In a battery monitoring system included in a secondary battery, high-accuracy charge control is enabled at low cost. A semiconductor device includes: a drive unit which drives a transistor for controlling the charge current of a secondary battery and which is configured to be capable of selecting one of plural different voltages as a drive voltage (VGC) for turning on the transistor; and a data processing control unit which performs program processing. The data processing control unit generates condition information including information about the battery level of the secondary battery based on measured values of the secondary battery voltage and current and adjusts the charge current of the secondary battery by changing the drive voltage selection.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a battery pack and, more particularly, to a technique effective in controlling, in a semiconductor device for monitoring the condition of a secondary battery, charging of the secondary battery.
With portable devices, typically smartphones, rapidly spreading in recent years, demand for secondary batteries for driving such portable devices has been rapidly increasing. Since secondary batteries are required to drive portable devices for a long period of time, large-capacity secondary batteries have been developed by many enterprises and organizations. In using a secondary battery to drive a portable device for a long period of time, controlling not only the capacity but also the battery level of the secondary battery is important. To control the battery level of a secondary battery, a method dependent on detection of the output voltage of the secondary battery has been in use. Since, however, it is a characteristic of secondary batteries that their output voltages are approximately constant over their normal operating ranges, the battery level of a secondary battery cannot be accurately controlled by the method in which the output voltage of the secondary battery is detected. Hence, it has been difficult to drive a portable device for a long period of time even by using a large-capacity secondary battery. Under such circumstances, it is currently a mainstream approach to install a "battery monitoring system" on the battery pack side to detect the charge/discharge current of a secondary battery and accurately control the battery level of the secondary battery. A battery monitoring system generally includes an FG-IC (fuel gauge IC), a sense resistor, a MOS transistor for charge control, a MOS transistor for discharge control, and a protection circuit (e.g. a thermistor, secondary protection IC, or fuse) and is provided in a battery pack along with a secondary battery. For example, the FG-IC includes a microcontroller and has functions for controlling the battery level of a secondary battery, controlling MOS transistors for charge and discharge control, and providing primary protection for the secondary battery. The sense resistor is used to detect the charge current and discharge current of the secondary battery as voltage information. The sense resistor for current detection is required to be of high accuracy and a low resistance. Generally, therefore, such a sense resistor is not a resistor element which is formed in the FG-IC using a semiconductor process involving significant accuracy variation. An external high-accuracy resistor element is used as such a sense resistor. The protection circuit such as a thermistor, secondary protection IC, or fuse monitors the condition of the battery and, if any abnormal condition is detected, stops charging or discharging of the battery by turning off the MOS transistor for charge or discharge control so as to prevent the battery from entering a dangerous condition. Existing techniques concerning secondary battery protection functions are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 2005-312140 and Hei 09 (1997)-285033 hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, respectively).
As is known from the fact that battery monitoring systems are provided with many protection functions, secondary batteries are dangerous. For example, if a secondary battery, typically, a lithium-ion battery is charged by applying an unnecessarily large current or an excessively high voltage, it may rupture resulting in a serious accident. Therefore, charging a secondary battery in an inappropriate manner must be avoided. This is all the more so, because inappropriate charging of a secondary battery can degrade the secondary battery resulting in shortening the battery life. Hence, besides the protection functions provided in the battery monitoring system as described above, a charge control device like the one disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-311799 is provided on the charger side of the secondary battery. For example, as such a charge control device, an IC for charge control compatible with constant-current, constant-voltage charging (hereinafter referred to as CCCV charging) is widely used. In a main-stream configuration of ICs for charge control, analog control is performed as in a DC/DC converter. In CCCV charging, a battery is charged, while its battery level is low using a constant current and, when the battery nears a fully charged state, the battery is charged in a manner to keep the battery voltage constant. To perform CCCV charging of a battery, a sense resistor for current detection is required so that whether the charge current is at an appropriate level can be monitored. The sense resistor, like the one provided in the above battery monitoring system, is also required to be of high accuracy and a low resistance. Therefore, a relatively expensive external resistor element is used as such a sense resistor. Also, in many cases, the charge control device is provided with, in addition to the IC for charge control and the sense resistor, an external transistor for charge control which can turn on/off charging.


A manually operated, vertically reciprocating liquid pump dispenser is removably connectable to a bottle containing liquid and simultaneously pumps liquid from the bottle and air from the exterior environment of the dispenser and mixes the liquid with the air to produce a foam that is dispensed from the dispenser. The dispenser includes a closure connector that provides a mechanism for venting the interior of the bottle to the exterior environment of the dispenser while avoiding leakage of the liquid from the bottle, and also incorporates a mechanism for locking the dispenser to prevent unintended pumping of liquid from the bottle.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a manually operated reciprocating liquid pump dispenser that is removably connectable to a bottle containing a liquid. Manual operation of the dispenser simultaneously pumps the liquid from the bottle and pumps air from the exterior environment of the dispenser, mixes the liquid with the air to produce a foam, and dispenses the foam from the dispenser. More specifically, the pump dispenser of the invention includes a closure connector that provides a mechanism for venting the interior of the bottle to the exterior environment of the pump dispenser while avoiding leakage of the liquid from the bottle, and also incorporates a mechanism for locking the pump dispenser to prevent unintended pumping of the liquid from the bottle.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispensers are those types of dispensers that are typically oriented vertically in use, and have a plunger at the top of the dispenser that is manually pressed downwardly to dispense the liquid contents of a bottle connected to the dispenser. The typical construction of such a dispenser includes an elongate pump housing and an elongate plunger that is received inside the pump housing for reciprocating movements between charge and discharge positions of the pump plunger in the pump housing.
The pump housing is inserted into the bottle neck opening of the bottle. A closure connector at the top of the pump housing removably secures the pump housing to the bottle neck. A dip tube connected at the bottom of the pump housing extends downwardly into the liquid in the bottle. The pump housing contains a liquid pump chamber and a check valve. The check valve controls the flow of liquid through the dip tube and into the pump chamber, and prevents the reverse flow of liquid.
The pump plunger has a tubular length with a liquid discharge passage extending through the center of the plunger. A liquid piston is mounted on the plunger and is received in the pump chamber for reciprocating movements. A dispensing head is provided at the top of the plunger. The dispensing head has a discharge outlet that communicates with the discharge passage of the plunger. A check valve in the liquid discharge passage controls the flow of liquid from the pump chamber and out through the dispensing head, and prevents the reverse flow of liquid.
A spring is positioned in the pump chamber. The spring biases the plunger upwardly to a charge position of the plunger relative to the pump housing. The upward movement of the plunger moves the piston upwardly in the pump chamber, which creates a vacuum in the pump chamber that draws liquid through the dip tube and into the pump chamber.
The pump plunger is manually depressed downwardly against the bias of the spring to a discharge position of the plunger relative to the pump housing. The downward movement of the plunger moves the piston downwardly in the pump chamber. The downward piston movement forces the liquid in the pump chamber through the liquid discharge passage of the plunger and out of the dispenser through the dispensing head.
In addition to the basic component parts of the manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispenser described above, many prior art pump dispensers are provided with a venting feature. The venting feature includes a vent opening that communicates the exterior environment of the dispenser with the interior of the bottle when the pump plunger is reciprocated in the pump housing. Air from the exterior environment of the dispenser is allowed to pass through the vent opening and enter the bottle interior to fill the volume in the bottle interior left vacant by the liquid being dispensed by the operation of the pump. Without such a vent opening, as liquid is dispensed from the bottle, a vacuum would be created in the bottle interior. The vacuum would eventually overcome the vacuum created by the pump piston moving to its charge position in the pump chamber, and prevent the pump from drawing liquid into the pump chamber. The increasing vacuum in the interior of the bottle could also possibly result in the inwardly collapsing of the bottle side walls. To overcome this problem, many prior art manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispensers are provided with constructions that allow air to vent into the interior of the bottle connected to the dispenser, while preventing liquid in the bottle from leaking out of the dispenser through the vent feature.
In addition to the above, many prior art manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispensers are provided with a locking feature. The locking feature would lock the plunger in its upward charge position relative to the pump housing or its downward discharge position relative to the pump housing. The locking feature would also close the liquid flow path through the pump. The locking feature thus prevents the unintended pumping of liquid from the bottle caused by unintended reciprocating movements of the pump plunger in the pump housing.
All of the above-described features that are often included in the typical construction of a manually operated, vertically reciprocated pump dispenser add to the number of component parts of the dispenser and add to the complexity of the assembly of the dispenser.
Manually operated, vertically reciprocated liquid pump dispensers have been developed that not only pump liquid from a bottle through the dispenser, but also pump air from the exterior environment of the dispenser through the dispenser, mixing the air with the liquid to generate a foam that is dispensed from the dispenser. These types of dispensers not only include all of the component parts of a dispenser required to draw liquid from the bottle connected to the dispenser and pump the liquid from the dispenser, but also include the additional component parts required to draw air from the exterior environment of the dispenser into the dispenser, mix the air with the liquid being pumped through the dispenser to generate the foam, and dispense the foam from the dispenser. Dispensers of this type that pump both liquid and air have even more component parts and an even more complex assembly than dispensers that pump only liquid. To provide a dispenser of this type with a venting feature and a locking feature would even further increase the number of component parts and the complexity of the assembly of the dispenser. To manufacture such a dispenser economically, it is necessary to provide a unique design of the dispenser that reduces the number of separate component parts of the dispenser and simplifies the dispenser construction.

