An ergonomically effective breast pump includes a pump body including a breast engaging portion, a breast milk receiving container on the pump body, a one-way valve between the pump body and the container and a piston and cylinder assembly for applying vacuum to the interior of the pump body. The breast engaging portion is receivable in engagement with a breast of a user, and the piston and cylinder assembly includes a piston which is moveable in a cylinder in a direction outwardly and away from the user for applying vacuum to the breast of the user through the pump body. The breast pump further includes a thumb receiving element for moving the piston in the cylinder in a direction outwardly and away from the user with a thumb on a hand of the user, a handle element receivable in the same hand for assisting the user to draw the piston in an outward direction in the cylinder and a spring element for returning the piston in a direction toward the user.

The instant invention relates a maternity apparatus and more particularly to an effective, self-operated, manual breast pump for a mother of a young infant.
It is well recognized that mother's milk is preferable to other foods, such as cow's milk or various feeding formulas for feeding infants. However, it is also well recognized that it is often not practical for mothers to breast feed their infant children over prolonged periods of time. As a result, various types of pumping devices have been heretofore developed for extracting mother's milk from the breasts of mothers of young children.
A number of different types of devices, including both electrical and manual breast pumps, have been heretofore available for extracting mother's milk from the breasts of women. In this regard, however, electrically operated breast pumps which operate on standard house current have generally been found to be impractical as being costly and awkward to transport. Battery-powered electrical pumps have also been found to be costly, and they have generally been found to be less effective than other types of breast pumps. As a result, even though many of the heretofore available hand operated pumps have been found to be awkward and tedious to use, they have generally been found to be less costly and more practical than electrically operated breast pumps.
Manually operated breast pumps representing closest prior to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. Patent to Halstead, U.S. Pat. Nos. 790,051; Howell No. 897,289; Del Castillo, 1,484,874; Brown, 1,509,226; Saunders, 2,419,795; Loyd, 3,782,385; Adams 4,263,.912; Adams, 4,323,067; Diamond 4,311,141; Buechel et al, 4,400,168; Kirchner 4,583,970; Hobbs 4,813,932; Yuan et al, 4,892,517; Corby 4,983,634 and Riedwegetal, 5,009,638 and the British patents Nos. 762,701; 2,082,920; 2,127,293. However, while these references disclose a wide variety of different manually operated devices, they fail to provide a simple breast pump which is practical, relatively inexpensive to the manufacture and easy to operate.
The instant invention provides a highly effective breast pump which is effective and easy to operate for extracting mother's milk from the breasts of a woman and which is also adapted to be constructed at a relatively low cost. Specifically, the instant invention provides an effective self-operated breast pump which is adapted for easy and effective single-handed operation. Still more specifically, the instant invention provides a breast pump comprising a pump body including a breast engaging portion which faces in a first direction, a base portion, a breast milk receiving container on the base portion and a one way valve between the pump body and the container. The breast pump further includes a piston and cylinder assembly comprising a cylinder which communicates with the interior of the pump body, a piston in the cylinder and a seal between the piston and the cylinder. The piston and cylinder assembly is arranged so that the piston is movable in the cylinder in a second direction which is substantially opposite to the first direction for applying a vacuum to the interior of the pump body. The piston includes a thumb receiving element for moving the piston in the second direction in the cylinder, and the pump further includes a handle on the pump body which is adapted to be received in a hand of a user for drawing the piston in the second direction using a thumb on the same hand which is received in the thumb receiving element. The handle preferably includes a fixed handle element which extends in substantially perpendicular relation to the second direction and which is normally spaced from the thumb receiving element so that the handle element can be effectively utilized for enabling a user to draw the piston in the second direction with a thumb on the users hand received in the thumb receiving element. The breast pump preferably further comprises a resiliently bendable elongated band which is operative for resiliently biasing the piston in substantially the first direction in the cylinder with a relatively light, substantially uniform biasing force. The resilient band is constructed so that it is movable from first reduced partially bent position to a second increased partially bent position during movement of the piston from a forward first position in the cylinder to a rearward second position therein. Further, the piston is preferably dimensioned so that it is normally spaced from the side wall of the cylinder, and it is normally guided in its travel in the cylinder by the seal which extends between the piston and the cylinder and the thumb ring by which it is pulled.
It has been found that the breast pump of the instant invention can be effectively operated for extracting milk from a breast of a female user. Specifically, it has been found that because the breast pump includes a piston and cylinder assembly comprising a piston which is directly moveable in a direction away from an operator with a thumb on a hand of the operator by drawing the thumb toward a handle element, the piston and cylinder assembly can be simply and easily operated for extracting mother's milk from a breast of the operator. In this regard, because the device is operated by merely drawing the thumb receiving element toward the handle element by moving a thumb on a hand of the operator toward the fingers on the same hand, the device can be comfortably operated for reciprocating the piston in the cylinder to extract mother's milk from a breast of the operator. Further, because the breast pump includes a resilient spring element which is operative for biasing the piston in the first direction with a substantially constant biasing face, the amount of resistance to movement of the piston in the second direction by an operator of the device can be maintained at a minimal level to enable the device to be even more easily manipulated by the operator. Still further, because the handle element is positioned in substantially perpendicular relation to the direction in which the breast engaging portion faces, the handle element can be more easily and comfortably grasped by an operator during use of the device.
Accordingly, it is primary object of the instant invention to provide a self-operated breast pump which is adapted for comfortable, single-handed operation.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective breast pump which is easy to manipulate for extracting mother's milk from a breast of an operator.
An even still further object of the instant invention is provide a breast pump comprising a cylinder and a piston which is movable in the cylinder by directly moving the piston in a direction outwardly and away from the operator for applying a vacuum to a breast of the operator.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.


A golf accessory bag includes a ventilated compartment for storing shoes having a shoe accessory sub-compartment for storing shoe care accessories and a top expandable compartment for storing items of clothing. The bag is provided with slide fasteners for opening and closing the ventilated and expandable compartments, and slide fasteners for expanding the expandable compartment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to golf accessory bags. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved accessory bag having multiple compartments for separate storage of golf shoes and accessories, such as brushes and shoe polish, socks, gloves, shirts, and other clothing items, and including at least one expandable compartment.
2. Background Information
Prior to the present invention there were known numerous varieties of accessory bags, golf shoe bags, and the like. However, these generally were not adequate in meeting the needs of the modern golfer for a single bag in which golf shoes, clothing, and a variety of accessories could be conveniently carried.
One of the problems with the known bags, in particular golf shoe bags, was that they did not have separate compartments for items of clothing. Therefore, either another bag for the clothing needed to be used or else the clothing had to be placed in the same bag compartment as the shoes, often resulting in an undesirable contamination of the clothing with dirt or odor from the shoes.
Another problem is that, given the varying weather conditions that may be encountered on the golf course, a golfer might find it necessary to carry a jacket or sweater, in addition to a change of socks, and other items of clothing, one day, and have no need of them on another. Thus, the amount of storage capacity needed for clothes varies considerably and may disadvantageously require the golfer to have an assortment of bags available, with associated trouble and expense.
Therefore, there existed a need for a golf shoe and accessory bag having separate compartments for golf shoes and items of clothing, and having a clothes compartment with the ability to expand and collapse depending on the instantaneous needs of the user.


A fire escape chute for a building having a plurality of floors, hallways, and a plurality of pairs of apartments on each floor, includes a plurality of spaced descending spiral-shaped chute segments extending between floors. Each segment has an entrance on one floor and an exit on a floor below. A downwardly inclined escape chute for one of each of the pairs of apartments has an entrance opening on an interior wall of one of the pairs of apartments and an exit opening connected to an adjacent chute segment. A downwardly inclined escape branch chute for the other of each pair of apartments has at one end an entrance opening within an interior wall of the other of the pairs of apartments and an exit connected to the adjacent escape chute.

In case of a fire people occupying apartments on the respective floors of a building normally try to escape using the stairs if not blocked by flames or smoke. Alternately they are rescued by fire departments from the exterior of the building up to certain limited heights.
It is believed known that efforts to escape apartments have been tried by the use of strands of rope or any other support such as interconnected sheets, which have in some cases permitted the escape of persons out of a window avoiding the alternative of jumping.

Interior fire escape chute for a building


Process for inhibiting and for stopping radical induced polymerizations which employs an aromatic hydroxy dithiocarboxylic acid or salt thereof as stopping agent for deactivating radicals, thereby precluding the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines.

