In mesa regions between adjacent trenches disposed in an n−-type drift layer and in which a first gate electrode is disposed via a first gate insulating film, a p-type base region and a floating p+-type region of which a surface is partially covered by a second gate electrode via a second gate insulating film are disposed. An emitter electrode contacts the p-type base region and an n+-type emitter region, and is electrically isolated from first and second gate electrodes and the floating p+-type region by an interlayer insulating film covering the first and second gate electrodes and a portion of the floating p+-type region not covered by the second gate electrode. Thus, turn-on dV/dt controllability by the gate resistance Rg may be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments discussed herein are related to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) having breakdown voltage ratings of 400V, 600V, 1200V, 1700V, 3300V, or higher and used for semiconductor devices in power semiconductor devices are commonly known. IGBTs are used in power converting equipment such as converters and inverters. Low loss, high efficiency, high breakdown voltage, and low noise are demanded of such power semiconductor devices. Measures for electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC) are particularly important.
EMC is dependent on the rate of voltage change over time (dV/dt) and during inverter operation, the dV/dt of a free-wheeling diode ((FWD) (opposing arm)) in a low current region at turn-on of an IGBT (reverse recovery of the FWD (the opposing arm)) is most likely to increase. Therefore, dV/dt has to be reduced to a reasonable value by increasing the gate resistance Rg of the IGBT and reducing the turn-on speed. Thus, improvement of dV/dt controllability at IGBT turn-on (hereinafter, turn-on dV/dt controllability) by gate resistance Rg is important.
A structure of an active region for IGBT current driving will be described taking a typical trench gate-type IGBT as an example. The active region is a region in which current flows during an ON state. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a structure of a conventional trench gate-type IGBT. As depicted in FIG. 15, in the active region, a trench gate-type metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) insulated gate is disposed on a front surface side of an n−-type semiconductor substrate becoming an n−-type drift layer 101. In particular, on the front surface side of the n−-type semiconductor substrate, a trench (hereinafter, gate trench) 102 is disposed so as to divide a surface layer of the n−-type drift layer 101. A gate electrode 104 is disposed inside the gate trench 102, via a gate insulating film 103.
At a mesa region of n−-type drift layer 101, separated by adjacent gate trenches 102, a p-type base region 105 is disposed. An n+-type emitter region 106 and a p+-type contact region 107 are selectively disposed in the p-type base region 105, in a surface layer of a substrate front surface side of the p-type base region 105. An emitter electrode 108 contacts the n+-type emitter region 106 and the p+-type contact region 107 through a contact hole penetrating, in a depth direction, an interlayer insulating film 109 disposed on a substrate front surface, and is electrically isolated from the gate electrode 104 by the interlayer insulating film 109. In a mesa region where the n+-type emitter region 106 is not disposed, a p+-type region (hereinafter, floating p+-type region) 110 electrically isolated from the emitter electrode 108 by the interlayer insulating film 109 is disposed to secure breakdown voltage.
An n-type field stop (FS) layer 111 and a p+-type collector layer 112 are disposed in a back side of the n−-type semiconductor substrate. A collector electrode 113 contacts a p+-type collector layer 112. In a trench gate-type IGBT of such a conventional structure, hole current flows in the floating p+-type region 110 at turn-on, whereby the electric potential of the floating p+-type region 110 increases and displacement current arising from this electric potential increase flows to the gate electrode 104. As a result, the turn-on speed for the interval related to dV/dt is determined and therefore, turn-on dV/dt controllability degrades (for example, refer to Tokura, N., "Influence of Floating P-Base on Turn-On Characteristics of Trench-Gate FS-IGBT", The Institute of Electrical Engineers Journal D, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ), 2010, Vol. 130, NO. 6, pp. 728-733; and Onozawa, Y., et al, "Development of the next generation 1200V trench-gate FS-IGBT featuring lower EMI noise and lower switching loss", Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & ICs, (Jejudo), May 27 to 30, 2007, pp. 13-16).
The following device has been proposed as a device that improves turn-on dV/dt controllability by the gate resistance Rg. A first groove and a second groove are formed so as penetrate a p base layer and n layer, and reach an upper layer portion of an n− layer. The first groove is adjacent to an n+ emitter region and inside the first groove, a gate electrode is formed. A polysilicon region is formed inside the second groove. The second groove differs from the first groove in that the n+ emitter region is not formed in a neighboring region, and a gate electrode is not formed inside the second groove (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-353456). Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-353456 adopts a dummy gate structure where a polysilicon region of an emitter electric potential is disposed inside the second groove via an insulating film, whereby holes accumulated in the p base layer pass to the emitter electrode during OFF operation, improving OFF operation characteristics.
A structure of the active region of a trench gate-type IGBT that includes a dummy gate structure will be described. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of another example of a structure of a conventional trench gate-type IGBT. A trench gate-type IGBT having a dummy gate structure depicted in FIG. 16, similar to the typical trench gate-type IGBT depicted in FIG. 15, has a trench gate-type MOS gate structure. Further, a trench (hereinafter, emitter trench) 122 is disposed so as to be adjacent to a trench (gate trench) 102 configuring the MOS gate structure, sandwiching the p-type base region 105 in between. An electrode (dummy gate electrode) 124 of the emitter electric potential is disposed inside the emitter trench 122 via an insulating film (dummy gate insulating film) 123.
Configuration of the trench gate-type IGBT having the dummy gate structure is similar to that of the typical trench gate-type IGBT depicted in FIG. 15 with the exception of the emitter trench 122, the dummy gate insulating film 123, and the dummy gate electrode 124. In the trench gate-type IGBT having the dummy gate structure, in particular, during high voltage such as at turn-on initially, holes accumulate along the emitter trench 122, forming a current path of low resistance through which hole current flows from the floating p+-type region 110 to the emitter electrode 108. Therefore, increased electric potential in the floating p+-type region 110 may be suppressed, improving turn-on dV/dt controllability by the gate resistance Rg to a greater extent than with a typical trench gate-type IGBT.
Further, as another trench gate-type IGBT, a device has been proposed in which a gate electrode inside a trench extends onto a substrate front surface, providing a gate electrode of a floating p+-type region on an entire surface of a substrate front surface side, via an insulating film (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,815,769 (FIGS. 11 and 12), Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-191221 (FIG. 9), and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H5-243561 (paragraph 0099, FIGS. 85, 87, 91, 93)).

Semiconductor device having first and second gate electrodes


A work station comprising a support unit which includes a liquid collection surface with a drain outlet, and which provides a support surface; at least at least one work facility, such as a sink or a drainage surface, mounted removably in the support unit on the support surface, the work facility having a drain outlet through which liquid can drain from the work facility onto the collection surface of the support unit, for collection for the drain outlet provided therein.

This invention relates to a work station which includes a liquid collection surface with a drain outlet, and to a ventilated work station.
Work stations which can accommodate liquid or other waste for disposal can be required to be capable of being used for many tasks, including washing, draining, preparation of materials and so on. Frequently, the requirements placed on the configuration of the work station change according to the particular task that is to be performed.


An antenna kit includes: main and auxiliary antenna units to be disposed respectively on first and second dielectric substrates; and two connecting units. The main antenna unit includes two main radiating modules which are symmetrical with respect to a first axis, and each of which includes a main feed point, a main radiating portion and an extending portion. The auxiliary antenna unit is symmetrical with respect to a second axis, and includes two auxiliary feed points, two auxiliary radiating portions and a connecting portion. Each connecting unit is capable of being assembled such that the main radiating portion of a respective main radiating module and a respective auxiliary radiating portion are connected via the assembled connecting unit.

Digitalization of television (TV) broadcasting has been actively promoted in recent years by many countries to reduce waste of channel resources and to improve transmission quality of audiovisual content. An antenna device, a pivotal component for receiving digital TV signals transmitted by wireless TV stations between an audiovisual device and a propagation medium, has to not only convert between electrical and electromagnetic domains, but to also reduce electromagnetic attenuation in a specific frequency band to improve a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the signal received thereby. For current digital TV broadcasting, the frequency band usually ranges from 470 MHz to 700 MHz.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional antenna device includes two radiating portions 11 that are symmetrical with respect to an axis (not shown) and that each have an isosceles triangular shape, and a feed portion 12 that is arranged on the axis. Gain performance of the conventional antenna device in the abovementioned frequency band is represented in FIG. 4 by a curve 81, and has room for improvement.


A device and method for extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia treatment of a patient""s blood using alpha-stat regulation of blood pH and pCO2 is described. The respiratory rate of a patient is either increased or decreased in accordance with the changes in pH, pCO2, and base excess. The regulation of blood during the hyperthermic treatment of the patient""s blood stabilizes the biochemical reactions fundamental to the metabolic welfare of the organisms within the patient""s blood while the viruses within the patient""s blood are eliminated.