Rotating dispenser head with locking and venting closure connector for an air foaming pump dispenser


Novel vertebrate homologues of Smoothened, including human and rat Smoothened, are provided. Compositions including vertebrate Smoothened chimeras, nucleic acid encoding vertebrate Smoothened, and antibodies to vertebrate Smoothened, are also provided.

The present invention relates generally to novel Smoothened proteins which interact with Hedgehog and Patched signalling molecules involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. In particular, the invention relates to newly identified and isolated vertebrate Smoothened proteins and DNA encoding the same, including rat and human Smoothened, and to various modified forms of these proteins, to vertebrate Smoothened antibodies, and to various uses thereof.
Development of multicellular organisms depends, at least in part, on mechanisms which specify, direct or maintain positional information to pattern cells, tissues, or organs. Various secreted signalling molecules, such as members of the transforming growth factor-beta (xe2x80x9cTGF-betaxe2x80x9d), Wnt, fibroblast growth factor (xe2x80x9cFGFxe2x80x9d), and hedgehog families, have been associated with patterning activity of different cells and structures in Drosophila as well as in vertebrates [Perrimon, Cell, 80:517-520 (1995)].
Studies of Drosophila embryos have revealed that, at cellular blastoderm and later stages of development, information is maintained across cell borders by signal transduction pathways. Such pathways are believed to be initiated by extracellular signals like Wingless (xe2x80x9cWgxe2x80x9d) and Hedgehog (xe2x80x9cHhxe2x80x9d). The extracellular signal, Hh, has been shown to control expression of TGF-beta, Wnt and FGF signalling molecules, and initiate both short-range and long-range signalling actions. A short-range action of Hh in Drosophila, for example, is found in the ventral epidermis, where Hh is associated with causing adjacent cells to maintain wingless (wg) expression [Perrimon, Cell, 76:781-784 (1994)]. In the vertebrate central nervous system, for example, Sonic hedgehog (xe2x80x9cSHhxe2x80x9d; a secreted vertebrate homologue of dHh) is expressed in notocord cells and is associated with inducing floor plate formation within the adjacent neural tube in a contact-dependent manner [Roelink et al., Cell, 76:761-775 (1994)]. Perrimon, Cell, 80:517-520 (1995) provide a general review of some of the long-range actions associated with Hh.
Studies of the Hh protein in Drosophila (xe2x80x9cdHhxe2x80x9d) have shown that hh encodes a 46 kDa native protein that is cleaved into a 39 kDa form following signal sequence cleavage and subsequently cleaved into a 19 kDa amino-terminal form and a 26 kDa carboxy-terminal form [Lee et al., Science, 266:1528-1537 (1994)]. Lee et al. report that the 19 kDa and 26 kDa forms have different biochemical properties and are differentially distributed. DiNardo et al. and others have disclosed that the dHh protein triggers a signal transduction cascade that activates wg [DiNardo et al., Nature, 332:604-609 (1988); Hidalgo and Ingham, Development, 110:291-301 (1990); Ingham and Hidalgo, Development, 117:283-291 (1993)] and at least another segment polarity gene, patched (ptc) [Hidalgo and Ingham, supra; Tabata and Kornberg, Cell, 76:89-102 (1994)]. Properties and characteristics of dHh are also described in reviews by Ingham et al., Curr. Opin. Genet. Dev., 5:492-498 (1995) and Lumsden and Graham et al., Curr. Biol., 5:1347-1350 (1995). Properties and characteristics of the vertebrate homologue of dHh, Sonic hedgehog, are described by Echelard et al., Cell, 75:1417-1430 (1993); Krauss et al., Cell, 75:1431-1444 (1993); Riddle et al., Cell, 75:1401-1416 (1993); Johnson et al., Cell, 79:1165-1173 (1994); Fan et al., Cell, 81:457-465 (1995); Roberts et al., Development, 121:3163-3174 (1995); and Hynes et al., Cell, 80:95-101 (1995).
In Perrimon, Cell, 80:517-520 (1995), it was reported that the biochemical mechanisms and receptors by which signalling molecules like Wg and Hh regulate the activities, transcription, or both, of secondary signal transducers have generally not been well understood. In Drosophila, genetic evidence indicates that Frizzled (xe2x80x9cFzxe2x80x9d) functions to transmit and transduce polarity signals in epidermal cells during hair and bristle development. Fz rat homologues which have structural similarity with members of the G-protein-coupled receptor superfamily have been described by Chan et al., J. Biol. Chem., 267:25202-25207 (1992). Specifically, Chan et al. describe isolating two different cDNAs from a rat cell library, the first cDNA encoding a predicted 641 residue protein, Fz-1, having 46% homology with Drosophila Fz, and a second cDNA encoding a protein, Fz-2, of 570 amino acids that is 80% homologous with Fz-1. Chan et al. state that mammalian fz may constitute a gene family important for transduction and intercellular transmission of polarity information during tissue morphogenesis or in differentiated tissues. Recently, Bhanot et al. did describe the identification of a Drosophila gene, frizzled2 (Dfz2), and predicted Dfz2 protein, which can function as a Wg receptor in cultured cells [Bhanot et al., Nature, 382:225-230 (1996)]. Bhanot et al. disclose, however, that there is no in vivo evidence that shows Dfz2 is required for Wg signalling.
Although some evidence suggests that cellular responses to dHh are dependent on the transmembrane protein, smoothened (dSmo), [Nusslein-Volhard et al., Wilhelm Roux""s Arch. Dev. Biol., 193:267-282 (1984); Jurgens et al., Wilhelm Roux""s Arch. Dev. Biol., 193:283-295 (1984); Alcedo et al., Cell, 86:221-232 (Jul. 26, 1996); van den Heuvel and Ingham, Nature, 382:547-551 (Aug. 8, 1996)], and are negatively regulated by the transmembrane protein, xe2x80x9cPatchedxe2x80x9d [(Hooper and Scott, Cell, 59:751-765 (1989); Nakano et al., Nature, 341:508-513 (1989); Hidalgo and Ingham, supra; Ingham et al., Nature, 353:184-187 (1991)], the receptors for Hh proteins have not previously been biochemically characterized. Various gene products, including the Patched protein, the transcription factor cubitus interruptus, the serine/threonine kinase xe2x80x9cfusedxe2x80x9d, and the gene products of Costal-2, smoothened (smo) and Suppressor of fused (Su(fu)), have been implicated as putative components of the Hh signalling pathway.
Prior studies in Drosophila led to the hypothesis that ptc encoded the Hh receptor [Ingham et al., Nature, 353:184-187 (1991)]. The activity of the ptc product, which is a multiple membrane spanning cell surface protein referred to as Patched [Hooper and Scott, supra], represses the wg and ptc genes and is antagonized by the Hh signal. Patched was proposed by Ingham et al. to be a constitutively active receptor which is inactivated by binding of Hh, thereby permitting transcription of Hh-responsive genes. As reported by Bejsovec and Wieschaus, Development, 119:501-517 (1993), however, Hh has effects in ptc null Drosophila embryos and thus cannot be the only Hh receptor. Accordingly, the role of Patched in Hh signalling has not been fully understood.
Goodrich et al. have isolated a murine patched gene [Goodrich et al., Genes Dev., 10:301-312 (1996)]. Human patched homologues have also been described in recently published literature. For instance, Hahn et al., Cell, 85:841-851 (1996) describe isolation of a human homolog of Drosophila ptc. The gene displays up to 67% sequence identity at the nucleotide level and 60% similarity at the amino acid level with the Drosophila gene [Hahn et al., supra]. Johnson et al. also provide a predicted amino acid sequence of a human Patched protein [Johnson et al., Science, 272:1668-16.71 (1996)]. Johnson et al. disclose that the 1447 amino acid protein has 96% and 40% identity to mouse and Drosophila Patched, respectively. The human and mouse data from these investigators suggest that patched is a single copy gene in mammals. According to Hahn et al., Cell, 85:841-851 (1996), analyses revealed the presence of three different 5xe2x80x2 ends for their human ptc gene. Hahn et al. postulate there may be at least three different forms of the Patched protein in mammalian cells: the ancestral form represented by the murine sequence, and the two human forms. Patched is further discussed in a recent review by Marigo et al., Development, 122:1225 (1996).
Studies in Drosophila have also led to the hypothesis that Smo could be a candidate receptor for Hh [Alcedo et al., supra; van den Heuvel and Ingham, supra]. The smoothened (smo) gene was identified as a segment polarity gene and initially named smooth [Nusslein-Volhard et al., supra]. Since that name already described another locus, though, the segment polarity gene was renamed smoothened [Lindsley and Zimm, xe2x80x9cThe Genome of Drosophila melanogaster,xe2x80x9dSan Diego, Calif.:Academic Press (1992)]. As first reported by Nusslein-Volhard et al., supra, the smo gene is required for the maintenance of segmentation in Drosophila embryos.
Alcedo et al., supra, have recently described the cloning of the Drosophila smoothened gene [see also, van den Heuvel and Ingham, supra]. Alcedo et al. report that hydropathy analysis predicts that the putative Smo protein is an integral membrane protein with seven membrane spanning alpha helices, a hydrophobic segment near the N-terminus, and a hydrophilic C-terminal tail. Thus, Smo may belong to the serpentine receptor family, whose members are all coupled to G proteins. Alcedo et al., supra, also report that smo is necessary for Hh signalling and that it acts downstream of hh and ptc.
As discussed in Pennisi, Science, 272:1583-1584 (1996), certain development genes are believed to play some role in cancer because they control cell growth and specialization. Recent studies suggest that patched is a tumor suppressor, or a gene whose loss or inactivation contributes to the excessive growth of cancer cells. Specifically, Hahn et al. and other investigators have found that patched is mutated in some common forms of basal cell carcinomas in humans [Hahn et al., Cell, 85:841-851 (1996); Johnson et al., supra; Gailani et al., in Letters, Nature Genetics, 13:September, 1996]. Hahn et al. report that alterations predicted to inactivate the patched gene product were found in six unrelated patients having basal cell nevus syndrome (xe2x80x9cBCNSxe2x80x9d), a familial complex of cancers and developmental abnormalities. Hahn et al. also report that the ptc pathway has been implicated in tumorigenesis by the cloning of the pancreatic tumor suppressor gene, DPC4. Vertebrate homologues of two other Drosophila segment polarity genes, the murine mammary Wntl [Rijsewijk et al., Cell, 50:649 (1987)] and the human glioblastoma GLI [Kinzler et al., Science, 236:70 (1987)], have also been implicated in cancer.
Applicants have identified cDNA clones that encode novel vertebrate Smoothened proteins, designated herein as xe2x80x9cvSmo.xe2x80x9d In particular, cDNA clones encoding rat Smoothened and human Smoothened have been identified. The vSmo proteins of the invention have surprisingly been found to be co-expressed with Patched proteins and to form physical complexes with Patched. Applicants also discovered that the vSmo alone did not bind Sonic hedgehog but that vertebrate Patched homologues did bind Sonic hedgehog with relatively high affinity. It is believed that Sonic hedgehog may mediate its biological activities through a multi-subunit receptor in which vSmo is a signalling component and Patched is a ligand binding component, as well as a ligand regulated suppressor of vSmo. Accordingly, without being limited to any one theory, pathological conditions, such as basal cell carcinoma, associated with inactivated (or mutated) Patched may be the result of constitutive activity of vSmo or vSmo signalling following from negative regulation by Patched.
In one embodiment, the invention provides isolated vertebrate Smoothened. In particular, the invention provides isolated native sequence vertebrate Smoothened, which in one embodiment, includes an amino acid sequence comprising residues 1 to 793 of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2). The invention also provides isolated native sequence vertebrate Smoothened which includes an amino acid sequence comprising residues 1 to 787 of FIG. 4 (SEQ ID NO:4). In other embodiments, the isolated vertebrate Smoothened comprises at least about 80% identity with native sequence vertebrate Smoothened comprising residues 1 to 787 of FIG. 4 (SEQ ID NO:4).
In another embodiment, the invention provides chimeric molecules comprising vertebrate Smoothened fused to a heterologous polypeptide or amino acid sequence. An example of such a chimeric is molecule comprises a vertebrate Smoothened fused to an epitope tag sequence.
In another embodiment, the invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding vertebrate Smoothened. In one aspect, the nucleic acid molecule is RNA or DNA that encodes a vertebrate Smoothened, or is complementary to such encoding nucleic acid sequence, and remains stably bound to it under stringent conditions. In one embodiment, the nucleic acid sequence is selected from:
(a) the coding region of the nucleic acid sequence of FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:1) that codes for residue 1 to residue 793 (i.e., nucleotides 450-452 through 2826-2828), inclusive;
(b) the coding region of the nucleic acid sequence of FIG. 4 (SEQ ID NO:3) that codes for residue 1 to residue 787 (i.e., nucleotides 13-15 through 2371-2373), inclusive; or
(c) a sequence corresponding to the sequence of (a) or (b) within the scope of degeneracy of the genetic code.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule encoding the vertebrate Smoothened. A host cell comprising the vector or the nucleic acid molecule is also provided. A method of producing vertebrate Smoothened is further provided.
In another embodiment, the invention provides an antibody which specifically binds to vertebrate Smoothened. The antibody may be an agonistic, antagonistic or neutralizing antibody.
In another embodiment, the invention provides non-human, transgenic or knock-out animals.
Another embodiment of the invention provides articles of manufacture and kits that include vertebrate Smoothened or vertebrate Smoothened antibodies.
A further embodiment of the invention provides protein complexes comprising vertebrate Smoothened protein and vertebrate Patched protein. In one embodiment the complexes further include vertebrate Hedgehog protein. The invention also provides vertebrate Patched which binds to vertebrate Smoothened. Optionally, the vertebrate Patched comprises a sequence which is a derivative of or fragment of a native sequence vertebrate Patched.


