A liquid replenishment system includes a dispensing vessel for holding a supply of a liquid that has an outer can and corresponding lid conjoinable to the outer can in an air-tight manner. The dispensing vessel is improved by the provision of a separate self-supporting secondary inner container removably receivable within the outer can. The container is fabricated of a material that is non-reactive with a liquid composition containing an organic semiconductor material, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene material or stainless steel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printing apparatus for depositing a liquid composition on a surface, such as the depositing of a liquid composition containing an organic semiconductor material on a backplane, and particularly to a system for replenishing the supply of the liquid composition and, in another particular aspect, to a dispensing vessel having a self-supporting secondary container for storing a supply of the liquid composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Organic electronic devices utilizing organic active materials are used in many different kinds of electronic equipment. The term "organic electronic device" is intended to mean a device, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED), that includes one or more layers of organic semiconductor materials laminated between other supporting layers and sandwiched by two electrodes.
Current manufacture of organic electronic devices utilizes a vapor phase deposition process to deposit organic semiconductor materials. However, vapor phase deposition is believed to be disadvantageous owing to its poor utilization of materials. In vapor phase deposition a mask is used to control precise deposition of each layer of organic semiconductor material. The open areas of the mask allow material to adhere to desired areas of the underlying substrate. However, the solid portions of the mask become coated with organic semiconductor material during production of each layer and do not reach the substrate. This is seen as wasteful of the organic materials. In addition, masks must be replaced after only a few production cycles to maintain deposition quality. Scaling of the vapor phase deposition to larger electronic devices is problematic and expensive.
In view of these perceived difficulties liquid deposition of organic semiconductor materials is seen as an advantageous alternative.
With liquid deposition each organic material is carried in a liquid composition. During manufacture of a device each liquid composition is dispensed from a dedicated nozzle carried by a dispensing bar. The nozzles are grouped in nozzle sets, with one nozzle in each set dispensing a particular color of ink. Each nozzle dispenses liquid and deposits that liquid along a longitudinal lane that extends across a backplane of the device. The nozzles in each set continuously dispense a liquid composition into a respective lane as the bar traverses the backplane.
The individual nozzles for each particular color in each nozzle set are supplied as a group from a common manifold itself supplied from a suitable nozzle supply source, or supply reservoir. The supply reservoir for each particular color is usually implemented using a communal dispensing vessel. The dispensing vessel may either directly hold a supply of liquid for the nozzles or may hold a secondary container, such as a sealed pouch containing the particularly colored liquid composition.
The dispensing vessel used in the prior art includes an outer shell, or can, that is closed in an air-tight manner by a conjoinable lid. When conjoined the can and lid cooperate to define an enclosed interior chamber. The interior chamber of the vessel contains an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen) that is held at a predetermined pressure above atmospheric pressure, typically a pressure level on the order of one hundred thirty pounds/square inch (130 psi; 0.9 MPa). The pressure of the inert gas in the interior chamber forces liquid from the outer can or from the secondary container to the manifold, and from the manifold, through a dedicated flow line to a nozzle.
The holding capacity of the dispensing vessel or the secondary container is limited, requiring that liquid ink in the dispensing vessel or the secondary container be replenished as the liquid ink is consumed by the nozzles. Several factors serve to complicate ink replenishment.
Currently, replenishing ink in the supply reservoir requires a shut-down of the printer and termination of nozzle discharge. The dispensing vessel is depressurized and its lid removed. With the lid removed the dispensing vessel is recharged or the secondary container, if one is used, is either replaced or refilled. Once the dispensing vessel is replenished with liquid the lid is re-attached and the pressure vessel re-pressurized.
This arrangement and method for replenishing liquid is believed disadvantageous for several reasons.
On a system level care must be exercised to minimize the potential of nozzle failure due to plugging, which is more probable to occur during startup/shutdown phases than during steady operation of the system. The more often nozzles are turned off the greater is the chance for nozzle failure. Moreover, after starting a nozzle it takes a significant amount of time for the system to reach a steady flow rate. During this time ink discharged from the nozzle is not useable and is wasted.
The act of replacing or refilling of the secondary vessel if one is used (e.g., a pouch) involves additional specific challenges beyond the disadvantages caused by the time-consuming disconnection and re-connection of the pouch to its associated manifold. These challenges include maintaining the pouch's structural integrity, avoiding gas entrapment in any supply lines, avoiding the introduction of atmospheric gases into the pouch, and monitoring the volume of liquid introduced into the back to prevent overfill and potential rupture of the pouch.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,350 (Mader et al.) discloses a system and method for maintaining ink concentration in a printing system. However, in the system disclosed in this patent it appears that the main ink supply reservoir is maintained under partial vacuum, rather than at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure.
In view of the foregoing it is believed advantageous to provide a system and process for continuously replenishing a liquid composition in a secondary container in the dispensing vessel serving as the nozzle supply source without requiring disconnection or de-pressurization. It is also believed to be advantageous to provide a supply reservoir implemented using a dispensing vessel with an improved form of secondary container therein which minimizes the possibility of driving gas dissolution into the liquid composition.

Liquid replenishment system for a printing apparatus for depositing a liquid composition on a backplane including a dispensing vessel having a self-supporting secondary container