This invention relates to a process for deactivating radicals formed prior to or during induced polymerization of dienes and/or vinyl aromatic compounds and, optionally, additional monomers.
During the radical-induced polymerization of butadiene in an emulsion, premature gel formation occurs when conversions are relatively high. In order to counteract this effect, which has a disadvantageous impact on the properties of the final elastomer thus obtained, it is necessary to stop the polymerization before the conclusion of the reaction. With other radical-reduced polymerizations, it is often desirable to interrupt the reaction prior to completion. Alkali metal or ammonium dialkyl dithiocarbamate, frequently used in combination with other polymerization inhibitors, has been employed in the past as stopping agents (see, e.g., Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Vol. 14, p. 433 ff.). For example, the stopping effect of sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate can be improved considerably if sodium nitrite is added simultaneously. However, the use of dithiocarbamate entails the substantial drawback that in the course of the acid processing of the latex nitrosamines are formed which, according to present-day knowledge, must be considered a health hazard [see, e.g., Umschau 1985 (1), 24]. This risk is further increased if simultaneously sodium nitrite is employed. Accordingly, efforts have been made to select reaction conditions which, from the outset, preclude the formation of nitrosamines [see, e.g., Gummi, Asbest, Kunststoffe 39, 6 (1986)]. A similar problem arises if the undesired polymerization of radical-forming monomers is to be inhibited. For this purpose, as well, carcinogenic substances are frequently employed according to the state of the art, sometimes in appreciable quantities.
Amine-free polymerization inhibitors are known in principle. A summary is to be found, e.g., in the above-cited standard textbook by Houben-Weyl. However, those inhibitors suffer from the general disadvantage that the vulcanization rate of the rubbers thus obtained is clearly lower than that of comparable caoutchoucs stopped with the above mentioned system dimethyldithiocarhamate with or without sodium nitrite (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,334).

Process for deactivating polymerization-inducing radicals


A method and apparatus for processing cheese comprises charging molten process cheese into a mold consisting of a plurality of cardboard lined, open-ended mold cavities oriented in spaced rows and circulating cooling air between and around each row to effect cooling of the cheese to the desired temperature. The rows of columns are defined by pairs of parallel side panels and crossed partitions formed of a rigid material and defining cavities which are elongate and rectangular in cross section. Support members hold the rows of columns in a parallel, spaced apart relation. After cooling, the mold is elevated, allowing the cheese columns covered by cardboard to be discharged from the lower ends of the mold cavities.

This invention relates to process cheese and more particularly to a method and apparatus for molding process cheese into uniform rectangular columns.
The production of process cheese involves the heating of natural cheese and emulsification with alkaline salts. Process cheese is normally sold in three forms. These include slices, five-pound loafs, and bulk sizes which can be cut into consumer sizes. The largest size block of process cheese which is normally produced is about 40 pounds and has a volume of about 1,000 cubic inches. This is about the maximum size block of process cheese that can be molded and still be sufficiently cooled. If process cheese is not cooled rapidly enough, it develops a brownish appearance or other discoloration.
The most common practice is to mold process cheese into a form consisting of corrugated paper with an inner plastic liner. Rounded corners frequently result because the plastic liner seldom adheres perfectly to the inside of the corrugated paper form. In addition, the corrugated form has a tendency to bulge due to the heat and the mass of the cheese. Also, the surface of the cheese block tends to be relatively irregular as a result of the fact that as process cheese cools, air bubbles trapped when the cheese is agitated during the manufacturing process rise to the surface. Because marketing requires that the cheese block be relatively square, these bulges and irregularities, amounting to about 10 percent of the cheese block, must be trimmed. Since only about half of this trim can be reworked into the cheese-making process, substantial wastage results.


The present invention relates to a printed circuit board including: a first circuit pattern formed on a first insulator; a second insulator formed on the first insulator; a second circuit pattern having a pad of which a portion is embedded in the second insulator and a via which penetrates the second insulator to electrically connect the first circuit pattern and the pad; and a third circuit pattern formed on the second insulator, and it is possible to reduce a size of the via without increasing an aspect ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a printed circuit board capable of implementing high-density interlayer connection and a fine circuit by reducing a size of a via, and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent times, miniaturization and technology integration of electronic devices and products have been steadily developed due to advance of the electronic devices and products. In addition, various changes in a manufacturing process of a printed circuit board used in the electronic devices and products are also needed in response to miniaturization and technology integration.
A technical direction for a method for manufacturing a printed circuit board has been developed from a single-sided printed circuit board to a double-sided printed circuit board at an early stage and to a multilayer printed circuit board again. Especially, recently, in manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board, a manufacturing method, which is called a build-up method, is being developed.
Meanwhile, in a manufacturing process of a printed circuit board, a process of forming various via holes such as an inner via hole (IVH), a blind via hole (BVH), and a plated through hole (PTH) for electrically connecting between a circuit pattern and an electronic element of each layer is needed. In the prior art, a printed circuit board is manufactured by forming a via hole in an insulator, plating the inside of the via hole to form a via, and forming a circuit pattern including a pad on a surface of the insulator when the via for interlayer electrical connection is formed.
However, in order to respond to a demand for high density and thinning of a printed circuit board, high-density interlayer connection and a fine circuit should be implemented by reducing the size of the pad and the via formed under the pad, but when forming a printed circuit board according to the prior art, there is a limitation in reducing the size of the via. That is, when simply reducing the size of the via, there is a difficulty in completely plating the via or processing the small via since an aspect ratio, a ratio of height to size (diameter) of the via, is increased.
In order to overcome this problem, a technology for reducing a size of a via without increasing an aspect ratio is needed. In the prior art, since a thin insulator should be used to uniformly maintain an aspect ratio, there is a limitation on the type of available substrates. Due to this, there is difficulty in developing various products.
Further, a lot of costs and efforts are needed to develop a technology of plating a via and a technology of processing a small via.

Printed circuit board and method for manufacturing the same


A high speed rigid strander is described that has a rotatably mounted cage which includes a plurality of bobbin support members which are parallel to and angularly spaced about the axis of rotation of the cage. Each support member includes a locking mechanism for simultaneously locking or releasing an entire row of bobbins, each of which is spaced from the axis of rotation and has its longitudinal axis oriented generally radially or at an angle normal to the strander axis. Wire guides associated with each bobbin fly the wires off the bobbins under the action of external pulling forces without requiring the bobbins to rotate. Fly-off is generally radially inwardly against the action of centrifugal forces and the wires are guided towards the strander axis and then parallel thereto so that the wires from all of the bobbins can be brought to an end of the rotating cage and wound about a core wire. Also described is a loading and unloading system which can advantageously be used with the stranders of the present invention.

The present invention generally relates to high speed cable or wire stranders, and more specifically to a high speed rigid-type cage strander in which the axes of the bobbins are oriented at angles substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the strander and wire take-off takes place without bobbin rotation.
When manufacturing a cable from a plurality of wires, a core wire formed by either a single wire or a plurality of already stranded wires is usually passed through the machine and other wires are wrapped around the core wire either while the core wires move along its path or at the end of the machine. This function is usually carried out by high speed machines which, as a rule, include one or more rotatable frames or housings and a plurality of wire-carrying bobbins located within the frame or carried by supports mounted on the frames.
The core wire is usually paid-off from a bobbin mounted outside the frame and passed through the frame through a path either along the axis of rotation of the frame or displaced from the axis of rotation of the frame. The way the core wire is handled characterizes the type of wire strander and its application.
If the core wire is passed through the machine along its axis of rotation, the wire carrying bobbins rotate around it and the wires paid-off are wound on the core wire at several points along the machine. This system allows the manufacture of conductors with a high number of wires and a change in direction of the various layers since the machine is composed of many cage sections independent of each other. Futhermore, since the core wire passes substantially along the axis of the machine, a large multi-stranded core can be used.
If the core wire is passed through the machine along a path significantly displaced from the axis of rotation of the frame, the wire carrying bobbins are positioned inside the frame along its axis of rotation and they remain stationary while the frame rotates. The cable wires are paid-off from the bobbins and the wires pass through a path displaced from the axis of rotation of the machine and are wound around the core wire at the end of the machine. This method allows the manufacture of conductors with a relatively low number of wires and the various layers of the stranded conductors must be wound in the same direction.
In the past, wire carrying bobbins mounted on the frame of the strander have usually been mounted so that the bobbins were required to rotate along their longitudinal axis in order to pay-off the wire. This arrangement usually requires some control of the rotation of the bobbins, such as a brake mechanism for each bobbin to provide the required wire tension and to assure that the bobbins will not continue to rotate when the frame of the strander has stopped its rotation.
The braking device causes the tension of the wire paid-off from the bobbins to vary during the operation of the strander since the wire pulling tension required to make the bobbin rotate is different when the bobbin is full or near empty. If the initial braking force is adjusted for a full bobbin, the same braking force applied to a bobbin with partially depleted wire supply is sometimes sufficient to cause unacceptable stretch, especially for wires of the smaller gauge. In such a case, the cable produced will be malformed. Also, since the braking force is applied to each bobbin before the initial start of the strander, there is a tendency to stretch the wire before the strander reaches its normal operational speed. Because of frequent malfunction of the brakes, the wires from the bobbins within the frame of the strander occasionally continue to pay-out after the strander has been stopped, and because different brake forces are applied to different bobbins, different tensions are created in the wire paid-out from the bobbins. Therefore, many times the cable formed by traditional stranders have one or more wires loosely wrapped with the remaining wire more tightly wrapped.
Most known stranders being used in the manufacture of stranded cable from a plurality of wires have additional disadvantages. Unloading of empty bobbins and loading of full bobbins is normally a time consuming process and can result in a substantial down time of the machine. In some instances, bobbins must be handled individually during loading and unloading. At best, the prior art teaches the simultaneous loading and unloading of a single row of bobbins. For example, for a twenty-four bobbin rotor, it may take almost one half an hour to load and unload even with the most advanced machines.
Safety has always been a concern with respect to stranding machines since they normally rotate at high speeds and carry very heavy bobbins. Failure of a machine which causes accidental release of a bobbin during operation can result in substantial personal injury and property damage. While numerous approaches have been proposed to minimize such accidents, many machines are still not sufficiently safe.


