A method of manufacturing split crucible pieces of a multiple-piece crucible comprising an integral assembly of two or more split crucible pieces and having a spherical bottom inner surface. The split crucible pieces are manufactured from a work mass graphite material by mechanical processing, comprising a step of forming a blind annular groove coaxial with the work by cutting the work from an end thereof toward the other end, a step of axially splitting the work into two or more pieces, constituting eventual split crucible pieces, and a step of cutting each split crucible piece from the side thereof opposite the sector-like or polygonal profile surface side by using a spherical acutting means, thereby forming a spherical inner bottom surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing split crucible pieces of a multiple-piece graphite crucible and, more particularly, in a method of manufacturing split crucible pieces of a multiple-piece graphite crucible constituted by an integral assembly of at least two split crucible pieces and has a spherical inner bottom surface, to a mechanical cutting process of forming a spherical bottom inner surface of each split crucible piece, which constitutes the spherical bottom inner surface of the multiple-piece graphite crucible.
2. Prior Art
In the field of electric communication apparatus, substrates for semiconductor devices and integrated circuits are manufactured from single crystal silicon bodies. A single crystal silicon body is usually obtained from polycrystalline silicon material by fusing the material and causing growth of single crystal of silicon on a seed crystal, which is raised from the melted silicon bath.
This method of growing single crystal silicon is called liquid phase epitaxy or liquid pase growth method, and utilizes a phenomenon that silicon single crystal is grown on a crystal piece, i.e., seed crystal, in a predetermined orientation relation thereto as the seed crystal is raised from a melted silicon bath. Such oriented overgrowth is utilized for obtaining a silicon single crystal body grown from polycrystalline silicon material.
Such a silicon single crystal body can be manufactured by various well-known methods. Among these methods, Czochalski method (CZ method) is usually used, because it permits mass production. In this method, a graphite crucible supporting a quartz crucible inserted therein, is used for melting polycrystalline silicon material.
FIG. 1 shows, partly in section, a conventional single crystal silicon growth apparatus based on the CZ method. Referring to the Figure, reference numeral 1 designates a crucible, in which a melted silicon bath 4 is formed by melting polycrystalline silicon material. The crucible 1 has a double-wall structure having a quartz crucible 2 and a graphite crucible 3, the former being inserted in the latter.
Graphite is material suitable for melting and other high temperature operations. However, the graphite crucible 3 cannot be directly used for melting polycrystalline silicon material, because melted silicon actively reacts with graphite. For this reason, in the application of the CZ method to the manufacture of a single crystal silicon body, the quartz crucible 2 is inserted in the graphite crucible 3, and the melted silicon bath 4 is formed in the quartz crucible 3 by putting and melting polycrystalline silicon material therein.
However, the melting temperature of the silicon material is nearly the softening temperature of quartz (around 1,550.degree. C.). Therefore, the quartz crucible is possibly softened. In order to protect and support the quartz crucible 2 from the outer surface thereof, the graphite crucible 3 is formed such that its inner shape conforms or is complementary to the outer shape of the quartz crucible 2, so that the graphite crucible 3 protects the quartz crucible 2 inserted in it from the outer surface of the quartz crucible 2.
The graphite crucible 3 has its bottom held in engagement with an engagement member 5 which is also made of graphite. For engagement with the engagement member 5, the bottom of the graphite crucible 3 is formed with an engagement recess 6. The engagement member 5 is in turn held in engagement with an engagement piece 8, which is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 7. The shaft 7 and the crucible 7 are thus made integral with each other.
The vertical shaft 7 is rotatable in the directions of arrows and also vertically movable. During single crystal silicon growth, the crucible 1 which is integral with the vertical shaft 7, is rotated and vertically moved in unison therewith, thereby maintaining a fixed head level of the melted silicon bath 4 in the quartz crucible 2.
A seed crystal 9 is dipped in the melted silicon bath with the head level held constant in the quartz crucible 2, and via the seed crystal (silicon single crystal) is grown to obtain a grown single crystal body 10.
For heating the crucible 1 and thermally melting silicon material, a heater 11, such as a graphite heat generator or a resistance heating coil, is disposed such as to surround the crucible 1.
Above the crucible 1, a raising shaft 12 is provided such that it is rotatable in the directions of arrows and vertically movable. The seed crystal 9 noted above, is detachably mounted on the lower end of the raising shaft 12. In the silicon single crystal growing operation, the seed crystal 9 mounted on the lower end of the raising shaft 12, is initially held in contact with the melted silicon bath 4 with the head level held constant in the crucible 1, i.e., the quartz crucible 2, and raised while being rotated in conformity with the growth of silicon single crystal. As a result, silicon single crystal is epitaxially grown on a particular crystal face of the seed crystal 9 in a predetermined orientation relation thereto. In this way, the single crystal body 10 is obtained as epitaxially grown silicon single crystal.
As described above, the graphite crucible 3 is used with the quartz crucible 2 inserted in it for manufacturing silicon single crystal by the CZ method. In this manufacture, it is desired that the graphite crucible 3 meets the following.
(a) The graphite crucible 3 is not a one-piece crucible but, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a multiple-piece crucible, which is an integral assembly of two or more, for instance three as in the illustrated example, split crucible pieces 130. The split crucible pieces 130 are obtained by splitting a mass graphite material in planes containing the axis of the graphite crucible obtained as their assembly. These split crucible pieces 130 usually have a sector-like cross-sectional profile as will be described later. PA1 (b) As shown in FIG. 10, the graphite crucible which is obtained by combining the two or more split crucible pieces 130, has a spherical inner bottom surface 132, which defines a boundary zone having an arcuate cross-sectional profile between it and an inner peripheral surface 131. In other words, as shown in FIG. 9, the inner pertipheral surface 131 and the inner bottom surface 132 of the graphite crucible are continuous to each other without defining an borderline. PA1 (c) The individual split crucible pieces 130 are produced from a cylindrical mass graphite material, which is high density isotropic graphite. Therefore, there is no adequate means for bonding together such split crucible pieces. For this reason, the split crucible pieces are produced by a mechanical cutting process. A suitable method of manufacturing the split crucible pieces without substantial material loss is thus desired. PA1 a annular groove forming step of forming a blind annular groove coaxial with the work by cutting the work from an end thereof toward the other end; PA1 a work splitting step of axially splitting the work having the annular groove into two or more pieces, constituting eventual split crucible pieces, having a sector-like or polygonal cross-sectional profile perpendicular to the axis of the work; and PA1 a bottom surface forming step of cutting each eventual split crucible piece form the side thereof opposite the sector-like or polygonal profile surface side until reaching the blind annular groove by using a spherical shape cutting means having a spherical base and one or more cutters provided on the outer periphery of the base, thereby forming each split crucible piece having a cylindrical inner surface and a spherical bottom inner surface.
The above requirements (a) to (c) of the graphite crucible will now be described in greater details.
The graphite crucible is not directly used for thermally melting silicon material, but it serves to protect the quartz crucible from the outer surface thereof. However, for growing silicon single crystal the graphite crucible is made integral with the quartz crucible. In the growing operation, the outer wall surfaces of the graphite crucible is exposed to silicon vapor and other gases, which enter inevitable interstices between the close contact surfaces of the graphite and quartz crucibles. Therefore, it is necessary that, not a one-piece, but a mutiple-piece graphite crucible is fabricated by assembling together two or more split crucible pieces.
This is so because of the following reasons. The quartz crucible inserted in the graphite crucible, is softened to be in close contact with the graphite crucible inner surfaces, when it is exposed to a high temperature for melting silicon material. Therefore, subsequent cooling down the crucible would cause deformation and rupture of the outer graphite crucible due to a thermal expansion coefficient difference between graphite and quartz.
In addition, during growth of single crystal silicon via the seed crystal, during which the crucible is exposed to a high temperature so that the quartz crucible is in close contact with the inner wall surfaces of the graphite crucible, an SiC layer is generated on the graphite crucible inner wall surfaces as a result of reactions given by the following formulas (1) and (2). EQU SiO.sub.z (quartz crucible)+3C (graphite crucible) SiC+2CO (1) EQU SiO (quartz crucible)+2C (graphite crucible) SiC+CO (2)
The generation of SiC causes internal stress generation in the graphite crucible because of the great thermal expansion coefficient difference between SiC and graphite material.
The internal stress generated is the greater the greater the extent of SiC generation and, in the extreme case, cracks are generated in the graphite crucible.
For the above reasons, a one-piece graphite crucible cannot be used. Instead, a multiple-piece graphite crucible is fabricated by combining two or more split crucible pieces to solve the above problems with the plays between adjacent ones of the split crucible pieces assembled together.
As for the inner surface of the graphite crucible which comprises an integral assembly of two or more split crucible pieces, as shown in FIG. 9, the bottom inner surface 132 should be half-spherical or dish-like and smoothly continuous with the inner peripheral surface 131 without any borderline defined therewith.
In the conventional graphite crucible having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface, the bottom inner surface 131 and the inner peripheral surface 132 are not smoothly continuous with each other but define a borderline between them. Therefore, when the crucible is heated repeatedly, stress is concentrated in the borderline, and in its repeated use the crucible may be eventually broken around a borderline portion.
In addition, SiC formed on the graphite crucible tends to be concentrated in the borderline portion where the inner peripheral surface and the bottom inner surface are not smoothly continuous. With SiC concentration, the internal stress is also concentrated, so that the graphite crucible is often cracked in this portion.
Furthermore, by forming the bottom inner surface 132 to be spherical and smoothly continuous without defining any borderline, it is possible to make the dissolved oxygen content in the melted silicon bath 4 uniform and obtain a high quality grown single crystal body.
For the above reasons, the graphite crucible is usually fabricated such that, as shown in FIG. 9, the bottom inner surface 132 is spherical or dish-like and smoothly continuous to the inner peripheral surface 132 without defining any borderline portion.
As described before in detail, the graphite crucible used for the CZ method, should meet the requirements (a) to (c) mentioned above, that is, it should be a multiple-piece graphite crucible as an integral assembly of two or more split crucible pieces, in which the bottom inner surface is spherical and smoothly continuous without defining any borderline.
The fabrication of a graphite crucible having such a construction, however, requires a great deal of man-hour, and in the case of using a graphite material it is inevitable to have resort to a mechanical cutting means. The graphite material itself, however, is expensive. Particularly, graphite crucibles used for the CZ method or the like, are fabricated by using very expensive isotropic graphite material. In this viewpoint, a very efficient method of fabrication without substantial material loss is des i red.
In a further aspect, recent wafer size increase calls for graphite crucibles of increased sizes, which are not one-piece crucibles but multiple-piece crucibles obtained by assembling a plurality of split crucible pieces. To meet this end, many large-size mass graphite materials are provided, and small-size mass graphite materials are manufactured when they are required. However, the manufacture of mass graphite materials, particularly those of isotropic graphite, takes one half to one year. For this reason, even small-size graphite crucibles are inevitably cut out from large-size and expensive mass graphite materials.
In a still further aspect, in a standard method of graphite crucible fabrication, a large-size work mass graphite material is chucked in a chuck of a boring machine or the like, and bored along axis with a boring tool mounted on the boring machine while causing its rotation. Then the outer and inner surfaces of the work are trimmed to obtain a one-piece graphite crucible work, which is then axially split into a plurality of split crucible pieces. Sine the mass graphite material itself is large in size, the boring operation results in a great amount of cutting dust. The cutting dust is discarded, or may only be used as low price carbon material for steel manufacture.
In the boring operation, a substantial proportion of the expensive graphite material is thus lost as cutting dust. Particularly, graphite material used for the graphite crucible fabrication is isotropic graphite, and its piece is very high compared to graphite electrodes for refining metals and as high as 50 or more times the price of carbon material used for steel manufacture. The loss of a substantial proportion of such expensive graphite material is greatly reflected on the price of the graphite crucible. It is thus important in the graphite crucible fabrication to recover the removed material as high utility material.
If graphite material that is removed in the boring of a mass graphite material can be recovered as a high utility mass material (usually called cut-out material) instead of the cutting dust, it can be utilized for split crucible pieces of a graphite crucible of a reduced size, which is a revolutional economical merit.
In this connection, Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 1-117814 discloses a boring or cutting tool, which permits fabrication of a crucible from a mass graphite material by boring the same such that material loss as cutting dust is reduced and that a cut-out mass can be obtained.
This tool has a saw blade mounted on an end of a bar, which can be rotated by gripping its year end grip.
To bore a cylindrical mass graphite material with this tool, a concentric annular groove is preliminarily formed in the material from an end thereof toward the other end. Then, the bar of the tool is inserted into the groove until it reaches the bottom thereof. In this state, the saw blade at the end of the bar is caused to cut material adjacent the groove bottom by gradually turning the grip at the bar end. In this way, a cut-out mass is taken out by leaving the outer eventual crucible material.
However, the bottom inner surface of the eventual crucible material obtained with the cutting tool, is not spherical, so that the inner peripheral wall surface and the bottom inner surface are not sommothly continuous but define a borderline between them. To make such bottom inner surface to be spherical, the cutting margin on the crucible bottom inner surface is increased.

