An ID recognizing system for a semiconductor manufacturing system includes IC modules set in surfaces of containers which accommodate wafers and are conveyed from one device to another in the semiconductor manufacturing system. Each IC module is capable of transmitting and receiving signals from fixed stations and includes a reloadable memory. The semiconductor manufacturing system is made up of a number of devices for performing manufacturing operations on the wafers in the containers, and each of the devices include one of the fixed stations. The IC module is powered by the energy of radio waves received from the fixed station in the device in which said container has been placed for processing of the wafers therein. The radio communication is in the form of communication packets which include data on individual wafers in the cassettes so that the individual wafers can be processed separately. The position or off-set of the data within the packet indicates the position of the corresponding wafer within the container.

This invention relates to a system for recognizing the ID numbers of cassettes or the like in a semiconductor manufacturing system in a clean room for manufacturing semiconductor wafers, liquid crystal display boards, reticles, disks, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "an ID recognizing system", when applicable).
One example of a semiconductor manufacturing system of this type is as shown in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 designates a surface treatment device incorporating a surface treatment furnace for giving surface treatment to semiconductor wafers, the device 1 having two ports (described later) arranged in parallel; 2, a wafer inspecting device; 3, a self-running type positioning robot; 4, a wafer storehouse; 4A, the apron (or entrance) of the wafer storehouse 4; a wafer washing device; and 6, a linear motor conveyor.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the aforementioned surface treatment device 1. In FIG. 9, reference numeral 10 designates a closed container with an opening 11 which is sealingly closed through a seal 12 with a lid 13. The lid incorporates an automatic locking mechanism (not shown) with a rod 14. The rod 14 is moved back and forth, so that its end is engaged with the opening 11 of the container 10. Further in FIG. 9, reference numeral 15 designates a wafer cassette, in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers W (for instance twenty-five semiconductor wafers W) are set one above another. The wafer cassette 15 is set in the container 10 when conveyed. FIG. 9 shows the container 10 including the wafer cassette 15 which container is placed on a plate 16 of the surface treatment device 1. The plate 16 forms the above-described port (or cassette taking-in-and-out ports) 16A. The container 10 is locked onto the plate 16 with lever-type locking mechanisms 17, and thereupon the self-locking mechanism of the lid 13 is released. The wafer cassette 15 together with the lid 13 is placed on the stand 18 of a lift 18 and moved downwardly, and then only the wafer cassette 15 is conveyed to the surface treatment furnace (not shown) by the conveyor. After the surface treatment of the semiconductor wafers has been accomplished, the wafer cassette 15 is moved back to the lift stand 18A on which the lid 13 has been left. Thereafter, the lift stand 18A is moved upwardly, so that the wafer cassette 15 is brought into the container 10. Under this condition, the lid 13 is locked; that is, the container 10 is closed with the lid 13 thus locked. The container 10 thus closed is moved to the apron 4A of the wafer storehouse 4 by the robot 3. In the wafer storehouse 4, a stacking crane 7 is operated to set the container 10 at a predetermined position on a shelf specified by a central control device (not shown).
Semiconductor wafers or the like should be free from dust. Therefore, a semiconductor manufacturing process is carried out in a clean room having a clean atmosphere, and heretofore the wafer cassette 15 is not covered when conveyed from one processing device to another. However, as the integration of semiconductor circuits is improved, the wafer cassette 15 is handled as follows: That is, the wafer cassette 15 is set in the closed container 10 before moved between processing devices. In addition, the closed container 10 is filled with inert gas, to suppress the formation of natural oxide films on the semiconductor wafers.
The wafer cassette 15 is moved from one processing device to another and from one processing station to another. Therefore, it is essential to read the identification (ID) of the wafer cassette 15 to determine what the latter contains. In most of the conventional cassette recognizing systems, an ID number of bar-code type affixed to the wafer cassette is optically read. In another system, a surface elastic wave is utilized to read the ID number, in a non-contact mode, from a tag affixed to the wafer cassette 15.
As was described above, in the conventional system, the ID number is of bar-code type, and it cannot be rewritten without changing the bar code. That is, in order to change it, a new bar code label must be affixed to the wafer cassette. The base plate of the bar code label forms a protrusion on the surface of the cassette or container which obstructs the self cleaning operation, with a result that a chemical washing operation cannot be carried out.
On the other hand, in association with CIM, it has been demanded that data such as the manufacture history and conditions of a wafer cassette be transferred together with the cassette and the container. However, the bar code system, being small in the quantity of data to be handled thereby, cannot satisfy this demand.

ID recognizing system in semiconductor manufacturing system


The image forming apparatus includes a housing, image forming device provided in the housing for forming a toner image onto a sheet, and a fixing device provided in the housing for heating the toner image to be fixed on the sheet. A passageway is provided adjacent to the fixing device for intaking air substantially directly from the exterior of the housing and exhausting out to the exterior so as to form a cooling passageway. An airflow controller is provided for causing said air flow to form the cooling passageway.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer, and more particularly to a technique of cooling heat sources inside the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With a copier or other image forming apparatus, an exposure lamp of an exposure device for exposing a surface of a photosensitive material, and fixing rollers for fixing a toner image to recording paper may become heated to a degree to adversely affect other components. Therefore, air is drawn into the main body of the apparatus from outside to cool the exposure lamp and fixing rollers, and the air having been used for the cooling purpose is exhausted from the main body.
On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus as noted above, ozone is generated by electric discharges from a main charger for charging the surface of the photosensitive material and from a transfer and separating charger for transferring the toner image from the surface of the photosensitive material to the recording paper. Further, toner particles, paper particles, oil mist and other such dust are scattered in the regions of a developing device and a cleaning device, for example. Thus, harmful substances such as ozone and dust are afloat inside the apparatus.
When the air used in cooling the exposure lamp and fixing rollers is exhausted from the apparatus, the ozone, dust and other harmful substances afloat in the apparatus will be discharged with the air outwardly of the apparatus. This gives rise to the problem of polluting the environment adjacent the apparatus.
More particularly, very high temperatures prevail in the vicinity of the fixing rollers or a flash fixing device for fixing the toner image by heating and in the vicinity of an optical system for scanning a document image with a halogen lamp or the like. In order to cool these components it is necessary to draw large quantities of air into the apparatus and discharge the air outwardly thereof. This results in a secondary problem in that the harmful substances such as ozone and dust inside the apparatus are inevitably discharged with the cooling air.
Such harmful substances will be generated in the apparatus even if harmful substance removing filters are provided where the harmful substances are generated as noted above, since the filters have limited capabilities and their capabilities deteriorate with lapse of time. Such harmful substances are readily exhausted from the apparatus by a cooling mechanism that produces ample air flows.
In the conventional apparatus as noted above, no concept has been employed for separating air flows of the cooling system and those for removing ozone and other harmful substances. Thus, it has been impossible to sufficiently reduce the chances of the harmful substances flowing out of the apparatus.

Image forming apparatus provided with a cooling arrangement and ozone filter


An actuator includes a stiff base member defining a bottom of the actuator; a flexible member connected to the stiff base member and having a sidewall and a contact surface on top of the flexible member, the flexible member and the stiff base member defining a fluid chamber therebetween, the sidewall having a first end connected to the stiff base member and a second end, the second end and the contact surface defining a transition area therebetween, the flexible member being configured to expand when the fluid chamber is filled with fluid; and a reaction feature placed on the transition area that is configured to govern movement of the sidewall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to actuators, and, more particularly, to actuators with flexible members.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pneumatic actuators utilize pressurized gas, such as air, to push against workpieces. Pneumatic actuators are known that include a stiff base member and a flexible member connected to the base member, with an air chamber between the flexible member and stiff base member. When the air chamber fills with pressurized air, the pressure from the air forces the flexible member away from the stiff base member and allows the surface of the flexible member to produce work on a workpiece.
To prevent destruction of the pneumatic actuator, the flexible member should not be allowed to excessively expand in the radial direction due to pressurization, or else it could rupture. The sidewall stiffness of the flexible member can affect the flexible member's resistance to rupturing and is related to the flexible member's geometry, material properties, or a combination thereof. While a high sidewall stiffness of the flexible member better resists rupture, the high sidewall stiffness can cause the flexible member to have problems returning to a collapsed position when pressurization is removed. Similarly, if the sidewall stiffness is too high, high stresses can be developed in the flexible member which lead to durability issues.
What is needed in the art is an actuator with a flexible member that can overcome some of the previously described disadvantages.

