A liquid-condition detection sensor (1) including a sensor element (51), at least a portion of which contacts a urea aqueous solution; connection terminals (52) fixedly attached to the sensor element (51); connection cables (53) which electrically communicate with the concentration sensor element (51) via the connection terminals (52); an inner tube (42) which holds the concentration sensor element (51) at a distal end portion (421) by use of a holder member (55) and surrounds a portion of the connection cables (53) and the entire connection terminals (52); and a separator formed from a material having rubberlike elasticity (54) including a terminal-inner-tube-insulating portion (542) which intervenes between the connection terminals (52) and the inner tube (42) to thereby insulate the connection terminals (52) and the inner rube (42) from one another.

Exhaust gas emitted from automobiles equipped with a diesel engine or the like contains substances such as nitrogen oxides (NOx). In recent years, various measures haven been taken to purify such exhaust gas in order to protect as well as to prevent contamination of the environment. One measure used to purify exhaust gas is an exhaust gas purification apparatus.
Such exhaust gas purification apparatus is mounted in an automobile and decomposes nitrogen oxides (NOx) to render them harmless by means of an NOx selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The NOx selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system employs a urea aqueous solution as a reducing agent. The urea aqueous solution is contained in a tank mounted in the automobile. In order to effectively decompose nitrogen oxides (NOx), the concentration of the urea aqueous solution (the concentration of urea in the urea aqueous solution) must be maintained within a specified range.
Even when a urea aqueous solution of appropriate concentration is charged in the tank, the concentration of the urea aqueous solution may fall outside the specified range, due to changes occurring with the passage of time or the like. Also, a worker may erroneously mix light oil or water in the tank. In order to cope with these problems, a device for determining the concentration of urea in the urea aqueous solution contained in the tank has been proposed as a sensor for detecting whether or not the urea aqueous solution is within a suitable concentration range (Patent Document 1).
The urea-concentration-determining device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a concentration-determining sensor section and a support section. The concentration-determining sensor section has a concentration-detecting portion, which includes a heating element and a temperature-sensing element, and a liquid-temperature-detecting portion for measuring the temperature of the urea aqueous solution.
The support section is located above the concentration-determining sensor section and has an attachment portion attaching to an opening section of the urea-aqueous-solution tank, a circuit board located above the attachment portion, and a tubular member located below the attachment portion and adapted to hold the concentration-determining sensor section. The circuit board of the support section has a concentration detection circuit and is covered with a cover member. The concentration-detecting portion and liquid-temperature-detecting portion of the concentration-determining sensor section are electrically connected to the circuit board through respective lead wires which extend through the tubular member.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2005-84026
In the case where a terminal member is fixedly attached to a sensor element, and an electrical communication member, such as a lead wire or a cable, is connected to the terminal member by soldering or the like, a need may arise for a configuration where at least a portion of the terminal member and at least a portion of the sensor element are disposed within a holder tube (tubular member), and where the holder tube directly or indirectly holds the sensor element so as to prevent entry of liquid into the holder tube.
However, an assembled state of the above configuration may involve a risk of contact and a resultant short circuit between the holder tube and the terminal member. Also, there may be a risk of contact and a resultant short circuit between the holder tube and the sensor element or a risk of cracking or the like in the sensor element. In the case where a plurality of terminal members are present, there may be a risk of contact and a resultant short circuit between the terminal members. Furthermore, vibration or impact during actual use vibrates the sensor element, the terminal member, the lead wire, and the like and consequently generates stress in a connection between the lead wire and the terminal member or a connection between the terminal member and the sensor element. Such vibration or impact potentially induces cracking or a like problem in these connections or portions of the terminal member and the sensor element in the vicinity of the connections.


This invention also relates to recombinant vectors expressing one or more of the human CMV (HCMV) glycoproteins US2, US3, US6 and US11 or corresponding functional rhesus CMV (RhCMV) homologues Rh182, Rh184, Rh185 or Rh189, methods of making them, uses for them, expression products from them, and uses for the expression products. This invention also relates to recombinant cytomegalovirus vectors vectors lacking one or more of the glycoproteins, methods of making them, uses for them, expression products from them, and uses for the expression products.

HCMV is an ubiquitous virus that is present in over 60% of the population depending on socioeconomic status. Following primary infection, HCMV persists for the life span of the host. Although HCMV is generally benign in healthy individuals, the virus may cause devastating disease in immunocompromised populations resulting in high morbidity and mortality (for review, see (Pass, R. F. 2001. Cytomegalovirus, p. 2675-2705. In P. M. H. David M. Knipe, Diane E. Griffin, Robert A. Lamb Malcolm A. Martin, Bernard Roizman and Stephen E. Straus (ed.), Fields Virology, 4th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia)). Recent increases in the number of patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy following solid organ (SOT) or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), as well as the expanded use of HCT for diseases such as sickle cell anemia, multiple sclerosis and solid cancers have increased the number of patient populations susceptible to HCMV disease (Chou, S. 1999. Transpl Infect Dis 1:105-14, Nichols, W. G., and M. Boeckh. 2000. J Clin Virol 16:25-40 and Sepkowitz, K. A. 2002. Clin Infect Dis 34:1098-107). HCMV is also the most common congenital viral infection, and the leading infectious cause of central nervous system maldevelopment in neonates (Fowler, K. B. et al. 1997. J Pediatr 130:624-30, Larke, R. P. et al. 1980. J Infect Dis 142:647-53 and Peckham, C. S. et al. 1983. Lancet 1:1352-5). In this regard, HCMV is considered the major cause of sensorineural deafness in neonates independent of infectious status (Fowler, K. B. et al. 1997. J Pediatr 130:624-30). HCMV therefore remains a major cause of mortality in multiple patient populations emphasizing the need for new antiviral pharmacologic and vaccine strategies. Immunity induced by natural wild-type (WT) CMV infection has consistently been shown unable to prevent CMV re-infection (see below). This unique characteristic of CMV presumably explains the poor efficacy of candidate vaccines in trials to prevent CMV infection (Pass, R. F. et al. 2009. N Engl J Med 360:1191-9). Nevertheless, immunity to HCMV acquired through natural infection has been shown to significantly decrease maternal to fetal transmission of HCMV during pregnancy. This observation would indicate that induction of an immunity in pregnant women that is comparable to that induced by natural CMV infection, but that is induced in a safe manner, may be able to decrease maternal to fetal transmission and have a significant impact on clinical CMV disease in the neonate. HCMV-specific T cell immunity has also been shown to afford protection against CMV disease in transplant patients, presenting another population wherein the ability to safely induce an immunity comparable to that acquired by natural CMV infection would have a clinical impact on CMV disease (Leen, A. M., and H. E. Heslop. 2008. Br J Haematol 143:169-79, Riddell, S. R., and P. D. Greenberg. 2000. J Antimicrob Chemother 45 Suppl T3:35-43 and Riddell, S. R. et al. 1994. Bone Marrow Transplantation 14:78-84). Cytomegalovirus is highly immunogenic, but has evolved immune evasion mechanisms to enable virus persistence and re-infection of the sero-positive host:
The immunological resources specifically devoted to controlling HCMV infection are enormous, with CMV being one of the most immunogenic viruses known. High antibody titers are directed against the main HCMV envelope glycoprotein (gB) during primary infection of healthy individuals (Alberola, J. et al. 2000. J Clin Virol 16:113-22 and Rasmussen, L. et al. 1991. J Infect Dis 164:835-42), and against multiple viral proteins (both structural and non-structural) during MCMV infection of mice (Farrell, H. E., and G. R. Shellam. 1989. J Gen Virol 70 (Pt 10):2573-86). A large proportion of the host T cell repertoire is also directed against CMV antigens, with 5-10 fold higher median CD4+ T cell response frequencies to HCMV than to acute viruses (measles, mumps, influenza, adenovirus) or even other persistent viruses such as herpes simplex and varicella-zoster viruses (Sylwester, A. W. et al. 2005. J Exp Med 202:673-85). A high frequency of CD8+ responses to defined HCMV epitopes or proteins is also commonly observed (Gillespie, G. M. et al. 2000. J Virol 74:8140-50, Kern, F. et al. 2002. J Infect Dis 185:1709-16, Kern, F. et al. 1999. Eur J Immunol 29:2908-15, Kern, F. et al. 1999. J Virol 73:8179-84 and Sylwester, A. W. et al. 2005. J Exp Med 202:673-85). In a large-scale human study quantifying CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses to the entire HCMV genome, the mean frequencies of CMV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells exceeded 10% of the memory population for both subsets (Sylwester, A. W. et al. 2005. J Exp Med 202:673-85). In this study, it was not unusual for CMV-specific T cells to account for >25% of the memory T cell repertoire of a specific individual or at specific tissue sites. The clinical importance of this high level of CMV-specific immunity is most clearly shown by the occurrence of multi-organ CMV disease in immune-suppressed individuals during transplantation, and the ability of adoptive transfer of T cells to protect these patients from CMV disease (Riddell, S. R. et al. 1994. Bone Marrow Transplantation 14:78-84).
Paradoxically, the high levels of CMV-specific immunity are unable to either eradicate the virus from the healthy infected individual, or confer protection of the CMV sero-positive individual against re-infection. This ability of CMV to escape eradication by the immune system, and to re-infect the sero-positive host has long been believed to be linked to the multiple viral immunomodulators encoded by the virus (for review, see (Mocarski, E. S., Jr. 2002. Trends Microbiol 10:332-9)). The HCMV US6 family of proteins (RhCMV homologues: Rh182-Rh189) are the most extensively studied of these immunomodulators (Loenen, W. A. et al. 2001. Semin Immunol 13:41-9). At least four different genes, US2, US3, US6 and US11—and the respective RhCMV homologues (Rh182, Rh184, Rh185, and Rh189)—are known to interfere with assembly and transport of MHC I molecules (Ahn, K. et al. 1996. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:10990-5, Ahn, K. et al. 1997. Immunity 6:613-21, Jones, T. R. et al. 1995. J Virol 69:4830-41, Pande, N. T. et al. 2005. J Virol 79:5786-98, Wiertz, E. J. et al. 1996. Cell 84:769-79 and Wiertz, E. J. et al. 1996. Nature 384:432-8). Each of these four molecules interferes at different essential points of MHC I protein maturation. Briefly, US2 binds to newly synthesized heavy chain (HC) and reverse translocates the protein through the translocation channel SEC61 back into the cytosol where HC is degraded by the proteasome (Wiertz, E. J. et al. 1996. Cell 84:769-79 and Wiertz, E. J. et al. 1996. Nature 384:432-8). Similarly, US11 ejects MHC I back out into the cytoplasm (Wiertz, E. J. et al. 1996. Cell 84:769). US3 and US6 act later in the MHC-I assembly process (Ahn, K. et al. 1996. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:10990-5 and Ahn, K. et al. 1997. Immunity 6:613-21), with US3 retaining fully formed heterotrimers in the ER thus preventing their transport to the cell surface (Ahn, K. et al. 1996. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:10990-5 and Jones, T. R. et al. 1996. PNAS USA 93:11327-33), and US6 preventing peptide transport by TAP (and thus formation of the trimeric complex of HC, β2m and peptide) (Ahn, K. et al. 1997. Immunity 6:613-21, Hengel, H. et al. 1997. Immunity 6:623-32 and Lehner, P. J. et al. 1997. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:6904-9).
Consistent with persistent replication/chronic reactivation within the host, CMV also induces and maintains a characteristic and unique T cell immune response. Memory T cells induced by vaccination or infection may be broadly characterized into either effector (TEM) or central (TCM) memory, which follow from the distinct functions of these two memory populations (Cheroutre, H., and L. Madakamutil. 2005. Cell Mol Life Sci 62:2853-66, Mackay, C. R. et al. 1990. J Exp Med 171:801-17, Masopust, D. et al. 2001. Science 291:2413-7, Sallusto, F. et al. 1999. Nature 401:708-12 and Wherry, E. J. et al. 2003. Nat Immunol 4:225-34). TEM are designed for immediate function against the invading pathogen, being highly enriched at epithelial mucosal surfaces, are polyfunctional expressing high levels of multiple effector cytokines (expressing TNFα, IFNγ, MIP-1β effector molecules), and have high cytotoxic potential (CD8+). TEM and TCM may also be easily distinguished on the basis of cell surface markers, with TEM being CCR7−, CD28+/− and TCM being CCR7+, CD28+. Multiple studies indicate that persistently replicating viruses such as CMV maintain a T cell response that is heavily biased toward the TEM phenotype (Amyes, E. et al. 2003. J Exp Med 198:903-11, Appay, V., and S. Rowland-Jones. 2002. J Immunol Methods 268:9, Champagne, P. et al. 2001. Nature 410:106-11, Halwani, R. et al. 2006. Springer Semin Immunopathol 28:197-208 and Robinson, H. L., and R. R. Amara. 2005. Nat Med 11:S25-32). Indeed, CMV is regarded as the prototypic inducer of long-term TEM (Halwani, R. et al. 2006. Springer Semin Immunopathol 28:197-208, Holtappels, R. et al. 2000. Journal of Virology 74:11495-503, Robinson, H. L., and R. R. Amara. 2005. Nat Med 11:S25-32 and Sierro, S. et al. 2005. Eur J Immunol 35:1113-23). In contrast, analysis of T cell responses against non-persistent viruses (ie., influenza virus) in non-acutely infected humans, or following immunization with live non-persistent virus-based vaccines (YFV-17D, yellow fever vaccine, or Dryvax smallpox vaccine) shows that following a short-lived effector T cell phenotype, long-term virus-specific memory T cells against these non-persistent viruses is maintained primarily as TCM (Lucas, M. et al. 2004. J Virol 78:7284-7 and Miller, J. D. et al. 2008. Immunity 28:710-22).
Citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.