The present invention provides a lens driving device includes at least two spring components each of which includes an inner side retaining part, an outer side retaining part, a plurality of wrist parts configured between the inner and outer side retaining parts and prolonged along the circumference direction, inner side connecting parts for connecting one ends of the wrist parts with the inner side connecting part, and outer side connecting parts for connecting the other ends of the wrist parts with the outer side retaining part. Moreover, serpentine necking parts are formed at the roots of the connecting part of the inner side retaining part, straight line-shaped necking parts are formed at the roots of the connecting part of the outer side retaining part, so that stresses acting on the inner side connecting parts and the outer side connecting parts during assembling are absorbed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens driving device which is capable of applying an offset force to a spring component for suspending a lens support on a box body.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 11 is a section view illustrating an example of an existing voice coil motor type lens driving device 50. The lens driving device 50 suspends the lens support 52 which is used for keeping the lens 51 on a box body 53 by utilizing a spring component 56. The spring component 56 is composed of a front side spring component 56 A and a back side spring component 56B with approximately same structure. Moreover, a coil 54 for driving the lens is winded around a Z axis which acts as the optical axis of the lens 51. The coil 54 is installed on the lens support 52. And the magnet 55 for driving the lens is installed inside the box body 53 and is configured to be cylindrical so that the magnet 55 is magnetized in radial directions of the lens support 52. Under the condition that the coil 54 for driving the lens is electrified, the coil 54 for driving the lens generates a Lorentz force in a direction towards the object to be shot (hereinafter, also called in front of the Z axis, in the +Z direction or on the +Z side). The +Z direction is shown as an arrow labeled "Z" in FIG. 11, so that the lens support 52 moves to a position where a restoring force of the spring component 56 is balanced by the Lorentz force generated by the coil 53, and thus the lens 51 can move to a preset position.
Therefore, the box body 53 is provided with a disc-shaped base plate 53a of which an opening part 53h forms in the central part; a cylindrical side wall 53b, which is set up on the outer edge part of the base plate from the +Z direction; and a circular ring-shaped restricting part 53c, which is projected out from the inner edge part of the opening part 53h, and extends towards the lens support 52, and the position of the lens support 52 is restricted at the backmost position when the coil 54 for driving the lens is not electrified. Moreover, a magnet yoke 57 in the same figure shown as two L-shaped components in the section view is used for effectively guiding a magnetic field from the magnet 55 for driving the lens to the coil 54 for driving, a cylinder part 57a as a vertical sheet is configured between the magnet 55 and the side wall 53b of the box body, and a circular ring part 57b as a horizontal sheet is configured on the +Z side of the magnet 55 (for example, referring to patent literature 1: JP patent application 2007-171764).
FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B are diagrams illustrating a structural example of the existing spring component 56. The spring component 56 is provided with a circular ring-shaped inner side retaining part 56a installed on the lens support 52, an outer side retaining part 56b installed on the box body, a plurality of wrist parts 56c configured between the inner side retaining part 56a and the outer side retaining part 56b, a plurality of inner side connecting parts 56m each for connecting the inner side retaining part 56a with its one end and connecting an end of a corresponding one of the plurality of wrist parts 56c with its other end, and a plurality of outer side connecting parts 56n each for connecting the outer side retaining part 56b with its one end and connecting the other end of a corresponding one of the plurality of wrist parts 56c. When the spring component 56 is observed from the side of the object to be shot (in the +Z direction), each wrist part 56c is extended in the circumferential anti-clockwise direction (or clockwise direction) from the inner side retaining part 56a via a corresponding inner side connecting part 56m, and is connected with the outer side retaining part 56b through a corresponding outer side connecting part 56n. The wrist parts 56c are configured for playing a role of a spring in suspending the lens support 52 on the box body.
However, the lens driving device 50 is assembled by utilizing the following method. Namely, as shown in FIG. 13A, after the inner side retaining part 56a of the back side spring component 56B is fixedly connected (connected and fixed) to the end of the lens support 52 on the −Z side, the outer side retaining part 56b of the back side spring component 56B is pressed on the surface of the base plate 53a of the box body on the +Z side by utilizing clamps and so on, then an offset force is applied to the outer side retaining part 56b, and meanwhile the outer side retaining part 56b is fixedly connected onto the box body 53.
Then, as shown in FIG. 13B, the outer side retaining part 56b of the back side spring component 56B is wrapped from the +Z side by using a spacer 58, and after the magnet yoke 57 and the magnet 55 for driving the lens are overlapped on the spacer 58, the inner side retaining pat 56a of the front side spring component 56A is fixedly connected onto the end of the lens support 52 on the +Z side.
Finally, as shown in FIG. 13C, the outer side retaining part 56b of the front side spring component 56A is pressed on one surface of the circular ring part 57b of the magnet yoke 57 on the +Z side by using unshown clamps, and an offset force is applied to the outer side retaining part 56b, meanwhile the outer side retaining part 56b is fixedly connected with the box body 53.
In the assembling method as mentioned above, for the inner side retaining part 56a and the outer side retaining part 56b: after the inner side retaining part 56a of the spring component 56 is fixedly connected onto the lens support 52 and the inner side retaining part 56a and the lens support 52 are coplanar in a manner that the offset force is not applied, the outer side retaining part 56b is fixedly connected with the box body 53 or the magnet yoke 57 in a state that the offset force is applied to the outer side retaining part 56b towards the −Z side.
Therefore, the lens support 52 receives an acting force in the −Z direction opposite to the +Z direction all the time under the effect of the restoring force of the spring component 56, thus the lens support 52 can also be stably retained at the backmost position even if the optical axis of the lens driving device 50 is inclined relative to the plumb line direction.
However, as indicated by the hollow arrow G51 shown in FIG. 12A, if the spring component 56 is the front side spring component 56A, a pressing force is applied to the inner side retaining part 56a from the +Z direction to the −Z direction, and if the spring component 56 is the back side spring component 56B, a pressing force is applied to the inner side retaining part 56a from the −Z direction to the +Z direction, but both the front side spring component 56A and the back side spring component 56B need to be installed on the lens support 52. Therefore, when the inner side retaining part 56a of the spring component 56 is fixedly connected onto the lens support 52, the pressing force must be applied to the inner side retaining part 56a in a narrow range except the roots of the plurality of inner side connecting parts 56m. The reason is that, if the pressing force is applied to the roots of the inner side connecting parts 56m, the inner side connecting parts 56m will be greatly twisted or bent.
However, as shown in FIG. 12B schematically, even if the pressing force is prevented to be applied to the roots of the inner side connecting part 56m, the inner side connecting parts 56m cannot be prevented from being twisted or bent effectively, and the arc part except the root of the inner side retaining part 56a is bent and deformed in direction of X-Y plane, thus the outer side retaining part 56b rotates as shown in the arrow R, and a state of being inclined relative to the inner side retaining part 56a is formed. Therefore, the inner side retaining part 56a takes the Z axis direction as the normal direction, on the other hand, the outer side retaining part 56b is formed into the state of being rotated from the Z axis direction which causes incline, namely, the outer side retaining part 56b takes the Zr axis direction which is twisted from the Z axis direction as the normal direction.
Moreover, as indicated by the thick and black arrow G52 shown in FIG. 12A, when the offset force towards the side of the box body 53 is applied to the outer side retaining part 56b and the outer side retaining part 56b is connected with the box body 53, the restoring force in the +Z direction is generated for the wrist parts 56c since the offset force is applied, which results in the outer side connecting part 56n floating towards the +Z side, thus the outer side retaining part 56b needs to be pressed, and the pressing part is the circular ring part except the part connected with the root of the outer side connecting part 56n, and the pressing part is fixedly connected. Therefore, the circular ring part of the outer side retaining part 56 is badly bended near the root of the outer side connecting part 56n, and the outer side connecting part 56n is twisted, and the twisting of the outer side retaining part 56b relative to the Z axis direction is greater as mentioned above.
Hereon, the FIGS. 14A and 14B are used for detailedly describing the reason that the inner side retaining part 56a or the outer side retaining part 56b is bent and deformed in the directions of the X and Y plane when the inner side retaining part 56a or the outer side retaining part 56b is pressed.
As shown in FIG. 14A, the back side spring component 56B is configured at the back of the end of the lens support 52 in the −Z direction, for example, under the condition that the pressing force towards the +Z direction is applied to the inner side retaining part 56a of the back side spring component 56B and the inner side retaining part 56a is fixedly connected onto the lens support 52, the pressing force towards the +Z direction as show in the arrow G51 is applied to the inner side retaining part 56a on the −Z side by a plurality of inner side pressing clamps J51.
The lens support 52 and the box body 53 are respectively made from resin materials such as liquid crystal polymer or nylon, and there are soft and fine concave and convex points on the surfaces of these materials. Moreover, the thickness of the spring component 56 is formed to be about several 10 s-100 microns (in other words, about 10 microns to 999 microns), and the spring component 56 is easily deformed. Relatively, the inner side pressing clamp J51 is a clamp made of hard base material such as rolled steel so as to maintain the durability. Therefore, the spring component 56 arranged between the soft lens support 52 or the box body 53 and the hard inner side pressing clamps J51 is deformed under micro loading effect of the inner side pressing clamps J51.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14B, when the inner side retaining part 56a receives the pressing force of the inner side pressing clamps J51 so as to cling to the end of the lens support 52 on the −Z side, the inner side retaining part 56a is deformed along with the shape of the concave-convex on the surface of the lens support 52, and is sunken with the lens support 52 under the effect of the inner side pressing clamps J51, or is bent along the X direction and Y direction. As a result, the inner side connecting part 56m connected with the inner side retaining part 56a is twisted, while the wrist parts 56c are inclined and are bent and deformed along the X and Y directions.
Moreover, under the condition that the outer side retaining part 56b is connected to one surface of the base plate 53a of the box body 53 on the +Z side, the offset force is applied to the outer side retaining part 56b towards the −Z direction and meanwhile the outer side retaining part 56a is connected, thus the writ parts 56c generate the restoring force in the +Z direction, and the outer side retaining part 56b easily floats together with the outer side retaining part 56n. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14C, the outer side retaining part 56b needs to be pressed in an extremely great range, but the root of the outer side connecting part 56n is deformed along the concave-convex shape of the box body 53, and the stress is concentrated on the edge part of the outer side pressing clamp J52, thus the part near the root of the outer side connecting part 56n is greatly deformed, or the outer side connecting part 56n is twisted, as a result that the twisting of the outer side retaining part 56b is greater relative to the inner side retaining part 56a. Moreover, under the conditions that the inner side retaining part 56a of the front side spring component 56A is connected to the end of the lens support 52 on the +Z side and the outer side retaining part 56b is connected to the surface of the magnet yoke 57 on the +Z side, the problems the same as that under the condition of the fixedly connected back side spring component 56B also appear.
As mentioned above, the spring component 56 is directly assembled on the lens driving device 50, the outer side retaining part 56b is twisted and inclined relative to the inner side retaining part 56a, and under the condition that the coil 54 for driving the lens of the lens driving device 50 is electrified, the lens support 52 forms the state of being slightly inclined relative to the original Z axis, the optical axis of the lens 51 is inclined, thus, when the lens support 52 begins to move towards the front of the Z axis (in the +Z direction), the problem that the lens driving device 50 is inclined appears.

HUIZHOU DAYAWAN EVER BRIGHT ELECTRONIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.

HUIZHOU DAYA BAY JSS OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


The invention relates to a pump unit for feeding fuel, preferably diesel fuel, to an internal combustion engine, comprising at least one cylinder (14), a piston (15) which is displaceably arranged in the cylinder (14), and a pressure valve (30) for selectively controlling the supply of fuel to the internal combustion engine, wherein the pressure valve (30) has a closure part (38, 46, 51) provided with a cavity (44, 49, 53) that opens to the outside on an end surface (43, 48, 52) facing the piston (15) of the closure part (38, 46, 51).

The present invention relates to a pump unit for feeding fuel, preferably diesel, to an internal combustion engine.
In particular, the present invention relates to a pump unit of the type which comprises a pump body, at least one cylinder formed in the pump body, a piston arranged displaceably in the cylinder, and an actuating device for moving the piston with an intake stroke for the intake of the fuel into the cylinder, and with a compression stroke for the compression of the fuel contained in the cylinder.
The pump unit also comprises a suction line for the intake of the fuel into the cylinder, a suction valve, which is fitted along the suction line, for selectively controlling the feeding of the fuel into the cylinder, a pressure line for the pushing of the fuel to the internal combustion engine, and a pressure valve, which is fitted along the pressure line, for selectively controlling the feeding of the fuel to the internal combustion engine.
The pressure line runs in a manner coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the cylinder, and a closure part of the pressure valve is arranged displaceably in said pressure line.
The closure part of the pressure valve thus axially faces the piston and is movable between an open position and a closed position of the pressure line.
The closure part has a substantially ball-shaped coupling portion, which is shaped such that it is coupled in a fluid-tight manner to a substantially frustoconical coupling portion of the pressure line when the closure part is in its closed position.
The known pump units of the aforementioned type have a number of disadvantages, these mainly being based on the fact that, during its compression stroke, the piston generates in the interior of the cylinder pressure waves which bounce off between the closure part of the pressure valve and the piston parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder at least during the starting phase of the compression stroke of the piston, that is to say when the pressure valve is still closed.
The back-and-forth movement of the pressure waves between the closure part and the piston brings about the formation of vapor bubbles and the implosion thereof at the coupling portions of the closure part and of the pressure line.
The implosion of the vapor bubbles leads, as a result of cavitation, to the wear of the closure part and of the pressure line at the respective coupling portions and consequently impairs the correct fluid-tight coupling of the closure part to the pressure line.

