The present invention provides an osmotic device containing controlled release alprazolam in the core optionally in combination with an anti-psychotic agent, in a rapid release external coat. A wide range of anti-psychotic agents can be used in this device. Particular embodiments of the invention provide osmotic devices having predetermined release profiles. One preferred embodiment of the osmotic device includes an external coat that has been spray coated rather compression coated onto the device. The device with spray coated external core is smaller and easier to swallow than the similar device having a compression coated external coat. The device is useful for the treatment of depression, anxiety or psychosis related disorders.

This invention pertains to an osmotic device containing alprazolam and an anti-psychotic agent. More particularly, it pertains to an osmotic device tablet that provides a controlled release of alprazolam and an immediate release of an anti-psychotic agent, wherein the tablet is suited for once-daily administration in the treatment of psychological disorders.
Clinical depression is a disorder characterized by low self-esteem, guilt, self-reproach, introversion, sadness, despair, sleeping disorders, eating disorders or discouragement. Depression generally causes a lower or decrease of a person""s function. Anxiety is a disorder characterized by responses to anticipation of unreal or imagined danger and is know to cause increased heart rate, altered respiration rate, sweating, trembling, weakness, or fatigue. Psychosis is a disorder characterized by gross impairment in reality perception as evidenced by delusions, hallucinations, markedly incoherent speech, or disorganized and agitated behavior without apparent awareness on the part of the person of the incomprehensibility of his behavior.
Major depression and anxiety occur concomitantly in more patients than either one alone. When these disorders occur together, they are associated with more severe symptoms, increased impairment of function, a longer chronic course, poorer outcome, and a higher incidence of suicide.
Antidepressants, such as alprazolam, have been tested for the treatment of depression and symptoms of anxiety. Anti-psychotic agents, such as risperidone, are used for the treatment of psychosis. On occasion, a person suffering from depression or anxiety and psychosis will be prescribed an antidepressant agent and an anti-psychotic agent. However, mixed results with this type of combination have been reported in the literature. For example, sometimes no therapeutic advantage for the combination is observed and at other times, the combination therapy results in additional, excessive or previously unobserved side effects.
Alprazolam is commercially available in tablet dosage form from Alphapharm, Chelsea Labs, Geneva Pharmaceuticals, Lederle Laboratories, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Novopharm, Pharmacia Upjohn, Purepac Pharmaceuticals, Roxane, Watson Laboratories, and Zenith Goldline. However, those of skill in the art have not been able to develop a combination formulation containing alprazolam and an anti-psychotic drug. Moreover, there has been no suggestion in the art of a combination osmotic device as claimed herein.
Controlled release capsule dosage forms and osmotic device dosage forms are generally known by the skilled artisan to provide different release profiles. Effective therapy with antidepressants and anxiolytic agents is dependent upon a careful control of the blood plasma levels of these agents, and therefore, upon the release profiles of these agents from their respective dosage forms.
Osmotic devices and other tablet formulations are known for their ability to provide a controlled release of a wide range of drugs. Such osmotic devices and other tablet formulations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,334 to Theeuwes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,604 to Guittard et al., Argentina Patent No. 234,493, U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,405 to Guittard et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,879 to Chen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,502 to Ayer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,461 to Hamel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,584 to Savastano et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,770, U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,582 to Faour et al., and Argentina Patent No. 199,301, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
These references, however, do not disclose osmotic devices that provide the specific plasma profiles or release profiles for alprazolam (APZ) that the present invention provides. Moreover, the prior art does not disclose an osmotic device containing a combination of alprazolam with an anti-psychotic agent, wherein the alprazolam and anti-psychotic agent are delivered according to specific release profiles. The delivery of the drugs according to the pharmacokinetics disclosed herein renders the claimed osmotic device useful for treating a range of psychological disorders.
Alprazolam possesses low water solubility and is therefore difficult to formulate into a controlled release dosage form that provides an approximately complete delivery of the alprazolam over an extended period of time. The present inventors have succeeded in developing an osmotic device dosage form that provides a controlled release of alprazolam over an extended period of time for once-daily administration. Together with an anti-psychotic agent, the alprazolam provides a therapeutic system for the treatment of psychoses and other neurological/psychological/psychiatric disorders.
In one aspect, the present invention provides an osmotic device comprising:
a core comprising a therapeutically effective amount of alprazolam and at least one osmotic agent or osmopolymer; and
a semipermeable membrane surrounding the core and having a passageway there through;
wherein the core provides a controlled release of APZ, and at least 60% of the APZ is released within 10 hours after exposure of the osmotic device to an aqueous solution.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an osmotic device for the delivery of APZ and an anti-psychotic agent comprising:
a core comprising a therapeutically effective amount of alprazolam and at least one osmotic agent or osmopolymer;
a semipermeable membrane surrounding the core and having a passageway there through; and
an external coat comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-psychotic agent;
wherein the core provides a controlled release of APZ, and at least 60% of the APZ is released within 10 hours after exposure of the osmotic device to an aqueous solution, and the external coat provides a rapid release of the anti-psychotic agent, and at least 75% of the anti-psychotic agent is released within 1 hour after exposure of the osmotic device to an aqueous solution.
In still other preferred embodiments, the external coat is applied by spray coating or compression coating. By spray coating rather than compression coating the external coat, a thinner external coat, and therefore a smaller osmotic device, is formed.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of treating depression, anxiety and/or psychosis in a mammal, the method comprising the step of administering an osmotic device which provides a controlled release of APZ from its core and a rapid release of an anti-psychotic agent from an external coat, wherein at least 75% of the anti-psychotic agent is released within about 40 minutes, and at least about 60% of the APZ is released within about 1 hour after administration.
In other embodiments, the osmotic device provides: a) a APZ release profile similar to that shown in FIG. 1; or b) a APZ plasma profile similar to that shown in FIG. 2. In still other embodiments, the release of APZ and/or the anti-psychotic agent has a delayed onset.
Other embodiments include those wherein the anti-psychotic agent is selected from the group consisting of risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine, sertindole, ziprasidone, quetiapine, sulpiride, pimozide, clothiapine, molindone, loxapine, trifluoperazine, haloperidol, flupenthixol, chlorpromazine, chlorprothixene, clopenthixol, droperidol, perphenazine, fluphenazine, lithium, mesoridazine, spiperone, promazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine, thiothixene, triflupromazine and raclopride.
According to other embodiments, the anti-psychotic agent is administered once daily at a dose of: a) risperidone-5 to 10 mg per day; b) olanzapine-5 to 20 mg, 0.25-50 mg, 1-30 mg, or 1-25 mg per day; c) clozapine-100 to 400 mg, 12.5-900 mg, or 150-450 mg per day; d) sertindole-15 to 20 mg per day or 0.0001 to 1.0 mg/kg of body weight per day; e) ziprasidone-80 to 160 mg, 5 to 500 mg or 50 to 100 mg per day; f) quetiapine-150 to 600 mg or 1.0-40 mg/kg of body weight per day; g) sulpiride-50 to 100 mg per day; h) pimozide-2 to 4 mg per day; or i) clothiapine-40 mg per day.
The osmotic device generally delivers the anti-psychotic agent to the upper GI tract and the alprazolam to the middle to lower GI tract.
Other features, advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art by the following description, accompanying examples.

Osmotic device containing alprazolam and an antipsychotic agent


This invention relates to an air injection bath for a therapeutic use, the bath comprising a tub having in its base air injection nozzles supplied by a turbine, heating and ozonizing devices being disposed in a box outside the safety perimeter of the bath, the box having an electric and electronic control system receiving air pulses from a mobile control grip or from a stationary control panel disposed near the user for controlling various operations for air injection, heating of the injected air, ozone injection, the direction and speed of air injection into the bath and the starting and stopping of the complete facility.

The invention relates to an air injection bath for therapeutic use, of a kind such as to enable the user to be massaged by turbulence produced in a bath by an injection of air.
Air injection baths for the uses specified and having a tube whose base has air injection nozzles are known. Heated and ozonised air is injected by a turbine. The box in which these various devices are disposed is placed outside the safety perimeter of the bath and has electric and electronic controls receiving air pulses from either a mobile control grip or a stationary control panel. The grip or panel are disposed near the user to give him the facility of remote control, for instance, of air injection, air heating, ozone, the duration and speed of injection and stoppage. However, a disadvantage found is that the user must get out of the bath and go to the control box to adjust the air intake and more particularly the force of air injection or starting, stopping and heating of the injected air when these controls have to be carried out on a stationary panel disposed at a distance from the bath.
It is the object of this invention to obviate these disadvantages and the invention proposes an air injection bath of use for balneotherapy or thalassotherapy with an appreciable increase in user convenience by enabling the user to control various operations without leaving the bath, the means for adjusting and controlling the bath being readily fittable and readily accessible yet very effective and without any risk for the user and not running any risk of causing overflows.


