A focusing apparatus and a lithography system using the same capable of adjusting a uniformity of an electromagnetic field by moving a portion of a magnetic field generator. The focusing apparatus may control a path of an electron beam generated from an electron-beam emitter of the lithography system. In the focusing apparatus, a uniformity of the magnetic field in the vacuum chamber may be adjusted through movement of the portion of the magnetic field generator with respect to the vacuum chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a focusing apparatus and a lithography system using the same, and more particularly, to a focusing apparatus and a lithography system using the same, which can adjust a uniformity of an electromagnetic field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various lithography techniques may be used for patterning a surface of a substrate into a desired pattern in a semiconductor manufacturing process. An optical lithography technique may be used for surface patterning. However, optical lithography techniques may have a limitation with regard to a possible linewidth. Accordingly, a next generation lithography (NGL) technique capable of realizing a finer semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) having a nano-dimensional linewidth has been proposed. Examples of NGLs include electron-beam lithography (EBL), ion-beam lithography (IBL), extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUL), and proximity X-ray lithography (PXL).
An EBL system is a type of system for patterning an electron resist coated on a substrate into a desired pattern using an electron beam. In a conventional EBL system, an electron beam can be emitted only on a very-limited area, and thus an emitter emits an electron beam toward an electron resist while moving along a pattern to be formed on the electron resist. Accordingly, a conventional EBL system may undesirably require a lot of time to complete one pattern.
A structure of a conventional electron-beam lithography system capable of emitting a large-area electron beam is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional electron-beam lithography system may include a vacuum chamber 10 surrounding a space for processing a wafer 30. The interior of the vacuum chamber 10 may maintain a desired vacuum state via a vacuum pump 12. The vacuum pump 12 may be made of nonmagnetic material, for example, plastic, aluminum, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or copper so as to reduce or prevent a magnetic flux from leaking therefrom.
An electron-beam emitter 20 for emitting an electron beam may be arranged in the vacuum chamber 10, and the wafer 30 may be arranged to face the electron-beam emitter 20 while being spaced apart therefrom by a desired interval. The electron-beam emitter 20 may have thereon a patterned mask 22 of a desired pattern, and thus an electron beam emitted from the emitter 20 may be emitted through a portion not covered with the patterned mask 22. The emitted electrons may pattern an electron resist 32 on the wafer 30 into a pattern identical to the pattern of the mask 22.
The wafer 30 may be supported by a wafer holder 42 in the vacuum chamber 10, and the electron-beam emitter 20 may be supported by an emitter holder 41 in the vacuum chamber 10.
An upper magnet 61 may be arranged proximate to an upper portion of the vacuum chamber 10 in such a way to be spaced apart from a top wall of the vacuum chamber 10 by a desired interval, and a lower magnet 62 may be arranged proximate to a lower portion of the vacuum chamber 10 in such a way to be spaced apart from a bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 10 by a desired interval. The upper and lower magnets 61 and 62 may provide a magnetic field in the vacuum chamber 10. The upper magnet 61 may include a ferromagnetic core 61a and a coil 61b wound around the periphery of the core 61a, and the lower magnet 62 may include a ferromagnetic core 62a and a coil 62b wound around the periphery of the core 62a.
An upper pole piece 71 may be arranged to penetrate the top wall of the vacuum chamber 10, and magnetically come into contact with the core 61a of the upper magnet 61. Similarly, a lower pole piece 72 may be arranged to penetrate the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber 10, and magnetically come into contact with the core 62a of the lower magnet 62. The upper and lower pole pieces 71 and 72 and the vacuum chamber 10 may be completely sealed with each other so as to maintain a vacuum state in the vacuum chamber 10.
The pole pieces 71 and 72 may lead magnetic fluxes generated by the upper and lower magnets 61 and 62, respectively, into the vacuum chamber 10. A rubber or ductile metal plate 81 containing ferromagnetic material may be interposed between the upper magnet 61 and the upper pole piece 71 in order for the upper magnet 61 and the upper pole piece 71 to completely come into contact with each other, and a rubber or ductile metal plate 82 containing ferromagnetic material may be interposed between the lower magnet 62 and the lower pole piece 72 in order for the lower magnet 62 and the lower pole piece 72 to completely come into contact with each other.
A ring-type upper protrusion 91 may be formed on a lower surface of the upper pole piece 71, and a ring-type lower protrusion 92 may be formed on an upper surface of the lower pole piece 72. The upper and lower protrusions 91 and 92 may increase the uniformity of a magnetic field formed between the electron-beam emitter 20 and the wafer 30.
However, a conventional electron-beam lithography system, such as the one illustrated in FIG. 1 cannot suitably compensate for a size change of the wafer 30 resulting from a temperature change, because the positions of the upper and lower pole pieces 71 and 72 are fixed. That is, the size of the wafer 30 may change with a temperature change in the vacuum chamber 10 during the patterning of the electron resist 32, whereby the size of the pattern formed on the electron resist 32 may also be changed slightly. Such a size change may cause a problem when a linewidth of several ten nanometers needs to be realized via a semiconductor manufacturing process.

Focusing apparatus and lithography system using the same


Systems, methods and circuits for sense circuit calibration. In one particular case, a system is provided that includes a sense circuit, a calibration circuit, and a sample and hold circuit. The sense circuit provides a sense current that is derived from either a reference current or a load current depending upon the operational state. The calibration circuit includes a calibration amplifier electrically coupled to the reference current and to the sense current. The calibration amplifier outputs a calibration signal representing a difference between the reference current and the sense current. The sample and hold circuit is operable to store a value representative of the calibration signal, and useful in forming a calibration offset current applied to the sense current.

The present invention is related to systems and methods for calibrating electrical systems, and in particular to systems and methods for calibrating circuits including a sense FET.
Electrical circuits including amplifiers are susceptible to errors due to, for example, temperature gradients and offset voltages. These errors are often insignificant and therefore ignored. However, in some cases, the output of an electrical circuit must be highly accurate. As such, it is not acceptable to simply ignore the errors.
Where the error cannot be ignored, conventional solutions have applied manual trimming to account for deviations. Such an approach, however, does not account for the various temperature coefficients of the numerous process variations that can cause amplifier offset. Thus, while nominal error is removed, a temperature coefficient error will remain. Further, the trim approach is limited to the step size and range of the trim bits.
Hence, for at least the aforementioned reasons there exists a need in the art for advanced systems and methods for calibrating electric systems.

