The conversion of n-olefins, particularly n-butene, by skeletal isomerization, or by dimerization optionally with cracking, may be selectively carried out using as a catalyst a molecular sieve, such as a zeolite or silica/alumina phosphate, which has been ion exchanged with a cation to provide a Lewis acid site. No steam activation of the molecular sieve is required.

Some unsaturated compounds are readily available e.g. from fossil fuel sources. However the demand for certain unsaturated compounds is greater than for others. There is therefore a need to interconvert unsaturated compounds. In particular, n-olefins may be converted e.g. by skeletal isomerization or by dimerization optionally followed by cracking. Isobutene is present in the C4 products obtained from steam-cracking of naphthas or from catalytic cracking of high boiling fuel cuts. Other C.sub.4 products such as n-butene (1-butene, cis-butene-2, trans-butene-2, and mixtures thereof) are also present. Demand for isobutene is increasing and there is therefore a need for a process for converting n-butene efficiently to isobutene.
Several processes are known for the skeletal isomerization of n-olefins e.g. the production of isobutene from n-butene. Such conversion has previously been carried out using an amorphous catalyst. For example, EP-A-152918 describes a disproportionation and isomerization catalyst for olefins which comprises silica and molybdenum oxide together with titanium dioxide as promoter.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,217,252 describes the use of natural and synthetic zeolites such as analcime, chabazite, heulandite, natrolite and thomsonite in the interconversion of olefins.
A process potentially of commercial use for the skeletal isomerization of an olefin is the so-called "Snamprogetti process". In this process the olefin is in contact with an activated alumina catalyst at high temperature (about 450.degree. C.).
The WHSV (weight hourly space velocity) is a measure of the throughput of olefin which is used in continuous use of the catalyst. At 450.degree. C. a WHSV of 2 hr.sup.-1 is common in the Snamprogetti process. Under these conditions n-butene yields approximately 30% isobutene with a selectivity of 75%. The catalyst has a life of at least 8 hours before it is necessary to regenerate it.
If the WHSV is increased to more than 12 hr.sup.-1 the isobutene yield drops to around 8%.
Another fluorine- or chlorine-containing "activated" alumina catalyst is described in EP-A-0071199. The catalytic activity is comparable with the Snamprogetti catalyst; the isobutene selectivity is higher.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,282 describes the use of AMS-IB boro silicate, a boron containing ZSM-5 type zeolite, in the interconversion of olefins. This catalyst operates at low WHSV (commonly 2 hr.sup.-1 or less) and high temperature (400-600.degree. C.). The reported selectivities are lower in general than those of the amorphous alumina based catalysts.
Catalysts are also used in the dimerization of n-olefins, but these are not without their problems. It is known to use as a catalyst solid phosphorous acid on kieselguhr. The catalyst cannot be regenerated and disposal of large quantities of catalyst as land-fill material is no longer acceptable .

Process for catalytic conversion of olefins


An extended travel balance including a channel having a first end and a second end, a bottom pulley connected at the second end of the channel, and a bottom guide connectable at a location between the first end and the bottom pulley, and preferably between the bottom pulley and fixed pulleys of the end carriage. The bottom guide and top guide are not part of the tensioned parts in the channel and can, therefore, be stored separately from the channel with its tensioned parts—e.g., springs, pulleys, and pulley cord. Multiple bottom guide and top guide configurations can be mated to the channel with its tensioned parts without interfering with the operation of either. Fixed pulleys and bottom pulley of the end carriage are advantageously connected by an intermediate tensioned connector with all said parts held in tension between and by the connection of the bottom pulley to the tensioned pulley cord and the connection of the bottom pulley to the second end of the channel. The bottom guide in the preferred embodiment straddles said intermediate tensioned connector when connected to the channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of block and tackle window balances. More particularly, the invention pertains to a block and tackle window balance which provides a sash mounted in a window frame with extended range of travel.
2. Description of Related Art
Typical hung window assemblies feature at least one moveable window sash mounted in a window frame. The sash slides up and down in the frame and is provided with a window balance of some type to counter the weight of the sash so that it can be easily moved up and down by the user. A popular configuration for window balances in this type of window uses a combination of springs and pulleys mounted in an elongate channel member to counterbalance the weight of the sash. The channel member has a generally "U" shaped cross-section for most or all of its length and can be mounted to the frame with a cord end attached to the sash. Alternately, as is the case in the embodiments related to this invention, the channel can be attached to the sash while the cord extends from the pulley elements in the channel via a pulley/roller at the lower end of the channel to connect to a side of the jamb above this "bottom" pulley/roller. (A jamb mounting hook positioned at the end of the cord is used to connect the cord to the jamb). However, in the latter embodiment, the range of travel of the sash in the frame is limited by the positioning of the bottom pulley/roller in the channel, which can interfere with the jamb mounting hook.
For ease of egress from the window in emergencies (and as a general matter of convenience) it is desirable for the window sash to have maximum upward travel in the window frame. This can be accomplished, and the problem of interference between the bottom pulley/roller and the jamb mounting hook alleviated, by moving the bottom pulley/roller for the jamb mounting hook closer to the lower end of the channel member. However, the upper and lower ends of the channel are usually taken up by, respectively, top and bottom guides that are attached to the channel and assist in connecting the channel to a window sash. This problem led to the initial attempted solution by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,598,264 and 6,877,187; and application Ser. No. 11/029,074. The aforesaid patents and applications teach a system where a "bottom roller" is mounted in the bottom guide, combining the functions of these two parts. This does, in fact, serve to move this bottom roller closer to the end of the channel and create a system with greater travel. However, it leads to additional problems.
It is desirable in the window industry for parts to be as interchangeable as possible. Thus, in the prior art block and tackle window balances discussed it was not unusual to have systems where the tensioned elements (such as the springs, middle carriage assembly, cord, and end carriage assembly with bottom pulley) were mounted directly to the channel which could be stocked and/or stored as a stable assembly. This assembly could then be joined to different top and bottom guides as needed to fit different types, sizes and configurations of windows. However, this is no longer possible and/or is extremely limited by the types of configurations taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,598,264 and 6,877,187; and in application Ser. No. 11/029,074. In these configurations, the bottom guide is included among the tensioned parts due to the fact that the bottom roller is mounted therein. Thus, it must be pre-mounted to the channel along with the other tensioned parts, limiting the ability of the channel to be used for multiple window types and severely limiting the usefulness of the channel as an interchangeable part.


This application provides materials and methods for the detection of the aad-12 gene and event pDAB4472-1606 in biological samples derived from plants.

Soybean is an important crop and is a primary food source in many areas of the world. The methods of biotechnology have been applied to soybean for improvement of agronomic traits and the quality of the product. Examples of agronomic traits introduced into soybean plants include herbicide resistance and insect resistance.
The aad-12 gene (originally from Delftia acidovorans) encodes the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase (AAD-12) protein. This gene confers tolerance to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, for example, and to pyridyloxyacetate herbicides. The aad-12 gene, itself, for introducing herbicide tolerance in plants was disclosed in WO 2007/053482.
The expression of heterologous or foreign genes (transgenes) in plants is influenced by where the foreign gene is inserted in the chromosome. This could, for example, be due to chromatin structure (e.g., heterochromatin) or the proximity of transcriptional regulation elements (e.g., enhancers) close to the integration site (Weising et al., Ann. Rev. Genet 22:421-477, 1988). Thus, the same gene in the same type of transgenic plant (or other organism) can exhibit a wide variation in expression level amongst different events. There may also be differences in spatial or temporal patterns of expression. For example, differences in the relative expression of a transgene in various plant tissues may not correspond to the patterns expected from transcriptional regulatory elements present in the gene construct introduced into the plant.
Thus, large numbers of events are often created and screened in order to identify an event that expresses an introduced gene of interest to a satisfactory level for a given purpose. For commercial purposes, it is common to produce hundreds to thousands of different events and to screen those events for a single event that has desired transgene expression levels and patterns. An event that has desired levels and/or patterns of transgene expression is useful for introgressing the transgene into other genetic backgrounds by sexual outcrossing using conventional breeding methods. Progeny of such crosses maintain the transgene expression characteristics of the original transformant. This strategy is used to ensure reliable gene expression in a number of varieties that are well adapted to local growing conditions.
It would be advantageous to be able to detect the presence of a transgene and/or genomic DNA of a particular plant in order to determine whether progeny of a sexual cross contain the transgene and/or genomic DNA of interest. In addition, a method for detecting the presence of the transgene and/or genomic DNA in a particular plant would be helpful when complying with regulations requiring the pre-market approval and labeling of foods derived from the recombinant crop plants.
It is possible to detect the presence of a transgene by any well known nucleic acid detection method. Examples include the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or DNA hybridization using nucleic acid probes. These detection methods generally focus on frequently used genetic elements, such as promoters, terminators, marker genes, or other commonly used genetic elements. Such methods may not be useful for discriminating between different events, particularly those produced using the same DNA construct unless the sequence of chromosomal DNA adjacent to the inserted DNA ("flanking DNA") is known.
Event-specific PCR assays are, however useful in such a context and Taverniers et al. (J. Agric. Food Chem., 53: 3041-3052, 2005) disclose an event-specific tracing system for transgenic maize lines Bt11, Bt176, and GA21 and for canola event GT73. In Taverniers et al., event-specific primers and probes were designed based upon the sequences of the genome/transgene junctions for each event. Transgenic plant event specific DNA detection methods have also been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,893,826; 6,825,400; 6,740,488; 6,733,974; 6,689,880; 6,900,014 and 6,818,807.