Method of manufacturing multiple-piece graphite crucible


A system and method for sending a print job to a preselected recipient. The method includes encrypting a data stream received in a first peripheral device; and transmitting the encrypted data stream from the first peripheral device to a second peripheral device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to printers and, in particular, to a system and method for transmitting a secure print job to a selected recipient.
2. Related Art
Today's business environments generally include networked systems having a well-known architecture in which a number of users share resources. In a large facility it is typical to find many computers and printers connected to a network. Accordingly, the practice of transmitting print jobs from a computer to a peripheral device or between various multifunctional peripheral devices is becoming an increasingly popular and widespread practice.
It may be the case that others on the network may have access to a stored print job or at least the capability to intercept the print job as it is being transmitted between devices. Understandably, if an unauthorized person obtains access to information that is meant to remain confidential, such as personnel records regarding benefits and pay, the result can be serious.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An operating circuit applied to a backlight includes at least one current control circuit, where the current control circuit includes a transistor, an operational amplifier and a switch module. The transistor has a gate, a first electrode and a second electrode, where the first electrode is coupled to a lighting element, and the second electrode is coupled to a resistor. The operational amplifier has positive and negative input terminals, and positive and negative output terminals. The switch module switches a connection relationship between the positive input terminal, the negative input terminal, the reference voltage and the second electrode of the transistor, and switches a connection relationship between the positive output terminal, the negative output terminal and the gate of the transistor to make the close loop form a negative feedback, and the current of the lighting element not influenced by an offset voltage of the operational amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operating circuit applied to a backlight, and more particularly, to an operating circuit applied to a light-emitting diode (LED) backlight and associated method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1, which illustrates a prior art backlight module control system 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the backlight module control system 100 includes a LED string 110, a current control circuit 120 and a resistor Rext, where the LED string 110 includes a plurality of LEDs, and the current control circuit 120 includes an operational amplifier 122 and a transistor M1. In the operations of the backlight module control system 100, the current control circuit 120 uses the operational amplifier 122 to form a negative feedback mechanism so as to make a feedback voltage Vfb equal to a reference voltage Vref. Therefore, a stable current I_LED flows through the LED string 110, where the current value I_LED=(Vfb/Rext).
However, because of the semiconductor processing variation, there is an unavoidable mismatch present in an input stage of the operational amplifier 122. That is, the input stage of the operational amplifier 122 has an offset voltage ΔV. Therefore, in actual circuits, the current I_LED provided by the current control circuit 120 is influenced by the offset voltage ΔV of the operational amplifier 122, and the current I_LED of each current control circuit 120 may be different due to different offset voltage ΔV of the operational amplifier 122. When a plurality of LED strings 110 and current control circuit 120 form a backlight module, the currents I_LED of the LED strings 110 may be different, causing the luminance-uniformity of the backlight module to be degraded.
In addition, the backlight module control system 100 is generally operated under a high-voltage environment (i.e., a supply voltage Vo ranges from 30V to 60V), therefore, the current control circuit 120 is generally manufactured by a special high-voltage process rather than a low-voltage process.

Operating circuit applied to backlight and associated method


The present invention provides an RFID device and RFID reader to obtain an ID string from the device which is then transmitted over the internet to a remote system that uses the ID string to retrieve information related to that ID string. The remote system prepares a ‘menu’ of information which may or may not contain complete data entries for each found data item related to the ID String. The menu is transmitted back through the internet to the RFID reading apparatus or any other device and presented to the user. The user can then select a data item from the menu and view its contents.

Radio Frequency Identification RFID tags are in common use for various applications. Such devices emit a radio frequency signal when interrogated by an interrogator which emits a radio frequency excitation signal. The tag or transponder is energized by the interrogator to transmit a signal containing an identification code to the interrogator which includes a receiver for receiving and decoding the signal. The tag or transponder may be passive, without a power source but rather using the power of the interrogation signal, or may include a source of electrical power to increase the power and range of the emitted signal. RFID tags typically emit signals at a standard frequency of 915 MHz. Such tags generally have a storage capacity of about 1024 bits part or all of which is used to store the tag identification code.
Standard uses of RFID tags have been for security, theft prevention, inventory control and the like. Published patent application U.S.2002/0078363 discloses a handheld device which scans a barcode or interrogates an RFID chip on a product, then is connected to a computer or Internet portal to download further information about the product.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,417 discloses a system in which information from RFID tags on products moving along a distribution path is uploaded to a database which can then be accessed. Published patent application no. U.S.2003/0148775 discloses a mobile device which receives information from an RFID on a pallet, and then uses a web browser to determine what needs to be done with the pallet.
None of the prior art contemplates using an RFID tag in combination with a wireless device whereby the RFID identifier string identifies a fixed point geographic indicator, rather than a moving object or product, to access centrally stored information about that location over the Internet which is wirelessly made available to the user at the location.

Method and system for location-centric information retrieval from wireless devices using RFID coding


A system and methods that allow local access of data residing and processed on remote messaging system computers is provided. In an illustrative implementation, a plurality of messaging systems having host computers coupled to network interface units (NIUs) act as messaging system nodes (MS Nodes). The NIUs of each of the MS Nodes are interconnected to form a wide area network (WAN) such that data may be freely communicated between the MS Nodes. An exemplary messaging system architecture comprises a host computer interconnected to a NW that, itself, is interconnected to telephone networks and to external computer networks. NIUs support a number of interfaces that allow the communication of data between the NIU and the host, and between the NIU and the external telephone and computer networks. In the distributed messaging system, a call originating from a local MS Node requesting data that resides on a remote messaging system may be transferred to the remote MS Node that has the requested data. The call is processed such that a local NIU accepts the call and communicates the call to a local host. The local host processes the call and determines that the data being requested resides on a remote host. The call is then passed back to the local NIU and transferred to the appropriate NIU using the WAN for processing by the appropriate remote host having the requested data.