Pump unit for feeding fuel, preferably diesel fuel, to an internal combustion engine


Mutants of lactic acid bacteria including Lactococcus lactis which are defective in pyruvate formate-lyase production and/or in their lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh) production and methods of isolating such mutants or variants are provided. The mutants are useful in the production of food products or in manufacturing of compounds such as diacetyl, acetoin and acetaldehyde and as components of food starter cultures.

Lactic acid bacteria are used extensively as starter cultures in the food industry in the manufacture of fermented products including milk products such as e.g. yoghurt and cheese, meat products, bakery products, wine and vegetable products. Lactococcus species including Lactococcus lactis are among the most commonly used lactic acid bacteria in dairy starter cultures. However, several other lactic acid bacteria such as Leuconostoc species, Pediococcus species, Lactobacillus species and Streptococcus species. Species of Bifidobacterium, a group of strict anaerobic bacteria, are also commonly used in food starter cultures alone or in combination with lactic acid bacterial species.
When a lactic acid bacterial starter culture is added to milk or any other food product starting material under appropriate conditions, the bacteria grow rapidly with concomitant conversion of citrate, lactose or other sugar compounds into lactic acid/lactate and possibly other acids including acetate, resulting in a pH decrease. In addition, several other metabolites are produced during the growth of lactic acid bacteria. These metabolites include ethanol, formate, acetaldehyde, α-acetolactate, acetoin, diacetyl, and 2,3 butylene glycol (butanediol). Among these metabolites, diacetyl is an essential flavour compound which is formed during fermentation of the citrate-utilizing species of e.g. Lactococcus, Leuconostoc and Lactobacillus. Diacetyl is formed by an oxidative decarboxylation (FIG. 1) of α-acetolactate which is formed by the action of α-acetolactate synthetase (Als) from two molecules of pyruvate.
Pyruvate is a key intermediate of several lactic acid bacterial metabolic pathways including the citrate metabolism and the degradation of lactose or glucose to lactate. The pool of pyruvate in the cells is critical for the flux through the metabolic pathway leading to diacetyl, acetoin and 2,3 butylene glycol (butanediol) via the intermediate compound α-acetolactate due to the low affinity of α-acetolactate synthetase for pyruvate.
Pyruvate is converted to formate and acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl CoA) (FIG. 1) by the action of pyruvate formate-lyase (Pfl). This conversion takes place only under anaerobic conditions (Frey et al. 1994). Pfl is inactivated even at low levels of oxygen, and a switch from anaerobic to aerobic conditions will lead to significant changes in metabolic end product profiles in lactic acid bacteria with complete disappearance of ethanol and formate (Hugenholtz, 1993). Another factor which regulates the activity of Pfl is the pH. The pH optimum of Pfl is about 7 (Hugenholtz, 1993).
An alternative pathway for the formation of acetyl CoA from pyruvate (FIG. 1) in a lactic acid bacterium is by the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). In contrast to Pfl, PDC has a very low activity under anaerobic conditions due to the inhibitory effect of NADH on that enzyme (Snoep et al. 1992). This enzyme requires the presence of lipoic acid as a co-factor to be active.
Additionally, acetyl CoA can be produced in lactic acid bacteria from acetate under aerobic as well as under anaerobic conditions.
Accordingly, it is conceivable that the pyruvate pool is increased under anaerobic conditions if the lactic acid bacterial strain is defective in enzyme systems involved in pyruvate consumption, including Pfl. As mentioned above, an increased pyruvate pool may lead to an increased flux from pyruvate towards acetoin and diacetyl or other metabolites derived from α-acetolactate. Thus, it is to be expected that fermented food products which are produced by using a lactic acid bacterial starter culture having a reduced Pfl activity or completely lacking such activity contain an increased amount of acetoin or other of the above metabolites. Conversely, the such starter cultures may produce reduced amounts of other metabolites, including ethanol and acetate and possibly, acetaldehyde.
Recent studies have shown that when L. lactis is lacking the lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh) which is involved in the major pyruvate consuming pathway leading to lactate, more pyruvate is directed towards acetoin and butanediol via α-acetolactate, possibly resulting in increased formation of the intermediate product diacetyl (Platteeuw et al., 1995; Gasson et al., 1996).
Overproduction of α-acetolactate synthetase in Lactococcus lactis as another approach of metabolically engineering lactic acid bacteria to produce increased amounts of diacetyl has been disclosed by Platteeuw et al. 1995.
The potential of using L. lactis strains with reduced pyruvate formate-lyase activity as a means of increasing diacetyl formation is mentioned by Hugenholtz, 1993. It is suggested by this author that the combination of three strategies: 1) Ldh inactivation by mutation/genetic engineering, 2) Pfl inactivation by aeration and/or low pH and 3) acetolactate decarboxylase (ALD) inactivation by mutation/genetic engineering could result in a high production of α-acetolactate from lactose.
However, the suggested inactivation of Pfl activity by aeration and/or low pH is not feasible or possible in the industrial production of lactic acid bacterially fermented dairy products or other fermented food products, as the production hereof generally takes place under essentially anaerobic conditions. Furthermore, the pH of the starting materials including milk is typically about 7 and it is generally not desirable to lower the pH of the food material to be fermented.
Whereas it has been suggested to modify the Pfl activity of lactic acid bacteria as a means of changing their production of metabolites in a desirable direction by manipulating the growth conditions, there have been no suggestions in the prior art to utilize metabolically engineered lactic acid bacteria which have a modified Pfl activity under industrially appropriate and feasible culturing conditions.
A method that allows isolation of mutants of gram-negative bacteria devoid of Pfl activity has been disclosed by Pascal et al., 1974. This method includes the selection of Pfl defective mutants of E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium based on their lack of ability to generate H2 and CO2 in the absence of formate, when they are incubated under anaerobic condition in media containing glucose or pyruvate. However, such a selection method cannot be used for selection of Pfl defective mutants of lactic acid bacteria, since these organisms lack the enzyme that catalyses production of H2 and CO2 from formate.
Accordingly, the prior art does not contain any guidance with respect to designing a feasible method of isolating a lactic acid bacterial Pfl detective (Pfl−) mutant.
Experiments performed by the inventor with the minimal medium BA (Clark and Maaløe, 1967) for E. coli, showed that this medium did not support the aerobic growth of lactic acid bacteria. However, if cultivated in this medium together with E. coli the growth of lactic acid bacteria was supported, indicating that E. coli produces a factor needed for the growth of the lactic acid bacteria. It has later been found that this growth factor is acetate, which led to the development of the DN-medium (Dickely et al., 1995).
It has now surprisingly been found that wild-type strains of lactic acid bacteria such as strains of Lactococcus and Streptococcus including as examples Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus strains under anaerobic conditions grow well on the DN-medium (Dickely et al., 1995) in the absence of acetate. These unexpected findings have made it possible to develop a novel and simple method for the isolation of Pfl defective lactic acid bacterial mutants based on the finding that such mutants, in contrast to the phenotypically Pfl+ wild-type strains, are unable to grow under anaerobic conditions on DN-medium in the absence of acetate.
Additionally, having such a method allowing the selection of Pfl defective lactic acid bacterial mutants at hand has made it possible to provide further mutated cells which in addition to being Pfl− are mutated in one or more genes involved in the citrate/sugar metabolic pathways such as e.g. the ldh gene coding for lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh) so as to provide a variety of metabolically engineered lactic acid bacteria having highly desirable improved characteristics with respect to metabolite (fermentation end product) production.
The above findings have thus opened up for a novel approach for providing useful metabolically engineered lactic acid bacterial starter cultures which approach is based on relatively simple classical random mutagenesis methods or the selection of spontaneously occurring mutants and which does not involve in vitro genetic engineering. From a practical technological point of view this is advantageous, since in most countries the use of genetically engineered food starter cultures is still conditional on approval by regulatory bodies.

Metabolically engineered lactic acid bacteria and their use


In various embodiments, a substrate is provided. The substrate may include: a ceramic carrier having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a first metal layer disposed over the first side of the ceramic carrier; a second metal layer disposed over the second side of the ceramic carrier; and a cooling structure formed into or over the second metal layer.