Actuator flexible member with reaction feature

Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for recovering acetic acid from an acetic acid/water waste stream which includes a dehydration column into which the stream is fed and a liquid-liquid extraction system for recovering acetic acid from the condensate of the overhead stream of the dehydration column. Optionally, low pressure and/or high pressure absorber systems are provided to process vapor and/or liquid streams associated with the recovery system and/or the plant in which the acetic acid is used to further the recovery of acetic acid and reduce atmospheric pollution.

Acetic acid is a recoverable solvent utilized in the production of terephthalic acid in many processes. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,487, British 1,583,755, Canadian 1,113,957, and Japanese 53-71034, 58-39812, 59-33579, 53-79836, and 56-4587.
Distillation has been widely used as a primary unit operation for acetic acid recovery in such processes, utilizing one or more towers to process a number of streams of varying concentrations of acetic acid with the purpose of recovering it for further use in the oxidation step. The products from the distillation tower are a bottom stream of concentrated acetic acid, and an overhead stream that ideally would be pure water.
Because of the high non-ideality of the system acetic acid/water and the equilibrium limitation in such a system, it is necessary to utilize a distillation tower with a high number of theoretical stages and high reflux ratio to be able to obtain reasonably low levels of acetic acid in the distilled water.
These involve a high investment cost because of the large dimensions of the required equipment and a high operating cost because of the high steam consumption involved. Furthermore, the traditional process scheme does not allow one to obtain economically a distillate completely free of acetic acid. This limitation, in turn, presents two main problems: a cost associated with the operation resulting from the acetic acid losses, and an environmental problem that is continually increasing, because of the ever more rigorous standards for acceptable levels of emission to the environment.
There has been an effort to look for alternatives to solve the problem. Resort has been had to azeotropic distillation, involving the addition of an additional component to the distillation tower to improve the relative volatility of the separation and reduce the separation requirements. This existing option provides some reduction in the operating costs, but it generates some additional operating and environmental problems.
A study of the vapor liquid equilibrium of the components acetic acid/water shows the difficulty in the dilute acetic region of reducing the acetic acid in the distilled water. The achievement of a reduction from the typical design value of 0.5 wt % acetic acid overhead to 0.1 wt % acetic acid overhead requires an increase in reflux ratio of about 10-15% or the inclusion of several additional theoretical stages to maintain the same reflux ratio.
Extraction of Acetic Acid in Dilute Streams
For several years it has been known that the use of liquid-liquid extraction is a way to recover acetic acid from dilute streams. Several extractive agents have been identified, and it is possible to economically recover acetic acid from streams containing 0.1 wt % acetic acid to 20% acetic acid. Some of the agents usually used are acetates, amines, ketones and phosphine oxides and mixtures thereof.
Once the extraction step is completed, a series of distillation steps are required to recover the acid and to recirculate the extractive agent back to the extraction stage. The level of impurities in the feed and the affinity of the particular extractive agent for water dictate the additional steps required in the system.

Method for recovering acetic acid from aqueous streams


There is provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode having a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode layer held to the collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode layer, a nonaqueous electrolyte held by the electrode group, and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm, wherein the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator are formed integral, and the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the negative electrode collector.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 11-089173, filed Mar. 30, 1999; and No. 11-089175, filed Mar. 30, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery.
At present, a thin lithium ion secondary battery is commercialized as a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which is adapted to be used in a portable equipment such as a portable telephone. This battery comprises a positive electrode containing lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), a negative electrode containing a graphite material or carbonaceous material, a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte comprising an organic solvent containing a lithium salt dissolved therein, a separator consisting of a porous film, and a jacket consisting of a cylindrical or rectangular metallic can.
Although it is now desired to make the battery thinner or lighter in conformity with an increasing trend for the miniaturization and thinning of a portable equipment, it has been difficult to realize a thin lithium ion secondary battery provided with the aforementioned liquid nonaqueous electrolyte and a metallic can and having a thickness of not more than 4 mm.
Meanwhile, another type of lithium ion secondary battery has been proposed and studied for further development thereof, this lithium ion secondary battery comprising an electrode group consisting of a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a polymer electrolyte layer interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, an electrolyte consisting of a polymer electrolyte, and a jacket for housing the aforementioned electrode group. It is possible, in the case of this secondary battery, to ensure the adherence of the positive and negative electrodes to the polymer electrolyte layer even if the thickness of the jacket is reduced. As a result, it is possible to employ a laminate film consisting of a thin metallic layer and a polymer film as a material for the jacket. The polymer electrolyte is composed of a gel-like polymer in which a nonaqueous electrolyte is held.
This secondary battery however is accompanied with a problem that since this secondary battery is relatively large impedance at the interface of electrode and relatively low in lithium ionic conductivity as compared with the aforementioned lithium ion secondary battery provided with a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte, this secondary battery is poor in volume energy density as well as in large discharge characteristic as compared with the aforementioned lithium ion secondary battery provided with a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte.
In view of the aforementioned circumstances, the following proposals have been made so far for thinning the lithium ion secondary battery provided with a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte.
For example, Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) H10-177865 discloses a lithium ion secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator having opposed surfaces holding an electrolyte, and an adhesive resin layer which is made from a mixed phase of an electrolyte phase, a polymer gel phase containing an electrolyte, and a polymer solid phase and adheres the positive and negative electrodes to the opposing surfaces of the separator.
Further, Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) H10-189054 discloses in the claims thereof a method of manufacturing a lithium ion secondary battery comprising the steps of; coating a separator with a binder resin solution prepared by dissolving polyvinylidene fluoride as a main component in a solvent, putting an electrode on this separator and drying these materials, as they are adhered to each other, to evaporate the solvent and thereby form a battery stacked body, and impregnating this battery stacked body with an electrolyte. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) H10-172606 discloses in the claims thereof a lithium ion secondary battery including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and holding an electrolyte containing lithium ion, and a porous adhesive resin layer holding the electrolyte and adhering the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator. The secondary battery disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) H10-172606 is constructed such that the bonding strength between the layer of positive electrode and the separator is the same with or higher than the bonding strength between the layer of positive electrode and the positive electrode collector, and that the bonding strength between the layer of negative electrode and the separator is the same with or higher than the bonding strength between the layer of negative electrode and the negative electrode collector.
However, these lithium ion secondary batteries disclosed in these publications are all accompanied with the problem that since the internal impedance thereof tends to become higher, thereby deteriorating the charge/discharge cycle life (which may be referred to hereinafter as cycle life).
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a secondary battery which includes a light-weight and thin jacket and is excellent in cycle life.
Another object of this invention is to provide a secondary battery exhibiting an enhanced thermal stability and an improved safety.
A further object of this invention is to provide a secondary battery which includes a light-weight and thin jacket and is excellent in resistance against an external shock.
Namely, according to the present invention, there is provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode having a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode layer held to the collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode layer; a nonaqueous electrolyte held by the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm,
wherein the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator are formed integral, and the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the negative electrode collector.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group comprising a positive electrode having a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode layer held to the positive electrode collector, a negative electrode having a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode layer held to the negative electrode collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer; a nonaqueous electrolyte held by the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm,
wherein the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator are formed integral, and the peeling strength between the positive electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the positive electrode layer and the positive electrode collector, while the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the negative electrode collector.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode having a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode layer held to the negative electrode collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode layer; a nonaqueous electrolyte held in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm,
wherein the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator are formed integral; the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the negative electrode collector; the nonaqueous electrolyte contains a solution prepared by dissolving a solute in a nonaqueous solvent, the solution having a viscosity of 3 cp to 20 cp at a temperature of 20xc2x0 C.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group comprising a positive electrode having a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode layer held to the positive electrode collector, a negative electrode having a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode layer held to the negative electrode collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode layer and the negative electrode layer; a nonaqueous electrolyte held in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm,
wherein the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator are formed integral, the peeling strength between the positive electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the positive electrode layer and positive electrode collector, while the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the negative electrode collector; the nonaqueous electrolyte contains a solution prepared by dissolving a solute in a nonaqueous solvent, the solution having a viscosity of 3 cp to 20 cp at a temperature of 20xc2x0 C.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode having a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode layer held to the collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode layer; a nonaqueous electrolyte held by the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group, the jacket being made of a sheet having d thickness of not more than 0.5 mm and including a resin layer,
wherein the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator are formed integral, and the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the negative electrode collector.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode having a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode layer held to the negative electrode collector, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode layer; a nonaqueous electrolyte held in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group, the jacket being made of a sheet having a thickness of not more than 0.5 mm and including a resin layer,
wherein the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator are formed integral; the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the separator is lower than the peeling strength between the negative electrode layer and the negative electrode collector; the nonaqueous electrolyte contains a solution prepared by dissolving a solute in a nonaqueous solvent, the solution having a viscosity of 3 cp to 20 cp at a temperature of 20xc2x0 C.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group of flattened configuration which comprises a positive electrode having a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode layer held to the positive electrode collector, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte impregnated in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm,
wherein the electrode group has a couple of maximum areas, at least one of which is occupied by the positive electrode collector.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group of flattened configuration which comprises a positive electrode having a positive electrode collector and a positive electrode layer held to the positive electrode collector, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte impregnated in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group, the jacket being made of a sheet having a thickness of not more than 0.5 mm and including a resin layer,
wherein the electrode group has a couple of maximum areas, at least one of which is occupied by the positive electrode collector.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group of flattened configuration which comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte impregnated in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm,
wherein the electrode group has a couple of maximum areas, each area is occupied by the separator.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group of flattened configuration which comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte impregnated in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group, the jacket being made of a sheet having a thickness of not more than 0.5 mm and including a resin layer,
wherein the electrode group has a couple of maximum areas, each area is occupied by the separator.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group of flattened configuration which comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a liquid nonaqueous electrolyte impregnated in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group and having a thickness of not more than 0.3 mm,
wherein the electrode group has a couple of maximum areas, and an insulating protective sheet is disposed to bridge the couple of maximum areas.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a secondary battery comprising an electrode group of flattened configuration which comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a liquid. nonaqueous electrolyte impregnated in the electrode group; and a jacket housing the electrode group, the jacket being made of a sheet having a thickness of not more than 0.5 mm and including a resin layer,
wherein the electrode group has a couple of maximum areas, and an insulating protective sheet is disposed to bridge the couple of maximum areas.
The flattened configuration of the electrode group is preferably the one which can be obtained by spirally winding the positive electrode and the negative electrode with the separator being interposed therebetween and compressing the spiral in the direction of the diameter; the one which can be obtained by folding a laminate composed of the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator once or a plurality times; or the one which can be obtained by laminating the positive electrode, the negative electrode and the separator. Also, the flattened configuration of the electrode group is preferably the one which can be obtained by spirally winding the positive electrode and the negative electrode with the separator being interposed therebetween in a flattened shape.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.


