A brazing product for fluxless brazing comprises a substrate and a filler metal-forming composition applied to the substrate. The substrate preferably comprises aluminum, an aluminum alloy or another metal and may include at least one layer of a ceramic, carbide or nitride. The filler metal-forming composition comprises a liquid-forming layer comprising silicon and a braze-promoting layer comprising one or more metals selected from the group comprising nickel, cobalt, palladium and iron. The liquid-forming layer comprises one or more material layers. Where the liquid-forming layer comprises a plurality of layers, it may include at least one layer consisting essentially of silicon.

Various methods of bonding substrates are known in the prior art. One bonding method which is used extensively in the manufacture of heat exchanger assemblies is furnace brazing, most commonly by Controlled Atmosphere Brazing (CAB) and Vacuum Brazing (VB). Heat exchanger assemblies are characterized by a plurality of thin aluminum components which are bonded together by brazing. At least some of these components may be comprised of an aluminum brazing sheet having an aluminum or aluminum alloy core layer provided on one or both sides with an aluminum-silicon cladding layer. The cladding layer has a lower melting point than the core layer and melts during brazing to form a filler metal which flows into the voids between the components and solidifies on cooling, thereby bonding the components together.
Because sophisticated rolling mill practices are required to produce aluminum-silicon clad brazing sheet, this composite is more costly than conventional flat rolled sheet and strip. Also, available alloy compositions are limited by mill product standardization, by casting limitations, or by scrap recovery considerations that affect the economy of the overall casting or mill operation.
Conventional brazing alloys can be brazed in the absence of a brazing flux when at least one additional layer of a braze-promoting metal such as nickel, cobalt or iron is applied to the brazing sheet. Such braze-promoting layers are usually applied by electroplating, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,200. If properly applied, the braze-promoter reacts exothermically with the underlying aluminum-silicon cladding alloy, and is believed to disrupt the aluminum oxide layer to permit the underlying aluminum metal to flow together and join. However, there are environmental hazards and liabilities associated with prior art wet electroplating systems for deposition of fluxless braze promoters. Furthermore, there are limitations on the range of material strip or component dimensions which can be electroplated in high volume production. For example, the constraints of fixed size plating cells limit the maximum plateable strip width.
There remains a need for layered products for fluxless brazing of substrates which overcome the problems described above which limit the usefulness of presently known fluxless brazing products.

Layered products for fluxless brazing of substrates


An e-mail sending and receiving system in which positional data about a plurality of places can be included in an e-mail message to be sent, and further detailed data can be obtained based on the included positional data, thereby improving the convenience and effectiveness of the positional data. The system includes a mail generating section for generating an e-mail message to be sent to an addressee; a positional data storage section for storing a plurality of positional data; and a positional data attaching section for attaching one or more of the positional data stored in the positional data storage section to the e-mail message generated by the mail generating section. The system may further include a section for generating detailed data relating to each positional data attached to the e-mail message, and attaching a URL for accessing the detailed data to the e-mail message.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an e-mail (i.e., electronic mail) sending and receiving system for providing a variety of services to addressers and addressees, by automatically adding positional data of any place to e-mail.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, services for providing map images, in which a map image database is provided in a server on the Internet, and is searched by using key words such as an address, postal code, station name, spot (or location) name or the like, so as to provide a map image around a target position coordinate, are known. The user can obtain a map image of a desired place by inputting the key words such as an address, postal code, station name, spot name (i.e., the name of position) or the like, by using a WWW (world wide Web) browser.
Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 11-259390 (Nakano et al.) provides an e-mail system and method that composes an e-mail information including a map information and transmitting the e-mail information. At a transmitting-side of terminal, a user obtains a map image data of a desirable point by connecting to a map information provision system and inputs an arbitrary-manually-scripted information onto the obtained map image data. The obtained map image data with the inputted scripted information is then complied to compose new image data. Consequently, the transmitting-side of terminal transmits an e-mail information including the map image data with the manual script of a document data to a mail server of a recipient.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication, No. Hei 11-53278 discloses a system in which if an e-mail message to be sent includes an address or the like, a map image database is automatically searched using the address as a key word, and the URL for viewing a map image is included in the e-mail, and then the e-mail is sent.
However, in the above-explained conventional techniques, data about only one place can be included in an e-mail message, and data of a plurality of places cannot be included. It is extremely inconvenient. Additionally, in the conventional techniques, the addressee can only view and print a Web page according to the sent data. Therefore, it is also inconvenient. In addition, only the URL of a map image and the text data input by the user can be included in the text of e-mail, so that data to be transmitted may be insufficient.
Also in the conventional techniques, data which the addressee can refer to is limited to the text of the e-mail (input by the addresser) and the Web page via the WWW browser. Furthermore, the e-mail is sent using a single format, so that the e-mail cannot be shown on a device such as a car navigation system which receives e-mail using another format. Therefore, it is also inconvenient.

System for sending and receiving e-mail to which a plurality of positional data are attachable


A method for curing polymerizable compositions by irradiating the compositions with a pulsed light that is emitted from an LED. The method of the present invention is especially suitable for curing dental compositions.