In an information recording medium comprising a substrate and a recording layer, the recording layer is formed from a germanium-tin material. Recording light may be conducted to the layer where amorphous-crystalline phase transition or crystal form change occurs.

This invention relates to an information recording medium, and more particularly, to a heat-mode information recording medium as well as a recording method.
Heat-mode information recording media have the advantage that they are not worn or degraded because they are not in contact with writing and reading heads. Active research and development work has been focused to a variety of heat-mode recording media. The heat-mode information recording media are generally classified into two types, pit forming type and phase transition type.
In the information recording medium of phase transition type, recording light, typically a laser beam is directed to the recording layer to induce amorphous-crystalline phase transition at the exposed spot, thereby recording information thereat. The recorded information can be read out by directing reading light to the recorded spot to detect a variation in reflectance or the like.
Most recording media utilizing such phase transition have recording layers of tellurium (Te) based materials, for example, As-Se-Te. Because tellurium-based materials are toxic to the human body, the recent research is to develop substitute materials. As far as the inventors know, no report has been presented as to the discovery of a useful recording medium using a less toxic material instead of the tellurium-based materials.


A container system for the shipping and storing of product such as bananas, comprising: (a) a substantially rigid outer container having at least one ventilation opening; (b) a closable inner container positioned within the outer container for receiving the product, the inner container having a bottom portion and a top portion; and (c) means attached to the top portion of the inner container for opening the inner container so as to provide increased ventilation to the product. The inner container preferably comprises a flexible bag having a sealed bottom as its bottom portion, an open top adjacent the top portion, and a perforation extending about at least a portion of the bag, so that the opening means opens the bag by severing the bag at the perforation. The opening means may comprise a cord attached to the top portion of the bag. A method of packing, shipping and storing product, comprising the steps of: (a) providing an inner and outer container for the product at a first location, the outer container being of a substantially rigid construction, and having at least one ventilation opening, and wherein the inner container has a top portion, a bottom portion, and an open end adjacent the top portion; (b) placing the inner container within the outer container; (c) placing the product inside the inner container; (d) providing a means attached to the top portion for opening the inner container; (e) closing the inner container so that the inner container is substantially sealed at the top portion to thus containerize the product; (f) shipping the containerized product to a second location; (g) opening the inner container using the opening means, so as to provide increased ventilation to the product within the inner container through the at least one ventilation opening; and (g) storing the containerized product at the second location. The inner container may comprise a flexible bag having a perforation between the top and bottom portions, so that the opening step severs the bag at the perforation, preferably removing the top portion of the bag, thereby providing the increased ventilation. The opening means may comprise a cord affixed to the top portion of the bag, so that the opening step comprises pulling the cord to remove the top portion of the bag.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved container system for products, particularly perishable products such as bananas, and an improved method for packing, shipping and storing products, and, more particularly, to a container system and method which employ a closeable inner container which can be readily opened to provide increased ventilation to the product, an outer container of an optionally improved design, and a means for opening the inner container without a need to access the outer container.
2. Description of Related Art
Most products must be shipped from one point to another prior to their sale to consumers, and are usually stored for a period of time at one or both locations. During shipping and storing, however, ventilation, heating, and/or cooling must often be provided to the products for various reasons. Perishable products such as fruit, for example, may require ventilation and cooling in order to maintain their freshness. Without such ventilation or temperature control means, these products might arrive at their final destination in a spoiled or damaged condition. Thus, it is usually not sufficient to merely package these perishable products in closed containers.
Previous containerization methods for perishable products such as fruits and vegetables have often employed containers having various ventilation means. For example, most fruits are shipped to retailers from the location where they are grown in corrugated boxes having a plurality of ventilation openings. These corrugated boxes not only provide a means for ventilating and controlling the temperature of the fruit, but are also light-weight and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. One drawback of these corrugated containers, however, is that they generally cannot be reused. Thus, any reduction in the amount of materials used in their manufacture is of great value.
Many products such as fruits and vegetables also have ventilation and temperature parameters which must be varied during shipping and storing. Thus, at certain points during the shipping and/or storing periods it may be necessary to increase ventilation, or raise or lower the temperature of the products in order to ensure optimal freshness. One product for which this is particularly true is bananas. Bananas are typically packed into corrugated containers (i.e., boxes) at the plantation where they are harvested in a very green, unripened state. These cardboard boxes are then placed within large shipping containers, which are in turn placed in refrigerated ships. During shipment the pulp temperature of the bananas is kept at a temperature between 56.degree. and 59.degree. F. Once the ship has docked, the bananas are transferred to refrigerated trucks or rail cars, and transported to a warehouse or the like. Once again, the pulp temperature is maintained between 56.degree. and 59.degree. F. in order to retard the ripening of the bananas, thereby prolonging the shelf life of the bananas. In order to maintain this temperature range, it is necessary to provide ventilation means within the cardboard or corrugated boxes. This is typically achieved by providing a plurality of ventilation openings about the surfaces of the boxes. In this fashion cooled air can be circulated within the boxes, thereby maintaining the proper pulp temperature.
Once the bananas have reached the warehouse, the boxes are placed in ripening rooms where the pulp temperature is permitted to rise to about 60.degree. to 62.degree. F. Ethylene gas is also circulated about and within the containers by means of the ventilation openings. The combination of increased temperature and ethylene gas will hasten the ripening process, thereby reducing the time necessary for the bananas to fully ripen. Once this process has been completed, however, it is desirable to remove ethylene gas and decrease the temperature of the bananas in order to decelerate ripening. Since the ripening process within the bananas themselves releases ethylene gas, and since the ripening process will continue even at temperatures below 60.degree. F., it is critical that sufficient ventilation be provided in order to reduce the pulp temperature and remove ethylene. Thus, once the bananas are removed from the ripening rooms and transported to the retailer, it is usually necessary to take steps to ensure that increased ventilation can be provided to the bananas. If the ethylene gas is not removed from the bananas or the temperature is not sufficiently decreased, the bananas will continue to ripen at an accelerated rate, thereby shortening their shelf life. Thus, the containers and packaging employed for bananas must be able to account for the varying ventilation and temperature control needs during the shipping and storing steps.
Other products, including other fruits and vegetables, require similar handling, and may have varying needs during the shipping and storing processes. Thus, there is a need for a container system for products, as well as a method for packing, shipping and storing these products, that will ensure proper shipping and storing conditions. While many of the containers and methods employed in the past have met the needs of producers and retailers, these containers and methods usually required a considerable amount of handling. Additionally, there is always a need for containers and methods which improve the shelf life, appearance, and freshness of perishable products such as fruits and vegetables.


A windshield wiper apparatus having a facility for retraction of the wiper blade, including a cranked driving arm which carries a pivot pin on which an eccentric knuckle piece is rotatably mounted. A driven crank is articulated on the knuckle piece and the latter is provided with a ratchet which includes a finger and radial arm.. The knuckle piece is in two parts, comprising a member which carries the ratchet and a second member which is formed with a recess for receiving the radial arm of the ratchet.. The invention is especially applicable to automotive vehicles.

One apparatus of the above kind is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 337,405, filed Apr. 13, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,774, and in the corresponding published French patent application No. FR 2 630 068A. As disclosed in those documents, the apparatus comprises a first, or cranked, arm, which is a driving arm mounted on a motor spindle and which has a pivot pin mounted close to the end of the cranked arm remote from the motor spindle. This pivot pin carries an eccentric knuckle piece, on which a second arm, or driven crank, is articulated by means of a socket which is carried by the second arm. The said knuckle piece is provided with a ratchet which includes a finger moveable in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the pivot pin under the action of a spring. The ratchet is adapted to leave the knuckle piece free with respect to the first arm in a first direction of rotation of the latter, but to arrest the knuckle piece in the opposite direction of rotation. The assembly is such that, in normal operation, the first arm rotates in one direction for which the position of the eccentric knuckle piece remains constant with respect to one of the two elements consisting of the driven crank (the second arm) and the driving (first) arm, while during reversal of the direction of rotation of the driving arm, the knuckle piece is driven in rotation with respect to the said element. This causes a variation in eccentricity to occur, together with retraction of the windshield wiper.
To this end, the ratchet includes a radial arm which projects outwardly from the knuckle piece, while the socket has a recess for receiving the end of this arm.
Thus, in normal operation the knuckle piece is coupled in rotation with the socket by cooperation of the ratchet arm with the recess of the socket. In such an arrangement, the driven arm and the driving arm arranged to perform, relative to each other, a "universal" movement through the joint described above, which essentially a ball and socket type or knuckle joint, in which this movement consists essentially of rotational movement associated with inclination or tilting of the two arms with respect to each other.
The availability of this tilting movement is limited by the fact that in normal operation, the ratchet arm cooperates risk during severe tilting of coming into contact with the end of the said finger. This can cause fracture and therefore render the coupling inoperative. Similarly, in the retracted position of the wiper, the ratchet finger is engaged in the space lying between the driving arm and the socket, so as largely to occupy this space. In this position, the driven arm can only tilt in one direction, opposite to that in which the ratchet arm lies. In the opposite case, this arm presents an obstacle to the tilting movement.
Such an obstacle introduces the risk of malfunctioning occurring in the assembly of the two arms, which may be reflected in the level of the retracted position.