Materials and methods for detecting the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase gene (AAD-12) containing event pDAB4472-1606 in plants


An elevator, particularly for transporting passengers, has an elevator car guided in an elevator shaft a direct drive motor. The drive motor includes an active primary part at the elevator car and a passive secondary part that is fixed in the elevator shaft and is spaced from the primary part by an air gap. In order to achieve a high power capability, the drive motor is configured as a transverse flux motor that moves the primary part linearly relative to the secondary part under the influence of an electromagnetic propulsive force. The secondary part has at least one rail made of a soft magnetic material and subdivided into a plurality of segments having a predetermined length. The segments are fixed to a wall of the elevator shaft by intermediate elements.

The present invention relates to an elevator, particularly for transporting persons, which comprises an elevator shaft, an elevator car guided in the elevator shaft and a drive motor directly driving the elevator car. The drive motor is provided with an active primary part arranged at the elevator car and a passive secondary part arranged in stationary position in the elevator shaft and spaced from the primary part by an air gap.
The elevator car of conventional elevators is usually moved up and down in the elevator shaft by means of wire cables that run over a drive pulley driven by an electric motor. This indirect drive of the elevator car is associated with the disadvantage of an additional space requirement for the drive pulley and the electric motor.
In addition, elevators that are provided with a direct drive of the elevator car are known in the state of the art. Thus, the European patent document EP 0 785 162 A1 describes an elevator in which the elevator car is driven directly by a linear motor. The linear motor comprises a primary part arranged at the elevator car and a secondary part fastened to the wall of the elevator shaft and provided with permanent magnets. The primary part is provided with windings to which a three-phase current is supplied. In this manner there is created a magnetic traveling field forming electromagnetic forces which linearly move the primary part and thus the elevator car relative to the secondary part.
A linear motor directly driving the elevator car is additionally known from the European patent document EP 0 858 965 A1. With respect to low transverse forces, this linear motor has a secondary part which is arranged at the elevator car and which is formed from two rows of mutually opposite permanent magnets. The primary part, thereagainst, consists of windings that are arranged between the permanent magnets of the secondary part.
The provision of a linear motor for direct drive of the elevator car does indeed have the advantage, in distinction from elevators with an indirect drive by means of cables, that no additional space requirement for an electric motor and a drive pulley is needed. Moreover, the provision of a linear motor makes a counterweight connected with the elevator car redundant. An insufficient power capability and a manufacturing cost that is comparatively high in the economic respect have proved to be disadvantages of the known linear motors particularly in the case of relatively high elevator shafts. With respect to manufacturing cost, it is possibly required to provide the entire wall of the elevator shaft with either the secondary part or the primary part. Since the primary part comprises several windings and the secondary part is equipped with permanent magnets, comparatively high costs thus result.


Tactile communication methods, systems and devices for wireless touch communication which include an array of electromechanical transducers each independently capable of producing a vibration for communicating qualitative and quantitative tactile cues to a user, at least one electromagnetic field sensor coupled with at least one of the array of transducers for monitoring a change in an electromagnetic field of the array of electromechanical transducers and producing an output signals when a change is detected, wherein a change in a position of a transducer contactor produces the change in the electromagnetic field and a vibrotactile waistbelt for housing the array of electromechanical transducers and sensors, wherein the vibrotactile waistbelt is worn by a user to receive and send wireless touch communication respectively from and to a remotely located controller.

Communicating between individuals has generally required traditional verbal communication devices and systems such as phones, and the like, that are not acceptable and/or practical in certain environments. For example, getting situation-relevant information to dismounted soldiers is key to achieving victory on the battlefield. Indeed, the reliable communication of information regarding the location and severity of threats is part of the goal of the Land Warrior System currently in development by the US Army.
A challenge in accomplishing this task is designing systems for providing information in diametrically opposed scenarios. The first is full-fledged combat, a circumstance replete with a barrage of noise and context-irrelevant signals. The second is that of night covert operations, scenarios in which maintaining silence and the cover of darkness are mandatory for success. Despite the apparent disparities between these scenarios, the information most relevant to soldiers remains the same: locations of threats as well as assets. Due to the critical nature of threat information, it is an absolute necessity to present it through omnipresent communication channels.
Current methods of communication do NOT effectively and covertly alert soldiers to the presence of threats while simultaneously cueing their locations. Due to the constraints of these environments, solutions cannot rely on verbal or visually based systems.
Vision and visual cues are not generally available and always practical in military battle environments. Visual displays of alerts and alarms generally "work" only when the operator looks in their general direction. Also, use of light-based systems during night operations negates the advantage gained through the use of night vision equipment.
Speech and verbal cues are not always available or practical in covert military operations. Verbal communication requires transmission that may be intercepted by unfriendly individuals within range of the communication. The interception would alert the unfriendly individuals of the military personal position which negates the advantages gained by covert operations.
A desired system must appeal to one of two remaining omnipresent sensory systems through which one can derive directional information by audition or touch. Over the years attempts have been made at providing 3-dimensional spatial information both aurally and tactually, but they have achieved limited success.
Users of binaural 3-dimensional audio systems frequently experience front-back reversals, wherein sounds from behind the user are perceived as being in front. In addition, the ability of the auditory system to discriminate among sounds located at different elevations is poor. People often must tilt their heads to localize sounds, especially when their sources are at elevations greater than −13 to +20 degrees from the horizon (Buser & Imbert, 1992), although our ability to resolve sound locations in the horizontal plane is of greater accuracy (McKinley & Ericson, 1997).
As with 3-dimensional audio systems, there have been some attempts for using tactile-based systems. An example of a known system is the Tactile Situation Awareness System (TSAS), a wearable tactile display intended to provide spatial orientation cues (Rupert, 2000). To aid in the development of TSAS, Cholewiak, Collins, and Brill (2001) conducted a study to evaluate the spatial resolution for vibration applied to the torso. They used wearable displays consisting of eight small vibrating devices called tactors, spaced equidistant across the abdomen and arranged to represent the points of the compass (i.e., navel="north," spine="south"). The results showed that participants were very accurate in localizing stimuli applied to the naval and spine (nearly 100%), but accuracy was lower for localizing stimuli on the sides.
The inventors have found that a six-tactor array improved accuracy over that of the eight-tactor array (97% versus 92%, respectively; Cholewiak, Brill, & Schwab, in press). It was also found that the ambiguities regarding localization of vibratory stimuli on the sides could be resolved by modulating vibration frequency. By providing unique sensations in the "east" and "west" positions, significant improvements in localization accuracy (to approximately 95%) were produced, even with an eight-tactor display. Although tactile displays might be somewhat restricted in terms of the number of loci that can be accurately resolved in the horizontal plane, the sense of touch boasts a significant advantage over audition in regards to accurately perceiving stimuli in the vertical plane and in circumventing the problem of front-back reversals.
Use of tactile communication systems might have additional advantages over auditory displays, particularly pertaining to the combat scenario. The prior art suggests that tactile communication might avoid potential conflicts in sharing cognitive resources, a problem that could arise with auditory alarms (Wickens, 1984). Although Wickens' model of attention (1984) lacks an allocation of resources to the sense of touch, there is little ambiguity regarding the effects of resource sharing between tasks appealing to the same sensory modality.
It is unlikely that soldiers will be able to send and receive verbal communications while simultaneously attending to an auditory alarm amidst the noise and stress of combat. Considering the likelihood of task saturation in the auditory channel, a tactile system holds promise not only because of its inherent qualities, but also because it should not interfere with vision or audition (Parkes & Coleman, 1990; Wickens, 1984; Wickens, Sandry, & Vidulich, 1983). Therefore, it is much more reasonable to suspect that soldiers will be able to receive and attend to tactile information (versus auditory information) due to the lack of competition for mental resources and in the relative absence of cross-sensory masking. As information received tactually should not compete with other signals for mental resources, its impact on mental workload is likely minimal.
In environments such as during battles and the like, human senses such as hearing, vision and smell can be overpowered and are impaired. For example, troops may not be able to hear verbal commands and verbal communications when explosions and artillery fire is underway. Tactile sensors can be useful for providing some information but still fail by themselves to effectively communicate desired communications between parties. The inventors are aware of several patents and published patent applications that use some types of tactile stimulation.
See for example, U.S. Publication 2005/0162258 to King which provides a tactile stimulation in response to an alarm condition; U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,590 to Ling, et al. describes a system for delivering tactile stimuli to the skin surface using an array of electrodes directly connected with a pc board and may be used as a wearable article; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,901 to Gonzales which includes an array of stimulators for transmitting alphanumeric data.
A number of the referenced applications and patents are directed toward medical devices for monitoring user vital signs or delivering medical treatment to the user. These references include the U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,987 to Pail (respiratory); U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,229 to Akiva (ECG testing); U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,902 to Erickson (pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy); U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,131 to Salem (cardiac and respiratory); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,553 to Sciarra (cardiac and respiratory) patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,196 to McMahon is a monitoring system that can be used to track the location of a wearer.
U.S. Publication 2005/0132290 to Buchner, et al. discloses the closest prior art of a method and apparatus for transmitting information to a user's body using standard codes and an actuator that can be used to transmit tactile, vibrational, heat, pressure or electric pulses to transmit information using the skin as an interface to the user wherein the apparatus is contained in a wearable garment or accessory. The device described in Buchner is complex and includes a display for viewing an emotional state using symbols or moving images and can be used to listen to recorded music. The biometrics are processed by an expression interpreter to determine emotions.
Other art made of record includes U.S. Published Patent Applications: 2005/0173231 and 2005/0152325 to Gonzales; 2005/0073439 to Perricone; 2003/0109988 to Geissler; and 2002/0145522 to Pembroke. See also U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,578 to Magine; U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,224 to Apostolos; U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,540 to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,901 to Gonzales; U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,496 to Sokoler; U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,561 to Gonzales; U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,456 to Ewart; U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,551 to Hirsch; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,108,268 to Uttal.
However, none of the above references disclose an apparatus or method for communicating qualitative and quantitative tactile cues while also monitoring user vital signs that is usable for covert operation without broadcasting signals that may be intercepted by unfriendly individuals within range.