CMV glycoproteins and recombinant vectors


A carpeted surface is protected with a temporary carpet protection sheet that includes a lightweight non-woven or knit fibrous material laminated with a resin backing into which at least portions of fibers of the fibrous material are embedded, or to which resin of the fibers is directly and chemically fused. Male touch fastener elements extend along the backing and are arranged in spaced apart fastening regions adjacent the longitudinal edges of the fibrous material. The male touch fastener elements are configured to be both releasably engageable with the hook-engageable fibers of the fibrous material, when the protection sheet is arranged in overlapping fashion, and releasably engageable with looped carpet tufts. A protection system features multiple lengths of such protection sheet joined by hook seaming tape.

Carpet can be easily damaged by excess traffic or sliding or rolling loads, and it is often desired to protect carpeting from damage and even from normal wear, soil, spills or stains. This is particularly true in the construction trades, where carpet is often installed before the overall construction is completed. Carpet may also need to be protected during renovations, or during high traffic or loading events. It may also be desirable to provide a temporary surface over existing carpet simply to present a different visual effect, such as for aesthetic appeal or to provide information.
One of the more commonly employed carpet protection products is a sheet of adhesive film that is rolled out over a carpeted surface. The surface of the film is provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which bonds to the carpet fibers and holds the sheet in place. Other ways that carpet is temporarily protected include covering the carpet with cardboard, paper or tarps, for example, and taping down the edges of the covering to the carpet.
Improvements in such products and in other forms of surface protection are desired.


A cap and method for limiting the range of adjustment of a fuel flow metering valve in a carburetor. The cap has a body with an arm projecting generally radially outwardly therefrom to abut against a stop carried by the carburetor to limit valve rotation and a passage therein for telescopically axially receiving the head end of a shank of the valve. Portions within the passage enable the cap to be retained in the shank of the valve in a freely rotating first position during assembly and arm orientation, and in a second position securing the cap to the valve to limit adjustment and maintain emissions calibration. Preferably, the cap may also be moved to a third position to releasably drivingly engage the valve to perform fuel flow adjustment before securing the cap to the valve. The cap can also be prepositioned angularly relative to an adjusted position of the valve before it is moved to its second position on the valve to limit the extent of subsequent adjustment of the valve.

In response to relatively recent federal and state "clean air" regulations, carburetor limiter caps have been used to restrict carburetor fuel flow metering valve adjustment to prevent the excessive emission of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons from internal combustion engine. Primarily, limiters have been used with conventional float bowl carburetors to control automobile exhaust emissions. More recently their use has been extended to diaphragm-type carburetors in small engines simply to prevent gross misadjustment of fuel flow. However, future emissions regulations are expected to extend the role of limiter caps to control engine emissions.
Fuel flow within a carburetor is commonly metered during no load or idle engine operation by a first "idle" needle valve and during part or full load operation by a second "main" needle valve. Typically, each valve has a threaded cylindrical body with an enlarged knurled head at one end and a conical or needle shaped valve control surface at the opposite end which is received within an opening in the carburetor body. To calibrate fuel flow, each valve is rotatively adjusted to axially extend or retract the valve control surface within a fuel passage in the carburetor until optimum fuel flow through the passage is achieved. Pre-calibration of the carburetor on a flow test bench may be performed prior to being assembled to an engine. Subsequent overadjustment of fuel flow is prevented by affixing a limiter cap over the head of each valve. After assembly to an engine, it is customary to adjust the metering valves, if needed, to fine tune fuel flow to actual engine demand.
These limiter caps generally consist of a cylindrical body having an opening at one end for axially receiving the valve head in tight fitting engagement to prevent removal and promote rotation of both in unison. A recess in the opposite end of the cap is provided to enable an adjustment tool to engage the valve directly or the cap alone to rotate both in unison to make fuel flow adjustments. Projecting radially outwardly from the cap body is an arm for abutting against a fixed stop extending from the carburetor to limit valve rotation. Representative limiter caps are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,618,906 Charron and U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,238 Araki.
Stop members such as an integrally cast projection of the carburetor or the body of another cap press-fit on an adjacent needle valve may be used to limit valve and cap rotation and hence adjustment. Similarly, Japanese Patent Publication Jitsuko Sho 61-134555, discloses a hollow cylindrical collar limiter which has an outwardly extending arm for abutting directly against the head of an adjacent valve to limit adjustment.
Previous to the use of these limiting devices, fuel flow metering valves in carburetors were freely adjustable without limitation. At present, however, limiters have not been universally adopted for carburetors for small engine applications. Particularly, because of numerous difficulties, caps of conventional construction have not been used in applications, such as hand-held tools like weed trimmers, edgers, blowers, chain saws, and hedge trimmers, where carburetor access is restricted by an engine shroud enclosing the engine compartment.
While access openings are provided in the shroud by a grommet to adjust each valve, they are not large enough to allow limiter cap installation after final calibration without removing the shroud. Further, limited accessibility adds to the difficulty of accurately orienting the arm of the cap with respect to the optimum valve position and the stop or stops of the carburetor to provide the appropriate range of adjustability. Removal and reorientation of the cap after calibration with the cap secured to the valve is impractical and time consuming as it would require the application of considerable force to remove the limiter possibly damaging the cap. Production time may also be lost if the shroud or grommet must be disassembled to gain sufficient access to the cap. Unfortunately, disturbing the valve in this manner to remove the cap would likely require recalibration before reinstalling the same or a different limiter cap.
For example, if a two-stroke engine is sold with the adjustment range incorrectly set, subsequent user adjustment could increase emissions or deprive the engine of lubrication entrained in the fuel flow leading to overheating or even catastrophic failure. In any event, a user or operator of the power tool may lack the necessary range of fuel flow adjustment to keep the engine efficiently operating under the full range of temperature, humidity, altitude or other engine operating conditions which may be encountered.
With or without an enclosure or shroud, assembly and proper orientation of these caps is difficult and requires considerable dexterity. If improperly oriented, its tamper proof construction virtually prevents removal without damaging the cap and disturbing the optimum fuel flow setting of the valve.