Substrates in power electronics usually provide interconnections for forming an electric circuit (e.g. a printed circuit board), as well as, for heat dissipation from the components. In comparison to materials and technologies used for lower power microelectronics, power electronic substrates should provide higher current capacity and higher voltage isolation which might be voltages up to several thousand volts. Furthermore, these power electronic substrates also should operate over a wide temperature range, such as up to about 150° C. or even 200° C.
One substrate of the conventionally used substrates is the direct bonded copper (DBC) substrate which is commonly used in power electronic modules due to their high thermal conductivity. The DBCs are usually composed of a ceramic tile conventionally manufactured of a metal oxide or nitride (e.g. aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and the like) with at least one layer (e.g. with at least one metal sheet or metal foil) of copper bonded to one or both sides of the ceramic tile by means of a high-temperature oxidation process, wherein the one or more copper layers and substrate are heated to a controlled temperature in an nitrogen atmosphere. Under these conditions, a copper-oxygen eutectic is formed which bonds to the one or more copper layers and the oxides used as a substrate such that a common substrate is formed. The top copper layer can be prefabricated, such as by means of a heat treatment, an ablation process and/or etching using a conventional printed circuit board technology to form an electrical circuit, while the bottom copper layer is usually kept plain. Conventionally, the substrate is attached to a heat spreader by means of soldering the bottom copper layer to the substrate. Moreover, conventional ceramic material used in DBC substrates include typically metal oxides or nitrides, such as alumina (aluminum oxide, Al2O3), which is widely used because of its low cost, but alumina has however low thermal conductivity (about 24 W/mK to about 28 W/mK) and is highly brittle; aluminum nitride (AlN), which is more expensive, but has a better thermal performance (about 150 W/mK to about 230 W/mK); and beryllium oxide (BeO), which has an improved thermal performance (about 330 W/mK), but is often avoided, because of its high toxicity when the powder is ingested or inhaled. One characteristic of the DBC substrates is their low coefficient of thermal expansion, which is close to that of silicon (compared to pure copper). This characteristic ensures good thermal cycling performances (up to about 50,000 cycles). The DBC substrates also have excellent electrical insulation and good heat spreading characteristics. A related technique uses a seed layer, photoimaging, and then additional copper plating to allow for fine lines (as small as 50 μm) and through-vias to connect front and back sides. This can be combined with polymer-based circuits to create high density substrates that eliminate the requirement for direct connection of power devices to heat sinks.
Currently, there are substantially two approaches for providing heat dissipation by the power electronic substrates. On the one hand, the module is mounted to an external radiator by a thermal heat sink paste, wherein this arrangement has a low thermal conductivity, and on the other hand the module is built up on a so called PinFin plate (i.e. the structure on such a plate is a combination of a pin structure and fin structure formed on one side of the plate) which can be water cooled, such as by means of soldering of the DBC onto this plate, wherein the high material costs for this kind of plates and the still low heat transfer due to the intermediate layer of solder and the thickness of the PinFin plate may be disadvantageous. Moreover, such plates usually allow solely heat dissipation in one direction from the power module, such as the top side or the bottom side of the module.

Substrate, chip arrangement, and method for manufacturing the same


An insect-repelling leg garment primarily configured with a tubular member and a semi-conical section fabricated from fabric sheeting impregnated with an insect-repelling solution. The semi-conical section includes an elastic strap configured to engage a structural feature of an article of clothing. The tubular member includes a lower portion having a first circumferential passage for accommodating therewithin a drawstring equipped with a drawstring tie for closing and sealing an annular opening formed by a circular wall section and one's leg. An elastic circular band positioned at the lower portion simultaneously engages loops connected to the lower portion and encircles around one's foot such as to oppose the upward tensioning caused by the elastic strap, whereby the insect repellency inherently present within the fabric sheeting and the structural barriers inherently present within the leg garment collectively serve to protect the lower extremities of one's body against biting insects.

Biting insects are unquestionably present in many geographical regions of the United States as well as in various parts of the world. Biting insects have a strong evolutional drive to search for human or animal hosts to bite and consume blood for their nutritional needs or to supply nutrition to their eggs. The evolutional drive of these insects to consume blood is so strong that these insects can find humans and animals under extraordinarily difficult circumstances such that they will traverse great distances, climb long grass and weeds, and crawl through dense underbrush.
Insects such as the mosquito and tick, for example, are well known to sustain extraordinarily difficult circumstances to bite and consume the blood of humans. There are many species of insects that derive their identification and name based on the host they most commonly feed on, for example, the bird tick and the deer tick. Other biting insects may include biting flies and biting midges. Fleas are another biting insect that are equally bothersome to humans and pets. It is very difficult to avoid bites from these types of insects, as humans and animals will invariably encounter them upon entering their natural habitat.
Many people and animals that have been exposed to the varied types of biting insects described above may develop a skin reaction at the site or location where they are bitten. Typically, the skin reaction occurs as a result of the insects' desire to pierce the skin with their mouth to consume the blood. The bite itself, like any other surficial wound, may irritate the skin initially and, at a much later time, may become painful and very uncomfortable to the host human or animal. A common evolutionary trait generally associated with many biting insects is the development and production of anti blood coagulating compounds transferred to the host at the site of the bite prior to consuming the host's blood.
The fluid transfer from biting insects to a host is problematic in two ways. First, many people are allergic to the fluids and/or to the anti blood coagulating compounds biting insects inject. So in addition to the pain and discomfort of the insect bite, the lingering effects of an allergic reaction remain until the host body can neutralize the foreign anti blood coagulating compounds. A second more sinister problem of the fluid transfer from biting insects to humans and/or animals is the transmission of diseases and microorganism that they may carry within them. These diseases are quite harmful and can even be fatal to humans and animals. The presence of diseases or harmful microorganisms within any type of insect specie may have natural origins or have been transferred to them from an infected host.
A harmful and sometimes fatal form of disease generally associated with and transmitted by ticks is Lyme Disease. The blacklegged tick is the species believed to be the primary carrier. Lyme Disease is more common in the Northern Hemisphere, such as the Upper Midwest and Northeastern part of the Unites States. Lyme Disease is said to be transmitted by ticks to humans and deer from mice. Humans infected with Lyme Disease can suffer serious health issues ranging from very mild flu-like symptoms to very severe neurological disorders. Moreover, it has been studied and documented that ticks are responsible for carrying and transmitting the Powassan virus, which if contracted, can cause severe brain infection with possible fatal consequences. Accordingly, individuals exploring the outdoors need to exercise great care and caution to avoid being bitten by ticks and other disease carrying insects.
For these reasons, enjoyment of the outdoors can be greatly impaired by the presence of biting insects. Even simple outdoor activities in residential urban neighborhoods are not immune from biting insects. As urban developments expand farther and farther into undeveloped natural areas, human and pet exposure to biting insects is significantly increased. Also true, many residential developments and homeowners purposely create and maintain natural areas or environments for their admirable aesthetic pleasure. As such, gardening, lawn mowing and playing in the yard are now activities that increase the risk of exposure to disease from biting insects. For the true outdoorsman that engages in activities of hiking, camping and hunting, he/she will invariably encounter biting insects. Common and well known techniques to prevent or minimize the risk of exposure to biting insects include avoiding their habitat, limiting outdoor activity to hours when biting insects are less active, covering exposed skin with garments, or using naturally derived or manufactured chemical insect repellants.
As a first technique to reduce exposure to biting insects, one may take the requisite steps or precautions to avoid the habitat of biting insects, generally at the cost of enjoying the great outdoors. Many regions of the United States and other parts of the world experience the traditional four seasons with significant temperature changes: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Since winters can be long and harsh for some, there is a strong tendency or desire to get full enjoyment of the warmer weather that is generally offered only in the spring, summer, and fall. The warmer weather of these seasons makes them particularly suitable for one's participation in a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities. Many of these outdoor activities, both for fun or necessity, unavoidably place humans in a habitat of biting insects. It is not practical to completely avoid these areas without in many ways reducing the quality of life and participation of engaging in outdoor activities. Even if one took the great lengths necessary to totally avoid the outdoors, they could still be exposed to biting insects from a friend or family member that enters into a habitat of biting insects and unknowingly carries into their home or residence one or more biting insects.
As a second alternative technique of reducing exposure to biting insects, one may limit his or her participation in outdoor activities during times when biting insects tend to be in a less active state, such as when the sun is at its highest point in the sky to several hours thereafter, generally from the time of 12:00 p.m. to the early afternoon of 3:00-4:00 p.m. Coincidentally, this is a period of time when the daily temperature is at its hottest, but also a period of time when the majority of the population in the United States as well as elsewhere is actively working at their place of employment. Unavoidably for those preoccupied with their employment, activities associated with leisure outdoor recreation, lawn or garden maintenance, outdoor social gatherings, etc. will tend to occur during a period of time when biting insects become more active, primarily after sunset through the morning hours before noon.
As a third alternative technique of reducing exposure to biting insects, one may cover his/her exposed skin with one or more layers of clothing. Over time, however, many biting insects have perfected their capabilities to bite through clothing and/or crawl under clothing to undesirably feed on human hosts. Layered clothing may only provide minimal protection from insects, particularly those having the innate capacity to bite through clothing. The clothing must generally comprise a sufficient thickness in order to fulfill prevention of bites from biting insects. Although a proper, strategic arrangement of clothing may be effective in preventing bites from biting insects, the added clothing can greatly impede one's mobility and unduly compromise one's comfort during warm and hot weather conditions. Furthermore, the perspiration, heavy breathing, and release of additional body heat, odors and scents generated and developed while wearing additional clothing may invariably attract more biting insects to oneself, a situation that arises as having the opposite effect. The biting insect's innate capacity to seek out hosts for survival and to further reproduction stems primarily from their adaptive behaviors developed over a lengthened period of time. While layered clothing may offer limited, but not real practical, protection against biting insects, it does little to prevent insects from crawling under clothing. The bottom structural opening within in a pant leg, for example, provides a key access point for biting insects to crawl up within the interior space of the pant leg and traverse about the lower extremities of one's body, such as the surficial portions of the leg or ankle. Since many outdoor activities include constant motion through the habitat of biting insects, the pant leg is constantly opening to varying degrees to afford biting insects the many so ever opportunities to crawl under the pant leg and access the lower leg.
As a fourth and final alternative technique of reducing exposure to biting insects, one may use and apply on oneself one or more forms of insect repellants that are commercially available to the consumer. In general, insect repellants are most effective in preventing insect bites when applied directly to the skin and clothing. Insect repellants in the form of sprays and lotions are preferentially formulated for direct application to skin or clothing. The majority of chemical insect repellants commercially offered in today's markets may emit objectionable odors while on one's clothing for the duration of protection and, as such, the clothing must be thoroughly and sometimes repeatedly laundered to adequately rid the offending odor therefrom. Because of the undesirable nature of and the consumer's distaste for the odor, the insect repellant industry has taken an effort to reformulate select compounds present within the insect repellant product to mask or, more desirably, to eliminate the offending odor.
From a health perspective, however, application of chemical insect repellants, particularly aerosol or pump spray versions, must be done in a diligent manner to avoid contact with eyes, mouth, and nose to avoid irritation. A common chemical insect repellant DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide), also cautions users about ingestion, and risks and potential side effects of exposure and use. While extremely rare, DEET has been reported to cause minor skin irritations and in cases of heavy use, temporary hallucinations, weakness, agitation, and even a contributing factor in death.
Many chemical insect repellants must be reapplied from time-to-time in order to remain effective, as their effectiveness diminishes appreciably with perspiration, rain, and time. Chemical insect repellants must be applied evenly and completely to be effective. Areas of skin and clothing inadvertently missed at the time of application will be vulnerable to insect bites. Also, depending on the activity, it may not always be practical to reapply insect repellant. Applying chemical insect repellants to clothing must also be done with caution as some chemical repellants may damage or discolor sensitive garments.
Due to the possible side effects associated with chemical insect repellants, many have come to use natural insect repellants to guard against biting insects. While many find these as acceptable substitutes for chemical insect repellants, many argue that natural insect repellants are less effective or perhaps lack the concentration of key active compounds that make them most effective in terms of offering consummate protection. While natural insect repellants may not have many of the side effects of chemical insect repellants, they do share the same drawbacks: objectionable odors, effectiveness based on coverage, and requirements for repeated applications.
Both chemical and natural insect repellants can be applied to a user as described above or emitted from an object near the user. For example, burning citronella candles is a common practice for mitigating the presence of biting insects such as mosquitos within a defined area, but generally being used exclusively in outdoor environments; and for that reason, the use of citronella candles becomes less practical and less effective for outdoor activities taking place within large settings or areas such as those commonly associated with hunting or hiking. The market does offer more portable and wearable forms of citronella-emitting devices for localized use and protection, but their effectiveness may come into question in protecting other parts of one's body, such as around the foot and ankle areas.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a wearable leg garment that is particularly suited to protect the lower extremities of one's body, such as about the legs and ankle, from biting insects, most notably where insects are more likely to access and traverse and feed on the human host to further and satisfy their nutritional needs and requirements.