Systems and methods for sense FET calibration


An apparatus for and method of providing rapid communication between separately clocked system elements. A network interface module is used as the overall system control and communication interface to each of the separate system elements. Each of these system elements is controlled by a different and dedicated programmable micro-engine. A separate register located within and addressable by each of the micro-engines provides the basic data transfer path. Access by a micro-engine to the corresponding register is easily accomplished by firmware. The bit serial scan interface between the network interface module and each of the registers is controlled by the network interface module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to digital data processing systems and more particularly relates to large scale digital data processing systems having multiple, asynchronously clocked processing components.
2. Background of the Invention
It is well known to design digital data processing systems using a number of separate processing components. As the required computational capacity increases, it is easier to meet the need with a number of separate components using a parallel processing architecture rather than attempt to provide a single large capacity device. The limit of this approach is determined by the degree to which a processing task may be accomplished by the separate processing components operating in parallel.
Given that a system has been implemented using a number of separate processing entities, the necessity to communicate amongst them arises. A simple form of such communication is via the input/output capability of a processor. Using this approach, each processor appears as a peripheral device to each of the other processors to which it is interconnected. Various early real time systems, such as the Naval Tactical Data System (i.e. NTDS) utilized this technique. Today, many intra-office personal computers are coupled in this fashion in a network.
The major advantage of this input/output approach is the ease and simplicity by which it is implemented. However, this interface technique is inherently slow. Though the bandpass tends to be sufficient for processor to peripheral communication, because of the limited internal speed of most peripheral devices, this method is very slow when compared to internal processor speeds. The technique is further limited by its software control, which makes it unsuitable for a number of maintenance and control tasks requiring a more complete control of the hardware.
An approach having substantial promise involves scan/set communication. In the earliest form, this provided multiprocessor systems with the capability for a processor to read/modify/write to a shared memory location. Most often, individual memory bits were defined as control flags permitting multiple, asynchronous processors to share various tasks and resources. Scanning and controlling flags in this manner substantially speeds the intercommunication amongst processors. However, because this use of the scan/set approach is software oriented, it possesses the same disadvantages with regard to maintenance and control tasks as with other software approaches.
A significant contribution to the use of scan/set intercommunication is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,688, issued to Byers, et al. In this reference, a separate scan.backslash.set interface is established among the microcontrollers which provide the control logic for the various components within a system. Thus, status and control information is readily transferred amongst system components. This communication occurs under firmware control. Therefore, it is inherently faster than similar transfers under software control. Furthermore, because the transfers are at the level of the basic logic control, hardware control and status information can be exchanged, particularly for maintenance purposes.
Though the Byers et al. approach to scan/set communication is rapid, the total bandpass is very limited, because only discrete command and status signals are transferred. There is no provision of the interface for sending and receiving larger data sets.

