An adjustable threshold has a lip portion with an adjustable vinyl insert to prevent material from becoming trapped or from engaging a seam present between a floor and a frame member portion adjacent to the floor. The adjustable threshold engages an H-rail trapped in the main U-shaped channel of the frame member which in turn covers and is generally supported by a substrate block. In a preferred embodiment, a first and generally front wall of the frame member is engaged only on one side by a threshold cap. The lip serves to help entrap a second descending wall of the threshold cap and to keep it in place to provide support and stability for the threshold cap. Alternative embodiments exist wherein a lip is advantageously present in a variety of embodiments.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to doorsill assemblies and, in particular, to adjustable thresholds for use in such doorsill assemblies.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the years, a wide variety of doorsill assemblies have been made with adjustable thresholds. Door sill assemblies were initially designed to fit immediately below an entryway door but are now often extended to adjacent side lights to provide a continuous sill having a uniform, aesthetic appearance while forming a water tight juncture between the sill and the adjoining building floor surface. Such doorsill assemblies also prevent the door from swinging too far forward in the frame so that the hinges are not damaged.
Adjustable sills were developed to provide a threshold which an installer can adjust to fit a specific door. By maintaining a predetermined clearance between the threshold and the door, a door seal can effectively keep out wind and water. Being closest to the ground, the threshold and its juncture with the door is the first line of contact between outside water and cold air and the environment inside the door.
It is desirable that adjustable thresholds be easy to install and adjust, structurally sound, relatively inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing. Another important feature in cold climates is that the threshold should provide a good thermal barrier in order to prevent condensation and icing on the portion of the threshold within the building interior.
With the advent of adjustable sills, it was no longer as necessary to ensure that the measurements of the door, its fit in the frame, or otherwise were exact as the adjustable threshold could be used to provide the seal between the threshold and the door. As a result, construction could be faster, quicker, and even better as the threshold could be adjusted for the best position after the door and threshold had been installed.


A method of testing and repairing an integrated circuit having a total number of fuses for effecting repair of the integrated circuit. The method including: testing a memory array with a set of tests and reserving a first number of the total number of fuses for use in repairing the memory array based on results of the first set of tests; and shmoo testing the memory array by incrementing, decrementing or incrementing and decrementing values of a test parameter until a minimum or maximum value of the test parameter is reached that utilizes a second number of the total number of fuses for use in repairing the memory array to operate at the minimum or maximum value of the test parameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuits; more specifically, it relates to a method of testing and repairing memory circuits of integrated circuits by replacement of portions of the memory circuits with redundant circuits.
2. Background of the Invention
Advanced memory circuits include redundant wordlines that can be substituted for failing wordlines by fusing in order to increase yield. However, even though a memory circuit "repaired" by substitution a good redundant wordline for a "failing" wordline by selectively blowing fuses after testing, the "good" wordlines may still contain defects that can cause reliability fails. Further, the yield increase realized by this method is not necessarily maximized for best-case parametric performance but only for test specification parametric performance. Therefore there is a need for a methodology for testing and repairing memory circuits that improves reliability and increases best-case parametric performance yield.

Testing and repair methodology for memories having redundancy

International Business Machines Corporation


A data driving circuit of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes a data driving chip and at least two isolation driving units. The data driving chip includes a plurality of data driving units that drive data lines of the LCD panel, and the data driving unit includes a port that limits a range of a working voltage of the data driving unit. The isolation driving unit outputs a preset reference voltage to the port of the data driving unit.

As shown in FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes data lines and a data driving chip 30 that drives the data lines. The data driving chip 30 often employs a data driving unit 21 coupled to the data line to amplify driving ability of a signal, and the data driving unit 21 is configured with a first port and a second port, where a range of working voltage of the data driving unit 21 is determined by voltages input to the first port and the second port. Generally, a constant voltage is input to one of two ports of the data driving unit 21, and the constant voltage is regarded as a first reference voltage. Voltage input to a signal unit arranged external to the data driving chip 30 outputs voltage to the other port of the data driving unit 21, and the voltage is regarded as a second reference voltage. The second reference voltage directly affects stability of a data driving circuit, thus, the second reference voltage output by the signal unit is input to the data driving unit 21 through an isolation driving unit 10. The isolation driving unit 10 not only avoids load disturbance of the data driving unit 21 affecting, the signal unit of an input end of the data driving chip, but also improves driving ability of the second reference voltage. A typical method causes overheat of the data driving chip 30.

Data driving circuit having simulation buffer amplifier of LCD panel, LCD panel and LCD device


Devices and methods that allow dynamic management of throughput in a memory device based on a power supply voltage are provided. According to various embodiments, the power supply level can be monitored. Based on the result of the monitoring, an appropriate throughput can be determined. Once the appropriate throughput is determined, an appropriate control signal based on the determined throughput can be generated. The control signal can be configured to cause a bitline driver circuit in a memory array to activate a number of bitlines consistent with the determined throughput.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor memory and specifically to systems and methods that allow for varied write throughput in semiconductor memory applications.
2. Related Art
Flash memory is a non-volatile memory composed of a number of individual memory cells that can each hold a value (i.e., 1 or 0) depending on what has been written to them previously. Like most re-programmable memory, Flash memory can be read, programmed, or erased. To program and erase Flash memory requires the application of a certain amount of current (often provided by a charge pump) to the cell or cells that are to be programmed or erased. The number of cells that can be written at a time is called "write throughput."
The amount of write throughput that a memory device can accommodate depends on a number of factors including the size of the memory array and its structure, area allocated for peripheral circuitry (e.g., charge pumps, regulators, drivers, etc.), operating temperature, and power supply voltage, to name a few. One of the largest factors affecting write throughput, however, is the current capacity of the charge pump, which is directly related to, amongst other things, the voltage level of the power supply.
Memory devices (as with most semiconductor devices) are typically designed to operate using a range of supply voltages. For instance, one common supply voltage range for such devices is 2.6 V to 3.6 V. In order to guarantee a particular throughput for a memory device, the memory device must be designed to achieve that throughput even in the worst case scenario—i.e., when a supply voltage of 2.6 V is provided. However, in many cases, the memory device may be used in an application that provides greater than the minimum supply voltage. It would be desirable in these scenarios to allow the memory device to take advantage of the increased supply voltage (and corresponding increase in charge pump current) to increase the throughput of the device.
Thus, what is needed is a memory device that allows throughput to vary with the power supply voltage.

Supply power dependent controllable write throughput for memory applications


Methods and systems are provided for desalting wash water treatment and recycling processes and control of those processes. More specifically, treatment of wash water and wastewater streams using forward osmosis are provided. Additional methods and systems for desalting processes are provided, including recycling wash water. Methods for controlling operations of desalting systems and processes are provided.

In general, a gas oil separation plant is a continuous separation process used to refine crude oil, which includes a high pressure production trap (HPPT), a low pressure production trap (LPPT), a low pressure degassing tank (LPDT), a dehydrator unit, at least one desalting unit, a water/oil separation plant (WOSEP), a stabilizer column, centrifugal pumps, heat exchangers, and reboilers. In a GOSP, vessel pressure is often reduced in several stages to allow for the controlled separation of volatile components, such as entrained vapors and gases. Goals of a GOSP include achieving maximum liquid recovery with stabilized oil separated from gas, and water separated from gases and oil. In other words, one purpose of a GOSP is to remove water, salt, and volatile hydrocarbon gases from wet crude oil after it is obtained from a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir.
However, a large pressure reduction in a single separator will cause flash vaporization, leading to instability and safety hazards. Thus, in conventional GOSP's, many stages and units are required. In a first stage, gas, crude oil, and free water are separated. In a second stage, crude oil is dehydrated and desalted to separate emulsified water and salt to meet certain basic sediment and water (BSW) specifications. In a third stage, crude oil is stabilized and sweetened to meet hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) specifications.
Conventional GOSP systems also suffer from the following issues: inefficient energy usage; off-specification crude oil production in terms of BSW and salt content; on-specification crude oil production in terms of BSW and salt content that is substantially lower than necessary, resulting in inefficient operations and excess uses; high fresh water use rates; and high operating costs required to meet the crude specification. Additionally, conventional GOSP and desalting operations generate large quantities of water that can be difficult to recycle and treat, especially high salinity wastewater.
Various methods of controlling and operating the GOSP and desalting operations are used in conventional systems. Conventional methods of control for GOSP, including desalter operations, can be inefficient, resulting in challenges meeting specifications while keeping costs low. Therefore, better systems and methods to control GOSP operations, as well as treat and reduce wastewater generation associated with GOSP operations are desired.

