used in both a generative and driving manner. The electric motor is usually connected to a high-voltage network of the hybrid motor vehicle, the high voltage of which can be, in particular, more than 200 V, for example 450 V. A high-voltage battery, from which the electric motor can be supplied, is usually also provided in the high-voltage network. In so-called plug-in hybrid motor vehicles, the hybrid motor vehicle also includes a charging device that allows the high-voltage battery to be charged, for example, via a corresponding charging column, a wall box, and/or a conventional house connection.
In modern motor vehicles, catalytic converters are usually assigned to internal combustion engines for processing the exhaust gases. Such catalytic converters begin to work effectively when a certain working temperature is reached. In order to allow effective use of the catalytic converter even at low temperatures, for example immediately after the internal combustion engine has been started, it has been proposed to provide the catalytic converter with a catalytic heating device, which can be designed as a heating disk, for example. Such a heating disk consists of a wound metal support which can be energized if necessary and is built into the housing of the catalytic converter.
The desirable heating power of such catalytic heating devices can, for example, be in the range of a few kilowatts, for example 4 kW. However, conventional vehicle electrical systems usually only provide a low voltage of 12 V, which means that an extremely high power supply would be required in order to be able to operate the catalytic heating device accordingly, which results in a corresponding design that is expensive and difficult to implement. It was therefore proposed, at least for hybrid motor vehicles, to operate the catalytic heating device at a medium voltage (intermediate voltage), in particular at 48 V. This medium voltage can be provided, for example, from the high-voltage network of the electric motor via a corresponding voltage converter and allows lower currents to be used and thus the requirements for the catalytic heating device and its supply lines to be significantly reduced. Such a design can be found in DE 198 04 098 A1, for example. According to DE 10 2012 209 202 A1, it was proposed, in an alternative approach, to use a regenerative braking system to provide the energy for heating a motor vehicle catalytic converter.
Hybrid motor vehicles usually also have interior climate-control devices, which are designed, in particular, to heat the interior to a pleasant temperature, which is in particular selectable by the occupant. For this purpose, it is known in classic motor vehicles that only have an internal combustion engine to transfer waste heat from the internal combustion engine, via a heat exchange device, to a temperature-control circuit that uses cooling water, for example, or optionally to the air to be supplied directly to the interior, in order to provide the desired heating. In the case of hybrid motor vehicles, however, no waste heat is generated for heating the interior space, at least when the hybrid motor vehicle is driven purely electrically. Accordingly, it has been proposed to operate the temperature-control medium, in particular cooling water, in the temperature-control circuit by means of a high-voltage resistance heater, in particular a high-voltage PTC, operated from the high-voltage network. Such a high-voltage heating device does not always have to be operated when the internal combustion engine generates corresponding waste heat, which is also dissipated via the water of the temperature-control circuit, which is also used to cool the internal combustion engine.
In addition to such possibilities for heating a temperature-control medium, the heat of which is then used to heat the air to be supplied to the interior, in particular by means of a heat exchanger, interior climate-control devices for known hybrid motor vehicles often also have a low-voltage heating device operated in the 12 V electrical system for the air to be supplied to the interior that is operated from the low-voltage electrical system and cannot itself provide sufficient power to provide sufficient, desired heat, but can be used for initial heating of the air when the internal combustion engine is cold and/or for readjusting/supplementing the heating activity at later times.
The known designs of hybrid motor vehicles have the problem that, with the high-voltage heating device, an additional component is required which is complex and takes up a lot of space in terms of design and safety requirements, since it is a high-voltage component which cannot always be integrated into the vehicle structure in current hybrid motor vehicles or only with losses.


A dopant gradient region of a first conductivity type and a corresponding channel impurity gradient below a transfer gate and adjacent a charge collection region of a CMOS imager photodiode are disclosed. The channel impurity gradient in the transfer gate provides a complete charge transfer between the charge collection region of the photodiode and a floating diffusion node. The dopant gradient region is formed by doping a region at one end of the channel with a low enhancement dopant and another region at the other end of the channel with a high enhancement dopant.