Method and apparatus for asynchronous device communication


The present invention relates to an aluminum material to which a surface treatment is performed, and has as its objective the provision of a surface-treated aluminum material that has excellent adhesive properties with organic resin film. The present invention further aims to provide a method for producing the aforementioned. In the present invention""s surface-treated aluminum material, a non-porous anodic oxide film is formed to the surface of the aluminum or aluminum alloy. This non-porous anodic oxide film has a thickness in the range of 5xcx9c800 nm, a porosity of 20% or less, and contains in an amount of 50 ppm or more at least one of silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon as a component. As a result of this structure, the adhesive properties between organic resin film and non-porous anodic oxide film can be increased. Further, if the present invention""s surface-treated aluminum material to which an organic resin film has been laminated is employed in various containers such as beverage cans, or in decorative boards used in furniture or interior construction materials, peeling will not occur when the material is subjected to further working. Moreover, corrosion does not occur even when the article is used over a long period of time, making it possible to obtain an article that demonstrates resistance to corrosion and excellent adherence properties with organic resin film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface-treated aluminum material employed in various containers like beverage cans, caps and food containers, as well as deep-drawing containers and decorative boards. More specifically, the present invention improves the adhesive properties between an organic resin film and an aluminum material in the case where the organic resin film is laminated onto the surface of the aluminum material.
This application is based on a patent application filed in Japan (Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-163621), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Background Art
It has been the conventional practice to employ a surface-treated aluminum material in various types of containers, such as beverage cans, as well as in decorative boards used in furniture or interior building materials in which a chromate-phosphate or chromate conversion coating is formed to the surface of an aluminum material, and an organic resin film is laminated to the surface of this chromate-phosphate or chromate conversion coating.
A surface-treated aluminum material employed in a beverage can must have strong adhesive properties so that the laminated organic resin film does not peel away from the aluminum surface when the material is worked into a can. Moreover, the surface-treated aluminum material must be resistant to the corrosive effects of the material within the can. Furthermore, a surface-treated aluminum material employed in a decorative boards or the like must also have excellent resistance to corrosion over long periods of time, and strong adhesive properties so that the laminated organic resin film does not peel away from the aluminum surface during drawing.
The method for producing these surface-treated aluminum materials will first be explained using as an example the surface-treated aluminum material employed in a beverage can.
Prior to producing the surface-treated aluminum material, aluminum or an aluminum alloy starting material is first subjected to pre-treating. This pre-treatment is performed in order to remove oil or grease adhering to the surface of the starting material, as well as remove any heterogeneous oxide film on the surface. A step using alkali washing or the like is employed.
Next, the aluminum or aluminum alloy starting material is soaked in a solution comprising mainly phosphoric acid, chromic acid and a fluoride, or a solution comprising mainly chromic acid and a fluoride. An amorphous film of chromate-phosphate or chromate in the form of a thin gel is formed to the surface of the aluminum starting material, thereby obtaining a surface-treated aluminum material with chromate conversion coating.
An organic resin film is then laminated to the surface of the aluminum material that was surface-treated with chromate-phosphate or the like. Two-layer film or the like is frequently employed as the organic resin film, this two-layer film having polyester and an adhesive layer formed by adding a third component to polyester to lower its melting point. This organic resin film is laminated to the surface of a chromate-phosphate film by adhering the low melting temperature adhesive layer. The film is passed through a roller that has been heated to a temperature above the melting point of the adhesive layer, to laminate the organic resin film, thereby obtaining the surface-treated aluminum material. This chromate-phosphate or chromate conversion coating makes it possible to increase the adhesion of the organic resin film to the surface-treated aluminum material.
The thus-obtained aluminum material onto which the organic resin film was laminated does not require coating of a processing lubricant when working the aluminum material. Thus can production costs can be reduced. Moreover, since the material inside the can does not come into direct contact with the aluminum, it is possible to prevent an aluminum odor from tainting the beverage. In addition, management of the treatment bath is easily accomplished for the chromate-phosphate treatment. Thus, working efficiency is high and continuous processing is possible. Accordingly, this process is wildly used.
However, conventional surface-treated aluminum materials in which an organic resin film is laminated over a chromate-phosphate or chromate conversion coating have not sufficient adhesive strength between the aluminum material and the organic resin film. This is because in an extremely thin organic resin film, molecules around the size of moisture that are in the air permeate the organic resin film over a long period of time, and reach the chromate coating. When moisture is present in the coating, this leads to a decrease in the adhesion between the chromate conversion coating and the organic resin film. In addition, the conventional chromate-phosphate or chromate conversion coating is a deposit so that there is low compression. As a result, moisture or corrosive impurities can remain within.
When heat is applied to laminate the organic resin film onto these coatings, the moisture or corrosive impurities in the film, but particularly the moisture, erupts and damages the adhesion between the organic resin film and the film.
The harmful qualities of chrome with respect to environmental contamination have been pointed out, so that use of chromium phosphate and chromium chromate is limited.
A titanium phosphate or zirconium phosphate base layer has been proposed as a non-chrome base treatment. However, when carrying out these base treatments, the adhesive strength between the aluminum material and the organic resin film was less than in the conventional art, and therefore did not provide satisfactory adhesive strength.
A method has also been proposed employing a porous anodic oxide film such as sulfate anodic oxide coating or phosphate anodic oxide coating that takes advantage of the anchoring effect of this porous anodic oxide film to adhere the aluminum material and the organic resin film. However, the diameter of the pores in the anodic oxide film is extremely small, so that the organic resin film does not enter into the pores to any great extent. Thus, a sufficient anchoring effect could not be obtained.
On the contrary, since the aforementioned anodic oxide film is porous, the area of joining with the organic resin film is small so that sufficient adhesive strength is not obtained. Further, moisture remains in the pores even in the case where a pore sealing treatment is performed on the anodic oxide film. Thus, the moisture in the pores erupts when the aluminum material is heated in laminating the organic resin film as described above. As a result, the adhesion between the organic resin film and the aluminum material is inhibited.
The present invention was conceived in view of the above-described circumstances and has as its objective the provision of a surface-treated aluminum material, and production method therefor, that is superior with respect to its adhesive properties with an organic resin film.
The present invention has as a further objective the provision of a surface-treated aluminum material and production method therefor in which the organic resin film is strongly laminated in place.
In order to resolve the above-described problems, a non-porous anodic oxide film is formed to the surface of the aluminum or aluminum alloy in the first surface-treated aluminum material according to the present invention. This non-porous anodic oxide film has a thickness in the range of 5xcx9c800 nm, a porosity of 20% or less, and contains in an amount of 50 ppm or more at least one of silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon as a component.
It is possible to reduce the amount of moisture contained in the non-porous anodic oxide film by restricting the porosity thereof to be 20% or less. As a result, it is possible to control the amount of moisture erupted from these pores when heating in order to laminate the organic resin film to the surface. Thus, a fixed adhesion between the non-porous anodic oxide film and the organic resin film can be realized.
Further, the silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon components included in the non-porous anodic oxide film is incorporated into the molecular structure of the organic resin film, thus promoting a strong adhesion between the non-porous anodic oxide film and the organic resin film.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the non-porous anodic oxide film includes silicon or phosphorous component in the amount of 50 ppm or more. These elements are readily incorporated into the molecular structure of the organic resin film as described above, so that a strong adhesion between the non-porous anodic oxide film and the organic resin film is easily achieved.
Specifically, silicon is highly effective in improving adhesive properties. It is preferable that the amount of silicon included is in the range of 100 ppm or more and 20,000 ppm or less.
In the present invention, the moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film is 20 wt % or less. When the moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film is 20 wt % or less, then it is possible to limit the reduction in adhesion between the organic resin film and the non-porous anodic oxide film due to moisture eruption during heating.
In general, the lower the porosity of the non-porous anodic oxide film, the lower the amount of moisture in the non-porous anodic oxide film. However, the moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film can also increase depending on the electrolyzing treatment conditions for forming the non-porous anodic oxide film. Thus, in order to realize a strong adhesion, the moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film is 20% or less.
Another aspect of the present invention is a surface-treated aluminum material in which an organic resin film is laminated to the surface of a surface-treated aluminum material as described above. The type of organic resin film for laminating is not particularly restricted. The method of adhesion is not particularly restricted, with thermocompression bonding and the use of adhesive agents being acceptable. Because the anodic oxide film, which serves as the base, is non-porous and has low moisture content, there is no damage from moisture erruption. In addition, chemical bonding between the organic resin film and the non-porous anodic oxide film is promoted via trace quantities of the elements silicon, phosphorous, boron and carbon. Thus, a surface-treated aluminum material is readily obtained in which the non-porous anodic oxide film and the organic resin film are strongly adhered.
A laminate film of polyethylene terephthalate derived resin and copolymer polyethylene terephthalate derived resin films are preferably employed as the organic resin film, for example.
In the present invention, a coating material may be applied to the surface of a surface-treated aluminum material as described above. The type of coating material is not particularly restricted. In this case, the silicon, phosphorous, boron, or carbon included in the non-porous anodic oxide film is also incorporated into the molecular structure of the coating material, thus promoting a strong adhesion between the non-porous anodic oxide film and the coating material.
In the method for producing the present invention""s surface-treated aluminum material, aluminum or an aluminum alloy is subjected to electrolyzation in an electrolytic aqueous solution containing at least one salt selected from the group comprising silicate, phosphate, maleate, benzoate, phthalate, and borate, and a non-porous anodic oxide film is formed to the surface of the aluminum or aluminum alloy that contains a total of 50 ppm or more of at least one type from the group comprising silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon and has a porosity of 20% or less.
By appropriately selecting the conditions under which the electrolyzation is performed in the electrolyzing aqueous solution containing an appropriate amount of silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon, a anodic oxide film can be obtained that has a low porosity and contains 50 ppm or more of at least one type of trace component from the group comprising silicon, phosphorous, boron, or carbon. This non-porous anodic oxide film is characterized by its superior adhesive properties with organic resin film.