Carburetor needle valve adjustment limiter cap and method of use


An Al electrode pad and a photoresist pattern having an opening portion on the Al electrode pad on a semiconductor substrate on which a surface protective film has been formed are formed. Then, a barrier metal layer is formed on the whole substrate surface, and a resist film and the barrier metal layer on the resist film are removed by lift-off, thus forming a solder bump foundation layer. Furthermore, an adhesive tape is stuck to the substrate surface and then the adhesive tape is peeled off, thereby to perform a residue removing process for removing resist film residues and useless barrier metal residues other than the solder bump foundation layer. With this, it is possible to further remove residues that have remained on the substrate surface without being lifted off and caused a defective device with an adhesive tape, thus making it possible to form a solder bump of high reliability in flip chip bonding. In this way, there is provided a method of forming such a solder bump that is capable of flip chip bonding on a semiconductor device with high reliability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming solder bumps for packaging a semiconductor device on a mounting substrate, and more particularly to a method of forming solder bumps improved so that a semiconductor device may be packaged on a mounting substrate with high reliability.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to increase packaging density of a semiconductor device thereby to further miniaturize an electronic equipment, flip chip bonding in which a semiconductor device is mounted directly on a mounting substrate such as a printed wiring board and electrodes of the semiconductor device and the printed wiring board are bonded together is being conducted widely.
A solder bump method is one of the methods of flip chip bonding, in which, as shown in FIG. 6, a semiconductor device and a printed wiring board are connected electrically with each other by forming solder ball bumps 22 on Al electrode pads 12 and joining solder ball bumps 22 to electrodes (not shown) of a printed wiring board.
Further, a barrier metal 29 lies between an Al electrode pad 12 of the semiconductor device and the ball bump 22 for the purpose of improvement of adhesion and preventing mutual diffusion. Because of the reason that this barrier metal affects a finished configuration of the solder ball bump, it is called a Ball Limiting Metal (BLM) film. The solder ball bumps form a solder film on the BLM film after the BLM film is formed. The solder film is further treated with heat, and is formed into a predetermined configuration on the BLM film by surface tension of the molten solder.
An example of a method of forming a solder bump will be explained hereinafter with reference to FIG. 7. FIGS. 7A to 7E are sectional views of the substrate in respective processes in executing the solder ball bump method, respectively.
In order to form a solder bump, first, as shown in FIG. 7A, an electrode pad 12 composed of an Al alloy or the like is formed on a silicon substrate 10 by a sputtering method, and then a surface protective layer 11 composed of an insulating film such as a polyimide film and a silicon nitride film is coated on the substrate 10. Then, an opening is formed in the surface protective layer 11, thereby to form a connecting hole for exposing the electrode pad 12, and a BLM film 14 composed of a barrier metal layer is formed with patterning on the electrode pad 12 thereafter.
Next, a resist film 18 is formed on the substrate as shown in FIG. 7B, and is applied with patterning further so as to form an opening portion 16 where the BLM film 14 is exposed.
Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, a solder film 20 is formed on the substrate by vapor deposition or the like. In succession, the resist film 18 is removed by resist peeling and cleaning, and the solder film 20 on the resist film 18 is lifted off at the same time. As a result, the solder film 20 remains behind only in the opening portion 16 (FIG. 7B) as shown in FIG. 7D.
Next, the solder film 20 is dissolved by heat treatment, and the solder film 20 located on the BLM film 14 is transformed into ball-shaped solder, thus forming a solder ball bump 22 as shown in FIG. 7E.
Now, high integration and refinement of a semiconductor device are advanced, and a distance (pitch) between adjacent electrode pads is all the more reduced with the above. On the other hand, it is difficult to make the bump diameter smaller than a certain dimension from a viewpoint of security of reliability of junction strength with a mounting substrate such as a printed wiring board for packaging a semiconductor device.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, in order to avoid mutual contact between adjacent bump 23A and bump 23B, it is being tried that an area for forming a solder bump is secured in a wide area different from the electrode pad, an electrode extension portion 27 having a connecting portion 24 for connecting with an electrode pad at one end, a solder bump foundation portion 25 at another end, and a wiring portion 26 for connecting the connecting portion with the solder bump foundation portion is formed of a barrier metal, and then solder bumps are formed at the solder bump foundation portion.
FIGS. 1A to 1D are sectional views of a substrate at a view I--I portion of FIG. 8 in respective processes when the electrode extension portion is formed.
First, a surface protective film 34 composed of polyimide or silicon nitride film or the like is formed on the semiconductor substrate 32 on which an Al electrode pad 30 is formed, next an Al electrode pad 30 is exposed and a long and narrow connecting hole 36 having the same configuration as that of the electrode extension portion 27 shown in FIG. 8 is formed. Then, a photoresist film 40 is formed on the whole surface of the substrate, and furthermore, patterning by exposure and development is performed, and an opening portion 38 communicating with the connecting hole 36 is opened (see FIG. 1A).
Next, the substrate where the opening portion 38 has been formed is set to a high-frequency plasma processing equipment, sputter-etching (reverse sputtering) with plasma is applied to a photoresist film 40, ions are made to collide with the surface of the photoresist film 40 so as to produce transformation by thermal expansion, and, as shown in Fig. 1B, an overhang shape in which a bore at an opening edge 42 of the opening portion 38 is reduced smaller than the bottom portion of the opening portion 38.
Furthermore, barrier metal layers 46 and 48 that are metal multilayer films composed of Cr, Cu and Au are formed on the substrate. As a result, as shown in Fig. 1C, barrier metal layers 46 and 48 are formed on the exposed Al electrode pad 30 and the photoresist film 40, respectively, but no barrier metal layer is formed on a hole wall face 42 of the opening portion 38 because of the transformation in an overhang shape.
Then, when the substrate is soaked in resist peeling liquid and heating oscillation processing is performed, the photoresist film 40 is removed, and the barrier metal layer 48 which has been formed on the photoresist film 40 is also removed by lift-off at the same time. As a result, as shown in Fig. 1D, the electrode extension portion 46 composed of a barrier metal layer connected to the Al electrode pad 30 is formed.
In the above-mentioned conventional method of forming a solder bump, however, it has been difficult to form a pattern of an electrode extension portion in a predetermined shape by the BLM film and to form a solder ball bump in a predetermined shape on the solder bump foundation portion with high yield.
Thus, it has been difficult to improve the reliability of flip chip bonding when a semiconductor device is packaged, and to improve the product yield of the packaged components.
In the light of such circumstances as described above, it is an object of the present invention to present a method of forming a solder bump capable of flip chip bonding on a semiconductor device with high reliability.
The present inventor has found that the above-mentioned problems generated when a solder bump is formed by a conventional method are caused as described hereunder.
The causes are that lift-off of a resist film and a BLM film is incomplete when the BLM film is lifted off together with the resist film, and residues in no small quantities remain on the substrate surface. In a method of forming a solder bump explained with reference to FIG. 7, a simple circular connecting hole is opened on an Al electrode pad. Whereas, when an electrode extension portion is formed as shown in FIG. 8, a shape including a straight line portion and a curved line portion in which a wiring portion in a straight line form is connected to a circular area of a solder bump foundation portion and an electrode pad is presented. This complicated pattern configuration causes poor lift-off of the resist film and the BLM film.
Namely, when the connecting hole is transformed into an overhang form by sputter-etching as the preprocessing of film formation of the BLM, it is difficult to transform the photoresist opening edge corresponding to the electrode extension portion into a moderate overhang shape over the long whole length being different from a case of a simple circle, thus a BLM film is also formed in a pattern sidewall portion where transformation of the opening edge is insufficient. Therefore, the resist peeling liquid can no longer sufficiently penetrate inside, thus making removal of the resist film insufficient. As a result, as shown in Fig. lE, a large quantity of lift-off residues such as a BLM film are generated.
Thus, the present inventor has found as the result of eager study that the residues described above are removable with an adhesive tape, and come to complete the present invention.