A semiconductor process includes the following steps. Metal patterns are formed on a first dielectric layer. A modifiable layer is formed to cover the metal patterns and the first dielectric layer. A modification process is performed to modify a part of the modifiable layer on top sides of the metal patterns, thereby top masks being formed. A removing process is performed to remove a part of the modifiable layer on sidewalls of the metal patterns but preserve the top masks. A dielectric layer having voids under the top masks and between the metal patterns is formed. Moreover, the present invention also provides a semiconductor structure formed by said semiconductor process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor structure and process thereof, and more specifically to a semiconductor structure applying air gaps in a dielectric layer and process thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as personal computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment, as examples. As technology has progressed, the demand for smaller semiconductor devices with improved performance has increased. As feature densities increase, widths of conductive lines and spacing between the conductive lines of interconnect structures also need to be scaled smaller.
A move is being made away from traditional materials used in the past in semiconductor device designs, in order to meet these demands. To reduce an RC time delay, low dielectric constant (low-k) materials are being used as insulating materials, and there is a switch being made to the use of copper for interconnect materials, rather than aluminum. Copper interconnects are often formed using damascene processes rather than by direct etching. Damascene processes are typically either single or dual damascene, which includes forming openings by patterning and etching inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layers and filling the openings with copper. Advantages of using copper for semiconductor device interconnects include abilities to operate faster and manufacture thinner conductive lines because copper has lower resistivity and increased electromigration resistance compared to aluminum. Combining copper interconnects with low-k dielectric materials increases interconnect speed by reducing the RC time delay.
As the integration of integrated circuits develops, interconnects either copper interconnects or aluminum interconnects are required to be improved accordingly for enhancing result device qualification.

Semiconductor structure and process thereof


The present invention is directed to an improved selective solvent extraction process wherein a hydrocarbon feed stream containing a mixture of aromatics and non-aromatics is contacted with an aromatics selective solvent in an extraction zone to produce an aromatics rich extract phase and an aromatics lean raffinate phase, water in a carefully controlled amount is added to the recovered extract phase resulting in the separation of the extract phase into a hydrocarbon rich pseudo-raffinate which is recycled to the extraction zone for processing with fresh feed and an increased yield of raffinate of higher quality than is obtained without pseudo-raffinate recycle.

1 . Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the selective extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons from a bed stream comprising a mixture of aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons by use of a selective extraction solvent and to the improvement of that process so as to produce increased yields of improved quality product.
2. Description of the Related Art
The separation of aromatics from hydrocarbon feed streams comprising mixtures of aromatics and non-aromatics by solvent extraction is a process which has long been practiced in the refining industry especially in the production of lubricating oil. The process involves the use of solvents such as phenol, furfural, n-methyl pyrrolidone which are selective for the aromatic components present in the hydrocarbon feed streams. The hydrocarbon stream and the selective solvents are combined, typically and preferably under counter-current conditions. The contacting results in concentration of the aromatic component in the selective solvent. Because the solvent and the hydrocarbon oil are of different densities and generally immiscible after the contacting, the aromatics rich solvent phase separates from the mixture thereby resulting in an aromatics rich solvent phase, called the extract, and an aromatics lean non-aromatics rich product phase called the raffinate. Because no solvent extraction process can be one hundred percent selective, the aromatics rich extract phase contains a minor but economically significant quantity of non-aromatic hydrocarbon which constitute good lube oil molecules.
Processes designed to recover these good lube oil molecules present in the extract phase have been proposed and disclosed in the literature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,579 teaches a control method for solvent refining lube oils. The process disclosed consists of a solvent extraction zone wherein feed and solvent are contacted countercurrently. The primary extract is separated into a secondary raffinate and a secondary extract by cooling the primary extract 10.degree. F. to 120.degree. F. below the extraction temperature. The addition of an anti-solvent to the primary extract in combination with at least 10.degree. F. cooling is optional. Secondary raffinate is passed to the extraction zone with the fresh feed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,092 teaches the solvent extraction of hydrocarbon oils. The process uses N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The extract from the solvent extraction zone is cooled to form two immiscible liquid phases, a secondary extract phase and a secondary raffinate phase. The secondary raffinate phase is recycled to the extraction zone resulting in increased yield of refined oil product and in energy savings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,583 teaches a solvent extraction process. A hydrocarbon feed is contacted with N-methyl pyrrolidone in an extraction zone. The primary extract is separated into a secondary raffinate and a secondary extract by cooling the primary extract optionally with the addition of water or wet solvent. The secondary raffinate is separated from the secondary extract. At least part of the secondary raffinate is combined with the raffinate to obtain an increased yield of desired quality raffinate oil product. As part of the secondary raffinate may be returned to the lower part of the extraction zone.
French Patent 2,595,371 teaches a process for the selective solvent extraction of a hydrocarbon mixture. Solvent is passed counter-currently to the hydrocarbon feed employing 2 or more separation columns resulting in the separation of the feed into a raffinate, a pseudo-raffinate and an extract. Feed is introduced into a first column while fresh solvent is introduced into the top of a second column. The overheads from the first column constitute the feed to the second column. The bottoms from the second column are cooled and permitted to salt-out in a separation zone wherein an upper phase pseudo raffinate is recovered and a bottom phase of recycle solvent is recovered. This bottom phase recycle solvent is used as the solvent introduced into the first column. Extract is recovered from the bottom of the first column and raffinate from the top of the second column. In an alternative embodiment part of the pseudo raffinate can be cycled back to the bottom of the second column while the extract from the first column can be cooled to salt-out in a separation zone producing an upper phase of lighter hydrocarbon which is recycled to the bottom of the first column, and a true extract bottoms phase.
French Patent 2,595,370 teaches a multiple effect extraction process using counter-current solvent flow. The process utilizes a main column separated into 2 zones by a draw-off tray and a second column which fractionates the side stream drawn off from the first column. The fractionation zone produces an overhead raffinate which is fed back to the top zone of column 1 above the draw-off tray. The bottoms from the fractionation zone are cooled and separated into a pseudo raffinate and an extract. This extract is recycled to the bottom zone of column 1 just below the draw-off tray. It can optionally also be fed into the top zone of column 1 just above the draw-off tray. By this scheme a raffinate is recovered from the top of the first column, an extract from the bottom of said column and a pseudo raffinate from the separation zone to which the bottoms fraction from the fractionation zone is fed.
In an alternate embodiment the extract from the bottom of column 1 can be cooled to salt-out in a separation zone an upper phase of lighter hydrocarbons which is recycled back to the bottom of the bottom zone of column 1. The bottoms fraction from this separation zone is a true extract phase.