Polymerizable compositions materials may cure, or harden, when they are subjected to light because a polymerization reaction is photo-initiated. Although these type of compositions have a wide range of applications, they are especially useful in the field of dentistry for adhesion, sealing and restoration. These are known as "photo-curable dental compositions" (see for example, those dental compositions described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,553,940, 4,437,836, 4,411,625 and 6,387,980, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference).
The quality of the cured compositions is important in all photo-curable polymer applications, e.g., semiconductor applications, but is of special concern in the field of dentistry. Characteristics which are significant in evaluating the quality of a photo-cured polymer include hardness, depth of cure, polymerization yield, and uniformity.
Photo-curable dental compositions generally harden when exposed to radiation having wavelengths in the visible range. Photo-cured dental compositions are convenient for use by a dentist because the curing process can be initiated when the dental composition has been accurately placed in its proper position. A source of radiation energy positioned proximate to the material to be hardened, for example an appropriate amount of composition placed inside a tooth cavity, is activated to initiate polymerization and subsequent curing of the composition to secure the repair. Early methods for curing photosensitive dental compositions included dental guns and other apparatuses for producing concentrated beams of UV radiation. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,112,335 and 4,229,658, for example. Later, visible light curable dental compositions were used and dental radiation guns for producing concentrated visible light were provided like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,385,344 and 6,171,105.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,617 to Long discloses an apparatus for providing controlled flashes of radiation, including a hand-piece within which is mounted a gaseous discharge tube and a light pipe for conducting the radiation, enabling it to be directed into an oral cavity to effect in situ curing of radiation polymerizable resins used as dental restoratives. The flash durations, which can be 0.5 milliseconds in duration (See Col. 6 lines 32-34) and intervals are controlled to minimize generation of heat.
There is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,768 to Kennedy, for instance, a portable photo-curing device that has a light emitting diode matrix energized with battery power. The '768 patent notes in Col. 2 that light emitting diodes (LEDs) of various selected colors may be formed on the module by using selected color dyes so that the emitted light is a pure white light or a combination of selected color lights to provide a predetermined photo curing effect. The light emitted by the LEDs may have a peak wavelength of 470 nm which is used for photo curing purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,711 to Kennedy et al. discloses a portable light emitting device suitable for medical and industrial photo curing. Typically, the LEDs are driven by a pulsed power supply in order to minimize heat generation. It is noted in the '711 patent that various applications require different light dosage values. For example, it is noted in Col. 1, lines 39 and following that light dosage values in the range of up to 400 mW/cm2 are typically required for dental applications. On the other hand, a medical application such as photodynamic therapy of psoriasis and basal cells requires much lower power typically in the range of up to 100 mW/cm2. The device according to the '711 patent includes generally a power supply, a housing, and a substrate upon which a plurality of light emitting diodes are mounted. It can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 6 of the '711 patent that the LED array is generally planar and that the device typically includes an optical assembly such as a fiber optic taper. Here again, the LED can comprise "blue" LEDs with a spectral emission in the 470 nanometer range.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,082 to Levy discloses the use of laser radiation having a selected wavelength and being in the form of pulses for cutting bone and performing dental procedures. There is disclosed in Column 4, lines 27 and following a filling material for teeth constituted by a mixture formed from a liquid component composed of phosphoric acid and water and a powder component composed of a ceramic and hydroxyapatite, with the ingredients mixed in a proportion to form a paste having a consistency such that the paste is workable and sufficiently self supporting to be applied to the opening with a spatula and remain in place. The '082 patent does not involve a photocuring process and the material is not a dental polymer composite. The high peak power of the laser is believed to be used only for cutting and possibly hardening of the cement due to heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,005 to Harold et al. discloses an apparatus for photopolymerizing synthetic materials, specifically dental materials containing camphorquinone or phosphine oxide as photoinitiators and includes a light source constituted by a semiconductor base solid state radiation emitter which emits in the blue spectral range. Since the radiation emitter emits in a relatively limited spectral range, excess heat radiation is avoided. The overall device is formed as a relatively small lightweight device with a built in battery. The device further includes a light-conducting rod in order to direct radiation to the desired location. According to the '005, patent an essential photoinitiator in dental materials is typically camphorquinone or phosphine oxide which absorbs a broad band within the blue spectral range, with an absorption maximum of about 472 nm and 430 nm, respectively. The patent further notes that depending on the color of the material, the polymerization reaction requires light having an intensity of at least 1 to 5 mW/cm2 within a very thin layer. In the practice of polymerizing tooth fillings or dental replacement parts, a light intensity of at least 250 mW/cm2 is required within an appropriate period of time to achieve polymerization of sufficient degree and depth. Commercially available dental polymerization apparatuses, at least according to this '005 patent, emit light at an intensity of about 400-500 mW/cm2 sometimes up to 700 mW/cm2. The solid state radiation emitter according to the '005 patent is preferably a laser diode which emits a forward beam used for the polymerization proper and a backward beam used as a reference beam for controlling the intensity of the polymerization beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,004 to Senn et al. discloses a light curing device and method for curing light-polymerizable dental materials. Such light curing device includes a control circuit which controls the light output of the light source according to a predetermined output profile. The output profile includes an initial curing time wherein the output is increased over a period of time and a main curing time wherein the output is alternated at an alternating high and low output value. Further the output values are subject to change between the initial curing time and the main curing time.
Still further devices and techniques have been proposed as noted below. "Possible improvements of clinical properties of dental composite materials with pulsed blue laser curing" by Zrinka Tarle, Andrej Meniga, Mira Ristic, Jozo Sutalo and Goran Pichler, Croatia Chemica Acta 71, 777-787 (1998) compare the degree of conversion and polymerization shrinkage of hybrid and microfilled composite materials (see Table 1 of paper) cured using a pulsed blue laser system and a "standard" curing unit operating in a continuous wave (cw) mode (Heliolux GTE curing unit of 500 mW/cm2). The goal of the work was to determine whether optimal degree of conversion and minimal polymerization shrinkage of the composite restorative resin could be achieved using nanosecond lasers operating at 468 nm. This wavelength closely matches the maximum of the camphorquinine absorption spectrum. The authors used an excimer pumped dye laser to generate the desired pulsed optical energy necessary for the .photopolymerization. As such, the optical pulses generated although tunable in wavelength, have a fixed temporal characteristics (20 nanosecond laser pulses at a repetition rate of 10 Hz) set by the nature of the lasers used.
"Pulsed blue laser curing of hybrid composite resins" by Andrej Meniga, Zrinka Tarle, Mira Ristic, Jozo Sutalo and Goran Pichler, Biomaterials 18, 1349-1354 (1997) reports on the effect of photopolymerization of light and dark shades cured using 10 mJ of 20 nanosesond laser pulsed dye lasers operating at 468 nm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,696 to Osterwalder et al. discloses a self-contained light source for curing light initiated resins used to coat teeth as veneers and fill cavities and chips in teeth in aesthetic or restorative procedures. The source includes an elongated container holding a battery and an electronic compartment in one end and a light emitting window at the other. A plurality of closely spaced light emitters, typically light emitting diodes or laser diodes are arrayed in a radial or arcuate configuration to direct light to a common focal point. The light is directed out of the container toward a tooth bearing the resin to be cured to a hard stable state. The light emitters are chosen so that they generate light to which the resin curing initiator is sensitive. The wavelength range of the emitted light falls typically within the blue part of the spectrum. It can be seen from FIG. 2 and 3 of the '696 patent that LEDs are typically arrayed in an arcuate configuration about a focal point 38. The apparatus is reported to be useful for curing dental resins including a 1:1 mixture by weight of bis-phenol-2bis (2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylate and tri (ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate monomers. The resinous mixture may further include a camphorquinone photoinitiator and a tertiary amine reducing agent. Fillers such as silica particles and colorants are typically included to achieve the desired hardness level and color.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,074 to Suh et al. discloses a process for preparing dental restorations which includes the application of light to a composite of intensity sufficient to penetrate the composite to initiate polymerization. Light application is suspended for a period of time sufficient to allow for the relaxation of internal stresses created by the initial polymerization of the composite. (Claim 1 requires suspension of the light for a period of 10 seconds.) Light is subsequently applied to the composite to complete polymerization.
WIPO Publication No. WO 99/35995 (essentially the same as U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,134) to Kovac et al. discloses a curing device for curing light sensitive compounds. The device includes generally a housing and an array of solid state light emitting diodes for having wavelengths in the range of 400-500 nm. Preferably, a peak wavelength of 470 nm is generated. The device further comprises an optical fiber light pipe for capturing the light and transmitting a beam of the light to the dental or other work surface containing a light curable compound. An optical lens may be used for focusing the light into the light pipe. It is noted on page 8 of this publication that 200-500 LEDs are used for creating the necessary light power needed for curing available dental compounds. In one embodiment of the device described, 96 LEDs are used whereas in a prototype e.g., an embodiment was made wherein 9 LEDs were utilized. See page 14. It is further noted in the publication that LEDs which include integral lenses may be employed. The discussion on page 20 and following notes that state that radiated power levels of approximately 200 mW/cm2 or greater are generally necessary for curing the available dental compounds. Other intensities may be necessary for curing other light sensitive compounds.
There is a need for methods of curing polymerizable compositions where the cured composition is of a higher quality. There is also a need to reduce the time necessary to cure polymerizable compositions. The applicants in the present invention have surprisingly found that, contrary to standard practices, the use of optical radiation with specific pulse duration and repetition rate yields better quality of cure than using comparable continuous wave optical radiation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for photo-curing polymerizable compositions with pulsed light


A straddle-type vehicle includes an input shaft connected to a rear drive shaft and extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, an output shaft connected to an axle and configured to rotate by receiving a driving force from the input shaft, a brake operator on which an operation is performed to brake the input shaft, a plate group disposed between a wall portion of a housing and a cam member, a cam plate disposed between the cam member and the plate group, an operation shaft extending in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the input shaft, a first engagement protrusion protruding from the cam plate, a second engagement protrusion protruding from the operation shaft and engaging with the first engagement protrusion, a lever rotatable together with the operation shaft, and an operation cable connected to the brake operator and the lever.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to straddle-type vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Straddle-type vehicles are conventionally known. Straddle-type vehicles are vehicles that riders straddle when getting on the vehicles. Japanese Patent No. 3011718 discloses a straddle-type vehicle in which a brake is provided inside a power transmission path between a power unit and a wheel.
The straddle-type vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3011718 includes a drive shaft that extends in a vehicle front-rear direction and a transmission shaft that is connected to the drive shaft, disposed inside a brake case, and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. The brake includes a plurality of rotation brake plates that rotate together with the transmission shaft, a plurality of fixed brake plates disposed so that the rotation brake plates and the fixed brake plates are located in an alternating manner, an annular pressure cam disposed between a partition wall at a front side of the brake case and the foremost fixed brake plate, and a steel ball disposed between the partition wall at the front side of the brake case and an inclined cam groove of the pressure cam. A left end portion of the pressure cam is provided with an engagement protrusion that protrudes leftward. The brake further includes a brake rotation shaft that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction at a position leftward of the transmission shaft. The brake rotation shaft passes through the brake case. An inner lever that engages with the engagement protrusion of the pressure cam is provided at a portion of the brake rotation shaft which is located inside the brake case. An outer lever is fixed to a portion of the brake rotation shaft which is located outside the brake case. The outer lever is connected with an operation cable connected to a brake lever and an operation cable connected to a brake pedal.
When the brake lever or the brake pedal is operated by a rider, the operation cable is pulled to cause the brake rotation shaft to rotate. Upon rotation of the brake rotation shaft, the inner lever presses the engagement protrusion of the pressure cam, thus rotating the pressure cam. Then, the steel ball is displaced from the inclined cam groove, and the pressure cam is pushed rearward by the steel ball. Thus, the rotation brake plates and the fixed brake plates are pressed against each other by the pressure cam. As a result, the transmission shaft is braked.