According to an embodiment, a key generating device connected to an external device includes a generating unit configured to generate an encryption key; a first communicating unit configured to transmit and receive the encryption key to and from the external device; a storage unit configured to stores therein state information indicating a communication state with respect to an application using the encryption key; and a controller configured to make a control of changing a frequency at which the generating unit generates the encryption key or a frequency at which the first communicating unit transmits and receives the encryption key according to the state information.

An encryption communication network is known which is configured by a plurality of networked nodes connected to each other through a plurality of links. Each node has a function of generating and sharing a random number with an oppoising node connected through the link, and a function of performing encryption communication on the link using the random number as an encryption key (hereinafter, a link key). In addition, some of the nodes each have a function of generating a random number independently of the link, and a function of transmitting the generated random number to the other nodes. An application in the encryption communication network has a function of acquiring the random number from the node, and performing the encryption communication with another application using the random number as the encryption key (hereinafter, refer to as an application key). The application may be integrally implemented in the node, or may be implemented as a terminal independently of the node.
In the node, the function of generating and sharing the random number (the link key) between the oppoising nodes connected through the link, for example, is generally implemented by a technique called a quantum encryption communication. In this case, a technique of generating the random number (the application key) in the node independently of the link and transmitting the generated random number to another node through the link may be referred to as a quantum key distribution (QKD).
However, a specific sequence of generating of timing at which the random number (the application key) is generated independently of the link and a frequency thereof is not clearly disclosed in the conventional technique, so that it is difficult to efficiently generate and share the application key.

Key generating device and key generating method


The present invention relates to a system for depressurisation of high pressure pipeline fluids. The system may provide for net power generation without the pressurised fluid undergoing liquefaction or solidification or unacceptable temperature reduction as a result of a Joule-Thompson process. The system is particularly relevant for depressurising high pressure natural gas pipelines in an energy efficient manner whilst making possible net power generation. The system for depressurisation of a pressurised fluid in a pipeline comprises at least one depressuriser for expanding the fluid in the pipeline to a lower pressure; and a transcritical heat pump for circulating a supercritical fluid, wherein the supercritical fluid undergoes cooling so as to release heat for transmission to the pressurised fluid in the pipeline prior to at least one expansion of said pressurised fluid.

Natural gas is transmitted via high pressure pipelines and distributed to end users at considerably lower pressures. Generally, compressor stations are used to raise the pressure and to maintain it during long distance transmission. It is noteworthy that differing line pressures are used for transmission lines in differing geographical settings, and the pressures must be reduced accordingly in compliance with network design requirements in a varying number of steps, which depend upon the size and nature of the end user or subdistribution node on the system.
The process of pressure reduction is normally accomplished by means of a small orifice or throttling valve and results in a substantial lowering of the gas' temperature. Naturally, the extent of temperature drop is directly proportional to the extent of pressure reduction that occurs.
Temperature drop caused by Joule-Thompson processes is undesirable and must be avoided, or at least limited for a number of reasons. Excessive chilling can cause undesirable stresses in the pipes and ancillary equipment; it can degrade certain pipe coatings and pipe materials; it can also cause freezing of the earth surrounding the pipeline with the associated risk of frost heave. Furthermore, the gas itself may contain condensable components whose liquefaction or solidification in reduced temperatures may pose problems for the downstream network.
The most direct method for avoiding such problems is to heat the gas stream immediately before its pressure is reduced. The amount of heat delivered is controlled so that the post-expansion gas temperature remains high enough to circumvent low temperature problems upon pressure release.
Burning a portion of the gas represents a logical source of heat available to the natural gas pressure reduction station. Unless there is another reliable and uninterrupted source of heat available to the pressure reduction station, a bank of high efficiency gas fired boilers is usually deployed to provide the necessary heat. This remedy is effective and generally straightforward to implement, but it comes at the cost of consuming some of the deliverable energy in the gas. Proposals have been made to use fuel cells or combined heat and power (CHP) units rather than boilers to supply heat along with power, but the energy loss in terms of gas consumption still remains.
Prior art methods for reducing or eliminating the waste of energy in the process of pressure reduction in natural gas are described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,827 describes adding an inhibitor to the gas upstream of the pressure reduction. The purpose of the inhibitor is to prevent condensation in the chilled gas. After the inhibitor is added the pressure reduction is allowed to take place without preheating.
Reheating after pressure reduction can be accomplished by establishing thermal contact with the ambient since the expanded gas will generally have a temperature below ambient. This can be done in a number of ways. For example: by providing free refrigeration to an available load (provided that such a load can be found); by providing a direct or indirect heat exchange connection between the gas and the ambient or by supplementing passive heat exchange with heat supplied by a heat pump. These methods allow much if not all of the reheating to be supplied from the ambient, with a consequent saving in heat produced by gas burning.
Difficulties with this approach include the necessity to provide an additional consumable, i.e. the inhibitor, to each site and to meter its injection into the gas stream. In addition it may be necessary to recover the inhibitor before the gas is supplied to the end user. Recovery of the inhibitor entails additional equipment and adds materially to the complexity of the station and to its operation.
Pozivil (Acta Montanistica Slovaca, Rocnik 9 (2004), cislo 3, 258-260) reports transformation of the kinetic energy released in the gas expansion process into mechanical energy in an expansion turbine and, in most cases, subsequently into electrical power. This electrical power can then be used in a variety of ways: supplied back to the electricity grid; used to provide some or all of the electrical requirements of the site and possibly used to power a heat pump to supply heat to the expanded gas.
There are a number of issues to be addressed in considering the use of any of these power-generating methods. First is the fact that the gas temperature drop which accompanies a power-producing expansion is several times larger than that which accompanies a throttling expansion to the same final pressure. If this cooling is to be counteracted by burning gas upstream of the expander, the reheating process will consume more energy than can be generated even by the most efficient expander-generator unit. There must also be a full-time electrical load available to the station to utilise the electrical energy produced. In practical terms this usually means a grid connection through which the electricity is fed back into the network. In any case there is a net loss of usable energy even if the electricity generated is fully used. Justification for the expenditure for this arrangement must be sought from factors other than energy savings.
A variation of this approach is to use a CHP unit in addition to the expander-generator unit. The size of the CHP is determined by the amount of reheat required so that the thermal output of the CHP can be used to counteract the expansion-induced gas cooling. The electrical output of the expander-generator is added to that of the CHP unit and both are supplied to the grid. Both of the electrical outputs produce an economic return to the operator, but the primary energy and CO2 advantages of the approach are less straightforward to establish. The reason for deploying the CHP unit is mainly to take advantage of its thermal output, so this part of the combustion energy must be seen as sacrificial in the overall scheme. The role of the CHP could be replaced by a fuel cell, and the overall approach would be the same.
If the heat is to be added post-expansion, then it will be necessary to add condensation inhibitors to the gas stream. Indeed, because of the very large temperature drop it may be necessary to increase the dosage of inhibitor for it to remain effective. It will also be necessary to evaluate the implications for equipment of chilling by temperature drops down to −80° C. which can occur even in a single expansion stage. This method is capable of achieving significant primary energy savings, but its implementation presents in more extreme form all of the difficulties noted above in connection with the inhibitor addition method.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,191 communicates a system comprising a heat pump to heat the gas pre-expansion. Utilising the pre-expansion heat pump approach, one is faced with the problem of heating the gas up to temperatures as high as 80-90° C. from an inlet temperature typically of 5-10° C. so as to avoid the cooling problems discussed above (supra). Achieving the very high final temperatures is a Herculean challenge for any conventional heat pump to achieve. In addition, the necessity of achieving such a large temperature lift in a single pass will have a very deleterious effect on the heat pump efficiency. If the heat pump efficiency does not achieve a minimum threshold efficiency level, the process may still require supplementary (combustion) heating.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0172661 provides for use of multiple small-ratio expansion stages to restrict the temperature drops to a range which a heat pump could handle. Such an approach would entail much greater equipment cost and complexity, without any additional benefit. The above considerations taken together make it unlikely that conventional heat pumps can play any significant role in this particular application.
Notwithstanding the state of the art it would still be desirable to provide for a system that is capable of pre-heating a pressurised fluid to a sufficient extent such that upon fluid depressurisation the problems associated with cooling are avoided. It would be desirable that the system be energy efficient. Furthermore, a system capable of net power generation would also be desirable.

System for efficient fluid depressurisation


A coupling apparatus for temporary attachment of a portable medical apparatus, such as an intravenous infusion unit, to a personal mobile transport vehicle such as a wheelchair, hospital bed, gurney or mobile stretcher is disclosed. The apparatus includes a deployable arm which may be pivoted from a storage position alongside the transport vehicle to one or more fully deployed and locked positions for releaseably receiving and securing a portable intravenous infusion unit to the transport vehicle during the transport or relocation of infirmed or ambulatory restricted individuals. The apparatus also includes a stabilization strap for securing and stabilizing medical equipment, intravenous lines or other equipment lines attached to, or emanating from, the portable intravenous infusion unit during a transport operation.