Windshield wiper apparatus having a retraction facility


A compound of the formula

Disclosed herein are amide gellant compounds with aromatic end groups and ink compositions containing the compounds. One embodiment disclosed herein is directed to a compound of the formula

wherein R1 and R1′ are the same, and wherein R1 and R1′ each are aromatic groups; wherein R2 and R2′ are the same or different, and wherein R2 and R2′ are each independently selected from (i) alkylene groups, which can be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, substituted or unsubstituted alkylene groups, and wherein hetero atoms may optionally be present in the alkylene group; (ii) arylene groups, which can be substituted or unsubstituted arylene groups, and wherein hetero atoms may optionally be present in the arylene group; (iii) arylalkylene groups, which can be substituted or unsubstituted arylalkylene groups, wherein the alkyl portion of the arylalkylene group can be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, and substituted or unsubstituted, and wherein hetero atoms may optionally be present in either the aryl portion or the alkyl portion of the arylalkylene group; or (iv) alkylarylene groups, which can be substituted or unsubstituted alkylarylene groups, wherein the alkyl portion of the alkylarylene group can be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, and substituted or unsubstituted, and wherein hetero atoms may optionally be present in either the aryl portion or the alkyl portion of the alkylarylene group; and wherein R3 is (i) a linear or branched alkylene group, which can be saturated or unsaturated, and substituted or unsubstituted alkylene groups, and wherein hetero atoms may optionally be present in the alkylene group; (ii) an arylene group, which can be substituted or unsubstituted arylene groups, and wherein hetero atoms may optionally be present in the arylene group; (iii) an arylalkylene group, which can be substituted or unsubstituted arylalkylene groups, wherein the alkyl portion of the arylalkylene group can be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, and substituted or unsubstituted, and wherein hetero atoms may optionally be present in either the aryl portion or the alkyl portion of the arylalkylene group; or (iv) an alkylarylene group, which can be substituted or unsubstituted alkylarylene groups, wherein the alkyl portion of the alkylarylene group can be linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or acyclic, and substituted or unsubstituted, and where hetero atoms may optionally be present in either the aryl portion or the alkyl portion of the alkylarylene group.
In general, phase change inks (sometimes referred to as "hot melt inks") are in the solid phase at ambient temperature, but exist in the liquid phase at the elevated operating temperature of an ink jet printing device. At the jet operating temperature, droplets of liquid ink are ejected from the printing device and, when the ink droplets contact the surface of the recording substrate, either directly or via an intermediate heated transfer belt or drum, they quickly solidify to form a predetermined pattern of solidified ink drops. Phase change inks have also been used in other printing technologies, such as gravure printing.
Phase change inks for color printing typically comprise a phase change ink carrier composition which is combined with a phase change ink compatible colorant. A series of colored phase change inks can be formed by combining ink carrier compositions with compatible subtractive primary colorants. The subtractive primary colored phase change inks can comprise four component dyes, namely, cyan, magenta, yellow and black, although the inks are not limited to these four colors. These subtractive primary colored inks can be formed by using a single dye or a mixture of dyes. For example, magenta can be obtained by using a mixture of Solvent Red Dyes or a composite black can be obtained by mixing several dyes. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,889,560, 4,889,761, and 5,372,852, the disclosures of each of which are totally incorporated herein by reference, teach that the subtractive primary colorants employed can comprise dyes from the classes of Color Index (C.I.) Solvent Dyes, Disperse Dyes, modified Acid and Direct Dyes, and Basic Dyes.
The colorants can also include pigments, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,335, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference.
Phase change inks have also been used for applications such as postal marking, industrial marking, and labeling.
Phase change inks are desirable for ink jet printers because they remain in a solid phase at room temperature during shipping, long term storage, and the like. In addition, the problems associated with nozzle clogging as a result of ink evaporation with liquid ink jet inks are largely eliminated, thereby improving the reliability of the ink jet printing. Further, in phase change ink jet printers wherein the ink droplets are applied directly onto the final recording substrate (for example, paper, transparency material, and the like), the droplets solidify immediately upon contact with the substrate, so that migration of ink along the printing medium is prevented and dot quality is improved.
Compositions suitable for use as phase change ink carrier compositions are known. Suitable carrier materials can include paraffins, microcrystalline waxes, polyethylene waxes, ester waxes, fatty acids and other waxy materials, fatty amide containing materials, sulfonamide materials, resinous materials made from different natural sources (tall oil rosins and rosin esters, for example), and many synthetic resins, oligomers, polymers, and copolymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,276,614 (Eniko Toma, et al.), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses curable ester-terminated oligoamide compounds and ink compositions containing them. Disclosed are compounds of the formula

wherein R1 and R1′ each, independently of the other, is an alkyl group having at least one ethylenic unsaturation, an arylalkyl group having at least one ethylenic unsaturation, or an alkylaryl group having at least one ethylenic unsaturation, R2, R2′, and R3 each, independently of the others, are alkylene groups, arylene groups, arylalkylene groups, or alkylarylene groups, and n is an integer representing the number of repeat amide units and is at least 1.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,279,587 (Peter G. Odell, et al.), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses photoinitiating compounds compatible with or useful in phase change ink compositions. Disclosed are compounds of the formula

wherein R1 is an alkylene, arylene, arylalkylene, or alkylarylene group, R2 and R2′ each, independently of the other, are alkylene, arylene, arylalkylene, or alkylarylene groups, R3 and R3′ each, independently of the other, are either (a) photoinitiating groups, or (b) groups which are alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, or alkylaryl groups, provided that at least one of R3 and R3′ is a photoinitiating groups, and X and X′ each, independently of the other, is an oxygen atom or a group of the formula —NR4—, wherein R4 is a hydrogen atom, and alkyl group, an aryl group, or an alkylaryl group.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,657 (Mark S. Pavlin, et al.), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses low molecular weight, ester-terminated polyamides which may be blended with a liquid hydrocarbon to form a transparent composition having gel consistency. The ester-terminated polyamide is prepared by reacting "x" equivalents of dicarboxylic acid wherein at least 40% of those equivalents are from polymerized fatty acid, "y" equivalents of diamine such s ethylene diamine, and "z" equivalents of monoalcohol having at least 4 carbon atoms. The stoichiometry of the reaction mixture is such that 0.9≦{x/(y+z)}≦1.1 and 0.1≦{z/(y+z)}≦0.7. The reactants are heated until they reach reaction equilibrium. The gel contains about 5-50% ester-terminated polyamide, with the remainder preferably being pure hydrocarbon. The gels are useful in formulating personal care products and other articles wherein some degree of gel-like or self-supporting consistency is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,111,055 (Vivian Berger, et al.), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses an ester-terminated dimer acid-based polyamide may be blended with a solvent to form a gel. The solvent may be flammable, and a wick may be added to the resulting gel so as to form a candle.
While known compositions and processes are suitable for their intended purposes, a need remains for improved phase change ink compositions. In addition, a need remains for improved ultraviolet curable phase change ink compositions used in, for example, but not limited to, production printing. Further, there remains a need for an improved phase change ink composition providing wide substrate latitude, excellent adhesion, and enhanced pigment dispersion stability. Further, a need remains for gellant compositions for phase change inks that can provide enhanced spectral transmission and gelation properties. Further, there remains a need for a gellant composition for phase change inks that can be readily produced and that does not require post reaction purification to achieve the desired gellant composition. Further, there remains a need for a gellant that can provide adequate gelation strength without the need for complex processing steps. Further, there remains a need for a gellant that has high thermal stability.
The appropriate components and process aspects of the each of the foregoing U.S. patents and patent Publications may be selected for the present disclosure in embodiments thereof. Further, throughout this application, various publications, patents, and published patent applications are referred to by an identifying citation. The disclosures of the publications, patents, and published patent applications referenced in this application are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains.

Amide gellant compounds with aromatic end groups

Abstract: A compound of the formula

Abstract: wherein R1 and R1′ are the same, and wherein R1 and R1′ are each aromatic groups; and wherein R2 and R2′ and R3 each, independently of the others, are alkylene groups, arylene groups, arylalkylene groups, or alkylarylene groups; or wherein, in embodiments, R1 and R1′ can be the same or different, and wherein R1 and R1′ each, independently of the other is an alkyl group having a least one ethylenic unsaturation, an arylalkyl group having at least one ethylenic unsaturation, an alkylaryl group having at least one ethylenic unsaturation, or an aromatic group, provided that at least one of R1 and R1′ is an aromatic group; and provided that neither of R1 or R1′ is a photoinitiator group.


