A machine has an uncooled rotor body, which is mounted to rotate about a rotational axis, and has a superconducting rotor winding that is located in at least one cryostat and is cooled by a coolant. To facilitate the assembly of the winding and the cryostat, the exterior of the rotor body is provided with flattened sections, which accommodate at least one cryostat. At least one coil of the rotor winding is located in a retaining device that essentially only absorbs tensile stress. Said tensile stress absorption of the retaining device is thus carried out in the flattened sections of the rotor body. HTS material is preferably used for the rotor conductors.

The present invention relates to a machine having a rotor which is mounted so as to rotate about a rotation axis and contains a superconducting rotor winding, which is to be cooled or is cooled, and an uncooled rotor body. The rotor body has flattened parts on its outside so as to form outer regions respectively having a cross section at least similar to a circle segment, in which at least one coil of the rotor winding is arranged on a tensile retention holding device in at least one cryostat. A corresponding machine is disclosed by EP 1 261 114 A1.
Higher power densities, lower losses and further advantages can be achieved with a rotating superconducting excitation winding in superconducting technology machines such as synchronous motors and generators. The superconductor of the winding must in this case be cooled, and the winding needs to be enclosed in a high vacuum-isolated cryostat for thermal insulation reasons. The induced torque engages on the superconductor and must be forwarded to a warm rotor shaft via suitable transmission elements. Especially in large units, the centrifugal acceleration acting on the superconductor winding is a few thousand g (g=acceleration due to gravity) which has to be absorbed without damage to the superconductor material. Radial centrifugal forces and azimuthal magnetic forces need to be transmitted from the winding via suitable fastener to a mechanically stable rotor body, or a winding core or rotor core. This core may preferably be formed of a magnetically permeable material such as iron, so as to achieve an increase in the excitation field.
Embodiments of machines with a winding fastened directly on the cylindrical rotor body, which is formed of a nonmagnetic or magnetic material and which is at the winding temperature are known (DE 199 43 783 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,804 A1, WO 98/02953 A1). In corresponding large units, however, for example in power plant generators, the rotor body then comprises a large cooled mass of up to several tens of tonnes. This requires long cooling and warming times, stable elements for torque transmission to the warm shaft with a high heat flux in the cold region and a large vacuum cryostat which encloses the cold core and the winding.
Machines with rotors whose rotor body is not cooled to the temperature of the winding are also known (cf. EP 0 805 546 B1 or EP 0 690 550 B1). The windings are in this case of a so-called racetrack type and, together with a cryostat vacuum vessel, a cryoshield and cooling tubes carrying the coolant, are put into a groove machined in the warm rotor core. The groove is in this case closed externally by a comparatively massive closure element, via which forces acting on the winding during operation are absorbed and transmitted to the rotor core. Suspension straps or honeycomb structures in this case transmit forces between the winding and the shield, or between the shield and the closure element of the rotor core. At the ends, the winding cryostat is fed through radial bores in the rotor core. Nb3Sn is provided as a superconductor material for the windings, which is cooled with 10 K cold He gas. Details of the way in which the winding and the cryostat are designed in the respective groove are not disclosed by this related art. However, winding and mounting directly in the grooves requires considerable outlay.
The rotor body of the machine disclosed in the aforementioned EP 1 261 114 A1 is also uncooled. This rotor body has flattened parts on opposite longitudinal sides, so that outer regions with a cross section respectively similar to a circle segment are formed with respect to a cylindrical shape. In these outer regions, there is at least one cryostat for accommodating the conductors of the rotor winding to be cooled. At the ends, the winding cryostat is fed through radial bores in the rotor core. For mounting, the rotor core is designed in three parts; the magnetic core with flattened parts comprises the winding; fitted by bolts axially on both sides there are end pieces, which bear recesses for the winding on one side and the shaft ends of the rotor on the end facing outward. These end pieces may be formed of a nonmagnetic material such as stainless steel. At least one cold tensile element of a holding device, by which the radially opposite parts of the cryostat or cryostats and therefore the rotor winding are held, extends through the rotor body while being thermally insulated from it. Such fastening and holding of the rotor winding is elaborate. With this design of the machine, and especially its holding device, it is furthermore not sufficiently possible to absorb tangential forces which act during operation and particularly in the event of short circuits or other faults.

Machine comprising a rotor and a superconducting rotor winding


The wireless communication device contains at least one conductive tab that provides an antenna. The tab(s) form a pole antenna, and the tabs may also be attached across a slot to form a slot antenna. The tab(s) may be attached across a slot created in a package to form a slot antenna, or the tab(s) may be attached to a slot that is created as part of the wireless communication device to form a slot antenna. The tab(s) and/or the slot may also contain an adhesive material to attach the wireless communication device to a package, container or other material. More than one slot may be provided to form a circularly polarized antenna. The carrier may be a conductive material in which tabs are formed as part of the carrier before the wireless communication device is attached. The wireless communication device may have an asymmetrical antenna arrangement.

The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method of providing a wireless communication device and communication of information concerning an item containing the wireless communication device.
It is often desired to track and identify items, such as packages, containers, etc., and to communicate information concerning such items wirelessly. One method of tracking and providing information concerning packages is to attach a wireless communication device, such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder or other identification device, to packages. The information communicated concerning the packages may include expiration dates, xe2x80x9cborn onxe2x80x9d dates, lot numbers, manufacturing information, and the like. A wireless communication device may be attached to an individual package or to a container containing multiple packages.
A problem exists when a wireless communication device is attached to packaging or containers constructed out of a conductive material such as foil. A pole antenna connected to the wireless communication device will not radiate properly if the wireless communication device is attached on the outside of the package. The pole antenna will be shielded if the wireless communication device is placed inside the package. Thus, there exists a need for a wireless communication device that performs well when attached to a conductive packaging or container.
It may be advantageous for such a wireless communication device to communicate on different frequencies so that one device can be used for various applications. For instance, an operating frequency of 2.45 GHz is used frequently outside the United States, but an operating frequency of 915 MHz is frequently used in the United States. Many companies manufacture wireless communication devices that are capable of operating at both 915 MHz and 2.45 GHz frequencies so that either frequency can be chosen for operation. However, wireless communications device applications, such as attaching wireless communication devices to packages for informative and tracking purposes, configure the device to communicate on only one frequencyxe2x80x94either a frequency for the United States or a frequency for use abroad. It would be advantageous to construct a wireless communication device with an antenna structure that is capable of communicating at more than one frequency. This would allow one wireless communication device to be applicable for uses in both the United States and abroad.
In addition to conductive materials, wireless communication devices are also used with many other substrates. Each substrate has its own dielectric characteristics which typically affect the impedance matching between the wireless communication device and its antenna. Impedance matching ensures the most efficient energy transfer between an antenna and the wireless communication device. Therefore, a need exists to provide an antenna for a wireless communication device whose impedance is substantially insensitive to the substrate.
The present invention relates to a wireless communication device associated with a package, container or other material to communicate information concerning the package, container or other material. A wireless communication device is provided that contains a control system, communication electronics, memory, and an antenna. The wireless communication device may contain a sensor to sense environmental conditions surrounding the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device contains one or more tabs constructed out of conductive material. The tab(s) may serve as both a pole antenna and may attach the wireless communication device to a slot, thereby forming a slot antenna. While helpful in some embodiments such is not required in all the embodiments herein presented.
In one embodiment, the wireless communication device is a transponder that is interrogated by an interrogation reader for communication purposes. The wireless communication device is attached to a package that may be constructed out of a conductive material, such as foil packaging used for food or liquid.
The tab(s) attach to the surface of the package. In one embodiment, the tab(s) are attached to the surface of a package. In a different embodiment, the tab(s) are reactively coupled to the surface of the package through a dielectric material. The dielectric material can be an adhesive material placed on the tab(s) to attach the wireless communication device to a package.
In another embodiment, the tab(s) form a pole antenna to communicate in a first mode at one frequency, and the tab(s) are attached across a slot in a package to communicate in a second mode at a second frequency. One tab is used in one embodiment to form a monopole type antenna, and two tabs are used in another embodiment to form a dipole antenna. In another embodiment, the tab(s) can be varied in shape and size to adjust to surfaces that vary in form.
In another embodiment, the width of the slot is varied to match the impedance of the slot to the impedance of the wireless communication device. Another embodiment uses a matching network to match the impedance of the slot to the impedance of the wireless communication device.
In another embodiment, the wireless communication device operates inside packaging constructed out of a conductive material, such as foil, and uses a slot cut in the packaging to form a slot antenna. Another embodiment forms a slot inside the packaging by placing a non-conductive material, such as a dielectric, in between a sealed portion of the package. The wireless communication device attaches to the slot to form a slot antenna.
In another embodiment, the wireless communication device reacts to the opening of the package and communicates such event and/or stores it in memory. In another embodiment, the wireless communication device uses a sensor to sense the environment and to detect when the package is opened. A second seal may be provided in the package so that the wireless communication device inside the package does not come into contact with the contents of the package.
The wireless communication devices can be placed in a carrier or support, divided into portions, with one device per carrier portion during manufacturing. The carrier or support may be a conductive material, whereby one or more conductive tabs are formed as part of the carrier. The wireless communication device is attached to the carrier thereby attaching the wireless communication device to one or more conductive tabs. The carrier or support is placed proximate to packages during manufacture, and the wireless communication devices are attached to the packages by stamping the devices onto the packages either across a slot cut into the packages, or to a slot formed by the package.
An asymmetrical antenna arrangement may be provided so that the impedance of the antenna is not substantially affected by the substrate to which the wireless communication device is attached. In one embodiment, the asymmetrical antenna arrangement is an asymmetrical dipole antenna formed by asymmetrical tabs. For example, the wireless communication device may be placed in an indentation in the substrate so that the wireless communication device does not protrude from the substrate surface. Asymmetrical tabs are placed on the surface of the substrate. The asymmetrical tabs are connected to the wireless communication device with feed lines to provide an asymmetrical dipole antenna. In a second embodiment, the asymmetrical antenna arrangement is an asymmetrical slot antenna.