Transportation or movement of infirmed, non-ambulatory or ambulatory-restricted patients or patrons within a medical facility, nursing home or assisted living facility is common and may occur many times a day for various reasons. Movement of patients or patrons within the facility or elsewhere generally involves the use of a personal transport vehicle such as a wheelchair, gurney or mobile stretcher. The movement or transport of such patients or patrons quite often includes the simultaneous movement of medical equipment that may be physically attached to the patient or patron for monitoring purposes and/or for intravenously feeding or medicating the individual.
Individuals requiring intravenous fluids or medications generally receive such fluids or medications through the use of elevated bags or pumping mechanisms attached to a support unit or stand located next to, or in close proximity with, the infirmed individual. It is important, and quite often crucial, that the intravenous fluids and/or medications being given to an infirmed individual be moved along with the individual so as not to interrupt or terminate the flow of such fluids or medications which may be critical to said individual. In many cases, devices that monitor the vital statistics of such individuals must also be moved along with the individuals during transport. Free standing mobile intravenous infusion units, or "I.V. stands", are commonly used to hold and also transport such fluids, medications or other medical equipment attached to infirmed individuals as they are being transported from one location to another. A typical mobile I.V. stand in use today includes a vertical pole or standard attached to a wheeled or castered base and is provided with one or more limbs, hooks or mounting brackets situated near the top of the I.V. stand for the attachment of feeding or medication bags, I.V. pumps, monitors and/or other medical equipment attached to the infirmed individual. Generally, unless the patient or patron is physically capable of holding and guiding the portable I.V. stand during the transport operation (which is an inherently dangerous and otherwise impractical proposition), at least two attendants are required to safely move the patient and to maintain his or her accompanying I.V. stand in close proximity to the patient during said movement. The use of two attendants to move one individual is obviously very costly and is an inefficient utilization of valuable personnel.
Typically, once a patient or patron has been transported to a desired location, the patient or patron must then be removed, at least temporarily, from the transport vehicle for whatever purpose(s) or event(s) (treatment, therapy, tests, etc.), which occasioned the relocation of said patient or patron. It is therefore very important that a nurse or other attendant be able to quickly and easily release the I.V. stand containing the patient's medical equipment from any coupling mechanism attached to the transport vehicle or otherwise so as to allow the I.V. stand to accompany the patient when the patient is removed from the transport vehicle for treatment. This would be especially important in emergency or life threatening situations.
Various devices have been proposed for attaching, tethering or rigidly affixing mobile I.V. stands to the transport vehicles being used to move or relocate infirmed individuals. However, known devices, such as those disclosed in applicant's information disclosure statement submitted herewith, are not without disadvantages, limitations and/or shortcomings which are overcome by the design and operation of the present invention.
For example, a device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,074 issued to Smith teaches a coupling mechanism for the attachment of a mobile I.V. stand to one of the lower tubular cross members supporting a foldable wheelchair. Attachment of a mobile I.V. stand to a wheelchair utilizing this device requires the mobile I.V. stand to be positioned directly behind the wheelchair and between the push handles of the chair. Depending on the condition of the patient or patron, a mobile I.V. stand may be required to support one or more feeding or medication bags, pumps, and/or various monitoring devices as well as the flow or sensory lines attached these devices. The position and placement of a mobile I.V. stand in the manner suggested by the Smith reference not only obstructs the vision of the attendant, but also invades the physical space of the attendant thereby requiring the attendant to straddle the I.V. stand when attempting to walk and push the wheelchair. The positioning of the clamping mechanism of this reference also requires an attendant to stoop, squat or sit in order to attach the mobile I.V. stand to the wheelchair or to release the mobile I.V. stand from the wheelchair.
Another device, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,391 to Schneider, presents a mobile I.V. stand coupled to the upper frame of a wheelchair. This coupling method uses a clamp and latch means having a pair of interconnected hemi-cylindrical pieces attached to a telescoping tubular member for grasping and holding the pole or standard of a mobile I.V. stand. Disadvantages of this reference include difficulty of attaching the pole or standard of a mobile I.V. stand to the clamp and latch means of the device and of quickly and easily detaching and removing the mobile I.V. stand from the device when the patient is being removed from the chair. A further disadvantage of this reference includes the position of the clamp and latch mechanism that is restricted to the front of the wheelchair and interferes with patient access to and from the wheelchair, even when the device is in a fully retracted configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,680 to Scharf, et al. discloses another coupling mechanism for towing a mobile I.V. stand behind a wheelchair using a tether. This device contemplates the use of upper and lower rear extension members rigidly attached to one of the rear support legs of a wheelchair and having a pair of towing rods pivotally connected to upper and lower post couplers. In order to use the device, the upper and lower post couplers must be attached to the pole or standard of the mobile I.V. stand using a first and second semi-cylindrical member threadably engaged one to the other. The upper and lower post couplers of this reference are securely attached to the pole or standard of the mobile I.V. stand and are pivotally attached to the upper and lower towing rods of the upper and lower rear extension members. The post couplers of this reference are not designed to be quickly detached or easily uncoupled and, in fact, the couplers and the respective towing rods attached thereto are designed to remain with the mobile I.V. stand pole or standard once they are installed. The attachment of an I.V. stand to the coupling mechanism in the manner described by this reference would allow the stand to uncontrollably pivot or swing back and forth behind the transport vehicle as the vehicle is being turned or moved. Release of the mobile I.V. stand is accomplished by mechanically disconnecting the towing rods from the upper and lower rear extension members. Another problem or disadvantage associated with this reference is the obstruction of vision and the limitation of movement of the attendant due to the I.V. stand being moveably situated behind the transport vehicle and the intravenous lines and/or other equipment lines to the infirmed individual being required to cross in front of and/or around the attendant.
The present invention is a modification and significant improvement over prior art and incorporates unique and novel design features which distinguish the invention over the existing art.

Apparatus for coupling intravenous infusion units with mobile transport vehicles


A separable electrical connector for electrically interconnecting an electrical device to a substrate. In one embodiment, the connector includes an adapter board electrically connected to the substrate, the adapter board having electrical contacts on both sides, and a layer of ACE between the electrical device and the adapter board. A mechanical structure is used to apply a compressive force on the ACE through the adapter board and the electrical device. In another embodiment, the connector includes a translator board having electrical contacts on both sides and electrical circuits within to expand the footprint of the fine pitch electrical device to the coarser pitch of the substrate. The connector further includes a layer of ACE between the translator board and the substrate.

Anisotropic Conductive Elastomer (ACE) is a composite of conductive metal elements in an elastomeric matrix that is normally constructed such that it conducts along one axis only. In general this type of material is made to conduct through the thickness. In one reduction to practice, ACE achieves its anisotropic conductivity by mixing magnetic particles with a liquid resin, forming the mix into a continuous sheet and curing the sheet in the presence of a magnetic field. This results in the particles forming columns through the sheet thickness which are electrically conductive. The resulting structure has the unique property of being flexible and anisotropically conductive. These properties provide for a useful interconnection medium.
In another reduction to practice, ACE may consist of a matrix phase of an electrically insulating rubber sheet having a specified hardness and a dispersed phase of a multiplicity of metallic fine wire segments embedded in the matrix. The multiplicity of fine wire segments are substantially in parallel each with the others, and extend in a specified direction and in a specified distribution density. Each of the ends of the wire segments are exposed on the surface of the matrix sheet of rubber.
ACE must be compressed between top and bottom conductors to provide the interconnection. This is normally done by compressing the system using a backing plate and spring arrangement. One example of such is shown in FIG. 1. This requires the use of boards that are designed to accommodate the backing plate and holes. This can result in a conflict with components mounted under the device and on the back of the board.

Separable electrical interconnect with anisotropic conductive elastomer for translating footprint


A light projection lens includes: an inner surface which light emitted from a light source enters, and includes a first concave portion; and an outer surface from which the light exits. In a cross section parallel to an optical axis of the light emitted from the light source, the outer surface and the first concave portion have a difference in radius of curvature in at least a portion of the outer surface and the first concave portion. In a cross section perpendicular to the optical axis of the light emitted from the light source, the first concave portion has an elliptical shape. The light which exits from the outer surface is lesser in amount in an optical axis direction of the light emitted from the light source than in a direction different from the optical axis direction.