Covers polyester polycarbonates of the structure: ##STR1## wherein X and Y, independently, are H, methyl, or ethyl, m and n independently are integers of 1-5, R is a nucleus of a glycol selected from the group of lower alkylene glycols and polyalkylene glycols of up to about 600 molecular weight, Z is an organic radical from a cyclic organic acid anhydride having 4-20 carbon atoms, and r is an integer of 1-5.. Also covers a method of preparing said polyester polycarbonates as well as polyurethanes derived therefrom, as well as polyisocyanurate polymers containing both isocyanurate linkages and urethane linkages.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to polyester polycarbonates, their preparation and use in making polymer foams including both polyurethane polymers and polyisocyanurate polymers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Polyurethane polymers and polyisocyanurate polymers such as those in rigid and flexible foam form are well known in the art. The latter type of polymers are made by utilizing a polyisocyanurate group formation catalyst to promote formation of both isocyanurate linkages and urethane linkages to produce urethane-modified polyisocyanurate polymers.
Both polyesters and polycarbonates have been used in the preparation of polyurethane polymers such as those in foam form. Materials of this type are used to prepare both polyurethane and polyisocyanurate flexible and rigid foams as well as semi-flexible and semi-rigid foam types. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,915,550; 3,133,113; 3,248,415; 3,248,414; 3,248,416; 3,764,457; and 3,699,679.
However, many prior art foams prepared from polyol sources of these types are deficient in a number of sought-after properties. For example, many polyisocyanurate rigid foams so prepared do not have a sufficiently low friability to be commercially useful. In other instances the foams do not have the proper degree of burn resistance. In yet other instances the foam formulations are not sufficiently viscous. Thus, when such urethane systems are applied in spray form the relatively low viscosity products tend to sag when applied.
It therefore would be a distinct improvement in the art to prepare novel polyester polycarbonates useful in making polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams which do not possess the above-discussed drawbacks and others. Other objects will appear hereinafter.


An apparatus for cutting lengths of material is provided having a pair of scroll type cams adapted to operate a pair of laterally opposed cutting blades. The apparatus comprises a frame having a front end, a rear end, and generally parallel side members laterally opposed to each other and spaced apart by a plurality of rollers extending generally perpendicular between the parallel side members of the frame. The pair of laterally opposed cutting blades are pivotally connected to the front end of the frame. The blades are constructed from a metallic material, the surfaces of which may be heated electrically to facilitate cutting. The scroll type cams are rotatably mounted to each side of the frame near the ends of the cutting blades and are adapted to engage cam followers connected to the blades. Pneumatically operated cylinders simultaneously rotate each of the scroll cams in the same direction with respect to the frame to convert rotational motion of the cams to linear motion of the cam followers. Rotational movement of the scroll cams together in counterclockwise and clockwise directions is thereby translated into linear movement of the cutting blades toward and away from each other, respectively.

Certain manufacturing processes require the attachment of overlapping ends of a precise length of material together to form a continuous loop of the material. Often, the precise length is cut from a continuous supply of the material. Heat treatment, or curing, is typically utilized to fuse the attached overlapping ends of the length of material together to increase the strength of the joint.
An example of such a manufacturing process is tire building, wherein a precise length of rubber or other material is wrapped around a mandrel or drum to form part of the tire. The length of rubber or other material is cut so that the ends of the length overlap to form a splice. The overlapping ends are temporarily attached together to form a loop of material which is then cured to strengthen the rubber.
The presence of a splice in the continuous loop of rubber or other material presents several problems. First, the double thickness of the spliced joint in the continuous loop of rubber or other material upsets the rotational balance of the tire formed therefrom. In addition, air is likely to be captured between the two overlapping ends of material, thereby weakening the resulting splice. Moreover, the entire material loop must be cured for the length of time required to cure the spliced joint of double thickness.
By reducing the length and the thickness of the splice, the rotational balance of the tire is improved. The area between the overlapping ends of rubber or other material is reduced, thereby minimizing the amount of air which can be captured therebetween to weaken the resulting joint. In addition, curing time for the continuous loop is reduced, permitting greater throughput by the associated curing equipment.
Devices for cutting sheets of material to be spliced together are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,901 to Hogan et al. discloses a cutter having heated, eccentrically mounted rollers which coact with each other to partially sever predetermined lengths of material from a continuous roll of the material. Retraction of a transport member, which works in conjunction with the eccentrically mounted rollers, completes the severing of the material. Material sheets having tapered ends are thereby provided using a two step process.
Thus, advantages exist for reducing the length and the thickness of spliced joints formed in materials used to manufacture tires. The present invention provides a simplified apparatus and method for affording these advantages, while providing a high degree of flexibility in design and operation.


A fuel vapor purging system includes a container in which a set of divided chambers are formed by partition walls. Absorbent is disposed in the divided chambers. The divided chambers are sequentially connected to form a zigzag passage. Fuel vapor can enter the container from a fuel tank via a vapor line connecting the fuel tank and the container. In the container, an end of the vapor line faces the divided chamber which occupies an end of the set of the divided chambers. In the container, the fuel vapor is absorbed by the absorbent. Air can escape from the container via an opening in the container. The fuel vapor can be separated from the absorbent. The separated fuel vapor can be drawn into a suitable drawing device such as an engine air induction device via a purge line connecting the container and the drawing device. Fresh air can flow into the container via an air inlet provided on the container. Among the divided chambers, at least the divided chamber which occupies the end of the set of the divided chambers has a cross-sectional area equal to or smaller than 40 cm.sup.2.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fuel vapor purging system for an automotive vehicle or others.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In automotive vehicles, fuel vapor tends to occur in a fuel tank. For automotive emission control, it is necessary to prevent such fuel vapor from leaking to the atmosphere. Some fuel vapor purging systems for automotive vehicles include a charcoal canister which absorbs fuel vapor transmitted from a fuel tank. During certain conditions, the fuel vapor is drawn from the canister into an air intake section of an automotive engine.
Japanese published unexamined utility model application 60-127465 discloses a charcoal canister which has a plurality of absorption chambers filled with activated charcoal. In Japanese application 60-127465, the charcoal canister has a vapor inlet successively followed by the absorption chambers, and the vapor inlet is connected to a fuel tank. In addition, the canister has a purge outlet connected to an engine air induction passage via a check valve.
In Japanese application 60-127465, during a fuel vapor absorbing process, fuel vapor flows from the tank into the canister via the vapor inlet. Then, the fuel vapor successively flows through the absorption chambers while being absorbed by the charcoal therein. The absorption chambers are arranged into a configuration which provides a long distance of a path of the flow of the fuel vapor in the charcoal to attain an adequate efficiency of the absorption of the fuel vapor by the charcoal.
In Japanese application 60-127465, during a vapor separating process, the check valve is opened so that the purge outlet of the canister is moved into communication with the engine air induction passage. Thus, the interior of the canister is subjected to a negative pressure, that is, an engine air induction vacuum. As a result of the vacuum, the fuel vapor is separated from the charcoal in the canister and is then purged via the purge outlet into the engine air induction passage. The canister also has an air inlet. During the vapor separating process, fresh air is introduced into the canister via an air inlet and is then drawn into the engine air induction passage together with the fuel vapor. The introduction of fresh air into the canister reduces a pressure loss in the canister and promotes the separation of the fuel vapor from the charcoal.
It is now assumed that an automotive vehicle equipped with such a fuel vapor purging system remains left without activating an engine for several days. During the daytime, the atmospheric temperature is usually high so that fuel evaporates in the fuel tank. The resultant fuel vapor is absorbed by the charcoal in the canister. During the night, the atmospheric temperature is usually low so that a vacuum occurs in the fuel tank. As a result of the vacuum, the fuel vapor is separated from the charcoal in the canister and is then returned via the vapor inlet to the fuel tank. In addition, air is introduced into the canister via the air inlet and is then moved toward the fuel tank together with the fuel vapor. Thus, the absorption of the fuel vapor by the canister and the return of the fuel vapor from the canister to the fuel tank are alternately repeated several times. In cases where the amount of the fuel vapor returned to the fuel tank is small, the charcoal in the canister tends to be saturated and hence the fuel vapor overflows from the canister via the air inlet during the daytime. Accordingly, a great amount of the fuel vapor returned to the fuel tank is desirable for automotive emission control.


An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for interacting based on multimodal inputs, which enables a higher approximation to user natural interaction, comprising: acquiring a plurality of input information from at least one of a plurality of input modules; performing comprehensive logic analysis of the plurality of input information so as to generate an operation command, wherein the operation command has operation elements, the operation elements at least including an operation object, an operation action, and an operation parameter; and performing a corresponding operation on the operation object based on the operation command.