Electromagnetic field tactile display interface and biosensor

University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc


An organic TFT (OTFT) inverter arrangement comprises an inverter stage including a series arrangement of first and second MOS OTFTs (T1, T2) connected between first and second supply terminals (VDD), the first and second OTFTs having first and second gates, respectively. An input terminal (VIN) is connected to the first gate, while an output terminal (VOUT) is connected to the node interconnecting the first and second OTFTs (T1, T2). A bias-control stage is connected between the first gate and the second gate. The bias-control stage is an inverting stage, such that, when an input voltage on the first gate rises, a voltage on the second gate falls, and vice-versa. The bias-control stage comprises a series arrangement of third and fourth OTFTs (T3, T4) connected between the first and second supply terminals (VDD, VSS), and a series arrangement of fifth and sixth OTFTs (T11, T12) connected between the first and second supply terminals (VDD, VSS). The fifth and sixth OTFTs (T11, T12) are controlled by the third and fourth OTFTs (T3, T4) and feed the first and second gates, respectively. The OTFT inverter arrangement may be used as the basis of an OTFT logic-gate arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
Several aspects of the present invention relate to an organic TFT inverter arrangement and to an organic TFT logic-gate arrangement comprising an organic TFT inverter arrangement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inkjet organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) have attracted much attention in recent years, because of the advance in solution-processable materials and inkjet fabrication techniques. Inkjet OTFT technology significantly reduces the cost of fabrication by depositing the material at only the desired places, thereby cutting wastage in material and reducing the process turn-around time. At the same time a significant amount of research effort has been directed to improving the electrical characteristics of OTFTs to a level achieved by amorphous silicon technology, its inorganic counterpart.
The electrical performance of inkjet OTFTs has been limited by, for example, low drain-source current (IDS) on/off ratio, poor sub-threshold slope (ΔIDS/ΔVGS), poor saturation in the output characteristics (IDS VS. VDS) and the existence of p-channel devices only, though this latter limitation has more recently been overcome. These limitations do not apply to technologies such as crystalline silicon transistor technology.
Examples of a basic known OTFT inverter arrangement are shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1(a) gives the general circuit symbol for an inverter arrangement, fed by power supply lines VDD and VSS, where VDD>VSS, while FIGS. 1(b)-1(d) show more detailed constructions of such an inverter arrangement. FIG. 1(b) shows a p-channel OTFT device driving a purely resistive load and FIGS. 1(c) and (d) show p-channel OTFT devices driving a transistor load. In the case of FIG. 1(c) the load transistor is a diode connected p-channel device (gate connected to drain), while in FIG. 1(d) the load transistor is a p-channel device connected as an active load. The active load accepts a bias voltage at the gate that provides further control to the output voltage.
It is often desirable to optimise the size of the driver and load transistors in such an inverter arrangement, in order to provide a gain greater than unity and a sufficiently wide output swing. The latter is important if a wide noise margin is to be achieved. Unfortunately, the limitations of existing OTFTs make it difficult to meet these criteria. As a result, many researchers have proposed additional stages, such as a level-shifter in order to boost the gain before or after a conventional OTFT inverter stage. Example of this solution will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
In FIG. 2 a level-shifter is included before the inverter-stage. FIG. 2(a) is, again, the general circuit symbol for this arrangement, while FIGS. 2(b) and (c) are detailed embodiments of this arrangement. FIG. 2(b) is an arrangement published by H. Gerwin, et al., in their paper "Flexible active matrix displays and shift registers based on solution-processed organic transistors" in Nature Materials, published in 2004. The first stage acts as a voltage divider through the use of series-connected p-channel OTFTs working in their saturation region. The second stage is the inverter that uses a diode-connected OTFT load. The FIG. 2(c) example works in a similar fashion, but is based around an active OTFT load in the inverter stage. FIG. 2(c) is taken from H. Klauk, et al, "Pentacene organic thin-film transistors and ICs", Solid Stage Technology, Vol. 43, Part 3, pp 63-67, (2000).
In FIG. 3 the level-shifter is added after the inverter stage. The FIG. 3(b) example is published in J. Krumm, et al, "A polymer transistor circuit using PDHTT", IEEE Electron Device Letters, Vol. 25, No. 6 (June 2004). The level-shifter stage works as a voltage follower that fed from the output of the inverter stage. In FIG. 3(c), which is taken from H. Klauk, et al, "Pentacene organic transistors and ring oscillators on glass on flexible polymeric substrates", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 82, No. 23, pp 4175-4177 (2003), a similar voltage-follower level-shifter stage is employed, but in this case it is driven from the output of an active OTFT load in the inverter stage, instead of from a diode-connected OTFT load, which is the case in the FIG. 3(b) example. In addition the gate of the bias transistor in the level-shifter stage is fed from a different voltage supply from that of the inverter stage.
In both of these examples, the level-shifter stage ensures that high-level voltages can appear on the overall output terminal ("OUT") by providing a voltage rail VLS for the level-shifter stage, which is higher than the inverter voltage rail VDD used for the inverter stage.


An improved, failure-resistant, low mechanical stress electrical connector bushing (10) is provided which includes an elongated, central metallic conductor rod (12) with an insulative epoxy body (14) cast about the central rod (12). The rod is of substantially constant diameter throughout its length, and includes a male connection end (16) and an opposed female connection end (18). The connection end (18) presents an upset, integral, cold-forged, radially expanded terminal portion (20) having a diameter greater than the constant diameter rod (12), and presents a butt end face (24). Stress analysis confirms that the bushing (10) develops reduced, mechanical thermally induced stresses, as compared with a prior design.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with an improved synthetic resin (e.g., epoxy) bushing assembly of the type commonly used in dead-front electrical transmission and distribution equipment (e.g., pad-mounted, air-insulated switchgear) and adapted to interconnect with conventional connector elbows. More particularly, it is concerned with such a bushing assembly which is lower in cost as compared with prior designs, and which essentially eliminates stress cracking problems attendant to thermal cycling and molding of the epoxy bushing body about the central metallic conductor rod.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Elongated, skirted bushings have long been used in conjunction with electrical transmission and distribution equipment, for the purpose of providing a convenient means for the connection and disconnection of the equipment within an electrical system. Typically, these bushings are configured to mate with external connector elbows in order to complete an electrical circuit through the associated equipment.
One type of bushing heretofore used includes a central copper rod having a male threaded connection end and an opposed female threaded connection end; an epoxy body is then cast about the rod to form the complete bushing. The central conductive rod can be a 11/4" constant diameter copper or aluminum member, but this necessitates larger skirt diameters and consequently more epoxy. Alternately, the rod ]Ray be machined down to a smaller diameter over a majority of the portion thereof and particularly the region where skirting is applied; or two different diameter sections can be joined to achieve the same end. This lowers the epoxy requirements, but this is at least somewhat offset by the attendant machining or attachment costs.

Reduced mechanical stress bushing and conductor rod assembly


For generating an image for inspection of a substrate, a camera is provided above this substrate with an optical axis orienting downward and a plurality of multi-colored light emitting members are set around the optical axis of the camera so as to be within a specified angular range with respect to a target area on the substrate. The camera is operated to generate an image of the target area for inspection while switched-on conditions of these light emitting members are being controlled such that the colors and angles of light illuminating this target area are varied according to a specified kind of the purpose of this inspection.

This invention relates to the production of a substrate having components mounted thereto and more particularly to the technology of carrying out an inspection by image processing, either during or after a production process therefor, of the lands, the soldered parts and the mounted components on the substrate that is being produced or has been produced.
The present inventors have previously developed an apparatus for automatically inspecting soldered portions on a substrate by the image processing technology making use of the mirror reflection property of such soldered portions, as described in Japanese Patent Publication Tokko 6-1173. The optical system of this previously developed inspection apparatus comprises three circular ring-shaped light sources having different diameters and a two-dimensional color camera (hereinafter simply referred to as a camera). These three light sources are respectively adapted to emit a beam of red, green and blue light, and the camera is disposed at a position corresponding to the center of these light sources with its optical axis vertically oriented. With an inspection apparatus thus structured, each of the light sources is positioned so as to have a different angle of elevation from the position of a solder portion to be inspected. Each beam of light projected onto the surface of the solder portion undergoes a mirror reflection but the kind of mirror-reflected light received by the camera changes according to the sloping angle of the light-reflecting surface of the solder. Thus, the three colors of the light sources become distributed on the solder portion of the obtained image along the direction in which this sloping angle changes. Thus, if the pattern of each color that would appear on the image of a well-shaped solder surface is preliminarily registered and compared with color patterns that are actually obtained from a target surface, it is possible to judge the quality of the target surface for inspection.
With an illumination device of the type described above and adapted to project light beams of three primary colors, however, the range of angle in which the light beam of each color is projected is fixed and hence the corresponding relationship between each color and the angle of slope also becomes fixed. As a result, if the slope of a solder fillet becomes very steep, it becomes difficult to display the color distribution reflecting the change in this slope. Accordingly, a color change may not be obtained from the image corresponding to a fillet and it becomes difficult to detect its slope.