There is provided an aminoanthryl derivative substitution compound represented by the following general formula (1). The compound according to the present invention can provide an organic electroluminescence device showing an extremely pure luminescence hue, and an optical output with high efficiency, high luminance, and long life

An organic electroluminescence device is a device that includes a thin film made of a fluorescent organic compound between an anode and a cathode, generates an exciton from the fluorescent compound by injection of an electron and an electron hole (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a hole) from each electrode, and uses light to be radiated when the exciton returns to the ground state.
The study conducted by Eastman Kodak Company in 1987 (Appl. Phys. Lett., 51, p. 913, (1987)) reported light emission at about 1,000 cd/m2 by an applied voltage of about 10 V from a device including a function-separated two-layer structure having an anode made of ITO and a cathode made of magnesium-silver alloy where an aluminum quinolinol complex is used as each of an electron-transporting material and a light-emitting material and a triphenylamine derivative is used as a hole-transporting material. In this case, related patent documents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,539,507, 4,720,432, and 4,885,211.
In addition, light emission at spectra ranging from ultraviolet through infrared is possible by changing the type of a fluorescent organic material. Recently, various compounds have been studied actively and described in many publications such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,151,629, 5,409,783, and 5,382,477, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H02-247278, H03-255190, H05-202356, H09-202878, and H09-2275756.
Furthermore, in addition to the organic electroluminescence devices using low molecular weight materials as described above, an organic electroluminescence device using a conjugated polymer has been reported from the group of Cambridge University (Nature, 347, 539 (1990)). This report has confirmed light emission from a monolayer by film formation with polyphenylene vinylene (PPV) in a coating system. Patents related to an organic electroluminescence device using a conjugated polymer include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,247,190, 5,514,878, and 5,672,678, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H04-145192, and H05-247460.
Recently, furthermore, an organic phosphorescence device using an iridium complex such as Ir (ppy)3 (Appl. Phys. Lett., 75, 4 (1999)) has been attracting attention and high luminous efficiency thereof has been reported.
Recent advances in organic electroluminescence devices are remarkable and the characteristics thereof allow the formation of light-emitting devices having high luminance with a low applied voltage, the variety of emission wavelengths, high-speed responsiveness, low profile, and lightweight, suggesting the possibility for extensive uses. However, organic electroluminescence devices still involve many problems in durability, such as chronological changes by prolonged use, and degradation with atmospheric gases containing oxygen, humidity, or the like. When applications of organic electroluminescence devices to full-color displays and so on are taken into consideration, under the present circumstances, blue-, green-, and red light-emissions with extended-life, high conversion rate, and high color purity have been demanded.
Examples of the materials and organic electroluminescence devices containing anthracene rings include a phenyl anthracene derivative disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-012600. In particular, when a phenyl anthracene derivative was used as a blue light-emitting material or an electron-injection transporting material, the phenyl anthracene derivative supposedly allows the formation of a good organic film because of its low crystallinity. However, the luminous efficiency and durable life of the phenyl anthracene ring were insufficient in practical application.
An aminoanthracene derivative and a diaminoanthracene derivative have been disclosed as other examples in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H09-157643 and H10-072579, respectively. In the documents, those materials supposedly generate green light-emission when they were used as light-emitting materials. However, devices prepared from those materials showed insufficient luminous efficiencies, and their durable lives were still insufficient in practical application.
Japanese Patent No. 3008897 discloses as another example a device using a particular bianthryl compound as a light-emitting material, which supposedly generates light emission with high luminance. However, the patent describes nothing about luminous efficiency and durable life.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-008068 discloses as still another example a device using a particular anthracene compound having an olefin site as a light-emitting material, which supposedly generates light emission from yellow to red. However, the device showed insufficient luminous efficiency in practical application.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-284050 discloses as another example a device that contains an anthracene derivative having a particular structure, an electron-transporting compound, and another fluorescent compound in a light-emitting medium layer. This device supposedly provides a red light-emitting device with improved reliability. However, the device showed insufficient luminous efficiency in practical application. In addition, it was difficult to obtain blue light emission because of its device configuration.

Aminoanthryl derivative substitution compound and organic electroluminescence device using the same


Example methods disclosed herein include determining a first time associated with an event notification embedded in primary media received from an online media provider by an audience measurement entity, the primary media also to be distributed by the online media provider to a consumer device, the determining of the first time including rendering a graphical representation of progress associated with presentation of the primary media, the graphical representation having a length and including the event notification at a location, and determining the first time based on the length and the location of the event notification. Example methods also include determining a second time associated with a media feature of the primary media, and indicating, without accessing the consumer device, that secondary media is also to be embedded in the primary media distributed to the consumer device when a difference between the first time and the second time meets a threshold.

In recent years, online media delivery (e.g., streaming media delivery) has become a popular medium for the delivery of media to users. As used herein, online media is media delivered from an online media provider to media presentation locations via a data network such as, for example, data delivered on the Internet using the Internet Protocol (IP). Services like Netflix™ and Amazon Instant Video™, as well as on-demand services provided by IP based television services (e.g., AT&T Uverse™) are examples of providers of such online media. Online media is presented to a consumer by a consumer device after the media is transmitted to the consumer device (or a device associated with the consumer device) from an online media provider. The near instant nature of online media and the increase in bandwidth capabilities of Internet service providers and consumer connections have contributed to the availability and popularity of high resolution online media. For example, when a user of an online consumer device selects a movie from an online media provider, such as Netflix™, the movie is presented almost instantly without the user having to wait for the entire movie file to be downloaded to the user's device (e.g., using streaming techniques). Some online media providers have monetized the delivery of such media by including advertisements in the online media.

Methods and apparatus to detect advertisements embedded in online media


A multi direction variable transceiver including a transmitter comprising a subcarrier aggregator including at least one variable transmitter splitter and at least one variable transmitter coupler. The transceiver typically includes a receiver having at least one variable receiver splitter and at least one variable receiver coupler. In some examples, each of the transmitter and the receiver may include a controller for dynamically adjusting a splitting ratio for at least one of the variable receiver splitter, variable receiver coupler, variable transmission splitter and variable transmission coupler.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to optical networks, and more particularly, to a multi-direction variable optical transceiver.
Description of the Related Art
The global communication traffic volume is increasing exponentially due to data heavy services, such as high performance internet protocol television (HP-IPTV) and inter data center communications. The traffic patterns are also becoming more dynamic as internet protocol (IP)-based traffic exceeded traditional voice traffic. As a result, the communication backbone network, namely the optical transport network, is facing demands for high capacity and better flexibility.

Power efficient subcarrier aggregator and subcarrier combiner for multi-direction variable optical transceiver


A process for fractionating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce a lube oil fraction having a constant, predetermined flash point. A liquid stream is removed from the fractionator, cooled in response to a fractionator top temperature and returned to the fractionator above the original draw point.

The production and recovery of lube oil is an important commercial process because of the ever-present and growing demand for high quality lubricants and lubricating oil which are used particularly in internal combustion engines. Unblended lube oil stocks are usually obtained by fractionating crude oil. However, recently a growing trend is to recover and recycle spent lubricating oil to produce lube oil blending stocks which are equal to or even better than virgin lube oil stocks. This recycling of spent lubricating oil not only makes economic sense in light of dwindling crude oil supplies, but is also ecologically sound.
Those skilled in the art of petroleum refining are well versed in fractionation and process control but, despite this fact, artisans always have sought methods to minimize capital costs of equipment and facilities, and to reduce the operating costs of petroleum refineries. The process of the present invention provides a facile and economical solution for the production of a lube oil fraction having a constant, predetermined flash point.


A semiconductor device including a MOS element having a buried contact structure. The buried contact structure includes a first contact diffused region formed by diffusion from a polycrystalline silicon layer and a second contact diffused region formed by diffusion deeper than the first contact diffused region, so that a parasitic resistance of the MOS element can be reduced. In a composite element composed of the MOS element and a bipolar element, partly since the first contact diffused region and an emitter diffused region of the bipolar element can be formed simultaneously, and partly since the depth of connection of the emitter diffused region, with the parasitic resistance of the MOS element being reduced, it is possible to realize a high-speed operation.