In another method for producing the present invention""s surface-treated aluminum material, aluminum or an aluminum alloy is subjected to electrolyzation in an electrolytic aqueous solution containing at least one salt selected from the group comprising silicate, phosphate, maleate, benzoate, phthalate, and borate, and a non-porous anodic oxide film is formed to the surface of the aluminum or aluminum alloy that contains a total of 50 ppm or more of at least one type from the group comprising silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon and has a porosity of 20% or less. This method, however, is provided with the step of then laminating the organic resin film to the surface of the aforementioned non-porous anodic oxide film.
In other words, this is a method for laminating the organic resin film after forming a non-porous anodic oxide film that has superior adhesive properties with the aforementioned organic resin film. As a result, a surface-treated aluminum material is obtained in which the organic resin film is strongly adhered in place. The organic resin film and adhesive method employed to laminate the organic resin film is not particularly restricted. Rather, a variety of resin films and adhesive methods may be suitably used. For example, an adhesive agent or primer may be coated to the non-porous anodic oxide film and pasting carried out.
In the present invention, thermocompression bonding may be used for adhering the organic resin film and the surface-treated aluminum material having the non-porous anodic oxide film. The non-porous anodic oxide film according to the present invention has good adhesion with the organic resin film, so that a strong adhesion can be easily accomplished with thermocompression bonding.
The present invention""s surface-treated aluminum material will now be explained.
The substance employed as the aluminum starting material in the present invention is not particularly restricted. Namely, in addition to pure aluminum, a pure aluminum derived AA1000 alloy (JIS1000 alloy), Alxe2x80x94Mn derived AA3000 alloy (JIS3000 alloy), or an Alxe2x80x94Mg derived AA5000 alloy (JIS5000 alloy) may also be used for example. In addition, it is also acceptable to employ in these alloys a material that has been subjected to various thermal refining treatments such as solution treatment, aging or the like. Any type of rolled plate of these materials is preferably employed. In addition, clad metals of these aluminum alloy may also be used.
Next, a pre-treatment is performed to the aluminum material. This pre-treatment is not particularly restricted, and is for the purpose of removing heterogeneous oxide film from the surface of the aluminum starting material. For example, a method may be employed in which washing is carried out using a alkalescent degreasing solution, followed by alkaline etching in a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and desmutting treatment in an aqueous solution of nitric acid. Alternatively, another acceptable method is one in which acid washing is carried out after washing using a degreasing solution.
Next, the pre-treated aluminum starting material is subjected to electrolyzation in the electrolytic solution, and anodizing process for forming the non-porous anodic oxide film to the surface of the aluminum starting material is carried out.
For the electrolytic solution, an electrolytic aqueous solution is employed containing an appropriate amount of silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon, so that the solution does not readily dissolve the generated non-porous oxide film, and so that at least one element from the group comprising silicon, phosphorous, boron and carbon is incorporated in the non-porous oxide film in an amount of 50 ppm or more, and preferably 100 ppm or more.
To obtain this type of electrolytic aqueous solution, an appropriate amount of at least one type of salt from the group comprising silicate, phosphate, borate, maleate, benzoate, phthalate, adipate, tartrate, citrate, and malonate. The amount added will differ depending on the type of salt and the electrolyzing conditions, however, it is roughly in the range of 2xcx9c150 g/l. When the concentration of trace elements is high in the electrolytic aqueous solution, the concentration of trace elements incorporated into the non-porous oxide film also increases.
When the temperature of the electrolytic bath during the anodizing increases, the concentration of trace elements mentioned above that are incorporated into the non-porous anodic oxide film tends to increase. In addition, when the electric current density during the anodizing increases, the temperature of the electrolytic surface rises, and the concentration of trace elements incorporated in the non-porous anodic oxide film tends to increase. A suitable electrolytic concentration should be determined for each salt added based on these trends. The temperature of the electrolytic bath is in the range of 30xc2x0 C.xcx9c60xc2x0 C., the current density is in the range of 0.3xcx9c10 A/dm2, and the applied voltage is in the range of 1.4xcx9c570 V. The electrolyzing conditions are appropriately set within these ranges, so that the porosity of the anodic oxide film is 20% or less, and preferably 10% or less, and the silicon, phosphorous, boron or carbon component contained in the anodic oxide film is in the amount of 50 ppm or more, and preferably 100 ppm or more. An important point to remember when carrying out the anodizing is to avoid formation of pores by gradually forming the anodic oxide film.
The thickness of the non-porous anodic oxide film is adjusted depending on the electrolyzing time, but is typically in the range of 5xcx9c800 nm, and preferably 50xcx9c200 nm.
The anodic oxide film obtained using this type of anodizing is a non-porous anodic oxide film of uniform thickness. A thickness in the range of 5xcx9c800 nm is acceptable for the non-porous anodic oxide film. When the film thickness is 5 nm or less, then this is about the thickness of the oxide film that naturally forms on the aluminum surface and resistance to corrosion cannot be obtained. On the other hand, when the thickness exceeds 800 nm, defects are readily generated in the film, so that the film is fractured and durability deteriorates. Accordingly, the thickness of the non-porous anodic oxide film is appropriately in the range of 5xcx9c800 nm, and preferably in the range of 50xcx9c200 nm.
It is acceptable for the non-porous anodic oxide film to have a degree of porosity that is 20% or less. Intermetallic compounds between aluminum and trace impurities such as silicon or iron are present on the surface of the aluminum or aluminum alloy. Since it is difficult to generate an anodic oxide film on top of these impurities, very small pores are generated in the anodic oxide film. Areas where these impurities are not exposed are essentially non-porous. In the anodic oxide film, it is acceptable if the pore surface area ratio, which is calculated by adding all the pores arising from these types of impurities, is 20% or less. Note that xe2x80x9c20% or lessxe2x80x9d includes a pore surface area ratio of 0%. The degree of porosity of the non-porous anodic oxide film can be measured by enlarging the surface 100,000 fold using an electron microscope and examining the surface, and then calculating the surface area of the pores.
A non-porous anodic oxide film having few such pores has a low amount of impurities of a corrosive nature, chief among these being water, remaining in the pore. Thus, even when heating during the step to laminate the organic resin film to the surface of the non-porous anodic oxide film, there is no eruption of water from the surface of the anodic oxide film.
Further, in the case of a porous film such as sulfate anodic oxide film, when a pin hole occurs in the organic resin film, corrosive material can penetrate via the pin hole to the base aluminum material and corrode it. However, the present invention""s non-porous anodic oxide film has high barrier properties, so that it is possible to avoid corrosion of the base aluminum starting material.
In addition, the moisture content of the present invention""s non-porous anodic oxide film is less than 10%, and preferably 5% or less, for the film as a whole, with 2% or less being optimal. The moisture contained in the anodic oxide film erupts from the pore when heating during the step to laminate the organic resin film to the surface of the non-porous anodic oxide film, impairing the adhesive properties between the organic resin film and the anodic oxide film. For this reason, it is desirable that the moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film be extremely low. The moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film is the amount of moisture in the film as a whole, and comprises not only the moisture adhering to the surface, but also the moisture, which has permeated into deep areas within the pores and crystallization water.
The moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film is measured using a thermogravimetric method in which the film is heated to 500xc2x0 C. and the decrease in mass is measured.
When the moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film exceeds 5%, the adhesive properties with organic resin film decrease. It is of course desirable that the moisture content of the non-porous anodic oxide film be 0%, however, it is difficult to actually achieve this value. Thus, there is no impairment to the film as long as the moisture content in the non-porous anodic oxide film is 5% or less, while a moisture content of 2% or less enables firmer adhesion between the anodic oxide film and the organic resin film.
It is acceptable for the present invention""s non-porous anodic oxide film to contain in an amount of 50 ppm or more at least one of silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), boron (B) or carbon (C). Both a physical adhesive strength (chiefly from the anchoring effect) and a chemical adhesive strength (chemical bonds, H bonds, van der Waals forces) contribute to the strength of adhesion between the anodic oxide film and the organic resin film. It was discovered that chemical adhesive strength was promoted when Si, P, B or C was present in the anodic oxide film in an amount of 50 ppm or more. In order to promote this chemical adhesive strength, it is preferable to include the aforementioned Si, P, B or C in an amount of 50 ppm or more, and more preferably 100 ppm or more. From among the elements listed above, silicon (Si) and phosphorous (P) have a large effect, with the efficacy of silicon (Si) being particularly remarkable. For silicon (Si), there is a considerable effect when it is present in a range of 100 ppm or more to 20,000 ppm or less.
Further, the above-described effects can be obtained as long as P, B or C are contained in an amount of 50 ppm or higher. In particular, a marked efficacy is seen when P and B are in the range of 20,000 ppm or less and C is in the range of 50,000 ppm or less.
In order to obtain a non-porous anodic oxide film containing these components in an appropriate amount, an electrolytic solution containing these components in the appropriate amount as described above is used, the electrolyzing conditions are appropriately selected, and anodic oxidation is carried out.
In addition, an organic resin film is laminated to the surface of the aluminum material on which the non-porous anodic oxide film containing the above element in an appropriate amount is formed. The organic resin film used is not particularly restricted, with polyethylene (PE) resins, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resins, polypropylene (PP) resins and polyamide resins (nylon, etc.) being applicable. It is acceptable to employ a laminated polyethylene terephthalate resin film with a copolymer polyethylene terephthalate resin film in which the melting point is lowered by copolymerizing a third component with polyethylene terephthalate resin. The adhesive method is not particularly restricted, with thermocompression bonding or employment of an adhesive agent being acceptable.
The laminating treatment is not particularly restricted. For example, a suitable resin film may be prepared and closely contact to the non-porous anodic oxide film formed of the surface-treated aluminum material having the non-porous anodic oxide film that was obtained by the method described above. This laminate is then passed through a roller that has been heated to a temperature above the melting point of the organic resin film, and the organic resin film is laminated to the anodic oxide film. The pressure applied to the roller, etc. is appropriately determined based on the material and thickness of the organic resin film.
In the thus-obtained surface-treated aluminum material onto which the organic resin film is laminated, the aluminum starting material and the organic resin film are adhered in place. As a result, even when the material undergoes further processing, the organic resin film does not peel away. In addition, since the non-porous anodic oxide film is present at the base of the organic resin film, the barrier property is excellent and resistance to corrosion does not deteriorate over time. As a result, the present invention""s surface-treated aluminum material can be widely employed in various containers, chief among these being beverage cans, caps, and food containers, as well as deep-drawing containers and decorative boards.
Effects of the Invention
It is the objective of the present invention to promote adhesive strength when laminating an organic resin film by taking advantage of the low porosity and moisture content in a non-porous anodic oxide film obtained by an anodic oxidation treatment under specific conditions. Moreover, the present invention promotes adhesion between the non-porous anodic oxide film and the organic resin film by including elements that readily give rise to specific chemical compounds in a non-porous anodic oxide film.