An illuminated animal restraint includes a leash having an elongated body; a plurality of light sources positioned along the elongated body; the light sources are connected by wiring which has a configuration to accommodate pull and sideway forces applied to the leash without damage to the wiring and light sources.

The present disclosure relates to animal or pet restraints. More particularly, it relates to a collar and leash which are illuminated by LEDs or light sources especially used for walking a pet or animal during dusk or nighttime hours to increase visibility as well as safety for both the pet and pet owner or walker in dark or dimly lit situations and environments.
Walking a pet at night or at dusk can pose visibility and safety issues for pets and their owners. Being visible to automobiles, bikes, etc. can prevent injury or harm to either the pet or the pet owner or walker. Thus, there is a need for leashes and collars which are illuminated.
Existing collars and leashes are often reflectively illuminated and rely on external light to trigger the reflective illumination.
Still other leashes use button cells instead of batteries and thus do not have sufficient power for illuminating the leash brightly or for long periods of time.
Some existing illuminated pet leashes are made of outer components that allow for stretching (e.g., polypropylene or nylon strap and PVC tubing.) However, no existing leashes appear to allow the internal wire mechanisms of an illuminated dog leash to accommodate this simultaneous external stretching or expansion as a result of pulling or tugging on the leash. For example, when illuminated pet leashes are pulled and the outer material stretches, the tension on the internal lighting components causes them to break and results in a malfunctioning leash. Moreover, no existing illuminated pet leashes appear to allow for side to side pull forces on the wire which tends to bend the wire back and forth until it breaks.
Accordingly, there is a need for an illuminated animal or pet collar and leash which has a feature to prevent breaking of the lighting system from pulling or sideway forces and which overcomes the above-mentioned deficiencies and others while providing better overall results.