Conserving fresh wash water in crude oil desalting and control using forward osmosis and desalter advanced control


A solid state lighting apparatus comprising a base unit, LED Printed Circuit Assembly comprising a plurality of LEDs, conductive enhancing structure, temperature sensor, Power Supply Printed Circuit Assembly, and optics portion comprising at least one of a lens, holding device, mirror, reflector and/or other optical components. A solid state lighting apparatus is adapted for existing luminaire shapes and is applicable for retrofitting installed luminaires.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to solid state lighting systems with multiple heat sinks replacing conventional lighting means in at least a portion of an original luminaire fixture or similar luminaire fixture.
2. Description of Background Art
Background art has numerous examples of LED based lighting devices; recent ones include U.S.2009/0003009 disclosing a LED lamp projecting light in a forward direction and utilizing a reflector. U.S.2009/0001372 discloses an LED device with a liquid heat transfer fluid; U.S.2008/0296589 discloses a lighting device having a substrate with a thermally conductive region; U.S.2008/0285303 discloses an optical module with an electric wiring interface; U.S.2008/0278954 discloses a mounting assembly for one or more light-emitting elements such that the elements are inferiorly connected to a carrier; U.S.2008/0274641 discloses a lighting fixture with heat removal supporting high intensity LEDs; U.S.2008/0254649 discloses a LED lighting assembly including a printed circuit board with a dielectric layer; U.S.2005/0201098 discloses a LED lighting assembly on an extruded base but not an arm at a angle to the base. Additional background is found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,558; U.S. Pat. No. 7,878,683 U.S.2007/0041185; U.S.2012/0212958; U.S. Pat. No. 8,104,929, U.S. Pat. No. 8,247,998, U.S. Pat. No. 8,256,919, U.S. Pat. No. 7,102,172, U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,706, U.S.2006/0023423 and U.S.2005/0201097; also included are Toshiba TGT Luminaire Brochure; 2012; QD-GS01-SP02-070312-1 and NEMA Outdoor 2010 LSD. The aforementioned background art are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. There is a need for a low cost solid state lighting system enabling high intensity lighting and overcoming the associated heat dissipation issues. The background art does not disclose or suggest the benefits of a solid state lighting system, lamp or fixture with replaceable lens system and high heat dissipation through improved thermal coupling to exterior portions of the lamp. A significant portion of the cost of a new lighting fixture for an LED can be eliminated by replacing only the conventional lighting portion of existing fixtures or luminaire.

High efficiency SSL thermal designs for traditional lighting housings


A crossbeam for a motor vehicle comprises a crossbeam body and at least one attachment device for attaching at least one vehicle component of the motor vehicle to the crossbeam, the attachment device having an attachment body which is fastened to the crossbeam body and extends in the longitudinal direction of the crossbeam body over a partial length of the crossbeam body and away from the crossbeam body in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of attachment elements being present on the attachment body. The attachment body is built up from a plurality of individual blanks which are fastened to the crossbeam body in a distributed manner over the partial length and which each extend with their longitudinal direction and with their blank area transversely to the longitudinal direction of the crossbeam body.

The invention generally relates to crossbeams for motor vehicles.
More specifically, the invention relates to a crossbeam for a motor vehicle, comprising a crossbeam body and at least one attachment device for attaching the crossbeam to at least one vehicle component of the motor vehicle, the attachment device having an attachment body which is fastened to the crossbeam and extends in the longitudinal direction of the crossbeam body over a partial length of the crossbeam body and away from the crossbeam body in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of attachment elements being present on the attachment body.
Crossbeams are used in the automobile industry in the body structure. As a part of a motor vehicle body, the crossbeam is arranged between the so-called A-pillars in the region below the windscreen, running approximately horizontally. The crossbeam is used to fasten the instrument panel, while also stiffening the instrument panel, which usually consists of plastics and/or wooden parts. The crossbeam has a crossbeam body which usually consists of a tube or generally of one or more profiles.
A plurality of attachment devices for attaching the crossbeam to various vehicle components of the motor vehicle are usually present on the crossbeam body of a crossbeam. For example, an attachment device for attaching the crossbeam to the two A-pillars is located at each end of the crossbeam body. In addition, an attachment device for attaching the centre console to the crossbeam and an attachment device for attaching the steering column to the crossbeam are located between the two ends of the crossbeam body.
Without restricting its universality, the present invention is described with reference to an attachment device for attaching the steering column to the crossbeam. However, the invention can also be applied to other attachment devices on such a crossbeam.
In the case of an attachment device for attaching the steering column to the crossbeam, the attachment device has an attachment body which is fastened on one side to the crossbeam body and extends thereon in the longitudinal direction of the crossbeam body over partial length thereof, and extends away from the crossbeam body in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction thereof. Accordingly, the attachment body has a three-dimensional form.
In known crossbeams the attachment body of the attachment device for the steering column is produced substantially in one piece as an aluminium diecasting or a magnesium diecasting. In accordance with the factors dependent on the vehicle type, the attachment body in the form of the aluminium diecasting has a relatively complex geometrical structure.
Although such an aluminium diecasting has the advantage of low weight, it has the disadvantage that it is very expensive to produce. A further disadvantage of such an aluminium diecasting as the attachment device is that, in the event of model changes of the motor vehicle which are reflected in design changes, even when small, in the region of the connection of the steering column to the crossbeam, the aluminium diecasting cannot be adapted simply to the new conditions, but a differently shaped aluminium diecasting must be produced, entailing additional cost and expenditure of time, especially in the production of a new diecasting mould. In other words, an attachment device in the form of an aluminium diecasting is not flexible in the event of changes to its installed situation in the motor vehicle.
Other crossbeams are known in which the attachment device for attaching the steering column to the crossbeam is made of one or more sheet metal parts instead of an aluminium diecasting, which sheet metal parts have been shaped in several shaping processes to form the desired three-dimensional structure. In this case there is, firstly, the disadvantage that such three-dimensionally shaped sheet steel parts have relatively high weight and, secondly, the disadvantage that, like the aluminium diecasting, they are expensive to produce since a large number of shaping processes are required, necessitating a corresponding number of shaping tools, until the finished attachment device is produced. Moreover, in this case, too, there is very little flexibility in the event of changes to the installed situation.


A semiconductor memory device includes a cell block composed of several series-connected units having a ferroelectric capacitor and a cell transistor parallel-connected to the ferroelectric capacitor and a select transistor connected to an end of the cell block. Mutually separated first impurity diffusion layers are formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate along a first direction, and have a first area. A second impurity diffusion layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate separated from the end first impurity diffusion layer, and has a second area. A first gate electrode is provided on the semiconductor substrate between the first impurity diffusion layers along a second direction. A second gate electrode is provided on the semiconductor substrate between the end first impurity diffusion layer and the second impurity diffusion layer along a second direction. A contact electrically connects a bit line and the second impurity diffusion layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device. In particular, the present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device using a memory cell formed of a ferroelectric material.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 individually show a circuit diagram and cross-sectional view of a semiconductor memory device using a memory cell formed of a ferroelectric material. As shown is FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, a unit cell U is formed in a manner that source and drain terminals of a cell transistor T are connected to both terminals of a ferroelectric capacitor C. Several unit cells U are connected in series. A cell block CB is composed of several unit cells. The cell block CB is connected to a bit line BL via a select transistor ST. A ferroelectric memory having the foregoing structure is called a TC parallel unit series connection type ferroelectric memory. In the cell block CB, interconnection connected to a termination unit cell U opposite to the select transistor ST is called a plate line PL.
FIG. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between data read voltage and bit line capacitance in ferroelectric memory. As seen from FIG. 10, the bit line capacitance is optimized, and thereby the maximum read voltage is obtained. However, actually manufactured ferroelectric memories have bit line capacitance larger than the optimal value. For this reason, the read voltage is larger than the maximum value. As a result, there is a high possibility that read data is affected by noise.


Salts of a peptide boronic acid drug, for example of Cbz-(R)-Phe-(S)-Pro-(R)-Mpg-B(OH)2. The counter-ion to the boronate may be an alkali metal or derived from a strongly basic organic nitrogen-containing compound.