Wireless communication device and method


A pixel structure including a control unit, an organic electro-luminescent (OEL) unit, and a filter structure is provided. The control unit is disposed on a substrate and is driven by a scan line and a data line. The OEL unit is disposed on the substrate, and includes a transparent electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a metal electrode. The transparent electrode is electrically connected with the control unit, and the light-emitting layer and the metal electrode are sequentially placed on the transparent electrode. The filter structure is sandwiched between the substrate and the OEL unit, and the filter structure includes a plurality of the first and second dielectric layers. The first and second dielectric layers are alternately stacked, and the refractive index of the first dielectric layers is different from that of the second dielectric layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pixel structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to the pixel structure of an active matrix organic electro-luminescent display.
2. Description of Related Art
Information technology has become a mainstream industry in our society, thanks to the development of various portable communication and display products. Because the display panel is an indispensable communication interface for man to acquire information, its development is particularly important. Among the display panels, organic electro-luminescent display (OELD) has the greatest potential to become the major display product in the next generation, with the advantages including self-illuminating screen, wide viewing angle, low power consumption, simple manufacturing process, low cost, a wide operating temperature range, a high response speed and full-color display.
The organic electro-luminescent display (OELD) utilizes the self-illuminating property of the organic light-emitting material to display an image. According to the molecular weight of the organic light-emitting material, the OELD panel can be classified into small molecule organic electro-luminescent display (SM-OELD) and polymer electro-luminescent display (PELD). The light-emitting structure of both types of OELD comprises a pair of electrodes and an organic material layer sandwiched between the two electrodes. When a DC voltage is applied to the electrodes, holes are injected from the anode into the organic light-emitting material layer while electrons are injected from the cathode into the organic light-emitting material layer. Due to the electric potential difference produced by an external electric field, hole and electron carriers moving inside the organic light-emitting material layer may collide and trigger radiative recombination. A portion of the energy released by the recombination of the electron and hole may excite the organic light-emitting molecules into an excited state. When the excited molecule releases its energy and returns to a ground state, a definite portion of the energy is released as photons to emit light. Accordingly, the organic electro-luminescent display (OELD) panel emits light following this principle.
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a pixel structure of a conventional active matrix-type OLED. FIG. 1B shows a relationship between the wavelength and transmittance of the light-emitting layer shown in FIG. 1A. Please refer to FIG. 1A, the conventional pixel structure 100 is controlled by a scan line and a data line arranged on a substrate 110. The pixel structure 100 comprises a plurality of amorphous silicon thin film transistors (a-Si TFT) 120a and 120b, a plurality of dielectric layers 130 and 140, an organic electro-luminescent unit 150 and a pixel define layer 160. The a-Si TFT 120a and 120b are arranged on the substrate 110 and are electrically connected with each other, in order to control the organic electro-luminescent unit 150. The dielectric layer 140 made of silicon nitride is arranged over the a-Si TFT 120a and 120b. Besides, the organic electro-luminescent unit 150 and the pixel define layer 160 are arranged on the dielectric layer 140 respectively.
More specifically, the a-Si TFT 120a and 120b comprise gate electrodes 122a and 122b, channel layers 124a and 124b, source/drain electrodes 126a and 126b, respectively. The gate electrodes 122a and 122b are arranged on the substrate 110. The dielectric layer 130 arranged on the substrate 110 covers the gate electrodes 122a and 122b. The channel layers 124a and 124b are disposed on the dielectric layer 130. The source/drain electrodes 126a and 126b are arranged on the channel layers 124a and 124b, respectively. In addition, the organic electro-luminescent unit 150 comprises a transparent electrode 152, a light-emitting layer 154 and a metal electrode 156. The transparent electrode 152 is electrically connected to the a-Si TFT 120b. The light-emitting layer 154 and the metal electrode 156 are sequentially arranged on the transparent electrode 152.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a light emitted from the light-emitting layer 154 travels through the transparent electrode 152, the dielectric layer 130 and 140 and the substrate 110 toward the outside of the OLED. As shown in FIG. 1B, the average transmittance of red light (640 nm), green light (515 nm) and blue light (470 nm) in the conventional pixel structure is about 97%. So, the dielectric layers 130 and 140 have little influence on the light emitted from the organic electro-luminescent unit 150. In other words, the display quality of the active matrix-type OLED having the conventional pixel structure 100 is restricted by the characteristics of the organic electro-luminescent unit 150. Compared with the a-Si TFT 120a and 120b, a low temperature poly silicon (LTPS) TFT has the advantages of higher carrier mobility and lower operation voltage, thus another pixel structure applied in the active matrix-type OLED has been developed.
FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing another pixel structure applied in a conventional active matrix-type OLED. FIG. 2B shows the relationship between the wavelength and transmittance of the emitting layer shown in FIG. 2A. Please refer to FIG. 2A, the pixel structure 200 is controlled by a scan line and a data line arranged on a substrate 210. The conventional pixel structure 200 comprises a plurality of LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b, a plurality of dielectric layers 220, 240, 250 and 260, an organic electro-luminescent unit 150 and a pixel define layer 160. The LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b are electrically connected with each other. The organic electro-luminescent unit 150 is controlled by the LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b. The dielectric layer 220 is arranged on the substrate 210. Then, the LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b are arranged on the dielectric layer 220. Besides, the dielectric layer 260 is over the LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b. The organic electro-luminescent unit 150 and the pixel define layer 160 are arranged on the dielectric layer 260 respectively.
More specifically, the LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b comprise gate electrodes 232a and 232b, channel layers 234a and 234b, source/drain electrodes 236a and 236b respectively. The channel layers 234a and 234b are disposed on the dielectric layer 220. The dielectric layer 220 could prevent the metal ions inside the substrate 210 from diffusing to the channel layers 234a and 234b. The dielectric layer 240 is disposed over the channel layers 234a and 234b, and the source/drain electrodes 236a and 236b are arranged above the channel layers 234a and 234b respectively. It should be noted that the gate electrodes 232a and 232b are arranged on the dielectric layer 240, and the LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b are both dual-gate thin film transistor structures. But the LTPS thin film transistors 230a and 230b can also be single gate thin film transistor structures. The dielectric layer 250 is arranged over the gate electrodes 232a and 232b. The dielectric layer 260 is arranged on the dielectric layer 250.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a light emitted from the light-emitting layer 154 travels through the transparent electrode 152, the dielectric layer 260, 250, 240 and 220, and the substrate 210 toward the outside of the OLED. The dielectric layers 260 and 250 are made of silicon nitride, and the dielectric layer 240 is made of silicon dioxide. The material of dielectric layer 240 can be silicon dioxide/silicon nitride. As shown in FIG. 2B, the transmittance of a specific light (500 nm) and a red light (640 nm) with respect to the conventional pixel structure 200 are about 96% and 83% respectively. That is, the luminance characteristics of the organic electro-luminescent unit 150 will be affected by the dielectric layers 240 and 220.