Messaging systems that provide voice, fax and/or e-mail messaging capabilities are well known. One example of such a messaging system is the Network Applications Platform commercially available from UNISYS Corporation ("the NAP system"). The NAP system is a configuration of hardware and software that provides data and voice processing capabilities through applications running on an enterprise server. The NAP system provides the interface between these applications, called network applications, and a telephone network. A voice mail application is an example of a network application that runs on the NAP platform. The voice mail application determines how calls to the messaging system are handled, what prompts are played to callers, and which features are available. Presently, the NAP is implemented on selected UNISYS A Series and ClearPath HMP NX computer systems running the MCP operating system. Further details of the structure and function of the NAP are provided in the following U.S. patents and pending applications, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties:                U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,004, Jul. 21, 1992, "Digital Computer Platform for Supporting Telephone Network Applications";        U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,710, Aug. 11, 1992, "Apparatus and Method for Providing Recoverability in Mass Storage Data Base Systems Without Audit Trail Mechanisms";        U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,829, Jan. 24, 1995, "Digital Computer Platform for Supporting Telephone Network Applications";        U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,450, Jun. 21, 1994, "Telephone Network Applications Platform for Supporting Facsimile Applications";        U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,606, Feb. 20, 1996, "Multi-Lingual Prompt Management System for a Network Applications Platform";        U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,166, May 2, 2000, "Enhanced Multi-Lingual Prompt Management in a Voice Messaging System With Support for Speech Recognition";        U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/964,744, filed Nov. 5, 1997, "Methods and Apparatus for Providing External Access to Executable Call Flows of a Network Application";        U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/987,571, filed Dec. 11, 1997, "Multiple Language Electronic Mail Notification of Received Voice and/or Fax Messages";        U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/451,077, filed Nov. 30, 1999, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Preventing Hung Calls During Protocol Violations in a Voice Messaging System";        U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/307,014, filed May 7, 1999, "Inter-system Call Transfer"; and        U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/161,214, filed Sep. 25, 1998, "Multiple Node Messaging System Wherein Nodes Have Shared Access To Message Stores Of Other Nodes".
Network applications running on the NAP can provide enhanced services for telephone networks, such as Call Answer, Call Forward, Voice Store and Forward, Voice Mail, Bank By Phone, Emergency Number Facilities, Directory Assistance, Operator Assistance, Call Screening, Automatic Wake-up Services, and the like.
Messaging systems like the Unisys NAP are used to provide large-scale messaging services (supporting large numbers of subscribers). As such a messaging system may employ multiple NAP hosts that are geographically distributed to best suit processing demands. These hosts may be generally placed in cities to best accommodate total subscriber needs. Each NAP host typically serves the demand placed on it by its local network. However, network operators may seek to communicate between disparate NAP systems. For example, a first NAP system may be responsible for storing a subscriber's voice mailbox for his/her mobile phone, wherein the first NAP system is located in a first city. A second NAP system, located in a second geographically disparate city, may be responsible for storing the same subscriber's landline voice mailbox. A network operator operating the first and second NAP systems may wish to consolidate these voice mailboxes through communications between NAP hosts in a manner that appears to the subscriber as if the subscriber has a single voice mailbox for all of his/her phones. However, at present, the ability of one NAP host to communicate with another NAP host is limited. Hence, there is a need for a system and methods that allow for the communication of data among dispersed NAP systems. By having a distributed NAP environment, a travelling subscriber may be afforded the ability to access his/her data and/or services (e.g. Call Answer, Call Forward, Voice Store and Forward, Voice Mail, Bank By Phone, Emergency Number Facilities, Directory Assistance, Operator Assistance, Call Screening, Automatic Wake-up Services, and the like) by dialing a local number associated with the nearest NAP host. Currently, a travelling subscriber is relegated to calling the host computer on which his/her data and/or service actually resided. If the host computer is considerably remote to the subscriber, the subscriber may incur considerable calling expenses.
Further, messaging system operators may desire to consolidate messaging services between their fixed-wire and wireless messaging systems. By consolidating these services, messaging system operators may be able to offer single point of access to their subscribers for these services. For example, a messaging system operator may want to offer a consolidated voice mail box to a subscriber to consolidate voice mail between the subscriber's fixed-wire and wireless telephones. As such, a subscriber would no longer be relegated to maintain a voicemail box for his/her fixed-wire phone and another voicemail box for his/her wireless phone. Rather, the subscriber would have a consolidated voice mail box that would store messages for both of his/her fixed-wire telephone and wireless telephone. From a system standpoint, however, these services may be located in disparate messaging systems on different NAP platforms. As such, these NAP systems would be required to cooperate to efficiently share and process required data. Current NAP systems, however, are unable to efficiently realize this contemplated consolidation scheme.
From the foregoing it may be appreciated that there exists a need for a distributed network applications platform (NAP) that allows local access to data residing on remote host computers to realize a number of advantages that currently escape messaging systems.

Distributed network applications platform architecture


A fluid supply assembly. The fluid supply assembly includes a disposable cup and lid, and a reusable shell and outer lid. A flexible, disposable cup, a reusable shell, and a method of preparing a fluid supply assembly for use with a fluid supply applicator are also described.

The present invention is directed generally to a fluid supply assembly for a fluid applicator, and more particularly to a fluid supply assembly with a disposable cup and lid, and a reusable shell and outer lid.
Some fluid applicators, such as gravity feed paint spray guns, have a fluid supply cup mounted on top of the fluid applicator. The fluid supply cup is typically reusable. Fluid, such as paint, is generally measured and mixed in a separate container, and then poured into the fluid supply cup for use. The container for measuring and mixing must be either cleaned or disposed of. During fluid application, the user must be careful not to tip the fluid applicator too much, or fluid will leak out a vent in the fluid supply cup. In addition, the user cannot use all of the fluid because it moves around in the fluid supply cup and air can be drawn into the drain hole.
Attempts have been made to provide fluid supply assemblies which reduce the amount of cleaning required after use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,350 describes a hand held spray gun with a top mounted paint cup which extends from the rear of the gun body at an angle of 30°±10°. The paint can be sealed in a collapsible closed bag in the paint cup. Using the closed bag, the gun can be operated at all angles without the paint leaking. The use of the closed bag also allows more of the paint to be used. In addition, it reduces cleanup time and cost because the bag keeps the paint cup clean. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,350 represented a significant advance in the art.
The use of the combination of an exterior container and a collapsible cup-shaped liner as a fluid supply assembly is also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,824 describes a spray gun with a fluid reservoir containing a removable liner. The liner, which may be thermo/vacuum-formed from a plastics material, has a shape corresponding to, and is a close fit within, the interior of the reservoir and collapses as fluid is withdrawn from within the liner during operation of the gun. Preferably, the liner has a comparatively-rigid base and is capable of standing, unsupported, outside the reservoir. The side walls of the liner are preferably thin in comparison to the base and can be collapsed for disposal of the liner. The reservoir has a removable lid and is capable of standing, inverted, on its own so that it can be filled with fluid. The lid also functions to secure the liner in the reservoir and, at the end of a spraying operation, the lid and the liner are removed together from the reservoir and discarded, thereby simplifying the cleaning of the spray gun.
These containers typically have a frustum configuration matching the shape of the thin, smooth-walled liner. The frustum shape results from the nature of the manufacturing process which requires a draft angle. However, the fact that the container and liner have a corresponding shape can cause excessive friction between the liner and the container wall during collapse. Furthermore, the smooth walled liner does not provide assistance in the collapsing of the liner, which can cause difficulties, particularly at the beginning of the application process. These problems can lead to diminished surface quality on the painted object.
In addition, the fluid supply assembly must have a fluid tight seal. There are several known sealing methods used in the paint industry. The most common is internal sizing. In this arrangement, there is a circular rib on the bottom of the lid that fits inside the liner. The seal relies on the uniform compression of the rib against the sidewall of the liner. While this method is adequate in many cases, even minor deviations from a perfectly cylindrical shape on either part can cause seal failure. Another method relies on additional facial sealing using the liner lip as a gasket. The liner lip can be compressed directly (matching surfaces), or through a circular protrusion, which localizes the sealing. This method is an improvement over cylindrical compression alone. However, under certain conditions, it may still allow seepage, particularly with low viscosity fluids.
The various paint components must be provided in the appropriate amounts. One method of ensuring the proper mixture is to use a measuring guide. The measuring guide can be located on the inside or on the outside of the container. When the measuring guide is inside the container, there is direct contact between the liner as it collapses and the measuring guide. This contact can cause unintended movement of the measuring guide during use. Movement can also occur when the liner is replaced. Improper location of the measuring guide can lead to improper paint mixtures. External measuring guides have wide longitudinal protrusions which are positioned beyond the natural perimeter of the container. The protrusions can create an awkward grip on the container during use.
Therefore, there remains a need for an improved fluid supply assembly.