Solvent extraction of hydrocarbon oils producing an increased yield of improved quality raffinate


In a system for connecting blasting caps to the initiation source, a redundant design structure provides a more reliable method of explosive initiation. This is accomplished by using a complete system from blasting control through the initiation line and connecting blocks to the blasting caps. The connecting structure between the initiation device and the blasting caps comprises explosive tubing so that both the explosive charge and the electric wires in the tube casing will initiate explosion of the blasting caps and destroy the initiation tube and wires.. The connecting blocks contain additional features, such as; explosive delay times, lightning and radio frequency energy attenuation circuits.

Development of many initiation sources for pyrotechnic and high explosives has existed since the invention of explosives themselves.
The idea is to place the user as far away as necessary from the flash of explosives and the dangers inherent to the nature of volatile elements thereof.
Each type of initiation interface connection has an individual preference desirable to the application involved, such as cost, ease of connection, safety of the particular material and other governing factors, such as water, high power lines, dust clouds after initiation, ground vibration and air blast.
Elements after use also pose problems such as, clearing the area of residual litter, thus preventing damage to machinery and which pose safety hazards.
In the past decades, manufacturers have developed various types of initiation devices, each type to serve the purpose of their particular products.
To understand most known sources of initiation, it is necessary to carefully review the methods now available, Manufacturers can and should make changes relevant to today's technology. As a group, there is reluctance to make improvements in the forms relevant, and changes must focus on a single type of initiation system, or at least fewer than those now available, principally to enhance safety and out manufacturing costs. It is time to establish a new standard for industrial and military users of explosive initiation systems.
Table 1 displays the various types of initiation materials, their advantages and disadvantages.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ DETONATION SHOCK GAS ELECTRIC EXPLODING CAUSES CORD TUBE TUBE WIRE BRIDGE WIRE __________________________________________________________________________ AIR BLAST X NOISE INABILITY TO X X TEST BEFORE FIRING DUST CLOUD X LITTER X X X WATER X X ABRASION X X X X BREAKAGE X X X X SAFETY X X X X X HAZARDS CONNECTING X X X DIFFICULTY RADIO FREQUENCY X PREMATURE FIRING __________________________________________________________________________

Electric explosive tube initiation system


A portable aircraft weighing scale, comprising:. (a) a base having load cell mounting structures; PA0 (b) a plurality of shear beam load cells mounted to the base via the mounting structures; PA0 (c) a platform for supporting an aircraft wheel or wheel set; and PA0 (d) a mechanism for mounting the platform to the load cells.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to weighing apparatus and particularly to portable, low profile weighing scales. The weighing scale provided by this invention is useful for weighing private, commercial and military aircraft efficiently, reliably and accurately.
2. Background Information
Applicants Kroll et al. disclosed scales in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,714,121, 4,979,581, and 5,232,964, and load cells in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,775,018, 4,813,504, and 5,228,527. These scales and associated load cells were designed primarily for weighing land vehicles, such as high performance race cars, and large trucks. The scales and load cells handle a broad range of weights and have varying degrees of accuracy. Additionally, the scales have varied designs in terms of height, weight, portability and method of use. A common design factor shared by all of these scales and load cells is that in each, the mounting of the load cell in and to the scale is unique and provides a significant advantage over the prior art.
The weighing scale assemblies and load cell structures of the present invention are particularly useful for weighing a variety of sizes and types of private, commercial and military aircraft. Total weighs of such aircraft can exceed 1,000,000 lb., as for example in the case of a fully loaded Boeing 747. The required capacity of each scale or weighing pad is in the range of 10,000-60,000 lb. The accuracy of these weighing scales is plus or minus 0.1 percent. These criteria and the particulars of the use environment demand specific mechanical structures for scales, especially the scale platform and the mounting of the load cells to the platform and the remaining elements of the scale.
It is an object of this invention to provide a weighing scale that may be used to weigh aircraft. A further object of this invention is to provide a weighing scale that is extremely strong and yields highly accurate repeatable weighing results. It is a particular object of this invention to provide a scale that has an improved platform member and an improved mechanical structure for mounting one or more load cells to the platform and to a base member. Although the need for a strong, reliable and highly accurate weighing scale such as that provided by the present invention has long existed in the private, commercial and military aircraft industries, none insofar as is known has been proposed or developed.

Aircraft weighing scale with improved base, platform and load cell mounting assembly


The invention is an optical isolator. In one embodiment the optical isolator comprises two linear polarizers, one at the input of the isolator and the other at the output. Positioned between the input and the output linear polarizer is a gyrotropic medium located within a resonant cavity such as a Fabry-Perot cavity. Interposed between the linear polarizer at the input of the isolator and the resonant cavity is a first polarization conversion means for converting received plane polarized optical energy from said linear polarizer to circularly polarized optical energy and interposed between the resonant cavity and the linear polarizer at the output of the isolator is a second polarization conversion means for converting received circular polarized optical energy from said resonant cavity to plane polarized optical energy. In an embodiment, the resonant cavity comprising the gyrotropic medium becomes the filtering medium to block reflected optical radiation.

Optical isolators are necessary to prevent reflected optical radiation from re-entering an optical device such as, for example, a laser. In optical communication systems, reflections of optical energy into a laser degrades the operation of the laser by causing amplitude fluctuations, mode partitioning, frequency shifts, and linewidth narrowing. Present optical communication systems use optical isolators at the output of a laser to prevent light from being reflected back into the laser. Such isolators are generally referred to as Faraday isolators and utilize the principles of linearly polarized (also referred to as plane polarized) electromagnetic energy in combination with Faraday rotation. Frequently, two isolators are used in tandem to provide as much as 60 db isolation. Typically, when designed to operate with optical energy at a wavelength of 1.5 .mu.m, the optical isolator will have a length of several centimeters and require 8 optical surfaces. Present day optical isolators are large and bulky relative to optical fibers and, therefore, cannot readily be incorporated into a chip or become an integral part of an optical fiber.

Optical isolator with resonant cavity having gyrotropic material


Similar electronic module packages are provided having guide pins and front actuated retaining rods for mounting the package on a mounting panel having threaded mounting holes spaced in a regular pattern to accept the guide pins and retaining rods of several module packages. The guide pins and retaining rods are mounted on diagonally opposite corners of the modules. Front mounting of the modules and front location of electrical connectors avoids a requirement for rear access to the mounting panel. Various arrangements of modules on the mounting panel are allowed by suitable arrangement of the pattern of mounting holes in the panel. The modules include a housing with a face plate and a mounting plate. The housings include either a support panel or a cover. The face plate and the mounting plate extend above and below the support panel or the cover.

It is known in the art relating to electronic module packages to provide a variety of package arrangements, connector means and mounting means. Among the prior art are a standardized circuit board support panel formed as an aluminum extrusion and an associated cover. These are available in standard "EURO-RACK" sizes designed to receive a 100 mm. circuit board with a 160 mm. depth.

Electronic module package and mounting having diagonally disposed guide pins and threaded rods


A capacitor is disclosed of alternating layers of plastic film and metal foil impregnated with a dielectric fluid which is an ester of a benzene tri- or tetracarboxylic acid. The esters are preferably trimellitic acid esters, especially tri-isodecyl-trimellitate. The dielectric fluid is sufficiently non-flammable to meet safety requirements and has a relatively high dielectric constant and low power factor.