Conventionally, lighting equipment provided for a mobile object, such as a vehicle, which emits light toward a road surface around the mobile object has been known (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-71386).
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-71386 discloses lighting equipment which is provided in a side-view mirror for illuminating around a passenger's feet outside a vehicle.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


The present invention provides an (R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide crystal form, which has diffraction peaks when 2θ is 12.423±0.2°, 16.465±0.2°, 17.344±0.2°, 21.889±0.2°, and 25.054±0.2°. The present invention can promote synthesis of phosphorylcholine and phosphoethanolamine and promote cerebral metabolism, has a stimulating effect on the specific central nervous pathway through the blood-brain barrier, and has special biological activity in the fields of sedation, anti-epilepsy, etc. The (R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide crystal form in the present invention has a melting point peak temperature of 133.1±2° C. and a solubility in water of greater than or equal to 100 mg/mL, dissolves fast in water, provides high bioavailability, good stability, and good particle fluidity, is suitable for production of pharmaceutical preparations and storage and transportation. The crystal form is suitable for preparation into a variety of pharmaceutical compositions, and can be prepared into a variety of preparations, such as tablets, capsules, dripping pills, sustained-release controlled-release preparations, lyophilized powder injections, etc. The preparation method of the present invention is simple and suitable for industrial production.

(R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide (CAS No. 68252-28-8), which is the dextroisomer of the nootropic drug 4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidoneacetamide. The latest research shows that the compound has special biological activity in the fields of sedation, anti-epileptic, etc., and has low toxicity and a broad range of pharmaceutical safety, which is expected to become an alternative to the existing highly toxic anti-epileptic drugs. The specific structure of (R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide is as follows:

In order to effectively develop (R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidone acetamide into a pharmaceutical product, a solid form with easy to manufacture and acceptable chemical and physical stability is required to facilitate its processing and circulating storage. The crystalline solid form is generally superior to the amorphous form in terms of enhancing the purity and stability of the compound. At present, there are few studies preparation methods and crystalline forms of (R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide, and no crystalline form of (R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinoacetamide has been disclosed.

(R)-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-1-pyrrolidineacetamide crystal form, preparation method therefor, and application thereof

CHONGQING RUZER PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY LIMITED


The invention relates to a method of providing two distinct photoimageable film compositions, in particular, two distinct dry film compositions, on a substrate. Each of the two photoimageable film compositions is selected to have a different developing speed and/or curing speed so that, after development, the top layer of photoimageable film overhangs the bottom layer of photoimageable film. A metal layer is subsequently deposited over the surface of the substrate. The overhang allows for the clean removal of the photoimageable film layers, without damage to the subsequently applied metal layer, because the overhang prevents the metal layer from making intimate contact with the photoimageable film layers along the interface of the substrate with the photoimageable film layers.

The present invention relates to a method of forming a metal image in a desired pattern on a substrate. Two different photoimageable film layers are provided on the substrate, such that after exposure to actinic radiation to produce a negative of the desired image and subsequent development, a resulting "umbrella" is formed of the top photoimageable layer over the bottom photoimageable layer. A metal layer is subsequently deposited over the photoimageable film pattern on the substrate. The "umbrella" allows for the clean removal of the photoimageable film layers, without damage to the subsequently applied metal.
The invention is usable in processes such as the manufacture of printed wiring boards. A typical process for the manufacture of a printed wiring board is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,550 to Larson et al., the subject matter of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. The invention is also usable in a variety of other processes that have similar steps to the process described below for formulating a metal image on the substrate.
A typical procedure for making a metal image, on a substrate is as follows:    1) A dry film or other photoimageable layer is laminated or otherwise applied to the substrate.    2) A negative image is produced using actinic radiation on the photoimageable layer covering the substrate.    3) The unexposed photoimageable layer is developed off using a mild alkaline solution, such as 1% K2CO3, leaving the cleared substrate and the exposed resist.    4) The entire substrate is coated with a conductive metal. Preferably, a layer of gold is sputter coated onto the substrate.    5) As a result of step 4, conductive metal (gold) covers both the substrate and the photoimageable layer.    6) The remaining photoimageable layer is then stripped from the substrate using an alkaline solution, such as a 3% solution of KOH.    7) Finally, with the remaining photoimageable layer removed, the gold image remains on the substrate.
Suitable processes are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,466 to Benebo et al., the subject matter of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
A major concern with the above described procedure is that the gold is coated up and over the photoimageable layer (dry film) pattern on the substrate (i.e., traces) in one continuous film. When the dry film is stripped off, the gold is ripped apart at the edges where the resist and the gold meet on the substrate surface. The result is a potentially ragged line of the gold remaining after stripping, and potential lifting of the unwanted resist pattern from the substrate.
In the case of the manufacture of printed wiring boards, when lifting occurs, there is potential to create unwanted plating between features on the printed wiring board, causing them to be electrically shorted or near shorted. Thus, it would be highly desirable to develop a manufacturing method that results in straight traces on the substrate, without ragged tear lines.
One way that has been suggested to avoid the ragged metal is to develop the dry film so that it has a severe negative foot, or under cut, near the surface of the substrate, thereby resulting in an "umbrella-effect" whereby the sputtered gold, deposited from above, would not coat directly up to the edge of the dry film/substrate interface. The disadvantage of such a severe negative foot is that it is difficult to consistently reproduce and can lead to resist failure, or lifting of the resist. This lifting can cause a short of the sputtered gold. Additionally, a negative foot may be non-uniform along the substrate-dry film interface.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for an improved method of producing gold traces on the surface of the substrate, that does not result in a ragged line of the gold trace remaining after the photoresist is stripped from the substrate.
The inventors have surprisingly discovered that the use of two layers of photoresist each having different break times and/or developing times and/or curing speeds produces a sandwich of the two layers, that has an "umbrella" effect of the top layer of photoresist over the bottom layer of photoresist. This "umbrella" or T shape of the photoresist sandwich significantly eliminates ragged lines along interface between the substrate and the dry film photoresist, which were common in the prior art.

Method of forming a metal pattern on a substrate


The present invention relates to a process for obtaining oleoresin of improved color and pungency from chili, the said process comprising steps of: treating powder or flakes of chili by mixing with a multi enzyme preparation, incubating at a particular range pH, drying the enzyme treated chili powder/flakes to bring down the moisture level of about 5–12%, powdering or pelletizing to a particle size of about 20–30 mesh, soaking and extracting using a mixture of solvent for a period ranging between 1h to 3h; repeating the extraction and pooling the extracts, and concentrating the pooled extract to obtain oleoresin with enriched pungency and color.