The present disclosure relates to pharmaceutically useful products obtainable from organoboronic acids. The disclosure also relates to the use of members of the aforesaid class of products, to their formulation, their preparation, their synthetic intermediates and to other subject matter.
The disclosure further relates to parenteral pharmaceutical formulations containing the described products.
Boronic Acid Compounds
It has been known for some years that boronic acid compounds and their derivatives, e.g. esters, have biological activities, notably as inhibitors or substrates of proteases. For example, Koehler et al. Biochemistry 10:2477, 1971 report that 2-phenylethane boronic acid inhibits the serine protease chymotrypsin at millimolar levels. The inhibition of chymotrypsin and subtilisin by arylboronic acids (phenylboronic acid, m-nitro-phenylboronic acid, m-aminophenylboronic acid, m-bromophenylboronic acid) is reported by Phillip et al, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 68:478-480, 1971. A study of the inhibition of subtilisin Carlsberg by a variety of boronic acids, especially phenyl boronic acids substituted by Cl, Br, CH3, H2N, MeO and others, is described by Seufer-Wasserthal et al, Biorg. Med. Chem. 2(1):35-48, 1994.
In describing inhibitors or substrates of proteases, P1, P2, P3, etc. designate substrate or inhibitor residues which are amino-terminal to the scissile peptide bond, and S1, S2, S3, etc., designate the corresponding subsites of the cognate protease in accordance with: Schechter, I. and Berger, A. On the Size of the Active Site in Proteases, Biochem.Biophys.Res.Comm., 27:157-162, 1967. In thrombin, the S1 binding site or "specificity pocket" is a well defined slit in the enzyme, whilst the S2 and S3 binding subsites (also respectively called the proximal and distal hydrophobic pockets) are hydrophobic and interact strongly with, respectively, Pro and (R)—Phe, amongst others.
Pharmaceutical research into serine protease inhibitors has moved from the simple arylboronic acids to boropeptides, i.e. peptides containing a boronic acid analogue of an α-amino carboxylic acid. The boronic acid may be derivatised, often to form an ester. Shenvi (EP-A-145441 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,082) disclosed that peptides containing an α-aminoboronic acid with a neutral side chain were effective inhibitors of elastase and has been followed by numerous patent publications relating to boropeptide inhibitors of serine proteases. Specific, tight binding boronic acid inhibitors have been reported for elastase (Ki, 0.25 nM), chymotrypsin (Ki, 0.25 nM), cathepsin G (Ki, 21 nM), α-lytic protease (Ki, 0.25 nM), dipeptidyl aminopeptidase type IV (Ki, 16 pM) and more recently thrombin (Ac-D-Phe-Pro-boroArg-OH (DuP 714 initial Ki 1.2 nM).
Claeson et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,014 and others) and Kakkar et al (WO 92/07869 and family members including U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,338) disclose thrombin inhibitors having a neutral C-terminal side chain, for example an alkyl or alkoxyalkyl side chain.
Modifications of the compounds described by Kakkar et al are included in WO 96/25427, directed to peptidyl serine protease inhibitors in which the P2-P1 natural peptide linkage is replaced by another linkage. As examples of non—natural peptide linkages may be mentioned —CO2—, —CH2O—, —NHCO—, —CHYCH2—, —CH═CH—, —CO(CH2)pCO— where p is 1, 2 or 3, —COCHY—, —CO2—CH2NH—, —CHY—NX—, —N(X)CH2—N(X)CO—, —CH═C(CN)CO—, —CH(OH)—NH—, —CH(CN)—NH—, —CH(OH)—CH2— or —NH—CHOH—, where X is H or an amino protecting group and Y is H or halogen, especially F. Particular non-natural peptide linkages are —CO2— or —CH2O—.
Metternich (EP 471651 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,707, the latter being assigned to Trigen Limited) discloses variants of Phe—Pro—BoroArg boropeptides in which the P3 Phe is replaced by an unnatural hydrophobic amino acid such as trimethylsilylalanine, p-tert.butyl-diphenyl-silyloxymethyl-phenylalanine or p-hydroxymethylphenylalanine and the P1 side chain may be neutral (alkoxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl or trimethylsilylalkyl).
The replacement of the P2 Pro residue of borotripeptide thrombin inhibitors by an N-substituted glycine is described in Fevig J M et al Bioorg. Med. Chem. 8: 301-306 and Rupin A et al Thromb. Haemost. 78(4): 1221-1227, 1997. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,360 (de Nanteuil et al).
Amparo (WO 96/20698 and family members including U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,538) discloses peptidomimetics of the structure Aryl-linker-Boro(Aa), where Boro(Aa) may be an aminoboronate residue with a non-basic side chain, for example BoroMpg. The linker is of the formula —(CH2)mCONR— (where m is 0 to 8 and R is H or certain organic groups) or analogues thereof in which the peptide linkage —CONR— is replaced by —CSNR—, —SO2NR—, —CO2—, —C(S)O— or —SO2O—. Aryl is phenyl, naphthyl or biphenyl substituted by one, two or three moieties selected from a specified group. Most typically these compounds are of the structure Aryl-(CH2)n—CONH—CHR2—BY1Y2, where R2 is for example a neutral side chain as described above and n is 0 or 1.
Non-peptide boronates have been proposed as inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes in detergent compositions. WO 92/19707 and WO 95/12655 report that arylboronates can be used as inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes in detergent compositions. WO 92/19707 discloses compounds substituted meta to the boronate group by a hydrogen bonding group, especially acetamido (—NHCOCH3), sufonamido (—NHSO2CH3) and alkylamino. WO 95/12655 teaches that ortho-substituted compounds are superior.
Boronate enzyme inhibitors have wide application, from detergents to bacterial sporulation inhibitors to pharmaceuticals. In the pharmaceutical field, there is patent literature describing boronate inhibitors of serine proteases, for example thrombin, factor Xa, kallikrein, elastase, plasmin as well as other serine proteases like prolyl endopeptidase and Ig AI Protease. Thrombin is the last protease in the coagulation pathway and acts to hydrolyse four small peptides form each molecule of fibrinogen, thus deprotecting its polymerisation sites. Once formed, the linear fibrin polymers may be cross-linked by factor XIIIa, which is itself activated by thrombin. In addition, thrombin is a potent activator of platelets, upon which it acts at specific receptors. Thrombin also potentiates its own production by the activation of factors V and VIII.
Other aminoboronate or peptidoboronate inhibitors or substrates of serine proteases are described in:                U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,493        EP 341661        WO 94/25049        WO 95/09859        WO 96/12499        WO 96/20689        Lee S-L et al, Biochemistry 36:13180-13186, 1997        Dominguez C et al, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 7:79-84, 1997        EP 471651        WO 94/20526        WO 95/20603        WO 97/05161        U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,105        U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,948        U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,841.
Peptide boronic acid inhibitors of hepatic C virus protease are described in WO 01/02424.
Matteson D S Chem. Rev. 89: 1535-1551, 1989 reviews the use of α-halo boronic esters as intermediates for the synthesis of inter alia amino boronic acids and their derivatives. Matteson describes the use of pinacol boronic esters in non-chiral synthesis and the use of pinanediol boronic esters for chiral control, including in the synthesis of amino and amido boronate esters.
Contreras et al J. Organomet. Chem. 246: 213-217, 1983 describe how intramolecular N→B coordination was demonstrated by spectroscopic studies on cyclic boronic esters prepared by reacting Me2CHCMe2—BH2 with diethanolamines.
Boronic acid and ester compounds have displayed promise as inhibitors of the proteasome, a multicatalytic protease responsible for the majority of intracellular protein turnover. Ciechanover, Cell, 79:13-21, 1994, teaches that the proteasome is the proteolytic component of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, in which proteins are targeted for degradation by conjugation to multiple molecules of ubiquitin. Ciechanover also teaches that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway plays a key role in a variety of important physiological processes.
Adams et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,454 (1998), U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,730 (2000), U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,903 (2000) and equivalent WO 96/13266, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,217 (2001) describe peptide boronic ester and acid compounds useful as proteasome inhibitors. These documents also describe the use of boronic ester and acid compounds to reduce the rate of muscle protein degradation, to reduce the activity of NF-κB in a cell, to reduce the rate of degradation of p53 protein in a cell, to inhibit cyclin degradation in a cell, to inhibit the growth of a cancer cell, to inhibit antigen presentation in a cell, to inhibit NF-κB dependent cell adhesion, and to inhibit HIV replication. Brand et al, WO 98/35691, teaches that proteasome inhibitors, including boronic acid compounds, are useful for treating infarcts such as occur during stroke or myocardial infarction. Elliott et al, WO 99/15183, teaches that proteasome inhibitors are useful for treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Unfortunately, organoboronic acids can be relatively difficult to obtain in analytically pure form. Thus, alkylboronic acids and their boroxines are often air-sensitive. Korcek et al, J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 2:242, 1972, teaches that butylboronic acid is readily oxidized by air to generate 1-butanol and boric acid.
It is known that derivatisation of boronic acids as cyclic esters provides oxidation resistance. For example, Martichonok V et al J. Am. Chem. Soc. 118: 950-958, 1996 state that diethanolamine derivatisation provides protection against possible boronic acid oxidation.
Wu et al, J. Pharm. Sci., 89:758-765, 2000, discuss the stability of the compound N-(2-pyrazine) carbonyl-phenylalanine-leucine boronic acid (LDP-341, also known as bortezomib), an anti-cancer agent. It is described how "during an effort to formulate [LDP-341] for parenteral administration, the compound showed erratic stability behaviour". The degradation pathways were investigated and it was concluded that the degradation was oxidative, the initial oxidation being attributed to peroxides or molecular oxygen and its radicals.
WO 02/059131 discloses boronic acid products which are described as stable. In particular, these products are certain boropeptides and/or boropeptidomimetics in which the boronic acid group has been derivatised with a sugar. The disclosed sugar derivatives, which have hydrophobic amino acid side chains, are of the formula
wherein:                P is hydrogen or an amino-group protecting moiety;        R is hydrogen or alkyl;        A is 0, 1 or 2;        R1, R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or —CH2—R5;        R5, in each instance, is one of aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, heteroaryl, or -W-R6, where W is a chalcogen and R6 is alkyl;        where the ring portion of any of said aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, or heteroaryl in R1, R2, R3 or R5 can be optionally substituted; and        Z1 and Z2 together form a moiety derived from a sugar, wherein the atom attached to boron in each case is an oxygen atom.
Some of the disclosed compounds are sugar derivatives of LDP-341 (see above).
Many drugs comprise an active moiety which is a carboxylic acid. There are a number of differences between carboxylic acids and boronic acids, whose effects on drug delivery, stability and transport (amongst others) have not been investigated. One feature of trivalent boron compounds is that the boron atom is sp2 hybridised, which leaves an empty 2pz orbital on the boron atom. A molecule of the type BX3 can therefore act as an electron-pair acceptor, or Lewis acid. It can use the empty 2pz orbital to pick up a pair of nonbonding electrons from a Lewis base to form a covalent bond. BF3 therefore reacts with Lewis bases such as NH3 to form acid-base complexes in which all of the atoms have a filled shell of valence electrons.
Boric acid, accordingly, can act as a Lewis add, accepting OH−:B(OH)3+H2O→B(OH)4−+H+
Further, boronic acids of the type RB(OH)2 are dibasic and have two pKa's. Another point of distinction about boron compounds is the unusually short length of bonds to boron, for which three factors may be responsible:    1. Formation of pπ-pπ bonds;    2. Ionic-covalent resonance;    3. Reduced repulsions between non-bonding electrons.
The presumed equilibria of boronic and carboxylic acids in aqueous KOH are shown below (excluding formation of RBO22−):
Thrombosis