A sliding door structure for opening/closing a sliding door by guiding it to slide has a guide rail having a component for sliding the slide door upwardly and an insert hole for facilitating an insertion of a roller into an inside space of the guide rail.

The present invention relates to a sliding door structure for a sliding door adapted to be equipped with a body of a vehicle.
In the prior art, a sliding door to be slid when opened/closed is generally adopted as a rear door of a vehicle such as a light van.
In order to slide this door, there is mounted on the vehicle body a guide rail means composed of three upper, center and lower guide members. The upper rail, as located at the highest position, is mounted inside of the vehicle. This upper rail is connected to the sliding door by an arm extending from the sliding door, and a roller as supported at the leading end of the arm is guided by the upper rail.
As shown in FIG. 11, in order that a roller 118 supported at the leading end of an arm 116 may be inserted into an upper rail 114, it is inserted into an opening which is formed in the upper rail 114 at the side of the fully open end of the sliding door, and the opening is shut of f with a cover which is equipped with the (not-shown) door stopper. As a result, the roller insert hole has to be formed outside of the sliding range of the roller, and a space for passing the roller 118 has to be formed in the body opening near the trailing end of the rail, so that the degree of opening of a sliding door 112 is limited.
Further, as being apparent from FIG. 11, the guide rail 114 extends straight toward a compartment space S which is defined by a roof head lining 120 so that a compartment space becomes narrower and is limited.
In addition to the above, when the opening of the vehicle's body is opened by the sliding door, the sliding door must move only outwardly of the body at least to the extent of the size of the body thickness, but also a straight movement of the sliding door.
To this end, the front end portion of the upper rail must be considerably curved inwardly of the vehicle's body so that it may be further protruded into the compartment space.


Compounds of the following general formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

The present invention relates to novel compounds having a platelet aggregation-inhibiting action, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds as an active ingredient which can be used for inhibiting platelet aggregation, blood coagulation in extracorporeal circulation, the occlusion of arteries or reocclusion of coronary artery after PTCA and methods for inhibiting platelet aggregation, blood coagulation in extracorporeal circulation or the occlusion of coronary arteries.
Platelets play an important role in hemostasis by adhering to the surface of a damaged blood vessel. However, under diseased conditions, platelet aggregation is known to be primarily responsible for the formation of thrombi, which can obstruct blood vessels. This obstruction prevents the adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to tissues and organs and thereby causes ischemic diseases in circulatory organs as represented by myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction. At present, the high mortality of these ischemic diseases has become a great social problem.
When medical treatments involving the extracorporeal circulation of blood, as exemplified by the use of artificial hearts and lungs during surgical operations and renal dialysis for patients with renal failure, are conducted, blood coagulation may be caused in the extracorporeal circulation of blood by the activation and aggregation of platelets, which is a great obstacle to the performance of such medical treatments.
It is suggested that platelet aggregation partakes in acute reocclusion after pericutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) as applied to thrombi in coronary arteries in patients with cardiac infarction.
Hence, preventing thrombus formation, blood coagulation and reocclusion after the operation of coronary arteries by inhibiting platelet aggregation is very important for the purpose of preventing or treating ischemic diseases or performing medical treatments through extracorporeal circulation in a safe manner. It has become known in recent year that platelet aggregation also plays an important role in the progress of arterial sclerosis.
The process of platelet aggregation consists of two stages, i.e., the activation of platelets and a subsequent aggregation mediated by cross-linking protein "fibrinogen" in plasma. Almost all platelet aggregation-inhibiting agents heretofore in use target the first activation process. These agents include cyclooxygenase inhibitor aspirin, adenylate cyclase activator ticlopidine, phosphodiesterase inhibitor dipyridamole and the like. These compounds are not satisfactory in the specificity of action and the aggregation-inhibiting activity. Therefore, there is a need for the development of pharmaceutical agents having a more specific and potent action.
As regards the aggregation process mediated by fibrinogen, it is known that fibrinogen is associated with platelets by a very highly specific binding to glycoprotein "gpIIbIIIa" which is a fibrinogen receptor on the surface of platelet membranes. Inhibition of such platelet-specific binding will lead to the development of a highly specific drug. Inhibiting the binding of fibrinogen to platelets will also contribute to the creation of a potent and highly specific platelet aggregation-inhibiting agent because even activated platelets cannot aggregate if the fibrinogen-mediated aggregation process is inhibited.
In a study from the viewpoint of molecular biology, Andrieux et al. found that the binding of fibrinogen to a fibrinogen receptor is primarily dependent on an amino acid sequence in the fibrinogen molecule, that is, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-phenylalanine (RGDF) (Andrieux et al., J. Biol. Chem., vol. 264, pp. 9258-9265, 1989).
An attempt was made to synthesize this partial peptide and its analogues and use them as fibrinogen receptor antagonists. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (hereinafter referred to as "KOKAI") Nos. Hei 1-190699 and Hei 2-62892, EPO 422937 A1 and U.S. Pat. (hereinafter referred to as "USP") No. 4,952,562 disclose tetrapeptide derivatives containing the RGD peptide. KOKAI No. Sho 63-215696 discloses derivatives consisting of peptides. KOKAI Nos. Hei 3-118331 and Hei 2-62892 and WO91/01331 disclose derivatives having the cyclic structure of the RGD peptide.
The RGD peptide is characterized in that it is digested in vivo by protease to amino acids which are safe and useful to the organism. Based on the finding of such a characteristic property, the inventors thought that for uses which did not require the sustained action of drugs, such as extracorporeal circulation and surgical operation, the creation of highly active peptide compounds having structures as similar to native peptides as possible was important for the development of platelet aggregation-inhibiting agents having few or no side effects. As a result of the various studies the inventors conducted, they developed novel peptides as described in KOKAI Nos. Hei 4-23864, Hei 5-203962, Hei 6-139107 and Hei 6-235745.
There are also reports on so-called peptidomimetics in which peptide structures containing more or less native amino acids were further derivatized and/or modified as described in KOKAI No. Hei 3-248808, WO93/16697, EP0503548, EP0502536, WO93/08181, WO93/08174, WO93/07867, WO94/08577, EP0445796 and EP0505868.
In general, compounds having chemical structures stable in vivo are required by drugs that need a sustained action. In the case of oral drugs, the stability and absorption of compounds in digestive tracts must also be taken into consideration. Peptides are generally unsuitable for such drugs of long lasting action because of their low stability.
EP445796 discloses acetic acid derivatives having .beta.-alanine residues which have a platelet thrombus formation-inhibiting action. The inventors have been developed independently acetic acid derivatives having a .beta.-alanine residue or mono-substituted .beta.-alanine residues, these compounds do not have a sufficiently high biological activity to be used for practical purposes and the development of compounds having a higher biological activity has therefore been desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide novel compounds that antagonize the action of fibrinogen receptors and which have a high platelet aggregation-inhibiting activity, in vivo stability and high bioavailability, as well as novel pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds as an active ingredient and therapeutic methods using the compounds.