In a multilayer printed circuit board having a conductor pattern, covered with an insulation layer having via holes, these via holes are filled with a conductor by means of electroless nickel plating or electroless copper plating.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer printed circuit board and method for manufacturing such a printed circuit board, and more particularly to a method for forming a high-density conductive circuit onto a multilayer printed circuit board, to a structure of a contact hole for connecting an upper wiring layer with a lower wiring layer, and to a method for manufacturing same.
2. Background of the Invention
A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board in the prior art is described below, with reference make to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.
In a multilayer printed circuit board of the past, via holes are provided in an insulating board or insulating layer and a copper layer is formed on the outer surface of the insulating board or the insulating layer and inside the via holes, so as to make an electrical connection to a lower wiring layer.
The method of forming the printed circuit board wiring pattern can be divided into two general types. The first type, known as the subtractive method, is illustrated in cross-section form in FIG. 3. First, as shown in FIG. 3(a), a known method is used to manufacture a board 1, which is fabricated as a fiberglass-based epoxy resin laminate and will serve as the core of the multilayer printed circuit board. In this board 1, a hole 2 filled with resin and an internal layer circuit 3 are formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(b), an insulation layer 4 having a thickness of 40 to 80 xcexcm is formed onto the surface of the board 1 using, for example, the curtain coating method. Next, as shown in FIG. 3(c), a photolithography process or CO2 laser is used to form a via hole 5 having a diameter of 50 to 80 xcexcm at required locations in the insulation layer 4.
Next, as shown in FIG. 3(d), an electrically conductive layer is formed on the surface of the insulation layer 4 by means of electroless copper plating, this electrical plating being done to a required thickness. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(e), etching resist is formed, which is then used to perform etching of the copper to obtain a conductive circuit, as shown in FIG. 3(f). Otherwise after an electrical conductive layer is formed, plating resist is formed in the negative image of the conductive circuit and electrical plating is done to the required thickness, after which the plating resist is peeled away, so as to form conductive circuits by means of quick-etching of the above-noted conductive layer. In this method, the pattern accuracy is determined by the resist resolution and the accuracy of the etching.
The second method is the additive method, which is illustrated in cross-section form in FIG. 4. First, as shown in FIG. 4(a), a known method is used to manufacture a board 1, which is fabricated as a fiberglass-based epoxy resin laminate and will serve as the core of the multilayer printed circuit board. In this board 1, a hole 2 filled with resin and an internal layer circuit 3 are formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 4(b), an insulation layer 4 having a thickness of 40 to 80 xcexcm is formed onto the surface of the board 1 using, for example, the curtain coating method. Next, as shown in FIG. 4(c), a photolithography process or CO2 laser is used to form a via hole 5 having a diameter of 50 to 80 xcexcm at required locations in the insulation layer 4.
Next, as shown in FIG. 4(d) and FIG. 4(e), an insulation material to which a catalyst has been added, is formed or a catalyst is added to the surface of the insulation layer 4 and the surface of non-conductive pattern part is covered with a plating resist, after which, as shown in FIG. 4(f), selective copper plating is done so as to form the conductive pattern.
In the additive method, because the etching process step is not necessary and the pattern accuracy is determined by just the accuracy of the photosensitive resist and screen printed ink, it is possible to produce as fine a pattern as will be allowed by the resist resolution.
The above-described printed circuit board structure has the following problems.
Firstly, although the via holes of the multilayer printed circuit board have a conductor on their side walls, because the insides of the via holes are filled with resin, it is not possible to form the other via hole to make an electrical connection to a lower wiring layer or an upper wiring layer, on one via hole, this representing a hindrance in making wiring connections.
Another problem is that, with the method used in the past to fabricate a multilayer printed circuit board, there was poor plating attachment to a via hole formed in the multilayer printed circuit board, thereby lowering the reliability of connections.
Yet another problem was that, with a multilayer printed circuit board of the past, the inside of a via hole is filled with resin, thereby causing a worsening of coplanarity at the resin part, this causing a problem with microfine wiring on the via hole.
Yet another problem was that, with a multilayer printed circuit board of the past, there is generally poor adhesion between the copper plating and the insulating resin material.
Yet another problem was that, when using a via hole of a multilayer printed circuit board as a mounting pad, solder is taken into the via hole, as shown in FIG. 3, so that the amount of solder is not constant, thereby making it necessary to provide a separate pad.
The present invention uses additive plating resist and electroless nickel plating in a multilayer printed circuit board, the inside of a via hole being filled with electroless nickel plating, so as to form a flat surface without a hollow part, thereby forming a high-density circuit not possible in the past. This removes the pattern design restriction imposed by the via hole, and enables the achievement of a printed circuit board with a high component mounting density, and high connection reliability.
In order to achieve the above-noted objects, the present invention has the following basic technical constitution.
The first aspect of the present invention is a multilayer printed circuit board comprising: an insulating board on which an electrical conductive pattern is formed, an insulation layer formed on the insulating board, and a via hole formed in the insulation layer, wherein the via hole is filled with a conductor formed by electroless nickel plating or electroless copper plating.
The second aspect of the present invention is a multilayer printed circuit board comprising: an insulating board on which an electrical conductive pattern is formed, an insulation layer formed on the insulating board, and a via hole formed in the insulation layer, a conductive circuit layer formed on the insulation layer, wherein the via hole and the conductive circuit layer are made of nickel or copper and the insulation layer having the via hole and the conductive circuit layer are formed alternately.
In the third aspect of the present invention, a plating resist as well as the conductive circuit layer is provided on the insulation layer.
The forth aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board, the multilayer printed circuit board comprising: an insulating board on which an electrical conductive pattern is formed, an insulation layer formed on the insulating board, and a via hole formed in the insulation layer, wherein the via hole is filled with a conductor formed by electroless nickel plating or electroless copper plating.
The fifth aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board, the multilayer printed circuit board comprising: an insulating board on which an electrical conductive pattern is formed, an insulation layer formed on the insulating board, and a via hole formed in the insulation layer, a conductive circuit layer formed on the insulation layer, wherein the via hole and the conductive circuit layer are formed by electroless nickel plating or electroless copper plating.
The sixth aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board comprising the steps of: a first step of an insulation board with an electrical conductive pattern, a second step of forming an insulation layer over the insulation board, a third step of forming a via hole in the insulation layer, a forth step of filling an inside of the via hole with nickel or copper, using an electroless plating, a fifth step of flattening a surface of the insulation layer and the via hole, a sixth step of forming a surface plating over the via hole, a seventh step of imparting a catalyst to an entire surface of the insulation layer and the via hole, a eighth step of forming a plating resist on the insulation layer, a ninth step of forming an electrical conductive pattern on the insulation layer, using an electroless nickel plating or an electroless copper plating, and a tenth step of forming a surface plating over the electrical conductive pattern formed on the ninth step.
The seventh aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board including a eleventh step of forming a multilayer structure, by repeating a required number of times from the second step to the tenth step.
The present invention using electroless nickel plating as a filling metal for the via holes and, by doing so, achieves the following effects.
Firstly, because of electroless plating, it is possible to plate over the entire exposed part of the base metal, and it is not necessary to provide an electrical connection circuit and perform etching after plating, which are essential if electrolytic plating is done, thereby simplifying the process.
Another effect is that, in comparison with electroless copper plating, electroless nickel plating provides deposition at a higher rate, enabling processing in a shorter time. Additionally, electroless nickel plating has weak acidic nature.