Hemostasis is the normal physiological condition of blood in which its components exist in dynamic equilibrium. When the equilibrium is disturbed, for instance following injury to a blood vessel, certain biochemical pathways are triggered leading, in this example, to arrest of bleeding via clot formation (coagulation). Coagulation is a dynamic and complex process in which proteolytic enzymes such as thrombin play a key role. Blood coagulation may occur through either of two cascades of zymogen activations, the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of the coagulation cascade. Factor VIIa in the extrinsic pathway, and Factor IXa in the intrinsic pathway are important determinants of the activation of factor X to factor Xa, which itself catalyzes the activation of prothrombin to thrombin, whilst thrombin in turn catalyses the polymerization of fibrinogen monomers to fibrin polymer. The last protease in each pathway is therefore thrombin, which acts to hydrolyze four small peptides (two FpA and two FpB) from each molecule of fibrinogen, thus deprotecting its polymerization sites. Once formed, the linear fibrin polymers may be cross-linked by factor XIIIa, which is itself activated by thrombin. In addition, thrombin is a potent activator of platelets, upon which it acts at specific receptors. Thrombin activation of platelets leads to aggregation of the cells and secretion of additional factors that further accelerate the creation of a hemostatic plug. Thrombin also potentiates its own production by the activation of factors V and VIII (see Hemker and Beguin in: Jolles, et. al., "Biology and Pathology of Platelet Vessel Wall Interactions," pp. 219-26 (1986), Crawford and Scrutton in: Bloom and Thomas, "Haemostasis and Thrombosis," pp. 47-77, (1987), Bevers, et. al., Eur. J. Biochem. 122:429-36, 1982, Mann, Trends Biochem. Sci. 12:229-33, 1987).
Proteases are enzymes which cleave proteins at specific peptide bonds. Cuypers et al., J. Biol. Chem. 257:7086, 1982, and the references cited therein, classify proteases on a mechanistic basis into five classes: serine, cysteinyl or thiol, acid or aspartyl, threonine and metalloproteases. Members of each class catalyse the hydrolysis of peptide bonds by a similar mechanism, have similar active site amino acid residues and are susceptible to class-specific inhibitors. For example, all serine proteases that have been characterised have an active site serine residue.
The coagulation proteases thrombin, factor Xa, factor VIIa, and factor IXa are serine proteases having trypsin-like specificity for the cleavage of sequence-specific Arg—Xxx peptide bonds. As with other serine proteases, the cleavage event begins with an attack of the active site serine on the scissile bond of the substrate, resulting in the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate. This is followed by collapse of the tetrahedral intermediate to form an acyl enzyme and release of the amino terminus of the cleaved sequence. Hydrolysis of the acyl enzyme then releases the carboxy terminus.
As indicated above, platelets play two important roles in normal hemostasis. First, by aggregating, they constitute the initial hemostatic plug which immediately curtails bleeding from broken blood vessels. Secondly, the platelet surface can become activated and potentiate blood clotting, a property referred to as platelet procoagulant activity. This may be observed as an increase in the rate of activation of prothrombin by factor Xa in the presence of factor Va and Ca2+, referred to as the prothrombinase reaction. Normally, there are few (if any) clotting factors on the surface of unstimulated platelets but, when platelets are activated, negatively charged phospholipids (phosphatidylserine and phospatidylinositol) that are normally on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane become available and provide a surface on which two steps of the coagulation sequence occur. The phospholipid on the surface of activated platelets profoundly accelerates the reactions leading to the formation of thrombin, so that thrombin can be generated at a rate faster than its neutralisation by antithrombin III. The reactions that occur on the platelet surfaces are not easily inhibited by the natural anticoagulants in blood such as antithrombin III, either with or without heparin. (See Kelton and Hirsch in: Bloom and Thomas, "Haemostasis and Thrombosis," pp. 737-760, (1981); Mustard et al in: Bloom and Thomas, "Haemostasis and Thrombosis," pp. 503526, (1981); Goodwin et al; Biochem. J. 308:15-21, 1995).
A thrombus can be considered as an abnormal product of a normal mechanism and can be defined as a mass or deposit formed from blood constituents on a surface of the cardiovascular system, for example of the heart or a blood vessel. Thrombosis can be regarded as the pathological condition wherein improper activity of the hemostatic mechanism results in intravascular thrombus formation. Three basic types of thrombi are recognised:                the white thrombus which is usually seen in arteries and consists chiefly of platelets;        the red thrombus which is found in veins and is composed predominantly of fibrin and red cells;        the mixed thrombus which is composed of components of both white and red thrombi.
The composition of thrombi is influenced by the velocity of blood flow at their sites of formation. In general white platelet-rich thrombi form in high flow systems, while red coagulation thrombi form in regions of stasis. The high shear rate in arteries prevents the accumulation of coagulation intermediates on the arterial side of the circulation: only platelets have the capacity to form thrombi binding to the area of damage via von Willebrand factor. Such thrombi composed only of platelets are not stable and disperse. If the stimulus is strong then the thrombi will form again and then disperse continually until the stimulus has diminished. For the thrombus to stabilise, fibrin must form. In this respect, small amounts of thrombin can accumulate within the platelet thrombus and activate factor Va and stimulate the platelet procoagulant activity. These two events lead to an overall increase in the rate of activation of prothrombin by factor Xa of 300,000 fold. Fibrin deposition stabilises the platelet thrombus. Indirect thrombin inhibitors, for example heparin, are not clinically effective at inhibiting stimulation of platelet procoagulant activity. Accordingly, a therapeutic agent which inhibits platelet procoagulant activity would be useful for treating or preventing arterial thrombotic conditions.
On the venous side of circulation, the thrombus is comprised of fibrin: thrombin can accumulate because of the slower flow on the venous side and platelets play only a minor role.
Thrombosis is thus not considered to be a single indication but, rather, is a class of indications embracing distinct sub-classes for which differing therapeutic agents and/or protocols may be appropriate. Thus, regulatory authorities treat disorders such as, for example, deep vein thrombosis, cerebrovascular arterial thrombosis and pulmonary embolism as distinct indications for the purposes of licensing medicines. Two main sub-classes of thrombosis are arterial thrombosis and venous thrombosis. Arterial thrombosis includes such specific disorders as acute coronary syndromes [for example acute myocardial infarction (heart attack, caused by thrombosis in a coronary artery)], cerebrovascular arterial thrombosis (stroke, caused by thrombosis in the cerebrovascular arterial system) and peripheral arterial thrombosis. Examples of conditions caused by venous thrombosis are deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
The management of thrombosis commonly involves the use of antiplatelet drugs (inhibitors of platelet aggregation) to control future thrombogenesis and thrombolytic agents to lyse the newly formed clot, either or both such agents being used in conjunction or combination with anticoagulants. Anticoagulants are used also preventatively (prophylactically) in the treatment of patients thought susceptible to thrombosis.
Currently, two of the most effective classes of drugs in clinical use as anticoagulants are the heparins and the vitamin K antagonists. The heparins are ill-defined mixtures of sulfated polysaccharides that bind to, and thus potentiate, the action of antithrombin III. Antithrombin III is a naturally occurring inhibitor of the activated clotting factors IXa, Xa, XIa, thrombin and probably XIIa (see Jaques, Pharmacol. Rev. 31:99-166, 1980). The vitamin K antagonists, of which warfarin is the most well-known example, act indirectly by inhibiting the post-ribosomal carboxylations of the vitamin K dependent coagulation factors II, VII, IX and X (see Hirsch, Semin. Thromb. Hemostasis12:1-11, 1986). While effective therapies for the treatment of thrombosis, heparins and vitamin K antagonists have the unfortunate side effects of bleeding, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (in the case of heparin) and marked interpatient variability, resulting in a small and unpredictable therapeutic safety margin.
The use of direct acting inhibitors of thrombin and other serine protease enzymes of the coagulation system is expected to alleviate these problems. To that end, a wide variety of serine protease inhibitors have been tested, including boropeptides, i.e. peptides containing a boronic acid analogue of an α-amino acid. Whilst direct acting boronic acid thrombin inhibitors have been discussed earlier in this specification, they are further described in the following section.
Neutral P1 Residue Boropeptide Thrombin Inhibitors
Claeson et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,014 and others) and Kakkar et al (WO 92/07869 and family members including U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,338) disclose lipophilic thrombin inhibitors having a neutral (uncharged) C-terminal (P1) side chain, for example an alkoxyalkyl side chain.
The Claeson et al and Kakkar et al patent families disclose boronate esters containing the amino acid sequence D-Phe-Pro-BoroMpg [(R)-Phe-Pro-BoroMpg], which are highly specific inhibitors of thrombin. Of these compounds may be mentioned in particular Cbz-(R)-Phe-Pro-BoroMpg-OPinacol (also known as TRI 50b). The corresponding free boronic acid is known as TRI 50c. For further information relating to TRI 50b and related compounds, the reader is referred to the following documents:                Elgendy S et al., in The Design of Synthetic Inhibitors of Thrombin, Claeson G et al Eds, Advances in Expedimental Medidne, 340:173-178, 1993.        Claeson G et al, Biochem J. 290:309-312, 1993        Tapparelli C et al, J Biol Chem, 268:4734-4741, 1993        Claeson G, in The Design of Synthetic Inhibitors of Thrombin, Claeson G et al Eds, Advances in Experimental Medicine, 340:83-91, 1993        Phillip et al, in The Design of Synthetic Inhibitors of Thrombin, Claeson G et al Eds, Advances in Experimental Medicine, 340:67-77, 1993        Tapparelli C et al, Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 14:366-376, 1993        Claeson G. Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis 5:411-436, 1994        Elgendy et al, Tetrahedron 50:3803-3812, 1994        Deadman J et al, J. Enzyme Inhibition 9:29-41, 1995        Deadman J et al, J. Medicinal Chemistry 38:1511-1522, 1995.
The tripeptide sequence of TRI 50b has three chiral centres. The Phe residue is considered to be of (R)-configuration and the Pro residue of natural (S)-configuration, at least in compounds with commercially useful inhibitor activity; the Mpg residue is believed to be of (R)-configuration in isomers with commercially useful inhibitor activity. Thus, the active, or most active, TRI 50b stereoisomer is considered to be of R,S,R configuration and may be represented as:
(R,S,R)-TRI 50b: Cbz-(R)-Phe-(S)-Pro-(R)-boroMpg-Pinacol
Whilst indirect acting thrombin inhibitors have been found useful parenterally for the treatment of patients susceptible to or suffering from venous thrombosis, the same is not true of arterial thrombosis, because it would be necessary to raise the dosage used in the treatment of venous thrombosis by many times in order to treat (prevent) arterial thrombosis. Such raised dosages typically cause bleeding, which makes indirect acting thrombin inhibitors unsuitable or less preferable for treating arterial thrombosis. Heparin and its low molecular weight derivatives are indirect thrombin inhibitors, and so are unsuitable to treat arterial thrombosis. Oral direct thrombin inhibitors are in development for arterial indications but may have lower than desirable therapeutic indices, i.e. may have higher than desirable levels of bleeding at therapeutic doses. Many organoboronic acid compounds may be classified as lipophilic or hydrophobic. Typically, such compounds include amongst others:                boropepudes of which all or a majority of the amino acids are hydrophobic        boropeptides of which at least half of the amino acids are hydrophobic and which have a hydrophobic N-terminal substituent (amino protecting group)        non-peptides based on hydrophobic moieties.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Boronic acid salts useful in parenteral formulations