Method of generating image and illumination device for inspecting substrate


A forming system includes a first die, a second die, and a cooling system. A sintered material is formed on opposing portions of the first and second die surfaces to form a relatively low thermal conductive die region. The first die and the second die have opposing, relatively high thermal conductive surfaces to form a relatively high thermal conductive die region. The cooling system is disposed in a thermal conductive relation with the relatively high thermal conductive surfaces. The sintered material on the opposing portions of the first and the second die surfaces cooperate to be on opposite sides of the work piece received in the die cavity. Portions of the work piece in direct contact with the sintered material are cooled at a cooling rate slower than that of portions of the work piece that are in direct contact with the relatively high thermal conductive surfaces.

Vehicle manufacturers strive to provide vehicles that are increasingly stronger, lighter and less expensive. For example, vehicle manufacturers have expended significant efforts to utilize non-traditional materials, such as sheet aluminum, advanced high strength steels, and ultra-high strength steels, for portions of the vehicle body. While such materials may be both relatively strong and light, they are typically costly to purchase, form and/or assemble.
One proposed solution includes the use of heat-treated sheet steel panel members to form the vehicle body. In some applications, the sheet steel panel members are formed in a conventional forming process and subsequently undergo a heat-treating operation. This two-stage processing may be disadvantageous in that the additional operation may add significant cost and time.
As an alternative to a process that employs a discrete heat-treating operation, it is known that certain materials, such as boron steels, may be simultaneously formed and quenched in a hot forming die. In this regard, a pre-heated sheet stock may be typically introduced into a hot forming die, formed to a desired shape and quenched subsequent to the forming operation while in the die to thereby produce a heat treated component. The known hot forming dies for performing the simultaneous hot forming and quenching steps typically employ water cooling passages (for circulating cooling water through the hot forming die) that are formed in a conventional manner.
The present patent application provides improvements to hot forming systems and hot forming operations.


A method for performing a vitrectomy on an eye is disclosed for removing the vitreous humor from the eye. The method comprises the first step of introducing plasmin into the vitreous humor in order to induce a posterior vitreous detachment. Thereafter, the vitreous is removed by conventional methods and replaced with a sterile saline solution.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical procedures and, more particularly, to a medical procedure for performing a vitrectomy on an eye or causing posterior vitreous detachment.
II. Description of the Prior Art
In order to treat certain medical diseases and dysfunctions in the eye, and especially human eyes, it is necessary to perform a vitrectomy on the eye. As is well known, a vitrectomy involves the removal of the vitreous humor from the eye and the replacement of the vitreous humor by a sterile saline solution.
The vitreous humor or vitreous is a semi-solid material (gel) having a jello-like consistency. In order to remove the vitreous from the eye, the vitreous is conventionally mechanically removed from the eye while simultaneously replacing the removed vitreous with a saline solution to prevent collapse of the eye.
One difficulty in performing a vitrectomy is that the vitreous exhibits a relatively strong adhesion to the retina of the eye. Mechanical removal of the vitreous from the retina of the eye can result in scarring, tearing and other damage to the retina. Such retinal damage, of course, is highly undesirable since such damage may compromise the patient's vision following the vitrectomy.