A manifold gauge assembly that combines in a single apparatus the features of a manifold gauge set and the features of a phase change device. The manifold gauge assembly may be utilized for charging both pure liquid refrigerants and blends of liquid refrigerants and still maintain the ability of full porting for vacuum optimization. The invention also comprises a phase change device adapted to be fixedly attached to a manifold.

The present invention relates to refrigeration systems, and more particularly, to a manifold gauge set assembly for use in charging a refrigerant into a refrigeration system at start-up or during a service condition.
Manifold gauge sets are utilized by air conditioning and refrigeration technicians to service and/or charge the equipment that comprises the air conditioning or refrigeration system. A manifold gauge set provides readout devices from which the operational (i.e., discharge and suction) pressures of the system can be determined, and provides one or more ports through which the technician can charge refrigerant from a storage cylinder into the system.
New air conditioning and refrigeration systems must be fully charged with refrigerant prior to first use of the system. In addition, existing systems from time to time require the addition of refrigerant to re-charge or top off a system due to the leakage of refrigerant from the system. When a refrigerant is to be charged into a refrigeration system, either as part of a new installation or as part of a service operation (top off), the refrigerant is typically charged into the system through a manifold gauge set. In a typical charging operation, the service technician pulls a vacuum through the gauge set on the system, and thereafter charges liquid refrigerant from the cylinder through the manifold gauge set and into the high side (also known as the liquid side) of the system.
As liquid refrigerant is charged into the system as part of a charging operation, the pressure in the high side gradually increases. If the pressure in the high side increases to an extent that it reaches the pressure inside the tank, the flow of liquid refrigerant ceases, and additional liquid refrigerant can no longer be introduced into the high side. In this event, the remaining portion of the refrigerant charge must be added to the low side (also known as the suction side) of the system in a vapor state.
It is well known in the refrigeration art that the removal of refrigerant vapor from a cylinder causes heat to be removed along with the vapor. As the temperature in the cylinder drops due to the removal of the heat with the vapor, the pressure in the cylinder also drops. As a consequence of this pressure drop, the rate of transfer of the vapor from the cylinder to the refrigeration system is reduced, ultimately to a point that the transfer becomes almost nonexistent. In order to increase the charge rate, and thereby more rapidly complete the charging operation, a service technician may attempt to circumvent the temperature/pressure loss in the cylinder by slowly introducing liquid (rather than vapor) from the cylinder into the low (suction) side of the system. Since the compressor can only compress low pressure vapor to high pressure vapor, the charging of liquid refrigerant into the low side can severely damage or even destroy the compressor. Such action can also result in harm to the technician due to the malfunction of the compressor.
The hazards associated with introducing liquid refrigerant directly into the low side of the compressor may be avoided when the technician utilizes a refrigerant phase change device. Applying Bernoulli""s Principle (as the speed of a moving fluid increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases) to a volatile refrigerant allows for the expansion of the refrigerant with the drop in pressure and a change of state. Further application of the principle as described as the venturi effect is represented with different embodiments of the present invention.
Refrigerant phase change devices of this type are used to withdraw liquid refrigerant from the cylinder, rather than refrigerant vapor, for charging into the low side of the system. After being withdrawn from the cylinder, the liquid refrigerant passes through one or more pressure drop baffles, orifices or other restrictions in the phase change device, and is ultimately converted (flashed) to the vapor phase as it leaves the device and is charged into the low side of the system.
Since the early 1990""s, in concert with the Montreal Protocol and the pending ban on CFC refrigerants, substitute or alternative refrigerants were developed to replace the refrigerants that were banned, or that were scheduled to be banned. With the exception of two single molecule refrigerants introduced for permanent inclusion in the industry, the remaining alternatives were classified as blends, which blends are zeotropic in nature.
Phase change devices as described are also utilized when the refrigerant composition to be charged into the system comprises a blend of refrigerants (i.e., a zeotrope), rather than a pure refrigerant. The individual components in a zeotrope boil, or change phase, at different temperatures, thereby causing the composition of the refrigerant blend to change at each component""s respective boiling point. If a refrigerant composition comprising a blend of refrigerant components is charged into the system as a vapor, then the vapor will include an incorrect percentage of the various components of the liquid blend. In particular, the vapor charged into the system will generally comprise a higher percentage of the most volatile components than of the least volatile components. As a result, the true composition of the charged refrigerant will be altered from the intended composition, thereby hindering the charged system from performing as intended.
In addition, if refrigerant vapor enriched with one or more of the most volatile components is removed from the cylinder, the blend of refrigerants remaining in the cylinder will no longer include the proper percentages of each of the individual components. The use of the phase change device allows the technician to charge the refrigerant blend from the cylinder as a liquid, rather than as a vapor, thereby maintaining the proper percentages of the components of the refrigerant blend. Since multiple systems may be charged from a single cylinder of refrigerant, a cylinder having a compromised percentage composition could damage many systems and cause adverse economic consequences.
Although the benefits of using a phase change device are well known, the use of such devices can be inconvenient to a service technician. For example, as an initial matter, the device must be readily accessible to the technician, a feat that is not always accomplished when working at a remote site. The technician must then isolate the suction service access port, allowing removal of the suction side service hose from the manifold gauge set. This process will, as a result of this action, cause a slight expulsion of refrigerant trapped in the hose to the atmosphere as a consequence. The phase change device is installed at the suction hose connection port of the manifold gauge set, and the service hose is attached to the opposite side of the phase change device. The manifold gauge set suction side is opened allowing refrigerant to fill the hose, and the hose fitting is loosened at the system suction connection to purge any refrigerant and non-condensables to the atmosphere.
In an alternative arrangement, the center (or common) charging hose of the manifold gauge set is removed from the cylinder, resulting in the expulsion of refrigerant trapped in the hose to the atmosphere. The phase change device is secured to the refrigerant cylinder, and the center hose is attached to the phase change device. The cylinder valve is opened allowing refrigerant to fill the hose, and the hose fitting is loosened at the manifold gauge set to purge any refrigerant and non-condensable to the atmosphere. In the event the technician requires an unimpeded flow of refrigerant, then the process must be reversed to remove the phase change device from the cylinder.
The actions described above slow the operation, and require that the technician possess the proper equipment for introducing the device into the system.
It would be preferable if a charging operation could be carried out in a more efficient manner than is presently possible, by combining in a charging apparatus the benefits of a phase change device with the existing equipment of the system. Such a device should be sufficiently versatile such that a system evacuation (pulling a vacuum) and charging operation could be readily completed regardless of whether liquid refrigerant is being charged into the high or low side of the system, and without requiring the technician to connect or disconnect auxiliary devices after the charging operation has commenced and eliminate unnecessary multiple expulsions of refrigerant to the atmosphere.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages present in charging operations by providing an improved manifold gauge assembly that combines in a single apparatus the features of a manifold gauge set and the features of a phase change device. Also included is an alternative phase change device that is adapted to be permanently affixed to an existing manifold gauge set to provide a device offering the same benefits as the integral apparatus.
The improved manifold gauge assembly may be utilized for charging both pure liquid refrigerants and blends of liquid refrigerants and still maintain the ability of full porting for vacuum optimization. Since the features of the manifold and the phase change device are combined, a technician may withdraw liquid refrigerant from a cylinder for charging into either the high side (as a liquid) or the low side (as a vapor resulting from phase conversion) of the system without the necessity of interrupting a charging operation for installation or elimination of equipment. The invention also comprises an improved phase change device adapted for fixed attachment with a manifold.