A paper feeding mechanism for a printer includes a discharging unit located on a downstream side of a paper feed path, a feeding unit located on an upstream side with respect to the image transfer station, a tension applying unit that operates to apply tension to the continuous form paper at a position between the image transfer station and the discharging unit. Further provided is a displacement preventing system that prevents a displacement of the continuous form paper in a feeding direction of the continuous form paper when the tension applying unit operates to apply the tension to the continuous form paper.

The present invention relates to a paper feeding mechanism for a continuous form printer that prints out information on continuous form paper.
Conventionally, continuous form printers which print out images in accordance with a so-called electrophotographic imaging method have been known.
According to the method, photoconductive material provided on a circumferential surface of a photoconductive drum of the printer is exposed to light which is modulated in accordance with image data, thereby a latent image being formed thereon. Then, toner is applied to the drum to form a toner image thereon (i.e., the latent image is developed). The toner image thus developed is transferred onto the paper, and the transferred toner image is fixed on the paper by a fixing device. Among such printers, one using continuous form recording paper has been known and widely used. An example of such a printer is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI 07-146625.
Typically, the continuous form paper is used in the form of fanfold paper, which is foldable continuous paper provided with sprocket holes on both end portions in its width direction of the paper.
As shown in the publication, in the printer using the fanfold paper, a tractor unit is provided to feed the paper. The tractor unit is provided with pins on a pair of belts located facing the end portions, in the width direction, of the paper. The belts are driven to move thereby the pins engaging with the sprocket holes of the paper pushing the paper to feed the same.
The tractor unit is provided on upstream side of a transfer unit where the toner image is transferred to the paper. In order to maintain tension of the paper during the imaging process within a certain range, a mechanism that applies the tension to the paper is generally provided on downstream side of a fixing unit, where the toner image is fixed. Typically, a pair of discharge rollers that function to discharge the paper out of the printer, and a tension plate that applies tension to the paper is provided between the tractor unit and the discharge rollers.
Some continuous form printers are configured such that an image is printed on a first page of the continuous form printer. That is, a toner image is transferred on the recording paper when a leading end of the continuous form paper is being fed from the tractor unit to the discharge rollers. In such a case, the continuous paper is firstly fed by the tractor unit. That is, each of the pins of the tractor unit pushes the upstream side edge of the corresponding sprocket hole. This state continues until the leading end of the paper is engaged with the rollers located on the upstream side and appropriate tension is applied to the paper.
When the leading end portion is engaged with the rollers on the upstream side, the tension plate is driven to push the paper to apply the tension thereto. At this stage, the paper is slightly pulled to move toward the portion where the tension plate contact the paper.
Since each pin of the tractor unit contacts the upstream side edge of the sprocket hole and the paper is pulled to move on the upstream side, the paper moves relative to the tractor unit toward the upstream side. Since the toner image is being transferred at this stage, the transferred image is deteriorated due to the shift of the paper.

Paper feeding mechanism for continuous form printer


Disclosed herein is a process for producing active carbon suitable for use in electrodes for an organic solvent type electric double layer capacitor, comprising calcining an easily graphitizable organic substance and then subjecting the resultant carbonized product to an alkali activation treatment, wherein the alkali activation treatment comprises a first alkali activation treatment at a temperature within a first range and a second alkali activation treatment at a temperature within a second range, said temperature within the second range being higher than that of the first activation treatment, and one of both alkali activation treatments is performed after the other alkali activation treatment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing active carbon used for polarizable electrodes for an electric double layer capacitor making use of an electrolytic organic solvent solution.
2. Description of the Background Art
Since an electric double layer capacitor has a large capacity of the farad level and is also excellent in charge and discharge cycle properties, it is used in applications such as back up power supplies for electronic equipment and batteries for automobiles.
In this electric double layer capacitor, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a pair of polarizable electrodes 1, 1 composed of active carbon are arranged in an opposed relation to each other through a separator 2, and the polarizable electrodes 1, 1 are impregnated with an organic solvent solution of a tetraalkylammonium salt or the like as an electrolytic solution so as to function as positive and negative electrodes, respectively. In the electric double layer capacitor illustrated in FIG. 3, the polarizable electrodes 1, 1 opposed to each other through the separator 2 are contained in an aluminum container 3 which is closed with an aluminum lid 5 through a packing 4. In the above-described construction, the container 3 and the lid 5 come into separate contact with the polarizable electrodes 1, 1 in such a manner that the container 3 serves as a current collector member on the cathode side to the polarizable electrode 1, and the lid 5 serves as a current collector member on the anode side to the other polarizable electrode 1.
Although active carbon having fine pores is used for the polarizable electrodes for such an electric double layer capacitor, there is a demand for development of active carbon capable of more heightening the capacity density of the polarizable electrodes for the purpose of providing a smaller and lighter electric double layer capacitor having a greater capacity.
Therefore, various properties of active carbon have been investigated with a view toward providing active carbon capable of heightening the capacity density of the polarizable electrodes. For example, the hypothesis that "A capacity density per weight of active carbon in an electrode has an almost linear proportional relationship with a specific surface area of the active carbon, and the capacity of an electric double layer on the active carbon electrode is about constant without being affected by the kind of carbon and pore characteristics thereof" has been proposed (Electrochemistry, 59, No. 7, pp. 607-613, 1991).
When a theoretical value of the capacity of an electric double layer capacitor comprising polarizable electrodes making use of such active carbon is found from a value observed by a mercury electrode or the like as the capacity of the electric double layer of the active carbon and the specific surface area of the active carbon, however, the theoretical value does not consist with the found value of the capacity of the electric double layer capacitor.
For example, assuming that the capacity of the electric double layer capacitor so constructed that a pair of polarizable electrodes 1, 1 are arranged with a separator 2 held therebetween as illustrated in FIG. 3 is C.sub.0, and capacities of the polarizable electrodes 1, 1 are C.sub.1 and C.sub.2, the following equation is satisfied: EQU 1/C.sub.0 =1/C.sub.1 +1/C.sub.2 ( 1)
Here, the capacity of the electric double layer on the active carbon observed by the mercury electrode is about 20 .mu.F/cm.sup.2. Therefore, the capacity of the electric double layer on active carbon having a specific surface area of 1,500 m.sup.2 /cc amounts to:
20 (.mu.F/cm.sup.2).times.1,500 (m.sup.2 /cc)=300 (F/cc).
Then, 300 (F/cc) is substituted for C.sub.1 and C.sub.2 in the equation (1) to find C.sub.0. As a result, C.sub.0 amounts to 150 (F/cc). Since C.sub.0 is a capacity for two volumes of the polarizable electrode 1, the theoretical capacity of the electric double layer capacitor should amount to 75 F/cc obtained by dividing the C.sub.0 value by 2.
In reality, the capacity of the electric double layer capacitor amounts to only about 13 F/cc. Even when different kinds of active carbon having the same specific surface area are used, the capacities of the resultant electric double layer capacitors may be entirely different from each other in some cases.
Therefore, the present inventors paid attention to the fact that the above hypothesis is based on the specific surface area measured by nitrogen gas absorption in accordance with the BET method the analytical limit of which is about 10 angstroms, and attempted a special image analysis capable of analyzing even fine pores smaller than 10 angstroms by using an image through a transmission electron microscope in order to verify the above hypothesis, thereby investigating the relationship between capacity density and specific surface area as to various kinds of active carbon for electrodes different in specific surface area. As a result, the conclusion that there is no linear proportional relationship between them, and so factors affecting the capacity exist in some others was reached.
The present inventors carried out a further investigation on the basis of this finding. As a result, it was found that when a mode in the pore distribution of active carbon is controlled to a pore size suitable for adsorption of the electrolytic solution ions with the organic solvent solvated, active carbon excellent in capacity density per volume when used in polarizable electrodes for an electric double layer capacitor is provided. Such active carbon used for electrodes for the electric double layer capacitor was previously applied for patent (Japanese Patent Application No. 46912/1996). The active carbon described in the specification of this application is such that a carbonized product obtained by calcining a vinyl chloride resin is activated with an alkali in one stage by holding it for 1-20 hours at a temperature ranging from 400.degree. C. to 1,000.degree. C. The mode in its pore distribution is within a range of 10-20 angstroms, which are pore sizes suitable for adsorption of the electrolytic solution ions with the organic solvent solvated.
Incidentally, the mode means a value of a pore size which shows the highest relative frequency in the frequency distribution of pore sizes. Besides, the frequency distribution of pore sizes is found from a power spectrum obtained by converting the image of the active carbon through a transmission electron microscope into a binary image and subjecting this binary image to Fourier transformation.
According to such active carbon, a polarizable electrode high in electrode density and, in particular, excellent in capacity density per volume can be formed because the mode in its pore distribution falls within the above range, and an electric double layer capacitor high in energy density can be constructed by such polarizable electrodes.
However, the polarizable electrodes making use of the active carbon obtained by conducting the activation treatment under such conditions that the electrode density can be made high as described above involve a disadvantage that the resulting electric double layer capacitor is easy to lower the capacity by repeated charge and discharge.