Augmented reality (AR) is an innovative human-machine interaction technology in a sub-field of natural picture recognition technologies, which overlays in real time digital information such as a virtual 3D animation, a video, a text, and a picture to a real scene and displays to realize a natural interaction with a real object or a user. The augmented reality highlights a natural human-machine visual interaction with fusion of virtuality and reality. The augmented reality technology covers new technologies and new means such as multimedia, 3D modeling, real-time video display and control, multi-sensor fusion, real-time tracking and registration, scene fusion, etc. The advanced and novel nature of the augmented reality technology causes its applications and promotions ever stagnant.
In the era of Mobile Internet, a core technical problem for human-machine interaction is how to connect between a current offline real scene and online virtual information and interaction in an efficient, simple, and natural manner.
In the prior art, the core for implementing a connection technology is a computer's perception of an offline object, including detection, recognition, and tracking. There are substantially two means for implementing such perception: manually labelling the offline object, or automatically recognizing the offline object by a computer. The former includes technologies such as two-dimensional code, NFC, and WiFi positioning, etc., which are required to modify each target object and thus have drawbacks such as limited functions, high costs in deployment and maintenance, unnatural interaction, and lack of intuition and aesthetics, etc. The latter is based on a natural picture recognition technology to perform intelligent analysis of image data acquired by a camera, automatically determine the identity, category, space posture and other information of the object, which requires no change to the target object and thus is more approximate to natural interaction of human.
Therefore, it has become a mainstream task in the industry how to implement a better user interaction experience with a linking between online information and offline information and a fusion of virtuality and reality.

Multimodal input-based interaction method and device

HISCENE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A hair curling device including a heatable rod having a plurality of longitudinal channels. A non-conductive roller having a cage-like body is provided with a plurality of mating strips or bars. When the roller is slidably mounted on the rod, a sufficient heated surface area of the rod remains exposed for applying heat directly to a wound tress. The rod may be removed from the formed curl leaving the roller to support the hair while it cools to operate as a hair setter. If the rod remains mated to the roller and left in the hair while the hair cools, the device operates as a curling iron or styling wand.

This invention relates to hand-held hair curling devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a hair curling device which may be used as a curling iron or a hair setter.
In the past, rollers for heated hair setters were typically heated by a number of electrical heating pins mounted on a base in a chamber. The rollers were typically constructed of a heat retaining material such as a metal or filled with a heat storage material such as any well known eutectic material. Still other hair setters had their rollers heated by means of steam or the like. In each case the roller was the sole means of providing heat to the hair.
The large mass of such a roller, in the user's hair, necessitates a relatively long period of time for the consumer to curl her hair. Further, the weight of such a roller in the user's hair may cause unreasonable discomfort over an extended period of time.
The problems of the prior art have been substantially eliminated by providing a hair curling device having a continuously heated rod which applies its heat directly to the hair. An associated frame-like substantially non-conductive roller is provided to slidably mount on the heated rod to provide support for the hair while it cools when the heated rod is removed.


A rocker (2) of a vehicle, the vehicle and the rocker (2) comprising a main elongation axis, a width axis (Y) and a height axis (Z), a lower portion and an upper portion, the rocker (2) further comprising a central core (3) comprising a length along the main elongation axis and a height along the height axis (Z); two hollow units (4, 5) extending along the length and on one side and the other of the central core (3), such that one of the units (4) is closer to the outside of the vehicle (1) than the other unit (5), and a cross-section of the units in the main elongation axis, forms a closed polygon on the length of the central core (3); and two flanges (6) projecting from the lower and upper portions of the rocker (2).

The bending strength performances are essential for the side structures of the central underbody of vehicles ("rocker" according to well-known English terminology) in order to ensure the vehicle passengers are protected in the event of side impacts that cause the rockers to bend.
Numerous rockers are known. For example, documents: EP0619215, WO2012095991, US2013/0140854, WO2013/076818 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,439,430.
Nevertheless, none of these documents discloses vehicle underbody structures enabling a satisfactory compromise between bending strength and mass reduction.
There is a need in the market to lower the mass of vehicle frames to an even greater extent in order to reduce fuel consumption, without reducing the mechanical performance of the frame.
The object of the present disclosure is to provide rockers, as well as vehicles comprising such rockers, which improve mechanical performances in terms of bending strength in order to ensure protection for the passengers of a vehicle, whilst having minimum mass to, in particular, ensure optimal performance of the vehicle in terms of fuel consumption.

Rockers for vehicles and vehicles comprising such rockers


Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for software implemented timers configured to account for purposeful or desired program stoppage. Such program stoppage is a common occurrence in debugging environments. Because such program stoppage is not indicative of an error condition, it is undesirable to include the stoppage time with the elapsed timer value. Accordingly, a process counter is implemented which is incremented only while a process of the application being debugged is executing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to data processing. More particularly, embodiments are provided for program timers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inherent in any software development technique is the potential for introducing "bugs". A bug will typically cause unexpected results during the execution of the program. Locating, analyzing, and correcting bugs in a computer program is a process known as "debugging." Debugging of programs may be done either manually or interactively by a debugging system mediated by a computer system. Manual debugging of a program requires a programmer to manually trace the logic flow of the program and the contents of memory elements, e.g., registers and variables. In the interactive debugging of programs, the program is executed under the control of a monitor program (known as a "debugger"). The debugger may be located on and executed by the same computer system on which the program is executed or may be located on a different system from the one the program is executed on, in the case of a distributed debugger.
Conventional debuggers typically support various operations to assist a computer programmer. Each operation allows the programmer to examine the state of program registers and variables at a given point in the execution of a program. A first operation supported by conventional debuggers is a breakpoint operation. A "breakpoint" is a point in the program where execution of the computer program is stopped so that the state of the program can be examined by a computer programmer. As a result, when a computer program is executed by a debugger, the program executes in a normal fashion until a breakpoint is reached. The debugger then stops execution and displays the results of the computer program to the programmer for analysis.
In some cases, the use of breakpoints (and other debugging tools which cause program stoppage) can result in problems with internal program timers, which are used to ensure proper operation and execution of the program. Such internal program timers are incremented according to a system clock. The system clock is itself updated by hardware and, as a result, continues to increment even while any individual process is halted (e.g., for debugging upon encountering a breakpoint).
The operation and associated problems of such a timing scheme may be illustrated with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows an execution environment for illustrative system 100. The system 100 is executing a process 102 which includes a first function 104 and a second function 106. The functions 104, 106 may be executed within a common thread. The timing of the functions 104, 106 is checked by implementing an operating system timer 108 (referred to herein as the system timer) which is configured with a cache area 110 to store a start time. A hardware-based system clock 112 is utilized to increment the system timer 108 according to predefined units of time.
In operation, the first function 104 begins executing at step 120. At step 122, the first function 104 initiates the system timer 108 and stores the start time into the cache area 110. The system 100 is then configured to periodically query, at step 136, whether the system timer 108 has expired. If the system timer 108 has expired, the associated thread is then ended at step 138. Otherwise, processing proceeds to step 140 where no action is taken and the system timer 108 continues to increment.
The determination at step 136 is made using an expected timer wait value (or allowed run time), which may be user configurable. The expected timer wait value is the maximum time needed for the process 102 to complete execution assuming no errors are encountered. The expected timer wait value is then compared to an elapsed run time, which is the difference between the current system time (as defined by the system clock 112) and the start time contained in the cache area 110.
Once the system timer 108 is initiated, a call is made, at step 124, to the second function 106, which is entered at step 126. Illustratively, the second function 106 is configured with a breakpoint (which may have been set by a user at some earlier time) encountered at step 128. Accordingly, the process 102 and its related threads are halted upon encountering the breakpoint at step 128. The user is then free to inspect variables and engage in other debugging activities. Subsequently, the user inputs a command to the system causing the process 102 to resume execution. Assuming that the system timer 108 has not expired, execution of the second function 106 proceeds to step 130 from which processing returns to the first function 104. As indicated by step 132 of the first function 104, execution continues until step 134 where the system timer 108 is stopped.
If, however, the system timer 108 has expired when execution of the process 102 resumes, an error path code will be entered. This situation arises because the system timer 108 continues to be incremented even though the process 102 and its threads have been halted as a result of encountering the breakpoint at step 128. As a result, the calculated elapsed run time is erroneously inflated and is not indicative of the actual elapsed run time.
One solution to the foregoing problem is to change the timer values to account for possible program stoppage due to breakpoints. However, the solution is undesirable because the utility of the timer as an error indicator is undermined. In addition, it is necessary to recompile the program following a change to the timer values, thereby increasing the overhead associated with debugging.
Therefore, a need exists for timers adapted for use in environments where execution is periodically halted and restarted.

Co-ordinate internal timers with debugger stoppage

International Business Machines Corporation


The device attaches to and carries the brake drum and/or hub assembly of a vehicle, especially large vehicles such as commercial trucks and including semi-tractors and trailers. The device includes a hand truck, a jack that is attached to the hand truck, and an assembly attachment unit, operably connected to the jack, for securely attaching the device to the assembly. The jack provides height adjustment capability for the assembly attachment unit along an axis of the hand truck. Angle adjustment means also are provided for adjusting the angle of the assembly attachment unit to accommodate the angle presented by an exterior surface portion of the brake drum and/or hub assembly.