Lighted animal restraint with break prevention feature


The present invention provides a method of discriminating a relative risk for the morbidity of atopic dermatitis of a test subject comprising: analyzing gene polymorphism of two or more of genes related to onset of atopic dermatitis using a sample isolated from a statistically significant number of normal persons and patients of atopic dermatitis to determine relative ratios (percentages (%)) related to the individual gene polymorphism of individual derived from the analysis; and calculating an odds ratio according to specified gene polymorphism from the relative ratio; and using, as a discrimination criterion, a combination of two or more of gene polymorphisms showing a synergetically higher odds ratio than odds ratios according to individual gene polymorphism. The method is useful for predicting susceptibility of an AD patient to chemicals based on genes and for selecting the diagnostic and/or therapeutic agent by eliminating harmful drug reactions from the analysis of principal factors related to onset and development of AD and interaction among these genes, and for determining a diagnostic method and therapeutic method using the detection method of morbidity risk.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic disease manifesting eczema with pruritus that repeats aggravation and remission as a major lesion (see the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (J. Allergy Clin. Immunol), 1999, vol. 104, S123). While the symptom of atopic dermatitis is diverse and the cause of the disease has not been elucidated yet, it is suspected that various substances such as natural substances including ticks, fur, feather, bacteria and fungi, foods such as egg and milk, and synthetic products such as chemical fibers and detergents may act as antigens. It is pointed out that skin barrier dysfunction caused by dry skin plays an important role in atopic dermatitis. In addition, it is recently suggested that stress is related to the onset of atopic dermatitis.
Topical steroids are usually used as remedies of atopic dermatitis (the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (J. Allergy Clin. Immunol), 1999, vol. 104, S123). However, it is necessary to exactly select the kind of the external use steroid preparation depending on severity of the disease and application sites and timing, and the symptom is reported to be aggravated by misusage. Side effects such as skin atrophy and rosacea-like dermatitis are known to occur by long term dosage of the external use steroid preparation, and a phenomenon called as rebound by which skin symptoms are remarkably aggravated may occur when administration of the preparation is improperly suspended.
Histamine antagonists and antiallergic agents are used today as the remedies of atopic dermatitis other than the external use steroid preparations. While the histamine antagonist is useful in the sense of partly alleviation of itch, it is usually considered not to lead to improvement of the skin dermatitis. The antiallergic agents such as tranilast, ketotifen, oxatomide and azelastine hydrochloride are ineffective or have little effect against atopic dermatitis, if any, and are usually used as auxiliary measures today. While an ointment of tacrolimus as an immunosuppressant has been recently developed as a remedy of atopic dermatitis (the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (J. Allergy Clin. Immunol), 1999, vol. 104, S126), emergence of side effect such as strong irritation on the skin has been apprehended.
Chymase inhibitors and anti-IgE antibodies have been reported as new candidates against atopic dermatitis. For example, it was elucidated that the chymase inhibitors such as SUN C8257 (Laboratory Investigation (Lab Invest), 2002, vol 82, p 789; and International Archives of Allergy and Immunology (Int Arch Allergy Immunol), 2002, vol. 128, p 229) and Y-40613 (Japanese Journal of Pharmacology (Jpn J Pharmacol), 2002, vol. 90, p 214) exhibit effectiveness in various mouse dermatitis models. Chymase is a chymotrypsin-like enzyme released from mast cells, and is shown to relate to processing of a stem cell factor for mast cell's own proliferation (Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United State of the America (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA), 1997, vol. 94, p 9017; and Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (Biochem Biophys Res Commun), 2002, vol. 290, p 1478) and random migration of the eosinophils. Inhibitors of chymase are suggested to be potentially useful as remedies of atopic dermatitis (Journal of Leukocyte Biology (J Leukoc Biol), 2000, vol. 67, p 585; and Biochemical Pharmacology (Biochem Pharmacol), 2002, vol. 64, p 1187). The anti-IgE antibody suppressed binding of blood IgE to mast cells. An example of the anti-IgE antibody is omalizumab, which is in an advanced stage of the clinical test against bronchial asthma and is approved as a medicine. Since a degranulation reaction of the mast cell via IgE is conjectured to play an important role in atopic dermatitis, application of omalizumab to atopic dermatitis has been expected (Monaldi Archives for Chest Diseases (Monaldi Arch Chest Dis), 2003, vol. 59, p 25).
Now, in terms of the fact that there are no remedies of atopic dermatitis that are satisfactory in both beneficial effects and side effects, these drugs may be possibly used in the clinical practice.
While atopic dermatitis is usually diagnosed by appearance and distribution of eczema of the skin, emergence of pruritus, if any, and clinical history, IgE level in the blood, familial onset of the disease and complications such as bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis, if any, may be basis of diagnosis (Japanese Dermatological Association: Guideline of Therapy of Atopic Dermatitis, Journal of Japanese Dermatological Association, 2004, vol. 114, p 135). Accordingly, medication of atopic dermatitis usually include selection of appropriate drugs (one or more drugs) from the external use steroid preparations, anti-histamine agents, anti-allergic agents and immunosuppressants depending on severity of the disease and administration of the drugs after diagnosis mainly by finding of appearance. However, the cause of onset of atopic dermatitis is not clear at present, and selection of the remedies are not always based on scientific reasons. Rather, it mainly depends on the experience of medical specialists. Since patients of atopic dermatitis include non-allergic type patients and intrinsic type patients who do not exhibit elevation of the blood IgE level, accurate diagnosis becomes more difficult.
Since atopic dermatitis is frequently familial origin, involvement of hereditary factors has been pointed out for a long time. When the disease is hereditary, specifying causative genes not only offer valuable information on the development of remedies specific to the disease but also are quite useful in terms of effective therapy based on gene diagnosis. For example, when a causative gene of the disease is identified to enable a substance that inhibits the function of a protein encoded by the causative gene to be obtained, the substance is naturally considered to be useful as a remedy for the disease. Investigation of the structure and expression level of the causative gene for individuals permits risk for the onset of the disease (readiness of morbidity) to be predicted while it is related to estimation of the effect (susceptibility) of the remedy that targets the causative gene. Therefore, ideal therapies in accordance with the causes of the disease of the individual may be expected to be possible.
A method usually called as linkage analysis is used for analyzing the causative gene of the disease, and this method has been already applied in atopic dermatitis. For example, Lee et al. have analyzed (genome-wide linkage study) in the entire region of the genome of patients of atopic dermatitis, and have reported that 3q21 of the chromosome is a candidate of the causative region (Nature Genetics (Nat Genet), 2000, vol. 26, p 470). Cookson's group has shown possibility of 1q21, 17q25 and 20p as candidates of the causative regions (Nature Genetics (Nat Genet), 2001, vol. 27, p 372). However, the gene region targetable by this method is restricted, and it is a current situation that no specific causative genes have been identified.
As for a method of targeting genes other than linkage analysis, there is a method in which the specific gene that may be the causes of the disease is subjected to Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) analysis. SNPs analysis has been applied to chymase, high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRIβ, IL-4 receptor and RANTES with respect to atopic dermatitis, and correlation between the disease and onset thereof has been reported. For example, Mao et al. (Lancet, 1996, vol. 48, p 1) have reported SNPs of 3255th nucleotide of the human mast cell chymase gene is correlated with onset of atopic dermatitis, while Shirakawa et al. (Nature Genetics (Nat Genet), 1994, vol. 7, p 125) have reported SNPs of 1343rd nucleotide of the high affinity IgE receptor gene is correlated with onset of atopic dermatitis. However, correlation between SNPs of these genes and onset of atopic dermatitis is not always clear, and there are opposed reports that atopic dermatitis is not correlated at all in the SNPs analysis of the same gene (Human Heredity (Hum Hered), 1998, vol. 48, p 271; Human Heredity (Hum Hered), 2001, vol. 51, p 177; and International Archives of Allergy and Immunology (Int Arch Allergy and Immunol), 1996, vol. 111, p 44). Therefore, the causative genes of atopic dermatitis are not concluded to be identified today.

Method of detecting relative risk for the onset of atopic dermatitis by gene single nucleotide polymorphism analysis


The active headrest of the invention includes individual parts provided in a seat back. The individual parts include a lower unit which operates by an impact given to a frame, a wire which elevates/lowers inside the seat back linked to the lower unit, a solenoid to which the wire is locked and/or an upper unit having the solenoid, and a headrest device linked to a lifter or a connecting portion of the upper unit. At the time of collision, the wire is tensioned downward, the lifter or connecting portion of the upper unit ascends or tilt forward, and the ascent and forward tilting of the headrest are performed instantaneously. As a result, this headrest can secure the ascent stroke and forward tilting which can follow the movement of a head, etc. at the time of collision, and can protect a head, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a headrest device for an active headrest for protecting a person at the time of impact (at the time of collision), and particularly, relates to a headrest device for an active headrest, which is capable of achieving protection of a person's head and neck and upward movement (ascent) and forward tilting of the headrest at high speed (or instantaneously) before ascent of the head (extension of the neck) at the time of collision, thereby achieving avoidance of whiplash, avoidance of neck injury, and the like through the protection of the head and neck.
2. Description of the Related Art
As known in the art, quality required for an automobile (vehicle) has evolved to include emission, horse power, fuel efficiency, safety, silence and ride comfort to meet demands of various kinds of people, such as passengers. Among these qualities, with a need to improve headrest performance from the standpoint of safety, for example, an active headrest has been put in practical use and inventions to support such practical use have been made. The headrest has as its requirements quick ascent and forward tilting of the headrest, accurate movement of the headrest, suppression of rattling sounds, an ensured role of the headrest at an emergency from the standpoint of frequent occurrence of accidents and/or various collisions, and the like.
The headrest meets a passenger's needs by being typically installed about 30 mm to 50 mm away from the passenger's head, without contact with the passenger's head to alleviate the passenger's unpleasant feeling. However, in actuality, such a headrest may cause an unexpected trouble at an emergency such as an impact and/or collision. An example of such a trouble is given below, including the relationship between the headrest and a seat.
In the prior art, a seat protects a passenger's back against an impact since the passenger's back contacts a seat back for the purpose of safety and/or comfortable driving. However, the above-mentioned headrest device does not protect the passenger's head, which gets away from the headrest. This is because the passenger's head vectorially moves upward at the time of collision. Thus, as the passenger's neck is extended, the passenger may suffer injuries ranging from light injury such as whiplash to a severe situation such as neck injury and/or amputation.
Under such circumstances, various techniques have been proposed to avoid whiplash and/or neck injury (protect a neck and/or a head) caused at the time of collision. The following Patent Documents may be cited as examples of these techniques. However, it can not be said that headrest devices disclosed in these documents are necessarily sufficient as headrest devices for an active headrest to protect a neck by ascending by a certain distance and forwardly tilting instantaneously.
JP-A-2005-296266 discloses a seat structure for a vehicle. This invention provides a seat for a vehicle in which the seat includes extendible/contractable side frames provided in a seat frame, a solenoid including a forward tilting mechanism provided between the side frames, and a headrest stay which can be elevated/lowered with respect to a headrest support provided in the solenoid, wherein a headrest can be tilted forward by the forward tilting mechanism and can be raised by ascent of the headrest stay. This technique of JP-A-2005-296266 intends to protect a passenger's neck and/or head by moving the upper part of the body of the passenger backward and moving the passenger's neck and/or head upward during rear-end collision through the ascent and forward tilting of the headrest.
Further, JP-A-2001-163099 discloses a seat structure for a vehicle. This invention provides a seat structure for a vehicle in which a headrest holder supporting a headrest stay ascends and tilts forward via a guide means provided in a frame, the guide means can return to its initial position by a regulating spring, and forward tilting and ascent of the guide means are regulated by a passive means such as a textile belt disposed in a seat back. This technique of JP-A-2001-163099 also intends to protect a passenger's neck and/or head, like JP-A-2005-296266.
Further, JP-A-2000-219069 discloses a seat structure for a vehicle. This invention provides a seat for a vehicle, including an upper pipe provided in a seat back frame, a pipe frame which is attached to the upper pipe and in/from which a headrest stay spliced and fixed to the upper pipe can be inserted/detached, a headrest supporting frame for forwardly tilting the pipe frame, and a pressure receiving portion provided in a frame for forwardly tilting the headrest supporting frame and the headrest. Accordingly, the seat back is raised and tilted forward by moving the headrest supporting frame and the pipe frame by pressing of the pressure receiving portion. This technique of JP-A-2000-219069 intends to further move the headrest forward in response to the movement amount of the pressure receiving portion with the backward movement of the upper half of the body of a passenger at the time of collision and further intends to achieve this series of operations with a simpler construction.
Moreover, JP-A-2000-211410 discloses a seat structure for a vehicle. This invention provides a seat for a vehicle in which a headrest supporting frame is provided at an upper end of a lever link mechanism secured to a seat back frame. The lever link mechanism is constituted by a lever rocking vertically in interlocking with a pressure receiving portion which moves by receiving a load at the time of collision, a first link interposed between the lever and the headrest supporting frame, and a second link interposed between the first link and the seat back frame. This technique of JP-A-2000-211410 intends to move the headrest supporting frame and the headrest diagonally forward and upward by increasing the movement amount of the pressure receiving portion to prevent a passenger from being damaged due to ascent of the passenger's head (to protect the passenger's neck and/or head).
JP-A-2005-296266 intends to protect the passenger's neck and/or head at the time of collision by ascent and forward tilting of the headrest. However, the technique of this JP-A-2005-296266 employs only a solenoid in which a forward tilting mechanism is provided. Therefore, this technique has room for further improvement, since it may be complicated in its structure and may not correctly operate in an emergency at the time of collision. In addition, when a surface of the seat back is lifted up, there is a possibility of occurrence of resistance against the ascent and/or forward tilting of the active headrest. In particular, there is a possibility of occurrence of a problem when the surface of the seat back has low tenacity and/or flexibility, like leather for luxury cars, synthetic leather, etc.
JP-A-2001-163099 also intends to protect the passenger's neck and/or head at the time of collision by ascent and forward tilting of the headrest. However, the technique of this JP-A-2001-163099 employs a construction in which the headrest stay is raised by a passive means such as a textile belt or the like. Therefore, in this technique, the movement distance of the ascent of the headrest is considered to be insufficient. For example, this technique has no consideration for the ascent of the passenger's head and thus has room for improvement to protect the passenger's head fully at the time of collision. A problem of a surface of the headrest is about the same as in JP-A-2005-296266.
JP-A-2000-219069 and JP-A-2000-211410 intend to protect the passenger's head fully at the time of collision by ascent of the headrest to the front. However, the techniques of these documents have room for improvements in the ascent distance and ascent speed to protect the passenger's head fully at the time of collision, through active ascent and forward tilting of the headrest. Further, when it is considered that the movement of passenger's head at the time of collision, ascent and/or descent with good response, etc., are secured, the technique of the document is not necessarily satisfactory. A problem of a surface of the headrest is about the same as JP-A-2005-296266.
However, there exists no active headrest to protect a passenger's head fully at the time of collision irrespective of body type or seating postures of the passenger. In addition, it is difficult for various conventionally improved active headrests to secure safety and relief of a passenger, comfort of traveling and driving, etc.