A composite protective yarn is incorporated into an article of apparel. The protective yarn has a core unit including a protective material selected from a group consisting of metallic filament, glass, and high tenacity fiber having a tensile strength of at least 7 grams per denier. A cover is applied to the core unit and is adapted for residing adjacent the skin. The cover includes an optically responsive material adapted for absorbing infrared radiation emitted from the human body at a first wavelength and returning the absorbed radiation to the body at a second longer wavelength. This relaxes capillaries and promotes increased blood flow to body parts covered by the article of apparel.

This invention relates to a protective, body-reactive composite yarn and protective apparel incorporating the composite yarn. The yarn is particularly adapted for use in, for example, gloves, aprons and arm and leg covers used by employees in meat processing or packing plants, or in industrial metal fabrication plants. In particular, the gloves permit plant employees to more safely and efficiently perform their duties while avoiding injury due to accidental cuts from sharp knives or metal edges.
Prior art yarns use specific combinations of materials in attempting to achieve a cut resistant yarn core. The core is typically wrapped with protective and abrasion resistant cover yarns to facilitate knitting, and to give the yarn an acceptable hand. Such yarns have previously been incorporated in protective gloves. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,449 issued to Byrnes et al., discloses a protective glove formed of a yarn having a core of flexible wire alongside an aramid fiber strand, and wrapped with aramid fiber strand going in opposite directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,251 issued to Bettcher, discloses a composite yarn having a core formed of two or three strands of metal wire combined with one strand of non-stretchable synthetic fiber run parallel to the wire. The core is then wrapped with at least two strands of synthetic fibers extending in opposite directions around the core.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,789 issued to Kolmes, et al., discloses a composite yarn having a core of synthetic fiber combined with a wire strand. The core is then wrapped with additional wire strands in opposite directions, and a cover wrapping applied to the composite. The wire strands are relatively heavy and stiff, ranging from 0.003 inch to 0.006 inch in diameter, and can also break and stick the wearer.
Japanese Patent 183,544 discloses a composite yarn with several cores aligned parallel to each other. The cores are formed of wires wrapped with synthetic fibers, and an additional fiber wrapped around the cores to form a cover for the yarn.
Although claiming comfort, flexibility, tactility, and good cut-resistance, the prior art yarn constructions described above fall short of achieving all the properties desired in protective apparel. While this apparel may provide effective cut, abrasion, and/or puncture protection, it is often relatively bulky and stiff thereby limiting effective use of the hands. In cold environments, such as meat processing plants, workers are required to grip and manipulate knives and other cutting implements during the day for several hours at a time. Even with multiple gloves on each hand, the hands quickly become stiff and sore. This problem is exacerbated by poor blood flow and circulation due to the cold temperature.
The present invention addresses these and other problems of the prior art by incorporating into a protective glove a unique fiber developed by Holofiber, Inc. of Beverly Hills, Calif., and marketed under the name HOLOFIBER®. The HOLOFIBER® relaxes the capillaries in the hand increasing blood flow where needed, thereby allowing the body to use its own energy to stay warm. HOLOFIBER® has other effects on the body and has been tested and shown to help increase strength, flexibility, comfort and promotes a more rapid recovery from injury or exertion.


Integrated methods and apparatus for sequencing or identifying polymers by mass spectrometry with a statistical certainty. The methods involve integrating data obtained by mass spectrometry analysis of a series of polymer fragments and statistically comparing said data with hypothetical data corresponding to known sequences or identities.

Biochemists frequently depend on reliable and fast determinations of the sequences of biological polymers. For example, sequence information is crucial in the research and development of peptide screens, genetic probes, gene mapping, and drug modeling, as well as for quality control of biological polymers when manufactured for diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications.
Various methods are known for sequencing polymers composed of essential biological building-blocks, such as amino acids and nucleotides. For example, existing methods for peptide sequence determination include the N-terminal chemistry of the Edman degradation, N- and C-terminal enzymatic methods, and C-terminal chemical methods. Existing methods for sequencing oligonucleotides include the Maxam-Gilbert base-specific chemical cleavage method and the enzymatic ladder synthesis with dideoxy base specific termination method. Each method possesses inherent limitations that preclude it being used exclusively for complete primary structure identification. To date, Edman sequencing and adaptations thereof are the most widely used tools for sequencing certain protein and peptides residue by residue, while the enzymatic synthesis method is preferred for sequencing oligonucleotides.
In the case of protein and peptide sequencing, C-terminal sequencing via chemical methods has proven particularly difficult while being only marginally effective, at best. (See, e.g., Spiess, J. (1986) Methods of Protein Characterization: A Practical Handbook (Shively, J. E. ed., Humana Press, N.J.) pp. 363-377; Tsugita et al. (1994) J. Protein Chemistry 13:476-479). Consequently, the C-terminus remains a region often not analyzed because of lack of a dependable method.
In the case of both peptides and oligonucleotides, an alternate approach to chemical sequencing is enzymatic cleavage sequencing. In the case of oligonucleotides, over 150 different enzymes have been isolated and found suitable for preparing oligonucleotide fragments. In the case of peptides, serine carboxypeptidases have proven popular over the last two decades because they offer a simple approach by which amino acids can be sequentially cleaved residue by residue from the C-terminus of a protein or a peptide. Carboxypeptidase Y (CPY), in particular, is an attractive enzyme because it non-specifically cleaves all residues from the C-terminus, including proline. (See, e.g., Breddam et al. (1987) Carlsburg Res. Commun. 52:55-63.)
Sequencing of peptides by carboxypeptidase digestion has traditionally been performed by a laborious, direct analysis of the released amino acids, residue by residue. Not only is this approach labor-intensive, but it is complicated by amino acid contaminants in the enzyme and protein/peptide solutions, as well as by enzyme autolysis. A further hindrance to any sequencing effort of this type is the absolute requirement for good kinetic information concerning the hydrolysis and liberation of each individual residue by the particular enzyme used.
With the advancement of mass spectrometric techniques capable of high mass analysis such as field desorption (Hong et al. (1983) Biomed. Mass Spectrom. 10:450-457), electrospray (Smith et al. (1993) 4 Techniques Protein Chem. 463-470), and thermospray (Stachowiak et al. (1988) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 110:1758-1765), it is possible to perform direct mass analysis on large biopolymers such as the peptide fragments resulting from CPY digestion in which the sequence order is preserved, circumventing the need for residue by residue amino acid analysis of the liberated amino acids. In this "ladder" sequencing approach, a sequence can be deduced, in the correct order, by simply calculating the mass differences between adjacent peptide peaks, the measured differences representing the loss of a particular amino acid residue.
More recently, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry also was shown to be suitable for ladder sequence analysis due to its high sensitivity, resolution, and mass accuracy. Chait et al. ((1993) 262 Science 89-92) exploited these assets of MALDI-TOF in the ladder sequencing of N-terminal ladders formed from partial blockage at each step of chemical digestion by the Edman degradation method. This approach, however, still suffers from the same limitations of traditional Edman chemistry including the complexity of the process which is time consuming and labor intensive and the lack of C-terminal information, however, it confirms the utility of MALDI-TOF for sequencing peptides using the peptide ladder scenario. Other researchers have also illustrated that carboxypeptidase digestion of peptides can be combined with MALDI-TOF to analyze the resulting mixture of truncated peptide. For example, eight consecutive amino acids have been sequenced from the C-terminus of human parathyroid hormone 1-34 fragment (Schar et al. (1991) Chimia 45:123-126). Additionally, carboxypeptidase digestion of peptides has been combined with other mass spectrometry methods such as plasma desorption (Wang et al. (1992) Techniques Protein Chemistry III (ed., R. H. Angeletti; Academic Press, N.Y.) pp. 503-515).
All of the above-described sequencing approaches, however, require preliminary optimization steps which are both tedious and time-consuming. Additionally, such preliminary optimization steps unnecessarily consume reagents as well as samples of polymer, usually available in limited quantities. Furthermore, frequently the above-described sequencing approaches ultimately rely on a single mass spectrum and a single mass-to-charge ratio data point, which can result in a statistically insufficient basis for determining a final polymer sequence.
It is an object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for sequencing polymers, particularly biopolymers, using mass spectrometry and time-independent/concentration-dependent hydrolysis of the polymer. It is an object of the present invention to also provide a rapid method for obtaining sequence information by circumventing the time-consuming optimization and method enhancement required by prior art methods. It is a further object of the present invention to provide sequence information using reduced quantities of total polymer by combining the sensitivity of mass spectrometry with elimination of sample loss by closely integrating hydrolysis with mass spectrometry analysis. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for obtaining sequence information that incorporates a data interpretation strategy based on integrating mass-to-charge ratio data obtained from a plurality of parallel mass spectra.

Methods and apparatus for sequencing polymers with a statistical certainty using mass spectrometry


An image forming apparatus connectable to multiple hosts includes a plurality of USB interfaces to connect with the respective multiple hosts to receive job request data for image forming jobs requested by the multiple hosts; a driver module to process the job request data received via the respective multiple USB interfaces; a USB data manager to generate job data that corresponds to each of types of the requested image forming jobs by using the processed job request data; and a main controller to control the image forming apparatus to perform the image forming jobs based on the generated job data.