Method for performing a vitrectomy on an eye


To provide an optical recording medium and the like that is adapted to higher density and higher speed recording of 8 times or more than that of DVD (about 28 m/sec or more) and that exhibits superior repeating and reservation properties. An optical recording medium is provided that comprises a substrate, and a recording layer, wherein at least one of recording, reproducing, erasing, and rewriting of information is carried out by means of reversible phase changes at marks on the recording layer, the reversible phase changes at marks are induced between crystalline and amorphous states by laser irradiation, the length of the respective marks is 0.4 μm or less in the traveling direction of the laser irradiation, and the recording layer has a composition expressed by the formula: InαSbβ, wherein α and β are atomic percent of the respective elements; 0.73≦β/(α+β)≦0.90, α+β=100, alternatively a composition expressed by the formula: MγInαSbβ, wherein M represents an element other than In and Sb or an element combination containing two or more elements other than In and Sb; α and β are atomic percent of the respective elements, γ is atomic percent of the element or sum of atomic percent of the respective elements; 0.73≦β/(α+β)≦0.90, 0<γ<α, α+β+γ=100.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a optical recording medium capable of recording, reproducing, and rewriting information by irradiating laser to cause optical alternation on a material that constitutes a recording layer (hereinafter sometimes referring to as "phase change optical recording medium", "optical recording medium", "optical information recording medium" or "information recording medium"), a sputtering target for producing the optical recording medium, a process for using the recording medium, and an optical recording apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, optical recording media are demanded to address recording with higher velocity. In case of disc optical recording media in particular, the higher velocity has been practically achieved on the grounds that raising the rotating velocity can increase the velocity of recording and reproducing. The recording media, on which the recording can be performed solely by modulation of optical intensity among others, may be commercially available in lower price owing to the simple recording mechanism. Also the reproducing mechanism based on the modulation of optical intensity affords effective interchangeability with reproducing-only apparatuses and makes possible the broad market; therefore, such optical recording media have been demanded the higher density and higher velocity recording owing to the recent extended capability of electric information.
Nowadays, the optical recording media, which employ phase change materials, are popular since plural times of rewriting are possible among others. The optical recording media, which employ phase change materials in the recording layer, perform through forming rapidly cooled and slowly cooled conditions by means of intensity modulation of the irradiated optical beams. In a rapidly cooled condition after melting, the material of recording layer turns into an amorphous state, whereas in a slowly cooled condition after melting, the material of recording layer turns into a crystal state. The optical properties are different between the amorphous and crystal conditions; thereby information may be recorded and reproduced.
The mechanism is that heating a recording layer through irradiating laser light on a thin film of the recording layer on a substrate, causing phase changes of the recording layer between the amorphous and crystal conditions, and repeatedly recording information by changing the disc reflectance. In many cases, the un-recorded condition corresponds to the crystal phase; information is recorded on the recording layer by forming marks of amorphous phase with lower reflectance and spaces of crystal phase with higher reflectance.
As well-known, recording light is arranged into pulses of which the intensity is modulated three levels, and the recording is performed through irradiating the recording light onto an optical recording medium. FIG. 6 exemplifies a pattern of emission waveform or recording strategy for repeatedly recording data of marks and spaces, which is employed in DVD+RW etc. The marks of amorphous state are formed by alternately irradiating peak power light (Pp=Pw) and bias power light (Pb) in pulse fashion; the spaces of crystal state are formed by continuously irradiating erase power light (Pe) that has an intermediate level of Pp and Pb.
Irradiating pulse arrays of peak power light and bias power light leads to formation of amorphous marks through the repeated melting and rapid cooling of the recording layer. Irradiating the erase power light leads to formation of spaces since the recording layer is melted then slowly cooled or is annealed in the solid state.
The formation of amorphous marks requires a melted state of the recording layer. In the higher velocity recording, higher power is required since the period of irradiating the peak power light is shortened. However, the power of laser diode (LD) is limited in the output power, resulting in inferior amorphous marks due to the insufficient output power. Accordingly, lower melting points are demanded for the materials of recording layer for higher velocity recording.
Various materials have been proposed heretofore with respect to the recording layer. The materials of recording layer in practice for CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM etc. can be broadly divided into Ag—In—Sb—Te family and Ge—Sb—Te family. The Ag—In—Sb—Te family is constituted by adding Ag and In into delta-phase solid solution of Sb—Te binary system that contains 63 to 83 atomic percent of Sb. On the other hand, Ge—Sb—Te family is constituted by blending two kinds of compounds, i.e. GeTe and Sb2Te3, in various ratio, represented by Ge2Sb2Te5 that is constituted by blending GeTe:Sb2Te3=2:1. Both of the families have been improved through adding other elements etc. and have been applied for broad linear velocities.
For higher speed recording, the delta-phase of Sb—Te is advantageous in light of higher velocity of crystal growth, and lower melting point of the delta-phase of Sb—Te is also advantageous, i.e. its melting point is about 550° C., whereas that of pseudo-binary system of GeTe and Sb2Te3 is no less than 600° C.
In the family where various elements are added into the Sb—Te phase, in general, the crystallization rate may be increased and the recording layer may be applied to higher velocity recording by means of raising the composition ratio of Sb. One disadvantage of the Sb—Te delta-phase is the lower crystallization temperature such as 120° C. to 130° C., which requires that the crystallization temperature should be raised to 160° C. to 180° C. by additional elements such as Ag, In, and Ge to improve the stability of amorphous marks, thereby recording layers are to be produced that are adapted to higher velocity recording up to four times that of DVD.
However, in order to make adaptable to higher velocity recording of 8 times or more than that of DVD, the proportion of Sb should be increased thereby to raise the crystallization rate. In this concept, higher proportion of Sb tends to adversely effect the initialization, for example, reflectance nonuniformity is often induced after the initialization and noise level is exaggerated, as a result proper recordings cannot be performed at lower jitter. Further, the higher proportion of Sb inevitably leads to higher amount of additives since the crystallizing temperature further decreases; merely increasing the amount of additives often results in adverse effects on the initialization, the noise level is possibly exaggerated, as a result proper recordings cannot be performed at lower jitter. As such, in the family based on the Sb—Te delta-phase, it is difficult to produce recording layers that exhibit crystallization rate adapted to higher velocity recording of 8 times or more than that of DVD, provide easy initialization, and satisfy the preservation stability of amorphous marks.
In such backgrounds, Ga—Sb family, Ge—Sb family and the like are proposed that may exhibit higher crystallization rate and superior stability of amorphous marks for the purpose to replace the family based on the Sb—Te delta-phase. Materials of the Ga—Sb and Ge—Sb families show eutectic states at Sb-rich compositions such as above 80 atomic percent of Sb; the materials of Ga—Sb and Ge—Sb families may be employed as materials for higher velocity recording, by utilizing the respective eutectic compositions as the respective main compositions; and these materials may be enhanced the crystallization rate by raising the proportion of Sb, which is similar to the family based on the Sb—Te delta-phase. The crystallizing temperatures of these materials are as high as about 180° C., therefore the stability of the amorphous marks is superior without adding other elements. However, the higher eutectic temperatures such as about 590° C. than that of the family based on the Sb—Te delta-phase possibly result in the insufficient power at recording.
On the other hand, proposals as to optical recording media that employ a phase change recording layer based on In—Sb—Te, or In—Sb-M (M is an element other than In and Sb) may be seen, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-B) No. 3-52651, JP-B No. 4-1933, Japanese Patent (JP-B) No. 2952287, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-236690, and "K. Daly-Flynn and D. Strand: Jpm. J. Appl. Phys. vol. 42 (2003) pp. 795-799".
JP-B No. 3-52651 discloses a recording material expressed by the general formula (In1-xSbx)1-yMy (55≦x≦80, 0≦y≦20, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, Pt, Ti, Al, Si, Ge, Ga, Sn, Te, Se, and Bi); the recording is performed by making use of the reflectance difference between the pi-phase that is a pseudo-stable phase formed by cooling rapidly from a melting condition and a mixed phase or equivalent phase of InSb and Sb formed by cooling slowly from a melting condition. However, formation of the mixed phase or the equivalent phase typically takes a long period. Further, in the proposal, although writing and erasing are allegedly repeatedly capable through scanning laser with variable output, there is no description in terms of the scanning velocity of laser. Accordingly, the formation of equivalent layer is considerably difficult in a condition that the irradiating period at each site is no more than a few decades to a few hundreds nano seconds as that of DVD; therefore the proposal cannot be applied to phase change optical recording media such as CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RW in advanced fashion. Moreover, the proposal is believed not to intend DVD in light of the technical level at the application i.e. 1984, the layer construction or recording way for forming fine amorphous marks of no more than 0.4 μm in length is not described, and needless to say, any disclosure or suggestion cannot be seen with respect to higher velocity recording of 8 times or more than that of DVD.
In the JP-B No. 4-1933, information is recorded and erased through selectively generating two stable conditions by irradiating optical energy with different conditions onto a recording thin film that is formed of fine alloy crystal containing 20 to 60 atomic percent of In and 40 to 80 atomic percent of Sb. One or more elements selected from Ag, In, Ge, Te and the like may be additionally included to the recording thin film in an amount of no more than 20 atomic percent. In the recording thin film of JP-B No. 4-1933, both of the stable conditions are of crystal state having different optical properties, which is allegedly derived from different depositions of In50Sb50 and Sb through the different heating and cooling steps; and the other factors are exemplified such as different size of crystal grain, shape alternation of thin film, generation of different crystal phase and the like. Provided that such factors cause an optical difference and the reflectance may be varied, the difference level of the reflectance is lower and C/N is remarkably lower than those based on phase change between crystal and amorphous being employed in the phase change recording media such as CD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RW, consequently the materials are considered not to be practical.
In JP-B No. 2952287, recording is performed by means of recording material comprising 33 to 44 atomic percent of In or Ga, 51 to 62 atomic percent of Sb, and 2 to 9 atomic percent of Te by making use of phase changes between amorphous and crystal states; allegedly the signal intensity and amorphous stability are sufficient, and erasing can be performed at higher velocity. However, the intended linear velocity of recording is about 1 to 15 m/sec, that is, the crystallization rate is insufficient at higher velocity recording of 8 times (about 28 m/sec) or more than that of DVD, causing a problem that the incompletely erased amorphous marks remain.
The article "K. Daly-Flynn and D. Strand: Jpm. J. Appl. Phys. vol. 42 (2003) pp. 795-799" discloses recording materials expressed by the general formula Inx(Sb72Te28)100-x (in which, x is 3.9 to 45 atomic percent) and recording by means of the material by making use of the phase changes between amorphous and crystal states. However, since the linear velocity of recording investigated in the article is about 2 m/sec to 6 m/sec, the crystallization rate is insufficient at higher velocity recording of 8 times (about 28 m/sec) or more than that of DVD, resulting in a problem that the incompletely erased amorphous marks remain.
In JP-A No. 2001-236690, CD-E media are proposed wherein alloy expressed by Mw(SbxTe1-z)1-w (in which, 0≦w<0.3, 0.5<z<0.9, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of In, Ga, Zn, Ge, Sn, Si, Cu, Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Cr, Co, O, S and Se) are employed at the recording layer of a thin film. However, this proposal is not intended the application of DVD, and any disclosure or suggestion cannot be seen with respect to higher velocity recording of 8 times or more than that of DVD (about 28 m/sec or more).
In the In—Sb family, higher proportion of Sb tends to bring about higher crystallization rate similarly to Sb—Te delta-phase, Ga—Sb, and Ge—Sb families. Accordingly, the Sb proportion higher than the compositions disclosed in JP-B No. 2952287 and "K. Daly-Flynn and D. Strand: Jpm. J. Appl. Phys. vol. 42 (2003) pp. 795-799" may lead to the crystallization rate sufficiently adaptable to higher velocity recording of 8 times or more than that of DVD. Also, the melting point of Sb-rich material is about 490° C. (measured by means of DSC the thin film formed by a sputtering process), which is similar to the eutectic temperature even when the Sb proportion is higher than that of eutectic composition. Also, the crystallizing temperature is as high as 180° C. to 200° C., the stability of amorphous marks are superior even without adding other elements.
However, the Sb proportion higher than the compositions disclosed in JP-B No. 2952287 and "K. Daly-Flynn and D. Strand: Jpm. J. Appl. Phys. vol. 42 (2003) pp. 795-799" in In—Sb family leads to the disadvantage that the crystal stability is poor even though the amorphous stability is proper. FIGS. 7A and 7B explain the reflectance decrease at an un-recorded portion or crystal portion of In35Sb65, which is one of the In—Sb family and the composition is near the eutectic composition, after preservation test at 80° C. for 100 hours. FIG. 7A shows that of before the preservation test, and FIG. 7B shows that of after the preservation test. The results show the reflectance decrease of 18% to 29%, i.e. as much as 10% or more, indicating problems that the reflectance does not possibly satisfy the specs, the recording will be inferior since the recording under the condition with lowered reflectance leads to remarkably deteriorated jitter.
Further, JP-B No. 2952287 describes that "the recording element turns into unstable when the content of Q (In or Ga) is 34 atomic percent or less." The description is considered to mean the instability of crystal phase, and the family having lower In content than the content is considered not to be available for recording layers. However, it is found that the lower content of In or higher content of Sb makes possible to reduce the reflectance decrease after the preservation. Moreover, even when the reflectance decrease is relatively a little, the jitter may grow in the evaluation that the shelf property after preservation test is measured through recording in the same conditions with that of immediately after the initialization. Also, the material, of which reflectance decrease is reduced by increasing Sb content, causes some alternation in the crystal state at least in some degrees, there exists a problem that proper recording cannot be performed under the same conditions with those of immediately after the initialization.
Accordingly, the optical recording media and the related technologies adapted to higher velocity recording of 8 times or more than that of DVD (about 28 m/sec or more) based on recording layer materials that have lower melting point, higher crystallization velocity, and less reflectance nonuniformity after initialization, and exhibit superior crystal stability are not sufficiently satisfactory yet, therefore the provisions are demanded currently as advanced needs.

Optical recording medium and process for producing the same, sputtering target, using process of optical recording medium, and optical recording apparatus


There are disclosed, inter alia, methods of inhibiting an E1 enzyme, and compounds useful for inhibiting an E1 enzyme.

Post-translational modifications of cellular proteins by the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) family of proteins are important epigenetic mechanisms for regulating various cellular functions. Aberrations in post-translational modification of cellular proteins by the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) family of proteins are associated with the pathogenesis of life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and viral infection. Indeed, the enzymes catalyzing SUMO-modification (e.g., E1 disclosed herein) are present in higher levels in cancer tissues versus normal tissues and in metastasized tumors versus normal cells, and play an important role in cancer proliferation and metastasis. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that E1 is a target for the development of therapeutics (e.g., cancer therapeutics). Thus, there are disclosed herein methods of inhibiting an E1 enzyme, and compounds useful for inhibiting an E1 enzyme.

SUMO inhibitor compounds and uses thereof


Novel composite and humanized anti-TAG-72 monoclonal antibodies, antibody fragments, and derivatives thereof using human subgroup IV kappa light chain framework regions.