Printed circuit board and method for manufacturing same


An ammunition temperature emulating system is provided for use in a tank ch carries ammunition. The temperature of the ammunition (which comprises liquid propellant) is needed to be known for firing accuracy. The temperature is indirectly approximated by measuring the temperature of the wall of the chamber in which the ammunition is stored, using a simulating thermal insert. The system includes a gauge having a sensor bulb, a vacuum bottle having a cavity receiving the sensor bulb and receiving the simulating thermal insert.

The prior art temperature emulating system includes a temperature gauge which is mounted on a casing of a tank and which is disposed next to a gunner area in a crew compartment and which has a conductor, and includes a sensor bulb which has terminals connected to the conductor and which is mounted on the casing and which is disposed in an ammunition storage compartment of the tank.
One problem with the prior art temperature emulating system is that the sensor bulb senses the temperature of its surrounding air and such temperature does not fully conform to the temperature of the ammunition.

Temperature emulating system for determining the temperature of gun ammunition propellant

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


Intubation devices, systems, and methods in which the risk of leakage of nasopharyngeal secretions, esophageal reflux, and blood is reduced, or eliminated, by means of a backflow pressure gradient that is independent of PEEP. Contemplated configurations include (a) a flexible tube for the controlled delivery of air and other gases to the lungs, (b) distal and proximal inflatable seals that can close the annular space surrounding the tube, (c) means to inflate the seals, and (d) means to deliver gas under pressure to the annular chamber in between the two seals. Further configurations further comprise a processor and sensors, and methods are provided for automated backflow of contaminated fluids.

Background on Intubation Devices:
Intubation devices provide passage to gases, to mechanically ventilate the lungs, and to apply anesthetic agents and certain medications. Typically, they are connected through a catheter mount to machines that pump and control the flow of such gases (herein, the term "Ventilator" refers to such machines).
Intubation devices include endotracheal tubes, tracheostomy tubes, laryngeal mask airways, endobronchial tubes, and supraglottic tubes. In this specification, the term "Tube" refers to the conduit that such devices use for the ventilation gases, while the term "Duct" refers to significantly smaller diameter conduits, which are typically used for purposes such as inflating cuffs, and suctioning fluids.
To control the type and amount of substances flowing into a patient's lungs, it is necessary to seal the space around the tube, so that gases are forced to flow in and out of the lungs exclusively through the tube's ventilation lumen. In addition, the seal prevents contaminated fluids from entering the lungs. In this specification, the term "Contaminated Fluids" (CFs) refers to fluids such as nasopharyngeal secretions, esophageal reflux, blood, and debris.
Endotracheal Tubes (ETTs) usually have a seal consisting of an inflatable cuff (herein, "Tracheal Cuff") that surrounds the distal portion of the tube. After an ETT is placed in the trachea, the cuff is inflated, so it fills the tracheal passage around the tube, and thus provides an annular seal. Cuffs are soft and collapsible, to allow insertion of the device without damaging the vocal chords, or the tracheal mucosa. The cuffs are inflated through a small duct, which connects to a small-diameter lumen inside of the tube's wall. This lumen, in turn, connects to the cuff through an opening in the tube's wall.
Laryngeal Mask Airways (LMAs) do dot provide as good a seal as ETTs, but are easier to place. LMAs have an inflatable seal that consists of an oval mask, with an attached peripheral ring. When the peripheral ring is inflated, it causes the mask to form a seal against the glottis. Unlike ETTs, LMAs do not risk damaging the vocal chords, or the trachea, as their tubes does not enter the trachea. Instead, LMAs have a tube that terminates at an opening of the mask. This opening allows the passage of ventilation gases, while the mask confines them to the tube. Herein, "Inflating the Seal", when referring to LMAs, means inflating the corresponding ring.
Blind-Insertion Airways (BIAs) have an oropharyngeal cuff, and a smaller esophageal cuff. Gases flow to the lungs through a lateral opening in the tube, located between the oropharyngeal cuff and the esophageal cuff. BIAs with a dual lumen can provide a patent airway even if the esophageal cuff is accidentally placed in the trachea. BIAs are easier to place than ETTs, but do not provide as good a seal. Also, certain medical conditions, or injuries, may prevent using BIAs.
Different devices have been developed to guide the insertion and proper placement of intubation devices. For example: (a) markings on the tube wall can be aligned with specific anatomic features, such as the vocal chords, (b) radiographically opaque lines have been attached, to visualize and control the proper insertion depth, and (c) imaging devices facilitate viewing the vocal chords and other anatomical features as the tubes are placed.
Background Related to Leakage:
To avoid accumulation of CFs on the proximal side of the cuff, suctioning devices have been incorporated to ETTs. Suctioning lines connect proximally to a vacuum source, and distally to a small hole in the ETT tube, which is located by the cuff's proximal side. However, under some circumstances, the suctioning holes may be blocked. Consequently, CFs may accumulate. To improve the suctioning, in some devices, the suctioning hole connects to a manifold wrapped flat against the ETT wall, and has multiple suctioning entrances. However, given the geometry of the cuffs and the trachea, not all CFs can be removed. Also, depending on the viscosity of the CFs, suction holes and manifolds can get fully or partially obstructed. In such situations, some CFs can still accumulate, and eventually leak past the cuff.
Given variations in tracheal sizes, cuffs may not be able to expand fully, causing folds in the cuff portions in contact with the trachea. Even micro-channels created by such folds can serve as leak paths that allow CFs to flow past the cuff and eventually reach the lungs. Various sizes, shapes, and materials are used to reduce such leaks. For example, some cuffs are tapered, instead of cylindrical. Cuffs are typically made out of PVC, silicone, or polyurethane. Thinner and more compliant cuffs, typically made out of polyurethane, have been shown to reduce (but not eliminate), leakage of CFs past the cuff. Moreover, thinner cuffs are more delicate, so the risk of rupture is higher.
Background Related to Gas Pressures:
Typically, cuffs are inflated manually. A one-way valve keeps the gases inside the cuff, and the pressure is monitored with a pilot balloon, or with a manometer. Herein, the term "Pressurizer" means a device (or other source) that supplies gas, at a flow rate and pressure appropriate to inflate cuffs, inflate LMA rings, inflate balloons, and in general keep enclosed cavities at a specified pressure. Herein, the terms "Manual Pressurizer", or "Inflator", mean pressurizers consisting of a syringe pump, or equivalent, and operated manually. Herein, the term "Cuff Pressurizer" refers to pressurizers used to inflate cuffs.
Medical practitioners can control and monitor various parameters related to the gases that flow in and out of the lungs of the intubated patient, including the composition of the gases, the flow rate, and various pressures. Two such pressures are the Positive Inspiratory Pressure (PIP), and the Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP).
As the ventilator runs through a breathing cycle, the pressure of the gases on the distal side of the cuff varies between a maximum of PIP and a minimum of PEEP. Since a higher pressure on the distal side of the cuff helps to limit the leakage of CFs past the cuff, the risk of leakage is highest at PEEP.
Herein, all numerical pressure values are expressed in cm of H2O, with 0 cm H2O corresponding to the atmospheric pressure. It is common to set PEEP slightly above atmospheric pressure (e.g., 4-5 cm H2O), to reduce the risk of alveolar damage or collapse. Hypoxemia, and other medical conditions may require higher PEEP values. However, if PEEP is too high, it can cause reduced venous blood flow, undesirable changes in blood chemistry, and other medically unacceptable side effects. Hence, these and other medical reasons limit both the admissible lower and upper values of PEEP, and determine their optimal values for each patient and pathology.
In general, higher cuff pressures reduce capillary flow in the tracheal mucosa. With a pressure of under 20 cm H2O the tracheal mucosa is normally perfused, but at 30 cm H2O it is already slightly blanched, and at 40 cm H2O arterioles are occluded. Excessive cuff pressure, depending on its duration and magnitude, can cause damage to the tracheal tissue, including ischemia, necrosis, and ulceration. Cuff inflation typically targets pressures of approximately 20 to 30 cm H2O, as a suitable compromise between the impact of the cuff on the tracheal mucosa, and how well it seals the space surrounding the tube.
Seepage of CFs between the cuff and the trachea could be avoided altogether if there were no constraints on how much PEEP and the cuff pressure can be raised. However, these pressures are constrained, because of the reasons explained above. Therefore, simply raising PEEP or the cuff pressure to obtain an assured seal, are not viable options.
Unmet Needs Related to Intubation:
In conclusion, in spite of proper use of medical protocols and techniques, and of the aforementioned improvements to intubation devices, small amounts of CFs still can leak past the cuffs. Furthermore, some of these CFs can get aerosolized, and thus carry bacteria deeply into the lungs. Serious infections associated with the use of intubation are common, particularly with longer intubation times. Such infections frequently lead to Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP), and increase morbidity and mortality rates. Thus, there remains a considerable need for improved intubation devices and methods.