1. Field
The following description relates to an image forming apparatus and a method of controlling image forming jobs of the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A universal serial bus (USB) host exists at the center of a connection structure of a USB system, and the USB host communicates data with multiple USB devices connected thereto. Generally, the data communication is defined under a USB communication protocol.
Conventional USB devices can only be connected to a single host device. For example, in a case of personal computers (PCs) and printers, printers can be connected to only a single PC via their USB interface. In other words, a PC can be connected to multiple printers, but a printer cannot be shared among multiple PCs via its USB interface. Generally, in order to connect multiple host devices, such as PCs, to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, for example, a network environment has to be configured. That is, multiple host devices can connect to an image forming apparatus via a network interface, such as Ethernet or a wireless local area network (LAN) card, for example. Additionally, to use a single image forming apparatus, multiple host devices generally use, for example, a router to be connected to the image forming apparatus. However, even with a router, it is not common for multiple host devices to use one image forming apparatus simultaneously.

Image forming apparatus connectable to multiple hosts and method of controlling image forming jobs of the image forming apparatus


A polishing tool uses a seal cavity containing a fluid that supports polishing pads against an object being polished. In one embodiment, the boundaries of the cavity include a support structure, a portion of a polishing material, and a seal between the support structure and the polishing material. The polishing material moves relative to the support structure and seal. A variety of seal configuration can maintain the fluid within the cavity. One seal includes an o-ring that the force of a spring, a magnet, or air pressure presses against the polishing material. A gas flow from outside the cavity or from an inlet inside the cavity can form a gas pocket in the cavity, adjacent the o-ring, to prevent leakage of the fluid past the o-ring. Another seal is formed by an aerostatic bearing. The fluid pressure in the cavity can be varied temporally to create vibrations in the polishing material to enhance polishing performance or can be varied spatially to change the pressure profile. One embodiment of the invention includes one or more fluid inlet/outlets to the cavity, one or more pressure regulators, and a controller that operates the pressure regulators to control the pressure in the cavity. In polishers with or without a sealed fluid cavity, the support structure can include actuators that control the orientation of the support structure relative to polishing material. Sensors and a feedback control system positions the support structure for polishing.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to polishing systems and particularly to chemical mechanical polishing systems and methods using fluids to support a polishing pad.
2. Description of Related Art
Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) in semiconductor processing removes the highest points from the surface of a wafer to polish the surface. CMP operations are performed on unprocessed and partially processed wafers. A typical unprocessed wafer is crystalline silicon or another semiconductor material that is formed into a nearly circular wafer. A typical processed or partially processed wafer when ready for polishing has a top layer of a dielectric material such as glass, silicon dioxide, or silicon nitride over one or more patterned layers that create local topological features on the order of about 1 .mu.m in height on the wafer's surface. Polishing smoothes the local features so that ideally the surface of the wafer is flat or planarized over an area the size of a die formed on the wafer. Currently, polishing is sought that locally planarizes the wafer to a tolerance of about 0.3 .mu.m over the area of a die about 10 mm by 10 mm in size.
A conventional belt polisher includes a belt carrying polishing pads, a wafer carrier head which holds a wafer, and a support assembly that supports the portion of the belt under the wafer. For CMP, the polishing pads are sprayed with a slurry, and pulleys drive the belt. The carrier head brings the wafer into contact with the polishing pads so that the polishing pads slide against the surface of the wafer. Chemical action of the slurry and the mechanical action of the polishing pads and particles in the slurry against the surface of the wafer remove material from the wafer's surface. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,593,344 and 5,558,568 describe CMP systems using hydrostatic fluid bearings to support a belt. Such hydrostatic fluid bearings have fluid inlets and outlets for fluid flows forming films that support the belt and polishing pads.
To polish a surface to the tolerance required in semiconductor processing, CMP systems generally attempt to apply a polishing pad to a wafer with a pressure that is uniform across the wafer. A difficulty can arise with hydrostatic fluid bearings because the supporting pressure of the fluid in such bearings tends to be higher near the inlets and lower near the outlets. Accordingly, such fluid bearings often apply a non-uniform pressure when supporting a belt and polishing pads, and the non-uniform pressure may introduce uneven removal of material during polishing. Methods and structures that provide uniform polishing are sought.

Polishing tool having a sealed fluid chamber for support of polishing pad


A subsystem and a subsystem processing method are disclosed in which a storage control unit 2000 interposed between a plurality of disk units 3000 and a host computer 1000 has a nonvolatile cache 2400 for temporarily holding the read data/write data exchanged between the disk units 3000 and the host computer 1000. The management information for the user data in the cache 2400 is stored in both the in-cache management information area 2420 in the cache 2400 and the in-memory management information area 2221 in a volatile local memory 2210 accessible at high speed. Under normal conditions, the management information in the high speed in-memory management information area 2221 is accessed. At the time of a fault, on the other hand, the management information in the nonvolatile in-cache management information area 2420 is restored in the in-memory management information area 2221, thereby improving the access rate of the cache 2400.

The present invention relates to a technique for storage control, and in particular to a technique effectively applicable to a storage control unit or the like having a nonvolatile cache memory for temporarily storing user data.
Current market trends call for higher performance, larger capacity and lower cost storage units. In a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID), a plurality of disk units are configured in array. At the time data is written, a copy of the data is often written to a disk unit different from the one for storing the original write data. By doing so, in case of a fault in a disk unit in the array, the data in the defective disk unit can be "repaired" by the data in the redundant disk units, thereby improving reliability and maintainability of the disk units. With RAID, however, though the data reliability is improved, the operation of writing the redundant data increases the processing time, and therefore the write performance deteriorates.
For this reason, a write cache technique is indispensable for supporting RAID in the prior art. The write cache is mounted in the controller and the data are temporarily written to it. In response to the write request from the host, the data is written in this cache. Completion of the write operation is reported to the host at the same time that the data is written in the cache. Thus, the redundant data are generated, the write data and the redundant data are stored in the disk units asynchronously with the I/O processing for the host, thus preventing the deteriorated performance of the write operation.

Subsystem and subsystem processing method


A five volt tolerant integrated circuit signal pad having an initial fast pull-up to three volts and then operating as an open drain output with an external resistor for pulling up the output from about three volts to about five volts. The initial fast (active) pull-up is accomplished with active devices that reduces the overall pull-up time of a newer technology (lower operating voltage) integrated circuit output when transitioning from a logic 0 to a logic 1. Circuits of the integrated circuit output driver protect the internal operating circuit nodes from excessive voltage and leakage currents that would otherwise result from a voltage on the signal pad that is more positive than the operating voltage of the integrated circuit.

Integrated circuits may function at different operating voltages depending on the fabrication process used and the intended purpose of the integrated circuit. Legacy integrated circuit input-outputs (I/Os) typically operate at either about zero or about five volts, e.g., logic 0 and logic 1. However, the newer and smaller process technology integrated circuits typically operate at either about zero or about three volts, e.g., VDD of about 3.3 volts, because new high circuit density fabrication processes produce transistors that cannot operate safely above a 3.3 volt VDD.
When interfacing five volt legacy integrated circuit devices to the newer technology 3.3 volt devices, external voltage level shifters or open drain outputs may be used. The external voltage level shifters add expense, complexity and take up space on a printed circuit board. Traditional open drain outputs have operating performance limited by the pull-up resistor in combination with the inherent circuit capacitance of each open drain output.

Five volt tolerant integrated circuit signal pad with three volt assist


A latching mechanism for a dust cup assembly on a bottom exit cyclone-separator vacuum cleaner including a non-rotating sealing conduit member that supports a dust cup assembly above a discharge outlet coupled to a sliding latch member via pin-mounted linkages. The conduit member raises and lowers the dust cup assembly into and out of engagement with the cyclone separator coincident with horizontal sliding movement of the latch member in and out underneath the dust cup to releasably attach and detach the dust cup assembly from the cyclone separator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with a dirt cup that is removably mounted to a cyclone separator. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with an improved latch for removably mounting a dirt cup to a cyclone separator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Upright vacuum cleaners that use cyclone action to separate dust, dirt, and contaminates entrained in the airflow are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 7,191,490 to Lee et al. discloses a top exit cyclone assembly including a soil collection receptacle at a lower portion thereof and having a sliding groove formed on the bottom surface that confronts the floor of an accommodation recess on the handle. A guide member is located at the lower end of the soil collection receptacle, wherein the guide member is formed with a pair of guide projections at opposite sides and an operation lever adapted to move the guide member up and down to raise and lower the soil collection receptacle in sealing relation to the cyclone assembly. The guide member moves up and down as the operation lever is pushed and pulled horizontally relative to the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,406 to Oh shows a removable dust cup that slides out from under the cyclone chamber. The dust cup is locked in place and released by a rotating handle that directly engages a slanted, spiraling recess on the bottom of the dust cup. Rotating the handle in a first direction raises the dust cup toward the bottom of the cyclone chamber, locking the dust cup in place; rotating the handle the opposite direction lowers the dust cup from the cyclone chamber for emptying.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,816 to Oh et al. discloses a removable dust cup that is raised and lowered into and out of engagement with the cyclone chamber by a rotating lever. The rotating lever raises and lowers the dust cup through an intermediate, non-rotating locking disc operating against the bottom of the dust container.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,991,667 to Yang et al. discloses a dust cup supported on a coaxial filter case to provide a direct suction path between the motor below it and the cyclone chamber above it. The filter case provides an extra stage of filtration and dust separation for the air exiting the cyclone chamber through the dust cup into the motor housing. The filter case is securely fixed to an annular lever and seal member that surrounds and seals the airflow path from the filter to the motor housing; the dust cup is detachable from the filter case. The annular lever and seal member is mounted to rotate as a unit on a cam structure on the motor housing cover, raising the lever and seal assembly and filter case up and down, and thus raising and lowering the dust cup into and out of engagement with the cyclone chamber.