The brake drum and the hub assembly of a vehicle require periodic inspection, maintenance and repair to function properly. The brake drum may be positioned inside the hub assembly (an "inboard" assembly) or outside the hub assembly (an "outboard" assembly). Inboard and outboard brake drum and hub assemblies are collectively referred to herein as assemblies. An assembly may weigh as much as 250 pounds, and hence it is difficult for a person to remove the assembly without suffering injury. Furthermore, once the assembly is removed it is difficult for one individual to move it from one location or position to another, or reattach it to the vehicle. This makes servicing the assembly difficult.
No prior devices have been designed specifically for removing and carrying brake drums and hub assemblies. However, devices are known for transporting and supporting objects of considerable weight. One such device is a hand truck. Moreover, hand trucks have been adapted for use with specific mechanical devices. For instance, Davis' U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,147 describes a hand truck, specifically designed to attach to outboard motors. The hand truck has a jack attached thereto for lifting the outboard motor.
Devices that attach to hand trucks for lifting objects also are known in the art. For instance, Moore's U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,666 describes an attachment for a two-wheeled hand truck that enables a person to lift and transport bulky items, such as folding chairs. The hand truck attachment includes support rods that extend outwardly from and are adjustably mounted to a rigid plate. These rods are designed only to support objects and not for attaching to and carrying a hub assembly.

Device for removing brake drum and hub assembly


Gate structures, comprising a first insulation film, a first gate material and a gate oxide film, are formed. A second insulation film is formed on side surfaces of the gate structures in the peripheral region. Trenches are formed at a surface of the semiconductor substrate by etching the semiconductor substrate with the first and the second insulation films used as masks. The second insulation film formed on side surface of the gate structures is removed, exposing the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate structures on both sides of the trenches. Element-isolating insulation films are formed in the trenches and on the exposed substrate. The gate structures in the peripheral region are removed. Gate structures of peripheral transistors are formed between the element-isolating insulation films in the peripheral region.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-203649, filed Jul. 4, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory and a method of manufacturing the same, in particular, a semiconductor memory which reduces current consumption and narrow channel effect and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, flash memories have memory cells, and various delay circuits and a writing/erasing high-voltage stabilizing circuit and the like necessary for its operation, inside a chip. Therefore, resistors and devices such as transistors which constitute their peripheral circuits are also formed inside the chip.
When a flash memory having a structure as described above is manufactured, increasing the manufacturing efficiency is required to reduce the manufacturing cost. Therefore, it increases the efficiency to manufacture cell transistors constituting memory cells and transistors constituting peripheral circuits by using almost the same manufacturing process.
FIGS. 12 to 17 show a conventional method of manufacturing a flash memory in sequential order. As shown in FIG. 12, the flash memory has a memory cell array region (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9ccell regionxe2x80x9d) and a region in which transistors of peripheral circuits are formed (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cperipheral regionxe2x80x9d), on a semiconductor substrate. In the peripheral region, N channel MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Filed Effect Transistor) and P channel MOSFETs are formed.
A P well region 22 is formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate 21, and thereafter an N well region 23 is formed in a part of the P well region 22 in which P channel MOSs of the peripheral region are formed. Then, a gate insulating film 24 is formed on the whole surface of the semiconductor substrate 21, and a first gate material 25 is formed on the gate insulating film 24. A silicon nitride film 26 and a silicon oxide film (not shown) are sequentially deposited on the first gate material 25. The silicon oxide film, silicon nitride film 26, first gate material 25 and gate oxide film 24 are etched by photolithography. The remaining silicon oxide film is removed.
As shown in FIG. 13, the surface of the semiconductor substrate 21 is etched with the silicon nitride film 26 used as a mask, forming trenches 27.
As shown in FIG. 14, inner walls of the trenches 27 are oxidized, and thereafter a silicon oxide film 28 serving as a device-isolating insulating film is deposited on the whole surface of the semiconductor device, and the silicon oxide film 28 is flattened. The silicon nitride film 26 is removed by wet etching, forming device-isolating regions comprising the silicon oxide film 28.
As shown in FIG. 15, a second gate material 29 is deposited on the whole surface of the semiconductor device. The second gate material 29 is provided directly on the first gate material 25. The first gate material 25 and the second gate material 29 constitute a floating gate of a memory cell in a later step. The second gate material 29 on the silicon oxide film 28 in the cell region is etched by photolithography, forming a slit 30 in the second gate material 29 on each silicon oxide film 28. The slit 30 isolates a floating gate for each memory cell from others. A photoresist used in the photolithography is removed.
As shown in FIG. 16, an ONO film 31 comprising a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film and a silicon oxide film is deposited on the whole surface of the semiconductor device.
In FIG. 17, a photoresist (not shown) is formed only in the cell region, by photolithography. With the photoresist used as a mask, the ONO film 31, the first gate material 25 and the second gate material 29 in the peripheral region are removed. Then, the gate oxide film 24 in the peripheral region is removed by wet etching using NH4F or the like, and thereafter the photoresist in the cell region is removed.
A gate insulating film for MOSFETs is formed in the peripheral region by a known method, and a polysilicon film, for example, is deposited on the whole surface of the semiconductor device. Then, the polysilicon film is etched by means of photolithography and anisotropic etching using RIE, and thereby control gates and floating gates are formed in the cell region.
Gate electrodes of MOSFETs are formed by photolithography and anisotropic etching using RIE. Then, post oxidation is performed.
Impurities are diffused in the cell region and the peripheral region, forming source and drain regions. Then, gate sidewalls are formed, and thereafter a salicide is formed on the gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate of the thus-formed diffusion layer. A silicon nitride film and a BPSG (Boron Doped Phospho-Silicate Glass) are coated on the whole surface of the semiconductor device.
Contact holes are formed by photolithography and RIE, and an Al wiring film is deposited thereon by sputtering or the like. After a wiring pattern is formed by photolithography and RIE, a PSG (Phospho-Silicate Glass) is deposited to protect the Al wiring. Then, a silicon nitride film is deposited, and the PSG n a bonding pad is removed by etching to complete the device as a wafer.
As described above, the gate insulating film 24 on the peripheral region is removed by wet etching. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 17, etching solution entering between each of the silicon oxide film 28 and the semiconductor substrate 21 etches the silicon oxide films 28, and thereby edge portions of the silicon oxide films 28 are also reduced. This generates a gap between each silicon oxide film 28 and the semiconductor substrate 21. When gate electrodes are deposited in the following step, a gate electrode material is embedded in the gaps. Electric field concentrates in the parts in which the gate electrode material is embedded. Therefore, kink property appears in subthreshold characteristics, which increases the current consumed by the MOSFET including the gate electrode. Further, this causes the problem that the narrow channel effect of the MOSFET becomes more significant and thereby the operation speed of the MOSFET decreases.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory, having a cell region in which a cell transistor is formed and a peripheral region in which peripheral transistor of peripheral circuit is formed, according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises forming a gate oxide film, a first gate material and a first insulation film on a semiconductor substrate in the cell region and the peripheral region; forming a plurality of gate structures comprising the first insulation film, the first gate material and the gate oxide film in the cell region and the peripheral region, by etching a part of the first insulation film, the first gate material, and the gate oxide film; forming a second insulation film on side surfaces of the gate structures formed in the peripheral region; forming a plurality of trenches at a surface of the semiconductor substrate in the cell region and the peripheral region, by etching the semiconductor substrate with the first insulation film and the second insulation film used as masks; exposing the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate structures on both sides of the trenches, by removing the second insulation film on the side surfaces of the gate structures formed in the peripheral region; forming element-isolating insulation films in the trenches in the cell region, and in the trenches in the peripheral region such that the films extend onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate structures; removing the gate structures formed in the peripheral region; and forming gate structures of the peripheral transistors between the element-isolating insulation films of the peripheral region.
A semiconductor device according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a cell transistor formed in a cell region; first element-isolating insulation films provided in trenches formed at a surface of a semiconductor substrate in the cell region; a peripheral transistor formed in a peripheral region; and second element-isolating insulation films provided in trenches formed at the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the peripheral region, the second element-isolating insulation film having different shape from the first element-isolating insulation film, and having rounded edge portions projecting from the semiconductor substrate.

Semiconductor memory reducing current consumption and narrow channel effect and method of manufacturing the same


A golf putting practice device having a ramp with a ball receiving pocket therein, a kicker being disposed in position to return putted balls falling into the pocket, and a rib disposed in upright position in the front portion of the pocket to engage and stop balls rolling laterally across the pocket, the rib having an upwardly and forwardly sloping upper surface for deflecting balls upwardly and forwardly out of the pocket.