1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device including a MOS element, such as a semiconductor device (hereinafter called "Bi-MOS element") in which both a bipolar element and a MOS element are formed on a MOS field effect transistor (hereinafter called "MOSFET") or a single semiconductor substrate and a method of manufacturing such semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art:
As advances have recently been made in integrating elements in a large scale in MOS semiconductor IC devices, application of a buried contact structure is on the rise.
In a typical buried contact structure in conventional MOSFETs, a gate electrode and a source electrode and/or a drain electrode (hereinafter called "source/drain electrode") are formed during the growth and process of one and the same polycrystalline silicon, and a contact with a source diffused region or a drain diffused region (hereinafter called "source/drain diffused region") is formed via a contact diffused region by impurity diffusion from the source/drain electrode.
In response to the minute elements, an LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) structure as a measure against the hot electron problem was used in MOSFET.
The structure of this type semiconductor device is schematically shown in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings.
In FIG. 2, MOSFET is an n-channel MOS transistor having an LDD structure. This MOSFET 100 has a buried contact structure on a p-type silicon substrate 10. A contact diffused region 28 constituting this buried contact structure is formed of an n.sup.+ diffusion layer formed by impurity diffusion from a source/drain electrode 40 formed of an n.sup.+ -type polycrystalline silicon layer. The source/drain electrode 40 is formed together with a wiring portion 44 while the layer of a gate electrode 30 is formed. The n.sup.+ -type contact diffused region 28 is connected to one n.sup.+ -type source/drain diffused region 42a via an n.sup.- -type offset region 52 which is located right under a side wall 50 contiguous to the source/drain electrode 40.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 12 designates a field oxide film; 14, a gate oxide film; and 18, a silicon layer hollow formed during etching the polycrystalline silicon layer.
However, the semiconductor device of FIG. 2 has the following problems resulting from the buried contact structure:
(1) If an impurity having a small diffusion constant is used as the impurity in the source/drain electrode 40 of the n.sup.+ -type polycrystalline silicon, the connection of the n.sup.+ -type contact diffused region 28 would be shallow. The connection of the n.sup.- -type offset region 52 to be connected to the n.sup.+ -type contact diffused region 28 is originally shallow and has a high resistance. Therefore, the resistance of the whole buried contact structure would increase to add a high parasitic resistance to the source/drain diffused region 42a of MOSFET, thus impairing the mutual conductance of MOSFET and the characteristic of the on current adapted to flow when the transistor is in on state.
(2) During formation of the n.sup.+ -type gate electrode 30 and the n.sup.+ -type source/drain electrode 40 by etching, the exposed portion of the p-type silicon substrate 10 also would be etched to form the silicon layer hollow 18. If the n.sup.- -type offset region 52 is formed by ion implantation, the impurity would hardly be doped to the peripheral portion of the silicon layer hollow 18 so that the impurity concentration of the n.sup.- -type offset region 52 to be formed tends to become lower than a predetermined value while the resistance of the same n.sup.- -type offset region 52 tends to become increased. As a result, the function of the LDD structure would work inadequately and thereby cause the above problem (1). This also results in irregularity of the above-mentioned characteristic due to non-uniform processing, such as in the etching step.
The foregoing problems are remarkable if arsenic having a small diffusion constant is used as the impurity in the n.sup.+ -type polycrystalline silicon layer (source/drain electrode 40), the n.sup.- -type offset region 52 and the n.sup.+ -type source/drain diffused regions 42a, 42b.
Further, for the same reason, the above problem (1) will be caused even in the case of MOSFET having a buried contact structure to which an LDD structure is not added.
Also in the case of a Bi-MOS element, when forming an n.sup.+ -type emitter diffused region of the bipolar transistor, the same problem as with the MOSFET would occur due to the impurity diffusion of arsenic from the n.sup.+ -type polycrystalline silicon layer.
In order to realize a high-speed bipolar transistor, the connection of the n.sup.+ -type emitter diffused region should be shallow. Therefore, when forming a contact diffused region of MOSFET simultaneously with the emitter diffused region, the connection of the contact diffused region would be shallow and thereby cause the above problems (1) and (2). Consequently, if in a Bi-MOS element a parasitic resistance resulting from the buried contact structure is to be reduced, the connection of the diffused region should be deep. This would be an obstacle to a high-speed Bi-MOS element.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


An applicator directly delivers one or more active ingredients, such as flea, tick, or insect repellant to an animal's skin. The applicator comprises an applicator base connected to an applicator head having at least on prong member constructed with an internal channel therein in communication with a delivery aperture. A separately presented cartridge having a solution tube is appointed to be removably received within the applicator's base which, in turn is uniquely sized and shaped to receive a preselected one of those cartridges currently sold under recognized medicament brands. As the cartridge is squeezed, the solution traverses from the cartridge and applicator base into the applicator head and through the internal channels of the prong members, exiting through the delivery apertures onto the animal. Improved delivery owing to the prong members with channels therein terminating at fine delivery apertures is provided to yield direct delivery of the solution onto the animal's skin local to the fur shafts for a clean application and accurate dispersion of solution onto the animal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a direct delivery applicator assembly, and method of using same, for delivery of a solution onto an animal's coat; and more particularly, to an applicator having a plurality of prong members with channels therein for delivery of a solution to an animal's skin wherein the applicator is appointed to receive and removably house a separate cartridge/vessel containing a flea, tick and/or other insect repellant or medicament solution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When applying active solutions, such as flea, tick and/or other insect repellants or medicaments, to an animal's coat pet groomers and pet owners have avoided contact between their skin and the active solution. Many medicaments or flea, tick and insect repellant solutions offered on the market today are presented in containers or solution packets wherein, in use, the tip is broken off to expose an aperture that is placed in contact with the animal's skin at the roots of local fur follicles and poured/squeezed thereon. Often, it can be difficult to place the packet's aperture directly into the interstices of the fur as the animal tends to become nervous and squirms around. In such cases, the solution can become misplaced onto the animal's coat, causing inaccurate dispersion of the medicament or solution, as well as unwanted contact to the owner/groomer and even other pets.
Many applicators heretofore disclosed and utilized fail to yield an applicator that is adapted to receive a separate solution packet and directly deliver the solution to the skin of the animal's coat in proximity to the local fur roots. As a result, applicators heretofore disclosed cannot be readily utilized to deliver a solution packet to an animal's coat.
The majority of applicators provide a vessel appointed to house a solution therein, which is then delivered through a dispenser. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,328 to Lawrence discloses a dispenser applicator and flexible walled container assembly for applying liquid compositions to the skin of pet animals. An applicator is molded in the configuration of the kind of pet animal to be treated having hollow legs resembling the pet animal's legs forming coarse combing members to spread the animal's hair into furrows; U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,196 to Simmons, et al. discloses a portable self-medicating applicator device having a liquid container from which pesticide or other medicament can flow to an absorbent material at the periphery of the device such that animals which come in contact with the device have the liquid transferred to them; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,192,212 to Gutberlet, et al. discloses an application device for applying a liquid, gel-like or pasty cosmetic to the skin, comprising a container for the cosmetic, an applicator which is connected to the container via at least one supply channel, and a piston for delivery of the cosmetic towards the applicator. These devices do not provide optimal delivery at the follicle of the furs; rather application is directly on the surface of the fur or, at best on furrows of the fur. Moreover, these devices do not provide an applicator that is appointed for housing a separate, disposable solution packet or cartridge with a solution therein.
Other applicators generally provide a brush-like applicator wherein a portion of the applicator, usually the handle, houses a solution that is delivered to an applicator segment for delivery onto an animal's coat/person's hair. These applicators cannot be utilized in conjunction with delivering a separate, disposable solution packet to an animal's coat. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,423 to Bryan, et al. discloses a powder dispensing brush comprising a hollow elongate handle for receiving a medicated powder or flea control powder therein, and an applicator segment having a plurality of conical projections provided with a central vertical port through which powder is dispensed onto the fur of an animal; U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,596 to Belan discloses a pet grooming kit comprising an array of treatment liquids stored in flexible containers and a liquid applicator generally in the form of a brush adapted to be threadably connected to the flexible containers, the applicator being structured to receive liquid from the containers and disburse the liquid from the ends of bristles during brushing of an animal's coat; U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,618 to Dovergne, et al. discloses a device for applying a substance to the hair, comprising an applicator portion and a receptacle on which the applicator portion is fixed, the applicator portion having at least one delivery orifice and teeth arranged around a closed curve, the gaps between the teeth being such that they allow hairs to pass between the teeth while enabling the substance to be retained within the curve; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,006 to Robinson discloses a disposable applicator for dispensing liquid formulations to the undercoat and skin of animals, involving a substantially hermetically sealed applicator that dispenses liquid formulations to the coat and skin of the animal through a single row of applicator prongs adapted to comfortably move through the animal's coat and along the skin controlled by the pressure from the user's hand; once the liquid formulation is dispensed, the applicator is discarded. None of these applicator devices provide an applicator that is appointed for receiving and housing a separate, pre-existing solution packet or cartridge therein to provide optimal delivery of the solution to an animal's coat with accuracy and minimal contact on the groomer's/owner's skin during application.
There remains a need in the art for an easy-to-use applicator that delivers one or more active ingredients, such as flea, tick, or insect repellant to an animal's skin local to the roots of hair and/fur therein. Also needed is a direct delivery applicator that is appointed to removably receive a cartridge or solution packet therein for accurate and clean delivery onto the animal's skin and interstices of the fur. It would further be desirable if the direct delivery applicator included at least one prong having an inner channel and prong aperture therein, wherein the prong is constructed having an appropriate length so that the prong's aperture substantially contacts the animal's skin beneath the fur so the active ingredients is directly delivered onto the animal's skin for a clean application and accurate dispersion of the medicament or active ingredients onto the animal.

Direct delivery applicator assembly and method of use


The invention discloses a fruit fly trap comprising a flowerpot, a cover plate and flypaper, wherein the cover plate is provided with a plurality of inlets for allowing the fruit fly to enter the interior of the flowerpot, each inlet respectively extends towards a bottom direction of the flowerpot to form a lengthened inlet pipe, and the flypaper is mounted on the cover plate by a bracket. According to the invention, the fruit fly can be attracted into the interior of the flowerpot, the lengthened inlet pipe makes the fruit fly difficult to escape until death, the flypaper can stick the flying fruit fly, and the fruit fly can be effectively attracted and killed.