This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for eliminating viruses by means of extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia, and more particularly to an apparatus and method that regulates the blood pH, pCO2, and base excess, thereby maintaining a constant CO2 as the patients body temperature is increased.
The use of heat to treat ailments dates back many centuries to ancient Egyptian times, where certain cancers were treated by partial burial of the patient in hot sand. The use of hyperthermia as a treatment has continued into the twentieth century. Hyperthermia presents a unique set of physiologic problems that require careful management in order to achieve success. These problems have plagued soldiers on the battlefield, inner city residents during heat waves, and clinicians trying to treat cancer and AIDS.
In homoiothermal bodies, thermoregulation and maintenance of near normal temperature automatically takes precedence over other homeostatic functions, including electrolyte balance. In order to maintain normal temperatures during external exposure to heat, the body responds through an increase in both cardiac output, and more importantly, respiratory rate well above metabolic needs, thereby ridding the body of excess heat. The bulk of the blood is directed to the cutaneous vessels of the skin through increased cardiac output, while the increase respiratory rate or hyper ventilatory response is akin to the panting of a dog. A negative consequence of hyperventilation is that an increased respiratory rate effectively and drastically reduces the pCO2 (and total CO2) of the circulating blood creating a respiratory alkalosis. This decrease in pCO2 increases the pH gradient across the cellular membrane. To regain electrical neutrality between intra and extracellular compartments there is a shift of ions between these two spaces, many of which may be lost due to renal excretion. Additionally, cellular function may be impaired as enzyme activity is adversely affected by electrolyte imbalance.
The measurement of intracellular pH has only been reliably performed within the last 25 to 30 years, therefore, most of this knowledge had gone unnoticed until 15 years ago. Researchers studying better methods of myocardial protection during hypthermic/cardioplegia cardiac arrest discovered that alkalotic infusion into the coronary arteries prior to the removal of the aortic cross clamp prevented the so called reperfusion injury.
During normal arterial blood flow, at 37xc2x0 C. the arterial pH is approximately 7.4, having an arterial carbon dioxide tension of about 40 torr (mmHg). The human body modulates the arterial pCO2 levels as temperature and the CO2 content in the blood are altered. It is known that during hypothermic reactions, when the body temperature is decreased, there is a decrease in pCO2 due to increased solubility, and increases in the blood pH. Generally, the xcex94pH/xc2x0 C.≅xe2x88x920.015 when the CO2 content of blood and the [OHxe2x88x92]/[H+] remain constant. Also, pN is defined as the pH of the neutrality of water where [H+]+[OHxe2x88x92]=1, that is when ionic balance is achieved. This balance is governed by the ionization constant of water Kw and varies with temperature. As temperature rises the pN is reduced. Of the three known buffer systems, it is believed that imidazole moiety of a person""s blood accounts for this relationship.
Researchers in whole body hyperthermia have used temperature correction of blood gases (pH-stat). During the use of pH-stat, researches have observed electrolyte replacement and metabolic acidosis even with a reduced Axe2x80x94V O2 difference. One explanation for this is that the use of the pH-stat technique artificially imposes a respiratory alkalosis which in turn affects oxyhemoglobin dissociation, reducing the availability of oxygen to the tissue.
In studies of heterotherms, or cold blooded animals, it was noted that as they were exposed and equilibrated to different temperatures, the pCO2 values varied as the temperature dependent solubility factor changed, without concomitant alteration of total CO2 content, which in turn resulted in an inverse change in pH. The misconception of homoiotherm (warm blooded) blood gas regulation insists that normality is based upon the blood pH of 7.40 and a pCO2 of 40 torr and that changes of temperature do not effect this relationship. Indeed, pioneering work in cardiovascular surgery studied the effects of hypothermia on hibernating animals which maintain those values at lowered temperature. However, in the latter case hormonal and central nervous system intervention has affected the organism in ways which are not yet completely understood. In any case it is not the pH of the blood that is important, it is that of the intracellular space where the chemical reactions of life takes place.
Alpha-stat blood gas management achieved better methods of myocardial protection and was proposed for use during open heart surgery. Later, it was discovered that alpha-stat preserved the mechanisms of cerebral autoregulation, i.e. the appropriate blood flow rate for the metabolic needs of the brain. The practice of adding CO2 to the blood in the oxygenator to maintain a normal temperature corrected pCO2 (pH-stat) resulted in a blood flow exceeding demand as the pCO2 is the controlling factor of cerebral autoregulation. The use of pH-stat regulation during hypothermic treatments produces a notable decrease in plasma phosphorous concentrations. Alternatively, the use of alpha-stat during total body hypothermia, reduces the amount of reduction in plasma phosphorous concentrations. The fact that alpha-stat may have an overall beneficial effect on human physiology, during hyperthermia, has largely gone unnoticed.
The properties of imidazole moiety of protein-bound histidine is described by White et al. in a paper entitled xe2x80x9cCarbon Dioxide Transport and Acid-Base Balance During Hypothermiaxe2x80x9d (Pathophysiology and Techniques of Cardiopulmonary Bypass, 1983; Vol. II: 40-48). White et al. states that imidazole moiety is present in a persons blood in sufficient quantity to account for the pH-temperature relationship. The state of protonization (charged state) of imidazole is expressed as a variable (alpha) equal to the ratio of deprotonated to total imidazole groups. White et al. notes that the maintenance of a constant alpha, referred to as alpha-star  alpha-stat behavior, occurs when carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) is appropriately regulated by ventilation. During a decrease in temperature (hypothermia), the maintenance of arterial blood at constant CO2 content is achieved either by reducing the base excess of the blood or elevating pCO2 as a function of temperature. Claude B. Kancir and Tommy Madsen in an article entitled Effect of Acid-Base Management With or Without Carbon Dioxide on Plasma Phosphate Concentration During And After Hypothermic Cardiopulmonary Bypass; Scand J Thor Cardiovasc Surg. 151-155, 1992, concluded that xe2x80x9cacid-base management may influence phosphate homeostasis during hypothermia for cardiac surgery.xe2x80x9d
As recognized in Sites et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,142, hyperthermic treatment of a patient""s blood has been well accepted as a cancer treatment. Sites et al. recognized that the hyperthermic treatment of blood could be used to treat for cancer, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), collagen vascular diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma, hepatitis, and Epstein-Barr virus. Sites et al. did not, however, recognize the need to regulate the biochemical reactions fundamental to the metabolic welfare of the organisms within a patient""s blood while the viruses within the patient""s blood are eliminated.
During hyperthermia, pCO2 varies directly with a change in body temperature. It is desirous to hold the bloods CO2 content constant during alpha-stat regulation, thereby requiring an inverse relationship between air convection requirements and body temperature. Alpha-star  Alpha-stat maintains constant CO2 by regulating pCO2. Hence, utilizing the alpha-stat technique for blood gas-management is advantageous in that the pH gradient across the cellular membrane is preserved throughout the range of temperatures encountered during hyperthermia.
The present invention includes an apparatus and method for use in performing extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia maintaining a constant CO2 content by regulating the pH, pCO2, and base excess of the blood. The apparatus and method consolidate and coordinate components used in treatments. They, thereby, address many of the dictates and solve many of the problems of the related art.
The problems alluded to above are solved in accordance with the present invention by providing an apparatus and method for extracorporeal hyperthermic treatment of a patient""s blood. By direct control of pulmonary ventilation through manipulation of respiratory rate, the pCO2, the total CO2, and the pH can be maintained throughout the procedure according to alpha-stat parameters, ensuring that electrolyte balance is maintained throughout. In a recent clinical trial of 6 AIDS patients at 41xc2x0 to 42xc2x0 C. for up to 220 min., this technique was implemented with outstanding results. No electrolyte replacement was required in any patient during the procedure, nor was there ever a need to administer sodium bicarbonate for metabolic acidosis.
The apparatus of the present invention consists of a blood flow circuit which is cannulated to the patient. The blood flow circuit comprises several noncontinuous conduits coupled in series to the following: a Blood Gas Analyzer (BGA) or probes connected to a BGA, pump, pressure transducer, heat exchanger, temperature probe, filter, flow probe, and clamps. If desired, the entire flow circuit could be a disposable unit, whereby a medical treatment facility could inhibit the possibility of contamination of the blood of one patient by the blood of another patient previously treated (cross-contamination). A blood flow circuit, similar to the blood flow circuit described by Sites et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,142 may be used, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference.
A motor which drives the pump is coupled physically to the pump and electrically to a microprocessor. The microprocessor controls the speed of the motor and consequently the rate the blood is pumped through the flow circuit. The BGA may be linked to the microprocessor or may be a stand alone unit. The microprocessor is also connected to the heat exchanger, thereby allowing the operator to vary the temperature of the blood. Leads from the temperature probe, flow probe, and pressure transducer are connected to an analog/digital converter which is coupled to the microprocessor. The microprocessor utilizes the information from the probes, transducer and BGA is controlling the motor and heat exchanger.
Within the BGA is an analyzer which analyzes the blood gases, including the blood pH and pCO2 through infra-red or chemical analysis. A pulse oximeter attached to the patient through suitable means, measures the pO2 of a patient""s blood. The microprocessor then analyzes the data associated with the blood""s pH, pCO2, pO2 and calculates the base excess of the blood normalized at 37xc2x0 C. The microprocessor is programmed to then automatically adjust the respiratory rate of the patient and either the amount of NaHCO3 or acidotic crystalloid solution (which affects the HCO3xe2x88x92 ion concentration) being introduced into the patient""s blood. This may be accomplished by adjusting the respiratory rate of the patient through ventilation or medications.
The respiratory management of the blood at constant CO2 content, while the temperature is changed, maintains a constant alpha thereby stabilizing the biochemical reactions fundamental to the metabolic welfare of organisms within the patient""s blood. The sodium bicarbonate buffering system is based upon the following equation:
H++HCO3xe2x88x92xcx9cH2CO3xcx9cH2O+CO2
Acidosis (↓pH) occurs when there is an increase of H+ (metabolic) and/or CO2 (respiratory). Respiratory acidosis is treated with changes in depth of ventilation or ventilatory rate. Metabolic acidosis is treated with the administration of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). xe2x80x9cBicarbxe2x80x9d dissociates into Na+ and HCO3xe2x88x92 which combines with H+ to form CO2 and H2O.
The blood gases, pH, pO2, pCO2, and HCO3xe2x88x92 concentration are obtained by direct measurement. Base excess (BE) is a derived parameter based upon the relationship between the measured pCO2, and HCO3xe2x88x92 concentration, and is calculated relative to the normal HCO3xe2x88x92 concentration values: 24 mEq/L in arterial blood and 26 mEq/L in venous blood.
It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to remove viruses from a patient""s blood through extracorporeal hyperthermia while regulating the acid-base equilibrium of the patient""s blood as the patient""s body temperature is changed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of treating the patient""s blood during extracorporeal hyperthermic treatment, whereby, the biochemical reactions fundamental to the metabolic welfare of the organisms in a patient""s blood is stabilized.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an economical apparatus for the hyperthermic treatment of blood which regulates the patients blood to keep the acid-base equilibrium of the blood constant, wherein all components in contact with the patient""s blood are disposable.
These and other objects and advantages as well as these and other features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals in the several view refer to corresponding parts.

Extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia using alpha-stat regulation of blood pH and pCO2


A protective trim system is provided which protects the surface of an underlying solid body. The system includes an elongated trim member which is attached to a surface and is movable away from the surface to protect the underlying body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices and methods for protecting automobile surfaces.
2. Background and Objects of the Invention
The problem of protecting the outer surface of an automobile from inadvertent impact from swinging doors and the like is not new. U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,695 issued to McBee, for example, shows a bumper for use on the side of an automobile. The protection device shown by this patent is designed to be attached to a window channel, roof trim or top of an opened window. A collapsible car body guard member is suspended from the position where it has been secured to protect the body of the automobile from opened car doors. The problem with this type of device is readily apparent. This protective bumper requires that the user physically place it on his car every time he uses it and storage of this device within the car is necessary.
There are a number of other patents which also recognize that automobiles are prone to damage when the door of an adjacent automobile is opened. These patents focus on protecting the door of the adjacent automobile by placing a protection device on the door which is opened. For example a retractable door bumper is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,510 which utilizes a mechanical assembly to extend a marproof bumper upon opening a door.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,193 shows a retractable protector for an automobile door. This device extends beyond the normal contour of an automobile door when the automobile door is opened, to protect adjacent cars. This device is retracted when the door is closed and therefore cannot be used to protect the door from adjacent cars.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,264 shows a door edge guard which is activated upon opening a door; a plunger is used to activate the door protection guard when the door is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,338 is an edge guard mechanism for the edge of a vehicle door. This device is connected to the latching mechanism of an automobile and is intended to extend upon opening the door. Although this door edge guard forms a part of the trim of an automobile, it does not protect the length of the door from adjacent automobiles hitting against the door. In fact, when a car having the device taught by this patent is parked with the door closed it is not protected from adjacent cars.
It is well known to put trim on a car for both decoration and protection from contact with adjacent objects. The protection afforded by conventional trim is limited to the thickness of the actual trim. Considering the irregularities of the contours of doors, a misalignment of the trim on a subject door with the edge of an adjacent door will not provide protection if the trim does not extend beyond a necessary limit. Since conventional trim must have an aesthetic component as well as a protective component, it is desired that trim for a car door not be thick or bulky. It can be appreciated therefore that there is a often a compromise between aesthetic appeal of the trim and its functional utility as a protective device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,196 teaches a device for protecting the side of an automobile. This device requires manually extending a device away from the surface to be protected.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a decorative trim which can serve the purpose of protecting the side of an automobile.
Another object of the invention is to provide a trim for an automobile which is movable independently from the movement of the object it is intended to protect.


A painter's box including provisions for painter's supplies and being supportable on an easel, the box including both a base and lid, the base including opposed top and bottom portions interconnected by opposed side portions, the bottom portion being provided with a groove for interconnection with an easel, the lid including a female connection area for interlocking with a male connector mounted on the easel.

Over the years, there have been many proposals to provide a structure which combine the canvas support of an easel with a painter's box which supports the painter's paints, brushes and other supplies. Such devices have generally combined, in one structure, both the box and canvas support, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,630. Others have combined the box with an easel through use of substantial modification of both the box and easel with the box including separate support legs and being substantially permanently attached to the easel. This type of device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,212,188. A number of other proposals have been made to removable connect palettes to easels as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,893 or D305,670, but without provision for artist's supplies or only for brushes as in U.S. Pat. No. 289,700. Finally, palettes have been combined with easels as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,651 or previously cited U.S. Pat. No. 1,212,188.
However, none of the prior art has provided a simple box-easel combination which does not require additional ground support, is easily mounted and demounted from a conventional easel and which contains provisions for all necessary artist's supplies.


A waterproofing composition may include coal tar, an acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer, and ground roofing shingles. A waterproofing composition may further include a solvent or water. A water-based waterproofing composition may include a clay (e.g. a ball clay). A method of preparing a waterproofing composition may include mixing a coal tar, an acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer, and ground roofing shingles to form a mixture; and heating the mixture to a temperature of at least about 160° C. to form a waterproofing composition.

There are a great many infrastructure constituents which require efficient and effective waterproofing materials over very extensive areas of surface applications. Asphalt and coal tar (known as bitumens) products have been used to address these critical performance needs. Because of their chemical make-up, asphalt and coal tar are both effective at creating waterproof surfaces. Coal tar has been shown to be at the highest performance level of water impermeability and resistance and is considered the preferred choice in long-term effectiveness.