Dust cup latch mechanism for cyclone separator vacuum


The invention provides an improved ceramic packing element (1, 6, 8) suited to use as a bed limiter having a generally uniform cross-section in the length (l) direction with the basic shape of a bow-tie and having a plurality of through passages (5) parallel to the length dimension (L).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to packing elements of the type that are often called "random" or "dumped" packings, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the elements have applications in other areas.
2. Discussion of the Art
Random or dumped packings are used to fill towers units in which mass or heat transfer or any chemical reaction processes occur. A particularly important application is the use of such ceramic elements in heat recovery operations where it is necessary to provide maximum effective contact with hot fluids passing through the reactor. Another key factor in maximizing efficiency is the maintenance of as low a pressure difference between top and bottom of the tower as possible. To ensure this the packing elements should present the minimum resistance to flow. This is promoted by very open structures but open structure alone is of limited use if the elements in the tower nest together such that parts of one packing element penetrate within the space of a second element. It is therefore important that the design of the elements minimize the tendency of the elements to nest together. Another particularly important application is as a bed topping material which is intended to keep material within a bed confined with limited ability to be entrained in a gas flow or to be caused to move around by such a flow. Such entrainment or abrasion typically causes significant losses to the material in the bed.
Ceramic packing elements can be produced by an extrusion or a dry-pressing process and hence have an essentially uniform cross-section along one axial direction which provides an axis of symmetry for the element. Several such shapes have been described in the art ranging from the very simple to the complex. All are based on an essentially cylindrical shape and differ basically in the internal structure within the cylindrical shape. The simplest structure is a basic cylinder with no internal structure at all. This type of structure is often called a Raschig ring and has been known for many years. At the other end of the complexity scale are the structures described in U.S. Design Pat. No. 455,029 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,915. Between the extremes there are simple wagon-wheel shapes such as are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,907,710 and 4,510,263. Others show deformed cylindrical structures, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,423. BE 481 212 discloses a packing element for use in heat exchangers, distillation towers, catalyst supports, and the like having four through passages and an indented exterior surface. DE 24 25 058 discloses a ceramic filling material with a cylindrical or hexagonal shape and multiple through passages. U.S. Pat. No. 2,172,714 discloses a stackable block for regenerators.
For certain applications, such as bed limiters, the pressure drop is less important since the thickness of the bed limiter layer is relatively small. It is far more important that the packing elements do not nest together and still allow free passage of gases while being heavier that the elements comprising the bed on which the packing elements rest and whose extent is thereby limited.


A new nucleic acid molecule that is codon-optimized to expressbeta interferon in Escherichia coli with greater efficacy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a new nucleic acid molecule that is codon-optimized to express beta interferon in Escherichia coli with greater efficacy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many proteins or polypeptides are known that hold great promise for use in treating a wide variety of diseases or disorders. Interferons are relatively small polypeptide proteins which are secreted by most animal cells in response to exposure to a variety of inducers. Because of their antiviral, antiproliferative and immunomodulatory properties, interferons are of great interest as therapeutic agents. They exert their cellular activities by binding to specific membrane receptors on the cell surface. Once bound to the cell membrane, interferons initiate a complex sequence of intracellular events. In vitro studies demonstrated that these include the induction of certain enzymes, suppression of cell proliferation, immunomodulating activities such as enhancement of the phagocytic activity of macrophages and augmentation of the specific cytotoxicity of lymphocytes for target cells, and inhibition of virus replication in virus-infected cells. Thus, interferon proteins are functionally defined, and a wide variety of natural and synthetic or recombinant interferons are known. There are three major types of human interferons ("IFNs"). These are: Leukocyte IFN or IFN-alpha, a Type 1 IFN produced in vivo by leukocytes.
Fibroblast IFN or IFN-beta, a Type 1 IFN produced in vivo by fibroblasts.
Immune IFN or IFN-gamma, a Type 2 IFN produced in vivo by the immune system.
IFN-beta is of particular interest for the treatment of a number of diseases or disorders, and especially in the treatment of multiple sclerosis or MS. Natural human IFN-beta is a 166 amino acid glycoprotein, and the encoding gene has been sequenced by Taniguchi, et al. al., 1980, Gene 10: 11-15, and R. Derynck, et al., supra. Natural IFN-beta has three cysteine (cys) residues, located at amino acid positions 17, 31 and 141, respectively. In addition, numerous recombinant variants of IFN-beta are known.
Three recombinant IFN-beta products are licensed in Europe and the U.S. for treatment of MS. These are interferon beta-1a ("IFN-beta-1a ") or Avonex® (Biogen, Inc., Cambridge, Mass.), another IFN-beta-1a product marketed as Rebif® (Ares-Serono, Norwood, Mass.) and Ser17 interferon-beta-1b ("IFN-beta-1b Ser17") or Betaseron® (Berlex, Richmond, Calif.).
IFN beta-1a is produced in mammalian cells, e.g., Chinese Hamster Ovary ("CHO") cells using the natural human gene sequence, and the produced protein is glycosylated. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,795,779, 5,376,567 and 4,966,843, incorporated by reference herein. IFN beta-1b Ser17 differs structurally from IFN-beta1a (Avonex® and Rebif®) because it is produced in Escherichia coli ("E. coli") using a modified human gene sequence having an engineered cysteine-to-serine substitution at amino acid position 17, so that the protein is non-glycosylated. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,588,585 and 4,737,462, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Both Rebif® and Avonex® are stated by their package inserts to have specific activities, by differing methods, of at least 2-3×108 international units (IU)/mg. The Betaseron® package insert reports a specific activity of approximately 3×107 IU/mg, indicating a ten-fold difference in potency. While these activities are determined by somewhat different methods, the order of magnitude differences in antiviral and antitumor activities are also reflected in the recommended doses, which are measured in micrograms (60-130 mcg/week) for the Rebif® and Avonex® glycosylated IFN-beta 1a products, and from 0.25 milligrams and up for the non-glycosylated Betaseron® IFN-beta 1b.
IFN-beta, in each of its recombinant formulations, has multiple effects on the immune system, including the ability to inhibit viral replication. IFN-beta-1b is described by the manufacturer (Berlex, Richmond, Calif.) as enhancing suppressor T cell activity, reducing proinflamatory cytokine production, down-regulation of antigen presentation, and inhibition of lymphocyte trafficking into the central nervous system. Other sources have reported that IFN-beta reduces the production of IFN-gamma by T-lymphocytes. Other beneficial therapeutic effects are also suspected.
However, production of recombinant proteins in cell culture remains an expensive process. For this reason, there remains a longstanding and heretofore unsolved need in the art for significantly improved vectors and methods of producing IFN-beta compositions, particularly those containing IFN-beta 1b, particularly in non-mammalian cells.


Disclosed herein is a washing machine having an improved structure that maintains efficiency over a certain level both in washing and dehydration. The washing machine includes a body, a tub disposed within the body, a drum rotatably disposed within the tub, and a motor coupled to a rear surface of the tub to drive the drum. The motor includes a stator including a plurality of stator cores and a plurality of magnets arranged between the stator cores, and a rotor rotatably disposed at an inner side or outer side of the stator.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a motor to generate rotational force and a washing machine having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A washing machine, which washes clothes using electricity, is provided with a tub to reserve wash water, a drum rotatably installed within the tub, and a motor to rotate the drum.
Operation of a washing machine is divided into washing, during which dirt on the laundry is removed, and dehydration, during which the cleaned laundry is dehydrated. The drum rotates at low speed in washing operation with water contained therein, and rotates at high speed with water not contained therein when performing dehydration.
The motor mounted to the washing machine should meet these two speed conditions for operation of the washing machine. That is, the motor needs to rotate the drum with high torque for washing operation and to rotate drum at high speed in dehydration operation.
However, with a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor mounted to a conventional washing machine, it may be difficult to meet these two rotation conditions for operation of the washing machine.

Motor and washing machine having the same


A metal bottle can comprises a mouth part having a curl portion at the end, a neck part having a straight part in parallel to the can axis, a taper-shaped shoulder part, a barrel part, and a bottom part. The metal bottle can is integrally formed from a primitive plate of the thickness (wall thickness T) of 0.48 mm to 0.30 mm by drawing-processed. The metal bottle can has the barrel part with the diameter A of 40 mm to 70 mm, the neck part with the diameter B of 20 mm to 35 mm, the straight portion of the neck part with the length S of 10 mm to 40 mm, the shoulder part with the angle α of 40 degrees to 70 degrees, the mouth part with the wall thickness X of 0.46 mm to 0.33 mm, and straight portion of the neck part with the wall thickness Y of 0.43 mm to 0.30 mm.