The fruit fly widely exists in global temperate and tropical climate regions. Because it is mainly fed by fruits and yeasts and rotten fruits are easy to breed the yeasts, the fruit fly multiplies easily in the living region of people. The fruit fly intrudes into the living region of people and can spread and breed bacteria. People may have diseases by eating polluted foods, which cause great harm to human health.


Apparatus and method for performing surgical procedures within the mediastinum or within the pericardium include an endoscopic cannula that is introduced into the mediastinum and optionally into the pericardium via a subxiphoid incision. A cavity may be initially dilated for advancing the endoscopic cannula using a dilating tool having an inner cannula and an outer expansible sheath that is expansible to exert a laterally expansive force against the surrounding tissue. Surgical instruments such as a pericardial entry device are inserted into a lumen of the endoscopic cannula to grasp a flap of the pericardium, and a cutting tool is extended to cut the flap to create a small opening through which other surgical tools may be introduced. The endoscopic cannula can then be advanced inside the pericardium to access all regions of the heart by sweeping the endoscopic cannula around the heart. Other surgical instruments may be inserted through the opening to perform surgical procedures within the pericardium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for performing minimally invasive surgery. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of accessing the mediastinum and the pericardium using a single subxiphoid incision, and using an endoscopic cannula to access all regions of the heart.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several different incisions have traditionally been used to access mediastinal organs, such as the heart (surrounded by the pericardium), the esophagus, and lymphatic glands. Examples of such incisions are sternotomy (a division of the patient's sternum) thoracotomy (an incision between two adjacent ribs) and a subxiphoid incision to create a pericardial window by exposing and excising a portion of the pericardium. For example, a subxiphoid incision has been made to allow excision of the xiphoid, and retraction of the sternum upward to expose the anterior pericardium.
These procedures, however, are all quite invasive, requiring large incisions or open heart surgery. Thoracotomy is additionally invasive as it requires the deflation of one or both lungs, since the approach is via the pleural cavity. Nevertheless, when it is desirable to access other regions of the heart than merely its anterior region, the current practice is to employ these invasive methods to dislodge the heart from its resting place within the pericardium, so that all regions of the heart may be accessed and cardiac procedures performed. For example, to access both left and right sides of the heart, as well as the posterior and anterior regions, surgeons are currently using a partial or full sternotomy (i.e. a partial or full division of the patient's sternum) to gain access to the several regions of the heart by permitting the heart to be rotated or lifted out of its resting place in the chest. Such a procedure, however, is too invasive, and thus not desirable.
With the advent of minimally invasive surgery, approaches have been developed using smaller access incisions or ports. Coronary bypass surgery has been performed on the beating heart through direct incisions in the chest and abdomen, including sternotomies and thoracotomies. A subxiphoid incision has been used to anastomose a gastroepiploic artery to the posterior descending coronary artery for coronary artery bypass. These procedures, however, have been performed under direct vision, and thus still require a fairly large incision to assist the surgeon in observing the field of surgery.
To achieve even less invasive surgery, it is desirable to perform cardiac procedures endoscopically. Endoscopic coronary bypass surgery has been performed on a stopped heart following the institution of cardiopulmonary bypass. In this procedure, ports are placed in the intercostal spaces, through the chest wall, to allow placement of the endoscope and operating instruments. This method, however, does not enable the surgeon to access all regions of the heart. With port access surgery or beating heart surgery from a limited thoracotomy, only one side of the heart is accessible. For example, with a left thoracotomy or the introduction of left side ports, surgery is limited only to the left side of the heart. Endoscopic harvesting of the gastroepiploic artery for coronary artery bypass surgery has also been described, involving standard laparoscopic techniques of gas insufflation and introduction of laparoscopic forceps, scissors, and staplers. However, none of these minimally invasive methods allow access to all regions of the heart. Thus, a method and apparatus are needed to allow safe and minimally invasive access to all regions of the heart for performing cardiac procedures.
In addition, conventional procedures such as open heart surgery, port-access surgery using trocar ports and an endoscope, or beating heart surgery through a partial sternotomy or thoracotomy, all require making a large incision in the pericardium to expose the heart. In the prior art, methods of accessing the heart to perform cardiac procedures involved making an incision in the pericardium using a sharp-edged instrument through an incision in the chest. As the heart typically underlies the pericardium contiguously, the surgeon is presented with the difficult task of incising the pericardium without accidentally cutting the heart. To avoid this difficulty during port-access surgery, a second incision into the skin is also required to allow the insertion of forceps to pull the pericardium away from the heart. This allows the incision of the pericardium to be executed more safely. However, this technique requires multiple incisions in the patient and requires the advancement of multiple instruments in separate passageways to the pericardium.
In addition to requiring several incisions, the conventional techniques also typically require the incision in the pericardium to be lengthy. The sharp-edged instrument must slice a cut of sufficient length to allow the insertion of other surgical tools into the pericardium. At the end of the cardiac procedure, it is desirable to close the pericardial incision if possible, to reduce fibrous adhesions to the heart and pericarditis. With endoscopic port-access surgery, a long pericardial incision is difficult to close, due to the complexity of endoscopic suturing.
Another problem arising in conventional cardiac procedures is the dissection of a working tunnel from the initial incision to the pericardium. Mechanical probing of heart tissue may cause severe or dangerous cardiac arrhythmias such as ventricular fibrillation. Therefore, it is desirable to use a small dilating instrument to create the initial tunnel. However, the instruments currently available to perform cardiac procedures are typically large, and therefore a larger cavity must be dissected to allow these instruments to pass through to the pericardium. Although using a larger dilator may create the necessary space, a larger dilator may cause damage to the heart by causing cardiac arrhythmias as discussed above. If a smaller dilator is used to minimize this potential trauma, the working cavity may not be large enough to allow the larger instruments required in the procedure to be advanced to the pericardium. A further problem with conventional dilators such as balloon dissectors is that such tools exert shear force on the surrounding tissue as they are advanced in the body. Shear force has a tendency of causing vessel avulsion and tissue abrasion.
Various other schemes and devices have been previously devised in an attempt to enter the pericardium via a small portal of entry, or via a percutaneous puncture site. None of these systems permit reliable, safe entry under direct, endoscopic visualization. U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,810 (Grabek) describes a grasping instrument with jaws that grasp the pericardium followed by advancement of a needle through a bore in the shaft of the instrument. The needle extends between the closed jaws of the device, into the pericardium. This concept suffers from unreliability, as it is difficult to ensure that the needle will pierce between two layers of pericardium that are compressed by the jaws of the device, without an active technique of holding the two opposed layers of pericardium apart. Thus, as there is no central cavity in a flap of pericardium grasped by the instrument jaws, a needle advanced down a central bore of the instrument may easily end up outside of the pericardium, or embedded in the pericardium, instead of lying between the two layers of pericardium pinched together by the jaws. Also, axial advancement of the needle carries the potential of myocardial puncture. Needle entry with the Grabek device must be verified by subsequent passage of a guidewire into the pericardial sac, or by infusion of fluid or contrast material through the needle into the pericardial cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,216 (Igo et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,013 (Schmidt) both describe tubes that are placed in contact with the pericardium, applying a vacuum to pull a bleb of tissue into the tube, followed by penetration of the pericardial bleb with a needle. These techniques are unreliable, because there is generally a layer of fatty tissue adherent to the pericardial surface, and suction may pull fat into the tube instead of pericardium.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,428 (Chin et al.) describes a clamp with distal points that grasp a flap of pericardium, allowing a guidewire to be advanced within tubular guides to puncture through the pericardium. A tube may follow the guidewire into the intra pericardial space. This design may cause myocardial trauma due to the sharp pointed grasping clamp. The multiple steps of pericardial grasping, pericardial puncture, guidewire advancement, and catheter insertion render this technique impractical.
Therefore, apparatus and methods are needed to provide safe and minimally invasive access to all regions of the heart during cardiac procedures, requiring a minimum number of incisions, and without requiring a long incision either for initial access or at the pericardium. The proposed technique of this application allows reliable and safe entry into the pericardium under continuous endoscopic visualization.


In the present invention, provided is an organic electroluminescent element material having a high externally taking-out quantum efficiency, which is suitable for manufacturing an element exhibiting long light emission lifetime, and also provided is an organic electroluminescent element possessing the material, a method of manufacturing the organic electroluminescent element, and a display as well as an illuminating device fitted with the organic electroluminescent element.