Surface-treated aluminum material with superior adhesive properties and production method therefor


A glove with grip areas which facilitates the manipulation of sewing implements and fabrics.

The present invention relates to gloves, and more particularly to gloves useful for people engaged in fabricating finished textile products.
Fabrication of finished textile products such as drapery and clothing generally involves a human fabricator performing several discrete operations on fabrics. These operations include measuring, cutting, pinning, stitching etc. Some of these operations are done entirely by hand, and some with the aid of machines. Each operation requires manipulation of sewing implements such as needles, pins and scissors and/or materials such as fabrics and thread. Repetitive pushing, pulling and guiding of the implements and materials can result in callouses, rashes, cuts, blisters, bruises and damage to fingernails. In addition, the effort required to maintain friction on the article being manipulated produces muscle fatigue. This effect is exacerbated when fibers from the fabric adhere to the skin, further reducing friction. A thimble placed over the end of a finger is commonly used to aid the pushing of needles and pins through fabric. However, thimbles significantly reduce tactile sensitivity and interfere with the act of pulling on a pin, needle or fabric because they provide less friction than the bare hand. Hence, thimbles are often removed and replaced during hand stitching. The frequent removal and replacement of the thimble is inconvenient and reduces the productivity of the fabricator. Additionally, thimbles have an unfortunate tendency to fall off the user's finger.
The prior art contains devices with means for protecting the hand from injuries such as unintentional punctures, but these devices do not facilitate the manipulation of sewing utensils and fabrics by providing friction, tactile sensitivity, and reinforcement for those areas of the hand where it is most beneficial to one engaged in fabricating finished textile products. The prior art means do not exhibit the combination of properties and positioning to best facilitate the manipulation of sewing utensils and fabrics.


A lumbar support cushion consists of a seat portion and a back portion, foldably joined along a crease positioned therebetween. An opening extends in a continuous manner upward into the back portion, and downward into the seat portion. The opening may have an oval shape. In one embodiment, a support member is provided, and is positioned across the front of the back portion. The position of the support member along the back portion may be made adjustable, for example by the use of mating hook and loop material on the support member and a rear portion of the back portion.

Millions of Americans suffer from back problems and associated pain. Often, back pain originates with problems are located in the lumbar region of the spine.
Back pain sufferers are commonly advised to take care in selecting a seat that provides sufficient lumbar support, and that is otherwise configured in an ergonomically sound manner. This may require the purchase of a specialized chair providing such support. In some instances, persons may wish to utilize an existing chair, while inserting against a back portion thereof a lumbar support—to be interposed between the spine of the user and the back support of the existing seat.
A need exists for a cushion that may be placed over both the seat and back portions of an existing chair, and that provides lumbar support in a sound and efficient manner. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides other, related, advantages.


A composite mirror adapted for use as an outside rearview mirror of a motor vehicle includes a main or primary viewing mirror and an auxiliary blindzone viewing mirror juxtaposed to expose the vehicle blindzone to the vehicle operator. The main viewing mirror is generally of unit magnification. The auxiliary mirror is generally composed of a convex surface that can be either attached atop the surface of the main viewing mirror or placed within a cut-out region of the main viewing mirror. The auxiliary mirror can be partially recessed below the surface of the main viewing mirror and can have a skirt for minimizing undesirable reflections in the main viewing mirror.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mirrors having multiple surfaces of differing magnification and, particularly, to the application of such mirrors as external side rearview automotive operator aides.
2. Background Art
Originally, motor vehicles, particularly passenger cars, did not have mirrors to assist the driver. Early in this century however, both inside and outside mirrors were added to automotive vehicles to provide rearward and limited lateral visibility. As the number of vehicles and driving speeds increased, rearward visibility became ever more important.
Today, all passenger cars have a mirror centrally located inside the vehicle. This mirror is the primary mirror. It provides a wide viewing angle, giving an excellent view to the adjacent lanes at a distance of two or more car lengths to the rear. However, it is deficient in that it is unable to view the adjacent lanes at distances of less than one to two car lengths to the rear. In an effort to eliminate this deficiency and to provide rearward visibility when the rear window is blocked, outside mirrors were added to vehicles.
Presently, passenger cars are required by law to have a unit magnification outside rearview mirror on the driver's side. A unit magnification mirror is a plane mirror which produces the same size image on the retina as that which would be produced if the object were viewed directly from the same distance. Furthermore, as provided in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 (FMVSS 111), "The mirror shall provide the driver a field of view of a level road surface extending to the horizon from a line perpendicular to a longitudinal plane tangent to the driver's side of the vehicle at the widest point, extending 8 feet out from the tangent plane 35 feet behind the driver's eyes, with the seat in the rear most position." FMVSS 111 thus effectively determines the size of the mirror, which a manufacturer must provide. The size will vary among different manufacturer's vehicles because of the placement of the mirror on the vehicle with regard to the driver's seat location.
Unfortunately, outside mirrors meeting FMVSS 111 still do not provide adequate adjacent lane visibility to view cars that are in the range of one car length to the rear. That is, a blindzone exists where a vehicle is not visible in either the inside mirror or the outside mirror. Even a glance over the shoulder may not be adequate to observe a vehicle in the blindzone. For many vehicles, the door pillar between the front and rear doors obscures the view to the blindzone. Furthermore, this obstruction is not obvious to most drivers, and they may assume that the "over the shoulder glance" has allowed them to see the blindzone when in reality it has not.
Rearward vision in automobiles is mathematically described in a paper published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in 1995. That paper is designated as SAE Technical Paper 950601. It is entitled, The Geometry of Automotive Rearview Mirrors—Why Blindzones Exist and Strategies to Overcome Them, by George Platzer, the inventor of the present invention. That paper is hereby incorporated by reference.
A common method of overcoming the blindzone is to add a spherically convex blindzone-viewing mirror to the required plane main mirror. Spherically convex mirrors provide a wide field of view, but at the penalty of a reduced image size. However, this may be acceptable if the mirror is only used to indicate the presence of a vehicle in the blindzone and it is not used to judge the distance or approach speed of vehicles to the rear. Simply placing a round segment of a convex mirror on the main mirror surface, as is commonly done with stick-on convex mirrors, does not solve the problem. Doing so can provide a view to the rear which includes the blindzone, but it will also show much of the side of the car, the sky and the road surface, which are distracting and extraneous to the safe operation of the vehicle. What is required is a convex blindzone-viewing mirror that shows the driver primarily only the blindzone. In this way, if the driver sees a vehicle in the blindzone-viewing mirror, he knows it is unsafe to move into the adjacent lane. All extraneous and distracting information should be removed from the blindzone-viewing mirror. Furthermore, by eliminating the irrelevant portions of the bull's-eye mirror, the remaining portion can have a larger radius of curvature, thereby increasing the image size for the given amount of area that is to be allocated to the convex mirror.
Other problems with add-on mirrors are that they:                may interfere with the requirements of FMVSS 111;        may substantially decrease the plane main mirror viewing angle;        interfere with cleaning, especially when there is ice on it; and        appear as an unsightly excrescence on the main mirror. A blindzone-viewing mirror that is provided by a car manufacturer must not appear to be an afterthought, but rather an integral part of the mirror.