Fibrinogen receptor antagonist and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same


In a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, an audio signal and a video signal are assigned to first and a second channels of an ordinary magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus in respectively, and recorded at a transmission rate twice that of the usual rate, so that it is possible to record an audio signal without tone quality degradation to record a video signal together with the audio signal.

This invention relates to a digital signal recording apparatus using a rotary head, and more particularly to an improvement in recording a digital audio signal on the slanted recording tracks sequentially arranged on a magnetic tape.
There is known a magnetic recording apparatus, in which a digital audio signal is recorded thereon sequentially arranged slanted recording tracks on a magnetic tape using a rotary head (referred to as a digital audio tape recorder, hereinafter).
In such digital audio tape recorder, an audio signal is converted into a digital signal for recording or reproduction on the magnetic tape and can be recorded or reproduced effectively by avoiding tone quality degradation by means of execution of an error correcting procedure.
By the way, it is considered convenient if a video signal can be recorded together with the audio signal by this kind of digital audio tape recorder.
In such case, a method is considered for recording the audio signal and the video signal by compressing them. For the case of this method, there is a degradation problem of tone quality of the audio signal.
There is also a further problem of being impossible to obtain sufficient image quality since, in such case, an information amount of only 515-768 [kbps] which is newly obtained by compressing the information of the audio signal can be assigned to the video signal.
Further, when recording is performed in this manner, it is impossible to reproduce a magnetic tape on which signals are recorded by means of an ordinary digital audio tape recorder, because compressed information is recorded on the tape.

Apparatus using a rotary head for recording digital video and audio signals at double speed


The present invention is a reactor for the hydrogenation of chlorosilanes at temperatures above about 600.degree. C. The reactor comprises one or more of the following improvements: (1) a reaction chamber formed from a silicon carbide coated carbon fiber composite, (2) a heating element formed from a silicon carbide coated carbon fiber composite, and (3) one or more silicon nitride insulators electrically insulating the heating element.

The present invention is a reactor for the hydrogenation of chlorosilanes. The reactor employs a reaction chamber and a heating element formed from silicon carbide coated carbon fiber composite and employs silicon nitride to electrically insulate the heating element.
In a typical process for producing hyperpure semiconductor-grade silicon, trichlorosilane gas is reduced in the presence of hydrogen and deposited onto a heated element. A significant portion of the trichlorosilane gas fed to such a process is de-hydrogenated to form by-product tetrachlorosilane. It is desirable to convert this by-product tetrachlorosilane back into trichlorosilane which can be recycled to the deposition process.
Rogers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,985, issued Jan. 20, 1976, describes a process for converting tetrachlorosilane to trichlorosilane. The process involves passing hydrogen and silicon tetrachloride vapors through a reaction chamber held at a temperature of between 900.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C.
More recently, Weigert et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,334, issued Aug. 12, 1980, described an improved process for converting tetrachlorosilane to trichlorosilane. The process involved reacting trichlorosilane with hydrogen at a temperature of 600.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C., with a tetrachlorosilane and hydrogen mixture having a molar composition between 1:1 and 1:50 in equilibrium with trichlorosilane and hydrogen chloride, and suddenly quenching the mixture to below 300.degree. C. The process described by Weigert et al. was conducted in a gas-tight tube constructed from carbon.
The use of carbon and carbon based materials, such as graphite, for construction of the reaction chamber for the process described by Rogers and by Weigert et al. suffers numerous shortcomings. For example, pressure differentials, high temperatures, and rapid temperature changes experienced in the reactor causes extreme thermal stress on the reactor components often resulting in the need to shut the reactor down for repairs. Furthermore, the carbon-based materials can react with the chlorosilane and hydrogen feed to form by-products, such as silicon carbide, methane, and carbon monoxide. These reactions not only cause deterioration of the reactor, but can also contribute to carbon and trace metal contamination of the desired hydrogenated chlorosilanes.
The present invention is a reactor which employs materials of construction designed to reduce these problems. The described carbon fiber composites provide high strength with good elasticity properties, thus providing greater resistance to pressure and thermal stress damage of the reactor. Furthermore, the coefficient of expansion of the carbon fiber composites can be tailored to closely match that of a silicon carbide coating. Therefore, thermal expansion of the carbon fiber composite is less likely to result in thermal fracture of a silicon carbide coating. The silicon carbide coating placed on the carbon fiber composite provides protection against the reductive processes which can cause deterioration of the reactor chamber and the heating element and contamination of the hydrogenated chlorosilanes.
Levin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,348, issued Apr. 12, 1988, describes a reactor in which hydrogen gas and tetrachlorosilane are reacted to form silicon at temperatures above about 1500.degree. C. The reactor has walls formed from carbon or graphite and a silicon carbide coating is formed in situ on the walls. Levin describes the silicon carbide coating as being highly resistant to chemical decomposition. Levin does not address the problem of thermal shock associated with high temperatures and with heating and cooling of the reactor nor the potential problem of fracturing of materials due to pressure differentials.
The present invention can also use silicon nitride to electrically insulate the heating element employed to heat the reaction chamber. In the present reactor for reacting chlorosilane and hydrogen, it is not feasible to completely seal the reaction chamber to prevent leakage of the reactants. Therefore, the material used to electrically insulate the heating element can be subjected to chlorosilane and hydrogen at elevated temperatures. The inventors have found silicon nitride to be an excellent electrical insulating material with minimum deterioration under typical process conditions. Witter et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,260, Dec. 1, 1987, describes a process for the hydrogen decomposition of trichlorosilane on silicon nitride particles. The silicon nitride is not considered for use as an insulating material and is reported to deteriorate significantly under the described process conditions. Therefore, somewhat surprisingly the inventors have found that silicon nitride is a suitable electrical insulating material for use in a reactor for reacting hydrogen and chlorosilane and that it does not contribute significant contamination to the hydrogenated chlorosilanes.
Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved reactor for the reaction of hydrogen and chlorosilanes. The reactor employs a silicon carbide coated carbon fiber composite as the material of construction for the reaction chamber and for the heating element. This material provides excellent resistance to reductive processes and high tolerance to thermal shock. The reactor can also employ silicon nitride to electrically insulate the heating element. Silicon nitride provides excellent insulating characteristics and high resistance to chemical attack by reactants present in the reactor.


A well testing system and well testing method is described which can be operated as a closed system with no production of hydrocarbons outside the well or gas can be separated and flared at surface giving minimal environmental impact with the liquid hydrocarbon being re-injected. This is achieved by providing a string with at least two well conduits which may be arranged in a concentric or non-concentric parallel configuration. One conduit is used to produce formation fluids to surface or to produce/store unrepresentative initial flow products and the other conduit is used to store formation fluid. The storage conduit can be filled from the top (surface) or the bottom of the well. In a preferred arrangement a valve is provided between the storage conduit and the well annulus for well pressure control, and a shut-in or test valve, which is controllable from surface, is disposed in the non-storage production conduit. A flow control valve is provided at the lower end of the string or at surface and the size of the valve opening is controllable to allow formation fluid to enter the storage string at a controlled rate, so that the formation fluid flowing time is increased to maximize the radius of investigation into the formation to a similar order of magnitude of existing production tests and extended well tests, which are typically two to three times the order of magnitude of the radius of investigation of a wireline formation test. Other aspects and embodiments of the invention are described.