Intubation device with variable backflow pressure


Silicon ceramic articles having a complicated shape and a high strength can be obtained in a high dimensional accuracy by fitting a silicon ceramic member having a lower firing shrinkage into another silicon ceramic member having a higher firing shrinkage, and firing the resulting assembly to bond firmly both the members into one integral body. The silicon ceramic article can be used as gas turbine parts, engine parts and the like.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of bonding firmly silicon ceramic members with each other.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Silicon ceramics, such as silicon nitride, silicon carbide and the like, have excellent mechanical strength, heat resistance, thermal shock resistance and corrosion resistance, and are expected to be used as high-temperature materials, such as gas turbine parts, engine parts and the like. In general, ceramics are inferior in moldability and workability to metal material which is used as a material for gas turbine parts, engine parts and the like. Among ceramics, silicon ceramics are difficult to be molded and worked, because it is difficult to select proper additives for molding and working silicon ceramics without decreasing their inherent excellent properties. While, gas turbine parts, such as a rotor, nozzle and the like, and engine parts, such as a combustion chamber, cylinder and the like, have a three-dimensionally curved structure and a complicated shape. In order to produce those engine parts from silicon ceramics having poor moldability and workability, there is generally carried out a method, wherein previously molded and worked separate members are fitted to each other or bonded with each other, and the resulting assembly is formed into one integral body.
For example, as the method of producing a silicon ceramic rotor by bonding a silicon ceramic blade with a silicon ceramic disc, there have hitherto been known a method, wherein a reaction-sintered silicon nitride blade and a silicon nitride disc produced by a hot press method are formed into one integral body by a hot press method through silicon nitride powder interposed therebetween; and a method, wherein a reaction-sintered silicon nitride formed by a slip cast method is interposed between a reaction-sintered silicon nitride blade and a silicon nitride disc produced by a hot press method, the resulting assembly is nitrided, and then the blade and disc are bonded with each other so as to form one integral body by a hot press method.
However, these methods have the following drawbacks. Because, in these methods, both the silicon nitride members to be bonded must be formed into one integral body by a hot press method, and therefore a complicated apparatus is required, mass production of aimed product is difficult, bonded members deform easily, the product is poor in the dimensional accuracy, and the bonding layer of both the members has often insufficiently bonded portion, from which the products are apt to be broken during the test.

Method of bonding silicon ceramic members


An ink composition incorporating a water reducible resin which is water insoluble under certain conditions and selectively water washable under certain other conditions. The method aspect of the present invention relates to a method of making, using and recovering the ink composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of ink compositions with special applicability to the field of lithographic compositions or oil based compositions usable in lithography and to the field of nonlithographic compositions in which the relationship of such compositions with aqueous solutions, including its solubility, can be selectively controlled. The compositions of the present invention are unaffected by water, and thus generally water insoluble, at certain selected acidic pH levels and water washable at certain other selected alkaline pH levels. The present invention also relates to methods of making, using and recovering such compositions.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
A wide variety of printing processes currently exist in the art. Although the ink composition and method of the present invention will have applicability to most if not all of these prior processes, it has particular applicability to a lithographic printing process commonly referred to as lithography. Lithography is a method of printing which relies on differences in solubility and surface wetability between an oil based component and an aqueous or aqueous based component to effectively transfer the printing ink to the desired image area and prevent it from transferring to the nonimage areas.
The printing apparatus commonly used in a lithographic process includes a printing plate which is treated to provide an oleophilic ink-accepting image area and an oleophobic ink-repelling nonimage area. Generally, the oleophilic or oil attracting image areas are hydrophobic or water repelling, and the oleophobic or oil repelling nonimage areas are hydrophilic or water attracting.
During a conventional lithographic printing process, an oil based or water insoluble ink composition and an aqueous fountain solution are applied to the printing plate. Because of the solubility and the wetability differences of the oil based and aqueous compositions, the fountain solution is preferentially attracted to and preferentially wets the oleophobic nonimage areas, while the ink is preferentially attracted to and preferentially wets the oleophilic image areas. It is well known and accepted in the art that successful lithographic printing requires inks which exhibit stability relative to water and thus remain water insoluble. Absence of this characteristic will result in poor print quality, poor edge definition, dot gain and various other print deficiencies. Thus, lithographic inks are selected and formulated for their ability to remain stable, cohesive and insoluble when contacted with water. The simultaneous feeding of the ink composition and fountain solution to the print plate is accomplished through a variety of methods and roller configurations known in the art.
After the ink composition and fountain solution have been applied to the printing plate and allowed to gravitate to their respective oleophilic and oleophobic areas, they are transferred either directly to an image receiving paper or other print substrate or to an intermediate blanket cylinder which then subsequently transfers the ink to the paper. The former is known in the industry as direct plate to paper lithographic printing, while the latter is generally referred to as offset lithography. In offset lithography, the blanket cylinder is covered with a transfer substrate typically made of rubber which receives the ink from the printing plate and transfers it to the print substrate.
In the typical lithographic printing system described above, the ink pigment is carried by the oil based component while the fountain solution comprises the aqueous component. Although there has been little commercial application to date, the opposite could also be used. In other words, the image areas could be oleophobic (or hydrophilic) with the ink pigment being carried by the aqueous component and the nonimage areas could be oleophilic (or hydrophobic) with the fountain solution being oil based. In either system, the lithographic process, by definition, must include both an oil based or water insoluble component and an aqueous component. Certain aspects of the present invention are applicable to either system. Thus, the present invention relates broadly to an improved oil based or water insoluble component or composition for use in a lithographic or other printing process.
During the course of lithographic printing, the printing plates are periodically changed as one job is completed and another started. Whenever this occurs, the blanket cylinder in an offset process must be cleaned to remove ink residue which is present from the previous job. Further, if a change of ink is desired, the entire print train including the application rollers, the print plate and the blanket must be cleaned. Such cleaning is commonly accomplished using an appropriately formulated wash solvent. To be effective as a wash solvent, the wash must be compatible with, or be able to dissolve or sufficiently disperse the ink. Since the inks are oil based or water insoluble, this necessitates the use of organic or petroleum based or other non-aqueous wash solvents to effectively remove the ink from the rollers, printing plates, blanket cylinder, etc.
These organic wash solvents can give rise to employee safety concerns and are a large source of both air and water pollution as volatile organic compounds (VOC's) are dispersed into the atmosphere or disposal systems. Such pollution is due to evaporation into the ambient air or into a venting system during the washing of the print components as well as the disposal or laundering of shop towels and rags used in the cleaning process. Attempts to develop water based wash or cleaning solutions have not been successful due to the inherent ability of the ink to resist water. Attempts have also been made to use water/solvent mixtures by emulsifying petroleum-based solvents into water through the use of emulsifiers and surfactants, but these products suffer from inherent instability due to immiscibility of water and the solvents and perform slowly. Further, such mixtures do not completely eliminate the use of petroleum solvents which are still commonly present in an amount of about 30-80%. Other industry trends include the use of solvents such as terpenes. While not petroleum based, their performance has been marginal and they are costly and in short supply. In addition, their use and disposal also pose environmental concerns.
Thus, although offset lithography is recognized and established as a dominant printing process for certain applications, drawbacks exist because of the pollution problems referred to above. These are becoming more of a drawback and more of a problem as new pollution control regulations and standards are mandated. In fact, because of the very nature of the lithographic process at least one of the components (either the ink composition or the fountain solution) must be oil based or water insoluble. This in turn necessitates the use of an organic or petroleum based solvent to wash the apparatus. This is generally accepted as a necessary limitation of the lithographic process about which little can be done.
For nonlithographic applications, various water based or water soluble inks are currently available. Some of these utilize water dispersible or soluble resins which have been preneutralized to provide such properties. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,628 issued on Oct. 20, 1990 to Amos et al. While these inks can be cleaned up with water or water solutions and thus reduce pollution concerns, it is generally recognized that existing water soluble or dispersible inks exhibit inferior water and alkaline resistance as well as inferior drying, adhesion and gloss properties when compared to conventional oil based inks.
Radiation curable inks have been used, both lithographically and nonlithographically, to reduce the release of VOC's common to many oil based inks. However, despite the recognized advantages of radiation curable inks over ink compositions which set and/or dry by solvent evaporation, certain limitations continue to exist. For example, although radiation curable inks can be formulated with little if any solvent component, the components of conventional radiation curable ink compositions are not water soluble to the extent that they can be washed or cleaned up with aqueous solutions. Thus, the cleanup of radiation curable inks from printing plates, rollers, brushes, blankets and other application equipment necessarily involves the use of nonaqueous, organic or other solvents which are capable of dissolving or washing, and thus cleaning up, the various resins and other components of the ink composition. In many cases, these solvents are volatile organic compounds such as glycol ethers or esters. Some of these are considered as hazardous wastes, thereby creating obvious safety concerns and disposal problems. Others, even though not technically considered as hazardous wastes, still pose serious health and safety concerns. Various attempts have been made to overcome this problem by formulating water soluble radiation curable inks which are substantially water soluble and can thus be cleaned up with aqueous solutions. However, such water based or water soluble inks generally exhibit properties inferior to certain desired properties of water insoluble inks and do not print lithographically.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to address the above problems and to provide an ink composition, and related methods of making, using and recovering, which substantially reduces if not eliminates the above pollution concerns. There is also a need in the art for ink compositions which, in addition to addressing pollution concerns, results in highly acceptable print quality and provides improved ink properties relating to ink set, ink life and the reduction of volatile solvents.