A transdermal patch for the treatment of iron deficiency including a drug reservoir layer containing an hematinic substance; a rate-controlling membrane secured to said reservoir layer; and a contact adhesive secured to said rate-controlling membrane, wherein said hematinic substance is selected from the class consisting of ferrous sulfate, ferrous lactate, ferrous iodide, ferrous gluconate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous citrate, ferrous carbonate saccharated, ferrous carbonate mass, ferronascin, ferroglycine sulfate, and ferrocholinate.

This invention relates to the continuous release of medication to an area of intact skin, and more particularly to the continuous release of medication to correct iron deficiency.
Various preparations are available for the treatment of anemia in patients. A typical product provides for the oral administration of iron elementals, such as ferrous fumarate. This product is available in the form of a capsule that illustratively contains about 100 mg of the iron elemental. Unfortunately, iron in therapeutic doses can produce gastrointestinal reactions, such as diarrhea or constipation. In some cases, skin rash suggesting allergy can follow the oral administration of the iron elemental. In addition, overdosage can produce iron intoxication accompanied by pallor and cyanosis, vomiting, hematemesis, diarrhea, melena, shock, drowsiness, and coma.
Other forms of iron deficiency medication can be in liquid form, but this substance can also have the same adverse effects as treatment in therapeutic doses by the use of capsules.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to relieve many of the contra-indications that accompany the therapeutic treatment for iron deficiency by the use of liquid elixirs and capsules.


A method for dispensing gas within a target temperature range wherein the gas exchanges heat with multiple thermal capacitors to cool the gas.

The present invention is particularly suited for dispensing hydrogen to vehicles that use hydrogen as a fuel.
Industry desires to dispense hydrogen gas that has been cooled from ambient temperature down to a temperature within a narrow temperature range during the dispensing event. The refrigeration load during the dispensing event is much larger than the average refrigeration requirement.
In an example dispensing protocol, there is a need to provide hydrogen gas at a temperature between −33° C. and −40° C. The hydrogen gas must be dispensed within this target temperature range for multiple sequential dispensing events. The dispensing station and method must therefore be capable of providing sufficient cooling for each of the multiple sequential dispensing events within the target temperature range for quantities of gas that will vary both in size, typically 3 to 10 kg, and in flow rate, typically 0.25 to 3.6 kg/min.


The present invention relates to a glass container with a cylindrical neck (1) suitable for plugging the container by means of a stopper inserted in said neck, said neck (1) comprises an internal thread (6) allowing for reversible plugging and unplugging of the container by screwing and unscrewing said stopper, wherein the internal thread (6) of the neck consists of at least two independent thread turns (7) allowing unplugging and plugging of the container by screwing and respectively unscrewing the stopper by rotating it over an angle of less than 180°.