Conventionally, various metal bottle cans in which beer, refreshing liquid etc. is filled are produced and sold in the market, and are used by general consumers. For such metal containers, a plate member of aluminum alloy, for example, a primitive plate of the thickness 0.5 mm or more of plate material 3104-H19 etc. is used. The mouth part, shoulder part, barrel part, and bottom part are integrally formed by drawing processing, necking processing. An easily openable cap opened by pulling a pull tab is wound and fastened to the mouth part of the metal bottle can, or a screw cap which is capable of resealing the mouth part after taking off the seal, is screwed to the mouth part of the meal bottle can for protecting contents. Conventional metal bottle cans have inadequacy of generating buckling in the neck part, the shoulder part or the barrel part, caused by a downward load applied along the can axis, and generating deformation in the mouth part caused by a load applied in the direction of crushing a curl portion. The loads are applied when forming the curl portion in the mouth part of the metal bottle can, when winding and fastening an easily openable cap, or when capping a screw cap. Hence, conventional metal bottle cans having the mouth part, shoulder part, or barrel part of which the wall thickness is thick wholly have been manufactured using a thick primitive plate material. In case when the thin primitive plate material is used from the very beginning, the strength of the mouth part, shoulder part, or barrel part will be inadequate. Conventionally, there has been no such a metal bottle can, where the wall thickness of a strength-required portion is made thick, where the wall thickness of a strength-not-required portion is made thin, and where the size of the neck part being long. As the patent document of a conventional metal bottle can, Patent Document 1 is known.


A training electrode for use in training emergency personnel in electrocardiogram (EKG) defibrillation and monitoring is disclosed. An adhesive pad is fixedly attached to a connector comprising a connecting post and a connecting arm. Attached to the connecting arm is an electrical cable with a female-type adaptor at its distal end for connection to an electrocardiogram simulation signal generator. The connecting post inserts into a female-type adaptor from a defibrillator/monitor cable lead originating from a defibrillator/monitor. A detachable backing covers an adhesive surface of the adhesive pad such that the training electrode may be reused. Further, a training method is disclosed using the training electrode of the present disclosure and incorporating existing CPR mannequins and EKG simulation signal generators.

Cardiogenic anomalies and other life-threatening situations that require defibrillation or monitoring of electrocardiogram (EKG) activity place a great deal of stress on the emergency personnel attending. An example of such a situation is where a patient is undergoing cardiac arrest. In such a case, the responding emergency personnel are expected to connect defibrillator electrodes to a defibrillator/monitor (such as the LIFEPAK.RTM. defibrillator/monitors available from Physio-Control Corporation, Redmond, Wash.), apply the electrodes to the patient's chest area, and use the defibrillator/monitor to determine a further course of action. A typical sequence of steps in this process includes attaching defibrillator/monitor cable leads to electrode pads, applying the electrode pads to the patient's chest, and using the defibrillator/monitor display to interpret the EKG signals. The defibrillator/monitor cable leads are usually attached to the electrode pads before the pads are applied to the patient's chest to avoid the patient discomfort that might otherwise occur if the cable leads were pressed onto pads already attached to the patient.
Although the procedure of attaching electrode pads to the patient's chest and connecting the defibrillator/monitor cable leads to the electrode pads may seem simple and straightforward, in actual emergency situations errors may occur. Thus, it is advantageous to thoroughly and completely train attending emergency personnel in all aspects of this procedure. One method of training recognized to be effective is the repetitive simulation of emergency situations.
Training procedures of the past utilize an EKG simulation signal generator. Typically, these signal generators produce a simulated EKG signal at two electrical stud posts provided on the generator. The trainee attaches the defibrillator/monitor cable leads to the stud posts and, using the signal from the EKG simulation signal generator, evaluates and determines a next course of action, e.g., defibrillation. Although this training procedure provides practice in interpreting EKG signals, there is no attempt to simulate the appearance of a patient, or the process of attaching electrode pads to the patient. This training procedure places primary emphasis on the correct interpretation of the signal generated by the EKG simulation signal generator and not on the actual manual manipulation of the electrode pads and defibrillator/monitor cable leads. In fact, no electrode pads are used in this type of training procedure.
Another approach to training involves simulating the appearance of a patient by placing the EKG simulation signal generator inside of a mannequin. The electrical stud posts of the EKG simulation signal generator protrude from the chest area of the mannequin at substantially the same positions that electrodes would be applied in actual patient use. The trainee attaches an electrode-shaped adhesive pad to the chest area of the mannequin by aligning the electrical stud posts with a hole in the adhesive pad. Although this advance improved the cosmetic appearance of the simulation and introduced the step of applying adhesive pads, there yet was lacking the simulation and training of the sequence of applying electrode pads to the leads and then to the patient in the correct torsal locations. In the above-described prior art, the placement of the electrode pad is prompted by the location of the electrical stud posts and thus, there is no doubt as to the placement of the electrode pads. It will be appreciated that the correct placement of the electrode pads onto a patient is critical, since the electrode pad location greatly influences the effectiveness of monitoring and treatment. The present invention is directed toward also providing training in the correct placement of the electrode pads.
Furthermore, manufacturing specialized mannequins with EKG simulation signal generators incorporated within is cost prohibitive. Instead, it would be advantageous to utilize existing equipment to train the emergency personnel. For example, mannequins for use in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training are readily available and relatively common. Further, the use of existing independent EKG simulation signal generators would be advantageous.
The present invention is directed to avoiding the foregoing and other disadvantages by providing a realistic training electrode that is reusable, inexpensive, utilizes existing equipment, and aids in accurately simulating the process of EKG monitoring, evaluation, and defibrillation.

Training electrode foil used in defibrillator/monitor instruction and method of instruction


Various embodiments of an end-of faucet filter assembly connectable with a faucet on a standard sink and having a plurality of outlets corresponding with selectable modes of operation are disclosed herein. One mode of operation provides unfiltered, aerated water dispenses from the filter assembly. A second mode of operation provides a pulsing jet spray, while a third mode of operation provides filtered water. One embodiment of the present invention also includes a connection assembly between the end-of-faucet filter and the faucet that utilizes a water-tight radial seal that allows the end-of-faucet filter to swing or rotate back and forth relative to the faucet without impairing the integrity of the seal. Other embodiments of the present invention also include a filter cartridge assembly configured to provide a user with an easy method of removing and installing the cartridge.

a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water filters, and more particularly, to a filter apparatus including selectable filtered water, pulsating water, and aerated water output functions for dispensing water from a faucet.
b. Background Art
A variety of filter systems exist having various designs and configurations that filter water dispensed directly from a faucet or other tap. Some filter systems have a connection assembly including fittings and seals that allows a user to connect the filter systems directly to the end of a faucet. Further, some filter systems provide a replaceable filter cartridge. With such filter systems, once a filter has reached the end of its useful life, a user can remove the old filter and replace it with a new one. However, some of the aforementioned filter systems are relatively large and can be a nuisance to a user performing various activities in a sink that do not require filtered water, such as washing dishes. Often such filter systems do not provide the user with the ability to move or swing the filter system relative to the faucet to place the filter system in a more convenient location without compromising the seal between the filter system and the faucet. Further, many filter assemblies include complicated connection schemes that make it difficult for user to replace a filter.
Some filter systems also provide a knob or a switch that allows a user to selectively operate the filter system to dispense either filtered water or unfiltered water. Typically, once a user selects a mode of operation with the knob, the knob remains in the selected position until the user changes it. As such, sometimes the user inadvertently operates the filter system to dispense filtered water when it is not required to do so, which needlessly wastes the useful life of the filter. In addition, many filter systems only provide for filtered and unfiltered operation without any other modes of operation.


A method for creating digital composite files of superimposed images of an object and a setting where the object and setting are at differing locations, the method comprising the steps of first placing of a dummy within the setting; first shooting of film for capturing a setting-dummy image; removing the dummy from the setting; second shooting of film for capturing a setting image; creating a simulated setting; second placing of an object within the simulated setting; third shooting of film for capturing the object image; digitally scanning the setting image to create a digital setting image; digitally scanning the object image to create a digital object image; referencing the setting-dummy image; and manipulating the digital images to create a digital composite image; whereby the digital composite image includes a realistic composite image of the object and setting and may be output to a print media for viewing.

This invention relates to a process of creating digital composite files of superimposed images, and more particularly to a method of creating digital files (and corresponding print photographs) having superimposing objects or models upon a background setting so that photos of objects and models may be taken at a location apart from the setting in which they are to be realistically recast.