A power storage device that includes an electrolyte retaining layer between a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode. The electrolyte retaining layer retains an electrolyte. The first internal electrode has a first current collector and a first active material layer. The first active material layer is on a surface of the first current collector, which is closer to the second internal electrode. The second internal electrode has a second current collector and a second active material layer. The second active material layer is on a surface of the second current collector, which is closer to the first internal electrode. At least one of the electrolyte retaining layer, first active material layer, and second active material layer is exposed at the first and second end surfaces of the power storage device.

Conventionally, various power storage devices are known such as electric double layer capacitors and secondary batteries. An example thereof is described in, for example, Patent Document 1. The power storage device described in Patent Document 1 includes: a first internal electrode extracted to a first end surface; a second internal electrode extracted to a second end surface; and a separator placed between the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode. On the first end surface, a first external electrode is placed which is electrically connected to the first internal electrode. On the second end surface, a second external electrode is placed which is electrically connected to the second internal electrode.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-33907


A pressure dressing for use in the treatment of an auricular hematoma or other ear injury is formed from a thin strip of ductile metal having first and second spaced end portions which are joined by a central connector portion. A pair of foam sponge pads are adhesively affixed to an inner surface of the first and second end portions. In use, the connector portion is reversely bendable to position the pressure pads in closely spaced, substantially adjacent relation on opposing sides of the ear. The pads engage with opposing sides of the ear and exert pressure thereon so that blood does not reaccumulate in the injured area. The dressing may further include one or more tongue or arm portions which extend outwardly from the end portions and are bendable over and around the cartilaginous rim portions of the ear to maintain the dressing in position during periods of physical activity.

The instant invention relates to surgical pressure dressings and more particularly to a pressure dressing for use in the treatment of an auricular hematoma or other ear injury requiring pressure on the injured area.
An auricular hematoma is typically caused by a blunt trauma or shearing force to the external ear that disrupts the adherence of the perichondrium or skin of the ear to the underlying cartilage and the subsequent filling of the subperichondrial space with blood. Most auricular hematomas occur in the concavities on the anterior side of the ear because the anterior skin is closely fixed and firmly adherent to the underlying cartilage and therefore it will tend to shear off rather than slide over the cartilage. In contrast, the posterior skin of the ear is separated from the cartilage by muscle, fat and other tissue and is only loosely fixed to the cartilage. The posterior skin is therefore much more resistant to the shearing forces than the anterior skin.
Blunt trauma or shearing forces to the ear are typically inflicted during contact sports, such as wrestling and boxing. Because of the repeated trauma to the ear in these sports, auricular hematomas in wrestlers and boxers have traditionally been quite difficult to treat. In addition, many active athletes refuse to take the time off that is necessary for the hematoma to properly heal and for the skin to reattach to the cartilage. In the past it was common for wrestlers to line up after a match to have their ears "needled" to aspirate the accumulated blood. Many athletes refused the treatments because of excessive pain and as a result the untreated injuries usually resulted in a thickened deformity of the ear known as "cauliflower ear".
The standard approach in the treatment of an auricular hematoma is aspiration of the hematoma by a large bore needle, reapposition of the skin to the cartilage, prevention of hematoma reoccurrence, and the avoidance of infection. Most of the problems in the treatment of an auricular hematoma ar encountered with reapposition of the perichondrium to the underlying cartilage and the prevention of hematoma reoccurrence. Several surgical procedures have heretofore been known, but few have met with anything but limited success. One such procedure is to suture pressure dressings to the ear on opposing sides of the injured portion thereof. The pressure dressings are positioned on opposing sides of the ear and the sutures are passed through the cartilage to gently squeeze the skin and cartilage together between the dressings. This method often does not provide an evenly distributed pressure over the injured area and as a result, blood can reaccumualte under the skin to reform the hematoma. Reformation of the hematoma requires repeated aspiration of the accumualted blood which in turn increases the chance of infection. In addition, the procedure can sometimes be painful because several sutures are typically required to cover the entire area of the hematoma. Still further, the pressure dressing must be left in position for several weeks until the skin has reattached. For athletes who continue to participate in contact sports such as wrestling, these pressure dressings make the ear vulnerable to re-injury. The exposed dressing can easily be torn out during contact activity even if the ear is protected by head gear.
Another procedure which has had some success is to suture the detached skin and underlying cartilage together with absorbable mattress sutures. This procedure provides an evenly distributed pressure over the area of the injury and does not require the bulky pressure dressings of the previously described procedure, but it does have several disadvantages. The procedure requires several through and through sutures to completely cover the area of the hematoma and this can often be painful. The sutures can also irritate the ear tissue if they do not become absorbed quickly enough.
In addition to use in the treatment of auricular hematomas, pressure dressings are also used in many other treatments of the ear, such as the covering and compressing of an acute wound to the ear, the excision of a skin cancer, the placement of a skin graft, the repair of a torn earlobe, the treatment of a localized burn, or the excision of a keloid which can form on the earlobe or other portions of the ear after piercing thereof.


Described herein are systems, methods, and software to manage private networks for computing elements. In one example, a computing element may obtain credential information associated with a user and generate a public-private key pair for the computing element. The computing element may further communicate the public key from the pair with metadata to a coordination service to register the computing element at the coordination service. Once registered, the computing element may receive communication information associated with one or more other computing elements that permit the computing element to communicate with the other computing elements.

In computing networks, physical and virtual computing systems can include applications and services that require communications with other computing systems to provide desired operations. For example, an application on a first computing system may require data from a storage server located on a second computing system. To provide the communication, the data payload may be placed in a network packet and transferred to the required computing system. However, although network packets provide a method of communication between computing systems, difficulties often arise in maintaining security and configuration information to support the communications.
To overcome some of the deficiencies presented in securing network communications, various technologies have been developed. These technologies include virtual local area networks (VLANs), encryption for the data payload within the data packets, amongst other similar security procedures. Yet, while these security technologies may provide additional security over unprotected network packets, configuring individual networks can be difficult and cumbersome. These difficulties are compounded when a network includes different types of computing systems with different firewall and other security measures.