In the domain of wine containers, different types of plugs are used to seal bottles containing wine that are sold on the market.
It is known for many decades to plug wine and spirit bottles by means of a cylindrical cork stopper which is pressed in the neck of the bottle with a certain compression rate. Although this technique has been used exclusively for a very long time, in recent years the cork stopper was called into question again for various reasons linked mainly to the cost and the quality of the stored wine, in particular the development of the so-called "cork" taste.
Compressible stoppers made of synthetic material were developed as replacements for wine bottle cork stoppers and are being used more and more. These compressible synthetic stoppers are considered neutral relative to the bottled wine, and their cost is easier kept under control than that of cork stoppers. However, they have the disadvantage of having low or no recyclability and are not always being easy to extract. These synthetic stoppers also may evoke an image with consumers of industrial production and low quality.
It is also known that wine bottles can be plugged with screw caps. This plugging technique can be well controlled and the preservation performance is considered similar to that of cork or synthetic stoppers. Furthermore, screw caps are recyclable, at least in theory, after separating the internal liner from the cap. However, especially in Europe, this plugging technique may still be considered reserved for low range wines and wines from the so-called New World.
Document EP-A-0 027 780 proposes a variety of bottles in particular for sparkling beverages, e.g. ciders or champagne. These bottles are provided with several internal grooves or ribs in the neck and can be opened after having removed a wire mesh which is crimped around neck and stopper. However, it seems that the beverages are not perfectly sealed by the co-operation of the bottle neck and the cork as described in EP-A-0 027 780, at least in some of the bottles, shown therein, because the internal grooves or ribs in the neck are forming tracks in the stopper along which gas and liquid can escape to the exterior. In one of the bottles of EP-A-0 027 780, the internal diameter of significantly increases at the lower end of the cork, i.e. is not cylindrical. Correspondingly the diameter of the cork significantly increases to the lower end (typically about a factor of two). Having such a non cylindrical cork stopper is typical for champagne bottles to increase the holding forces of the cork. Furthermore, the compression rate of champagne corks is typically rather high. Therefore, such bottles cannot be closed anymore by hand using the same cork. Nevertheless, when pressurized beverages are plugged, a wire mesh is additionally used to hold the stopper in place once the bottle is plugged to avoid unplugging due to the gas pressure inside the bottle. On the other hand, when the mesh is removed, unplugging of a bottle with a pressurized beverage is usually facilitated with the aid of the internal pressure of the beverage, such that e.g. a champagne cork can be extracted anyway by hand already without grooves or ribs in the neck. However, the applicable forces and sealing requirements are largely different between bottling pressurized beverages on the one hand side and wine or spirits on the other hand side.
In GB 132,589, U.S. Pat. No. 2,215,984, DE 183525, U.S. Pat. No. 1,406,722, FR 697,986, U.S. Pat. No. 1,560,158, BE 488693 equipment and processes for producing threaded containers are proposed. However, the containers produced by these processes are single-threaded with fine pitch and several revolutions and are therefore, cumbersome to open and to close.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a glass container, specifically a glass bottle for holding wine or spirits, which allows reversible and easy unplugging and plugging, without the negative image attached to a screw cap.
Another object of the invention is to provide a glass container for wine or spirits that retains plugging by a cork stopper, while allowing reversible and easy unplugging and plugging of non-pressurized beverages like wine and spirits by screwing and unscrewing of a cork with an essentially cylindrical plugging portion.
Another object of the invention is to provide a glass container with an internally cylindrical neck for bottling wine or spirits by a cork stopper with a cylindrical plugging portion that still guarantees good sealing and preservation of the wine or spirit, without excessive cork compression and without using an external holding device such as a wire mesh.
The objects of the invention are achieved by subject matter of claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.
According to an aspect of the invention a glass container, specifically a bottle for storing non-pressurized beverages, e.g. a wine or spirit bottle is provided.
The container has a neck which is suitable for sealing the container with a compressible stopper having a plugging portion of cylindrical form. The neck defines a longitudinal axis and comprises an upper circular opening or finish and an internal thread which allows for reversible opening and closing of the container by unscrewing and screwing of said compressible stopper, respectively. The neck comprises an internal wall forming a straight cylindrical section, which extends from the opening over a height of at least 30 mm along the longitudinal axis.
The internal thread of the neck comprises at least two independent thread turns in the internal wall which are formed as ribs protruding from the internal wall starting at different angular positions around said longitudinal axis and being positioned in said straight cylindrical section, thereby forming a threaded section of internally cylindrical form. Furthermore, the neck comprises a first thread-free sealing section which is positioned beneath the threaded section, i.e. beneath a lower end of the thread turns, but still within said straight cylindrical section. Therewith, the straight cylindrical section is divided in at least two subsections, namely the threaded section defining said internal thread and the first thread-free sealing section, wherein both, the threaded section and the first thread-free sealing section are of internally cylindrical form and extend coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the neck.
Preferably, the first thread-free sealing section of internally cylindrical form extends beneath the threaded section from a lower end of the thread turns downwardly over a height of at least 5 mm, preferably over a height of at least 10 mm. Thus, the straight cylindrical section extends from the lower end of the thread turns downwardly over a height of at least 5 mm, preferably over a height of at least 10 mm along the longitudinal axis, thereby forming the first thread-free sealing section beneath the threaded section and being of cylindrical form.
That is, a first internally straight cylindrical and thread-free sealing ring of the internal wall of the neck with constant diameter is formed beneath the thread turns, so that a cylindrical stopper screwed in the bottle neck will totally conform to the plain thread free cylindrical surface beneath the thread turns, resulting in an improvement of preventing liquid leakage and passage of air from the exterior to the liquid along the thread turns at a moderate compression rate of a cork stopper.
The compressible stopper has a plugging portion of cylindrical form which extends beneath the threaded section into the first thread-free sealing section when being fully inserted in the neck of the glass container. Then the cylindrical plugging portion of the stopper is in full circumferential thread-free sealing contact with the internal wall of the neck over a height of at least 5 mm, preferably over a height of at least 10 mm, in the internally cylindrical first thread-free sealing section.
Further to improve the sealing capabilities of the container with inserted stopper, the straight cylindrical section of the internal wall of the neck is extending by preference also from the upper circular opening of the neck to the upper end of the thread turns over a height of at least 2 mm, preferably over a height of between 2 mm and 5 mm, thereby forming an second cylindrical thread-free sealing section between the upper circular opening and the threaded section. Therewith, a second internally straight cylindrical and thread-free ring of the internal wall of the neck is provided with constant diameter above the thread turns, so that the cylindrical plugging portion screwed in the bottle neck will be in full circumferential thread-free sealing contact with the internal wall above the thread turns. In other words, above the screw thread turns of the neck there is a second internally straight cylindrical and thread-free sealing ring with a diameter greater than the free diameter of the threaded section, and where a stopper will totally circularly conform to the wall when it is introduced in the neck to seal the container.
By preference, the thread turns extend over a height of at least 5 mm, but preferably not more than 20 mm, more preferably over a height of 10 mm±5 mm. In any case the turns extend preferably entirely within the straight cylindrical section. This geometry advantageously results in a good combination between holding/sealing properties and easy opening and closing of a wine or spirit bottle.
Preferably the straight cylindrical section has an internal diameter defined by the internal wall, wherein the internal diameter is selected within an interval of 18 mm to 21 mm. The neck has an outer diameter of between 26.5 mm and 28.5 mm at a position of 40 mm beneath the opening, which is advantageously slender.
Preferably the internal thread consists of between 3 and 5 independent thread turns. The thread turns are independently starting and ending at different angular positions, i.e. are staggered around the longitudinal axis, are straight and extend parallel to each other. Furthermore, the thread turns of the internal thread are identical and distributed at regular azimuthal angular intervals over the internal wall of the neck, in particular are staggered by an azimuthal angle of 360°/m, where m is the number of independent thread turns.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thread turns of the internal thread have a constant pitch angle of between 30° and 50°, preferably 37°±5°.
The ribs protruding from the internal wall and forming the thread turns have a preferred radial thickness between 0.2 mm and 3 mm, preferably a base width of between about 0.5 mm and 3 mm at the internal wall and preferably an essentially constant cross section.
Preferably the thread turns extend around the longitudinal axis over an azimuth angle of between 45° and 180°, more preferably of 90°±30°.
In, particular, such glass container allows plugging and unplugging by manual rotation of the stopper over an angle of less than 180° with modest effort. Preferably, a cork stopper with a cylindrical plugging portion and a head of larger diameter than the plugging portion is used, such that the user can grasp the head for unscrewing and screwing.
In this context, "cork stopper" includes any stopper made from natural rough or agglomerated cork. Nevertheless, agglomerated cork may be preferred for implementation of the invention. However the invention is not limited to the exclusive use of cork stoppers.
The neck geometry advantageously avoids the stored liquid from disturbingly penetrating into the thread turns while at the same time allowing the stopper to be self-holding without the need of an external fixing device like a wire mesh on the one hand side and to be manually reversibly unscrewable and screwable on the other hand side, both at a moderate compression rate of the stopper and without the aid of pressure inside the container when first opening the container. That is, this kind of plugging solution seals the container hermetically while providing great ease and practicality for the user, who can indefinitely open and close the container by a simple manual operation of screwing and unscrewing the stopper in the neck of the container. Furthermore, the container provides good sealing of the stopper both before and after the first opening of the container and for several consecutive openings thereafter, which turned out to be difficult to achieve with a screw cork stopper integrated in the neck of a wine or spirit bottle.
Furthermore, this kind of plugging solution preserves the high range image of the product held in the container when using a natural cork stopper while retaining the advantages of a metallic or plastic screw cap.
The use of cork stoppers is preferred in association with the container of the invention, because of its perfect recyclability and the growing character of cork commerce.
The bottle is preferably produced with a blow-and-blow process.
Various other characteristics will result from the following description with reference to the attached drawings which show non-limiting examples wherein same and similar elements are denoted with the same reference signs.

Glass container with internally threaded neck


A Tee-nut with flareable portion comprises a flange head, a plurality of prongs extending from the flange head, and a hollow barrel extending from the flange head. The hollow barrel has an internally threaded portion provided at one end of the barrel connecting to the flange head, and an enlarged flareable portion extending from the internally threaded portion and provided at a free end of the barrel. The end of the enlarged flareable portion is radiussed inwardly so as to form an end opening having a diameter which reduced in relation to the diameter of the flareable portion to facilitate insertion into a hole in a workpiece. The present invention further discloses a workpiece fitted with such a Tee-nut.

Fastener members, having a flange portion and a hollow barrel portion with a flarable end, are known and are commonly referred as Tee-nuts, or rivet type Tee-nuts. In this specification, the term "Tee-nut" is used to describe such fastener members.
Such Tee-nuts are usually formed of sheet metal, and provide a flange portion with a plurality of fastening teeth or prongs, and a threaded sleeve or barrel, all formed out of a single piece of sheet metal.
Typically such Tee-nuts are used, for example, in furniture frames, for fastening the arms and legs of the furniture to the frame. They also have a variety of other uses, both in furniture and in many other industries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,432 granted to Nagayama on Sep. 20, 1994 discloses a Tee-nut having a sleeve in the form of a hollow cylinder with a relatively thin-walled flarable end portion and a relatively thicker-walled threaded portion. The thin-walled flarable hollow sleeve end is formed by counter boring an internally threaded hollow sleeve. The disadvantage of this product is that counter boring is uneconomical to perform. Also, tiny metal scraps are likely to be left behind within the internal threads. Also, when flared outwardly, the thin-walled flarable counter-bored end has a tendency to split, and the thin walled portion has a tendency to collect wood chips internally in the threads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,144, inventor Volkmar W. Leistner, title Tee-nut with Enlarged Barrel End, granted Apr. 8, 1997 and assigned to Sigma Tool & Machine a Partnership of Sigma Tool & Machine Limited and Sigma Fasteners Limited shows an improved form of Tee-nut with a flarable end. In this patent the Tee-nut barrel is swaged out to enlarge its diameter, without counterboring and weakening the flarable portion. However, these Tee-nuts require to be inserted into and through a bore in a wooden workpiece. The enlarged flarable leading end which was inserted first into the bore tended to cause unnecessary problems, since the leading end of the open bore tended to catch on the wood or tear particles of wood away.