A drive shaft for motor vehicles in the form of a pipe consisting of aluminum. The drive shaft is a straight seam welded pipe consisting of a strain-hardening aluminum alloy. The pipe is straight seam welded without incorporation of additional materials and the wall thickness of the pipe is greater than 2 mm.

The invention relates to a drive shaft for motor vehicles.
Pipes have been used as drive shafts for motor vehicles and it is known to produce such pipes from steel as well as aluminum materials. Further, in as far as steel pipes are installed, such steel pipes can be straight seam welded pipes.
The requirements for drive shafts are satisfactorily met with straight seam welded steel pipes, especially with regard to dynamic characteristics. However, it is disadvantageous that the steel pipe has a relatively heavy weight compared to pipes made of aluminum. One endeavors, therefore, to utilize aluminum pipes, which are considerably lighter. The weight savings for aluminum pipes is at least approximately 30% in contrast to steel pipes. In view of the tendency in the construction of motor vehicles toward saving weight in dynamically loaded parts, whereby additional component parts, such as bearings, can be more cost-effectively designed and dimensioned, the endeavor is to use aluminum. In addition, a lower vehicle weight makes a lower fuel consumption possible.
The known drive shafts consisting of aluminum are made from extruded pipe rounds. Due to the high precision generally required for drive shafts, the known aluminum pipes must be subjected to drawing for forming drive shafts, which is associated with a considerable expenditure.
As is generally known, the dynamic characteristics stand at the forefront among others for drive shafts, from which the high precision noted becomes an assumption. This precision relates to the maintenance of the outer diameter as well as the constant wall thickness of the aluminum pipe. Due to the high rotary speed of drive shafts, it is necessary to observe very narrow tolerances to guarantee a secure synchronism. In exceptional cases it may be necessary to weld balancing weight pieces at certain points on the pipe for incompletely finished drive shafts made of aluminum pipes in order to guarantee the synchronism striven for, or rather the required dynamic characteristics of the drive shaft in the sense of balancing. Besides that, the manufacture of extruded aluminum pipes with the relatively thin wall thicknesses required for drive shafts is connected with a high finishing technological expenditure.
Consequently, serious disadvantages still stand in the way of using aluminum for drive shafts, and the known extruded aluminum pipes must be classified as very costly and expensive due to the noted precision.
In addition to extruded aluminum pipes, straight seam welded pipes from aluminum alloys are also known. In German Patent Publication No. DE 41 42 325 A1, a method for the manufacture of driving gear supports from aluminum for vehicles, especially passenger cars, is described. The circumstances thus create the starting point that in the cases in which the extruded aluminum pipes to this point are processed into drive gear parts for motor vehicles, numerous shaping steps are required, which include hydraulic forming and internal high pressure shaping methods. As is described in the '325 German Patent Publication, the known extruded aluminum pipes have the inherent disadvantage that a hydraulic shaping is not possible for other prior working steps since the shaping capability of the material is depleted due to the previous working. It is also impossible to process anneal the material before the hydraulic shaping, since the material is either hardened or too soft and thus has lost its consistency.
To find a source material for the manufacture of gear drive supports made from aluminum alloys with this background notwithstanding, with which the necessary shaping steps can be conducted without problems, a method is proposed in the '325 German Patent Publication, in which straight seam welded pipes are made from a strain-hardening or heat treatable aluminum alloy as blanks.

Motor vehicle drive shaft comprising a straight seam welded pipe of an aluminum alloy


A bearing includes an annular rubber-like member having a metal sleeve bonded on the inside diameter. One or more collars are sweated onto a shaft and provide one component of a lug and groove torque connection, the metal sleeve providing the other component. In one embodiment, a polymer liner is cooled and then inserted into the stern tube. When the polymer liner warms to ambient temperature, it expands into engagement with the stern tube and provides a surface for bearing engagement with the rubber-like member. Liners of this type are easily removed by removing the bearing, drilling a hole through the side wall of the liner parallel to the axis of the bearing and then pulling the weakened liner from the stern tube.

Cutlass bearings have been the standard of use in several applications, some of which are marine and some of which are not. The typical marine application is journalling the propeller shaft of a fairly large boat or ship for rotation inside a stern tube. A typical non-marine application is journalling the driven shaft of a mud motor used to drill deviated or horizontal wells in the oil field.
A standard Cutlass bearing is a relatively long annular rubber member rotatably receiving a shaft through an opening in the center. The rubber member typically has slots or grooves on the interior surface to allow water to pass axially through the bearing to cool and lubricate it. The bearing typically includes a cylindrical metal sleeve secured in some fashion to the stern tube. The rubber member is typically bonded to the metal sleeve. Cutlass bearings have been used for decades in marine applications and have been used in mud motors for about as long as mud motors have been in existence.
Standard Cutlass bearings have a variety of disadvantages, some of which are remedied, or partially remedied, by reversing the situation, i.e. placing the rubber sleeve on the outside of the metal tube and fixing the metal tube to the shaft being journalled so the rubber sleeve rotates against the stern tube. Bearings of this general type have been proposed in the prior art as shown in U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,203,039; 2,348,274; 2,348,275; 2,380,715; 2,405,799; 2,538,921 and 5,143,455. It is this type device to which this invention most nearly relates.
Analysis of standard Cutlass bearings and reversed Cutlass bearings show they are defective in several respects.


In a digital broadcast transmission system (60), a power amplifier (66) amplifies an information signal to a power level suitable to excite an antenna to emit a broadcast signal. Prior to, an subsequent to, the amplification processing circuitry (68, 70) processes the signal. In particular, the information signal is bandpass filtered. The power amplifier (66) causes non-linear distortion to the information signal. The processing circuitry (68, 70) causes linear distortions to the information signal. A single, memoryful filter (76) pre-distorts the information signal to compensate for all of the linear and non-linear distortions. Preferably, the memoryful filter (76) is a volterra filter. In another embodiment, a memoryful filter (112) pre-distorts an information signal to compensate for linear distortion from a power amplifier (102) and non-linear distortion from pre-amplification processing circuitry (104). Linear distortion from post-amplification processing circuitry is compensated by a linear equalizer (114). For each embodiment, the number of compensation steps is reduced compared to a sequence in which separate compensation occurs.

The present invention relates to broadcast transmission systems and is particularly directed to compensation of distortion within a digital transmission system, such as a digital TV (xe2x80x9cDTVxe2x80x9d) transmission system.
A high-speed broadcast transmission system such as a DTV broadcast system includes components that distort an information signal away from intended values. Specifically, the system includes a power amplifier that imposes non-linear distortion upon the signal, as a signal is amplified. Also, the broadcast transmission system includes filters, such as band-limiting filters, that impose linear distortion upon the information signal as the signal is filtered.
As a result of such distortions within the transmission system, instantaneous amplitude variations (AM/AM) and instantaneous phase variations (AM/PM) occur. In addition, frequency dependent amplitude and phase variations occur. It is to be appreciated that within a phase-amplitude modulated system, integrity of amplitude and phase must be preserved for optimum system performance.
There is a need for a high-speed technique for adaptive correction of linear an non-linear distortion within a digital broadcast transmission system.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a digital broadcast transmission system. The system includes a signal provision means for providing an electrical information-conveying signal. Antenna means emits a broadcast signal that contains the contents of the information signal. Amplifier means amplifies the information signal to a power level suitable to excite the antenna means to emit the broadcast signal. The amplifier means causes non-linear distortion to the information signal. Signal processing means processes the information signal. The signal processing means causes linear distortion to the information signal. A single filter pre-distorts the information signal to compensate for the linear and non-linear distortions.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a digital broadcast system that includes signal provision means or providing an electrical information-conveying signal along a signal stream. Antenna means, located the end of the signal stream, emits a broadcast signal that conveys the contents of the information signal. A plurality of components is located along the signal stream between the signal provision means and the antenna means. The plurality of components causes distortion to the information signal. At least one of the plurality of components causes linear distortion to the information signal and at least one of the plurality of components causes non-linear distortion to the information signal. A single filter pre-distorts the information signal to compensate for all of the distortion caused by the plurality of components.