The semiconductor industry currently uses different types of semiconductor-based imagers, such as charge coupled devices (CCDs), photodiode arrays, charge injection devices and hybrid focal plane arrays, among others.
Because of the inherent limitations and expense of CCD technology, CMOS imagers have been increasingly used as low cost imaging devices. A CMOS imager circuit includes a focal plane array of pixel cells, each one of the cells including either a photodiode, a photogate or a photoconductor overlying a doped region of a substrate for accumulating photo-generated charge in the underlying portion of the substrate. A readout circuit is connected to each pixel cell and includes a charge transfer section formed on the substrate adjacent the photodiode, photogate or photoconductor having a charge sensing node, typically a floating diffusion node, connected to the gate of a source follower output transistor. The imager may include at least one transistor for transferring charge from the charge accumulation region of the substrate to the floating diffusion node and also has a transistor for resetting the diffusion node to a predetermined charge level prior to charge transfer.
In a conventional CMOS imager, the active elements of a pixel cell typically perform the necessary functions of: (1) photon to charge conversion; (2) accumulation of image charge; (3) transfer of charge to the floating diffusion node; (4) resetting the floating diffusion node to a known state before the transfer of charge to it; (5) selection of a pixel for readout; and (6) output and amplification of a signal representing pixel charge. The charge at the floating diffusion node is converted to a pixel output voltage by the source follower output transistor. The photosensitive element of a CMOS imager pixel is typically either a depleted p-n junction photodiode or a field induced depletion region beneath a photogate.
CMOS imaging circuits of the type discussed above are generally known and discussed in, for example, Nixon et al., "256.times.256 CMOS Active Pixel Sensor Camera-on-a-Chip," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 31(12), pp. 2046-2050 (1996); and Mendis et al., "CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors," IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 41(3), pp. 452-453 (1994), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
A schematic top view of a semiconductor wafer fragment of one exemplary CMOS sensor pixel four-transistor (4T) cell 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. As it will be described below, the CMOS sensor pixel cell 10 includes a photo-generated charge accumulating area 21 in an underlying portion of the substrate. This area 21 is formed as a pinned photodiode 11, shown in FIG. 2, formed as part of a p-n-p structure within a substrate 20. The pinned photodiode is termed "pinned" because the potential in the photodiode is pinned to a constant value when the photodiode is fully depleted. It should be understood, however, that the CMOS sensor pixel cell 10 may include a photogate, photoconductor or other image to charge converting device, in lieu of a pinned photodiode, as the initial accumulating area 21 for photo-generated charge.
The CMOS image sensor 10 of FIG. 1 has a transfer gate 30 for transferring photoelectric charges generated in the charge accumulating region 21 to a floating diffusion region (sensing node) 25. The floating diffusion region 25 is further connected to a gate 50 of a source follower transistor. The source follower transistor provides an output signal to a row select access transistor having gate 60 for selectively gating the output signal to terminal 32. A reset transistor having gate 40 resets the floating diffusion region 25 to a specified charge level before each charge transfer from the charge accumulating region 21.
As noted, the charge accumulating region 21 may be formed as a pinned p-n-p photodiode 11 which has a p-type layer 24, an n-type region 26 and the p-type substrate 20. The pinned photodiode 11 includes two p-type regions 20, 24 and the n-type photodiode region 26 which is fully depleted at a pinning voltage. Impurity doped source/drain regions 22 (FIG. 1), preferably having n-type conductivity, are provided on either side of the transistor gates 40, 50, 60. The floating diffusion region 25 adjacent the transfer gate 30 is also preferable n-type.
FIG. 2 also illustrates a portion of trench isolation regions 15 formed adjacent the charge accumulating region 21. The trench isolation regions 15 are typically formed using a conventional STI process or by using a Local Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS) process and serve to isolate pixels one from another. A translucent or transparent insulating layer 55 formed over the CMOS image sensor 10 is also illustrated in FIG. 2. Conventional processing methods are used to form, for example, contacts 32 (FIG. 1) in the insulating layer 55 to provide an electrical connection to the source/drain regions 22, the floating diffusion region 25, and other wiring to connect to gates and other connections in the CMOS image sensor 10.
PNP buried photodiodes, such as the pinned photodiode 11 of FIG. 2, are becoming increasingly popular for high efficiency image sensors, particularly for image sensors operating at smaller wavelengths of the visible spectrum, for example, at the blue wavelength. The pinned buried photodiode presents an advantage to a conventional CMOS imager in that it increases the efficiency of charge transfer, improves color response for blue light and decreases dark current (generation of thermally-created electrons that raise potential without any illumination), as described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,093 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,070, for example.
CMOS imagers with pinned buried photodiodes have a drawback, however, in that the charge is not completely transferred from the photodiode charge collection region 26 to the floating diffusion node 25 due to the formation of various potential barriers at the transfer gate 30. One potential barrier is formed when charge depletes to the pinned (or maximum) potential, at which point the electrostatic potential at the buried charge collection region 26 is higher than the potential at the end of the transfer gate channel adjacent to the buried photodiode. When this occurs, the pinned buried photodiode potential is high enough for some of the electrons to stay back in the photodiode charge collection region 26 rather than to move into the transfer gate 30 and then onto the floating diffusion node 25.
Another potential barrier occurs between the transfer gate 30 and the floating diffusion node 25. After some electrons have been transferred to the floating diffusion node 25, the electrostatic potential of the floating diffusion decreases. This causes a lower potential level at the floating diffusion node end of the transfer gate, such that some of the electrons stay back in the transfer gate channel rather than moving into the floating diffusion node 25. The closing of the potential difference between the floating diffusion node 25 and the channel region under the transfer gate 30 causes backspilling of electrons from the floating diffusion node 25 to the transfer gate channel. This charge stored in the transfer gate channel will be spilled equally into the floating diffusion and the photodiode when the transfer gate is being turned off. However, if channel impurity gradient is present, this charge will be preferably directed into the floating diffusion node when the transfer gate is turned off.
Accordingly, an improved charge transfer between the buried photodiode and the transfer gate, and a subsequent charge transfer between the transfer gate and the floating diffusion node are desirable. An improved charge transfer would improve voltage swing on the floating diffusion made and confer a lower voltage operation. A device that is less likely to form potential barriers would also be more easily manufactured because it would be less sensitive to process variations. By suppressing potential barrier formation in the transfer gate region, backspilling of electrons from the floating diffusion node to the transfer gate channel could be reduced.
A method of fabricating an active pixel photosensor exhibiting these improvements is also needed.