The present invention is directed to the fields of immunology and genetic engineering.
The following information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicants to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the following information constitutes prior art against the present invention.
Antibodies are specific immunoglobulin (Ig) polypeptides produced by the vertebrate immune system in response to challenges by foreign proteins, glyco-proteins, cells, or other antigenic foreign substances. The binding specificity of such polypeptides to a particular antigen is highly refined, with each antibody being almost exclusively directed to the particular antigen which elicited it.
Two major methods of generating vertebrate antibodies are presently utilized: generation in situ by the mammalian B lymphocytes and generation in cell culture by B cell hybrids. Antibodies are generated in situ as a result of the differentiation of immature B lymphocytes into plasma cells (see Gough (1981), Trends in Biochem Sci, 6:203). Even when only a single antigen is introduced into the immune system of a particular mammal, a uniform population of antibodies does not result, i.e., the response is polyclonal. The limited but inherent heterogeneity of polyclonal antibodies is overcome by the use of hybridoma technology to create xe2x80x9cmonoclonalxe2x80x9d antibodies in cell cultures by B cell hybridomas (see Kohler and Milstein (1975), Nature, 256:495-497). In this process, a mammal is injected with an antigen, and its relatively short-lived, or mortal, splenocytes or lymphocytes are fused with an immortal tumor cell line. The fusion produces hybrid cells or xe2x80x9chybridomasxe2x80x9d which are both immortal and capable of producing the genetically-coded antibody of the B cell.
In many applications, the use of monoclonal antibodies produced in non-human animals is severely restricted where the monoclonal antibodies are to be used in humans. Repeated injections in humans of a xe2x80x9cforeignxe2x80x9d antibody, such as a mouse antibody, may lead to harmful hypersensitivity reactions, i.e., an anti-idiotypic, or anti-mouse antibody (HAMA), response (see Shawler et al. (1985), Journal of Immunology, 135:1530-1535; and Sear et al., J. Biol. Resp. Modifiers, 3:138-150).
Various attempts have already been made to manufacture human-derived monoclonal antibodies by using human hybridomas (see Olsson et al. (1980), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:5429; and Roder et al. (1986), Methods in Enzymology, 121:140-167). Unfortunately, yields of monoclonal antibodies from human hybridoma cell lines are relatively low compared to mouse hybridomas. In addition, human cell lines expressing immunoglobulins are relatively unstable compared to mouse cell lines, and the antibody producing capability of these human cell lines is transient. Thus, while human immunoglobulins are highly desirable, human hybridoma techniques have not yet reached the stage where human monoclonal antibodies with required antigenic specificities can be easily obtained.
Thus, antibodies of nonhuman origin have been genetically engineered to create chimeric or humanized antibodies. Such genetic engineering results in antibodies with a reduced risk of a HAMA response compared to that expected after injection of a human patient with a mouse antibody. In a chimeric antibody, non-human regions of immunoglobulin constant sequences are replaced by corresponding human ones (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567 to Cabilly et al., Genentech); in a humanized antibody, complementarity determining regions (CDRs) are grafted onto human framework regions (FR) (see European Patent Office Application (EPO) 0 239 400 to Winter). Some researchers have produced Fv antibodies (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,334 to Moore, DNAX) and single chain Fv (SCFV) antibodies (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778 to Ladner, Genex).
The above patent publications only show the production of antibody fragments in which some portion of the variable domains is coded for by nonhuman V gene regions. Humanized antibodies to date still retain various portions of light and heavy chain variable regions of nonhuman origin: the chimeric, Fv and single chain Fv antibodies retain the entire variable region of nonhuman origin and CDR-grafted antibodies retain CDR of nonhuman origin.
Such nonhuman-derived regions are expected to elicit an immunogenic reaction when administered into a human patient (see Brxc3xcggemann et al. (1989), J. Exp. Med., 170:2153-2157; and Lo Buglio (1991), Sixth International Conference on Monoclonal Antibody Immunoconjugates for Cancer, San Diego, Calif.). Thus, it is most desirable to obtain a human variable region which is capable of binding to a selected antigen.
One known human carcinoma tumor antigen is tumor-associated glycoprotein-72 (TAG-72), as defined by monoclonal antibody B72.3 (see Thor et al. (1986) Cancer Res., 46:3118-3124; and Johnson, et al. (1986), Cancer Res., 46:850-857). TAG-72 is associated with the surface of certain tumor cells of human origin, specifically the LS174T tumor cell line (American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) No. CL 188), which is a variant of the LS180 (ATCC No. CL 187) colon adeno-carcinoma line.
Numerous murine monoclonal antibodies have been developed which have binding specificity for TAG-72. Exemplary murine monoclonal antibodies include the xe2x80x9cCCxe2x80x9d (colon cancer) monoclonal antibodies, which are a library of murine monoclonal antibodies developed using TAG-72 purified on an immunoaffinity column with an immobilized anti-TAG-72 antibody, B72.3 (ATCC HB-8108) (see EP 394277, to Schlom et al., National Cancer Institute). Certain CC antibodies were deposited with the ATCC: CC49 (ATCC No. HB 9459); CC83 (ATCC No. HB 9453); CC46 (ATCC No. HB 9458); CC92 (ATCC No. HB 9454); CC30 (ATCC NO. HB 9457); CC11 (ATCC No. 9455) and CC15 (ATCC No. HB 9460). Various antibodies of the CC series have been chimerized (see, for example, EPO 0 365 997 to Mezes et al., The Dow Chemical Company).
It is thus of great interest to develop antibodies against TAG-72 containing a light and/or heavy chain variable region(s) derived from human antibodies. However, the prior art simply does not teach recombinant and immunologic techniques capable of routinely producing an anti-TAG-72 antibody in which the light chain and/or the heavy chain variable regions have specificity and affinity for TAG-72 and which are derived from human sequences so as to elicit expectedly low or no HAMA response. It is known that the function of an immunoglobulin molecule is dependent on its three dimensional structure, which in turn is dependent on its primary amino acid sequence. A change of a few or even one amino acid can drastically affect the binding function of the antibody, i.e., the resultant antibodies are generally presumed to be a non-specific immunoglobulin (NSI), i.e., lacking in antibody character, (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,567 to Cabilly et al., Genentech).
Surprisingly, the present invention is capable of meeting many of these above mentioned needs and provides a method for supplying the desired antibodies. For example, in one aspect, the present invention provides a cell capable of expressing a composite antibody having binding specificity for TAG-72, said cell being transformed with (a) a DNA sequence encoding at least a portion of a light chain variable region (VL) effectively homologous to the human Subgroup IV germline gene (Hum4 VL); and a DNA sequence segment encoding at least a portion of a heavy chain variable region (VH) capable of combining with the VL into a three dimensional structure having the ability to bind to TAG-72. As is customary in the art, the term xe2x80x9cHum4 VLxe2x80x9d which is itself derived from the designation of a proteinxe2x80x94i.e. the variable domain of a light chain belonging to Subgroup IV of the class of human xcexa light chainsxe2x80x94can indicate this protein and/or the gene(s) or DNA sequence(s) which encode it.
In one aspect, the present invention concerns a composite antibody or antibody fragment comprising a DNA sequence encoding at least one chain which comprises a variable region having a heavy chain (VH) and a light chain (VL), (A) said VH being encoded by a DNA sequence comprising a subsegment effectively homologous to the VHxcex1TAG germline gene (VHxcex1TAG), and (B) said VL being encoded by a DNA sequence comprising a subsegment effectively homologous to the human Subgroup IV germline gene (HumkIV).
In another aspect, the present invention provides a composite antibody or antibody fragment having binding specificity for TAG-72, comprising (a) a DNA sequence encoding at least a portion of a light chain variable region (VL) effectively homologous to the human Subgroup IV germline gene (Hum4 VL); and a DNA sequence segment encoding at least a portion of a heavy chain variable region (VH) capable of combining with the VL into a three dimensional structure having the ability to bind TAG-72.
The invention further includes the aforementioned antibody alone or conjugated to an imaging marker or therapeutic agent. The invention also includes a composition comprising the aforementioned antibody in unconjugated or conjugated form in a pharmaceutically acceptable, non-toxic, sterile carrier.
The invention is also directed to a method for in vivo diagnosis of cancer which comprises administering to an animal containing a tumor expressing TAG-72 a pharmaceutically effective amount of the aforementioned composition for the in situ detection of carcinoma lesions.
The invention is also directed to a method for intraoperative therapy which comprises (a) administering to a patient containing a tumor expressing TAG-72 a pharmaceutically effective amount of the aforementioned composition, whereby the tumor is localized, and (b) excising the localized tumors.
Additionally, the invention also concerns a process for preparing and expressing a composite antibody. Some of these processes are as follows. A process which comprises transforming a cell with a DNA sequence encoding at least a portion of a light chain variable region (VL) effectively homologous to the human Subgroup IV germline gene (Hum4 VL); and a DNA sequence segment encoding at least a portion of a heavy chain variable region (VH) which is capable of combining with the VL to form a three dimensional structure having the ability to bind to TAG-72. A process for preparing a composite antibody or antibody which comprises culturing a cell containing a DNA sequence encoding at least a portion of a light chain variable region (VL) effectively homologous to the human Subgroup IV germline gene (Hum4 VL); and a DNA sequence segment encoding at least a portion of a heavy chain variable region (VH) capable of combining with the VL into a three dimensional structure having the ability to bind to TAG-72 under sufficient conditions for the cell to express the immunoglobulin light chain and immuno-globulin heavy chain. A process for preparing an antibody conjugate comprising contacting the aforementioned antibody or antibody with an imaging marker or therapeutic agent.

Humanized anti-tag-72 monoclonal antibodies using human subgroup 4 kappa light chains


An improved scroll compressor has an orbiting scroll wrap that is designed to always be at most equal in height to the fixed scroll wrap. The orbiting scroll wrap is preferably designed shorter than the fixed scroll wrap by a distance equal to the manufacturing tolerances on the height of the two scroll wraps added together. In this way, the present invention insures that in no acceptable parts will the height of the orbiting scroll wrap exceed the height of the fixed scroll wrap. In a situation where the height of the orbiting scroll wrap does exceed the height of the fixed scroll wrap, there is a tendency to limit the stable operational envelope of the system. By insuring that the orbiting scroll wrap height is always at most equal to the fixed scroll wrap height, the present invention avoids this limitation on the operational envelope.