As an emission type electronic displaying device, there is an electroluminescent display (hereinafter referred to as ELD). As devices constituting the ELD, there are mentioned an inorganic electroluminescent element and an organic electroluminescent element (hereinafter referred to as organic EL element).
The inorganic electroluminescent element has been used for a plane-shaped light source, but a high voltage alternating current has been required to drive the element.
An organic EL element has a structure in which a light emission layer containing a light emission compound is arranged between a cathode and an anode, and an electron and a hole are injected into the light emission layer and recombined to form an exciton. The element emits light, utilizing light (fluorescent light or phosphorescent light) generated by inactivation of the exciton, and the element can emit light by applying a relatively low voltage of from several volts to several decade volts. The element has a wide viewing angle and high visualization since the element is of self light emission type. Further, the element is a thin, complete solid device, and therefore, the element is noted from the viewpoint of space saving and portability.
However, development of an organic EL element for practical use is demanded which efficiently emits light with high luminance at a lower power.
High emission luminance and long lifetime is attained in Japanese Patent No. 3093796 by doping a slight amount of a phosphor in stilbene derivatives, distyrylarylene derivatives or tristyrylarylene derivatives.
An element is known which comprises an organic light emission layer containing an 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum complex as a host compound doped with a slight amount of a phosphor in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 63-264692, and an element is known which comprises an organic light emission layer containing an 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminum complex as a host compound doped with a quinacridone type dye in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 3-255190.
When light emitted through excited singlet state is used as in the above, the upper limit of externally taking-out quantum efficiency (η) is considered to be at most 5%, as the generation ratio of singlet excited species to triplet excited species is 1:3, that is, the generation probability of excited species capable of emitting light is 25%, and further, external light emission efficiency is 20%.
Since an organic EL element, employing phosphorescence through the excitation triplet, was reported by Prinston University (see M. A. Baldo et al, Nature, 395, p. 151-154 (1998)), study on materials emitting phosphorescence at room temperature has been actively made.
For example, such an organic EL element is disclosed in M. A. Baldo et al., Nature, 403, 17, p. 750-753 (2000) or U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,147.
As the upper limit of the internal quantum efficiency of the excitation triplet is 100%, the light emission efficiency of the excitation triplet is theoretically four times that of the excited singlet. Such an organic EL element has possibility that exhibits the same performance as a cold cathode tube, and its application to illumination is watched.
Many compounds, mainly heavy metal complexes such as iridium complexes are synthesized and studied in for example, S. Lamansky et al, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 123, 4304 (2001).
An example employing tris(2-phenylpyridine)iridium as a dopant is studied in M. A Baldo et al, Nature, 403, 17, p. 750-753 (2000) above.
Further, M. E. Tompson et at studies an example employing as a dopant L2Ir(acae) such as (ppy)2Ir (acac) in The 10th International Workshop on Inorganic and Organic Electroluminescence (EL ' 00, Hamamatsu), and Moon-Jae You n. Og, Tetsuo Tsutsui et at an example employing as a dopant tris(2-p-tolylpyridine)iridium {Ir(ptpy)3} or tris(benzo-N-quinoline)iridium {Ir(bzq)3} in The 10th International Workshop on Inorganic and Organic Electroluminescence (EL ' 00, Hamamatsu). In addition, these metal complexes are generally called orthometalated iridium complexes.
As described above, attempt for preparing an element employing various iridium complexes is made in S. Lamansky et al, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 123, 4304 (2001) or in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 2001-247859.
Further, to obtain high emission efficiency, Ikai et al utilized a hole transporting compound as a host of a phosphorescent compound at The 10th International Workshops on Inorganic and Organic Electroluminescence (EL'00, Hamamatsu). Further, M. E. Tompson et al. utilized various types of electron transporting materials doped with a new iridium complex as a host of a phosphorescent compound.
An organic EL element fitted with the iridium complex is prepared generally via evaporation. Studies of an organic EL element prepared by a coating method have been actively done, but it is presently difficult to prepare the organic EL element via coating since the iridium complex exhibits low solubility. Thus, it is desired to improve solubility of the iridium complex.
Further, orthometalated complexes in which iridium as a center metal is replaced by platinum are also watched. Regarding these complexes, there are known many kinds of complexes having characteristics in the ligands, which are disclosed in Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication Nos. 2002-332291, 2002-332292, 2002-338588, 2002-226495, and 2002-234894, for example.
Light emission elements employing the above compounds exhibit greatly unproved emission luminance and emission efficiency as compared to conventional elements, because the light emission arises from phosphorescence, but they have a problem in that emission lifetime is low as compared to conventional elements. In this way, in the case of a light emitting material exhibiting high phosphorescence efficiency, it is difficult to improve realization of shorter light emission wavelength as well as emission lifetime, whereby presently, practically sufficient tolerable performance has not yet been achieved.
As a material to improve the performance, for example, known is an Ir complex or a Pt complex each having a phenyl imidazole derivative as a ligand in WO 02/15645 and WO 05/7767. However, light emission efficiency and lifetime of the element of each of these complexes are not sufficiently satisfactory, and further improvement of the light emission efficiency and the lifetime are desired to be improved.
A vacuum evaporation method is conventionally utilized as a method of manufacturing an organic EL element, but since in the case of the conventional vacuum evaporation method, high vacuum is required forte operation, the manufacturable member is limited in size, and a step of taking a member in and out is also required at the same time. Thus, the conventional vacuum evaporation method is rejected as unsuitable for the continuous production.
On the other hand, as a continuously manufacturable means, a method of employing an EL material solution is disclosed (refer to Patent Document 1, for example), and a low-molecular material and a polymeric material are to be usable as the EL material.
However, in the case of coating with a low-molecular material, a lower layer and an upper layer are difficult to be incorporated during formation of a multilayer, resulting in difficulty of obtaining an EL element exhibiting high performance.
Further in the case of a polymeric material, there appears a problem such that a refining method available with a low-molecular material such as a recrystallization method, a sublimation refining method, and a silica column refining method cannot be utilized, and impurities contained in a monomer as raw material to prepare a polymer are difficult to be removed. Thus, this reason leads to a factor to degrade light emission lifetime.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 2001-297882

Method to make organic electroluminescent element material


An HBT device having heterostructure ballasting emitter is disclosed. The heterostructure ballasting emitter includes an n-type emitter setback layer on a base layer and a wide-gap ballasting emitter layer on the setback layer. The heterostructure ballasting emitter is made so that the band gap of the emitter setback layer is equal to or larger than that of the base layer and the band gap of the ballasting emitter layer is larger than that of the emitter setback layer. The heterostructure of the emitter setback layer and the ballasting emitter layer serves as the ballast. By changing the value of the valance offset between the emitter setback layer and the ballasting emitter layer, the temperature dependence of the current gain becomes adjustable. As a consequence, the present invention overcomes hurdles posed by the current gain collapse and a negative differential resistance and improves the use of the HBTs in microwave power applications.

Heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) are expected to play a large role in the future microwave and millimeter-wave power applications. The structure of a conventional HBT is depicted in FIG. 1. The HBT has a semi-insulating GaAs substrate, a n.sup.+ -GaAs subcollector layer, a n.sup.- -GaAs collector layer, a p.sup.+ -GaAs base layer, a n-AlGaAs or GaInP emitter layer, and a n.sup.+ -GaAs emitter cap layer. Because the HBTs have high speed, high current handling capability and high power efficiency, microwave power amplifiers using the AlGaAs/GaAs or GaInP/GaAs HBTs have demonstrated excellent performance.
However, there are two major drawbacks in using the HBTs as power transistors in these microwave applications, particularly when a large number of the HBTs are used. The current gain of an HBT in the prior art has a temperature dependence of .sup..about. exp(.DELTA.E.sub.V /kT), where .DELTA.E.sub.V is the valance band offset energy of the heterojunction, i.e., the current gain decreases with the increase of junction temperature. This behavior together with self-heating effect results in a negative differential resistance (NDR) in an I-V curve. As a consequence, when the junction temperature rises, the performance of the HBT deteriorates.
The second problem is related to the current gain collapse at a high operation bias. When a multi-finger HBT device is operated at a high current level to generate a large power output, the device's thermal property becomes unstable, and ultimately the current gain of the multi-finger HBT device collapses. FIG. 2 displays as an example I-V curve of a conventional two-finger GaInP/GaAs HBT device. As the operation bias is increased, the thermal effect causes the current gain to collapse.
The problems of the NDR and the current gain collapse are related to the emitter structure of the HBT. According to W. Liu et al.'s article, "Temperature dependence of current gains in GaInP/GaAs and AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors," IEEE Trans. Electron Device, vol. 40, No. 7 (1993), pp. 1351-1353, the gain degradation with increasing temperature for a conventional HBT is largely attributed to the structure limitations in which the value of .DELTA.E.sub.V is not high enough and the hole current injected from the base to the emitter is dominated by diffusion.
In the prior art, the problems were overcome by using an emitter ballast resistor. See, for example, G. B. Gao et al., "Emitter ballasting resistor design for, and current handling capability of AlGaAs/GaAs power heterojunction bipolar transistors," IEEE Trans. Electron Device, vol. 38, No. 2 (1991), pp. 185-197. However, the ballast resistor results in the power gain reduction and degrades the RF performance. Recently, U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,554, granted to W. Liu et al. on Feb. 14, 1995, discloses another method to increase the valence band offset by changing aluminum composition in an AlGaAs/GaAs system so as to prevent the NDR. However, changing material composition is only applicable to the AlGaAs/GaAs system because of lattice mismatch with other materials.
Alternatively, W. Liu et al.'s article, "The use of base ballasting to prevent the collapse of current gain in AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors," IEEE Trans. Electron Device, vol. 43, No. 2 (1996), pp. 245-251, discloses the use of base ballast to prevent the gain collapse. However, in order to maintain the RF performance, this technique requires a larger capacitance which costs the chip area thereby reducing the efficiency of integration of the HBTs.