Centralized management of private networks


The present invention is an apparatus for uniformly pulling a base fabric taut for rug hooking. The apparatus includes an open rectangular frame having spaced parallel upper and lower members and spaced parallel side members having upper surfaces in a common plane. Grippers are pivotally supported on each of the frame members, wherein each of the grippers has a hinged outer edge and an upper surface adapted to grip the base fabric. Each gripper is independently pivotal between a relaxed position wherein the upper surface is parallel to the frame common plane and a raised position in which its upper surface is inclined outwardly. The apparatus further includes gripper actuators each having a gripper engagement end and a hand engagement end. The actuators are pivotal between a relaxed position and an engaged position, whereby the actuator moves the gripper to its raised position when the actuator is moved to the engaged position.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in uniformly stretching fabric, and more particularly to an apparatus for uniformly stretching a coarse woven textile fabric and holding the fabric taut during the crafting of rugs and other textile articles.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In handcrafting of rugs, a rectangular fabric segment is stretched in all directions to form a rug base. Yarns of different colors are then inserted in a pattern through the base fabric to form the rug design. In order to construct a rug that will maintain its desired shape, it is critical to uniformly stretch the base fabric in all directions and hold the fabric taut during rug construction. Otherwise, the shape of the rug will be distorted when the stretching forces on the rug are released.
Base fabrics are normally stretched with devices known as rug hooking frames, with several different frames being commercially available. The most basic and usually least expensive hooking frame is the hand-tightened hoop frame, which is comprised of inner and outer hoops. The base fabric is placed over the inner hoop and the outer hoop is pressed downwardly around the inner hoop to stretch and lock the fabric base between the hoops. The hoop frame is not sufficiently robust for anything other than small rugs, needlework, etc. Moreover, stretching of the rectangular fabric around a circular base does not provide the stretch uniformity desired.
A more robust and effective mechanically assisted rug-hooking frame is the lap frame, which can be supported by the user's lap or mounted on a floor support. The lap frame comprises an open rectangular frame having frame arms over which the fabric base is stretched. The fabric is secured to fabric grippers, such as strips of card clothing like that used in the card clothing presses of textile manufacturing, aligned along the sides of the frame.
Stretching of the fabric base over existing lap frames can be difficult and complex. Moreover, the fabric may not be stretched with the uniformity desired. Current mechanically assisted lap frames use a variety of relatively complex mechanisms involving gears and springs to stretch and clamp the fabric over the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,804 to Batey, for example, discloses a rectangular frame having two fixed frame arms and two moveable frame arms that include gears and springs.
A need remains for a rug hooking frame that can be used to uniformly stretch a fabric in both the side-to-side direction (herein the X-axis) and from top-to-bottom or front-to-back, depending on the orientation of the frame (herein the Y-axis) with a high degree of uniformity, while permitting ready release of the fabric when separation from the hooking frame is desired.


The present invention is a composite trash container that includes a container body defining a trash chamber and an opening that provides access to the trash chamber; a support mounted to the container body adjacent the opening, the support having a flange extending therefrom that is configured for rotational mounting a tubing cassette above the trash chamber, wherein the support encloses less than all of the opening to the trash chamber so that trash can be passed through the opening and into the trash chamber; a tubing cassette rotationally mounted to the flange of the support; and a tube sealing means for forming trash packets from tubing that is dispensed from the tubing cassette.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a composite trash container and, more particularly, to a composite trash container in which odoriferous and non-odoriferous trash may be separately contained.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many items in life are associated with smells generally found to be unpleasant. The fact is that the disposal of these items in everyday living can be a hassle. As an example, certain foods, such as meat and fish, generate smells once placed in a kitchen trash receptacle, often requiring the receptacle to be emptied long before it is completely filled. In addition, babies will generate a significant number of soiled diapers that, due to the smell, require frequent trips to an outside trash can. Similarly, pets such as cats generate considerable amounts of soiled litter that require more frequent trips to the outside trash than otherwise would be necessary. Because trips to an outside receptacle are not always convenient (such as when it is dark or there is inclement weather), people have resorted to various devices to decrease the odors that emanate from their household trash.
An example of a device used to decrease odors that emanate from household trash is disclosed in European Patent Application No. 0005660. The device is used to dispose of kitchen trash in sealed trash packets formed from flexible tubing. The tubing is stored in a pack of tubing that surrounds a tubular guide. The tubing is pulled from the top of the pack of tubing, and fed through the tubular guide to a position beneath the tubular guide where it is sealed by fusion with a tube-sealing mechanism. When the section of tubing above the fused area is full of trash, a lever is operated to actuate the tube-sealing mechanism. The tube-sealing mechanism is configured to draw the tubing downward, fuse the tubing together above the trash packet, seal the tubing together again above the previously fused area to provide a base for the next trash packet, and cut the tubing at a location between the two fused areas to separate the filled trash packet from the tubing.
Another example of a device used to decrease odors that emanate from household trash is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,370,847 and 6,516,588, both issued to Jensen, et al. These related patents disclose a sealable diaper-disposal system that includes a container body, a tubular core on which flexible tubing is stored, and a tube-sealing mechanism having a pair of heating elements. The flexible tubing is pulled from the tubular core and passed between the pair of heating elements. The tube-sealing mechanism operates to move the pair of heating elements toward each other to fuse the width of the tubing, and away from each other to allow the tubing to be pushed into the lower portion of the container body.
Yet another example of a device used to decrease odors that emanate from household trash is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,200 to Jacoby, et al. This device also includes a tube-sealing mechanism, though "sealing" (e.g., closing off the tubing at a point in the length in the tubing) is obtained by putting twists in the tubing instead of fusing the tubing. The device has a container body with a hinged base, a hinged lid, and a channel-shaped flange mounted within the container body. A tubing cassette rests on the channel-shaped flange. Springs are fixed to the channel-shaped flange and project radially inward to engage a trash packet formed from the tube. The springs are equally spaced around the interior of the container to hold the package during the forming of a twist in the tube. When a tubing cassette is first installed, the open end of the tube is tied to form the bottom of a first trash packet. Trash is then inserted into the first trash packet and rests within the tubing near the knot. Once the first trash packet is filled, the tubing cassette is rotated so that the tubing stored therein rotates with respect to the trash packet that is being formed. The trash packet being formed does not rotate because it is held in place by friction between the first trash packet and the springs. Thus, a first trash packet is formed between the knot and a first twist in the tubing. Subsequently, objects are disposed and twisted in a like manner to form discrete trash packets with twists between them.
Of course, not all household trash is odoriferous. When household trash is non-odoriferous it is unnecessary to seal it in trash packets formed from tubular bags as described above. In addition, tubular trash bags tend to be more expensive than standard polymeric trash bags, therefore, it is uneconomical to use tubular trash bags to discard non-odoriferous household trash. Furthermore, because tube-sealing devices take some degree of time and effort to operate, using such devices to dispose of non-odoriferous household trash is inefficient. It would be useful if a device were available that efficiently and effectively includes receptacles for containing both odoriferous and non-odoriferous household trash.
Prior art devices have been disclosed that include multiple receptacles for containing different types of trash. Such devices, however, are primarily concerned with separating recyclable trash such as aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and newspapers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,758 to Tavel, et al., discloses a waste separator-receptacle including several drawer-type compartments that tilt outward to open for holding different types of recyclable materials. The device also includes a vertically oriented compartment in which newspapers are discarded. Aerosol dispensers are provided for deodorizing the recyclable materials. U.S. Pat. No. 6,047843 to Mecke discloses a compartmented receptacle for use in recycling and waste disposal. The device has a cylindrically-shaped housing for storing several wedge-shaped containers in which recyclable materials are discarded. Each container is accessed though openings in a lid mounted atop the housing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,722 to Jones discloses a compartmented waste receptacle for discarding recyclable materials. The waste receptacle includes two lower compartments having tubular chutes extending vertically upward therefrom. The tubular chutes includes gaskets for limiting the speed that the deposited recyclable materials may travel, thereby preventing glass breakage. U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,301 to Brady discloses a vertical unitized compartmentalized separation/holding container which includes several compartments having hinged doors that open from the front. Within each compartment are retainer hooks for retaining bags in each compartment.
There are still other prior art devices primarily concerned with separating recyclable trash, though these are of a more industrial nature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,841 to Mezey discloses a container that is used for the segregation of recyclable materials. The container is intended to be used with a vehicle for the orderly collection of such recyclable materials. U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,945 to Becher discloses an automatic compacting, packaging, and disposal machine for recyclable materials.
Other prior art devices have been disclosed that include multiple receptacles to contain different types of trash. These devices, however, are primarily concerned with facilitating the attachment or supply of plastic bags. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,746 to Dickinson discloses a waste separation container including flexible lobes extending along the upper edge of the receptacle that allow a user to selectively locate trash bags within the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,017 to Li discloses a recycle and refuse container with a continuous supply of bags. The device includes a refuse container that may be divided into two sections, a trash bag housing for supporting two rolls of trash bags, and a base. The trash bags are fed from the rolls, through the bottom of the refuse container and draped over the sides of the container. When a trash bag is filled with trash, the bag can be pulled up and removed.
Still other prior art devices have been disclosed that include multiple receptacles to contain different types of trash. Although these devices are concerned with the separation of "wet garbage" and "dry garbage," such devices do not adequately isolate the wet garbage to satisfactorily eliminate the odor emanating therefrom, nor do they provide for a convenient way to remove the garbage from the device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,305 to Rubsam-Tomlinson discloses a compost and dry storage enclosure device that is intended to be installed in a kitchen cabinet. The device includes a first container for the storage of material containing a high level of moisture ("wet garbage") for use in a compost mixture. The first container further includes a removable cover to form a removable fluid-tight seal to contain the moisture and odor of the stored material. The device also includes a second container configured for receiving and storing material containing a low level of moisture ("dry garbage").
From the above it can be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that there presently are no devices that solve the problems confronted by individuals that desire to conveniently separate odoriferous and non-odoriferous household trash. That is, although there are devices in the prior art for sealingly packaging odoriferous trash, these devices are inadequate for non-odoriferous trash because the bags that are used in such devices are more expensive than standard polymeric trash bags and the devices are comparatively more time-consuming to operate. Furthermore, although there are numerous devices in the prior art for separating recyclable materials, these devices are also inadequate since these devices do not sufficiently contain odors that emanate from odoriferous trash. The contents of all of the prior art references cited herein are incorporated by reference.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present disclosure provides a chip packaging structure and a chip packaging method, relating to the technical field of chip packaging. In the above, the chip packaging structure includes: a substrate, wherein a light-transmitting hole penetrating through upper and lower surfaces thereof is provided on the substrate, and openings communicated with the light-transmitting hole are formed on two opposite sidewall surfaces of the substrate, respectively; light-transmitting glass, wherein two opposite sides of the light-transmitting glass are inserted into the two openings, respectively, and shield the light-transmitting hole; a chip, provided on the upper surface of the substrate, wherein a photosensitive area of the chip faces the light-transmitting glass; and a packaging layer, provided on the chip and the upper surface of the substrate so as to package the chip on the substrate.