This invention relates to a scroll compressor wherein the height of the orbiting scroll wrap is reduced to insure that manufacturing tolerances do not result in it being longer than the fixed scroll wrap.
A known scroll compressor 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Scroll compressors are becoming widely used in many air conditioning and refrigeration applications, since they are relatively inexpensive, and compact. However, scroll compressors do present challenges to achieve stable operation throughout a broad operating range.
One problem encountered in scroll compressors is the stability of operation of the scroll compressor. A scroll compressor as shown in FIG. 1 includes an orbiting scroll member 22 driven by a shaft 24. A fixed scroll member 26 has a scroll wrap 28 extending from a base plate interfitting with a scroll wrap 27 extending from a base plate of orbiting scroll member 22. A pair of seals 30 and 32 in a crank case 33 define a back pressure chamber 36. Tap 34 taps fluid from scroll pockets 38 and 40 to the back pressure chamber 36. The gas tapped to the back pressure chamber 36 is utilized to counteract a separating force that is created parallel to and near the center axis of the shaft 24 tending to separate the scroll members 22 and 26. The force developed in the back pressure chamber 36 opposes this separating force, and maintains the orbiting scroll member 22 biased toward the fixed scroll member 26.
The scroll wraps 27 and 28 each extend axially for a length, and define a plurality of separated pressure pockets. These pressure pockets are continuously contracted or expanded as the orbiting scroll 22 moves relative to the fixed scroll 26. Chambers such as chamber 38 near the radially outer portion of the scroll compressor are at an intermediate pressure when compared to chambers such as chamber 40, found near the center line, which are typically at a higher or discharge pressure.
One problem with operating scroll compressors may be explained relative to FIG. 2A. As shown in FIG. 2A, the orbiting scroll 22 experiences a number of forces. A large force F.sub.s tends to push the orbiting scroll 22 downwardly and away from the fixed scroll. A force F.sub.b is the back pressure force to counteract the separating force F.sub.s. In addition, a compression force F.sub.c is applied in a direction extending toward the center line of the orbiting scroll 22 due to the pressure of the fluid being compressed. Pressure force F.sub.c is a relatively large force, and creates a reaction force R between the shaft 24 and its bearing 41. The two forces F.sub.c and R are spaced by a distance A, which creates a moment M.sub.o tending to pivot or overturn the scroll 22. To counteract the movement M.sub.o the back chamber 36 and vent 34 are designed so that the back pressure force F.sub.b is significantly greater than the separating force F.sub.s which results in a reactive force F.sub.r which acts at a reaction radius r which is found at a distance from the center line axis X to the location of F.sub.r and generates the restoring moment M.sub.r which is effectively applied to orbiting scroll 22. The reaction radius r can be determined by an equation, given known design and operational characteristics for the scroll compressor 20.
It has been proven that for the scroll compressor 20 to operate under stable conditions, the reaction radius r must be less than or equal to the radius of the base plate 22a of orbiting scroll member 22. Thus, if Fr is at a location such as shown at 42, the required value of the reaction radius exceeds the physical size of the orbiting scroll. In such a case, the reaction radius is confined to the physical edge of the scroll, and the value of Fr can not increase. The actual restoring moment M.sub.r is less than that required to counteract the overturning movement M.sub.o and unstable operation will result. Thus, the orbiting scroll will not be in equilibrium, but instead will begin to pivot or overturn until it comes into contact with another mechanical element. This action, coupled with the orbital movement of the orbiting scroll results in a sort of wobbling motion with axial contact occurring along the edge of the part. This wobbling, or instability, results in leakage through the gaps opened by the separated wrap tips, edge loading on the scroll surfaces, and angular misalignment of the scroll drive bearing. All of these could quickly lead to loss of performance and premature failure of the compressor.
These design issues are discussed in a paper entitled "General Stability and Design Specification of the Back-Pressure Supported Axially Compliant Orbiting Scroll" which was delivered at a conference at Purdue University in 1992.
FIG. 2B shows an operational graph for scroll compressor 20 plotting the operating envelope in terms of discharge pressure versus the suction pressure for a scroll compressor. A pair of lines L1 and L2 define pressure ratios between the discharge and suction pressure and which also define the operating range for a constant reaction radius r. The lines L1 and L2 are set for a reaction radius r which corresponds to the radius of a given orbiting scroll member. An envelope P is the desired operational characteristic for a particular scroll compressor used in an air conditioning application and shows an envelope of discharge and suction pressure ratios that a design may like to achieve. Lines L1 and L2 limit the extent of the operational range for the particular compressor. If envelope P crosses lines L1 or L2, then, in the range above line L1 and below L2, the operation of the compressor may become unstable. That is, under those conditions, the reaction radius will be greater than the outermost radius where the fixed and orbiting scrolls are in contact, and non-stable operation may occur. This is undesirable.
In addition, when it is desired to utilize the scroll compressor for a refrigeration application, as opposed to standard air conditioning applications, then the operating envelope extends to lower suction and discharge pressures. This range is shown in FIG. 2b graphically by the dotted lines. To accommodate these additional lower pressures, it is desirable to achieve greater range between the lines L1 and L2. One way to achieve this would be to increase the radius of the orbiting scroll base plate 50. This is not practically possible, however, as it would increase the overall size of the compressor 20, which would be undesirable. One main benefit of moving to a scroll compressor in the first place is its compact size. Thus, the scroll designer typically does not want to merely increase the radius of the orbiting scroll base plate.
One complicating problem is illustrated in FIG. 3. The scroll wraps 27 and 28 are formed with a manufacturing tolerance, as are most manufactured parts. For example, for a scroll wrap having a height, or distance extending along the central axis of the scroll, between 12 mm and 75 mm, manufacturing tolerances on the order of several microns are typically utilized. Thus, tight manufacturing tolerances are maintained. Even so, taking an example of a scroll wrap having a manufacturing tolerance of 8 microns, it is possible for the fixed scroll wrap 28 to be at the short extreme of the tolerance, and the orbiting scroll wrap 27 to be at the long extreme. Thus, it is possible for the orbiting scroll wrap 27 to be as much as 16 microns longer than the fixed scroll wrap 28 for a pair of scroll members having manufacturing tolerances of plus or minus 8 microns. When the orbiting scroll wrap 27 is longer than the fixed scroll wrap 28, then the situation illustrated in FIG. 3 may occur. As shown, the tip 43 of the orbiting scroll wrap 27 abuts the base 44 of the fixed scroll 26. At the same time, the fixed scroll wrap 28 has its tip 46 spaced from the base 50 of the orbiting scroll 22. The amount of spacing is exaggerated to show the fact of the spacing. As shown, there is a perimeter cylindrical section 51 of the orbiting scroll 22 spaced radially outwardly of the outermost wrap 27. When the orbiting scroll wrap 27 abuts the fixed scroll base 44, and extends further than fixed scroll wrap 28, then the effective maximum reaction radius r.sub.old of the orbiting scroll 22 (for defining the limits L1 and L2 as shown in FIG. 2B) does not include the cylindrical portion 51.
Since the fixed scroll wrap 28 is not contacting the base 50 of the orbiting scroll, the effective outermost surface of the two scroll members is the location where the orbiting scroll wrap 27 contacts the fixed scroll base 44, which is at a location much closer to the centerline x than cylindrical portion 51. For that reason, the portion 51 radially outwardly of the radially outermost orbiting scroll wrap 27 is effectively not utilized in defining the outer limits for the reaction radius to achieve stable operation. Thus, when, due to manufacturing tolerances, the orbiting scroll wrap 27 is formed longer than the fixed scroll wrap 28, the particular scroll compressor may have an undesirably small effective radius r.sub.old for purposes of calculating the limits of the reaction radius. The portion 51 may not provide any benefit to defining the envelope as shown in FIG. 2B. This is undesirable, as it further limits the operational envelope P as shown in FIG. 2B. Moreover, since the designer did not anticipate this limitation, the compressor may be expected to operate at pressures that will now result in unstable operation.

Scroll compressor with reduced height orbiting scroll wrap


A fender for a vehicle includes a body portion and a seal portion. The body portion presents an outer surface and an inner surface facing opposite the outer surface. The seal portion extends from the inner surface and is flexible relative to the body portion. The body portion is formed of a first material and the seal portion is formed of a second material different than the first material. The seal portion is integral with the body portion.

Fenders of a vehicle are mounted on a front portion of the vehicle on both the driver side and the passenger side. The fenders each present an outer surface that is designed with a shape and size that provides desired aerodynamics and a desired aesthetic appearance. The outer surface is a class-A surface, i.e., a surface specifically manufactured to have a high quality, finished aesthetic appearance free of blemishes. The class-A surface may be painted.
The fenders each present an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The inner surface is sealed to various components of the vehicle to minimize noise, vibration, and/or harshness (NVH). As one example, the vehicle includes a bodyside, which may be formed of sheet metal, to which exterior components such as the fender, doors, etc., are mounted. A foam pad is adhered to the inner surface of the fender and extends from the inner surface to the bodyside to minimize noise and water intrusion. The foam pad typically abuts the bodyside below an A-pillar of the vehicle and is resiliently trapped between the fender and the bodyside along a door line of the vehicle.
The foam pad will not withstand high temperatures associated with the paint process when painting the fender. As such, an additional manufacturing step is required to adhere the foam pad to the inner surface of the fender after the painting process. This additional assembly step is time consuming and, thus, increases the cost to manufacture the fender.
The foam pad provides an imprecise seal between the fender and the bodyside. The subsequent step of adhering the foam pad after the painting process may introduce inaccuracies in the placement of the foam pad relative to the fender. In addition, inaccuracies in the shape of the foam pad may arise from the manufacturing process of the foam pad. Each of these inaccuracies are typically accounted for by designing the foam pad to be oversized to ensure that the foam pad is resiliently pinched between the fender and the bodyside when the fender is assembled to the vehicle. However, the oversized design of the foam pad disadvantageously results in unnecessary material usage, weight, bulkiness, etc.
As another example of sealing between the fender and other components of the vehicle, a bulb seal may be supported by the inner surface to seal between the fender and a hood of the vehicle. Similar to the foam pad, the bulb seal will not withstand the high temperatures associated with the paint process when painting the fender. As such, an additional assembly step is required to attach the bulb seal to the fender after the painting process. This additional assembly step is time consuming and, thus, increases the cost to manufacture the fender.
An opportunity remains to design a fender that precisely seals to other components of the vehicle and reduces manufacturing and assembly complexity and inaccuracies.