The present invention provides an AMOLED IR drop compensation system and method. The AMOLED IR drop compensation system includes an AMOLED display panel that is divided into a plurality of zones, an image detection module, a data signal correction module, and an IR drop compensation module and may achieve zone-wise linear compensation for IR drop. The AMOLED IR drop compensation method includes dividing an AMOLED display panel in a direction of extension of a power line into a plurality of zones, applying an image detection module to detect a data signal of an image to be displayed and determine if the image to be displayed is a pure color image, applying a data correction module to convert the data signal of a pure color image to be displayed, and applying an IR drop compensation module to conduct zone-wise linear IR drop compensation for each of the plurality of zones by adjusting the variation of the data signal of each of the sub-pixels of each of the zones of the AMOLED display panel. The present invention can effectively compensate IR drop and overcome the problem of the image quality being not homogeneous caused by IR drop when an AMOLED display panel is displaying a pure color image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to an active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) IR drop compensation system and method.
2. The Related Arts
Organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices have various advantages, including being self-luminous, low driving voltage, high luminous efficiency, short response time, high resolution and contrast, approximately 180 degree view angle, wide operation temperature range, and being capable of flexible displaying and large-area full-color displaying, and is thus considered one of the display devices that have the most prosperous future.
The OLED display devices can be classified in two types, which are passive matrix OLED (PMOLED) and active matrix OLED (AMOLED), namely direct addressing and thin-film transistor (TFT) matrix addressing, according to how it is driven. The AMOLED comprises pixels arranged in an array and is a type that actively displays, having high luminous efficiency, and is commonly used in high-definition large-sized display devices. The light emission units of the AMOLED are each independently controlled through TFT addressing. The light emission unit and the TFT addressing circuit collectively form a pixel structure that is driven by being loaded with a direct-current source voltage (OVDD) through a power signal line.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a structure of a large-sized AMOLED display device. The AMOLED display device comprises a display panel 1, a power line L for transmission of a source voltage OVDD, an Xboard 3, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 4. As shown in FIG. 2, pixel driving circuits associated with n pixels are connected, one by one, to the power line L that transmits the source voltage OVDD, where n is a positive integer greater than one, and each of the pixel driving circuits comprises a typical 2T1C structure, which comprises a switch thin-film transistor T1, a driving thin-film transistor T2, a storage capacitor C, and an organic light-emitting diode D. In an ideal condition, the impedance of the power line L for the transmission of the source voltage OVDD can be neglected, meaning no IR drop occurs during the transmission of the source voltage VODD and the electrical current I that flows through each pixel driving circuit is identical in the display of a pure color and consequently, the brightness of the OLEDs of all areas should be identical, providing excellent homogeneity.
However, as shown in FIG. 3, in an actual condition, there is inevitably impedance existing along the power line L for transmission of the source voltage OVDD and IR drop is induced by the source voltage VODD transmitted along the power line L. With the sizes of the AMOLED display panels getting larger and the resolution becoming greater, the length of the power line L is increased and the impedance increased. Reference being had to FIG. 1, the level of the source voltage at location that is close to the FPC 4 and thus the site where the power is fed in is higher than that at a location distant from the site where the power is fed in.
Under the assumption that the impedance of the power line L associated with the ith pixel driving circuit is Ri, where i=1, 2, 3, . . . , n, and the electrical current flowing through the ith pixel driving circuit is Ii, the level of source voltage associated with the ith pixel is OVDDi, which can be calculated with the following formula:OVDDi=OVDDi−1−(Σm=im=nIm)Ri
Following the direction in which the electrical current flows, the voltage division resulting from impedance of the power line L is greater at a location that is more rearward. Eventually, the source voltage OVDDi applied to the OLED is decreased with the sequence of arrangement of the n pixels. In displaying a pure color, since the electrical current Ii that flows through the ith pixel driving circuit is related to the source voltage OVDDi, different pixels have different outputs of electrical current, leading to different levels of brightness at different areas of a display panel so that the image homogeneity is poor and the displayed image quality is affected.

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A method and system for modifying power rails of an integrated circuit having improved wireability. This is accomplished by initially generating a power railing design of the integrated circuit into a three-dimensional rail based model. Next, analysis of the design is performed as to placement of the power rails in relation to neighboring elements that affects a predefined wireability. Finally, modification of a segment of each power rail that affects wireability is performed so that required power supply to the neighboring elements (e.g., pins, rails etc.) remains unaffected.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the physical design of semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly to a physical design methodology and tools which automatically modify power shapes to improve overall wireability in congested areas and provide access to inaccessible pins or logic service terminals (LSTs).
2. Description of the Related Art
During physical design of integrated circuits, automatic placement tools are typically used to obtain placement for functional library cells in the design. Automatic power routing tools are typically used to route the power rails of the design. Congestion analysis tools are used to analyze the resulting design after placement and power routing has been completed and prior to final signal wiring. Congestion analysis gives an early indication of the likely success of signal wiring. International Business Machines Corporation of Armonk, N.Y., USA provides placement, power routing, congestion analysis and detail wiring in their commercially available ChipBench tool suite. A cell-3 brand automatic layout tool (available from Cadence Design of Santa Clara, Calif., USA) provides similar functionality. In highly congested areas of the design, it is desirable to reduce the congestion to improve the success of automatic wiring. Typical power shapes tend to be periodic rails on each metal level spanning large areas of the design. Power rails on adjacent metal levels are connected by power vias at their intersections forming a three dimensional power grid. Congestion could be reduced by using significantly smaller power shapes during power routing. However, this dramatically increases the number of power shapes, which impacts the storage and performance of the layout related tools. Thus, it is an object of the invention to utilize unmodified power rail shapes whenever possible to maintain current tool performance and memory usage and at the same time reduce congestion by modifying power shapes in highly congested areas.
Additionally, input/output LSTs (pins or logic service terminals) of placed library cells sometimes become blocked by the power rails during power routing, making connection impossible. It is desirable to ensure all pins are accessible prior to automatic signal wiring.
Reducing congestion and improving pin accessibility increases the ability to complete automatic wiring successfully. Thus, there has arisen a need for an efficient method of modifying power shapes to reduce congestion and improve wireability in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design.
It is therefore one object of this invention to provide an automatic physical design tool to reduce wiring congestion and improve wireability in an ASIC design that is independent of the underlying design methodology.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an automatic physical design tool that improves pin accessibility and therefore increases wireability in an ASIC design that is independent of the underlying design methodology.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a physical design methodology that has no major impact on the memory requirements or performance of other tools in the layout tool suite used for a given ASIC design.
In accordance with these and other objectives, the present invention provides a design tool and methodology which detect congested wiring areas of a design or inaccessible pins of a design, and replaces the power rail structure(s) in these areas with a modified power structure(s) that reduces wiring congestion and allows pin access. In a first embodiment of the invention, a three-dimensional model of the ASIC design is used. The inputs to the invention are the various shapes currently in the ASIC design and their interconnections which includes, but is not limited to, power shapes, circuit placement, pins, and abstracted blockages. For all inaccessible pins blocked on the metal level above by a power rail, the invention removes select areas of the power rail on the metal level directly above each pin while maintaining interconnection with other power shapes. The first embodiment operates in an iterative manner from metal level to metal level until complete.
Another embodiment of the invention includes an alternative power pattern for the power rails to relieve wiring congestion in affected areas of an ASIC design. This embodiment of the invention determines areas of the design that benefit by changing the power rail pattern from an initial pattern to an alternative pattern such as stitches or staples. The second embodiment can operate in an iterative manner to achieve a desired wireability result.
ASIC images which include power patterns and image metals are combined to create an ASIC power grid from chip wire bond pads or chip C4 balls (depending on the ASIC package requested) to the ASIC cells. These images are pre-designed and not modified during a typical ASIC physical design process so as not to impact the ASIC chip turn-around-time. The image and power patterns are analyzed for IR drop and electromigration (EM) using worst case power requirements for each image/package offering during the early development of each new ASIC technology. xe2x80x9cRailMillxe2x80x9d tool, available from Synopsys Inc., Mountain View, Calif., USA is a commercial reliability simulator that analyzes power network voltage drop of an IC network. The image power grid described in this invention was designed and analyzed for IR drop and EM using the M2 power staple pattern described below. The M2 power staple pattern, when compared with the other M2 power patterns of stitches or rails, is the least electrically robust though not significantly due to other pinch points in the power grid on other levels. Therefore the process described in this invention of converting M2 power rails to either stitches or staples is electrically accounted for in the initial image analysis and not required to be re-analyzed after each change to the M2 power grid.
Thus, the invention provides a method and system for modifying power rails of an integrated circuit to improve wireability. This is accomplished by initially generating a model of a three-dimensional rail based power grid. Next, analysis of the design is performed as to the location of the power rails in relation to neighboring elements (e.g., pins, rails, blockages, etc.) with respect to congestion and pin accessibility that affects a predefined wireability. Finally, modification of a segment of each power rail that affects wireability is performed so that required power supply potential to the neighboring elements remains unaffected.

Method and system of modifying integrated circuit power rails


An electrostatic spray system has a support for a liquid container, and the high voltage components mounted through isolators for providing electrical insulation relative to a low voltage or grounded support. The liquid container is connected to a pump that provides the liquid under pressure, after an electric charge is applied to the liquid on the exterior of the liquid container. The liquid container has an open top, and a sprinkler head adds liquid to the liquid container. The sprinkler head is mounted on the low voltage support, but all high voltage components are electrically isolated from low voltage components to insure there is little current leakage back to ground.