Minimising the environmental impact of well testing has, for some time, been a major issue in the oil industry. In some areas of the world, legislation and taxation upon greenhouse gases produced can double the cost of a well test. The ability to conduct a well test without the necessity to flare the produced hydrocarbons and still obtain the quality and quantity of data required to allow formation to be evaluated correctly would significantly increase the number of tests conducted on a worldwide basis.
Traditional well test operations involves the production and disposal of hydrocarbons creating large quantities of both greenhouse and noxious emissions and the relatively high risk of pollution due to inefficient combustion of the hydrocarbons or accidental spillage.
Several different techniques have been developed to date in an attempt to minimise the environmental impact of well testing. The two techniques which are most commonly used are:
a) downhole pressure and sampling systems, such as Schlumberger's MFT, RFT and MDT tools or Baker's RCI system;
b) close chamber testing such as that developed by Halliburton and used in environmentally sensitive areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico or onshore California.
The amount of information which is obtained by downhole logging systems is limited, primarily due to small volumes which flow from the formation providing samples which can be contaminated by fluids used during the drilling wells and also due to a very small radius of investigation into the reservoir which can lead to the skin effect (formation damage created by the drilling process) having an overwhelming effect on the information obtained. One significant advantage of the aforementioned system over conventional well testing is the ability to determine the vertical permeability of the formation. The close chamber testing minimises the environmental impact of the test but, once again, due to the relatively small volumes of fluid displaced, provides limited data in terms of quality and quantity. In fact, one of the major problems associated with any type of close chamber testing has been resolution of downhole gauges. With relatively small produced volumes, the change and pressure in any normal sized reservoir is very small and until recently with the development of quartz crystal gauges, these pressure changes have been undetectable. This problem combined with the constantly changing skin and flow rate effects during the initial flow period have made evaluation of close chamber data exceedingly difficult and potentially unreliable. Indeed, a significant disadvantage of conventional close chamber systems is the very small volume of fluid which is taken from the formation due to low storage volumes which does not allow uncontaminated pressure volume temperature (PVT) samples to be obtained.


Two components are held in at least partially overlapping relation to each other between a hold-down device and an essentially flat lower tool and then are joined together by pressing an auxiliary joining element into one of the components a sufficient distance to plastically deform the components in a manner that positively joins the two components together. A tool with an optional wobbling movement and/or an optional variable force is used to press the auxiliary joining element into the first component. The magnitude of force applied by the hold-down device affects the direction of plastic flow of the material of the components in relation to the flat lower tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for joining at least two components, which overlap at least in part, in a mechanical joining process without pre-punching, an auxiliary joining element used for this purpose, and a device for joining at least two components, which overlap at least in part, in a mechanical joining process without pre-punching according to the generic clause of claim 14.
The present invention relates in particular to a method and a device in the case of which at least two components are joined to one another under plastic deformation of said components by means of auxiliary joining elements, especially clinch rivets.
2. State of the Prior Art
In the sheet metal working industry, individual components are joined by the production methods of mechanical joining technology. The invention relates to the field of mechanical joining technology in which prepunching is not required. These low-priced methods are especially used in mass production processes in the automobile industry.
The prior art discloses methods and devices for joining overlapping, especially plateshaped components, without the process step of prepunching, the joint between the components being here established either with the aid of an auxiliary joining element, especially by means of punch riveting with a semitubular rivet or a solid rivet, or with the aid of the so-called clinching without the use of an auxiliary joining element.
In the case of these methods an overlapping area of the components is arranged between a punch and a lower die. This punch is then either pressed directly into the joining region of said two components under application of a strong force, whereby the two components undergo plastic deformation, or an auxiliary joining element is pressed into the partners to be joined with the aid of a punch. The lower die is implemented such that, when the two components undergo deformation, undercut areas are formed in the joining region between said components or between said components and the auxiliary joining element.
When an auxiliary joining element is used, said auxiliary joining element itself my be provided with undercut portions, said auxiliary joining element being then encompassed by the two components in the joining region when the components undergo plastic deformation.
In the case of these known methods, a joining force is applied by means of the punch to both components from one side, and the lower die, which is located on the opposite side, serves to take up this joining force.
In the case of variants of this method which are known as well, the linear movement of the punch is superimposed by a wobbling movement so as to reduce the joining forces and improve the flow of material, where appropriate.
In the case of the known punch-riveting process making use of a solid rivet, the auxiliary joining element is, without prepunching, pressed into the plates to be joined by means of a straight movement; in the course of this process, the opposite side is shaped by a hollow lower die and a plurality of slugs is produced as waste. The auxiliary joining element is hardened, executes the function of the cutting punch during cutting and is not deformed in the joining process.
In the case of the known wobbling punch-riveting process executed with a semitubular rivet (DE 199 27 103), the auxiliary joining element is pressed into the plates to be joined with a straight and wobbling movement, without prepunching; in the course of this process, the opposite side is shaped by a lower die and no waste is produced. The auxiliary joining element undergoes deformation during the joining process, whereby an undercut is formed.
In the case of the known wobble clinching process (DE 199 45 743), an undercut is formed in the plates to be joined, said undercut being formed, without prepunching, by means of the punch executing a straight and wobbling movement; in the course of this process, the opposite side is shaped by a lower die and no waste is produced.
In the case of the known tox clinching process (DE 199 13 695), an auxiliary joining element is pressed into the plates to be joined with a straight movement and without prepunching; in the course of this process, the opposite side is shaped by a lower die and no waste is produced.
These methods can be used when both sides of the components to be joined are accessible so that both the punch and the lower die can be arranged appropriately. Since the punch must be in alignment with the lower die, so-called C-shaped bows are used as tool frames for positioning the punch and the lower die relative to one another.
All the above-mentioned methods have the disadvantage of low coaxial tolerance. The lower die and the punch or the lower die and the auxiliary joining element must be positioned relative to one another with high accuracy so as to produce a joint of sufficient quality.
For the above-described method of punch riveting with a solid rivet, strong forces are required. These strong joining forces entail high requirements as far as the guiding of the tools is concerned. These high stresses on the tools and on the tool frames restrict the use of this method for high-strength plates. Moreover, they limit the outreach for the C-shaped bows, which are predominantly used as a tool frame, and this leads to a restriction of the applicability of the method.
Furthermore, punch riveting processes making use of a solid rivet have great disadvantages, firstly insofar as waste in the form of a plurality of slugs per joint is produced, said waste impairing the process security of the subsequent processing steps, and, secondly, insofar as the plates located on the side of the lower die get often jammed on the lower die thus causing wear and breakage of the lower die, and, thirdly, insofar as the auxiliary joining element is complicated and expensive to produce.
Also tox rivet clinching processes necessitate the application of high forces.
Both the punch riveting process making use of solid rivets or semitubular rivets and the tox rivet clinching process are additionally disadvantageous insofar as far-reaching coaxiality demands between the punch and the lower die have to be fulfilled and insofar as it is necessary to sort the auxiliary joining elements with respect to upper and lower sides, i.e. it is necessary to realize a complicated auxiliary joining element supply.
A further method has been suggested in DE 101 02 712. In the case of this method, the partners to be joined are joined by means of rivets which have a high hardness and which do not undergo a substantial deformation in the course of this process. This method does not necessitate the use of a patterned lower die. A flat anvil used as a countertool suffices for producing high-quality joints.
When this method is used, problems may arise due to the fact that the rivets are susceptible to cracking in view of the high hardness and due to cavities on the circumferential surface of the rivet, said cavities having a negative effect on the strength of the joint in the case of contact with corrosive media.
Another disadvantage is that, in the case of rivets which do not undergo substantial deformation, the residual thickness of the lowermost sheet metal layer is markedly reduced and is then often thinner than a critical value of 0.3 mm.