Chilies are the dried ripe red fruits of the genus capsicum. The two well-known species are Capsicum annum L. and Capsicum frutenscens L. India is the largest producer and exporter of chilies. The estimated export of dry chilies from India was 75,000 MT tonnes valued Rs. 25580 lakhs in 2001–02.
Pungency and color are the two main quality attributes in chilies. The red color of chilies is due to the presence of carotenoid pigments like capsanthin, (major pigment, 35%) capsorubin, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, β-carotene etc. These pigments are present in chilies mainly in the esterified form, and to a small extent in non-esterified forms. The oleoresin of chilies is used in many processed foods like sausages, seafood, meat products etc. to impart a reddish taint and pungency. It is also used in chicken feed so that chicken meat and yolk will get an attractive reddish shade. For food colouration, pungency free, high color content chili oleoresins are desirable. Chili oleoresins as commercially produced vary in their pigment content and the color value ranges from 30,000 to 1,00,000 units as, measured by the method prescribed by the Essential oil Association of America (EOA). The color content of the oleoresin is directly proportional to the pigment concentration the raw material used. But preparation of oleoresin with high color values is desirable. The present invention relates to a process to upgrade the color value of pungency-free commercial chili oleoresin.
There are several patents on chili/paprika color, relating to the following aspects:
    i. Methods for alcohol or oil extraction, usually after saponification with alkali (No. 31,522 Israel 1971, No. 76,142,020, Japan 1976, No. 80,118,967, Japan 1980, No. 81,011,960, Japan 1981, No. 82,133,160, Japan 1982, No. 82,180,663, Japan 1982, and 83,173,164, Japan 1984).    ii. Pigment production by inter-esterification, No. 79,142,236, Japan 1979).    iii. Methods for pigment stabilization or prevention of fading (54,010,568, Japan 1979 No. 55046, 147, Japan 1980, No. 76,112,561, Japan 1976) and    iv. Preparation of formulations for food use (81,011,961, Japan 1981).Other patents relating to paprika color are as follows:    i. Method of preventing paprika color from fading (JP52128924, 1977),    ii. Production of paprika color involving the use of calcium hydroxide and solvent extraction (JP57131259, 1982),    iii. Production of paprika dyestuff by treating paprika extract with caustic alkali in presence of acetone (JP61264061, 1986),    iv. Improvement of paprika color stability to oxygen and light by blending with carrot extract and browning reaction product of a saccharide and amino acid (JP57031962, 1982),    v. Fade preventing agent for paprika pigment by adding a browning reaction product of a saccharide and an amino acid (JP56041259, 1981),    vi. Fade inhibition of paprika color by adding solvent extract of rosemary, sage or mixture thereof (JP57102955, 1982),    vii. Manufacture of odourless paprika colouring matter by absorption of alcohol extract of paprika on a resin of porus polymeric structure (JP3045657, 1991),    viii. Production of stable deodorise paprika pigment by bringing paprika oleoresin into contact with carbon dioxide in supercritical state in presence a polar solvent (JP2038464, 1990),    ix. Production of concentrate paprika pigment by treating paprika with lipase followed by solvent extraction (JP62115067, 1987),    x. Method for separating paprika pigment by silica gel chromatography (JP62115068, 1987),    xi. Manufacture of paprika oleoresin capsule by treatment with molto dextrin and modified starch (KR9310538, 1993),    xii. Method for production of colouring agent and flavouring material from paprika (HU63311, 1993),    xiii. Process for isolation of flavour and color from paprika (HU185706, 1985),    xiv. Method for obtaining aromatics and dyestuffs from bell peppers involving extraction with a solvent in a supercritical state (HU28336, 1983),    xv. Improvement of color stability by treatment with vegetables and fruits, which contain carotenoids (U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,574, 1999),    xvi. Natural food color composition involving mixture of edible materials including paprika and palm oil, carrot oil or corn gluten oil (U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,792, 1981),    xvii. High temperature counter current solvent extraction (U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,095, 1998),    xviii. Method of stabilising a spice extractive and a preservative product by using a small amount of metal deactivator such as an edible water soluble salt of ethylene such as diamine tetra acetic acid (GB974322, 1964),    xix. Color stabilised paprika composition using a natural antioxidant/oil soluble ascorbic acid ester (US19900525340, 19900518, 1991),    xx. Preparation of emulsified paprika color (JP2001252043, 2001), prevention of paprika pigment fading using caffeic acid ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid and some of their esters etc. (JP57117566, 1992).The above patents do not teach or does not provide any clue regarding improved extraction of chili oeloresin and recovery of carotenoid.
According to a published paper by Santamaria et al., "Selective enzyme mediated extraction of capsaicinoids and carotenoids from chili guajillo puya (Capsicum annum L) using ethanol as solvent" in J. Agric.Food Chem. 2000, 48, 3063–3067, selective extraction of capsaicinoids and carotinoids from the Mexican chili Guajillo "puya" was studied. Ethanol was used as solvent for the extraction of carotenoids and capsaicin from chili powder treated with commercial enzymes (individually) containing a) pectolytic as well as hemicellulolytic: activities, (b) cellulotytic activity, (c) a wide variety of carbohydrase activities d) with pectin esterase and arabanase activities. It was recommended that, pre-treatment of the flour with a commercial enzyme namely VISCOZYME L (with a wide variety of carbohydrase activities having 120 units of fungal β-glucanase (FBG)/ml) at 5% level on chili powder helped to get an increased yield of 11% for carotenoid and 7% for capsaicinoids respectively, over control chili powder.
In the present patent proposal using two commercial enzymes namely (a) EXTRAZYME (with declared activity of 7500 pectinase S units and a multi-enzyme complex containing a vide range of carbohydrases, including arabanase, cellulase, β-glucanase, hemi-cullalase, and xylanase and (b) ENERGEX, in powder or liquid form, with declared activities of 50–120 fungal β-glucanase per gram or ml and 5000 to 12000 PSU per gram or ml.
The method reported in the publication referred to above, has many disadvantages, which are overcome in the present patent application.    1) As per the paper, the chili powder to water ratio is very high being of the order of 1:50 which needs to be dried before extraction. This step of removal of water in large quantities involves time and energy, which would make the processes uneconomical. In the present patent proposal material to water ratio for enzyme treatment is far less (1:1) which makes the drying step easier and faster    2) Enzyme addition to the chili powder as reported in the paper ranges from 1–5% and actually the authors recommend 5% of the enzyme. In the present patent proposal maximum level required is 1% only.    3) The increase in the yields of carotenoids and capsaicinoids as per the referred paper is 10% for carotenoids and 7% for capsaicinoids over the control batch. In contrast to this in the proposed patent, the increase in yields of carotenoids and capsicinoids is of the order of 24% and 32% respectively, which is very much higher.    4) The solvent used in the publication is aqueous alcohol or pure alcohol. In the proposed patent a mixture of solvents with an advantage of improved extractability for chili constituents namely, carotenoids and capsaicin has been employed    5) Commercial scale adaptation is feasible for the process claimed in the patent application
In the spice extraction industry, chili oleoresin is produced by extraction of chili powder with solvents such as acetone, ethylene dichloride and hexane followed by desolventization to get a deep red coloured, viscous material called the oleoresin. The oleoresin contains the constituents responsible for color namely carotenoids, the pungent constituents mainly capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, besides other soluble components such as fats and waxes.
The present patent aims at enhancing the extractability of chili constituents especially pigments and capsaicinoids by a combination of two techniques namely enzyme treatment and extraction with selected solvent mixtures.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research


A charging circuit has a battery 12, switching element 14, and resistor 16 for current detection arranged on the primary side of transformer 10. Diode 18 and capacitor 20 for storing electric power are arranged on the secondary side of transformer 10. In a normal state, the ON/OFF states of switching element 14 are repeated corresponding to output signals U1, U2 of two comparators 28, 30. However, if switching element 14 stays on or off longer than a prescribed period of time for some reason, the status of switching 14 will be switched forcibly by an auxiliary sequence of the logic parts in control logic 42.