The image sensor can receive an optical signal, and convert the optical signal into an electrical signal carrying image information, therefore the image sensor is widely applied to various electronic products such as digital cameras, image sensing modules for vehicles, and monitoring cameras. The current packaging structure of the image sensor mainly includes the following two types:
(1) conventional image sensor packaging structure. This packaging manner is mainly as follows: placing an image sensing chip on a substrate, connecting the image sensing chip with the substrate by means of wire bonding (gold wire/copper wire/alloy wire), and then pasting a light-transmitting cover (for example, glass) above the image sensing chip by dispensing glue, thus achieving a light-transmitting purpose, and then protecting the stacked chip and substrate by plastic packaging, thereby completing the packaging of the image sensor.
(2) Conventional flip-chip image sensor packaging structure. This packaging manner is mainly as follows: placing a flip-chip image sensing chip on a back surface of a substrate (a light-transmitting hole is reserved at the bottom of the substrate), then mounting balls on the back surface of the substrate, and mounting light-transmitting glass on a front surface of the substrate, thereby completing the packaging of the flip-chip image sensor.
In the prior art, for the packaging structure and the packaging method of image sensor, the light-transmitting glass is fixedly provided on the surface of the substrate, especially for the conventional image sensor packaging structure described above, after the light-transmitting glass is fixed to a photosensitive area of the chip using glue, the stacked structure will be protected through the plastic packaging process, then the light-transmitting glass is fixed in a plastic package body, therefore, when the light-transmitting glass is damaged, the image sensor has to be integrally replaced, but the light-transmitting glass cannot be replaced independently, which undoubtedly will bring about an increase in the maintenance costs.

Chip packaging structure and chip packaging method


A method of reading a NAND flash memory device includes a cell string having a drain selection transistor, a plurality of memory cells and a source selection transistor which are in series connected to each other. The method comprises the steps of applying a first voltage to a gate of the drain selection transistor in order to turn on the drain selection transistor, applying a read voltage to a gate of a selected memory cell among the plurality of memory cells, and applying first and second pass voltages to gates of unselected memory cells of the plurality of memory cells, wherein the first pass voltage of a relatively high level is applied to the gates of the unselected memory cells which are adjacent to the selected memory cell and wherein the second pass voltage of a relatively high level is applied to the gates of the unselected memory cells which are not adjacent to the selected memory.

The present invention relates to a method of reading a flash memory device and, more particularly, to a method of reducing a read disturbance in a flash memory device.
Flash memory devices are widely used in electronic applications that need non-volatile memory devices. The flash memory cell has a one-transistor structure, which provides high density, high reliability and low current consumption. The flash memory devices are used in personal computers, personal digital assistants, digital cameras, cellular phones, etc. Also, program code, system data [e.g., basic input/output system (BIOS)] and firmware can be stored in the flash memory device. Flash memory devices, especially a NAND flash memory device, are more and more widely used because it can achieve high memory density with a relatively low cost.
As shown in FIG. 1, a NAND flash memory device includes a plurality of cell strings. A cell string 100 has a structure that includes a drain selection transistor 110, a plurality of cell transistors 131 to 134 and a source selection transistor which are connected in series. A drain of the drain selection transistor 110 is connected to a bit line BL and a source is connected to a drain of the cell transistor 131. A gate of the drain selection transistor 110 is connected to a drain selection line DSL. Gates of the cell transistors 131 to 134 are respectively connected to the word lines WL1 to WL4. A drain of the source selection transistor 120 is connected to a source of the cell transistor 134 and a source is connected to a common source line CSL. A gate of the source selection transistor 120 is connected to a source selection line SSL. Typical MOS transistors are used as the drain selection transistor 110 and the source selection transistor 120 and floating gate transistors are used as the cell transistors 131 to 133.
The cell transistors 131 to 133 are in an erase state or program state according to a threshold voltage of each cell transistor. The cell transistors have a relatively low voltage in the erase state, for example, a threshold voltage lower than 0V. Meanwhile, the cell transistors have a relatively high voltage in the program state, for example, a threshold voltage higher than 0V. A read operation, which needs to distinguish the state of a cell transistor, is done by applying a read voltage to the selected cell transistor and by distinguishing whether the selected cell transistor is turned on or off. For example, a voltage of 0V is applied to a word line of the selected transistor. That is, if the selected transistor is turned on, the selected transistor is in the erase state, because the threshold voltage is lower than the read voltage. Meanwhile, if the selected transistor is turned off, the selected transistor is in the program state, because the threshold voltage is higher than the read voltage.
However, when such a read operation is done repetitively, a read disturbance can occur. The read disturbance is a phenomenon where a threshold voltage of an erased cell transistor becomes abnormally high so that the transistor is incorrectly read in the program state. Several phenomena are suggested as a mechanism to cause such a read disturbance and one of them is caused by a hot carrier.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, in the case of reading a cell transistor 132, a read voltage Vread of approximately a voltage of 0V is applied to a word line WL2 of the selected cell transistor 132 and a pass voltage Vpass higher than the read voltage Vread, (e.g., approximately 5V) is applied to unselected cells (e.g., the remaining word lines WL3 and WL4 of the remaining cell transistors 133 and 134). However, channel boosting by the pass voltage Vpass applied to the word line WL3 of the cell transistor 133 can occur. The cell transistor 133 is adjacent to the selected cell transistor 132 and thus a strong horizontal electric field and a strong vertical electric field are formed as indicated by arrows 241 and 242 in the drawing. As indicated by an arrow 243 in the drawing, electrons which come from an off-leakage current caused within a channel of the selected cell transistor 132 become hot carriers of high energy in the horizontal electric field and the vertical electric field and are injected into a floating gate FG of the adjacent cell transistor 133. Then, a threshold voltage of the adjacent cell transistor 133 increases and may be placed in an abnormal program state by the read disturbance phenomenon.

Method of depressing read disturbance in flash memory device


A method for manufacturing a laminated core, in which while a laminated core body 10 formed by caulking and with permanent magnets 20 inserted in a plurality of magnet insertion holes 17, 18 is held between a resin injection die 23 and a receiving die 22 opposed to each other, resin is injected into the magnet insertion holes 17, 18 from resin reservoir portions provided to the resin injection die 23 to fix the permanent magnets 20, the method comprising: at a time of resin injection, pressing a flat press surface 24 of the resin injection die 23 against caulking portions 13 protruding from a surface of the laminated core body 10 to apply pressure thereto, thereby allowing the surface of the laminated core body 10 whereon the caulking portions 13 are formed to be pressed against the flat press surface 24 so as to prevent resin leakage.