Fender for a vehicle including a body portion and a flexible seal portion


A downhole tool comprises a body, radially extendable members mounted to the body and movable between retracted and extended positions, a cam member operatively associated with the extendable members and movable relative to the body to extend the extendable members, and a support member configurable to permit retraction of the extendable members from an extended position. The tool may be an under-reamer, and the extendable members may be cutting blades.

In the oil and gas exploration and production industry, there are numerous downhole tools that feature radially extendable members. In the case of under-reamers, these members are in the form of blades or cutters that are extended once the under-reamer has passed beyond the end of the existing bore-lining casing, to allow the bore to be drilled beyond the casing to a larger diameter than the internal diameter of the casing. Once the reaming operation has been completed, the blades are retracted to allow the under-reamer, and the rest of the drill string, to be pulled out of the bore. An example of an under-reamer is described in applicant's International (PCT) Application Publication No. WO 00\31371, in the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The blades of an under-reamer must be retained in a retracted configuration until the under-reamer has passed beyond the casing, to prevent damage to the casing. The blades may then released and extended. The means for retaining the blades in the retracted configuration should be reliable and secure, as premature extension of the blades is likely to cause significant damage that would be difficult and expensive to remedy. However, this must be balanced with the ability of the operator to release the blades when desired.
Furthermore, the inability, for any reason, to retract the blades of an under-reamer following completion of the under-reaming operation will make it difficult if not impossible to remove the under-reamer from the bore, as the under-reamer will not be able to pass into and through the existing casing. Remedying such a problem, if possible, involves considerable time and expense.
It is among the objectives of embodiments of the present invention to provide an under-reamer having a configuration that facilitates retraction of the under-reamer blades in the event of an operational difficulty.
It is among the objectives of further embodiments of the present invention to provide an under-reamer having a configuration that ensures reliable and secure retention of the under-reamer blades in a retracted configuration and reliable actuation of the blades to an extended configuration.
Other embodiments of the present invention relate to other forms of downhole tool featuring radially extendable members.

Downhole tool having radially extendable members


A thermal transfer recording material composed of a dye-providing element having a dye-providing layer containing a thermal transferring dye and a binder resin as provided on a support and an image-receiving element having a dye-receiving layer containing a dye-receiving high polymer compound, in the main, as provided on a support, the dye-providing layer and the dye-receiving layer being kept in contact with each other and heatable in accordance with image signals so as to transfer the dye from the dye-providing layer to the dye-receiving layer to attain recording, in which the surface(s) of the dye-providing layer and/or the dye-receiving layer contain(s) at least one modified polysiloxane compound of formula (1).

Recently, a thermal transfer system has been developed in which prints can be obtained from images electronically formed with a color video camera. According to one method of obtaining such prints, an electronic image is first subjected to color separation with a color filter. Then, the respective color-separated pixels are converted into electric signals. Subsequently, these signals are processed to provide yellow, magenta and cyan electric signals. Next, these signals are transmitted to a thermal printer. For obtaining prints, an yellow, magenta or cyan dye-providing element is attached to a color image-receiving element with the surfaces of the two facing to each other. Subsequently, the two elements are inserted between a thermal head and a platen roller. Using a line-type thermal head, the two elements are heated from the back surface of the dye-providing element. The thermal head has many heating means so that the dye-providing element is successively heated in response to the yellow, magenta and cyan signals therein. Subsequently, the step is repeated for the other two remaining colors. Accordingly, a color hard copy corresponding to the original image as seen on the screen is obtained.
Another method of thermally obtaining prints with the above-mentioned electric signals is a method using a laser in place of the thermal head. A dye-providing element to be used in the laser system contains a material which strongly absorbs laser rays applied thereto. Where laser rays are irradiated upon such a dye-providing element, the absorbing material acts to convert the light energy to heat energy, whereupon the heat is transmitted to the nearest dye, and the dye is then heated up to the thermal transferring temperature so as to be transferred to the adjacent image-receiving element. The absorbing material exists as a layer beneath the transferring dye and/or is blended with the dye. The irradiating laser beams are modulated by the electric signals to express the shape and the color of the original image. As a result, only the dyes within the irradiated areas on the dye-providing element are heated and thermally transferred.
As mentioned above, direct contact of a dye-providing element to an image-receiving element is indispensable in a thermal transfer recording system, and, after recording, the two elements must be peeled off from each other.
However, these methods were not without their problems. For example, during the peeling step, the elements are statically charged and, as a result, dust adheres to them so that the recorded surface is undesirably stained. Also, where recorded image-receiving elements are stacked up, they would attach to each other due to static electricity and heat so that they could not be separated from each other. As the case may be, the dye providing layer would peel off to adhere to the image-receiving element. Thus, the statically charged dye-providing element would often be wrinkled. Additionally, discharge of the accumulated static charges would have an adverse effect on the electric system of recording apparatus. These problems prevent implementation of the thermal transfer recording system described above. In addition, these problems often diminish the quality of the recorded images.
The invention as disclosed in JP-A-61-199997 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") is one attempt to solve these problems, but is not satisfactory.


A wave-fan comprises a wavy surface, generally sinusoidal in the direction of rotation, which rotates in close proximity to the fins of a heat sink. The wave-plane fan is suitable for use with a flat heat sink, and a wave-ring fan is suitable for use with a cylindrical heat sink. There are no airfoils as in a prior art fan. Instead, the ridges of the wave-fan agitate the air between the fins of the heat sink as each ridge passes, breaking down the boundary layer and effecting good heat flow into the air. In some embodiments of the wave-fan, the outer surfaces are smooth, so it is not a hazard to intruding fingers, so in many applications it may be used without a guard or enclosure. Incidental centrifugal force provides some airflow through the fan to transport the heated air away from the fan. Also, the configuration of the fan tends to keep contamination in the air out of the heat sink fins, so an inlet air filter may not be needed. Because the net airflow through the fan is low, less power is required and it is very quiet.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,297,617 and 5,445,215, both entitled FAN WITH HEAT SINK, and owned by the same entity as this patent application, teach that the area surrounding the fan blade tips in an axial flow fan has high velocity, very turbulent air, and that the periphery of an axial flow fan is an excellent heat sink, particularly if the inside of the fan duct and/or the fan blade are modified as taught therein to enhance the heat sinking. These are modified axial flow fans, and the air flow through them may be partly or completely redirected to fins or other features in the periphery of the fan duct, to remove heat therefrom. These patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Other related patent applications are: a provisional patent application entitled FAN WITH HEAT SINK USING STAMPED HEAT SINK FINS, Ser. No. 60/062,171, filed 16 Oct. 1997; a utility patent application of the same name, Ser. No. 09/174,374, filed 15 Oct., 1998 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,920 on 3 Oct., 2000; a utility patent application of the same name, Ser. No. 09/678,424 filed 2 Oct., 2000; a utility patent application of the same name, Ser. No. 10/064,071 filed Jun. 6, 2002, and a utility patent application entitled FAN WITH HEAT SINK, Ser. No. 10/064,060 filed Jun. 5, 2002.
It is well known that a plurality of closely spaced fins makes an excellent heat sink. However, there is a boundary layer that is a very persistent viscous layer of air on the surfaces of the heat sink fins, requiring very high velocity and turbulent air flow to dissipate the boundary layer for heat flow into the air. In prior art heat sinks, this required very large, powerful and noisy fans.
Heat sinks made with a plurality of closely spaced fins are sometimes made by bonding heat sink fins into a grooved plate. A separate fan may blow air over the fins.
In the patent applications referenced above, air is not blown through the fins, as in going in one surface and out another, but rather, air is agitated between the fins on a single surface with no separate exit air path. The air in the vicinity of a plurality of fan blades is very turbulent and has a oscillating component as each of the fan blades passes any point on fins. Air is thus scrubbed in and out of the fins with very high local velocities to break up the boundary layer and transfer heat to the air. These fins can be on an inner surface, with internal fan blades, or on an external surface with external fan blades or both, or on a circular array of buttresses or posts rising from a plate. In the latter, there may be some air flow through the fins as well, but this is incidental. High velocity and turbulent air is needed to break up the boundary layer, but a modest movement of air is sufficient to transport the heat away. The rotation of the fan blades causes enough incidental air motion around the fan with heat sink to accomplish this. Thus a fan of low or moderate power can cause more vigorous local air movement immediately on the heat sink fins if the fan blades are very close than even a very powerful fan that is spaced apart. The fans and heat sinks of these inventions will be smaller, lighter, much quieter and consume much less power than prior art fans and heat sinks of the same heat capacity.
One embodiment of the invention teaches that a fan and heat sink can be a cold plate, which could be used for brick power supply modules, computer processors and the like or any other application requiring the removal of heat.
The heat sink fins may comprise a flat coil spring like strip of metal, similar to the familiar "Slinky" toy, placed in or on a cylinder of metal, or it may be like a closely pitched "clock spring" bonded onto a plate. Alternatively, the heat sink fins may comprise a stack of stamped metal rings pressed on or in a cylinder of metal. Alternatively, the heat sink fins may comprise a formed strip of metal that has been wrapped around a metal cylinder or attached to a flat plate. These may rest on the surface or may be pressed into complementary grooves in the surface.