Ink composition and method of making, using and recovering such composition


The invention has as an object a process for methanol synthesis from carbon oxides and hydrogen, performed in an inert liquid medium, in the presence of a catalyst system soluble in the liquid medium.. The catalyst system used according to the invention is obtained by reacting a copper compound, optionally associated with a divalent zinc compound and/or a rare earth compound, with a zinc reducing compound.

It has been known for a long time that methanol can be obtained with good selectivity by contacting carbon oxides and hydrogen with a catalyst containing copper and zinc.
This reaction has been applied up to now for manufacturing methanol for chemical uses but, with the prospect of more severe requirements concerning motor fuels, methanol manufacture for use as motor fuel additive has a renewed interest.
The main difficulty to overcome, in particular when carrying out the reaction between carbon monoxide and hydrogen, is the removal of heat generated by this highly exothermic conversion.
The conventional use of heterogeneous catalysts in fixed beds is not favorable to a good heat exchange, since it is liable to produce local overheating detrimental to the activity and to the life-time of the catalyst. Generally this disadvantage is avoided by limiting the conversion rate per run and proceeding with high recycling rates.

Process for methanol synthesis from carbon oxides and hydrogen in the presence of a soluble copper and zinc catalyst


A global shutter image sensor formed on an n-type bulk substrate and including pixels having pinned n-type photodiodes and memory nodes formed in designated n-doped epitaxial layer regions that are separated from the bulk substrate by a p-type vertical (potential) barrier implant. Each memory node includes both a buried channel portion and a contiguous pinned diode portion having different doping levels such that an intrinsic lateral electrical field drives electrons from the buried channel portion into the pinned diode portion during global charge transfer from an adjacent photodiode. The p-type vertical (potential) barrier implant is coupled to ground, and the bulk substrate is switched between a low integration voltage level during integration periods, and a high reset voltage level, whereby the photodiodes are globally reset without requiring reset transistors. P-type sinker implant sections and p-type vertical barrier implants form box-like diffusions around each pixel's photodiode and memory node.

Solid-state image sensors are used in, for example, video cameras, and are presently realized in a number of forms including charge coupled devices (CCDs) and CMOS image sensors. These image sensors are based on a two dimensional array of pixels. Each pixel includes a sensing element that is capable of converting a portion of an optical image into an electronic signal. These electronic signals are then used to regenerate the optical image on, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD).
More recently, however, CMOS image sensors have gained in popularity. Pure CMOS image sensors have benefited from advances in CMOS technology for microprocessors and ASICs and provide several advantages over CCD imagers. Shrinking lithography, coupled with advanced signal-processing algorithms, sets the stage for sensor array, array control, and image processing on one chip produced using these well-established CMOS techniques. Shrinking lithography should also decrease image-array cost due to smaller pixels. However, pixels cannot shrink too much, or they have an insufficient light-sensitive area. Nonetheless, shrinking lithography provides reduced metal-line widths that connect transistors and buses in the array.
CMOS image sensors utilize either a rolling shutter (RS) methodology or a global shutter (GS) methodology to capture image data (i.e., to expose the image sensor's pixel array to light from a subject image to be captured). The rolling shutter methodology captures the image on a row-by-row basis (i.e., the image portion applied on a given pixel row is converted to captured charges by the corresponding photodiodes, the captured charges are transferred to floating diffusion nodes and then read out by way of column lines, and then the process is repeated for the next sequential pixel row). In the resulting image data, the captured charges from each row represent the subject image at a different time, so the rolling shutter methodology is non-optimal for capturing highly dynamic events (e.g., high-speed objects). In contrast, the GS methodology involves causing every pixel in a pixel array to capture associated portions of a subject image at the same time, thereby facilitating the capture of highly dynamic events. The captured image is then read out of the pixels, typically in a row-by-row fashion using a rolling shutter (RS) readout operation.
An exemplary general GS pixel arrangement for a CMOS image sensor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,138,531 to J. W. Adkisson (2012), and includes five transistors and a floating diffusion (FD) that stores the captured image (charge) information until it is read out during a RS readout operation. That is, the image information (captured charge) generated in the photodiode of each GS pixel is transferred to and temporarily stored in the FD of each GS pixel, and then the captured charges are systematically (e.g., row by row) read out of the FD of each pixel (e.g., one row of pixels at a time) during the RS operation.
The general 5T GS pixel approach and similar approaches encounter problems including signal noise and charge generation during readout. As mentioned above, captured light signals (electrons) are transferred to the FDs in all the pixels in the array at the same time, and then the captured signals stored in the FDs are read out row-by-row. The readout sequence performed on a selected row (which is sequentially repeated for all of the rows in the array) includes (a) reading the captured signals stored on all of the FDs in the selected row (i.e., by coupling the captured signals to a column line and reading the column line), (b) resetting the FDs in the selected row (i.e., evacuating electrons from the FDs until a Dark\Reset level is achieved), and then (c) reading the reset level stored on all of the FDs in the selected row (for comparison with the captured signal). Because the reset level is not the same level that was used to transfer the electrons, there is noise associated with it. The charge generation problem arises because the general GS pixel arrangement requires storage of the captured signals in the FDs of different rows for different amounts of time—i.e., when captured signals are sequentially read out starting with an uppermost row and ending with a lowermost row, the captured signals stored in the uppermost (i.e., first-read) row are stored for a shorter amount of time than the captured signals stored in the lower rows of the array, with the captured signals in the lowermost row being stored the longest amount of time. The lower rows, especially when not illuminated (i.e., when exposed to a relatively dark portion of a captured image), will suffer from parasitic charge generation due to a contact in the FD (storage) node which strongly increases generation, thereby corrupting the captured image. This charge generation problem is one of the main incentives for providing GS image sensors with the fastest possible readout process.
One approach used to reduce readout noise in GS image sensors includes providing each GS pixel with an additional storage node (referred to herein as a memory node (MN)), and reading out the captured charge using a correlated double sampling (CDS) readout operation. U.S. Pat. No. 7,361,877 to R. D. McGrath (2006) discloses an exemplary GS pixel utilizing a pinned photodiode, two storage nodes and two transfer gates, where the first transfer gate is used to transfer a captured charge from a pinned photodiode (first pinned diode) to a MN (second pinned diode), and the second transfer gate transfers the captured charge from the MN to a FD (sense node) during the RS operation. The CDS readout operation is perform by first resetting the FD and reading the reset level (typically referred to as a sample-and-hold reset (SHR) signal value), and then transferring the captured charge from the pixel's MN to the pixel's FD, and then reading the image bit level generated by the captured charge (typically referred to as a sample-and-hold image (SHS) signal value). The image bit level and the reset level are then correlated to provide the CDS readout value for that pixel. This CDS readout approach cancels out the kt/c associated with reset operations, which is otherwise dominant in low light.
In order to achieve optimal performance using the additional storage node approach, the MN must be optimized such that all the captured charge is transferred to the FD during CDS readout. That is, the two transfer gates and MN must be operably controlled to affect full charge transfer of the captured charge from the first pinned diode to the MN, and to affect the subsequent full charge transfer of the stored charge from the MN to the FD. In addition, the transfer gates must cooperate to effect good shutter performance of the MN (i.e., such that the MN exhibits low leakage, meaning low generation/recombination rates both in the dark and in the light).
The conventional additional storage node approach mentioned above fails to achieve optimal performance for several reasons. First, similar to the general 5T GS pixel approach (described above), captured charges are stored in the MN during the RS readout process (i.e., the captured charges are transferred to the FD only in the selected row), which subjects the captured charges to delay effects (generation) similar to those encountered in the general 5T GS pixel approach, although the applied parasitic generation current is arguably reduced over that encountered in the general 5T GS pixel approach by use of the pinned MN. Second, energy barriers for electrons prevent the full charge transfer from the pinned photodiode to the MN, and from the and MN to FD, which gives rise to image artifacts including image lag (i.e., when electrons that remain in the pinned diode or the MN are read at the next GS operation as an unwanted signal, and can be especially pronounced if the pixel collected photons from a bright source in the current GS operation). In order to operate correctly, there should be a built in potential difference between the pinned photodiode and the pinned memory node, but this potential difference is very difficult to achieve using the conventional power supply typically available in present-day CMOS process technologies (i.e., 0.18 micron process flows or smaller). For example, using a 0.18 micron CMOS process technology providing a 3.3V power supply, the inventors usually set the pinned photodiode to the maximum potential of about 1.5V and the FD/MN to about 3V to ensure a swing of about 1.5V before charge sharing in "high light" exposures and very good transfer in "low light" exposures. If is approach is applied to pixels of the conventional additional storage node approach, the pinned photodiode would require a maximum potential of 1.5V, the pinned MN diode would require 3V, and the FD would require 4.5V, which cannot be supported with the available 3.3V power supply. Further, even if an elevated supply voltage were available, there would still a problem to implement the MN pinned diode with the high maximum potential. Besides the design overhead when using higher voltages, additional problems can be anticipated. For example, supplying 4.5V from a charge pump is not a good solution because, at higher voltages, the generation current (electron generation rate) in the MN would be higher, and parasitic signals would appear, especially for the rows that are read out last. Thus, low light pixels read from rows at the end of a frame may appear erroneously brighter. Another problem with the conventional additional storage node approach mentioned above is that this approach suggests a p-shield, which actually increases the Vt in a part of the first transfer transistor, thus creating an additional potential barrier during electron transfer.
Various other prior art approaches attempt to achieve low-noise, full-charge-readout GS operations, but all of these prior art approaches also encounter problems. One prior art approach that attempts to modify noise reduction in GS pixels (such as those mentioned above) in order to achieve full-charge-readout is to enhance the lateral field in the transfer gate channel region. Various methods to create such a field have been investigated. For example, Boron implantation at the edge facing the photodiode was attempted, but was proven to be inefficient because the doping profile was deep and barrier lowering for electrons was difficult to achieve. Another approach taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,825,444 to H. Rhodes (2010) includes an image sensor pixel includes indium doping in the source side of the transfer gate to generate a lateral doping profile, but the approach causes increased Vt, which in turn requires increased pixel operating voltages. Another prior art approach taught in U.S. Pat. No. 8,089,036 to Manabe et al (2012) provides an image sensor with global shutter and in-pixel storage transistor that utilizes 8T GS pixels and a CCD operation principle to possibility reduce voltage at the MN, but this approach requires two additional lines and two additional gates in comparison to the solution presented below.
What is needed is a CMOS image sensor that supports GS image capture, utilizes low-noise CDS readout operations, and facilitates decreased image distortion effects (i.e., by generation or recombination of charge in the process of the readout from first and last rows) than that of conventional approaches.