Method, device and auxiliary joining element for joining at least two parts

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung, e.V.


A dresser includes a main body having a stepped surface comprising a plurality of steps, wherein a thickness of the main body at a first step of the plurality of steps is a largest thickness of the main body, and a thickness of the main body at a last step of the plurality of steps is a smallest thickness of the main body; and a plurality of superhard particles disposed on each of the plurality of steps of the stepped surface. The plurality of steps of the stepped surface are different in area, and particle diameters of the superhard particles increase stepwise from the first step of the plurality of steps to the last step of the plurality of steps.

A manufacturing process for semiconductor devices can include a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) operation of polishing metal using a polishing pad. In some cases, this CMP operation includes dressing the polishing pad using a dresser. In such cases, when operating time of the dressing process becomes long, the dresser becomes worn. As a result, dressing of the polishing pad may be insufficient and may cause defective polishing.

Dresser, polishing device, and method of dressing polishing pad


A self-expanding stent formed of helically wound and braided filaments of wrought cobalt, chromium and molybdenum alloy containing less than about five weight percent nickel. The composition of the alloy from which one embodiment of the stent is formed is Co-26Cr-6Mo-1Si-1Fe-1Mn-1Ni.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to implantable, radially expandable medical prostheses including stents and stent-grafts. In particular, the present invention is a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy stent and stent-graft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical prostheses frequently referred to as stents and stent-grafts are well known and commercially available. One type of stent, known as a self-expandable stent, is disclosed generally in the Wallsten U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,771, the Wallsten et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,275, International Application Publication Number WO 94/24961, and International Application Publication Number WO 94/16646, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. These devices are used within body vessels of humans and other animals for a variety of medical applications including treating stenosis, maintaining openings in the urinary, biliary, esophageal and renal tracts, and vena cava filters to counter emboli.
Briefly, self-expanding stents of the type described in the above-identified patent documents are formed from a number of resilient filaments or elements which are helically wound and interwoven in a braidlike configuration. The stents assume a substantially tubular form in their unloaded or expanded state when they are not subjected to external forces. When subjected to inwardly-directed radial forces the stents are forced into a reduced-radius and extended-length loaded or compressed state. A delivery device which retains the stent in its compressed state is used to deliver the stent to a treatment site through vessels in the body. The flexible nature and reduced radius of the compressed stent enables it to be delivered through relatively small and curved vessels. After the stent is positioned at the treatment site the delivery device is actuated to release the stent, thereby allowing the stent to self-expand within the body vessel. The delivery device is then detached from the stent and removed from the patient. The stent remains in the vessel at the treatment site.
Materials commonly used for self-expanding stent filaments include Elgiloy.RTM. and Phynox.RTM. spring alloys. Elgiloy.RTM. alloy is available from Carpenter Technology Corporation of Reading Pa. Phynox.RTM. alloy is available from Metal Imphy of Imphy, France. Both of these metals are cobalt-based alloys which also include chromium, iron, nickel and molybdenum. Other materials used for self-expanding stent filaments are 316 stainless steel and MP35N alloy which are available from Carpenter Technology corporation and Latrobe Steel Company of Latrobe, Pa., and superelastic Nitinol nickel-titanium alloy which is available from Shape Memory Applications of Santa Clara, Calif.
The yield strength and modulus of elasticity of the filaments forming the self-expanding stent are important characteristics. The spring characteristics of an alloy and stents formed therefrom are determined to a large extent by the modulus of elasticity of the alloy. In general, the modulus of elasticity must be high enough to allow the stent to spring back toward its unloaded state from the compressed state with sufficient radial force to meet the needs of the application for which the stent is designed. The material must also have sufficient strength that it can be compressed for delivery without being plastically deformed or permanently bent. Elgiloy.RTM., Phynox.RTM., MP35N and stainless steel are all high strength and high modulus metals. Nitinol has a relatively lower strength and modulus.
Elgiloy.RTM., Phynox.RTM., MP35N, Nitinol and stainless steel alloys all contain about 10%-20% nickel. Nickel enhances the ductility of the alloys, improving its ability to be mechanically drawn or formed (i.e., reduced in cross-sectional area) into wire of the relatively fine diameters required for stents (between about 0.025 mm and 0.500 mm) by a process known as cold working. Cold working is also desirable because it increases the strength of the material. However, the yield strength that can be obtained by cold working Elgiloy.RTM., Phynox.RTM., MP35N, Nitinol and stainless steel alloys (e.g., about 1738 MPa (252) ksi for Elgiloy.RTM. alloy) is generally not high enough for many stent applications. As a result, stents fabricated from the Elgiloy.RTM. and Phynox.RTM. cold worked (also known as wrought) alloys are typically heat-treated after they are cold worked, a process that significantly increases their yield strength and thereby allows for the fabrication of stents with relatively smaller diameter filaments. By way of example, the yield strength of Elgiloy.RTM. alloy can be increased by heat treating to about 2861 MPa (415) ksi. The strength of stainless steel alloys and Nitinol cannot be significantly increased by heat treatment, so these materials are typically not used in the construction of self-expanding stents with high radial strength.
Cold working is a method by which metal is plastically deformed into a particular shape and work (strain) hardened to increase the strength of the material. Processes that can be performed to accomplish cold working are drawing, rolling, extruding, forging, swaging, and the like. Raw material is input into the cold working process in the form of ingots, rods, bars, billets, blanks, or other appropriate shapes. The workpieces are forced to pass through a die, fill a die cavity, or conform to the shape of a die. The output of the cold working process is typically material with a new form and with higher strength and hardness from the metallurgical strain hardening that occurred with the plastic deformation. In a cold working process described in International Publication Number WO 94/16646, billet, bar, rod, or wire is drawn or extruded through a series of round dies and incremental reduction in the material diameter is achieved until the final desired wire size is obtained for stent braiding.
The filaments of the stents described above may form a lattice structure which includes large amounts of open area. In some cases, however, this large open area allows tissue to grow through the stent and occlude portions of the tract that were opened by the stent. For applications where tissue ingrowth of this type is undesirable, as well as for applications in which portions of the tract being treated are weak or have gaps (e.g., aneurysms), it is generally known to use covered stents. Stents or stent-grafts may be covered, for example, by porous membranes, interwoven organic filaments, or the like. Stents of this type are sometimes known as covered stents or stent-grafts, and are disclosed, for example, in Experimental Assessment of Newly Devised Trans-Catheter Stent-Graf for Aoritic Dissection, Annual of Thoracic Surgery, M. Kato et al., 59: 908-915 (1995). The membranes incorporated into the stent-grafts are typically formed of polymeric materials. However, many of these polymeric materials can degrade when exposed to temperatures used to heat-treat alloys of the type described above. The need to heat-treat the metal alloy lattice structure and the temperature sensitivities of the polymers used to form the membranes therefore constrain stent-graft designs and their application.
In addition to drawn elongated filaments for interwoven element stents of the type described above and in the Wallsten U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,771, metal alloy materials are drawn or extruded into other forms for stent fabrication. The Palmaz U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,665 relates to a stent fabricated from a drawn or extruded stainless steel tube. The Gianturco U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,882 relates to a stent assembled from a drawn stainless steel wire. Other known stents are fabricated from drawn, extruded, or rolled nickel-titanium alloy ribbon.
Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (Co-Cr-Mo) alloys have been used in medical implant applications. Chemical, mechanical, and metallurgical requirements for alloys of these types used for surgical implant applications are published in ASTM Standard Designations F 75 and F 799. One such alloy known as BioDur Carpenter CCM.RTM. is commercially available from Carpenter Technology Corporation. These chromium-cobalt-molybdenum alloys are highly biocompatible. However, since they have a relatively low nickel content (about 1% maximum), cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys have relatively low ductilities and high work hardening rates that limit their formability. For this reason the conventional wisdom has been that these alloys cannot be cold drawn down to the fine wire diameters needed for stents and stent-grafts.
There remains a continuing need for improved stents and stent-grafts. In particular, there is a need for stents and stent-grafts fabricated from highly biocompatible alloys having high yield strengths and high moduli of elasticity. There is also a need for stents and stent-grafts that do not require heat treatment.

Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy stent and stent-graft


A cable management hub for use in providing an interface between one or more pieces of audio-visual presentation equipment and a laptop. The cable management hub comprises a first portion that includes one or more cables that mate with respective cables from the laptop. The cable management hub further includes one or more buttons, each of which is configured to generate an electrical signal when pressed by a user that indicates a desire by the user to transfer control of the audio-visual presentation equipment from a previous user, if one exists, to the user that pressed the button. If no one had control, then the user that presses the button would gain control of the audio-visual equipment. The cable management hub further includes one or more illuminated indicators configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a received status condition signal.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein generally relate to cable management systems. More particularly, the embodiments relate to a cable management and active-user notification system for use in a conference room environment.
2. Background
Currently available conference room audio/video (A/V) systems typically do not provide a simple solution for the interface or switching of portable electronics sources to a primary display and audio system. Conventional systems generally have one or more complex, remotely located integrated control panels/interfaces to allow switching between devices (e.g. computers, video players, audio/voice amplifiers, internet access, among others), other room controls (lighting, drapery and shade systems, air-conditioning, heating, and ventilation), and A/V controls, making it confusing to just switch control of the one or more plurality of devices/systems within the room from one device to another.
Moreover, it is not always apparent (to the other occupants) whose device is controlling the one or more A/V devices because normally, the light emitting diodes (LEDs), or other visible notification means, which are illuminating the control panel, usually face one direction (generally towards the primary user, but not always), making it even more difficult for the primary user to control the one or more systems. Additionally, installation of conference room A/V systems is fairly time consuming and expensive.
Furthermore, integrating pass-through power access to portable devices is also cumbersome, as power outlets are typically well below the surface of the table, and also can be located in obscure, difficult to access (to meet Underwriter Laboratories® (UL) requirements), water-resistant locations.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate views of a conventional conference room 100 with A/V devices that can generally be found in a large amount of conference rooms in corporations in the U.S., among other places. As those of skill in the art can appreciate, use of "conference rooms" and A/V control systems is not limited to corporations, but can further includes similar environments, such as classrooms (high schools, and colleges), government entities (such as different agencies, and the military), and just about any such group/entity that has a need to regularly meet and hold conferences to convey information to a plurality of people.
Conference room 100 includes display screen 112, table 118, speaker phone 114, laptop-control panel interface (CP interface) box 120, and A/V panel 102. A/V panel 102 includes Blu-Ray video disk player 104, amplifier 106, video cassette recorder and digital video disk (VCR/DVD) player 108, and lighting control 110. Located near, or part of control panel 102, is wireless gateway 122, which can receive wireless signals according to the one or more wireless protocol(s) in use (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, among others), and control one or more of the devices within control panel 102. Connecting control panel (CP) 102 to laptop-control panel interface box (CP interface) 120 is CP interface-CP cable (CP cable) 128, and laptop 116 is connected to CP interface 120 via laptop-CP interface cable (CP interface cable) 130. It can be appreciated by those of skill in the art that although this background section, as well as the detailed description of the embodiments below, reference is made solely to laptop 116 as the device that interfaces to CP 102, other types of both portable and non-portable electronic processing devices can be used within any of the systems described herein; however, in fulfillment of the dual purposes of clarity and brevity, reference shall only be made to "laptops 116" (which are fairly ubiquitously used in conference rooms to provide presentations), but other types of devices can also be used, such as a personal computers, so-called smart phones (3G/4G-LTE), tablets, among other computer/processing devices.
CP 102, and one or more of the devices contained therein, are connected to ceiling mounted projector 124 that can display video, photos, or computer-generated images. CP 102, and one or more of the devices connected therein, are also connected to speakers 126, for projecting audio associated with teleconferences, videos, or computer generated videos, among other sources of audio information.
Several prior art devices have attempted to solve the problems outlined above. For example, U.S. Published Patent Application No 2013/0327659 by Stathis, et al., provides a power, communications and data grommet mounted in an aperture in a work surface. The grommet includes a housing adapted to fit into the aperture, with the housing comprising a cap removably connected to a liner. The liner includes an upper liner and a lower liner, with the upper liner flaring outwardly to prevent the grommet from falling through the aperture, and a substantially cylindrical lower liner having a threaded outer surface, and a lock ring having inner threads to be threadably attached to the lower liner.
PCT Published Patent Application No. WO 2013 111125 A2, by J. Kramer, describes a pop-up enclosure system for electronic equipment that includes a receptacle adapted for mounting in a work-surface and which contains one or more electrical outlets for connection of equipment thereto. The pop-up enclosure system by Kramer further includes a bezel supported by the receptacle and which is adapted for countersinking in said work-surface. A top plate is dimensioned for closing an opening defined by the bezel, and a hinge is mounted at an edge of the top plate and the bezel for hingedly attaching the top plate to the bezel so as to allow rotation of the top plate from a closed position to a fully open position wherein the edge of the top plate abuts an upper surface of the bezel. A releasable resilient opening force is the receptacle and articulated to the top plate for opening the top plate.
Another prior art grommet is described in U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2012/0305868, by Callahan et al., which provides a wall grommet that can be installed through the surfaces of walls to route wiring into the walls' interior spaces. The wall grommet is allegedly configured for running power cords inside walls and presenting the electrical connectors of a power cord in a manner such that power cords are hidden from view. The grommet can include a power module and a back cover. The power module itself comprises a housing, which defines an interior space that is adapted to hold either the female connector or male connector of a power cord. The back cover can be attached to the housing to secure the electrical connector of the power cord in the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,007,295 to Lin discloses a reversible and concealable electrical power receptacle that includes a main body, a shaft section, an accommodating section, and an electrical outlet assembly. The electrical outlet assembly is disposed on the main body, and the accommodating section receives the main body, and the shaft section includes a first shaft member and a second shaft member. The second shaft member is coupled to the main body and perpendicular to the first shaft member. The main body is rotatable with respect to the first and the second shaft members transversely respectively. Consequently, the main body is able to rotate transversely and perpendicularly with respect to the accommodating section in accordance with the rotational movements of the first shaft and the second shaft members, resulting in an exposed state in use or a concealed state when not in use, thereby achieving effective space utilization.
A further conventional laptop cable interface device is described in a non-patent literature document that is a two-page marketing brochure, and which describes "Pixel," which is an Office Electrics device (a UK company). The "Pixel" document describes a device that can be configured as either a power-only interface, a data-only interface, or a combined power/data interface for use on a conference table, similar to that as shown in FIG. 1.
Thus far, the prior art's alleged solutions, describe above, provide very little in terms of integrating or providing means for accessing and manipulating conference room A/V systems by portable devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,723 to Chong, et al., however, is allegedly directed to an electrical grommet device, and methods of use and manufacture thereof. Accordingly, the electrical grommet device by Chong comprises a casing that includes a grommet that includes one or more first apertures and an insertion portion, and a connection mechanism capable of being coupled to the grommet. The electrical grommet device further includes one or more electrical components located at least partially within the casing, and one or more electrical connectors located at least partially within the casing and coupled to the one or more electrical components. The insertion portion of the electrical grommet device can allegedly be removably placed in a grommet hole from a first side of the grommet hole, and the electrical grommet device can further allegedly be removably coupled to the connection mechanism at a second side of the grommet hole opposite the first side.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,409 to Chen, et al, describes a modular integrated socket apparatus that includes a shell, a pop-up structure, an adapter module, a connector base, and a coupling device. The pop-up structure contains one or more electrical connectors, including power and signal connections. The pop-up structure, the adapter module, the connector base, and the coupling device are mounted in the shell. The adapter module is electrically connected to the connector base. When in use, the shell and the adapter module can be lifted and located higher than the table by use of the pop-up structure and the coupling device. As a result, access can therefore be made of the power and signal connectors on the pop up structure.
The table top connection box shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. D553,306, which apparently combines one or more electrical power and signal connectors in a single connection box that can be mounted on a table top.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,244 to Cole describes an adjustable floor receptacle mount that includes a housing movable within a stationary casing fitted into a circular opening in a concrete floor. The housing and the casing are each formed of a pair of interlocking extruded channel structures whose walls are shaped to facilitate the installation and operation of the floor receptacle mount. In order to simplify the withdrawing of the housing from a recessed position within the casing, a cap provided on a cover plate for the housing and operating in conjunction with a latching mechanism pops up when the housing is unlatched. The cap thus provides a convenient handle by which the housing can be quickly pulled out of the casing in the floor when it is desired to use the electrical service provided by the receptacles on the sides of the housing.
Thus, while the prior art described generally devices that provide table and floor recessed devices that provide for interconnection to one or more of power and signal connections, there is a need for an improved means for accessing and manipulating conference room A/V systems by portable devices.