Method of creating digital composite files of superimposed images


A display device in which the influence of a parasitic capacitance or a wiring capacitance is suppressed without lowering OFF-current of a switching transistor or increasing the capacitance of a capacitor, and a driving method thereof using area gray scale display in particular. The display device of the invention comprises a plurality of sub pixels each including a driving transistor whose gate potential is fixed, and area gray scale display is achieved. Specifically, each of the sub pixels comprises, in addition to the driving transistor, a switching transistor, a current controlling transistor connected in series with the driving transistor, and a light emitting element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device comprising light emitting elements and to a driving method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a display device using light emitting elements (self light emitting elements) has been studied and developed. Such a display device has the advantages of high image quality, reduced thickness, light weight, and the like, and thus it is widely used as a display screen of a mobile phone and a monitor of a personal computer. In particular, the light emitting display device has the features such as low voltage driving, low power consumption, and fast response which contributes to dynamic display, therefore, it is expected to be widely used for various electronic apparatuses typified by a next-generation mobile phone or portable information terminal (PDA).
A light emitting element comprises an anode, a cathode, and a layer including an electro luminescent material (hereinafter referred to as an electro luminescent layer) which generates the electro luminescence when an electric field is applied. The electro luminescent layer is sandwiched between the anode and the cathode. There is a fixed relation between the amount of current flowing in the light emitting element and the luminance thereof, and the light emitting element emits light at a luminance corresponding to the amount of current flowing in its electro luminescent layer.
For displaying a multi-level image in the light emitting display device, either an analog driving method (analog gray scale display) or a digital driving method (digital gray scale display) is adopted. These methods are different in the way of controlling a light emitting element during a light emission or a non-light emission of the light emitting element.
In the analog driving method, gray scale is achieved by continuously controlling the amount of current flowing in the light emitting element. Meanwhile, in the digital driving method, the display device is driven by switching two states of the light emitting element, namely, ON (the luminance is substantially 100%) and OFF (the luminance is substantially 0%) states.
Brief explanation is hereinafter made on a pixel configuration of a display device using a common digital driving method as well as an operation of the pixel. A pixel shown in FIG. 8 comprises a switching transistor 700, a driving transistor 701, a capacitor 702, and a light emitting element 703. A gate of the switching transistor 700 is connected to a scan line 705, either a source or a drain thereof is connected to a signal line 704, and the other is connected to a gate of the driving transistor 701. A source of the driving transistor 701 is connected to a power supply line 706 and a drain thereof is connected to an anode of the light emitting element 703. A cathode of the light emitting element 703 is connected to a counter electrode 707. The capacitor 702 is provided in order to hold a potential difference between the gate and the source of the driving transistor 701. A predetermined voltage is applied from a power supply to each of the power supply line 706 and the counter electrode 707 so as to have a potential difference therebetween.
When the switching transistor 700 is turned ON by a signal from the scan line 705, a video signal is inputted from the signal line 704 to the gate of the driving transistor 701. A potential difference between the inputted video signal and the power supply line 706 corresponds to a gate-source voltage Vgs of the driving transistor 701, and thus a current is supplied to the light emitting element 703 which emits light consequently.
In the digital driving method, however, not more than two-level gray scale display can be achieved without any complement. Therefore, area gray scale display or time gray scale display is suggested to be used as a driving method for displaying a multi-level image. The area gray scale display is a method in which a pixel is divided into sub pixels so as to have different light emitting areas and gray scale display is achieved by selecting the sub pixels. The area gray scale display is specifically disclosed in Patent Document 1.
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H11-73158

Display device and driving method of the same

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A low temperature sintering, low dielectric inorganic composition is a ternary inorganic composition comprising cordierite, quartz glass and lead borosilicate glass, wherein if the amounts of the cordierite, quartz glass and lead borosilicate glass are represented by X, Y and Z (wt %) respectively, the composition of the ternary system falls within the range encircled by the following four points (a) to (d) including the lines between each neighboring two points: EQU (X=35; Y=0; Z=65) (a) EQU (X=65; Y=0; Z=35) (b) EQU (X=0; Y=65; Z=35) (c) EQU (X=0; Y=35; Z=65) (d). The inorganic composition has a dielectric constant substantially lower than that of the conventional composition while maintaining high reliability such as an ability of being sintered at a low temperature, high insulation properties and high resistance to water as well as excellent mechanical properties such as strength. The composition can be used for producing multilayer ceramic wiring boards for mounting very high speed VLSI elements and contributes to an increase in the packaging density and the production of fast transmitting devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inorganic composition capable of being sintered at a low temperature and having a low dielectric constant and more specifically to an inorganic composition which is mainly used for preparing a multilayer ceramic printed wiring board for mounting a very fast VLSI element, capable of being sintered at a low temperature of the order of not more than 1,000.degree. C. and has a low dielectric constant and high strength.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Until now, semiconductor elements such as IC's and LSI's have been mounted on a printed wiring board of, for instance, a glass-epoxy or an alumina ceramic substrate, but there have been increasingly required for the development of a substrate for mounting these elements which carries a fine pattern of distributing wire in a high density and which is capable of rapid transmission of signals, capable of being operated at a high frequency and capable of rapid radiation of heat as semiconductor elements have been improved in that the degree of integration thereof is increased, that they are more and more miniaturized and that they can operate at a higher speed. However, the conventional printed wiring boards suffer from various problems of insufficient plating ability of through holes, insufficient working characteristics, low adhension during lamination and high heat deformation at a high temperature, and the conventional printed boards are correspondingly limited in the density of distributing wire patterns to be printed. For this reason, any printed wiring board carrying a fine distributing wire pattern of a desired density has not yet been put into practical use and, therefore, ceramic substrates have attracted much attention recently.
However, the alumina substrates must be sintered at a high temperature of not less than 1500.degree. C. and accordingly, the conductive materials usable for printing distributing wire patterns which are co-fired are limited to a refractory or high-melting metal having relatively high resistivity such as W, Mo or the like. Thus, the degree of fineness of the wiring pattern is limited while taking into consideration the transmission loss of pulse signals.
Under such circumstances, there have been proposed low temperature sintering multilayer ceramic substrates. Examples of insulating ceramic materials in such substrates include those comprising composites of alumina and glass and those comprising crystallized glass. For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (hereinafter referred to as "J. P. KOKAI") No. Hei 3-252353 (which corresponds to a pending U.S. Ser. No. 07/661,606 filed on Feb. 28, 1991) discloses a ternary system comprising alumina, quartz glass and borosilicate glass; and J. P. KOKAI Nos. Hei 3-252354 and Hei 3-141153 disclose ternary systems comprising quartz (.alpha.-quartz), quartz glass and borosilicate glass or lead borosilicate glass. All of these ceramic materials are sintered at a temperature of not more than 1,000 .degree. C. and accordingly, a low-melting metal having low resistivity such as Au, Ag-Pd, Cu or the like can be used as a conductive material for printing distributing wire patterns. Moreover, it is also possible to use the green sheet lamination technology which is very effective for obtaining substrates carrying fine distributing wire patterns of high densities.
On the other hand, it is inevitable that the dielectric constants of materials for substrates must be reduced to a level as low as possible to speed up the transmission of signals since the transmission delay time of pulse signals is proportional to the root of the dielectric constant of a particular substrate material selected. For instance, the dielectric constant of alumina is about 10 and those of low temperature sintering ceramic substrates are lower than that of alumina. However, the reduction of dielectric constants of substrate materials is still insufficient for achieving high transmission velocity of signals. There has thus been investigated the use of those having low dielectric constants which comprise, as host ceramics, quartz glass and other materials having low dielectric constants such as cordierite and mullite in place of alumina and the use of glass components having low dielectric constants such as those mainly comprising silicon oxide or boron oxide. These materials have sufficiently low dielectric constants, but suffer from problems of lowering of mechanical properties such as strength. This problem becomes more conspicuous in producing substrates and in mounting semiconductor elements.

Low temperature sintering low dielectric inorganic composition


A vehicle bumper structure includes a lateral arrangement of hollow lobes forming an energy absorption apparatus attached to a beam. The lobes are designed to provide a predetermined peak force resistance and a predetermined energy absorption capability. Local stiffening to increase the buckling resistance and energy absorption is provided by increased stiffness regions provided in one or more locations on one or more of the lobes. The local increased stiffness regions can be provided by an increased wall thickness surrounding apertures formed in selected shear walls of the lobes or a laterally outward offset in the shape of the shear walls of the lobes.

The present disclosure relates to vehicle bumper structures and, particularly, to vehicle bumper structures with energy absorbing features.
Vehicle bumper structures frequently contain energy absorbers which are constructed to crush or buckle on impact with a predetermined rate of resistance and energy absorption. The energy absorbers can be in the form of a molded plastic base mounted on the forward facing surface of a laterally extending reinforcement beam coupled to a vehicle frame structure. A plurality of forward projecting, hollow lobes (also referred to as "crush lobes") are formed in and extend horizontally outward from the base. The lobes are spaced across the lateral extent of the base so as to cover substantially the entire forward surface of the vehicle bumper.
The shape and size of the individual lobes are designed to provide a predetermined amount of resistance force and energy absorption when the vehicle bumper contacts an object, such as a leg of a pedestrian. The buckling or crushing of the lobes at the point of impact with the pedestrian's leg is designed to minimize injury to the pedestrian by absorbing impact energy.
The lobes typically are in the form of a hollow box-like structure with top and bottom shear walls and left and right side shear walls joined at corner edges and at an outer, forward facing end by a closed front wall.
The material and thickness of the lobes can be chosen to provide a predetermined amount of resistance and energy absorption through controlled buckling or crushing of the lobes. Toward this end, small apertures are formed in various locations on each lobe to provide controlled buckling of the lobe. For example, apertures can be formed at the corner edges of the front wall and one or more of the top, bottom or side shear walls. Similarly, apertures can be formed at the bottom corners of each lobe where the top, bottom and side shear walls join to the base.
While the buckling of one or more lobes subjected to impact forces presents a predetermined design amount of resistance followed by a controlled buckling, once the lobe begins to buckle, resistance and energy absorption falls off rapidly. The bottom located apertures between the base and the bottom edges of the top, bottom and side shear walls of each lobe can provide a second peak buckling resistance force before further buckling of the lobe commences.
It will be desirable to provide a vehicle bumper structure with energy absorption features which has increased peak force resistance until buckling with less effect on other local impact positions of the vehicle bumper.

Bumper energy absorber with local stiffening

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.