Image sensor pixel with memory node having buried channel and diode portions formed on N-type substrate


The present teaching relates to surgical procedure assistance. In one example, a first set of positions of a plurality of sensors are obtained in an image captured prior to a surgical procedure. The plurality of sensors are coupled with a patient's body. One or more second sets of positions of the plurality of sensors are obtained based on information from a tracking device associated with the plurality of sensors. The one or more second sets of positions change in accordance with movement of the patient's body. One or more similarity measures are calculated between the first set of positions and each of the one or more second sets of positions of the plurality of sensors. A timing at which the surgical procedure initiates is determined based on the one or more similarity measures.

1. Technical Field
The present teaching relates to surgical procedure assistance. More specifically, the present teaching is directed methods, systems, and programing for determining optimal surgical instrument insertion timing in image-guided surgical procedures.
2. Discussion of Technical Background
In image-guided interventional procedures, such as needle biopsy or tumor ablation, interventional radiologists place needles or ablation probes based on images taken of the patient immediately before the procedure. For safety reasons, a needle may not be inserted all at once into the target. Rather a needle may be advanced toward the target step-by-step, and after each needle pass, new images are taken of the patient for verification and/or adjustment of needle position and orientation in order to make the next needle advancement. This process is repeated until the target is reached. This is particular true for lesions located close to critical organs, such as major blood vessels, heart, etc. The imaging modalities used for needle guidance may include, but not limited to, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or ultrasound (US).
Interventional radiologists make needle insertion or needle advancement based on images. From the time that the images are taken till the time that the radiologists make needle insertion or needle advancement, there may be many of changes to the patient. First, the patient's breathing status at the time of image acquisition may be different from the time of needle insertion. Patient may have made movements, such as twists. All those may affect the target location change. For example, breathing may cause the lesion to move by more than a centimeter when lesion is close to diaphragm of the lung. It is thus important that at the time of needle insertion or needle advancement, the lesion position be similar to that acquired in images, so that the images provide the closest reality. To find a moment at which the patient condition is mostly close to that at the time of image acquisition is highly desirable.
There have been sensing devices that can detect the breathing status of a patient, e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication No.: 2009/0099472, Gregor Remmert, Gernot Echner, "Respiratory belt system." Interventional radiologists may then monitor the breathing status of a patient to pick a moment which resembles closely the breathing status at the time of image acquisition for needle insertion or advancement. However, since such sensing devices are not synchronized with imaging acquisition device, it is difficult to obtain the exact breathing signal corresponding to the image acquisition. Another way of breath handling is to ask the patient to hold breath both for image acquisition and for needle advancement. However many patients may not be able to hold their breath to do image acquisition, due to their health conditions. Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved solution to solve the above-mentioned problems.

Method and system for determining optimal timing for surgical instrument insertion in image-guided surgical procedures


An improved panel type color display device and system for processing image information includes a combiner circuit for combining, in correspondence, line address information, data selector address information, and plotting information to vary a transmittance level by applying a pulses to each pixel, each pulse having a duration shorter than that which would cause the pixel to reach its maximum transmittance level.