An adjustment device for changing the relative rotation between a cam and a crankshaft is provided. The adjustment device includes a driven device operatively connected to the crankshaft. The driven device has a first plurality of channels directed radially inward toward a central axis. The adjustment device also has a hub axially aligned with the driven device along the central axis and connectable to the cam. The hub has a second plurality of channels directed inward toward a point radially offset from the central axis.

An internal combustion engine typically includes at least one cylinder that receives a piston to form a combustion chamber. The piston is connected to a crankshaft such that a rotation of the crankshaft results in a corresponding reciprocating motion of the piston within the cylinder. Intake and exhaust valves associated with each combustion chamber are indirectly connected to the same crankshaft by way of a timing device such that a rotation of the crankshaft results in corresponding opening and closing movements of the intake and exhaust valves. Thus, the movements of engine valves and the motion of an associated piston, because of their connections to a common crankshaft, are synchronized.
The timing of the opening and closing movements of the intake and exhaust valves relative to the reciprocating motion of the piston may affect performance of the engine. However, this timing of the engine is typically fixed during manufacture of the engine according to a predicted general application of the engine. If operating in a manner other than that predicted by the engine manufacturer, resulting performance of the engine may be less than desired.
In order to maximize the performance of the engine for a particular application, it may be necessary to adjust the relative timing between the movements of the engine valves and the motion of the piston. One method of adjusting this relative timing is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,923 (the '923 patent) issued to Woodward et al. on Mar. 18, 2003. The '923 patent describes varying the typically fixed valve timing of an engine in order to improve combustion. Specifically, the '923 patent discloses an adjustable camshaft sprocket assembly securable to a camshaft that drives intake and exhaust valves. The camshaft sprocket assembly includes a camshaft sprocket driven by a crankshaft and removably securable to a camshaft sprocket hub when the camshaft sprocket assembly is clamped to the camshaft. The camshaft sprocket hub includes a short dowel recess and a long dowel opening offset from the short dowel recess. The camshaft sprocket includes only a long dowel recess. A timing adjustment tool is provided that includes a short dowel, a long dowel, and a handle protrusion. After loosening bolts that axially clamp the camshaft sprocket assembly to the camshaft, the long dowel of the timing adjustment tool is passed through the long dowel opening of the cam sprocket hub into the long dowel recess of the cam sprocket, while the short dowel is inserted only into the short dowel recess of the cam sprocket hub. As torque is applied to the handle protrusion of the timing adjustment tool, the torque is transferred through the engagement of the short and long dowels with the camshaft sprocket and camshaft sprocket hub to generate relative rotation between the two. This relative rotation adjusts an angular orientation between the crankshaft and the camshaft and, thereby, actuation timing of the intake and exhaust valves relative to the motion of an associated piston.
Although the adjustable camshaft sprocket assembly of the '923 patent may improve the combustion process by providing adjustable valve timing, it may be prone to slippage and inaccuracy. In particular, because all torque passing from the camshaft sprocket assembly to the camshaft and visa versa is transmitted only by way of an axial clamping force, it may be possible for rotational slippage to occur between the camshaft sprocket assembly and the camshaft. This slippage could produce inaccurate relative timing that results in undesired performance of the engine and possibly damage to the engine. In addition, because the timing adjustment between the camshaft sprocket assembly and the camshaft is achieved only by a one-to-one ratio of timing adjustment tool rotation to camshaft sprocket assembly rotation, high accuracy of relative timing may be difficult to achieve.
The adjustable valve timing system of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above.


Disclosed herein is a method including manufacturing a powder having a composition of formula (1),M1aM2bM3cM4dO12  (1)                where O represents oxygen, M1, M2, M3, and M4 represents a first, second, third, and fourth metal that are different from each other, where the sum of a+b+c+d is about 8, where “a” has a value of about 2 to about 3.5, “b” has a value of 0 to about 5, “c” has a value of 0 to about 5 “d” has a value of 0 to about 1, where “b” and “c”, “b” and “d”, or “c” and “d” cannot both be equal to zero simultaneously, where M1 is a rare earth element comprising gadolinium, yttrium, lutetium, scandium, or a combination of thereof, M2 is aluminum or boron, M3 is gallium, and M4 is a dopant; and heating the powder to a temperature of 500 to 1700° C. in an oxygen containing atmosphere to manufacture a crystalline scintillator.

This disclosure relates to a method for controlling gallium content in garnet scintillators during a manufacturing process. In particular, this disclosure relates to a method for controlling gallium content in gadolinum-aluminum-garnet scintillators during the manufacturing process.
Gadolinium aluminum gallium garnets (commonly known as GAGG) are promising candidates for use as a scintillator in time of flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) because of its high density of 6.63 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cc), high light output of greater than 65,000 photons/MeV (million electron volts or mega electron volts), and relatively short decay time of 88 nanoseconds (ns)/91% and 258 ns/9%.
GAGG can be grown in the form of large crystal boules of up to 3 inches (about 7.5 centimeters) in diameter from oxides such as cerium dioxide (CeO2), gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3), gallium oxide (Ga2O3) and alumina (Al2O3) that have a purity of 99.99% or greater using Czochralski method. A boule is a single crystal ingot produced by synthetic means.
One of the drawbacks associated with the Czochralski method is that the high temperatures (exceeding 1300° C.) used in the production of the crystal boule result in the decomposition of the gallium oxide to Ga2O vapor according to the reaction:Ga2O3⇄Ga2O+O2  (1)This is an equilibrium reaction and the presence of additional oxygen in the reaction chamber reduces the rate of decomposition of the gallium oxide. In other words, the presence of an increased amount of oxygen in the reaction chamber drives the reverse reaction towards the formation of the gallium oxide rather than towards the formation of the Ga2O vapor.
The production of the crystal boule is generally conducted in iridium crucibles that are very expensive because of the cost of iridium metal. The use of large amounts of oxygen in the reaction chamber causes the conversion of iridium metal to iridium oxide (which evaporates), which is undesirable because of the high cost associated with the loss of iridium metal.
In order to effect a compromise and to obtain the GAGG crystal boule without any loss or iridium metal, an off-stoichiometric mix of raw oxide materials having 3 weight percent (wt %) excess of the gallium oxide is used to perform the growth process in an atmosphere containing an excess of 2 volume percent oxygen. The presence of excess gallium oxide compensates for the loss due to evaporation of gallium at the elevated process temperatures.
However, this method has its drawbacks as well. Since the evaporation losses of gallium are practically difficult to control, the quality of GAGG crystals may vary significantly. Loss of stoichiometry may cause substantial non-uniformities in the scintillation characteristics of the GAGG crystals such as: variation in light output, uncontrollable scintillation decay time, and a high level of afterglow, all of which are undesirable.
There therefore remains a need for a method to produce crystal boules of the correct stoichiometry while at the same time reducing the losses of gallium oxide or of iridium metal.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for controlling gallium content in gadolinium-gallium garnet scintillators