In the development of dielectric fluids to replace polychlorinated biphenyls for transformers and capacitors, it was found feasible to develop separately fire resistant fluids specifically for transformers, and other fluids for capacitors that are not as fire resistant. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) were used in both applications because they possess good dielectric and physical properties and high fire resistance, especially where safety is important as it is with indoor distribution transformers. But their use was discontinued because the PCB's posed possible ecological and health problems. The fluids available now for capacitors are highly aromatic for good corona resistance, such as Wemcol dielectric fluid (isopropylbiphenyl), or else have a relatively high dielectric constant, such as the phthalate esters. They are not highly fire resistant, but this compromise was reluctantly allowed with the justification that capacitors contain relatively small amounts of fluid and do not present a serious fire hazard. For transformers, which have to satisfy more stringent fire safety requirements, two fluids are available--50 centistoke dimethyl silicone, and a high molecular weight hydrocarbon. These have Cleveland Open Cup Test fire points that are above 300.degree. C., which is the minimum level presently acceptable for fire resistant electrically insulating fluids. But their dielectric properties are relatively poor for use in capacitors, since they have low dielectric constants and poor corona resistance. It is obvious that it would be desirable to have a capacitor dielectric fluid available that is both fire resistant and has satisfactory electrical properties.
The difficulty in finding or developing such a fluid can be seen by considering the often conflicting characteristics needed or desired. Practical and economic considerations require that the fluid be organic. It should possess polarity or aromaticity, for respectively high dielectric constants in low voltage capacitors or corona resistance in high voltage capacitors, and should have low conductivity or dissipation factor. It should have low vapor pressure, about 5 Torr or less at 300.degree. C., to satisfy the fire resistance requirement; this usually means the molecules must contain at least about 35 carbon atoms. The fluid must be a liquid (i.e., non-crystalline) at at least -30.degree. C., and this is helped by the presence of aliphatic groups. It should easily impregnate a dielectric winding containing film, for example film-paper or all film, which in general seems to require relatively low viscosity and small molecular size. But a molecular characteristic that is responsible for the attainment of one of these properties can harm one or more of the others. Aromaticity, polarity and high molecular weight promote solidification at moderate temperatures. Also, high molecular weight and concomitant high viscosity impede impregnation of film. Polarity causes the conductivity to increase. Aliphatic groups diminish corona resistance. In view of this, finding material that is both fire resistant and has good enough dielectric properties for capacitors is a matter of chance and cannot be predicted.


A packet which enables the user to attach a pair of carrying handles to a package and containing a pair of flexible cords, four pairs of adhesive tabs having adhesive surfaces on opposed sides thereof, protective strippable flexible plastic sheets covering said surfaces and extending slightly beyond the edge of the surfaces, and four thin rigid plastic sheets, the adhesive tabs preferably being slightly thicker than the diameter of the flexible cords. A package having adhered thereto four pairs of spaced apart adhesive tabs, each tab having opposed adhesive surfaces, two of the pairs of tabs being at one side of the package and the other two at the opposite side of the package, slidably received in the space between each pair of tabs and extending between said two pairs of tabs at each side of the package, a flexible cord, one of said opposed surfaces being adhered to the package and the other opposed surface being adhered to a rigid plastic sheet which bridges two of the pairs of spaced apart adhesive tabs, the tabs preferably being slightly thicker than the diameter of the cords, said flexible cords being adapted to be hand gripped together to provide a carrying handle for the package.

Various devices for carrying packages and providing packages with handles are known. The present invention relates to providing handles on a package which normally in its form at the point of sale is not provided with handles. The present invention provides a packet which can be sold as a sundry or novelty and which contains all of the elements necessary to attach a pair of handles to a package at the point of sale or at any desired time. Thus, this invention is useful for applying handles to a paper or plastic bag, a book, etc..
The packet itself is usable by any ordinary purchaser and can be conveniently and easily applied to facilitate carrying.
It is sincerely believed that this invention is entitled to a patent.


Presented is a method of conformally coating a light emitting semiconductor structure with a phosphor layer to produce a substantially uniform white light. A light emitting semiconductor structure is coupled to a submount, a first bias voltage is applied to the submount, and a second bias voltage is applied to a solution of charged phosphor particles. The charged phosphor particles deposit on the conductive surfaces of the light emitting semiconductor structure. If the light emitting semiconductor structure includes a nonconductive substrate, the light emitting semiconductor structure is coated with an electroconductive material to induce phosphor deposition. The electrophoretic deposition of the phosphor particles creates a phosphor layer of uniform thickness that produces uniform white light without colored rings.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to light emitting devices and more particularly to light emitting semiconductor structures coated with phosphor.
2. Description of Related Art
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are p-n junction devices that convert an incoming flow of electric energy into an outgoing flow of electromagnetic radiation. LEDs emit electromagnetic radiation in ultraviolet, visible, or infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The light emitted by an LED is distributed across a spectrum that is approximately 20-40 nm wide and has a peak emission wavelength defined by design details such as the crystal composition. As a consequence of the peak emission wavelength, a single LED p-n junction cannot emit white light, which is composed of spectral contributions from almost the entire wavelength range of the visible spectrum.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a white light emitting device including an LED and phosphor. LEDs that emit blue light are used with phosphors (luminescent material) to produce light emitting devices which emit apparently white light. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,813,753 and 5,998,925, for example, disclose light emitting devices in which a blue LED is disposed in a reflective cup and surrounded by material including phosphors. In the exemplary device of FIG. 1, a portion of the blue light emitted by LED chip 10 and the red and the green light emitted by the phosphors as a result of a partial absorption of the blue light can combine to produce white light.
Usually, white light generated by sources such as the device illustrated in FIG. 1 is not uniform in color. For example, the generated white light may be surrounded by colored rings. This nonuniformity is a consequence of the variations in the thickness of the phosphor-containing material surrounding LED chip 10. The variations in the thickness cause spatially nonuniform absorption of blue light and emission of red and green light. In particular, thick regions of phosphor containing material absorb more blue light and emit more red and green light than do thin regions of phosphor containing material. The light from thick regions thus tends to appear yellow or display reddish and greenish blotches, and the light from thin regions tends to appear bluish. As illustrated in FIG. 1, light emitted in path b travels much further through the phosphor than light emitted in path a. When light strikes a phosphor particle, the light is either absorbed and re-emitted at a different wavelength or scattered by the phosphor. Light that travels a longer distance through the phosphor-bearing layer is more likely to be absorbed and re-emitted. Conversely, light that travels a shorter distance through the phosphor-bearing layer is more likely to be scattered out of the device without being absorbed and re-emitted. As a result, more blue light is emitted from regions of the device corresponding to short path lengths through the phosphor, and more red and green light or amber light is emitted from regions of the device corresponding to long path lengths through the phosphor.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary attempt to counter the problem of nonuniformity of white light. The particular attempt involves an arrangement of a mass of phosphor containing encapsulant within a package or a phosphor loaded optical element interposed in the light exit path of the blue light LED within an extended package. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,316 to Lowery entitled xe2x80x9cMultiple Encapsulation of Phosphor-LED Devices,xe2x80x9d which is incorporated herein by reference, proposes depositing a transparent spacer over and around the LED prior to deposition of a uniform thickness of phosphor containing material. However, surface tension makes the shape and thickness of the phosphor containing material, often deposited as a liquid or paste (solids dispersed in a liquid), difficult to control. In addition, phosphor layer 6 must be separated from LED chip 10. As a result, the effective size of the light emitting device, i.e., the combined size of the LED chip and the phosphor layer, is much larger than the size of the LED chip alone. Since the optics used to control the light emitted from the source can grow geometrically with the source size, the large source size proposed by Lowery can present implementation difficulties. A method of producing uniform white light from LEDs without the implementation difficulties of the previous methods is needed.
The present invention provides a method of conformally coating a light emitting semiconductor structure, such as an LED chip, with a phosphor layer. The method involves electrically coupling a light emitting semiconductor structure to a submount, applying a first bias voltage to the submount, and applying a second bias voltage to a solution of charged phosphor particles. The electric field created by the two bias voltages induces the phosphor particles to deposit on the conductive surfaces. For example, the submount and the light emitting semiconductor structure coupled to the submount may be immersed in a solution of phosphor particles. In some embodiments, the solution may also contain a binder material that helps phosphor particles securely adhere to the conductive surfaces and to each other, and/or a charging agent that helps charge the phosphor particles.
If the light emitting semiconductor structure includes a conductive substrate, deposition of the phosphor layer can be limited to the surfaces of the light emitting device by coating the submount surface with an insulating layer before bringing all surfaces in contact with charged phosphor particles. If the light emitting semiconductor structure includes a nonconductive substrate, a conductive layer may be created on the surfaces where phosphor deposition is desired before the insulating layer is selectively deposited. The conductive layer may be created after the light emitting semiconductor structure is coupled to the submount. Alternatively, creating the conductive layer on the surfaces of the light emitting semiconductor structure can be completed as a part of the light emitting semiconductor structure fabrication process, before coupling the light emitting semiconductor structure to the submount. After creating the conductive layer and selectively depositing the insulating layer, the surfaces of the submount and the light emitting semiconductor structure are exposed to the solution of phosphor particles.
The electrophoretic deposition creates a phosphor layer of uniform thickness on all conductive surfaces which are electrically biased and put in contact with the solution of phosphor particles. In one embodiment, the uniform thickness phosphor layer produces uniform white light.