This invention relates to golf putting practice devices, and, more particularly, to golf putting practice devices of the type adapted to return a ball to a person making a putt.
It is a primary object of the present invention to afford a novel golf putting practice device.
Another object is to afford a novel golf putting practice device which, after receiving the ball, will return the same substantially to the place or station from which it was putted into the device.
A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel golf putting practice device of the aforementioned type, which will return the ball to a golfer making a putt by knocking or "kicking" the ball from the device.
Golf putting practice devices which will kick the ball back to a person using the same, have been heretofore known in the art, such as, for example, as shown in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,709,594, 3,003,769, 3,030,113, 3,134,597, 3,134,934, 3,697,079 and 3,854,728 and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,503, issued to C. J. Austin, et al, and the like. It is an important object of the present invention to afford novel improvements over the golf putting practice devices heretofore known in the art.
Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel, effective simulation, in a golf putting practice device, of the cup used in actually playing a game of golf.
Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golf putting practice device which will indicate in a novel and expeditious manner to a person making a putt thereinto the quality of the putt, with the range of indication being from "perfect" to "poor."
Yet another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golf putting practice device which will indicate in a novel and expeditious manner to a person making the putt, whether it was a "perfect" putt or merely a "good" putt.
A further object of the present invention is to afford a novel golf putting practice device of the aforementioned type, operable to kick a ball received therein back to the person making a putt, wherein the return of the ball is insured in a novel and expeditious manner.
Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golf putting practice device of the aforementioned type, operable to return a ball to the person making the putt, which is constituted and arranged in a novel and expeditious manner effective to insure quick return of the ball to the person making the putt.
Another object of the present invention is to afford a novel golf putting practice device which is practical and efficient in operation, and which may be readily and economically produced commercially.
Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.


A fuel injection system for an engine having a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, and an inlet port at the cylinder comprising a fuel inlet passage communicating with the inlet port and adapted to be connected to a fuel source and a fuel valve movable between an open position for allowing fuel to flow in the inlet passage and a closed position preventing fuel flow. The fuel valve is biased into one of the open or closed positions and a control system permits movement of the fuel valve to the open position at timed intervals to deliver metered volumes of fuel to the engine cylinder.

Fuel injection systems are used to deliver fuel to internal combustion engines. The majority of fuel injection systems have been developed specifically to handle liquid fuels such as gasoline or diesel used in the engines of common passenger vehicles. Engines that run on alternative gaseous fuels such as natural gas or propane have also been developed. Applicant has developed a dual fuel engine that runs on diesel and a gas fuel such as propane or natural gas as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,516 issued Jul. 9, 1985.
Conversion kits have been developed for converting gasoline or diesel (liquid fuel) engines to natural gas or propane (gaseous fuel). Generally, these conversion kits comprise a fuel/air mixer system for delivering the gaseous fuel to the engine cylinders. To be commercially acceptable, a conversion system must satisfy the following conditions:
1. Be capable of producing adequate horsepower. PA0 2. Be capable of producing adequate torque. PA0 3. Be capable of producing good thermal efficiency. PA0 4. Provide good engine balance i.e. uniform cylinder firing pressures. PA0 5. Provide long service life. PA0 6. Provide low exhaust emission levels.
The above conditions are best satisfied by a fuel delivery system that provides a precisely timed and metered injection of gaseous fuel to each cylinder of the engine.


Disclosed herein is a middleware server for interfacing a Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCU) with a communication system and/or a management system within the context of an organization. The middleware server uses modular architecture, making the middleware server highly adaptable to different types of communication systems and management systems. The middleware server is useful for interfacing a MCU with communication devices including Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) telephones, Internet Protocol telephones (IP-phones), and multimedia endpoints and with management applications such as exchange servers and databases. The middleware server is useful for managing multimedia sessions according to organizational policies.

Companies and organizations use audio/video conferencing and multipoint conferencing to improve communication and efficiency within the organization. Large organizations might distribute a large number of multimedia endpoints throughout the organization. Usually, one or more multipoint control units (MCUs) serve the internal multipoint multimedia conferencing needs of these endpoints. Organizations that do not have private MCUs may purchase conferencing services from a multimedia conferencing service provider that has one or more MCUs.
A multimedia endpoint is a networked terminal that is capable of providing real-time, two-way audiovisual communication with other terminals or an MCU. An endpoint can provide speech only; speech and video; or speech, data and video communication. An MCU is a conference control entity located at a node of the network or in a terminal. The MCU receives multiple media channels from endpoints via access ports. According to certain criteria, the MCU processes audiovisual and data signals and distributes the processed signals to the connected channels. Examples of MCUs include the MGC-100 (Polycom Inc.). A more thorough definition of an endpoint (terminal) and an MCU can be found in the International Telecommunication Union ("ITU") standards, such as but not limited to the H.320, H.324, and H.323 standards. Additional information regarding the ITU standards can be found at the ITU website.
Usually a MCU that is located in a terminal has limited functionality. For example, such an MCU might be capable of conducting a conference of only up to four participants. Model number VSX 8000 (Polycom Inc.) is an example for a terminal that includes an MCU.
Organizations may use one or more communication systems for multimedia communication services such as audio and/or video and/or data collaboration. Audio conferencing services can run over an IP network or a circuit switch network. Such communication systems may include PBX or IP-PBX offering audio services. Furthermore, an organization might also have different types of multimedia endpoints (video and data), and one or more MCUs that can be used for multimedia conferencing. Each of these services might run over different systems, including multiple audio, multimedia, and data systems. Usually there is no interface between these systems, although some end user equipment can be connected to both audio and to multimedia/data systems. Various management tools, applications, servers and systems are used for scheduling physical meetings and/or virtual meetings (multimedia conferences). Other management tools used to manage an organization may include information on employees of an organization.
In some cases it would be beneficial to associate the different communication systems and/or to associate multimedia conferencing systems with the organization management tools (applications). Associating the different applications will improve the utilization of the communications services. For example, an organization may wish to use its common scheduling services to reserve or schedule a virtual meeting (a multimedia conference) in the same way that the organization would schedule a common meeting. An exemplary system for associating scheduling services of an organization with is multimedia conferencing system is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/960,337, filed on Oct. 7, 2004, Ser. No. 10/954,934, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Presently, associations between different systems require a unique solution for each system. Such a solution must be adapted to the requirements of the particular organization and the requirement of the particular systems to be associated. For example, different types of controllers for audio systems (PBX or IP-PBX) require different solutions, as does the controller of multimedia systems (MCU). For associating video conferencing with a scheduling system, the solution must be adapted to the requirements of the video conferencing system, the scheduling server, and the organizational management application (e.g. employee database), for example.
But regardless of what systems are associated, the association requires a central authority (e.g. an interfacing server or middleware server) to oversee the association, to track the topology, and to manage communications within the entire system. In an organization having multiple resources at its disposal, such a central authority might decide whether a MCU and/or PBX should be involved; what is the most suitable MCU and/or PBX; which communication protocols to use; how to collect endpoint address or dialing number; etc. Such decisions are usually made based on multiple inputs and require a high-level of expertise and knowledge from a person who is responsible for overseeing such organization resources.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a node (i.e. a middleware server) containing algorithms and methods to facilitate the decision making processes involved in associating various communications resources. Such a middleware server would communicate with the controller of the multimedia system to established and control one or more multipoint multimedia conferences and would communicate with the audio system controller and/or the management applications servers. Such a middleware server would be easily adapted to different types of communication systems, management applications, and organizational needs and policies.

Middleware server for interfacing communications, multimedia, and management systems


A collapsible pushchair frame or doll's pushchair frame, includes: two lateral frame bars with push bars and front wheel arrangements on the frame bars; two lateral support struts, each of which is pivotably fastened, by a respective joint to a frame bar, at a distance from the lower end of the bar and which have bearings for rear wheels on their lower ends lying towards the rear in relation to the articulation points; and a seat insert or reclining insert. At least one stabilizing rod is designed as a safety rod and divided by a knee joint. An adjusting device includes an actuating element (21) arranged under the insert in the pushchair frame is coupled to at least one part of the at least one stabilizing rod, the actuating element being used to at least raise the corresponding front part of the stabilizing rod (13a, 13b) comprising the knee joint (18).