The present invention relates to a system for providing an electrostatic charge on liquids to be applied to other objects utilizing equipment that is simple to manufacture and use and is electrically isolated from low voltage supports in a manner to reduce the leakage of current to ground.
Various electrostatic spray systems have been advanced for spraying materials. U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,617 discloses an electrostatic spray system which utilizes two containers, with liquid transfer between the containers. An electrostatic charge is applied to a liquid in one container and the liquid is then sprayed onto plants, for example. This device requires two closed tanks that are pressurized and requires control over the current flow between the tanks for operation.
Another arrangement for applying coating materials utilizing an electrostatic spray system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,055. An enclosed tank is provided for sprinkling a coating supply, and the unit is then passed across a high voltage electrode on the interior of a hose which carries liquid to a spray gun. An enclosed system is disclosed, with venting to atmosphere and with the use of a grounded outer housing.
It has been discovered that using an open-top container, and controlling the spacing between a head sprinkling liquid into the container and then providing an electrostatic charge to the liquid as it is pumped from the container provides a simplified construction since the container, the pump and other parts are isolated from ground through suitable insulators.

Frame mounted isolated motor driven electrostatic spray system


An approach for index B-tree page creation associated with linear sequential insertions in database management systems (DBMS). A linear pre-splitter receives a current index leaf page for linear sequential insertion. The linear pre-splitter asynchronously creates index leaf pages where the current index leaf page is in a predetermined position at least one page away from a last index leaf page. The linear pre-splitter updates index leaf page position identifiers associated with the index leaf pages where the index leaf page position identifiers link the index leaf pages and the last index leaf page and the linear pre-splitter inserts index leaf page identifiers and index key metadata associated with each of the index leaf pages into index non-leaf pages.

The present invention relates generally to relational database systems, and more specifically, to maintenance of an index B-Tree during repetitive sequential database inserts.
An index B-Tree (e.g., binary tree index) is a data structure that can be used by a Database Management System (DBMS) and/or Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) to organize index data (e.g., data table key fields, index key values, etc.) in a logical tree, maintained in a sorted arrangement, to enable efficient index data searching.
As data records are inserted into database table(s), corresponding index entries are added to an index B-Tree in an appropriate position in an index leaf page (e.g., an allocated space representing a group of index entries and/or B-Tree leaves) based on an index value magnitude positioned between other respective lower or higher index value B-Tree leafs (e.g., index entries). Each index leaf page has a fixed size in a DBMS and when an insert operation exceeds the capacity of an index leaf page (e.g., B-Tree leaf consumption) an "index split" operation is performed. An "index split" allocates and creates a new index leaf page and moves part of the information from an original index leaf page into the new index leaf page. The index split results in two index leaf pages comprising empty B-Tree leaves capable of storing additional data (e.g., index key values).
The process of performing an index B-Tree split and the effect on modifying a B-Tree structure can be considered an expensive DBMS operation due to the overhead of copying and arranging data in an index B-Tree during the index split. As page space is allocated during an index split, computing resources such as, but not limited to, CPU and I/O can cause index locking and during numerous linear sequential insert operations, index leaf pages can become quickly filled. When available B-Tree pages are exhausted, an index split can be performed and as each new B-Tree page is created and filled, a linear sequential insert operation can be slowed due to pauses caused by each index split (e.g., synchronous operation).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Index B-tree maintenance for linear sequential insertion

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate structure including a substrate, semiconductor fins extending in a first direction on the substrate, a hardmask layer on the semiconductor fins, and an isolation region surrounding the semiconductor fins and having an upper surface flush with the hardmask layer, the isolation region including a first region on a side of the semiconductor fins in the first direction and a second region on a side of the semiconductor fins in a second direction different from the first direction. The method also includes removing the hardmask layer, etching a portion of the first region above the semiconductor fins, forming a mask layer on the semiconductor fins and a remaining first region, etching the second region such that an upper surface of the remaining second region is lower than an upper surface of the semiconductor fins, and removing the mask layer.

For improving the fin field effect transistor (FinFET) performance, distal ends of the fin of a FinFET is etched to form a recess, and a semiconductor material is epitaxially grown in the recess to introduce stress into the channel. A dummy gate structure may be formed on a shallow trench isolation (STI) to improve the morphology of the epitaxially grown semiconductor material.

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (BEIJING) CORPORATION


A system and method that produces stereoscopic images modifies a vertex shader program that was intended to produce a single monoscopic image. When executed, the modified vertex shader program generates a first image of a stereoscopic image pair based on a first viewpoint and generates a second image of the stereoscopic image pair based on a second viewpoint.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to graphics image generation and, more specifically, to the generation of stereoscopic graphics images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional three-dimensional (3D) graphics processing includes producing stereoscopic image pairs using a fixed function graphics pipeline. A first image of the stereoscopic image pair is generated based on a first viewpoint and a second image of the stereoscopic image pair is generated based on a second viewpoint. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a prior art stereoscopic image projection in the xz plane in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. An object 130 is projected onto an image plane 100 viewed from a first viewpoint 120 corresponding to a viewer's left eye and a second viewpoint 115 corresponding to a viewer's right eye. Points 110 and 105 represent the position of object 130 in image plane 100 for each of the two different viewpoints.
A stereoscopic image pair corresponding to a single monoscopic image may be generated by a fixed function graphics pipeline by changing the viewpoint transformation matrix used to compute vertex positions of an object, such as object 130. Therefore, a graphics application program, such as a computer game program, intended to generate only monoscopic images may be used to generate stereoscopic images without any modification. Specifically, each image is generated twice, using two different viewpoint matrices to generate the stereoscopic image pair. Generation of the stereoscopic image pair is controlled by the graphics processor device driver and does not require any changes to the graphics application program.
With the advent of programmable graphics pipelines that are configured using vertex shader programs, the transformation matrix is not easily changed by the device driver in order to compute different vertex positions for an object. The graphics application program must therefore be designed to include stereoscopic support rather than relying on the device driver for stereoscopic support.
Accordingly, there is a need to configure a graphics processing pipeline to generate stereoscopic images using a vertex shader program, thereby enabling a graphics application program intended for monoscopic image generation to be used to generate stereoscopic image pairs.


A fire and explosion suppression system which is operative for suppressing an explosion within 100 milliseconds of the existence of a high energy ignition and within 200 milliseconds of the existence of a low energy ignition. Respective output signals from a detector of ultraviolet radiation and a detector of infrared radiation are fed to a logical AND circuit to provide a third output signal indicative of simultaneous receipt of ultraviolet and infrared radiations. Actuation apparatus responsive to the third output signal then actuates extinguishing agent distribution apparatus for discharging an extinguishing agent into the volume to be protected, such as the troop compartment and/or the engine compartment of an armored vehicle.

The present invention relates to fire and explosion prevention systems.
Many systems are known on the market and have been proposed for fighting fires. Such systems employ thermal, light, heat or pressure detectors to determine the existence of a fire or explosion and to actuate fire extinguishing units and are known to be effective for suppressing fires of various origins.
There is no system presently on the market capable of effectively suppressing incipient explosions from both high energy and low energy ignitions. In order to effectively suppress an explosion such as that arising when a HEAT (High Energy Anti Tank) round strikes an armored vehicle, it is necessary to achieve suppression within approximately 100 msecs. following the onset thereof. If suppression can be achieved in this time frame, skin burns to exposed personnel can be limited to first degree and the pressure build-up can be limited to one atmosphere.
The present invention also relates to detectors for automatically sensing the presence of a dangerous condition and energizing appropriate protective apparatus. Many types of detectors are known for sensing various dangers or potentially dangerous conditions. Pressure and temperature detectors are well known as are optical flame and smoke detectors. Fire detection by sensing emitted ultraviolet radiation is also well known.
In the design of such detectors and more particularly in the design of explosion detectors, two conflicting design criteria operate. The first is minimalization of the reaction time in which an output indication signal can be provided to protective apparatus and second is reliability in the presentation of false alarms. Particularly with respect to explosion protection the short reaction time is critical since remedial measures against most types of explosion must be taken within approximately 100 msec of the onset thereof in order to prevent serious damage to life and property. Reliability is also critical since such explosion detectors are often coupled to automatic explosion prevention apparatus and it is extremely desirable that such apparatus not be operated except in the case of actual need.
A number of fire and explosion detection systems have been proposed.
Two relevant examples are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,825,754 and 3,931,521. U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,521 describes a dual spectrum infrared fire detector which is activated by the coincident receipt of radiant energy in 7-30 micron spectral band and in 0.7-1.2 micron spectral band. The long wave length spectral band is detected by using a thermal detector such as a thermopile. The detector system described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,521 suffers from the disadvantage that the short wave length detector is responsive to light in the visible band which is transmitted through the atmosphere, and the long wavelength detector operates in a region of a relatively high noise. Thus, the device operates at a relatively low sensitivity threshold of operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,754 describes a dual spectrum infrared fire detector similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,521 and also comprises a three channel infrared radiation detection system for distinguishing between large explosive fires and large explosions which cause no fire. The system described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,825,754 shares the disadvantages of the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,521 as discussed hereinabove.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,440 shows a combination ultraviolet and infrared detection system which provides an output only in the absence of ultraviolet radiation during the receipt of infrared radiation. Such a detector system is not suitable for use in detecting incipient explosions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,016 shows a combination infrared light detector and ultraviolet light detector coacting as a fire discrimination system. Since visible light is detected the false alarm rate of such a detector is increased when visible light is present in the detection environment.