Using electrophoresis to produce a conformally coated phosphor-converted light emitting semiconductor


Control systems and methods are disclosed for controlling operation of movable systems in an automated process with a stationary system having a first control system component and at least one movable system having a second control system component, in which optical or other non-contacting signaling between the stationary and movable systems is used to ascertain whether a movable system is proximate the stationary system, and wireless communications is used to transfer control data between the systems while the non-contacting signal link is maintained.

Control systems or industrial controllers are used for controlling industrial processes such as machines, manufacturing equipment, and other factory automation apparatus. Industrial controllers receive various analog and/or digital process variables or other inputs representative of the status of a controlled process and generate outputs according to a control program or routine to control the process to one or more desired setpoints or other system performance criteria. Industrial control systems are typically comprised of two or more component modules performing various functions, such as I/O modules interfacing with field devices for sending and receiving outputs and inputs, control modules that run the control program and communicate with I/O modules, etc. Inputs from the controlled process and outputs transmitted to the process, whether analog and/or digital, pass through one or more I/O modules serving as an electrical interface between the controller and the controlled process, with the control system modules typically being located in one or more interconnected racks with backplanes and/or cabling providing a common communication link or network for data transfer between modules.
Certain industrial control applications require control of one or more actions on moving systems, such as pallets moving through a series of assembly stations (also called cells or nodes) along an assembly line or path. The manufacturing pallets typically include one or more control system components for controlling various actuators, motors, etc. for implementing an assembly step at a given station. Conventional systems provided for physical connection of various apparatus to the pallets at each assembly station, such as pressurized air for operating pneumatic actuators, electrical supply power, and cabling for connecting I/O and other control components located on the moving system to control system components located at the assembly station. This physical connection and subsequent disconnection, however, is time consuming and adds cost and complexity to the manufacturing operation. Recent developments include increased usage of electrical actuators to eliminate pneumatic components and associated physical interconnections, as well as the use of wireless communications equipment including commercially available technologies such as WiFi, WLan, etc. for exchanging data between control elements of the moving system and the assembly station.
The use of wireless communications apparatus for control data transfer thus reduces the need for physical interconnection of control cables at each station. However, many industrial manufacturing sites include many assembly stations or cells located in close proximity to one another, and the pallets are often separated by only short distances as they travel along the assembly path. In this common situation, therefore, wireless communications equipment of the stations and pallets receive signals from a number of different sources at any given time, whereby each wireless entity must be assigned a unique address and identity to avoid cross talk and confusion in the overall wireless network. With respect to industrial control systems, moreover, the moving pallets typically include one or more slave components that communicate with a master control component associated with the current assembly station. The control system communications protocols often mandate that each component be assigned a unique address for wireless communications such that the master locations know what control system components are valid for control information communication, and must know who they are communicating with at any given moment. Consequently, conventional attempts at utilizing wireless communications for data transfer between industrial control system components in assembly line situations using smart pallets with on-board control elements and stationary assembly cell control components require exhaustive address assignment and management, including reconfiguration of the stationary and moving control devices when a new pallet is introduced into the system or where the system is changed to perform a different function in the manufacturing process.

Sight-line non contact coupled wireless technology


In the manufacture of a protective glove, there is provided a mold having two parts interconnected to be moved into open and closed positions. There is also provided an inner glove lining, and each part of the mold is covered with it. The mold, in closed position, is dipped in a bath of protective coating material, removed therefrom, and exposed to initial draining of an excess of coating material. Thereafter, the mold is opened and the draining is completed, while portions of the coating material are retained and gelled.

The invention relates firstly to a method for the manufacture of a protective glove of the type comprising an area devoid of protective coating, in particular the back. A manufacturing mold makes it possible to carry out the method, and a glove is obtained from the mold by carrying out the method.
Protective gloves are already known, which are intended particularly for handling industrial castings and protecting the user's hands against chemical products, which gloves have an inner lining of flexible fabric, for example interlock, covered externally by a protective coating of plastics material. According to requirements, the inner lining is completely or only partly devoid of protective coating. In particular, the glove may have a "ventilated back".
The protective coating has been produced hitherto, by exposing a glove mold, covered with an adequate inner lining, in at least one bath of an appropriate mixture of polyvinyl chloride resin and plasticizer, followed by draining and pregelling or gelling.
When the coating completely covers the lining, vertical soaking or dipping of the mold in the bath is generally carried out. When the coating covers only part of the lining, in particular covering only part of the back, and one must resort instead to flat dipping in which an area of the glove, in particular the back, emerges permanently from the bath of polyvinyl chloride resin and plasticizer, in which the remainder of the glove is dipped. However, this causes the drawback of producing borders at the edge of the dipped or soaked area, which borders vary from one glove to another such that production is no longer regular and uniform.


A composite paving block formed from desired proportions of asphalt, plastic such as polyethylene or phenolic resin, elastomeric material such as rubber or polyvinylchloride, and fibre material such as nylon or rayon, is disclosed. Recycled or reclaimed materials such as reclaimed asphalt, recycled polyethylene bottles, and recycled tires may be used. The materials are heated and blended together into a relatively uniform mixture of composite material. The composite material is further heated and is then molded into individual paving blocks, which exhibit a property of very high compressive strength.

In North America, and indeed in most of the civilized and populated areas of the world, roads have become an integral part of cities, towns, suburbs, and so on. Indeed, most towns and cities contain hundreds or thousands of miles of roads within their boundaries, and also driveways or parking lots for virtually every building within a city or town.
The conventional way and indeed the most popular way to provide roads, driveways, and parking lots with a top surface is to use asphalt for the top surface. A best estimate is that several million miles of roads and several million acres of parking lots within North America are surfaced with asphalt.
However, there are two fundamental problems with asphalt. One problem is that asphalt is oil based, or at least largely so, and therefore a raw material that is in limited supply is being used when it could be being used for other purposes. Secondly, there is a question of durability, which is now generally recognized as a very significant problem. Many existing roadways and parking lots, even very new ones, are degraded considerably largely due to broken asphalt, and cracks or potholes can be found at any given time. The amount of asphalt roadway in North America that has asphalt damage is quite extensive. Most of the damage is caused by weather cycles, which cause expansion and contraction of the asphalt. Any roadway that does not have asphalt damage has most likely been constructed or repaired in the last few years. This is generally unsightly and also quite expensive. Further, oil and other fluids that drip from vehicles while the vehicle is parked or in motion also cause a significant problem. The amount of damage that is done by oil and other fluids from vehicles is considerable. This damage can be seen in virtually every parking lot, driveway, and roadway intersection in North America. Not only does the oil, or whatever fluid that might be leaking from a vehicle, leave a very unsightly stain on the asphalt surface of a roadway, parking lot or driveway, the asphalt surface in time will start to degrade to a point where it is crumbling and needs to be replaced.
While it is possible to replace small portions of the asphalt surface, at least in most cases, this leaves an unsightly patch--or indeed several patches--of new asphalt.
One alternative that has been recently fairly widely accepted in North America as an alternative for resurfacing driveways and small parking lots is interlocking blocks. Interlocking blocks are made of a cementitious or a cement based material having a small relatively constant sized aggregate therein. These blocks come in various shapes and sizes. Basically, these blocks interfit with one another such that the blocks can be installed on a surface to completely cover the surface. The blocks may need to be cut around the perimeter of a surface in order to fit exactly to the outline of the surface. Among the advantages of interlocking blocks are that they do not require the same heavy equipment to install as it takes to create a surface of asphalt, they are easy to replace, only the damaged blocks need replacing which can be done relatively quickly and inexpensively, and they last much longer than an asphalt surface and are much more resistant to damage--including weathering, impact, and leaking oil. They are, however, more expensive to install initially than an asphalt surface, although the cost factor can be spread over many more years since interlocking blocks are much more durable than asphalt. Further, it generally takes longer to install a given area of interlocking blocks than to pave the same area with asphalt, which adds to the initial cost. Largely because of the lower initial cost, many parking lots and driveways are still paved with asphalt instead of surfaces with interlocking blocks. However, because of the long term cost benefits, it is becoming more and more acceptable to use interlocking blocks even where cost is an important and an accountable factor, such as in municipal roads and parking lots or shopping mall and office complex parking lots.
Another advantage of interlocking blocks is that they can, in most cases, allow for ground movement without breaking. The blocks merely shift slightly with respect to one another or in some cases separate slightly from one another, which is usually acceptable. Further, moisture can pass between interlocking blocks which means that normal water seepage into the ground is not interfered with significantly.
Another problem with the present interlocking blocks is that they are concrete based and therefore somewhat porous. This means that they can absorb water which tends to cause them to crack or break during the winter.