CMOS imager with enhanced transfer of charge and low voltage operation and method of formation


A breakaway guardrail post includes upper and lower post sections spaced apart but connected by a breakaway joint. The joint is attached at one end to the upper post by a first fastener set and connected at a second end by a second fastener set. The first fastener set has a failure strength less than that of the second fastener set. Upon impact forces being applied to the upper post section, the first fastener fails and the upper post section rotates downwardly.

The present invention relates to breakaway steel posts for use with a highway guardrail end terminal system or a crash attenuation system.
Existing highway guardrail end treatment systems include: the breakaway cable terminal (BCT), the eccentric loader terminal (ELT), the modified eccentric loader terminal (MELT), the vehicle attenuating terminal (VAT), the extruder terminal (ET), the slotted rail terminal (SRT), the sequential kinking terminal (SKT), and the flared energy absorbing terminal (FLEAT).
In all of these systems, breakaway wooden posts, either inserted in foundation tubes (known as BCT breakaway post) or directly installed in the ground (known as controlled release terminal CRT post), are used to facilitate proper breaking of the posts to minimize the potential for snagging on the posts and excessive decelerations on the vehicles in end-on impacts with the terminals. Holes are drilled into the wooden post at and/or below ground level to reduce the cross-sectional area of the post, thus reducing the force required to break the post. Steel breakaway posts based on the slip-base concept have also been developed, but did not receive widespread acceptance due to maintenance problems and higher initial costs.
However, there are situations in which a transportation agency may choose not to use completely wooden posts for environmental concerns or as a matter of policy. In such situations, breakaway steel post would be an alternative. The present invention relates to various conceptual designs for breakaway posts suitable for use with highway guardrail and end terminal systems. These designs have a predictable breakaway force threshold when impacted along the weak axis (in the direction of end-on impacts with the terminal system) while maintaining a sufficiently high bending force in the strong axis (perpendicular to the weak axis in the direction of side impacts) to provide the required lateral stiffness to the terminal system for side impacts.