Heterojunction bipolar transistor having heterostructure ballasting emitter


A mobile communications system includes switching between communication paths based on the quality of service. A VoIP service is coupled to a mobile network and a wireless local-area network (WLAN) via a wide-area IP network. A plurality of mobile communications devices are associated with VoIP telephone numbers. A public switched telephone network (PSTN) is coupled to the plurality of mobile communications devices and coupled to the VoIP service. A quality of service server is coupled to the plurality of mobile communications devices via the wide-area IP network for determining the quality of data channels to a mobile communications device via the mobile network and to the mobile communications device via the WLAN. A voice call is carried over one of the mobile network, the WLAN, and the PSTN depending on the quality of the data channels.

Mobile communications technologies are continually evolving. It is common for wireless mobile networks (e.g., cellular telephone networks) to support multiple different protocols and standards, as operators transition to newer technologies. Transition is gradual, and older technologies tend to stay in service to support users who lack the impetus or finances to upgrade to newer technologies. There are multitude of different technologies some of which are offered as paid services while others are offered as "free" services such as wi-fi access points by businesses offering free Internet access for its customers. The quality of service (QoS) of these services can be varied and may also change during an access session. It may be useful to switch from one service to another when the QoS drops.

Mobile communications with quality of service


An efficient implementation of n-point discrete cosine transform, n-point inverse discrete cosine transform, shape adaptive discrete cosine transform and shape adaptive inverse discrete cosine transform algorithms for multimedia compression and decompression optimization. An n-point DCT function is represented by a first equation having an input matrix, an output matrix and a matrix of predetermined values. An n-point IDCT function is represented by a second equation having an input matrix, an output matrix and a matrix of predetermined values. The multiplication operations within the matrix of predetermined values are paired, thereby reducing processor instructions. SIMD operations, MMX operations, VLSI implementation, single processor implementation, and vector processing are used to perform the algorithms.

Computer multimedia applications typically involve the processing of high volumes of data values representing audio signals and video images. Processing the multimedia data often includes performing transform coding which is a method of converting the data values into a series of transform coefficients for more efficient transmission, computation, encoding, compression, or other processing algorithms.
More specifically, the multimedia data values often represent a signal as a function of time. Transform coefficients represent the same signal as a function, for example, of frequency. There are numerous transform algorithms, including the fast Fourier transform (FFT), the discrete cosine transform (DCT), and the Z transform. Corresponding inverse transform algorithms, such as an inverse discrete cosine transform (iDCT), convert transform coefficients to sample data values. Many of these algorithms include multiple mathematical steps that involve decimal numbers.
In an effort to allow for easy interchange of graphical formats, the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the Consultative Committee for International Telegraph and Telephone (CCITT) formed the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) and the Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG). The JPEG/MPEG committee published compression standards that use the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) algorithm to convert a graphics image to the frequency domain. Efficient implementations of the DCT algorithm is an interest since JPEG and MPEG algorithms strive to achieve real-time performance. Most multimedia development software that uses this type of compression depend on the use of a coprocessor to generate compression.
DCT is widely used in one dimensional (1D) and two dimensional (2D) signal processing. 2D 8×8 DCT is the basis for JPEG and MPEG compression. While there are presently algorithms that directly compute 2D 8×8 DCT, taking the 8-point 1D transform of the rows and the columns is equivalent to the 2D 8×8 transform. There exists algorithms that compute 1D 8-point DCT which can be used in the row-column method to perform a 2D 8×8 DCT.

Efficient implementation of n-point DCT, n-point IDCT, SA-DCT and SA-IDCT algorithms


A propeller shroud affixable around the propeller of a water craft. The shroud has a generally cylindrical member which closely surrounds the outer periphery of the blades of the propeller. The front edge of the shroud is deeply concaved to reduce water resistance. Preferably the shroud has several reinforcing blades which are vertically oriented when viewed from the front, but angled rearwardly from the top of the shroud to the bottom. The shroud protects the propeller against damage from rocks, sandbars and the like.

The field of the invention is water craft and the invention relates more particularly to devices to protect the propellers of water craft. Various shrouds have been placed around propellers for various reasons in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 123,629 shows a hollow cylindrical device used solely to steer a motorboat with an inboard motor.
A propeller assembly having an annular rim 46 is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,377,978. The propeller is driven by contact with a pneumatic tire.
A propeller mount for ice breakers is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,735. The propellers of the ice breaker are protected by a shield 11.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,680,017 shows a propeller guard on an outboard motor. The propeller guard is held to the motor by a shield which goes over the cavitation plate.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,314 shows a combined propulsion and steering system for a boat with an inboard engine. The Levi device has an arch-like deflector tunnel over the propeller.
Lastly, an article at Page 96 of the March 1992 issue of Boating World describes an outboard motor having a "Kort nozzle" held over the propeller for the purpose of increasing boat speed, particularly for heavy boats at slow speeds.
The propellers of motorboats are often damaged by contact with sandbars, shallow bottoms, rocks and debris. This is especially true for the propellers of houseboats since houseboats are typically piloted from the front of the houseboat where it is difficult to see the depth of the water under the propeller. It is also desirable to increase the efficiency of a propeller, particularly at low speeds.


A capacitive device and method with an enhanced measurement error correction capability is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a sensor capacitor based on one or more pairs of parallel conductor surfaces, a housing to encompass the sensor capacitor, a digitizer module in the housing to generate a digital measurement based on a change in a capacitance of the sensor capacitor when a contact zone of the housing is deflected by a force applied on the contact zone. The apparatus also includes a compensation module of the digitizer module to apply another digital measurement of one or more distortion factors to the digital measurement to minimize an effect of the one or more distortion factors to the apparatus. In addition, the apparatus includes a communication module to communicate an analog signal and/or a digital signal through a wired channel and/or a wireless channel.

A capacitive force-measuring device may be used to gauge a force (e.g., a load) applied on the capacitive force-measuring device, and/or may generate a measurement associated with the force. However, the measurement may be distorted in different degrees based on a number of factors. For example, a load being exerted over the capacitive force-measuring device may be tilted, thus resulting in an error in the measurement. The error may be unavoidable when the capacitive force-measuring device is not stably mounted on a level ground. In addition, a part of the measurement (e.g., in capacitance) may be lost (e.g., due to a stray current) when electrical charges escape from an electrical field formed between a driving plate and a receiving plate of the capacitive force-measuring device.
Also, the measurement may be further distorted when a noise (e.g., a white noise, an impulse noise, etc.) is added to the measurement during a communication (e.g., analog and/or digital) of the measurement to an external device (e.g., which processes the measurement). Furthermore, environmental conditions (e.g., a temperature, a humidity, a pressure, a vibration, a radiation, etc.) may affect components (e.g., a housing, printed circuit boards, fastners, etc.) of the capacitive force-measuring device, thus causing another distortion in the measurement. Moreover, materials (e.g., a stainless steel, a ceramic, a glass, etc.) making up the components may affect the measurement when the materials interact with the environmental conditions, thus causing an expansion and/or a contraction (e.g., uniform and/or non-uniform) of the materials (e.g., the housing, the printed circuit boards, the fastners, etc.).

Capacitive device and method with an enhanced measurement error correction capability


An acceleration unit offloads computationally intensive tasks from a processor. The acceleration unit includes two data processing paths each having an Arithmetic Logical Unit and sharing a single multiplier unit. Each data processing path may perform configurable operations in parallel on a same data. Special multiplexer paths and instructions are provided to allow P and Q type syndromes to be computed on a stripe in a single-pass of the data through the acceleration unit.

A Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) combines a plurality of physical hard disk drives into a logical drive for purposes of reliability, capacity, or performance. Thus, instead of multiple physical hard disk drives, an operating system sees the single logical drive. As is well known to those skilled in the art, there are many standard methods referred to as RAID levels for distributing data across the physical hard disk drives in a RAID system.
For example, in a level 0 RAID system the data is striped across a physical array of hard disk drives by breaking the data into blocks and writing each block to a separate hard disk drive. Input/Output (I/O) performance is improved by spreading the load across many hard disk drives. Although a level 0 RAID improves I/O performance, it does not provide redundancy because if one hard disk drive fails, all of the data is lost
A level 5 RAID system provides a high level of redundancy by striping both data and parity information across at least three hard disk drives. Data striping is combined with distributed parity to provide a recovery path in case of failure. A level 6 RAID system provides an even higher level of redundancy than a level 5 RAID system by allowing recovery from double disk failures. In a level 6 RAID system, two syndromes referred to as the P syndrome and the Q syndrome are generated for the data and stored on hard disk drives in the RAID system. The P syndrome is generated by simply computing parity information for the data in a stripe (data blocks (strips), P syndrome block and Q syndrome block). The generation of the Q syndrome requires Galois Field multiplications and is complex in the event of a disk drive failure. The regeneration scheme to recover data and/or P and/or Q syndromes performed during disk recovery operations requires both Galois multiplication and inverse operations.
The regeneration is typically performed using lookup tables for computation or through the use of a plurality of Galois-field multipliers which are limited to a specific polynomial.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments of the claimed subject matter, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly, and be defined only as set forth in the accompanying claims.