Production process of active carbon used for electrode for organic solvent type electric double layer capacitor


When a compressed air is led into a reference pressure chamber along with a boundary between a resin housing and a terminal, such compressed air may cause a wire breaking. A barrier wall for blocking the compressed air from penetrating toward the wire is disposed. The reference pressure chamber is divided into a main chamber and a subchamber by the barrier wall. Since the barrier wall blocks the compressed air, the compressed air can not reach a silicon gel in the main chamber. Therefore, the wire breaking caused by the compressed air when connecting a connector therewith can be precluded.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure sensor for detecting pressure. Particularly, the present invention is applicable to, for example, a relative pressure sensor for detecting a pressure difference between a atmospheric pressure in a reference pressure chamber and pressure to be measured in a measurement pressure chamber.
2. Description of Related Art
In the conventional absolute pressure sensor disclosed in JP-A-6-3211, a semiconductor sensing chip is housed in a resin case. The resin case has a pressure inlet port and a connecting portion, and is formed by insert molding to have a terminal. Pressure at a pressure inlet port is detected and converted into electric information, and then transmitted to an external circuit through a bonding wire and the terminal which is formed by the insert molding.
The above construction makes it possible to simplify the pressure sensor.


A media componentry assembly for mounting in a compartment formed in an automotive vehicle instrument panel includes, a chassis adapted to be mountably received within the compartment and a unitary cast bracket having a plurality of surfaces for mounting a plurality of components adapted to be mountably received within the chassis.

In the manufacture of automotive vehicles it is a customer desire to have certain types of media componentry located in the instrument panel. In recent years there has been a proliferation of various forms of media. Exemplary of such forms are the cassette tape, the compact disc, and the digital audio tape. As a result, automotive manufacturing efforts have advanced to provide the consumer with combined instrument panel located media components. The dual compact disc/cassette tape deck is one such exemplary combination. The mechanical and electrical mounting of such components in the instrument panel bears with it a unique set of problems. Such problems require a consideration of the operating sensitivity of various components in a vehicle environment, manufacturing and servicing ease, manufacturing cost, and part cost.
An approach to mounting a dual media system within a vehicle is to create a unitary assembly of all componentry and sub-componentry that can be singularly inserted into the instrument panel. Such an assembly conventionally has a sheet metal external housing or chassis. This chassis typically has three side walls, a fourth front plate which is adaptable to receive componentry control panel bezels, and a base. Typically the base is a circuit board. The media components are shrouded with sheet metal carriers, each carrier having a geometry unique to the individual media component type, and mounted within the chassis. A first component is mechanically mounted, via the carrier, to the chassis adjacent the circuit board, and then electrically connected to the circuit board. The second component is then electrically connected to the circuit board via a flex cable and mechanically mounted, via the carrier, to the chassis adjacent the first component, thereby creating a conventional dual media assembly. The assembly is then unitarily mounted within the vehicle instrument panel. There are a number of disadvantages associated with such a dual media assembly.
A disadvantage with the conventional assembly is the cumbersome assembly process. Each component must be separately mechanically mounted to the chassis and separately electrically connected to the circuit board which makes for a time consuming assembly process. Performing the assembly within the confines of a radio chassis only magnifies this cumbersome process. Such manufacturing concerns increase the overall product cost. A further disadvantage is servicing difficulty. For example, if the component adjacent the circuit board needs servicing the component above must be removed first, thereby increasing service time and cost. A still further disadvantage is the unreusability of the chassis. Each component, in previous designs, has a sheet metal carrier specific to the particular component dimensions. The design of the chassis is therefore dependent on the dimensions of the carrier for a particular component. If a consumer wished to change a component, the new carrier for that component would require a new chassis. Another disadvantage is the need for a flex cable to electrically connect the second component to the circuit board. Upon assembly the flex cable will inherently be sandwiched between the first and second components as the second component is mechanically mounted to the chassis. Over the life of the assembly the flex cable can interfere with the mechanical movement of one or both of the components and cause a system failure requiring service. Still another disadvantage is the plurality of mechanical parts necessary to support and mount the components. The conventional assembly requires a separate chassis for each component as well as mounting and aligning mechanisms for each chassis. This results in a high degree of packaging space necessary to accommodate the componentry and the associated mounting and supporting mechanisms.
It is therefore desirable, particularly when using dual media assemblies, to provide an assembly which is easily manufacturable, easily serviceable, reusable, not prone to causing system failure, and accommodating to the packaging space requirements of modern automotive vehicle designs.

Automotive vehicle dual media assembly mounting bracket


A conveyor for raising or lowering articles thereon comprising a vertically disposed central column which is rotatable about a vertical axis and which has a plurality of radially spaced apart push bar assemblies mounted thereon. A spiral bed extends around the outer periphery of the rotating central column and is adapted to support the articles to be conveyed thereon. Each of the push bar assemblies has a freely movable endless chain provided thereon from which extend bars which rest upon the upper surface of the spiral bed and which move upwardly along the spiral bed as the central column is rotated in one direction and which move downwardly along the spiral bed when the central column is rotated in an opposite direction. Entry and exit conveyors are associated with the conveyor to supply articles to be conveyed thereto and for receiving the conveyed articles therefrom.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a conveyor for raising and lowering articles having numerous physical shapes and sizes such as cans, cartons, cases, etc.
2. Background Information
Many types of conveyors have been previously provided for raising or lowering cans, bottles, etc. from one location to another. Such conveyors are generally called vertical conveyors. When the conveyors are used to elevate articles from one location to a higher location, they are called elevating conveyors. When the vertical conveyors are used to lower articles from one location to a lower location, they are generally referred to as lowerators. For example, a device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,403 for lowering and lifting containers. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,403, the cylindrical containers are held in semi-circular recesses and are raised or lowered in those recesses by means of a spiral guide bar or inclined support means. It is believed that the device of the '403 patent could not be used or modified to handle cartons or cases due to the inclusion of the semi-circular recesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,708 discloses an article raising or lowering conveyor. As in the '403 patent, the articles in the '708 apparatus are held in recesses, with those recesses being rotated so that the bottles or cans are raised in the recesses by pusher bar assemblies. As with the '403 device, it is believed that the conveyor of the '708 patent may not be used to raise or lower articles having various physical shapes such as cartons, cases, etc.
The conveyor equipment now in use generally employs a conveyor means extending at 5.degree. to 10.degree. of incline. This minimum incline is needed to prevent slip-back of the article. In those elevators which only have a 5.degree. to 10.degree. of incline, the conveyor consumes considerable space and distance to gain elevation thereby consuming valuable floor space. The same is true of a lowerator of the same design. Another prior art method is a magnetic means which is usable only on ferrous containers. A magnetic elevator consumes less floor space but is limited to objects which are attracted to a magnet.
Other types of elevators used for larger objects employ moving platforms which drive through a frame to elevate objects from one level to another. Elevators of this type take less floor space but are limited to a slower operation.

Conveyor for raising and lowering articles


A device includes at least two circuit branches, each of said at least two circuit branches comprising at least one LED diode. The device comprises a supply circuit that provides an electric supply of said at least two circuit branches and includes a variable resistance. The device comprises a controller coupled to said at least two circuit branches and suitable for varying said resistance in reply to a variation of the current that flows in one of said at least two circuit branches to vary the electric supply of said at least two circuit branches.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a supply device of circuit branches with LED diodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays are widely used in mobile telephones; said displays use a large number of LED diodes to permit the phenomenon of backlighting. The LED diodes are distributed in the displays uniformly and use the same bias current; to obtain this they are connected in series.
To feed serially connected chains of LED diodes that emit white light, devices suitable for increasing the supply voltage above the value of the supply voltage at their-input are employed.
The most adopted circuit solutions provide for the use of a boost converter which, supplying many branches connected in parallel and each one made up of a series of LED diodes, permit the setting of the current or the voltage on each one.
To regulate the current that passes through one or more branches of LED diodes there are two different modes: a current one and a voltage one.
In the first mode only the current of the main branch can be set. The output current is read and compared with a reference to generate a control in pulse width modulation (PWM) mode; the circuit branches that are not controlled directly can even have a current very different from that of the main branch.
The disadvantage lies in the parallel connection of the circuit branches. Even if the current that flows in the main branch with the highest number of diodes is controlled directly, the secondary circuit branches can have an additional voltage and a different current. Adding a series of resistances in the secondary branches the current set on the main branch can be reached seeing that the resistances compensate the voltage jump error between the main branch and the secondaries that is due to the connection in parallel. In any case even if the object is reached a consistent quantity of power dissipation (on the compensation resistances) causes the decrease in the efficiency of the control.
This disadvantage can be present not only when supplying the circuit branches with a different number of diodes, but also if the number of LED diodes is equal in all the branches. In fact the voltage jump between the LED diodes could be different even if the same current flows. As a consequence it is necessary to impose a different voltage jump for each branch, but this is not possible by connecting all the branches in parallel. Only by regulating the current that flows through the circuit branches with a maximum value of voltage jump and inserting variable resistances in the other circuit branches the parallel connection can be maintained.
The voltage mode provides for the setting of the output voltage for each circuit branch by means of a boost converter and a voltage divider. To control the current that flows through each circuit branch a resistance, connected in series to the LED diodes, is added to each circuit branch; said resistance enable the current required to be adjusted. Nevertheless the value of the current cannot be known in advance given that it depends on the voltage at the terminals of the circuit branches, on the number of LED diodes present in each branch and on the fall in voltage on each LED diode; the latter depends on the flow of current and on the process technology. Therefore the correct resistance value must be assessed in the different cases and must be set so as to compensate the variation of voltage due to the process technology.