Fire and explosion detection and suppression system


The present invention provides a nucleoside comprising a pyrazolopyrimidine base and a process for producing the same. In particular, the processes of the present invention comprises using a halogenated pyrazolopyrimidine base and removing the halogen after the base is coupled to a sugar moiety. The presence of the halogen on the nucleoside base allows facile and economical production of a large quantity of nucleosides.

PPG phosphoramidite is often used in synthesis of nucleotides and oligonucleotides containing pyrazolopyrimidine base(s). These nucleotides and oligonucleotides are useful in a variety of applications, including as crosslinkable probes for use in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. See for example PCT publication No. WO 90/14353, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition, oligonucleotides in which one or more purine residues have been replaced by pyrazolopyrimidines display enhanced duplex and triplex-forming ability and display enhanced mismatch discrimination ability. See, for example, Belousov et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 1998, 26, 1324-1328 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,594,121 and 6,127,121, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, PPG containing oligonucleotides have been shown to reduce self-association observed with guanine-rich oligonucleotides and quenching observed when guanine is adjacent to some fluorophore-containing oligonucleotide conjugates. See WO 00/142505.
Conventional syntheses of PPG phosphoramidite involve coupling an activated sugar moiety with a pyrazolopyrimidine base to produce a nucleoside containing pyrazolopyrimidine base. See, for example, Seela et al., Helv. Chim. Acta, 1986, 69, 1602-1613. Further reactions are then carried out to produce PPG phosphoramidite. Unfortunately, conventional processes for producing PPG phosphoramidite require a numerous chromatography separations including that of the nucleoside produced from coupling an activated sugar moiety to a pyrazolopyrimidine base. Typically, chromatography purification of a compound is not suitable for a large scale (e.g., tens or hundreds of grams or more) production because a chromatography process is generally time consuming and labor intensive. Moreover, a large scale chromatography purification process requires a correspondingly large amount of chromatography material, e.g., silica gel and chromatography solvent(s), which increases the production cost of PPG phosphoramidite. Because the pyrazolopyrimidine base containing nucleoside is produced relatively early in the conventional synthesis of PPG phosphoramidite, purification of this nucleoside by chromatography is one of the major hindrances in a cost effective large scale PPG phosphoramidite synthesis.
Therefore, there is a need for a process which is amenable for a large scale production of PPG phosphoramidite.

Process for the synthesis of pyrazolopyrimidines


The present invention relates to a trailer safety stand for temporarily supporting a conventional trailer having a landing gear, wherein the stand comprises a pedestal having a top for engaging the underside of the nose portion of a trailer and a bottom for engaging the ground; means for adjusting the height of the pedestal; a locking device for fixing the height of the pedestal; and means for actuating and de-actuating the locking device. In one embodiment of the present invention, the means for actuating and de-actuating the locking device is a lever that is pivotally connected to the pedestal at a first point along the lever and connected to the locking device at a second point along the lever. When a force is applied away from the pedestal at a third point along the lever, the locking device is actuated and the height of the pedestal is fixed. When a force is applied toward the pedestal at the third point along the lever, the locking device is de-actuated and the height of the pedestal is adjustable.

Landing gear for articulated trailers allows the raising, lowering and support of the forward end of the trailer in the engagement and disengagement from the prime mover (alternatively known as the tractor or truck) and allows the trailer to be freestanding whilst not in transit. In most instances the trailer itself is decoupled from a prime mover and then re-coupled to either the same prime mover or another depending on the logistics appropriate to the use.
A typical scenario is where a trailer is delivered to a loading dock for loading or unloading. The trailer will typically be loaded up to twenty tons in weight, and in some instances up to twenty five tons, on one trailer. The prime mover positions the trailer in the loading dock. The operator will de-latch the kingpin from the turntable (alternatively known as the fifth wheel) and disconnect the service lines. The operator will then manually lower the legs of the landing gear. The operator will then raise the forward end of the trailer to clear the trailer king pin from the turntable of the prime mover. Once the trailer king pin is clear of the prime mover turntable the prime mover can be driven clear of the trailer to leave the trailer freestanding. The prime mover is then typically utilized elsewhere in a more productive role than being idle whilst the trailer is loaded or unloaded. The trailer will then be loaded or unloaded which may take a portion of an hour or it may take several days. Once the trailer is loaded or unloaded, a prime mover will then return to the trailer for the removal from the loading dock.
Under certain conditions of loading and unloading, there is a potential for trailer nose or tail diving. Seldom used or rusted landing gear may collapse under extreme weight conditions. When fork-trucks load or unload at the front of trailers, the trailer can become nose heavy and tip over. An unsupported spotted trailer can collapse with fork truck and diver inside, creating a hazardous situation. Trailer tip over caused by rusted or faulty landing gear can be very costly with injuries to employees, downtime, and loss of product.
Currently, devices known as "trailer jacks" or "trailer stands" are often used to act as a safety support under the front end of a trailer when it is being loaded or unloaded with the trailer resting on its support legs rather than on a tractor fifth wheel or converter dolly. Many of these known devices use mechanical means to adjust the height of the support which are exposed such as cranks and gears that must be ratcheted or cranked up and down. These known devices may fail due to corrosion and friction between gears causing wear. Such devices include the Bulter/Kelly Trailer Stand and T&S Models and the Roto Riser™ trailer stand from TMI Inc. Other devices use hydraulic or pneumatic means to adjust the height of the support. One such device is the AUTO-RISER™ trailer stand from TMI Inc. which uses a gas activated leveling system and a security locking pin. The AUTO-RISER™ trailer stand requires the operator to bend over or to squat down to insert and remove the security locking pin, the act of which may result in injury to the operator.


A remote-controlled latch assembly having a latch plate assembly with a latch plate attached to a shank of a hoist hook. A latch is attached to the latch plate and is disposed across a throat of the hook. A latch operating assembly is also attached to the latch plate assembly and includes a drive motor for causing the latch to rotate to an open position. An electronics package, including a radio receiver, is disposed adjacent the drive motor and in electronic communication therewith. The operating assembly further includes an electrical power source for supplying electrical power to the electronics package and the drive motor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to latches for hoist hooks and, more particularly, to a radio-controlled gravity latch assembly for a hoist hook.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In various construction and industrial applications, hoist hooks having some type of latch assembly are used to move large, heavy loads from one location to another. Generally, a latch located across the throat of the hook is manually retracted to open the throat of the hook and a bail or choker attached to the load is slipped on to the hook. The latch is then manually replaced to its original position to close the throat of the hook thus preventing the load from accidentally slipping off of the hook during transit. In normal circumstances, at least one and frequently two workmen are required to retract the latch from the hook throat and position the bail on the hook. Further, once the load has been moved to a new position, at least one workman is required to walk up to the hook and manually retract the latch to allow the load to be released. Thus, the attachment and release of the load to the hook pose safety hazards for workers who must manually open and close the latch to allow the load to be attached or released. In addition to the problem of personnel safety, a considerable amount of man-hours is lost by requiring workers to perform these duties manually.
An example of a typical prior art gravity-biased hook latch is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,525,292 to Greve. The Greve patent discloses a hook having a gravity latch pivotally located in the hook throat. The gravity latch has triangular-shaped sides and is pivotally mounted on the hook shank above the throat of the hook. The latch is normally biased in the closed position but can be manually retracted by a pair of handles.
To overcome the above-described shortcomings of manual latch assemblies, remote-controlled latches have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,480 to Moody discloses a remote-controlled pneumatic release device for a rotatable hook. The hook is normally retained in a load carrying position by a latch pin engaged in a recess in an upper portion of the hook. A radio receiver, batteries, switch and solenoid valve are carried in a module located above the releasing hook. A signal from a portable radio transmitter is received by the radio receiver to close the switch and energize the solenoid valve. Actuation of the solenoid valve causes transmission of compressed air to the underside of the latch pin thus disengaging the latch pin from the hook and allowing the hook to rotate and release the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,531 to Androski discloses a radio-controlled safety hook assembly having a rotatable hook carried on a frame member. A battery, radio receiver, relay switch and motor gear assembly are located in a casing above the hook. A radio frequency from a portable transmitter is transmitted to the receiver which energizes the relay and actuates the motor. The motor turns a worm gear assembly which releases a safety latch and causes the hook to pivotally rotate to an open position. However, if power is lost while the hook is in the open position, it will remain open and must be manually closed. Other examples of hook latches and remote operators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,062,084; 1,524,761; 1,576,197; 3,575,458; 4,195,872; 4,691,584; and 5,108,139.
The radio-controlled latch assemblies of the prior art are generally large, bulky, complex rotating hook arrangements which are difficult to manufacture and operate. Further, many of these prior art radio-controlled latch assemblies are difficult if not impossible to operate manually should they experience a loss of power. In addition, these prior art radio-controlled latch assemblies are generally not capable of being adapted for use with standard hoisting hooks.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, less complicated and more reliable radio-controlled latch assembly for engagement and disengagement of loads from hoisting hooks. Another object of the invention is to provide a radio-controlled latch assembly which, upon loss of electrical power, can still be easily and efficiently operated manually. A further object of the invention is to provide a radio-controlled latch assembly which can be easily installed and removed as a unit from a hoist hook.