Composite block & process for manufacturing


Placement apparatus and methods of use for impanation of spacers within an inter-vertebral disc space. In one embodiment, the load-bearing superstructure of the implant is subdivided and the bone forming material is positioned within an internal space of the placement instrument but external to the load bearing elements themselves. At least a portion of the bone graft material is freely contained within the disc space. A method of using the device is also described. In one embodiment, the placement device is used to place the implantable spacers at opposing ends of the disc space using a directly lateral surgical approach.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of to bone fixation systems, components thereof, and methods of implant placement used to adjust, align and maintain the spatial relationship(s) of adjacent bones or bony fragments after surgical reconstruction of skeletal segments. More particularly, the present disclosure is related in one exemplary aspect to devices that fixate the spinous processes at one vertebral level with the spinous process of another vertebra.
2. Description of Related Technology
Whether from degenerative disease, traumatic disruption, infection or neoplastic invasion, alteration in the anatomical relationships between the spinal vertebras can cause significant pain, deformity and disability. Spinal disease is a major health problem in the industrialized world and the surgical treatment of spinal pathology is an evolving discipline. The traditional surgical treatment of abnormal vertebral motion is the complete immobilization and bony fusion of the involved spinal segment and an extensive array of surgical techniques and implantable devices have been formulated to accomplish the treatment objective.
Vertebral fusion may be accomplished by using an anterior, lateral or posterior approach and each has particular advantages and draw backs. Frequently, circumferential fusion of the unstable level with fixation of both the anterior and posterior aspect of the spine is desired. This requires that patients undergo a combination of the aforementioned approaches. The anterior or lateral approaches are used to insert the bone graft and load bearing implants into the disc space between the adjacent vertebras while the posterior approach is used to place bone screws or similar fasteners that are used to immobilize the vertebral bodies.
Current implants to fuse the intervertebral disc space are usually comprised of an external superstructure that is capable of bearing the load transmitted across the implanted intervertebral disc space. An internal cavity is used to house and contain bone graft or bone graft substitute (collectively referred to as bone graft material) wherein the bone graft material is in contact with a bony surface of each of the vertebral bones that border the implanted disc space (i.e., the vertebral bones above and below the implant disc space). These devices are known in the art, see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. RE37,479; 4,820,305; 5,609,637; 5,749,916; 5,865,848; 5,888,224; 5,980,522; 6,071,310; 6,086,613; 6,159,244; 6,176,882; 6,206,922; 6,471,724; 6,582,431; 6,616,695, each of the foregoing being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Given the large number of operative approaches and the substantial anatomical variation between vertebral levels within the same individual or across different individuals, the intervertebral disc implants must be manufactured and provided to the surgeon in a large range of sizes and configurations. This mandates that a large number of different sizes must be made and inventoried—adding to cost for manufacturer, vendor, and end user (hospitals). More importantly, the pre-manufactured devices may provide a suboptimal fit, since the surgeon must choose at the time of implantation from a series of pre-manufactured sizes and configurations that may not fit each and every patient.

Spinal fixation devices and methods of use


In a vehicle operation assist control system for assisting a vehicle operator to operate a vehicle, a distance to the obstacle and a width of the obstacle are detected by a radar or the like, and, when an obstacle is detected, the system determines an evasion path and accordingly modifies the map information available to the system. Therefore, the system, being aware of the situation, would not interfere with the vehicle operator taking an evasive action. The evasive path may be defined as a curvature which changes as a sinusoidal mathematical function of the position of the vehicle along the path. The control system may be based on a yaw rate control or a vehicle side slip angle control.

The present invention relates to a vehicle operation assist control system for assisting a vehicle operator to operate the vehicle according to map information and/or road information, and in particular to a vehicle operation assist control system which normally reduces the effort required for a vehicle operator to operate the vehicle but would not interfere with the vehicle operator taking an evasive action when necessary.
In recent years, various efforts have been made to reduce the efforts required for the vehicle operator to drive the vehicle. As a part of such efforts, various forms of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have been proposed. An ITS typically collects information on the road which lies ahead of the vehicle so that the vehicle can travel along the road without the vehicle operator making any effort to operate the vehicle. Also, an ITS can prevent traffic accidents, and contributes to the reduction of emissions and other environmental problems by avoiding traffic congestions. Road information can be acquired by referring to map data incorporated in the system according to position data obtained from satellite navigation systems (GPS), radio wave beacons provided along the road, or induction cables buried under the road.
In an early stage of ITS development, a totally automated vehicle operation was sought as an application of a highly advanced form of artificial intelligence, and the expectation was high. Extraction of road boundaries by image recognition techniques and detection of obstacles by radars were examples of such efforts. Various developments have been achieved, but very few of them were considered to be applicable to practical situations. This owes to the fact that the technology for the recognition of environment has not been fully perfected as a practical and reliable system. For this reason, none of the intelligent transportation systems have been successfully put to practical use to the knowledge of the inventors.
For the intelligent transportation system to be reliable enough to be put to practical use, the inventors believe that the intervention of the vehicle occupant is indispensable. On the other hand, the intelligent transportation system is required to be able to minimize the mental and physical burden on the vehicle operator. Therefore, it is desirable to achieve a balance of authority between the vehicle operator and the system. In particular, when the vehicle encounters an obstacle which is not included in the traffic environment information, and the vehicle operator is required to take an evasive action on his/her own, the vehicle operator assist control system must not interfere the vehicle operator""s effort to take such an action.
In view of such problems of the prior art and the inventors""recognition, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle operation assist control system which can establish a balance of authority between the vehicle occupant and the control system.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle operation assist control system which enables the vehicle occupant to take an evasive action when necessary without being interfered by the control system.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle operation assist control system which gives a high priority to the vehicle operator"" intension but minimizes the effort, both physical and psychological, that is required for the vehicle operator to operate the vehicle.
According to the present invention, such objects can be accomplished by providing a vehicle operation assist control system for assisting a vehicle operator to operate a vehicle, comprising: map information means for providing map information of a road ahead of the vehicle; vehicle operation assist means for assisting the vehicle operator to operate the vehicle; and obstacle information acquiring means for acquiring information on an obstacle which lies ahead of the vehicle, said information including a distance to the obstacle and a width of the obstacle; the vehicle operation assist means being adapted to determine an evasion path, when an obstacle is detected by the obstacle information acquiring mean, and modifying the map information provided by the map information means, according to the distance to the obstacle and the width of the obstacle detected by the obstacle information acquiring means.
The obstacle information acquiring mean may consist of a radar using ultrasonic sound, electromagnetic radiation or a laser beam among other possibilities. The map information means may consist of an arrangement for storing map information and an arrangement for identifying the position of the vehicle such as a satellite navigation system (GPS), a beacon or other telecommunication path for receiving information on the position of the vehicle from a fixed station or an inductive cable buried under the road or provided along the road. The map information may also be downloaded from a fixed station. In any case, because the vehicle operation assist means takes into account the information on an obstacle, the control action of the system would not interfere with the vehicle operator when taking a necessary evasive action.
For the economy of computation, the evasive path may be defined as a curvature which changes as a sinusoidal mathematical function of the position of the vehicle along the path. The vehicle operation assist means may consist of a steering system which applies a certain steering torque so as to achieve a target vehicle side slip angle or yaw rate computed from the dynamic state of the vehicle in relation with the road, or may consist of a drive/brake force distribution system which distributes a drive/brake force between the right and left wheels of the vehicle, again, so as to achieve a target vehicle side slip angle or yaw rate computed from the dynamic state of the vehicle in relation with the road


A cup structure for a bra includes a front fabric, a rear fabric, and a soft pad between the front fabric and the rear fabric. The front fabric includes a first layer of woven cloth and a first layer of foam material engaged to an inner surface of the first layer of woven cloth. The second fabric includes a second layer of woven cloth and a second layer of foam material engaged to an outer surface of the second layer of woven cloth. An overall outer surface of the soft pad is adhered to a mediate portion of the first layer of foam material and to a mediate portion of the second layer of foam material. A peripheral edge of first layer of foam material is directly bonded with a peripheral edge of the second layer of foam material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cup structure for a bra.
2. Description of the Related Art
A bra includes two cups each having a pad sewed therein to provide comfort wearing for the users. Typical bras include fixed silicone rubber type pad and soft pad. A soft pad includes two tough thin films containing liquid therein in a sealed manner. Each cup must be provided with a deep pocket for receiving the soft pad. It is, however, found that the soft pad cannot be properly positioned without deviation or skew.
FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a bra with a conventional cup 10. A soft pad is sewn onto an inner surface of a lining fabric of each cup 10. The soft pad 11 includes two tough thin films containing liquid therein in a sealed manner. The liquid includes water or oil. Nevertheless, sewing the soft pads 11 is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In addition, the soft pads 11 are often stabbed and thus cause leakage. Further, the soft pads are only sewn in the peripheral edges thereof and thus fail to provide reliable positioning.
The present invention is intended to provide a cup structure for a bar that mitigates and/or obviates the above problems.