Supply device of circuit branches with LED diodes


Neutral alpha amino diacid complexes of trace minerals and their use for animal nutrition.

The presence of essential metals in sufficient quantities and in a biologically available form in diet is essential for maintaining the health and well being of domestic animals and poultry. Because essential metals such as copper, iron, manganese and zinc are often deficient in common feed ingredients, supplemental amounts of these nutrients are often added to the feed of domesticated animals and poultry. Many commercial feed additives have been developed to provide the essential metals in forms that are readily biologically utilizable. The degree of biological availability of nutrients is often referred to as "bioavailability". Bioavailability of essential metals depends on the physical and/or chemical properties of the form in which the metal is present in the diet. Increased bioavailability of supplemental metals is beneficial because it allows the use of lower concentrations of the metals in the diet to meet the nutritional needs of animals, while lowering the potential harmful effects of high levels of these metals both on the animals and on the environment.
Several commercial products are available in which trace elements are more bioavailable than the corresponding inorganic source of the metal. The enhanced bioavailability is attributed to the association of the metal with an organic molecule, generally known as ligand. This association or bonding results in the increased availability of the metal for utilization by animals, i.e. increased bioavailability. The increased bioavailability of the essential elements in these products is the result of increased solubility, greater stability in the gut, enhanced absorption into circulation and/or improved metabolic utilization.
Different types of products that contain a trace element associated with an organic ligand are commercially available. These can be classified in different groups based on the nature of the ligand used in manufacturing the product. In one class of products, amino acids are used as the ligands that form complexes or chelates with the metal. Examples of these products are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,941,818; 3,950,372; 4,067,994; 4,863,898 4,900,561; 4,948,594; 4,956,188; 5,061,815; 5,278,329; 5,583,243; and 6,166,071. A second group of feed additives include the metal salts of short chain carboxylic acids such as propionic acid (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,878, 5,707,679, 5,795,615 and 5,846,581). A third group of trace element additives is classified by the American Feed Control Officials as Metal Proteinate and defined as "the product resulting from the chelation of a soluble salt with amino acids and/or partially hydrolyzed protein". Examples of these products are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,440,054, 3,463,858, 3,775,132, 3,969,540, 4,020,158, 4,076,803, 4,103,003, 4,172,072 and 5,698,724.
The common assignee of the present application has in the past synthesized and patented metal complexes of amino acids as a more bioavailable source of the essential elements. The following are examples of these patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,941,818; 3,950,372; 4,021,569; 4,039,681; and 4,067,994 disclose 1:1 complexes of alpha amino acids, preferably DL-methionine with the transition metals zinc, chromium, manganese and iron. The formation of similar complexes with L-methionine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,329. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,900,561 and 4,948,594 disclose copper complexes of alpha amino acids containing terminal amino groups. Complexes of copper, manganese, zinc and iron with alpha hydroxyl aliphatic carboxylic acids are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,956,188 and 5,583,243. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,670,269 and 4,678,854 disclose complexes of cobalt with poly-hydroxyl carboxylic acid such as glucoheptanoic acid. Complexes of the amino acid L-lysine with trace elements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,815. The effectiveness of the compounds disclosed in these patents has been demonstrated from data provided in some of these patents and in numerous scientific publications and technical reports.
The above patents describe the use of pure synthetic or natural amino or hydroxyl acids. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,724 the assignee of the current application disclosed the synthesis of complexes of essential elements with natural amino acids obtained by the hydrolysis of proteins. Since this patent was issued, a large number of field studies have demonstrated that metals from these complexes are more bioavailable than metals from inorganic sources.
Based on our experience with metal-amino acid complexes as described in the references cited above, we have concluded that the 1:1 complexes of the metals Zn, Mn, Cu, Co, Fe are effective nutritional sources of the metals and more advantageous than the 1:2 complexes. These 1:1 complexes exist as ion pairs in which the metal-amino acid comprises the cation. The counter ion (anion) is provided by a mineral acid and is necessary for balancing the charge on the cation. The requirement for the external anion results in products in which the metal content is limited. The purpose of the present invention is to develop metal amino acid complexes in which the amino acid serves a dual role. It serves as the bidentate ligand to form a complex with the metal ion, and the counter ion to balance the charge on the cationic complex. This allows the preparation of stable crystalline complexes that contain 20–30% metal. The alpha amino dicarboxylic acids aspartic and glutamic acids are examples of suitable ligands that meet these requirements.
A careful review of the patent and scientific literature indicated that some sources make reference to compounds containing metals and aspartic or glutamic acid. However, it is not always clear what complexes are being described and what is the relevance of this prior art to the intended use of these complexes in nutrition contemplated in the present invention. Two scientific reports were published in 1966 describing the crystal structures of copper glutamate dihydrate and zinc glutamate dihydrate. In the first report copper glutamate dihydrate was obtained by the slow evaporation of a solution of glutamic acid and copper nitrate (The Crystal Structure of Copper Glutamate Dihydrate, Carlo M. Gramaccioli and Richard E. Marsh, Acta Cryst., 21, 594 (1966)) The structure of the blue-green crystals was determined by x-ray crystallography. A companion paper reported the structure of the zinc glutamate dihydrate crystals obtained by the evaporation of an aqueous solution of zinc oxide in glutamic acid (The Crystal Structure of Zinc Glutamate Dihydrate, Carlo M. Gramaccioli, Acta Cryst., 21, 600 (1966)).
Several salts of aspartic acid and glutamic acid with alkali metals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium are commercially available. Magnesium aspartate containing 17–20% magnesium and calcium aspartate containing 20% calcium are commercially available and are likely the neutral salts containing one magnesium or calcium cation neutralized by one dibasic anion of aspartic acid. Calcium and zinc acid salts of aspartic and glutamic acids that contain one dibasic cation and two molecules of the dibasic acids are commercially available.
Magnesium aspartate is included among organic salts of magnesium used for the treatment or prophylaxis of auto immune diseases in the text and claims of U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,368 B1. However, magnesium pyrophosphate is singled out as the preferred magnesium salt according to this invention. A method and composition for treatment of headache using magnesium salts are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,192 B1. Although magnesium aspartate and magnesium aspartate hydrochloride appeared among magnesium salts mentioned in the text, the focus appeared to be the administration of water soluble magnesium salts, specifically magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride. U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,690 B1 describes a water-in-oil type emulsified composition for use in skin and hair cosmetics. These emulsions are stabilized by different additives including salts of amino acids. Although magnesium aspartate and magnesium and calcium glutamates were included among the possible amino acid salts listed in the text, only sodium glutamate was listed in the claims. A flavor blend for masking the unpleasant taste of zinc compounds is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,118 B1. In the text of this patent the inventors mention zinc aspartate as one of the examples of zinc compounds that may benefit from the teachings of the invention.
The texts of two related patents teach that magnesium aspartate hydrochloride may be used as one of the electrolytes in an antemortem nutrient supplement for livestock (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,505,968 and 5,728,675). U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,770 describes zinc complexes of natural alpha-amino acids as antipruritic agents. In these complexes the molar ratio of the amino acid to zinc is 2:1. A microbicidal composition obtained by combining under acidic conditions of equimolar amounts of a metal salt, an amino acid and an inorganic acid is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,009 B1. Among the metal salts listed are those of silver, zinc, copper, mercury, chromium, manganese, nickel, cadmium, arsenic, cobalt, aluminum, lead, selenium, platinum, gold, titanium, tin or their combinations. As well, glutamic and aspartic acids are among amino acids listed. A cure for common cold containing a highly ionizable zinc compound is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,905. The inventor states that zinc complexes such as zinc citrate, zinc aspartate and zinc amino acid chelates are too tightly bound at pH 7.4 to release sufficient zinc ions to be useful and are outside the scope of the invention.
A number of U.S. patents make reference to metal salts of glutamic and aspartic acids in conjunction with other inventions. U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,754 describes the use of the copper glutamate complex as an intermediate in the preparation of glutamine from glutamic acid. The recovery of glutamic acid from solutions containing it by precipitation of zinc glutamate salts is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,468. U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,564 describes a method for improving the stability of amino acid-metal complexes containing 2–16 moles of the amino acid per one mole of metal by incorporating in the mixture a buffer system that controls the pH of the complex and its surrounding media. Amino acid chelates consisting of a metal ion chelated to one or more ligands and are essentially free of anion radicals other than hydroxyl and anions of weak organic acids are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,152. A method for the production of ferrous monoglutamate by reacting in aqueous solution a ferrous salt with a glutamic acid material is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,541. An improved diet for fur-bearing animals such as mink is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,117. The diet contains raw marine fish and a chelate of ferric iron with an organic acid. However, the exact chemical nature of the ferric ion chelate with the organic acids is not described.
Two related U.S. patents describe a hair treatment composition to improve the delivery of amino acids to the hair and scalp by forming a "particulate metal-amino acid complex" the metals described in the patent included zinc (U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,978 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,353). The text and claims of these patents list 9 amino acids including glutamic acid. However, the examples in both patents use cystine, a sulfur amino acid that contains two carboxyl and two alpha amino groups. The zinc complex formed with cystine is vastly different than that formed between zinc and glutamic acid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,749 describes the use of metal-amino acid complexes among other substances for the treatment of panic disorders. Zinc salts of glutamic and aspartic acids containing two molecules of the amino acid per one zinc ion are among the compounds described in this patent.
None of the above described references, have any specific description of neutral complexes of dicarboxylic acids, such as aspartic and glutamic in which the amino acid serves a dual role as the bidentate ligand that forms a complex with the trace mineral metal ion and as the counter ion to balance the charge of the cationic complex. It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide such neutral complexes in a stable form that provide 20%–30% by weight metal.
Another object is to provide nutritional supplements for animal/poultry feed that contain these neutral complexes.
Yet another objective is to provide a method of nutritional supplementation of animals and poultry that provides bioavailable trace minerals, and amino acids without any significant pollution risk.
And, a yet further object is to provide an efficient and economical process of making the complexes of this invention.
The method and manner of accomplishing these and other objectives will become apparent from the written description which follows.