A guiding tool for the drill bit of a drilling apparatus and a method of making drills. The tool includes a body with an orifice for passage of the drill bit and a base with at least three protruding feet for resting on the working surface. The feet are configured with inner holes with an outlet at its ends. The tool is connected to a pneumatic device of pressurized gas supply which includes a signal indicative of correct positioning of the tool for performing a drill when a simultaneous blocking of gas output in said feet is produced when all of them are in contact with said working surface; the tool including a pressurized gas pipeline up to said feet.

In the aeronautical industry, and similarly in other industries, the drills to be performed on skins and other structures, which are intended to accommodate rivets, bolts, screws or any other type of useful anchorage for producing a firm attachment of several elements, should be perpendicular to the working surface within, logically, the standardized tolerances, in order to achieve optimal working conditions to ensure both the proper guidance of fasteners inserted into them, so that they can properly fulfill their function, and the correct positioning of their heads on a surface that must be fully compliant with the aerodynamic requirements, because in the aeronautical industry is essential to keep intact the aerodynamic surface.
If the executed drill has a deviation from a perpendicular direction to the working surface greater than allowed it must be repaired immediately with the disadvantages this entails.
To this end guiding tools consisting of metal pieces with an orifice for the drill bit of the drilling apparatus are being used. Operators perform drills holding with one hand the guiding tool and with the other the drilling apparatus. One of such guiding tools is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,878,740.
There are also known complex guiding tools for specific needs as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,164,474.
The major drawback of manual handling tools is that they cannot avoid operator errors. If, for any reason, the operator does not properly position the guiding tool, the drill is not performed in a perpendicular direction to the working surface.
The present invention is directed to the solution of this problem.

Guiding tool for the drill bit of a drilling apparatus and drilling method


A system and method enabling a designer to build electronic forms from hierarchical data is described. Displays of hierarchical data, facilitation of selection of a portion of the hierarchical data, and displays of one or more transformation-language components associated with a selected portion of hierarchical data are described. From the transformation-language components selected by a designer, generation of an electronic form is also described.

Extensible markup language (XML) is increasingly becoming the preferred format for transferring data. XML is a tag-based hierarchical language that is extremely rich in terms of the information that it can be used to represent. For example, XML can be used to represent information spanning the spectrum from semi-structured information (such as one would find in a word processing document) to generally structured information (such as that which is contained in a table). XML is well-suited for many types of communication including business-to-business and client-to-server communication. For more information on XML, XSLT, and XSD (schemas), the reader is referred to the following documents which are the work of, and available from the W3C (World Wide Web consortium): XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes: XML Schema Part 1: Structures, and XSL Transformations (XSLT) Version 1.0; and XML 1.0 second edition specification.
With so information being described and transferred through XML, it is increasingly important to have ways to view that information. One way to view information in an XML document is to transform it with an XSLT file into an HTML (or XHTML) document. HTML documents can be used to render, or view, information, such as information from an XML file. Using XSLT, rather than other transforming languages, is often preferred because XSLT is a W3C standard.
One purpose for using an XSLT file to transform an XML document is to create electronic forms. Electronic forms can be used not only to view information within an XML document, but also to allow a user of the electronic form to add, remove, or change information within the XML document by editing data in a data-entry field within the electronic form.
Currently, to create an HTML document (e.g., an electronic form) that renders information within an XML document, a programmer writes an XSLT file to transform the XML document into the HTML document. The programmer, however, must have a high degree of skill in programming XSLT to program an XSLT file, especially to create an electronic form.
Also, even with a high degree of programming skill, programming an XSLT file can be very time consuming and difficult. It can be difficult and time-consuming because an XSLT programmer cannot see the HTML document that he is creating as he is creating it. The programmer, rather, must complete an XSLT file and apply it to an XML file before he cans ee the view created with the resulting HTML document. Even with the view, each mistake made by the programmer, such as the style, layout, and structure of the view, can be very difficult to relate back to the mistake made in the XSLT file, further complicating programming of XSLT files to create HTML documents.
For these reasons, creating electronic forms and other HTML documents by transforming an XML document with an XSLT file is difficult, time consuming, and requires a high degree of skill.