The present invention relates to a panel type color display device and a system for processing the image information, and more particularly, the invention relates to a panel type color display device of the class wherein there are provided a display portion consisting of a plurality of pixels, of which each is driven in response to the image information to vary the light transmittance thereof, and backlight sources, of which each can be independently on-off controlled in response to the image information to emit a color light in red (R), green (G), or blue (B), and also relates to a system for processing the image information.
In recent years, apparatus for office automation use such as personal computers, and home electronic products like television sets have been made more compact, of lighter weight, and thinner shaped to a great extent. This tendency is reflected in the field of the display device, and causes the same demand for the display device. In order to meet this demand, various efforts are now being paid to develop a flat panel type display device of lighter weight and thinner shape like a liquid crystal display (LCD) as a device capable of being used in place of prevailing conventional CRT""s (cathode ray tubes).
As one of technological demands for these flat panel type display devices, there is a demand for achievement of the full color display. For instance, the color liquid crystal display (LCD) of the thin film transistor system (TFT) realizes the color display by adopting the active matrix system. According to this TFT system, the dot driving is carried out on the dot by dot basis, so that the high duty dot driving can be obtained by making use of the memory effect of condensers respectively associated with dots, thereby providing the LCD that can display color images with excellent contrast. However, this system never fails to require a lot of TFT""s satisfying the VGA specification, thus inevitably resulting in not only pushing up the manufacturing cost, but also lowering the manufacturing yield. Further, what is worse, this point is still remaining as an unsolved problem up to now without finding any effective solution.
On one hand, the super twisted nematic system (STN) has succeeded in realizing a low cost color LCD by means of adopting the simple matrix system. In this case, however, the speed of frame display is not so fast that color mixture is apt to take place, thus still leaving the problem to be solve as to its poor contrast. In order to solve this problem and to realize the color display with fine contrast at the high-speed frame display, there have been proposed various driving systems as countermeasures for obviating such problem, for instance the double matrix electrode driving system, the time sharing driving system, and so forth. Furthermore, there have been proposed the active addressing driving system that tries to realize the fine contrast and the high-speed frame display without reducing the resolution, by dispersing small pulses instead of large selecting pulses and performing simultaneous scanning of all the lines.
Regardless of the TFT system or the STN system, most of conventional LCD""s are adopting a color filter system comprising filters of 3 primary colors R, G, and B. In case of displaying in color R, the region for color R is made light transmissible while the other regions for G and B are made not. In case of the color filter system, however, as will be easily understood, respective color regions of R, G, and B require proper pixels corresponding thereto, so that 3 times pixels of the monochromatic display have to be driven for full color display. Therefore, in order to obtain an image with high resolution, there are required the finest precision machining, the sophisticated technology for driving pixels, and the color filters having the improved light transmittance. Moreover, there has to be solved the difficult issue of color balance adjustment in the display. As mentioned above, there are embraced in the color filter system a lot of problems that have to be obviated by solving thereof.
In view of the situation of the prior art LCD as described in the above, there has been recently proposed such a panel type color LCD adopting the 3 color backlight system as disclosed in JPA No. Hei 4 (1992)-338996. In the color LCD of this type, there are provided 3 independent light sources of which each is specifically assigned to emit a color light of R, G, or B, and is turned on in order at a predetermined period. Thus, the full color display can be obtained by applying color signals to corresponding pixels in synchronization with said period of turning on the light sources.
According to the conventional color filter system, it is possible to process color signals of R, G, and B as parallel data. For instance, if it is desired to display the image of high brightness with the R-signal, regardless of behaviors of G or B signals, it is possible to overwrite the image data on the R region of pixels by making use of the memory effect due to the condensers of the LCD driving circuit. Thus, the color video can be easily obtained with high contrast.
However, according to the 3 color backlight system, the color image information is once converted into the serial data in which the image information corresponding to respective colors R, G, and B, are switched at a predetermined period, and then, the backlight sources of R, G, and B, are sequentially turned on in synchronization with the switching period of said serial data, thereby realizing the full color image display. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, even though it is desired to obtain the image of high brightness with the R-signal and the liquid crystal in a predetermined pixel region is driven with said R-signal to turn it on, this ON-state of the liquid crystal with R-signal is soon erased by the G-signal or B-signal in the next period, so that it is hardly possible to obtain the adequately high quantity of the transmitting light, thus the color image with high contrast being not obtainable. Especially, this operational characteristics remarkably appears in case of realizing the color display by means of the STN system, so that it has been very much desired to promptly solve this problem.
The present invention has been made in view of the various problems as described in the above, which would never fail to come out in the course of realizing the panel type color display according to the 3 color backlight system. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved panel type color display device which is most suitably adaptable especially to the LCD of the STN system, and in which signals for driving pixels are so improved that the frame response of respective pixels is enhanced and the color image can be obtained with high contrast.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved panel type color display device in which the image information is developed at a high speed, and the speed of transmitting information to the LCD is made much faster.
In order to solve the problems as described above, the present invention provides a novel and improved display device of 3 color backlight system in which there are provided a display portion consisting of a plurality of pixels which are driven in response to the image information to vary the light transmittance thereof, and backlight sources of which each can be independently on-off controlled and is assigned to emit a color light of R), G, or B.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a novel and improved display device wherein there are provided means for converting the color image information into the serial data in which the image information corresponding to respective colors R, G, and B is sequentially switched at a predetermined time period; means for converting said serial data of colors R, G, and B in said respective time periods into the plotting data of colors R, G, and B for use in driving a plurality of pixels existing within a predetermined range; and means for repetitively driving a plurality of pixels existing in said predetermined range within said respective time periods based on said plotting data of colors R, G, and B. In this case, it is preferable that said display device further is provided with means for controlling the number of repetitively driving a plurality of pixels existing in said predetermined range within said respective time periods in correspondence with the gradation information that is obtained from said image information.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a novel and improved display device wherein there are provided means for converting the color image information into the serial data in which the image information of respective colors R, G, and B is sequentially switched at a predetermined time period; a first data bus means for parallelly developing the serial data of colors R, G, and B within said respective time period into the serial data of L (integer); a memory means for storing the plotting data of L of which each consists of the pixel information of Mxc3x97N (integer) by simultaneously writing the parallel data of L corresponding to each pixel to the addresses of L; means for selecting the plotting data of K (integer) from said plotting data of L; a second data bus means for reading out the selected plotting data of K from said memory means by the pixel information of M at a time in installments of N; and means for driving the pixels of Mxc3x97N existing in a predetermined range K times within said time period by means of the plotting data of K as read out. In this case, the selecting means can determine the number K of repetitively selecting said plotting data in correspondence with the gradation information as obtained from said image information.
Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a novel and improved display device wherein there are provided means for converting the color image information into the serial data in which the image information of respective colors R, G, and B is sequentially switched at a predetermined time period; a first data bus means for parallelly developing the serial data of colors R, G, and B within said respective time period in the number L (integer) of all the gradations as requested; a memory means for storing the plotting data of L (integer) consisting of the pixel information of Mxc3x97N (integer), by simultaneously writing the parallel data of L corresponding to each pixel to the addresses of L; means for selecting the plotting data of K (integer) from said plotting data of L; a second data bus means for reading out the plotting data having the gradation number (K) requested to the plotting data to be read out from said memory means by the pixel information of M at a time in installments of N; and means for driving the pixels of Mxc3x97N existing in a predetermined range K times within said time period by means of the plotting data of K as read out.
Still further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for processing the image information wherein at the time of processing the image information through a memory having at least 3 addresses of which areas are different from one another, only all the addresses in the data area to be parallelly developed are made effective while the data designated by remaining addresses are parallelly processed. In this case, the data area of which all the addresses are to be made effective, is made different depending on whether the operation is for writing the data in or reading out the same.
For instance, according to the present invention, composite signals according to the system of NTSC (National Television System Committee) are divided into color data of colors R, G, and B, and then, these color data are converted into the serial data that are sequentially switched at a predetermined time period. Now, let us explain here the operation of the present invention by taking the case of R-signals. In case of plotting an image on a screen consisting of 640xc3x97480 dots for instance, be exciting said dots with the R-signals contained in respective time periods of said serial data, the screen is divided into two parts i.e. upper and lower parts, and there are formed the plotting data of R-color for 640xc3x97240 dots each. Pixels existing in said range and consisting of one or some dots are repetitively driven within respective time periods by means of this plotting data, thereby enabling the liquid crystal to largely respond to the signals to obtain the liquid crystal image display with high brightness. The brightness of the image is adjusted by regulating the number of repetitively driving the pixels, so that if the high brightness is necessary, it may be attained by increasing said number of repetitively driving pixels, and if lower brightness is enough, it may be done by decreasing the same. In this way, it becomes possible to give difference in color gradation of the image, thus the image appearing with high contrast.
Explaining more in detail the above, said R-signals converted into the serial data in the manner as described above are parallelly developed through a first data bus corresponding to the number of all the gradations as requested (e.g. L=256). These 256 data are separately stored in respective gradation addresses of the memory, thereby 256 plotting data of R-color being formed for the screen area of 640xc3x97240 dots. In the next, after forming the plotting data in the memory like the above, the data for 640 dots are read out at a time in response to a line address, and this is repeated 240 times with regard to respective line addresses. Accordingly, it is natural that the readout speed becomes much higher comparing with the prior art sequential readout system, which reads out one R-color plotting data for one dot at a time and repeats it 640xc3x97240 times. Further, according to the present invention, the R-color plotting data as read out with such high speed are repetitively read out plural times (256 times max.) over the time of T/256 (T: total time). Accordingly, even if the total time (T) is equal, the liquid crystal responding quantity having much wider dynamic range can be obtained comparing with the prior art system, in which the pixel is driven only one time over the total time T. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain the image with higher contrast comparing with the prior art system. The difference in gradation can be expressed by selecting the number of repetitively driving pixels, for instance 256 times driving for expressing all the gradation and 128 times driving for expressing a half of gradation.
According to the system for processing the image information of the present invention, there are provided the RAM groups which are able to store the display information on the respective pixels, which are managed by the line address and the data select address, after graduating said information by the gradation address as the display data having different gradations. Accordingly, as typically shown in FIG. 10, in the time of writing operation, all the gradation addresses are made effective, and the data of 8 bits are decoded and developed in the data buses of 256, for instance. After this, the writing for 256 bits is parallelly carried out to the respective gradation addresses according to designations by the line addresses (0xcx9c239) and the data selector addresses (0xcx9c639) as well. Contrary to this, in the time of readout operation, all the data selector addresses are made effective, and the display data for each line are parallelly read out based on the appointment by the gradation addresses (0xcx9c255) and the line addresses (0xcx9c239) as well.
As has been discussed in the above, according to the system of the present invention, 3 kinds of addresses in different areas are combined in correspondence with a sort of the operation, and all the addresses in the data area to which the data are to be developed, are made effective, thereby enabling a lot of data to be simultaneously processed at a single clock timing. Therefore, there can be attained the high-speed information transmission to the liquid crystal display and the high-speed response in driving the same.

Panel type color display device and system for processing image information