High performance raid-6 system architecture with pattern matching


A power amplifier circuit includes a first power supply terminal electrically connected to a first power amplifier; a second power supply terminal electrically connected to a second power amplifier subsequent to the first power amplifier; a first external power supply line configured to electrically connect a power supply circuit configured to output a power supply potential corresponding to an amplitude level of a high-frequency input signal and the first power supply terminal; and a second external power supply line configured to electrically connect the power supply circuit and the second power supply terminal. An inductance value of the first external power supply line is higher than an inductance value of the second external power supply line.

The present disclosure relates to a power amplifier circuit. In a power amplifier circuit installed in a wireless communication terminal device, reductions in power consumption are necessary. As one method of reducing power consumption, there is an envelope tracking method in which a power supply potential of the power amplifier circuit is controlled in accordance with an amplitude level of a high-frequency signal.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-37839 discloses a technique in which, in each of power amplifiers connected in multiple stages, a difference between the phase of a high-frequency signal and the phase of a power supply potential is reduced. Specifically, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-37839 discloses a technique in which, of the power amplifiers connected in multiple stages, the phase of a power supply potential of a subsequent-stage power amplifier is delayed.
The fourth generation mobile communication systems (4G, such as long term evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced) are currently being implemented. Furthermore, the fifth generation mobile communication system (5G) is being put to practical use.
In the 4G, a frequency band of an envelope tracking modulated signal (power supply potential) ranges from 10 MHz to 20 MHz and ranges from 30 MHz to 40 MHz at the maximum. On the other hand, in the 5G, a frequency band of a power supply potential is asked to be up to 100 MHz or more as described in Ji-Seon Paek, and other 13 authors, "15.1 An 88%-Efficiency Supply Modulator Achieving 1.08 μs/V Fast Transition and 100 MHz Envelope-Tracking Bandwidth for 5G New Radio RF Power Amplifier", 2019 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS, Feb. 19, 2019, pp. 238-239.
Thus, since the frequency band of the power supply potential in the 5G is wider than that in the 4G, it is conceivable that the technique disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-37839 has difficulty in dealing with the frequency band of the power supply in the 5G. Specifically, in a previous-stage power amplifier of the power amplifiers connected in multiple stages, the phase of a power supply potential may get ahead of the phase of a high-frequency signal. As a result, there is a possibility that distortion may occur in the high-frequency signal.


Melamine-formaldehyde foams comprise from 80% to 98% by weight of an inorganic filling material, wherein the % by weight are based on the total weight of inorganic filling material plus melamine-formaldehyde precondensate used for foam production.

EP-A-1 146 070 and WO-A-2007/23118 disclose impregnating with an ammonium salt and with sodium silicate, respectively, to improve the fire characteristics of melamine-formaldehyde foams. These leave something to be desired in their mechanical properties, however.
DE-A-10 2007 009127 discloses fiber-reinforced foams based on melamine-formaldehyde resins having a fiber content of 0.5% to 50% by weight. The fibrous filler used comprises short or long fibers of glass, carbon or melamine resin.
WO-A-2009/021963 discloses a process for producing an abrasive foam on the basis of a melamine-formaldehyde condensation product comprising 0.01% to 50% by weight of inorganic nanoparticles based on the weight of the precondensate.

Melamine resin foam with inorganic filling material


Techniques related to providing updates in a head mounted display (HMD) device are described herein. A HMD may be configured to display a view of an environment. An update buffer of the HMD device may be included to store image data. The image data may include image data for a current view of the environment and image data of the environment that is outside of the current view.

In computer graphics, an image data may be rendered and provided to a display device. In some cases, a display device may include a head mounted display (HMD) device. HMD devices may be used in virtual reality systems wherein movement of the HMD results in a change in the image data to be displayed. In some cases, virtual reality sickness is a side effect of using an HMD in virtual reality or even augmented reality systems. A user of the HMD device may be sensitive to image updates due to the closeness of the HMD display to the user's eyes. For example, image updates that lag behind the user's head movement may cause discomfort. Image updates incurring a delay may be associated with the various components involved in an image update process flow. For example, a sensor at the HMD device may detect movement, and a sensor event may be sent to a source, such as a source computing device that is peripheral to the HMD. New updates may be rendered by the source, and provided back to the HMD. In some cases, these steps may require up to 40 milliseconds. This delay time may be associated with virtual reality sickness felt by a user.
The same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and the figures to reference like components and features. Numbers in the 100 series refer to features originally found in FIG. 1; numbers in the 200 series refer to features originally found in FIG. 2; and so on.


A modular rail system for positioning a six axis robot about an auxiliary axis includes a plurality of rail sections which are selectively interconnected in order to provide a reconfigurable length about the auxiliary axis, and the six axis robot for movement with respect to the rail sections about the auxiliary axis. The rail sections may include a first end section positioned toward a first end of the auxiliary axis, a second end section positioned toward a second end of the auxiliary axis, and one or more intermediate sections positioned between the first and second end sections. The first end section, the intermediate sections and the second end section are interconnected along the auxiliary axis.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rail system for a robot and, more particularly, to a modular rail system which provides an auxiliary axis with a reconfigurable length for a plural axis robot.
2. Background of Information
In a manufacturing process using a robot, it is often necessary to increase the working envelope of the robot through the addition of one or more auxiliary axes. Typically, the auxiliary axis is a linear or longitudinal axis which is parallel with respect to a conveyor or workpiece associated with the robot. The length of a fixed, single piece longitudinal axis is generally limited by the available machine tools to about 12 meters.
In robotic painting applications, for example, it is known to provide an auxiliary axis for a plural axis robot in both "Clean Wall" and "In-Booth" configurations. The "Clean Wall" configuration includes a robot cantilevered from a base. A barrier or wall is positioned between the base and the robot which is located in a painting booth. In this manner, there is smooth air flow in the painting booth and minimal obstruction of the floor therein. Furthermore, the base is normally kept clean of paint overspray and is accessible from outside of the painting booth for service. The "In-Booth" configuration is a floor mounted unit with the robot mounted above the base. This configuration is typically used in retrofitting existing painting booths or when floor space is restricted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,377 discloses a mounting and rail structure for an industrial robot including vertical support posts for longitudinal rail carriers which are interconnected at the end by transverse connectors. Four end elements each connect a rail carrier with a corresponding transverse connecting bar. A transverse movable rail has its two ends positioned in pocketlike uprights of two respective end elements. An object of U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,377 is to provide a rail system in such a manner that many parts are standardized in order that a variety of combinations and rail systems can be assembled from the many standardized parts.
In robotic painting applications, for example, relatively long auxiliary axes (e.g., greater than about 7.5 meters in length) are difficult to handle during both shipping and installation. In prior known rail systems, a relatively large number of different length components are required in order to provide a sufficient variety of auxiliary axis lengths which meet the needs of most applications.
There is a need, therefore, for a rail system for a robot which is easy to handle during shipment from the vendor to the user of the system.
There is also a need for a rail system for a robot which is easy to handle during installation of the system.
There is another need for a rail system for a robot which is easily reconfigured during modification of the system.
There is still another need for a rail system for a robot which reduces the inventory requirements of the vendor of the system.


A sealing plug (100) for a panel opening, the plug having an axis (132) and including a head portion (110) having a first diameter larger than of the panel opening and a leg portion (120) concentric to the head portion (110) and having a second diameter shorter than the first diameter, the leg includes at least two latches (130) extending radially towards the head portion (110), and wherein the passing of the leg portion (120) and the at least two latches (130) through the panel opening causes resilient deformation of each latch (130), such that each latch (130) deforms and recovers thereby causing the panel to be retained by the at least two latches (130) and between the at least two latches (130) and the head portion (110) of the plug (100).

To prevent the penetration of dirt or water during the production of motor vehicles, it may be necessary to seal openings in motor vehicle components. Sealing plugs are used for this purpose and can be inserted into an opening in a vehicle body part as e.g. a body panel of the vehicle.
An insertion force or push-in force must be applied onto a head portion of the plug during the insertion of the plug into the opening in the vehicle body part. This insertion force demands energy consumption and increases plug installation complexity. Due to new requirements from customers, low insertion force plugs are demanded.
Hence, there is a need to develop plug designs that reduce the insertion force of the plug and thus, eases plug insertion. In this regard, the present invention to solves at least this drawback.