System and method for designing electronic forms


An implant for stabilizing spinous processes of adjacent vertebral bodies can include first and second contact elements. The first contact element is placed onto a first side of the spinous processes and the second contact element is placed onto a second side of the spinous processes. The implant includes at least one clamping element which couples to the first contact element, can be moved relative to the second contact element, and extends through the intervertebral space between the spinous processes and the second contact element. The implant also includes at least one fixing element on the second contact element which can be brought into engagement with the at least one clamping element to clamp the second contact element in the direction of the first contact element along the at least one clamping element. The first contact element is movable relative to the at least one clamping element.

An implant of this type is disclosed in international application PCT/EP2011/069895. It allows the stabilization of the spinous processes of adjacent vertebral bodies, "adjacent" primarily being able to mean "directly adjacent" but, in the present case, not being limited to directly adjacent vertebral bodies. In the present case, "vertebral body" designates both the vertebra overall ("vertebra") and also the vertebral body in the narrower sense ("corpus vertebrae"). Anatomical position and direction details, such as, for example, "lateral", "cranial", "caudal" or the like are, in the present case, to be understood as relating to the intended use of the implant, in which the contact elements abut laterally on the mutually remote sides of the spinous processes and may have a cranial-caudal orientation.
In the known implant, two clamping elements fixed to the first contact element extend through the intervertebral space and the second contact element, which comprises fixing elements and, by means of these, has a latching engagement with the clamping elements. This allows the contact elements to be clamped relative to one another, and by means of their abutment, allows the spinous processes to be stabilized relative to one another. For this purpose, the implant further comprises at least one spacer element positioned in the intermediate space and fixed by means of the contact elements. The spacer element, on the one hand, allows a checking of the spacing of the contact elements from one another and, on the other hand, can be supported on the spinous processes, for example cranially and/or caudally.
The implant proves successful in practice. However, it would be desirable to provide an implant that can be handled more easily.
Further implants for the mutual support of spinous processes are described, for example, in EP 1 885 266 B1, US 2009/0264927 A1 and WO 2011/031924 A2.
An object underlying the present invention is to provide an implant of the above type, which can be handled more easily.

Implant for stabilizing spinous processes


Provided are a method and device for transmitting data in a wireless communication system. A user equipment (UE) transmits uplink data, to a base station, via a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) corresponding to a random access response grant, in a UE-specific aperiodic SRS subframe. At said time, the PUSCH is assigned to the entire UE-specific aperiodic SRS subframe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting data in a wireless communication system.
2. Related Art
In wireless communication systems, it is necessary to estimate an uplink channel or a downlink channel for the purpose of the transmission and reception of data, the acquisition of system synchronization, and the feedback of channel information. In wireless communication system environments, fading is generated because of multi-path time latency. A process of restoring a transmit signal by compensating for the distortion of the signal resulting from a sudden change in the environment due to such fading is referred to as channel estimation. It is also necessary to measure the state of a channel for a cell to which a user equipment belongs or other cells. To estimate a channel or measure the state of a channel, a reference signal (RS) which is known to both a transmitter and a receiver can be used.
A UL reference signal may be divided into a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) and a sounding reference signal (SRS). The DMRS is a reference signal used in channel estimation for the demodulation of a received signal. The DMRS may be associated with the transmission of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). The SRS is a reference signal transmitted from a user equipment (UE) to a base station (BS) for UL scheduling. The BS estimates an UL channel through the received SRS and uses the estimated UL channel in UL scheduling.
Meanwhile, the SRS may be periodically transmitted. Alternatively, when the base station needs transmission of the SRS, the SRS may be aperiodically transmitted by being triggered by the base station. A subframe in which the SRS is configured to be transmitted may be pre-determined. The subframe in which the SRS is configured to be transmitted may be a subframe to which a PUSCH and a PUCCH are simultaneously allocated.
When the PUSCH corresponding to a random access response grant is allocated to a subframe in which an aperiodic SRS is configured to be transmitted, a definite operation of the UE is required.

Method and device for transmitting data in wireless communication system