A bed of solid particles on an air distributor of a fluidized-bed furnace is fluidized by upward currents of air fed through the distributor. A fuel to be burnt in the fluidized bed is premixed with carrying air, and the fuel-air mixture is fed into the bed from a burner extending upwardly through the distributor. For utmost combustion efficiency the ratio by mass of the feed rate of the fuel-carrying air to the sum of the feed rates of the fuel-carrying air and the bed-fluidizing air is adjusted by flow control valves so as to be in the range of from about 0.2 to 0.6. The head of the burner is of such construction that the fuel-air mixture is ejected therefrom in the form of swirling jets. The burner head is usually located about 50 millimeters above the distributor.

This invention relates to combustion apparatus such as furnaces and boilers, and in particular to fluidized-bed combustion apparatus in which combustion takes place in a bed of noncombustible solid particles while the same is being "fluidized" or made to behave in a fluid-like manner by rising streams of air. More particularly, the invention pertains to a method of, and means for, introducing a fuel into the fluidized bed of such combustion apparatus.
In a fluidized-bed furnace for the incineration of sewage sludges and heat-producing industrial wastes such as pitch, sludge, and waste oil, for example, the fuel to be burnt is fed into the fluidized bed, as of quartz sand or pulverized limestone, from burners of various constructions and arrangements. The fuel may be either the heat-producing waste itself, heavy oil, light oil, finely divided coal or coke, natural or manufactured gas, or coal/oil mixtures among other materials.
An example of burners heretofore employed for the above purpose is the gun burner, which sprays a liquid fuel into the fluidized bed for diffusion combustion. The gun burner has the drawback of readily overheating, resulting in the thermal cracking of the fuel and in the consequent accumulation of carbon to the point of clogging up the burner nozzle. The noted problem is absent from another known burner which atomizes the injected fuel by high pressure air. This and other similar prior art burners, however, aim mostly at successful introduction of the fuel into the fluidized bed, rather than at the most efficient combustion in the fluidized bed.

Method and means for feeding fuel into fluidized-bed combustion apparatus


A lightweight, tough and durable bottle carrier is molded as a unit from high density plastics, is nestable with like carriers, and is stackable in two orthogonal directions with like carriers. The carrier has a central lifting handle flush with the top edge thereof and has plural discrete bottle cells in two rows on opposite sides of the handle. End stacking projections and cross stacking recesses are provided at the bottom of the carrier as well as individual bottle centering elements. Convenience and high versatility are featured. The carrier may be received in shallow or full depth, open or pocketed, cases.

The persistent need exists for more convenient, economical and efficient bottle carriers in the soft drink industry. In particular, there is a need for improved carriers for the one liter, thin wall, resilient bottles now coming into wide usage. The present invention seeks in particular to satisfy this latter need.
Among the significant improvement features embodied in the invention are compactness and minimum bulk and weight in a strong and durable molded plastics unit which can be nested and stacked in two orthogonal directions. A further feature resides in individual separated and tapered bottle cells depending from a sturdy top frame having a center handle bar flush with the top edge of the frame and forming the anchor for the two inner rows of legs or struts forming the cells.
Other important features include bottle centering bases for the cells carried by the depending struts and cell dividers which are curved to assist in bottle centering by a cam-like action. Opposite end paired stacking projections at the bottom of the carrier allow easy longitudinal stacking, while bottom channel recesses facilitate cross stacking and interlocking with like carriers. The carrier is also constructed for ease of separation without binding when nested.
Other features of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description.
Many types of bottle carriers made from various materials exist in the prior art but none of these possesses the above-noted features of the present invention and none has the flexibility of use possessed by the invention. Nestable and stackable carriers are also known in the prior art but not in terms of a bottle carrier having the other noted features and functional capabilities of this invention.
The below-listed prior United States patents of some general interest are made of record herein under 37 C.F.R. 1.56:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,889,072, 3,191,796, 3,319,799, 3,420,402, 3,587,915, 3,991,879, 4,040,517.

Nestable and stackable six-bottle carrier


A coded security system for an electrical circuit energizing safety lights installed on a vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises a bank of series connected toggle switches which can be operated in one position following a predetermined code for completing an electrical circuit through the terminals of all the switches, means for connecting one terminal of one of the toggle switches to a source of power, and means for connecting one of the terminals of the last toggle switch in the series to the circuit, whereby operation of the toggle switches following the predetermined code will complete the electrical circuit and energize the circuit.

Various security devices have been designed for preventing unauthorized use of automobiles. The known security devices are generally mechanical in nature such as the locks for blocking the steering columns of automobiles. Some people also install hidden electrical switches in utilization circuits such as the ignition circuit in order to prevent their energization. However, the mechanical locks can be rendered ineffective and the simple electrical switches localized and neutralized.

Coded electrical security system for vehicles, such as automobiles


A method for processing an integrated circuit is provided. The method includes providing a first integrated circuit having a first scale, wherein the first integrated circuit comprises a shrinkable circuit comprising a first intellectual property (IP) layout, and a non-shrinkable circuit comprising a second IP layout; and generating a second integrated circuit having a second scale smaller than the first scale. The step of generating the second integrated circuit includes shrinking the shrinkable integrated circuit to the second scale. The method further includes merging the second IP layout with the non-shrinkable circuit to generate a final integrated circuit.

In order to incorporate more functions and achieve better performance and less cost, integrated circuits are formed with increasingly smaller dimensions. However, there are legacy circuits that have already been designed with greater dimensions. It is not cost effective to redesign these circuits for smaller dimensions, and these circuits were typically shrunk before they are implemented on silicon wafers. Conventionally, foundries performed the task of shrinking integrated circuits.
Since the performances of integrated circuits are often related to their sizes, some integrated circuits are preferably not shrunk. For example, analog circuits and some high-speed integrated circuits need to keep their original sizes in order to maintain their performance unchanged throughout different generations of integrated circuits. This creates a dilemma. Since these non-shrinkable integrated circuits are often integrated in the same semiconductor chips with shrinkable integrated circuits, whose performances are not affected by their dimensions, the integrated circuits for a semiconductor chip cannot be uniformly shrunk, and efforts are needed to shrink only the shrinkable circuits, while keeping the non-shrinkable circuits intact.
To achieve this goal, typically, the graphic data system (GDS or GDSII format) layout of the non-shrinkable circuits was blown up (magnified) first. An abstract is then generated from the blown-up GDS layout of the non-shrinkable circuits. The blown-up GDS layout and the respective abstract are then merged with the GDS layout and the abstract of shrinkable circuit layouts to generate a new integrated circuit. Foundries can then shrink the new integrated circuit to substantially a same scale as the GDS layout of the non-shrinkable circuit was magnified. Accordingly, the GDS layout of the non-shrinkable circuits is restored back to the original size, while the shrinkable circuits are shrunk.
The conventional methods for shrinking integrated circuits suffer drawbacks, however. First, even if the non-shrinkable circuits are magnified and then shrunk in a same scale, the resulting dimensions and locations of the final circuits may not be exactly the same as in the original design. This is due to the snapping of integrated circuits to grids, which causes the change in the size and/or location of integrated circuit components. The change in dimensions may cause performance drift. Second, GDS files are typically hierarchical with a plurality of levels. In order to avoid the adverse generation of broken lines caused by snapping, the hierarchy of GDS files needs to be flattened into a same level, resulting in a big GDS file. This causes the handling time to be longer. Third, the adverse change in the dimensions of integrated circuits due to the snapping causes device mismatching. For matching devices, even though they have exactly the same dimensions as that of before the shrinking process, but since they are at different locations, after shrinking, they may have different sizes. Therefore, the performance matching is broken.
What is needed in the art, therefore, are new methods for shrinking integrated circuits without causing the above-discussed problems.

Design flow for shrinking circuits having non-shrinkable IP layout

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.