Broadcast transmission system with single correction filter for correcting linear and non-linear distortion


A license plate holder provided with a flat backing plate to which a transparent cover is hinged at the base thereof and which may be readily removable from the backing plate at the top thereof.

Over the years, there have been a number of devices proposed to hold a license plate so that it is displayed on a motor vehicle. These are shown in such patents as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,573,113, Irie; 2,791,046, Goldberg; 3,263,358, Dosie, et al.; 3,304,642, Dardis; 3,340,640 Savage; 3,702,510 Genyk, et al.; and 4,813,167, Means. In addition, German Patent No. CH 661012A, Bains, also shows such a device.
None of these disclosures provide a cheap, readily accessible, easily opened license plate holder for use by automobile salesmen to insert the dealers license tag prior to demonstrating the vehicle to a potential buyer which can also be used as a receptacle to hold the temporary license plate when the vehicle is sold.
The current procedure for dealers is to attach the dealer's plate to a rear part of the vehicle such as the trunk by magnets when demonstrating an automobile, or to the rear window by tape, or by screwing them to the license plate cavity of the vehicle. The disadvantages of these are that the use of magnets can result in scratching the vehicle's paint, taping them to the rear window restricts the view through the window and may cause an accident, and by having to screw the license plate to the cavity takes too much of the selling time of the salesman.


The present invention provides a data communication method and a data communication device capable of performing high-speed data communication by using a parallel link and higher-speed data communication by reducing a timing skew. A data communication method includes: a step of encoding data of N bits (N being 2 or larger) to transmission data of M bits (M being 3 or larger) on a transmission side; a step of generating a transmission signal in which transition takes place in at least one level of any of the transmission data synchronously with a transmission clock and transmitting the transmission signal to a transmission line on the transmission side; a step of recognizing transition in the signal of M bits received via the transmission line and detecting the reception data of M bits synchronized with the transmission clock on a reception side; and a step of decoding the reception data of M bits to the data of N bits.

The present invention relates to a data communication device and a technique effectively applied for a technique of data communication performed between, mainly, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and a main storage device or the like.
Methods of performing data communication between integrated circuits are roughly divided into a parallel communication method (parallel link) using a plurality of transmission lines and transmitting data in parallel, and a serial communication method (serial link) using a single transmission line and transmitting data in series. Usually, the parallel link can simultaneously transmit plural data, so that a transmission/reception data amount per unit time is large. However, since it is necessary to suppress a skew of timings of the plural data, the parallel link is generally used, for example, in data communication between the semiconductor integrated circuits having a short transmission line. On the other hand, in the serial link, since only a piece of data can be transmitted/received per unit time, the transmission/reception data amount per unit time is small. However, it is unnecessary to consider the timing skew, so that transmission of long distance is easy. The serial link is mainly used for connecting digital devices such as a VCR (video cassette recorder), a DVD player, a mini-disc recorder, a set-top box, and the like.
An example of the parallel link is disclosed in "JEDEC standard 79, Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM specification" (hereinbelow, called Literature 1). An example of the serial link is disclosed in "Architecture of IEEE 1394", Interface, July, 1999 (hereinbelow, called Literature 2).

Data communication method and data communication device and semiconductor device


A packaging machine and process for loading bags of a novel web of side connected bags are disclosed. The web is fed through a bagger section by a pair of grooved main transport belts and a pair of lip transport belts each disposed in the groove of the associated main belt to trap bag lips in the grooves. Adjustable belt spreaders space reaches of the transport belt as they move through a load station whereby to sequentially open the bags into rectangular configurations. A closure section in the form of a novel and improved heat sealer is releasably connectable to the bagger section. The sections are adjustable together between horizontal and vertical orientations. Processes of opening, closing and sealing side connected bags are also disclosed.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,310 issued Nov. 13, 1990 to Hershey Lerner et al. under the title Packaging Machine and Method and assigned to the assignee of this patent (the SP Patent) discloses and claims a packaging machine which has enjoyed commercial success. One of the major advantages of the machine of the SP Patent resides in a novel conveyor belt mechanism for gripping upstanding lips of bags of a chain as they are transported along a path of travel and registered at a load station. The firmness with which the lips are gripped makes the machine highly suitable for packaging bulky products which are stuffed into the bags. While the machine of the SP Patent was an advance over the prior art, especially in terms of its lip gripping capability, even greater lip gripping capabilities, if achieved, would be useful in enabling packaging of additional products. Expressed another way, the bag gripping forces of the machine of the SP Patent were dependent on clamping pressure applied between pairs of belts. Thus, while the machine was a definite advance over the art, as to any given bag size, it has a finite maximum stuffing pressure it can withstand without slippage.
Since the bag gripping is dependent on the force with which belt pairs are clamped, the length of the path of travel through the load station is limited. Thus the length of a bag along the path of travel is limited, loading of a bag while it moves along the path of travel is not possible and the concurrent loading of two or more bags is not available.
With the machine of the SP Patent there is an intermittent section which includes the loading station and a continuous section which includes a sealing station. Since the section including the loading station is intermittent, obviously the throughput of the machine is inherently less than could be achieved with a continuously operating loading section.
The machine of the SP Patent had further advantages over the prior art, including an adjustable bag opening mechanism which was adapted to accept a wide range of bag sizes and adjustable to provide a range of bag openings. While an advance over the prior art, the bag openings were six sided so that, like most of the prior art, a rectangular bag opening was not achievable.
Although one prior machine provides rectangular openings, the dimensions of the rectangular openings, both longitudinally and transversely, are limited both by the construction of the chain of bags being filled and by guide rods used to transport the bags. Thus, if an operator wished to change from one opening size to another, another and different web of bags was required. Moreover, to the extent, that the packaging machine could be adjusted to vary the configuration of the rectangular opening, such available adjustment was extremely limited because it required substitution of a different set of guide rods. Further, there was excessive packaging material waste in the form of elongate tubes which slid along the guide rails.
While the machine of the SP Patent has been sold under the designation SP-100V for vertical orientation in which products can be gravity loaded into bags and the designation SP-100H for horizontal loading of stuffable products, neither machine was suitable for adjustment from horizontal to vertical and return, nor for orientation at selected angles of product insertion between the horizontal and the vertical.
A problem has been experienced with prior art sealers having pairs of opposed belts to transport bags through a seal station. The problem is that too frequently due to weight of the products there is slippage of bags relative to the belts and sometimes of the bag fronts relative to the backs resulting in poor seal quality. Alternatively or additionally it is too often necessary to provide a conveyor or other support for bags as they are transported through the scaler station.


By monitoring both charge current and the battery voltage (306, 308) the likelihood of overcharging a battery is reduced. Battery voltage is compared to a predetermined limit (310) and the battery goes into trickle charge if the predetermined limit is exceeded (312), but now by also determining if a positive delta in charge current has occurred (314), the charger can trickle charge the battery (312) even if the cutoff voltage is never exceeded.

A constant voltage battery charger is a basic charger in which battery voltage is monitored during the charging sequence and once a predetermined battery voltage is reached charging stops. Basically, the constant voltage charger operates by rapid charging a battery at a predetermined charge current and then decreasing the charge current to a minimum charge, commonly referred to as trickle charge current, once the predetermined battery voltage is reached. A problem can arise, however, as the battery starts to heat up as it approaches its end of charge. The rise in battery temperature can cause a slight slump or dip in the battery voltage, and even though the battery is essentially fully charged, the constant voltage charger senses this dip in battery voltage as an incompletely charged battery. Rather than reverting to trickle charge, the constant voltage charger may continue to rapid charge a battery which is essentially fully charged. A self-perpetuating cycle of overcharging can occur where the current rises, causing the battery to heat, which in turn causes the voltage to drop, which further causes the current to increase. FIG. 1 shows a prior art graph depicting an example of this overcharging phenomena. Graph 100 shows curves comparing battery temperature 102, battery terminal voltage 104, and battery charge current 106 versus time for a battery being charged at its rated charge current. As seen on the graph 100, once a battery approaches its fully charged state (designator 108), a slight rise in battery temperature 102 causes the battery voltage 104 to drop slightly, causing the charge current 106 to ramp up (as seen between designators 108, 110), thereby increasing the charge current on an already fully charged battery.
This overcharging phenomena can also occur when the battery temperature rises as a result of a rise in ambient temperature, such as in an automotive environment. The voltage of a fully charged battery will vary depending on the ambient temperature. FIG. 2 shows a graph of typical battery charge curves for a 7.5 volt nickel cadmium battery charged at a rapid charge rate of 1 C (current=rated capacity of battery) in three different ambient temperature environments. Curve 202 represents the battery being charged at -30 degrees Celsius (.degree.C.). Curve 204 represents the battery being charged at room temperature, and curve 206 represents the battery being charged at +60.degree. C. As seen from the graph 200, the peak battery voltage varies from approximately 10.5 volts at the colder temperature to approximately 9.5 volts at the hotter temperature. Thus, if the battery cutoff voltage in the charging sequence is not set low enough, then an overcharging condition can occur at hotter temperatures as the charger continually attempts to rapid charge a battery which will never achieve the preset cutoff voltage. Unfortunately, setting the cutoff voltage to a lower voltage setting has the disadvantage of being unable to fully charge the battery to its full capacity when this same battery is being charged at room temperature or colder temperatures.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved charging technique which addresses the problems described above.