A control stick is supported in an outer case such that it can be swung in two orthogonal directions. A moving member is fitted to the lower portion of the control stick through a coil spring. The lower end of the moving member is urged by the coil spring to a rotation-symmetrical cup-shaped inside surface of a guide case so as to make pressure contact with the inside surface. The curvature of the inside surface is determined so as to provide such a relationship that a contraction length of the coil spring is proportional to a square root of a tilt angle of the control stick from its neutral position.

The present invention relates to what is called a "joystick".
One of conventional joysticks is of what is called a "torsion spring type" in which a torsion spring is engaged with a rotary shaft of each of a pair of variable resistors so as to automatically return a control stick to its central neutral position, as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 55-17379. However, in such a joystick, since a force for holding the control stick is determined by the resilient forces of the torsion springs, the holding force varies depending on the tilt angle and direction of the control stick as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the symbols accompanying the coordinates, .theta..sub.1, .theta..sub.2 and F, represent the tilt angles in the X and Y directions and the stick-holding force, respectively. The variation of the holding force greatly deteriorates the ease of manipulating the control stick. Further, the holding force, which is a force for returning the control stick back to the central position, becomes smaller, as the tilt angle decreases. This in turn reduces the accuracy in returning the control stick to the central position.
To solve the above problems, the present applicant developed a joystick of a "coil spring type" in which a control stick is fitted with a single coil spring at its lower portion so that it can be elongated and compressed, and the lower end part of the control stick assembly slides, in pressure contact, on the inside surface of a guide case having a generally V-shaped cross-section, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Unexamined Publication No. Sho. 63-188906.
In the joystick of this type, the control stick is automatically returned to its central position by the resilient force of the coil spring fitted to the control stick in its lower portion. Since the control stick holding force is determined by the single coil spring, the holding force becomes uniform for any tilt direction of the control stick in a concentric circle on the inside surface of the guide case. However, even in the joystick of this type, which is simply equipped with the guide case having the cup-shaped inside surface, the holding force still changes depending on the tilt angle of the stick, resulting in a subtle variation in the manipulation feeling of the stick.


A data storage element for use in LSSD compliant circuit designs. The data storage element has an alternate, or scan, data input circuit that has increased immunity to electrical noise while maintaining lower power consumption than the circuits used for primary data input. This increased noise immunity reduces the probably that noise on the alternate data input will cause an unintended change of data state stored in the data storage element. Modification of latch circuits used in the data storage element allow a reduction in the number of transistors used in the latch circuits, thereby compensating for the increase in transistors used in the alternate data input circuit and allowing the data storage element to use the same number of transistors as prior designs that have less noise immunity on their alternate data inputs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to digital circuitry and more specifically to data retaining circuit elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic circuit designs are increasingly being optimized for lower power and smaller size requirements for better incorporation into integrated circuit designs. The increase in complexity and gate count within integrated circuits also requires that testability of the circuit be addressed in the designs of integrated circuits. One general methodology of integrated circuit testability is referred to as Level Sensitive Scan Design (LSSD). An LSSD circuit complies with a set of design rules that enhances the observablity and controllability of digital circuit elements so as to enhance testability of integrated circuits.
Data storage elements, which are circuits that retain a logical value, used in LSSD compliant circuits incorporate a design that allows data to be loaded into a storage element through an alternate data input. This alternate input is generally used for circuit test and stimulation. Loading a data storage element with a particular value allows, for example, placing a sequential logic circuit into a desired state. Data storage elements used in LSSD compliant circuits often have alternate data inputs that have a lower bandwidth than the primary data input in order to economize in power and circuit substrate size. This alternate input is sometimes referred to as a "scan input" since it allows a pre-defined state to be "scanned" into the sequential circuit using these data storage elements.
The alternate data input of data storage elements used in LSSD compliant circuits include an alternate data input and an alternate clock input. When the alternate clock input is at a logical low level, the alternate data input is inhibited and no change in storage element state is made. However, the circuit designs of conventional Data storage elements use an alternate data input structure that is somewhat susceptible to electrical noise on the alternate data input. A noise spike of sufficient amplitude on the alternate data input can cause the stored data state of the data storage element to change, even when the alternate clock input is at a logical low level.
A block diagram of a data storage element 100 used in LSSD compliant circuits is shown in FIG. 1. The exemplary data storage element 100 includes two latches, latch L1114 and latch L2118. Latch L1114 has two sets of inputs, a primary input 106 that includes a primary data input D 102 and a primary clock input C 104. The exemplary data storage element 100 further includes an alternate input 112 with an alternate data input I 108 and an alternate clock input A 110. In normal operation of the data storage element 100, data is provided on the primary input D 102 and this data value is selected for storage into latch L1114 upon a transition of the primary clock input C 104 from low to high. The data storage element is also able to select for storage data from the alternate data input 112 by providing a data value on the alternate data input I 108 and then causing this value to be stored into latch L1114 upon a transition of the alternate clock input A 110. Once a data value is stored in L1114, this value is available, after a propagation delay, at the L1 Output 116. The logical value that is present on the L1 Output 116 is stored into latch L2118 upon a transition of clock B 120 from a logical low level to a logical high level. After the L1 Output 116 is stored into latch L2, that logic value is available, after a propagation delay, on the L2 output 122.
An exemplary prior art data storage element circuit 200 for the data storage element 100 is illustrated in FIG. 2. The prior art data storage element circuit 200 has a prior art latch L1 circuit 290, which performs the function of latch L1114 of the data storage element 100, and a prior art latch L2292, which performs the function of latch L2116 of the data storage element 100. Of particular interest in this prior art data storage element circuit 200 is the circuit connected to the alternate input I 108. This circuit consists of a transmission gate formed by transistors TPAC 202 and TNAT 204. Electrical noise typically present on the alternate input I 108 presents a problem in this circuit design when the electrical noise has an amplitude large enough to cause the transmission gate formed by transistors TPAC 202 and TNAT 204 to turn on. In an example where is a logical high or "1" value stored in the prior art Latch L1290 and the alternate clock A 110 is at a logical low value, then the state of the prior art Latch L1290 should not change. However, if there is a negative spike on the alternate clock input 1110, it is possible for the voltage difference between the source and gate of transistor TNAT 204 to be larger than the threshold voltage of that transistor. Transistor TNAT 204 will then turn on and drain the charge holding the logical high value in prior art Latch L1290. A similar scenario is possible with a logical low value is stored in prior art L1290. In that case, the alternate data input I 108 could have a positive electrical noise spike that raises the voltage of the drain of transistor TPAC 202 above VDD by more than the threshold voltage. If the prior art Latch L1290 is storing a logical low value, raising the drain of transistor TPAC 202 above VDD by more than the threshold voltage causes that value to be overwritten with a logical high value.
Alternative prior art designs that address this noise problem have attendant disadvantages. One prior art design to mitigate noise problems is reducing clock speed. Reducing clock speed has the undesirable effect of increasing the time required to perform testing of the circuit. Another prior art design to mitigate noise problems is to use inputs that incorporate a hysteresis so that the threshold level at which a data level change is recognized changes as a function of the level of the stored data. Hysteresis introduces additional circuit complexity and often increases power dissipation. Still another prior art design is to reduce the generation of noise on data lines by using "global wiring" techniques where circuit layouts for individual circuit modules within a circuit are able to extend beyond the physical area of the module itself. Combining global wiring techniques with circuit trace layout rules that prevent long lengths of parallel conductors results in circuits that have reduced noise spikes induced from other circuit traces. Global wiring techniques greatly increase the complexity of a circuit layout and are often difficult to implement and troubleshoot.
What is therefore needed is a data storage element design that includes an alternate data input structure that has increased immunity to noise on the alternate data input line when the alternate clock input is at a logical low level.