A typical example of such a charging circuit is a photoflash charging circuit that charges a capacitor used for turning on a photoflash lamp. FIG. 7 shows the circuit configuration of a conventional photoflash charging circuit.
In this photoflash charging circuit, battery 12, switching element 14, and resistor 16 for current detection are connected in series on the primary side of transformer 10. Diode 18 for rectification and capacitor 20 for storing electric power are connected in series on the secondary side of transformer 10. Photoflash lamp 22 connected to capacitor 20 on the secondary side is constituted by, for example, a xenon flash lamp. It is normally kept in an insulated state and instantaneously discharges (becomes conductive) when a high voltage is applied from a trigger circuit (not shown in the figure) to trigger electrode 23 when taking a picture. When lamp 22 discharges, the electric power stored in capacitor 20 flows into lamp 22, and the xenon gas in the lamp becomes luminescent.
Battery 12 is connected between one terminal 24a of primary coil 24 and ground potential as the reference potential on the primary side of transformer 10. Switching element 14 and resistor 16 are connected in series between the other terminal 24b of primary coil 24 and the ground potential. When switching element 14 is on, current (primary current) Isw flows in the closed loop on the primary side, and electromagnetic energy is stored in primary coil 24. When switching element 14 is turned off, the primary current Isw that has been flowing is cut off. At the same time, the electromagnetic energy stored in primary coil 24 is transferred to secondary coil 26 through electromagnetic induction. Current (secondary current) Iout flows in the forward direction through diode 18 in the secondary circuit. Capacitor 20 is charged by said secondary current Iout. When switching element 14 is turned on/off repeatedly, the charging voltage Vout of capacitor 20 can be increased stepwise.
On the primary side of the photoflash circuit, comparator 28 is used to obtain the timing of switching element 14 from the ON state to the OFF state, and a comparator 30 is used to obtain the timing of switching element 14 from the OFF state to ON state.
The two terminals of resistor 16 are connected to the two input terminals (+), (−) of comparator 28. More specifically, the positive terminal of resistor 16 is directly connected to the positive input terminal (+) of comparator 28, and the negative terminal of resistor 16 is connected to the negative input terminal (−) of comparator 28 via the ground and reference voltage source 32. If the resistance of resistor 16 is R16, the voltage drop V16 is V16=Isw·R16. If the voltage of reference voltage source 32 is taken as VF1 (constant value), the output signal U1 of comparator 28 is at level L when V16<VF1. The output signal of comparator 28 changes from level L to level H when V16≧VF1. The output terminal of comparator 28 is connected to the reset input terminal (R) of RS latch circuit 34 constituted by an RS flip-flop. The output terminal (Q) of RS latch circuit 34 is connected to the control terminal of switching element 14. When the output signal U1 of comparator 28 switches from level L to level H, RS latch circuit 34 is reset at the rising edge of the output signal. The output signal of RS latch circuit 34, that is, the switching control signal Csw, switches from level H to level L. As a result, switching element 14 is switched from the ON state to the OFF state.
The two terminals 24a, 24b of primary coil 24 are connected to the two input terminals (+), (−) of comparator 30. More specifically, one terminal 24a (on the side of battery 12) of primary coil 24 is directly connected to the positive input terminal (+) of comparator 30. The other terminal 24b (on the side of switching element 14) of primary coil 24 is connected to the negative input terminal (−) of comparator 30 via reference voltage source 36. During the period when primary current Isw flows in the primary circuit, since the voltage on the side of terminal 24a of primary coil 24 (output voltage VBAT of battery 12) is not lower than the voltage on the side of terminal 24b of primary coil 24 (terminal voltage VSW of switching element 14), the output signal U2 of comparator 30 becomes level H. When switching element 14 is switched from the ON state to the OFF state and primary current Isw stops instantaneously, an induced electromotive force, with terminal 24b as the positive side and terminal 24a as the negative side, is generated between the two terminals of primary coil 24 as a result of electromagnetic induction. An induced electromotive force or secondary voltage VA, obtained by multiplying the winding ratio by the induced electromotive force on the primary side, is also generated in secondary coil 26. In this case, the mutual inductance of transformer 10 is negative, and primary coil 24 and secondary coil 26 have opposite polarities. In other words, terminal 26a of secondary coil 26 with the same polarity as terminal 24a of primary coil 24 is connected to ground. Terminal 26b of secondary coil 26 with the same polarity as terminal 24b of primary coil 24 is connected to the anode terminal of diode 18. Consequently, the induced electromotive force or secondary voltage VA generated between the two terminals of secondary coil 26 has terminal 26b as the positive side and terminal 26a as the negative side, and thus becomes a bias in the forward direction of diode 18. Secondary current Iout flows in the secondary circuit to charge capacitor 22.
On the other hand, when an induced electromotive force, with terminal 24b as the positive side and terminal 24a as the negative side, is generated between the two terminals of primary coil 24 as described above, the output signal U2 of comparator 30 changes from level H to level L. The output terminal of comparator 30 is connected to the input terminal of one-shot circuit 38. The output terminal of one-shot circuit 38 is connected to the set input terminal (S) of RS latch circuit 34. One-shot circuit 38 does not operate in response to the dropping of comparator output signal U2 from level H to level L. When secondary current Iout flows in the secondary circuit as described above, the electromagnetic energy of transformer 10 is converted to secondary current Iout and is gradually reduced. The secondary voltage VA gradually drops. The voltage between the two terminals of primary coil 24 also gradually drops in proportion to secondary voltage VA.
When the value obtained after subtracting voltage VF2 (constant value) of reference voltage source 36 from the voltage between the two terminals of primary coil 24 is negative, that is, when the switch terminal voltage VSW is lower than (VBAT+VF2) obtained by adding the voltage VF2 of reference voltage source 36 to the output voltage VBAT of battery 12, the output signal U2 of comparator 30 changes from level L to level H. Correspondingly, a positive pulse G with a certain pulse width is output from one-shot circuit 38, and a set signal is input into the set input terminal (S) of RS latch circuit 34. As a result, the output signal of RS latch circuit 34, that is, switching control signal CSW, switches from level L to level H. As a result, switching element 14 is switched from the OFF state to the ON state. Subsequently, the ON/OFF state of switching element 14 is repeated as the operation and control are repeated. The charging voltage (Vout) of capacitor 20 is increased gradually or stepwise to the set level.
FIG. 8 shows the operation of said photoflash charging circuit (FIG. 7) depending on the signal waveform of each part. In this figure, switching element 14 is switched from the ON state to the OFF state at times t1, t3. Switching element 14 is switched from the OFF state to the ON state at times t2, t4. As shown in the figure, as the charging voltage Vout of capacitor 20 rises, the secondary voltage VA induced on the secondary side rises immediately after switching off, and the negative slope of secondary current Iout is increased (in other words, the flowing period of secondary current Iout becomes shorter). When the charging voltage Vout of the capacitor reaches the set level, secondary voltage VA reaches a prescribed level. Charging end detecting circuit 40 shown in FIG. 7 detects the end of charging of capacitor 20 when the induced electromotive force on the primary side correlated with secondary voltage VA reaches the set value and turns off switching element 14 to stop the charging operation. Then, switching element 14 is kept in the OFF state until the next charging operation is started.
FIG. 9 shows the state transition and its conditions for said photoflash charging circuit (FIG. 7). Mode A, in which switching element 14 is turned on and the power supplied from battery 12 is stored in transformer 10 in the form of electromagnetic energy, and mode B, in which switching element 14 is turned off and the electromagnetic energy of transformer 10 is converted into secondary current Iout and then to the charging (electrostatic) energy of capacitor 20, are repeated alternately. Transition from mode A to mode B occurs when comparator 28 detects the fact that primary current Isw has increased to a prescribed value or larger. Transition from mode B to mode A occurs when comparator 30 detects the fact that the voltage between the two terminals of primary coil 24 has dropped to reference value VF2 or lower.
For the conventional charging circuit, however, in the following special cases, switching element 14 stays in the ON or OFF state. As a result, the charging operation virtually stops.
When the power supply capacity of battery 12 is reduced to near the empty state, as shown in FIG. 10, primary current Isw increases slowly since switching element 14 is turned on, and a fairly long time is required to reach the threshold value (VF1/R16). Switching element 14 stays in the ON state. During that period, the electromagnetic energy of transformer 10 is not converted into secondary current Iout, and the charging operation virtually stops.
When the charging voltage of capacitor 20 becomes abnormally low or becomes negative due to a short circuit or other reasons on the secondary side, as shown in FIG. 11, the induced electromotive force on the secondary side or secondary voltage VA generated by electromagnetic induction immediately after switching element 14 is turned off becomes small. This is reflected on the primary side. The induced electromotive force on the primary side also becomes small. In this case, when the switch terminal voltage VSW on the primary side does not exceed threshold value (VBAT+VF2), the output logic of comparator 30 is held without change. The signal to turn on switching element 14 again cannot be generated, and movement to the next charging cycle is not possible. The charging operation virtually stops.
When malfunction occurs in comparators 28, 30 or control logic 35 (RS latch circuit 34, one-shot circuit 38) due to electrostatic electricity, electromagnetic waves, or other external reasons, freezing may occur with switching element 14 in either the ON state or OFF state. The charging operation also stops in this case.
A general object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional technology by providing a charging circuit that can continue the switching operation for charging in a stable and reliable manner, even under special conditions, so that the charging operation can be carried out reliably.


A method and apparatus for managing movement. A navigation system comprises a first inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device having a first inertial measurement unit with a first level of accuracy in a first vehicle and is configured to provide first information that identifies a position of the first vehicle relative to a second vehicle. The navigation system further comprises a second inertial measurement unit enabled global positioning system device in the first vehicle having a second inertial measurement unit with a second level of accuracy that is greater than the first level of accuracy and is configured to provide second information that identifies the position of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle. The navigation system further comprises a controller that is configured to perform an action based on a desired level of accuracy of the first information.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to vehicles and, in particular, to navigation systems for vehicles. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for providing navigation to vehicles moving relative to each other.
2. Background
Vehicles, such as aircraft, commonly use navigation systems that include global positioning system devices to provide information about the position of the aircraft. With the information about the position of the aircraft, a pilot, autopilot, or other operator may guide the aircraft during various phases of flight such as take-off, climbing, level flight, descending, and landing.
For example, a global positioning system device may be used to provide information to a pilot as to whether the aircraft is turning at desired waypoints along a flight plan. As another example, a global positioning system device also may be used to provide position information to land the aircraft at a desired location.
Aircraft may use these global positioning system devices to identify their position relative to other objects that have fixed positions. For example, when a helicopter lands at an airport, the landing pad for the helicopter has a fixed position on the ground. As a result, the pilot of the helicopter may use the position of the helicopter and information about the location of the landing pad in a mapped database to land as desired.
In some cases, the object may move relative to the vehicle. For example, a helicopter landing on an aircraft carrier or other surface ship is unable to rely only on the position of the helicopter. Instead, the helicopter may also receive information from the surface ship as to the position of the surface ship relative to the helicopter. This information may aid in landing the helicopter on the surface ship.
This type of information may be provided by a navigation system on the helicopter, the surface ship, or both the helicopter and the surface ship. In some cases, a navigation system on both the helicopter and the surface ship may communicate with each other such that the helicopter knows where it is located relative to the surface ship. For example, the operator of the helicopter may want to know with a desired level of accuracy where the center of a helipad is located on the surface ship.
When the two navigation systems communicate with each other, the pilot of the helicopter may provide information needed to know where the location of the helicopter is relative to the helipad with a desired level of accuracy. These navigation systems include global positioning system devices to provide the desired level of accuracy.
These navigation systems communicate with each other over wireless communications links. These wireless communications links, however, may not always be as reliable as desired. In some cases, a temporary loss in communication between the navigation systems may occur. As a result, the helicopter may not receive information identifying the location of the helicopter relative to the surface ship as precisely as desired when a loss of communication occurs temporarily between the navigation system on the helicopter and the navigation system on the surface ship.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues.

Precision multiple vehicle navigation system


The objective of the present invention is to dampen operating sounds of an electromagnetic drive mechanism used for a variable displacement control mechanism in a high-pressure fuel supply pump to reduce an individual difference depending on apparatus due to the change over time or installation tolerance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic drive mechanism, and specifically to a high-pressure fuel supply pump for an internal combustion engine that uses this kind of electromagnetic drive mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
In a high-pressure fuel supply pump comprising a fuel discharge variable controlling mechanism that includes an electromagnetic drive mechanism described in Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-250462, a damping alloy is provided in a restriction part for restricting the movement of a movable member in order to dampen operating sounds of a variable displacement control mechanism including an electromagnetic drive mechanism.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Application Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-250462

Electromagnetic drive mechanism and a high-pressure fuel supply pump

Abstract: To achieve the above objective, the present invention is configured such that before the electromagnetic drive mechanism supplies a drive force to a plunger which is electromagnetically driven by the electromagnetic drive mechanism, another displacement force situates the plunger in a specific position. When compared to an occasion where the plunger is displaced all strokes by a magnetic biasing force, the above configuration is able to reduce the force of impact on a member (for example, valve body) mounted to the plunger and a restricting member, thereby damping the collision noise. Furthermore, since an extra member, such as a damping member, is not required, individual difference depending on apparatus do not easily occur.