Conventionally, a laminated core used in a motor is manufactured by fabricating a laminated core body (core) having a plurality of magnet insertion holes in a circumferential direction thereof by laminating a plurality of core sheets, and after inserting permanent magnets respectively in the magnet insertion holes, placing the laminated core body between a resin injection die and a receiving die to compress the laminated core body in the laminating direction, and filling the magnet insertion holes with resin injected from resin reservoir pots provided to the resin injection die to perform resin sealing. (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4688505)
Moreover, in Patent Document 1, when the resin injection die comes into contact with the laminated core body, caulking protrusions (commonly called as caulking dowels) extending out of the laminated core body are housed in housing portions provided to the resin injection die so as to prevent resin leakage between the resin injection die and the laminated core body.
Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 8, in order to prevent resin from remaining on the surface of the laminated core body, a method has been proposed wherein an intermediate plate 66 (also called as a dummy plate, a cull plate or a tray) provided with gate holes 65 for connecting magnet insertion holes 62 with resin reservoir pots 63 is disposed between an upper die 60 serving as a resin injection die and a laminated core body 61 during resin sealing, and after the resin is injected from the gate holes 65 into the magnet insertion holes 62, the intermediate plate 66 is removed together with excess resin from the laminated core body 61. (see Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 4991900)
On this intermediate plate 66, housing portions 68 are formed to house caulking protrusions 67 protruding from the surface of the laminated core body 61. Here, reference numeral 69 shows a lower die (a receiving die).


Methods and systems are provided for promoting and managing communications among a social support network. According to one embodiment, a communication system includes a closed communication service platform and a hardcopy-based communication appliance. The communication service platform provides a caregroup virtual private network (VPN) through which only registered members of the caregroup, authorized personnel of the communication service platform, processes associated with the communication service platform, and a target of the caregroup are permitted to exchange communications. The hardcopy-based communication appliance is associated with the caregroup VPN and used by the target and is operable to be communicatively coupled to the communication service platform to print inbound communications received from registered members of the caregroup, and to upload to the communication service platform outbound digital representations of annotated pages defining communications to be delivered to one or more members of the caregroup.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to lifestyle-adapted communications solutions, and in particular, to electronic communications with elders or others disinclined or unable to use personal computers and pseudo computers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Families are frequently located far away from one another, including their aging loved ones. Technology, including personal computers and the Internet, are natural mechanism used by younger members of the family to stay in touch. However, the older a person is, the less likely they are able or interested in owning and using a personal computer, the Internet or email.
The mismatch in the rate of technology adoption between younger and older cohorts of the population makes it increasingly difficult for families to cultivate and sustain the level of communication with their elders that is required to help the elders avoid loneliness and isolation.
Existing mechanisms for connecting non-computer users into the electronic life of their friends and families, such as MSN® TV (formerly WebTV) and EarthLink MailStation™, are plagued with problems that lead to non-acquisition, abandonment or ineffective use of the system chosen. Consequently, alternatives to complicated personal computers and pseudo computers for elders and similarly situated people are needed to provide them with means of communicating via email.

Influencing communications among a social support network


The specific wavelength of 525 nm is described as a single monochromatic light source used in the determination of turbidity by nephelometry at 90° for particulate matter in raw water, water treatment, waste water treatment and industrial process streams. This wavelength improves the detection of smaller particle concentration in water where light scattering characteristics of shorter wavelengths are superior to light sources using longer wavelengths.

Turbidity comes from the Greek word turbid while nephelometry is the optical measurement of scattered light and is the Greek word for cloud. In water treatment plants the required detection limit is approximately one part per million of particles with a detectable change of one part per billion of particles and is read in Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU). The specifications required for monitoring of water is set by each country, but all are similar in their quality control characteristics and performance. The cloudiness is caused by particle concentrations in the fluid which may be organic material, clay, sand or other particulate matter. In water treatment plants this measurement provides: (1) a measurement of filter effectiveness and (2) a surrogate method for determining the level of microbial contaminates embedded in the particulate matter in the incoming raw water and any microbial remnants in the filtered water. The greater the concentration of particles in the fluid, or turbidity, the higher the level of microbial contaminates embedded in the particles and the higher the required level of disinfection procedures. Treatment water plants walk a thin line between too little disinfection in protecting the community from harmful microbes and too much disinfection causing harm from disinfection by-products. Nephelometric turbidity is the workhorse of all water treatment plants. There are essentially three ways to optically measure turbidity:                1. Forward-scatter follows Lambert-Beers Law; the light source and detector are≈180° apart;        2. Side-scatter follows Rayleigh Scattering and is an EPA nephelometric turbidity specification; the light source and detector are 90° apart;        3. Back-scatter measures reflectance of light opposite to the incident radiation; approximately 2 to 40 degrees separate the light source from the detector; the light scattering is measured as it folds back on itself.
EPA nephelometric specifications require side-scatter measurement at 90° with mandated wavelengths between 400 nm and 600 nm (unless otherwise approved) for the light source, with no more than a 10 cm light path length. The light source must maintain a color temperature between 2200° and 3000° K. These specifications are required by EPA 180.1 Methods for federal regulations in the Determination of Turbidity by Nephlometery for water and waste water treatment plants reporting turbidity to the EPA (There is a better response at these wavelengths to smaller concentrations of turbidity in colorless water).
In order to satisfy the various wavelength requirements specified by different government agencies, a number of light sources have been approved for nephelometric turbidity measurement and reporting:
USEPA 180.1-1Incandescent2200-3000K Originai (blackbody)USEPA 180.1-2LED860 nm GLI 4-beam,USEPA 180.1-3Laser660 nm with photomultiplier tubeUSEPA 180.1-4LED525 nm (Mitchell Method M5331)USEPA 180.1-5Laser660 nm (Mitchell Method M5271)Note: the two Mitchell Methods were EPA approved and published in the Federal Register on Aug. 3, 2009.
ISO 7027 basicLED860 nm InternationalISO 7027 alternateLED550 nm International
In a review of light source literature, patents and regulations there are references to laser, LED, and incandescent for USEPA 180.1 specification of Methods and for ISO 7027 specification of Methods: USEPA 180.1-1 specifies an incandescent source of 2200-3000° K.; USEPA 180.1-2 specifies 860 nm dual sources using the same wavelength; USEPA 180.1-3 specifies 660 nm using a photomultiplier tube; ISO 7027 specifies 860 nm with an alternate 550 nm; U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,814 mentions 670 nm; U.S. Pat. No. 7,242,001 mentions 880 nm while U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,319 has 633 nm specified. U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,186 discusses the use of 633 nm and 467 nm.

Nephelometer instrument for measuring turbidity of water


A user interface allows a user to input text, numbers and symbols in to an electronic device through a touch sensitive input and perform control functions with one or more swipes gestures, swipe and hold gestures and multiple finger tap gestures. The system can differentiate the swipes and perform functions corresponding to the detected swipes based upon swipe direction, number of fingers used in the swipe and the context of the text input.

The present invention relates to devices capable of recording finger movements. Such devices include, for example, computers and phones featuring touch screens, or other recording devices able to record the movement of fingers on a plane or in three-dimensional spaces.
A number of devices where finger interaction is central to their use have recently been introduced. They include mobile telephones (such as IPHONE, a registered trademark of Apple Inc., GALAXY S, a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd's), tablet computers (such as IPAD, a registered trademark of Apple Inc., or the Blackberry Playbook PLAYBOOK, a trademark of Blackberry Limited), as well as a range of mobile computers, tablets, smart watches, PDAs and satellite navigation assistants. The growth in the use of smart phones, tablets and smart watches in particular has accelerated the introduction of touch screen input for many users and uses.
In some devices featuring a touch screen, it is common for systems to emulate a keyboard text entry system. The devices typically display a virtual keyboard on screen, with users tapping on the different letters to input text. The lack of tactile feedback in this typing process means that users are typically more error prone than when typing on hardware keyboards.
Most text correction systems feature a combination of auto-correcting and manual-correcting (or disambiguation) functionality. Typically, the system will attempt to guess and automatically correct common typing errors. However, many systems perform the auto-correction without any indication of the corrections. Thus, the user must constantly watch what the system is inputting and make manual corrections if an auto-correction error is detected which can slow the text input process. Other correction systems give the user the ability to reject an automatic correction, or manually select an alternative one.
A common problem with such systems is that the user is required to be precise in their typing, and also to be precise in their operation of the auto- and manual-correcting functionality. Such operation typically requires the user to interact with the touch screen by pressing on specific areas of the screen to invoke, accept, reject, or change corrections.
The present invention describes a suite of functions allowing users a much more intuitive, faster and accurate interaction with such a typing system. The resulting system is dramatically more accessible and easy to use for people with impaired vision, compared to other existing systems.

User interface for text input and virtual keyboard manipulation


The present disclosure provides an electronic device, a method for generating a package drawing, and a computer readable storage medium. The electronic device includes a display device and a processor, the processor is configured to obtain a type of the element and size parameters corresponding to the element input by a user; determine a size and a position of each of pads corresponding to the element according to the type of the element and the size parameters corresponding to the element, and draw the pads; determine coordinates of endpoints of an entity layer corresponding to the element, and draw the entity layer; determine coordinates of endpoints of a height layer corresponding to the element, and draw the height layer; and determine coordinates of endpoints of a screen layer corresponding to the element, and draw the screen layer.

When engineers use Cadence and other software to draw circuit boards, they first need to create package files for elements, for example, package files for drawing resistors, package files for drawing transistors, and package files for drawing connectors. Then these drawn package files are imported, and wiring is then performed. Most of elements are standard types of elements, that is, for elements of a same type, a difference therebetween lies in the individual sizes, but the overall shapes thereof are similar. For any type of elements, engineers need to read the specifications of the elements, and accordingly draw the package patterns of the elements manually in the design software, and the package files of the elements are then generated. These tasks are simple, boring and tedious, and consume a lot of energy and time of the engineers.

Electronic device, method for generating package drawing and computer readable storage medium