Technique for avoiding overcharging a battery


An electrical connector comprises a dielectric housing and a plurality of conductive contacts retained in the dielectric housing. The dielectric housing comprises a pair of guiding portions and an engaging portion between the guiding portions. The engaging portion comprises an upper engaging plane, and a parallel opposite lower engaging plane. A mounting plane defined between the upper engaging plane and lower engaging plane. The guiding portion defining a lower face aligned with the mounting plane. Each the contact comprises a tail portion extending to the mounting plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to the art of the method of aligning a straddle mount type electrical connector to a printed circuit board (PCB), and more particularly to the resulting product thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Referring to FIG. 6, a section view of a through hole mount type connector mounted on a PCB 7 is shown. The connector comprise a dielectric housing 5, a board lock 6 is secured in the dielectric housing 5, the board lock 6 comprises a retaining portion 63 secured in the dielectric housing 5, and a pair of legs 61 extending down from the retaining portion 63, each leg defining a hook 62 thereon. The PCB 7 comprises a through hole 71 therein. When mounting, the legs 61 is inserted though the though hole 71 with the hooks 62 hold a bottom 72 of the PCB 7, so the dielectric housing 5 of the connector is reliably fixed to the PCB 7.
With the development of a surface mount technology (SMT), it is possible to reduce the mounting stature of the connector for the printed circuit board and to realize a connector for a PCB having a narrow pitch contactor. The SMT is a technique in which, instead of through-hole mounting, lead parts overlap a contact pad (or land) formed on the PCB and are soldered thereto using a soldering device such as a hot-air circulation reflow soldering device. In the straddle mount type connector manufactured by the SMT, the lead parts of the connector are soldered to an edge connector comprised of contact pads. When a board lock is not used, the connector is difficult to be aligned to a PCB.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

Method of producing a straddle mount connector and the resulting product thereof


A solid-state imaging device according to an embodiment is a solid-state imaging device in which a plurality of pixel regions are formed into a two-dimensional array isolating the pixel regions from each other by element isolation regions, including a plurality of microlenses, a plurality of color filters arranged below the plurality of microlenses, a plurality of photoelectrical conversion sections arranged below the plurality of color filters and a magnetic field generating section provided on the element isolation regions between the plurality of microlenses and the plurality of photoelectrical conversion sections.

Conventionally, solid-state imaging devices are widely used as image sensors. Image sensors are mounted on various apparatuses such as a camera apparatus, and in recent years, their pixel sizes are becoming smaller due to a tendency to increase the number of pixels of the solid-state imaging devices.
A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixel regions arranged in a two-dimensional array and each pixel region is provided with a microlens that condenses light, a color filter that divides a color and a photodiode that performs photoelectrical conversion.
A pixel size reduction may result in an increased ratio between an incident distance and a condensing opening width of each pixel, that is, an increased aspect ratio, and may also result in an increased aspect ratio of a photodiode layer in each pixel region or the like, which is more likely to cause a problem of color mixing or the like.


The present invention discloses an electric jar pot with ozone disinfection function. The device includes a jar pot with an ozone generator and an ozone conveying device. By the power source connected with the device, the ozone generator produce the ozone gas while the device boils water. Through the ozone conveying device, the ozone gas is delivered to the bottom of the jar pot and is released, dissolved in water to form ozone water. Thus the germs inside the water are eliminated, the water is sterilized and purified.

The present invention relates to an electric jar pot, more specially to an electric jar pot with an ozone generator that produce ozone from the bottom of the jar pot and the ozone gas is dissolved in the water for oxidizing the contaminants or bacteria and provide clean and healthy water.
Water is essential to our daily lives. However, it's difficult to control the quality of water because the pollution of water resource is getting serious. No matter in hotels or at home, it's impossible to drink directly from the tap. Thus it is necessary to use electric jar pots for water boiling.

Electric jar pot with ozone disinfection function


An indexing system uses a graph-like data structure that clusters features indexes together. The minimum atomic value in the data structure is represented as a leaf node which is either a single feature index or a sequence of two or more feature indexes when a minimum sequence length is imposed. Root nodes are formed as clustered collections of leaf nodes and/or other root nodes. Context nodes are formed from root nodes that are associated with content that is being indexed. Links between a root node and other nodes each include a sequence order value that is used to maintain the sequencing order for feature indexes relative to the root node. The collection of nodes forms a graph-like data structure, where each context node is indexed according to the sequenced pattern of feature indexes. Clusters can be split, merged, and promoted to increase the efficiency in searching the data structure.

Most information structures impose a cost for data entry and impose semantic constraints and assumptions on the data they hold. A hierarchy is created where the information is referenced and often cross-referenced in more than one instance. In one example, a hierarchy of information is created for "toys" and "robots." In this example, "toys" can be either categorized under "robots" or vice-versa. For such an example, a redundant reference can be created where the same information is stored twice, once for "toys" under "robots" and also once for "robots" under "toys."
The present disclosure has considered some intermediate representation (IR) techniques that can be utilized to construct a data structure from the input data. Example IR type structures can be found in: a prefix tree or TRIE, a classical string compression techniques such as Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW), a genomic approaches such as the so-called Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST), and dynamic time warping and longest common subsequence like approaches. However, the present disclosure recognizes and appreciates that conventional IR techniques can result in undesirable cross-references that can result in the same information being stored multiple times.
The present disclosure contemplates that a graph is far more powerful than hierarchies, trees, or lists, and can provide much better efficiency and flexibility. A graph imposes no burden on data entry, and offers "pivoting" or "tree shaking". A graph also allows the data to be characterized by statistics and probabilities—for example, the "similarity" measure of one "clique" to another, the "likelihood" of one "path" leading to another, etc. Hierarchies, trees, and lists can naturally and easily be "embedded" within a graph. A graph can serve as an ideal structure to store a set of arbitrary symbol streams (e.g. voice patterns) in a highly compressed way for later searching and retrieving. The present disclosure explores mechanisms and methods for indexing and organizing streams within a graph-like data structure.

Self-compacting pattern indexer: storing, indexing and accessing information in a graph-like data structure


A reaction product is prepared from a polycarboxylic acid group containing polymeric material and a polyazetidinol of a specific structural formula. The polyazetidinol can also be formulated into curable compositions both as film forming vehicle or alternatively as an additive to improve mar and humidity resistance.

The present invention relates to azetidinol containing materials having at least two azetidinol moieties per molecule and reaction products and curable compositions prepared therewith.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/814,655, filed Dec. 30, 1991, entitled Azetidinol Reaction Products, azetidinol containing materials having one azetidinol moiety per molecule are disclosed as grind vehicles for the preparation of a variety of pigmented coating compositions and also as modifiers for acrylic polymers and oligomers as well as other polymers and oligomers without the handling hazards associated with certain other small nitrogen ring containing materials. These modified materials, however, are non thermoset materials which require a crosslinking agent to produce a cured product. As a result, the curing process releases undesirable volatile byproducts of a curing reaction with aminoplast or polyisocyanate crosslinkers.
Although quite advantageous, the modified azetidinols described above are limited in their applicability since they are incapable of self-crosslinking or reacting with other oligomers to form cured films without externally added crosslinking agents.
The preparation of azetidinols with such properties would be desirable and advantageous.


The present invention is a generally conical nebulizer, aerosol, filter or inhalant face mask for sealing against the atmosphere a wearer's mouth and nose, the improvement comprising a representation of a face on the outside surface with an exhaust valve located where the mouth would be located. The exhaust valve is adapted to visibly lift outward and up from the outside mask surface to imitate a flapping tongue.

Nebulizer, filter or inhalant masks are well known to provide human-to-nebulizing equipment connection for delivery of atomized liquids and aerosols. The lungs can be easily penetrated by medicinal aerosols and provides a convenient and generally safe vehicle for obtaining rapid absorption of medication by the body. Medication or drugs are generally delivered to the lung membrane in the form of a fine mist or aerosol which is breathed into the lungs through the nose or mouth of the patient. Quite typically, a nebulizer is used to convert a liquid into a fine aerosol, and the aerosol is introduced into the lungs by means of a face mask which delivers the aerosol through the mouth and nose of the patient. However, conventional face masks have been consistently designed with medical necessity and cost minimization in mind over patient acceptance of the face mask. It is known that inhalant systems incorporating a face mask are often repeatedly used by a patient in order to treat what is usually a long term, repeating or chronic illness. Although providing an aerosol to the lungs of some medications is clearly preferable to injection or oral medications, it is a rather dreary prospect to the patient.
It is well known in the art of holiday celebration to provide decorative masks for revelers. These ornamental masks have no function other than to provide entertainment in the context of the celebration and often bear relatively accurate representations of famous persons or fantastical faces. Regardless of their basis in reality or fantasy, most of such ornamental face masks bear a two or three dimensional representation of a face with at least a nose and eyes, most often with a mouth of some sort. Most persons from a very early age are exposed to such ornamental masks and associate them with rather happy memories. Even a fleeting view of such ornamental masks brings to mind happier times. Such ornamental masks bear the faces of clowns, animals, cartoon characters, and other brightly colored entities.
There is a need for a face mask that combines the benefits of ornamental face masks with the functions of face masks for receiving aerosol or nebulized liquids so that children and young persons are thereby encouraged to engage in what is sometimes a frightening or dreary experience for them.

Nebulizer, filter or inhalant mask encouraging use thereof