Low power data storage element with enhanced noise margin


An attachment for a direct drive gasoline or electric powered chain saw for delimbing, thinning, pruning and brushing. The attachment comprises a rigid bar of round cross-section which is secured to the blade of a chain saw at a point spaced a short distance towards the handle from the tip of the blade. When so secured, the bar has a straight portion traversing the flat of the blade at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the blade, extending forwardly and downwardly with respect thereto and upwardly and rearwardly beyond the upper edge of the blade. The bar lies substantially in a plane parallel to the plane of the blade. A second portion of the bar projects beyond the lower edge of the blade and is bent in a gradual curve through an arc radians so that its end is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blade. The bar is secured to the flat of the blade by appropriate securing means and is preferably spaced from the surface of the blade. The attachment provides an effective means for cradling small branches and the like to steady them while being cut while at the same time reducing kickback of the chain saw or damage to adjacent foliage or vegetation.

This invention relates to an attachment for a direct drive gasoline or electric powered portable chain saw, and more particularly relates to an attachment for such a chain saw for delimbing, thinning, pruning and brushing.
Several problems arise when a portable chain saw is put to use for which it was not primarily designed, for example, for cutting wood of relatively small diameter (e.g. two inches or less). In addition to the ever present danger of kickback, it may be difficult to hold a sapling or small branch steady to enable the teeth of the chain to cut. Moreover, when using a chain saw in brush or closely spaced trees, there is a difficulty in accurately cutting without damaging adjacent brush or trees.
To facilitate such operations, straight prongs, of flat cross-section secured to the flat of the blade at varied locations thereon, and protruding therefrom in various orientations have been proposed in the past. A prong extending forwardly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chain saw blade is described and illustrated in Robinson U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,607 issued Aug. 1, 1972; a prong protruding diagonally, laterally from a middle location along the length of the saw blade is described and illustrated in Graves, et al Canadian Pat. No. 585,268 issued Oct. 20, 1959; a similar type of prong, positioned towards the front tip of adjacent chain saw blade is described and illustrated in Canadian Pat. No. 524,343 of Budd issued Apr. 24, 1956. Haddan U.S. Pat. No. 2,925,105 issued Feb. 16, 1960 describes and illustrates a straight, flat prong for either central or tip positioning on a blade, the angle of which is adjustable. The prong has two spaced sides, the chain of the saw passing through a space between the sides. Multiple blade attachments are described and illustrated in Hayden U.S. Pat. No. 2,642,901 issued June 23, 1953 and Jakku U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,034 issued Dec. 28, 1954.
While such prior art devices may be effective for limited purposes, their applications are restricted by the angle of the prong, the location and orientation in which the prong is attached to the blade, and the construction of the prong itself. For example the space between the double sided prong, between which the chain runs, would permit brush to build up and become clogged therein if it were used for brush cutting or cutting of other relatively fine vegetation. Some prior art devices provide an attachment means to the blade which has a front edge surface positioned normal to the longitudinal axis of the blade. This creates an abuttment to material being cut to prevent such material from passing freely over and beyond the blade. In operations using most of these devices there is no physical means to limit the size of material being cut and, during cutting, mechanical guiding of the material being cut is either partial or absent. Finally, with the vibration involved in operating a chain saw particularly in confined quarters when pruning or the like, the flat prongs of such prior art devices provide a sharp edge which may rub against adjacent foliage and cut or damage such foliage during the cutting operation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a chain saw attachment which will be versatile in enabling the chain saw to effectively delimb, thin and prune foliage over a wide range of conditions and sizes. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an attachment which will enable such activity to be carried out with minimal damage to adjacent foliage.


The aqueous ink white pigment of the present embodiment contains a metal compound (1) which satisfies the following specific conditions of (A), (B), and (C).                (A) The metal compound (1) described above includes titanium dioxide, and a metal compound (2) where a refractive index at a wavelength of 550 nm is 1.60 or more and 2.45 or less,        when the total of the titanium dioxide described above and the metal compound (2) described above is 100 wt %, the content of the titanium dioxide described above is 50 wt % or more and 99 wt % or less and the content of the metal compound (2) described above is 1 wt % or more and 50 wt % or less.        (B) The peak value of the volume particle size distribution of the metal compound (1) which is measured with a dynamic light scattering method is in a range of 100 to 700 nm.        (C) The pore volume of the metal compound (1) described above which is calculated with the BJH (Barrett-Joyner-Halenda) method is 0.1 ml/g or more and 0.65 ml/g or less.

In recent years, ink jet printing has attracted attention as a method of forming images such as text, pictures, and patterns on substrates such as transparent films. Ink jet printing is a printing method where printing is performed by causing small droplets of ink to fly and attach to a recording medium such as paper. In a case where printing is performed on such a substrate, it is necessary to cover the base in order to improve the color of the printed matter. In order to cover the base, the use of a white ink with a high covering property is typical, and inorganic pigments, in particular, titanium dioxide, are often used as the pigments therein.

Aqueous ink pigment, aqueous ink composition containing the same, and images or printed matter thereof


An improved light weight, portable public address system configured with high fidelity omni-directional and high wattage directional speakers for both indoor and outdoor use with a wide variety of sound inputs assembled in a self-contained, compact housing. Optional systems provide for the remote deployment of up to two speakers and the use of a remote wireless microphone. Improved options include a unique compact configuration that allows for modular construction of all components for plug and play operation and rapid field replacement; a weatherproof housing for operation in inclement weather, and a tape player to provide prerecorded programming.

In general, public address systems are employed for the purpose of amplifying the reproduction of sound or allowing a speaker to be heard above background noise and/or by a large group of people. Portable, public address (PA) systems must address a wide variety of special problems. The environment in which such systems are frequently used may vary drastically from one location to another. For example, ball games and other athletic events or indoor lectures. The types of sounds being amplified may also vary depending on the type of event being addressed. For example, utilizing an amplified megaphone-type speaker generally used for voice amplification indoors or outdoors to play music distorts the sound, while utilizing relatively small music speakers, generally not directional, does not lend themselves to outdoor use. Acoustical feedback is always a problem with an outdoor system when used indoors. Therefore, a need exists for a more universal portable PA system that more closely meets the requirements of both indoor and outdoor environments for a variety of sound amplification. Further, a need also exists for a compact PA system that is user friendly, weather tight and readily field repairable. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact, portable PA system that is lightweight, user friendly, readily adaptable to a wide variety of environments and types of sound reproduction, battery powered, low voltage with high wattage, capable of accommodating large and small audiences and field repairable by replacement of plug and play components.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a lightweight, portable, outdoor PA system for operation in inclement weather.

Method and apparatus for a portable public address system


A pipe adapter includes a first tubular element having a first portion and a second portion axially adjacent the first portion defining a socket. A second tubular element has a first portion and a second portion axially adjacent the first portion, the first portion defining a distal end sized for insertion into the socket and having a radially extending stop. An annular sealing member is located between the first portion of the second tubular element and the second portion of the first tubular element and provides an axial seal therebetween. An annular securing member is rotatably disposed around the first portion of the second tubular element and located within and fixed to the socket. The annular securing member contacts the stop to secure the second tubular element axially relative to the first tubular element while also allowing the second tubular element to rotate relative to the first tubular element and annular securing member.

Piping has been used to transmit liquids such as drinking water, waste water, irrigation water, fire sprinkler water, sewage, and chemicals to name but a few. Often such piping is made of a plastic, such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyethylene (PE), Cross-Linked Polyethylene (PEX), or others. Piping may be installed in an environment such as within a trench in the earth, within the walls or ceiling of a building, between two already fixed but not necessarily aligned external elements, etc. Due to the general rigidity of such piping, care must be taken to accurately design, lay out and connect piping. Because adjacent pieces of piping and their fittings are often connected permanently (e.g., via an epoxy or the like), a technician connecting such elements has little flexibility in installation path and only one chance to make each connection correctly. Further, in some situations, the intended installation environment differs from the planned layout, for example, if a trench is not accurately dug or is dug differently than planned due to rocks or other unforeseen subterranean impediments, if a building is not constructed exactly to plan or plans are changed after piping layout is completed, etc. Thus, for various reasons, it can be difficult and time consuming to develop and install various types of piping systems. Also, in seismic zones, rigid pipe connections are subject to failure in case of an earthquake.
Accordingly, improvements would be welcome to piping systems that provide more flexibility in creating a layout or to a technician during installation, more reliability in case of seismic activity and/or addressing one or more drawbacks of current systems, or any other issues.