Metal complexes of alpha amino dicarboxylic acids


A toe shoe capable of providing support to a ballet dancer's foot while dancing en pointe. The toe shoe preferably includes a toe box in the toe of the toe shoe, an upper, and an outer sole. Support structure within the toe shoe includes a longitudinal support member, a foot encirculating tubular sleeve, and/or a toe ridge. In a first preferred embodiment, the support structure includes the longitudinal support member, foot encirculating tubular sleeve, and toe ridge. In a second preferred embodiment, the support structure includes the longitudinal support member and foot encirculating tubular sleeve. In a third preferred embodiment, the support structure is the longitudinal support member and toe ridge.

A. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed to a toe shoe, and more specifically, to a toe shoe capable of providing support to a ballet dancer's foot, toes, and ankle during en pointe dancing.
B. Description of the Related Art
The design and materials of the traditional toe shoe, also known as a "pointe shoe," have remained virtually unchanged for centuries. Generally made by hand, the traditional toe shoe utilizes layers of fabric, burlap, cardboard, paper, plastic, leather, or any combination thereof. The layers of material may be saturated with glue to form a reinforced toe box. A hard insole, called a "shank," and an outer sole are attached to the toe box. Glue, stitching, small nails, or any combinations thereof, hold the toe shoe together. A fabric upper, usually a pink satin material, covers the toe shoe. Satin ribbons or elastic straps are often sewn to the sides of the toe shoe and tied or secured around the ballet dancer's ankle to ensure that the toe shoe remains on the dancer's foot.
Although the traditional toe shoe has been used by many generations of ballet dancers, the traditional toe shoe is known in the art to be uncomfortable, even painful. The toe box compresses the sides of the foot, often exacerbating problems that are associated with the hopping and leaping en pointe required by ballet choreography. Further, traditional toe shoes lack shock absorption, offering no protection to the ballet dancer who must repeatedly jump during the course of a performance or practice.
General principles of physics illustrate how dancing en pointe, when performed in traditional toe shoes, creates forces that act on the body of the ballet dancer. It is believed that these forces contribute to the daily wear and tear on a dancer's body, and specifically, to the dancer's toes, feet, and ankles.
For example, ballet dancing involves movements of the dancer's body interspersed with motionless poses. When a ballet dancer dancing en pointe is positioned in a motionless pose, the sum of all forces and torques acting on the dancer's body is approximately zero. This means that the dancer's center of gravity lies on a vertical line that passes from the dancer's body down to the area of support, which is the dancer's foot, toes, and ankle. This downwardly directed force of gravity is balanced by a force rising upward from the floor on that same vertical line. Therefore, the dancer's foot, toes, and ankle are subject to a force that is at least equal to the dancer's weight. This force may increase as the dancer accelerates from a flat-footed position to an en pointe position while practicing or performing.
Ballet dancing also involves turns en pointe, which are commonly known in the art as pirouettes on the point of a ballet dancer's toe shoes. Pirouettes specifically require turns on the front end of the toe box of the toe shoe. The pirouette begins with a preparatory position. The dancer then rotates her arms, torso, and legs with respect to the floor. The twisting force or torque of the dancer's body is carried into the floor by her foot, which allows her to produce the turning motion of the pirouette as she goes from the sole of her foot to en pointe. The upward torque from the floor against the dancer causes an angular acceleration that produces the turning motion. The dancer's toes, feet, and ankles absorb the brunt of the floor's torque.
In addition to forces acting on the ballet dancer's toes, foot, and ankle, there is upward tension in a dancer's achilles tendon because the dancer must push her toes down into the floor in order to remain en pointe while dancing. This tension in the achilles tendon increases as a dancer accelerates from a flat-footed position to an en pointe position, which requires the dancer to push her toes down and lift her heel up. As a result, the achilles tendon must withstand a tension force two to three times the dancer's body weight. With a traditional toe shoe, this tension force is carried longitudinally through the dancer's arched foot to her ankle and leg.
The forces acting on ballet dancers' toes, feet, and ankles, along with the construction of traditional toe shoes, contribute to a number of dancing-related injuries. These injuries include, but are not limited to bunions, blisters, corns, crooked toes, potential or actual stress fractures, tendinitis, sprains, metatarsal bruises, bruises, toe dislocations, and early onset of arthritis. While some of these injuries are relatively minor and heal quickly, other injuries can end a ballet dancer's career.
There have been many attempts to improve upon the traditional toe shoe. U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,726 to Vallee (the "Vallee reference"); U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,618 to Minden (the "Minden '618 reference"); U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,069 to Minden (the "Minden '069 reference"); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,453 to Gaynor (the "Gaynor reference") are exemplary of these attempts and are described to show the current state of the art.
The Vallee reference sets forth a ballet shoe designed specifically for either the left or right foot. The shoe is composed of a sole, a flexible upper that is fixed to the sole, and a vamp that is adapted to surround the front part of the foot. The upper is designed so that points of maximum height of the shoe are located to one side of a longitudinal plane of the shoe, while a flat widening of the shoe occurs on the other side of the longitudinal plane, thereby creating a shoe that is specifically intended for either the left or right foot of a dancer.
The Minden '618 reference sets forth a dance shoe having a toe box that is integrally formed with a shank. Within the toe box are removable foam pads that may be located in at least one of the left and right side surfaces of the toe box, against both the left and right side surfaces of the toe box, or covering the top surface and the left and right side surfaces of the toe box. The foam pads are composed of a dynamic foam pad with a low-compression set, such that the foam pad is compressed by a dancer's foot when the foot is in the flat standing position and expands when the dancer is standing en pointe.
The Minden '069 reference sets forth a ballet slipper having a shank and toe box molded from a thermoplastic polymeric material. The toe box is composed of a platform exterior surface at the forward end of the toe box, a curved radius exterior surface joining the platform, and the lower surface of the shank. The shoe further discloses a layer of resilient, shock-absorbing polymeric material that covers at least a portion of at least one of the lower surfaces of the shank, the exterior surface of the platform, and the exterior surface of the radius of the toe box.
The Gaynor reference sets forth a ballet slipper having a shank and toe box molded from a thermoplastic polymeric material. When the thermoplastic polymeric material is heated, the material softens, thereby allowing the dancer to adjust the shank and toe box to his or her foot. The toe box includes a platform at its forward end and a curved radius joining the platform and the toe box. The ballet slipper has a polymeric material that lines the interior portion of the toe box and extends backwards from the edges of the toe box. A shock-absorbing polymeric material covers the exterior surface of the curved radius and the platform.
Additionally, there have been several general-footwear companies that have focused on caring for feet by providing footwear and foot bed inserts that conform to the shape of the wearer's foot for the purposes of walking or running. Such general footwear, which include sandals, clogs, ski boots, skates, and shoes, is constructed to match the shape of the wearer's foot. The general footwear and foot bed inserts are designed so that when the wearer is walking upright, the wearer's foot is in as natural a position as it would be if the wearer were walking barefoot.
One example of this type of general footwear is the BIRKENSTOCK® sandal, manufactured by Birkenstock Orthopadie of Germany. In addition to being in the shape of a regular foot, the BIRKENSTOCK® sandal has a natural-shaped footbed that allows room for the foot to maintain a normal position while walking. Additionally, a BIRKENSTOCK® sandal usually implements a raised toe bar. The toe bar encourages the natural gripping motion of the wearer's foot, exercises the legs, and improves circulation while the wearer is walking. The BIRKENSTOCK® sandal further contains an arch support that ensures even weight distribution and proper support of the wearer's foot. Finally, the BIRKENSTOCK® sandal contains a deep heelcup, which keeps the foot's natural padding directly under the heelbone. The toe bar, arch support, and deep heelcup are all provided in order to match the shape of the sandal with the shape of the wearer's foot.
The DR. SCHOLL'S® exercise sandal, manufactured by Scholl, Inc., a Delaware corporation, implements a contoured heel and toe grip. The heel and toe grip are provided to strengthen wearers' legs, feet, and ankles as they walk. The bottom half of the sandal is usually made of wood, and the sandal is manufactured such that wearers must grip the sandals with their toes when walking to ensure that the sandals do not slip off easily.
As a whole, the above-mentioned prior art is incapable of and improper for use in a ballet dance setting; it fails to provide the proper support to ballet dancers' feet, toes, and ankles during en pointe dancing; and it does not retain the aesthetic appearance of a traditional toe shoe.