The invention relates to a collapsible baby carriage or doll's pram chassis, comprising at least two lateral chassis posts, which in the erected state extend at an inclination from the bottom at the front rearwardly in upward direction, with push bars provided thereat at the upper side in prolongation and a front wheel arrangement, which is provided at the lower ends or at a bridge part connecting these, with front wheels, two lateral support struts, which are pivotably attached to the chassis posts at a spacing from the lower ends thereof each by way of a respective joint and which have bearings for rear wheels at their lower ends, these ends being offset rearwardly relative to the pivot points, and a seat insert or lying-down insert arranged in the chassis, wherein the inclined chassis posts and the support struts are arranged to be pivotable relative to one another by way of a respective joint and at least one stabilising rod is pivotably provided between the inclined chassis posts and the support struts or at bridge elements respectively connecting these.
A collapsible baby carriage or doll's pram chassis of the kind according to category is known from EP 1 281 595 A1. The pivotable support struts are held in the erected position by a U-shaped stiffly-connecting frame which consists of two longitudinal struts and a bridge part connecting the rear ends and which is arranged below the seat insert or lying-down insert between the chassis posts. The front ends of the longitudinal struts are articulated in the lower region of the carriage chassis to the chassis posts or to a connecting strut connecting these. Two coupling rods, which are pivotably attached to the longitudinal struts between the chassis posts and the support struts on the one hand and to the support struts on the other hand in each instance at the same height, produce—when the connecting rear yoke is pulled up—a movement transformation and a pivotation of the support struts towards one another in the direction of the chassis posts and conversely. A similarly constructed chassis is additionally known from DE 20 2007 011 937 U1.
Collapsible baby carriage chassis of the kind according to category are additionally known from DE 20 2013 103 448 U1, DE 20 2009 014 572 U1, EP 1 967 439 A2, WO 2012/027795 A1, CN 202463877 U and CN 201457448 U.
DE 10 2012 111 060 A1 discloses a collapsible child transport device, in which a seat part has openings by way of which a belt acts on locking devices, which are arranged in the seat part, for raising connecting rods.
WO 2010/040644 A1 discloses a baby carriage, in which two connecting rods can be raised by way of a belt.
The known solutions enable collapsing of the baby carriage chassis by single-handed triggering, in which the stabilising rods or the frame is or are merely raised and then a relative pivotation of the support struts with respect to the chassis posts is made possible. This can have the consequence of collapse of the baby carriage due to unintended actuation. Standard EN 1888 applicable to baby carriages prescribes that at least two mutually independent hand grips are essential in order to trigger collapse of the baby carriage. As a result, unintended folding of the baby carriage with the child lying or seated therein shall be avoided. The child cannot be injured by moving parts of the joint.
The invention has the object of so developing a collapsible baby carriage or doll's pram chassis according to category that unintended collapsing of the carriage chassis with a small child seated or lying in the insert is not possible and collapsing can be triggered only if the child itself is no longer present in the baby carriage insert. However, the invention shall also be usable in the same way on a doll's pram chassis.

Collapsible pushchair frame or doll's pushchair frame

CURT WUERSTL VERMOEGENSVERWALTUNGS-GMBH & CO. KG


A system is disclosed for routing data cells from at least one of a plurality of source port processors to at least one destination port processor. Such a system contemplates each cell comprising a plurality of cell frame portions. In a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention, each cell generated by the at least one source port processor is separated into its constituent frame portions. Each frame portion has associated therewith a first characteristic and a second characteristic. The cell portions are transmitted to at least one port associated with at least one crossbar chip. The at least one port is in communication with at least two of the plurality of source port processors. Each cell portion is selectively transmitted according to its first characteristic to a corresponding one of the crossbar chips. Each cell portion is selectively transmitted according to its second characteristic to a corresponding one of the ports of the corresponding one of the crossbar chips. Each cell portion is selectively redirected according to its second characteristic to a corresponding one of the ports. Each cell portion is transmitted to a corresponding one of the at least one destination port processors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data handling systems and, more particularly, to a high speed router or ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switch employing a crossbar type switch configured in a manner which can rapidly and efficiently process data packets while minimizing the number of I/Os per crossbar chip.
2. Description of the Background Art
There is increasing interest in providing communications between disparate computer systems and even between networks of differing characteristics. Further, with the availability of very high bandwidth trunk lines, e.g., using fiber optic cables, there is increasing interest in combining traffic from a great variety of sources for transmission through a single trunk line. For wide area networks, packet switching technology is widely used where information to be transmitted is broken into packets of data which are preceded by headers containing information useful in routing. The header may also identify the source and the destination. Whether truly packet switched or not, most digital communication systems employ message formats in which there is an identifying header of some sort.
As is well known, data network usage is expanding at a great rate both in terms of private networks and also public networks such as the Internet. While transmission link bandwidths keep improving, the technology of the systems which connect the links has lagged behind. In particular, routers are needed which can keep up with the higher transmission link bandwidths. A high speed router needs to achieve three goals. First, it needs to have enough internal bandwidth to move packets between its input and output interfaces at the desired rates. Second, it needs enough packet processing power at the interfaces to forward the packets and, third, the router needs to be able to redirect the packets between possible paths at the requisite rates.
A typical router system employs at least one crossbar switch comprising a matrix of transmission pathways terminating in I/O nodes. Each of these I/O nodes is adapted to receive packets from a corresponding input interface and transmit packets to a corresponding output interface. As the number of interfaces utilizing a router system grows, a proportional strain is placed on the crossbar switches, which have a practical limit on the number of I/O nodes incorporated thereby. As such, of interest to designers of crossbar switches is the ability to maximize the number of interfaces with which a given number of I/O nodes communicate without compromising crossbar switch performance.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a crossbar subsystem that maximizes the number of interfaces with which a constrained number of I/O nodes can communicate with no degradation of functional capability.


The present invention relates to feeding liquid oxygen from the main condenser of the upper rectifying column of an air liquefying/separating unit into a xenon condensing column. The liquid oxygen is evaporated in varying amounts in correspondence to fluctuating amounts of liquid oxygen being fed into the xenon condensing column. The level and pressure of the liquid at the xenon condensing column is controlled and quantities of liquid oxygen is vented from the xenon condensing column at a constant level. The vented liquid oxygen is exchanged to high pressure oxygen gas in order to evaporate it, and this evaporated gaseous oxygen is supplied to a xenon absorptive column, and recovered as liquid oxygen through heat-exchangers.

This invention relates to a process for condensing trace amounts of xenon which are contained in liquid oxygen which has been vented from a main condenser of an air liquefying/separating unit, and for controlling the concentration of the xenon thus obtained at a given level. More particularly, the present invention relates to the condensation of xenon from liquid oxygen where the xenon concentration is controlled at a given level, even when the concentration of xenon in the liquid oxygen supplied from the main condenser of an air liquefying/separating unit fluctuates.
Xenon, a rare, gaseous element is used in numerous applications including in flash and fluorescent lamps, as a laser source, and in anesthetics. Xenon exists in ambient air at a level of 0.087 ppm. Highly purified xenon can be manufactured from liquified air via repeated separation processes.
Currently, xenon is recovered from liquid oxygen vented into the main condenser from the upper rectifying column in a large-scale air liquefying/separation unit. However the fraction of xenon found in the liquid oxygen vented from the main condenser is inversely proportional to the production amount of liquid oxygen.
Conventionally, xenon contained in liquid oxygen is recovered by a rectifying process. Recently a number of methods of so doing have been proposed. In one, reported in Fuji TechnoSystem Technical Report (61-2-1), 1986, pp. 430-431, rectification is used to condense xenon from liquid oxygen, using controlled concentrations of xenon with hydrocarbon groups removed through a catalytic combustion reaction in order to avoid the danger of explosion due to condensation of hydrocarbons (particularly methane) contained in the liquid oxygen.
In another proposed process, described in Tokko-Sho, 47-22937, oxygen and argon are exchanged in an argon exchanging column. This is followed by condensation of xenon via a rectifying process. Another process, described in Tokkai-Sho, 57-95583, involves condensation and rectification of xenon following exchange of high pressure nitrogen with oxygen. All these processes suffer from the common drawback of requiring multi-stage rectifying processes which, in turn, increases the costs of equipment and processing and therefore reduces the efficiency of xenon recovery.
The present inventors have filed a patent application, disclosed in Tokkai-Sho, 62-297206, in which xenon containing liquid oxygen, vented from the main condenser in the upper rectification column of an air separating unit, is subsequently fed into multiple adsorption columns filled with an adsorbent which selectively adsorbs the xenon. A series of adsorbing-desorbing steps gradually condenses the xenon, resulting, finally. in the recovery of highly purified xenon. This method overcomes many disadvantages and difficulties associated with conventional processes for xenon production.
However, due to the current trend of ever-growing demand for liquid oxygen, the production amounts of liquid oxygen is increasing. Many companies now set the lower limit guideline for liquid oxygen production at 1% of the total oxygen gas produced, and produce liquid oxygen at levels above 1%. Some companies increase the production amounts of liquid oxygen during the night shift, when the cost of electricity is lower. The increase in production amounts of liquid oxygen can result in problems when using the xenon production process described in Tokkai-Sho, 62-97206. These include (1) reduced xenon concentration in the increased production amounts of liquid oxygen (2) requirements for scaling up production equipment and (3) decreasing efficiency of xenon recovery due to variations in the amounts of liquid oxygen fed into the xenon recovery system.
Another process for xenon recovery, described in Tokko-Sho, 63,33634, involves condensation and rectification of xenon while exchanging it against oxygen gas containing lower hydrocarbons, following first stage xenon condensation and rectification. This process, like the one described in Tokkai-Sho, 62-297206, suffers from the current increase in production amounts of liquid oxygen by not being able to accommodate to wide fluctuations in the amounts of liquid oxygen fed into the condensing column.

Controlled process for xenon concentration