Conference room audio/video cable interface device


The present invention relates to a novel process for the production of coated filaments for subsequent application as print in extrusion-based 3D printers, e.g. FDM printers (fused deposition modelling printers). The filaments are coated in a separate process outside of the printer, and can also be used in a conventional extrusion printer. The present invention further relates to the coating device for application of the coating to the filament and to a roll containing the coated filaments.

The present invention relates to a novel process for the production of coated filaments for subsequent application as print in extrusion-based 3D printers, e.g. FDM printers (fused-deposition-modelling printers). The filaments according to the invention are coated in a separate process outside of the printer, and may be used in an appropriate unmodified conventional extrusion printer. The present invention further relates to the coating device for the conduct of the said process and to rolls with coated filaments.
Rapid prototyping or rapid manufacturing processes are manufacturing processes which aim to convert available three-dimensional CAD data directly and rapidly into workpieces, as far as possible without manual intervention or use of moulds.
The scope of rapid prototyping processes has grown to include a variety of processes. These can be divided into two groups: laser-based processes and processes without use of a laser.
The best-known laser-based 3D printing process, which is at the same time the oldest, is stereolithography (SLA). In this process, a liquid composition of a radiation-curable polymer is hardened layer-by-layer by using a laser. The person skilled in the art can clearly see that the only possibility with a workpiece produced by this method is subsequent coloring on the surface. This is complicated and time-consuming.
A similar process is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), in which, by analogy with the SLA, a pulverulent raw material, e.g. a thermoplastic or a sinterable metal, is sintered selectively layer-by-layer by a laser. Again, the first step of this process can only produce single-color, or non-specifically colored, 3D objects. The same applies to the third laser-based process, "laminated object manufacturing", in which layers of a paper web or plastics foil provided with adhesive are adhesively bonded to one another and cut by a laser. The subsequent coloring of an object is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,125.
A conventional 3D printing process which can also be used for the production of multicolored objects is the UV ink-jet process. In this three-stage process, a pulverulent material is applied in thin layers, a UV-curable liquid is printed in the form of the respective layer of the subsequent three-dimensional product onto the said layers, and finally the printed layer is hardened by using a UV source. These steps are repeated layer-by-layer.
In EP 1 475 220, variously colored liquids are provided with hardener, and in WO 2008/077850 are also mixed in a chamber directly upstream of the printing process. Selective coloring is thus possible. However, no sharp color transitions are possible, because of the mixing chamber. This type of process moreover lacks sharpness at the limits of the hardening process, and this can reduce surface smoothness, and can sometimes lead to non-uniform coloring. In WO 01/26023, two printing heads are described with variously colored hardener compositions, giving different elasticity properties in the product parts. However, the number of colors described is not more than two.
WO 2008/075450 describes a variant in which radiant heat, instead of UV light, is used for hardening and variously colored hardener compositions are similarly used.
GB 2419679 discloses a process in which variously colored polymer particles can be applied selectively and can be hardened at various wavelengths. This process is extremely complicated, and leads to color definition that lacks sharpness.
In a process in accordance with WO 2009/139395, similar to 3D ink jet printing, a colored liquid is applied layer-by-layer and printed selectively with a second liquid which leads to a curing reaction with the first liquid. This type of process can only produce a structure of layer-by-layer colors, except in so far as mixing can occur between the uncured layers of liquid.
Another process is Three-Dimensional Printing (TDP). In this process, by analogy with the ink jet process, pulverulent materials, which preferably however involve ceramics, are saturated selectively layer-by-layer with the melt of a thermoplastic polymer. After each print layer, a fresh layer of the pulverulent material must be applied. Solidification of the thermoplastic forms the three-dimensional object.
In the process described in US 2004/0251574, the print of the thermoplastic is followed by selective printing with an ink. This process has the advantage of permitting highly selective printing. However, this process has the disadvantage that it is impossible to achieve uniform color definition or bright coloring, since there is no possibility of achieving uniform penetration of the ink into the composite made of the (ceramic) powder and of the binder.
In the process described in EP 1 491 322, two different materials are printed. The first comprises the binder and a colorant which is precipitated on contact with the second material and thus colors the surface selectively. It is thus possible to produce better color properties on the surface of the object. However, there are problems with the uniform mixing of the two materials and with the complicated two-stage process. There is no description of how, or whether, it is possible to ensure that good color definition is achieved with a multicolor print.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,002, various liquids are used with different inks and the binder. The said liquids are either applied separately dropwise or combined by way of connecting lines in a nozzle upstream of the dropwise application process. The person skilled in the art is aware that neither procedure gives ideal color definition. In the former, the mixing of the inks takes place in viscous liquids on the surface. This mixing is therefore rarely complete. In the second procedure, pressure differences in the connecting lines can lead to extreme color variations.
Among printing processes for the production of three-dimensional objects, the process that is most economical in use of materials and that is also most advantageous in terms of design of machinery is the fused-deposition-modelling (FDM) process. This involves an extrusion-based, digital manufacturing system. There are also other known processes that are substantially analogous with slight differences, for example fused filament fabrication (FFM), melted extrusion manufacturing (MEM) or selective deposition modelling (SDM).
In the FDM method, two different polymer filaments are melted in a nozzle and are printed selectively. One of the materials involves a support material which is needed only at locations above which for example an overhanging part of the 3D object is subsequently printed and requires support during the printing procedure. The said support material can be removed subsequently, e.g. via dissolution in acids, bases or water. The other material (the build material) forms the actual 3D object. Here again, the print is generally achieved layer-by-layer. The FDM process was first described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,329. Coloring is mentioned in general terms in US 2002/0111707, but is not described in any detail.
In the process described in EP 1 558 440, the individual layers are color-printed in a subsequent step. This process is slow, and printing of the thermoplastics that are already curing leads to poorly resolved color definition.
In the 3D color-printing method in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,406, separate nozzles are used for each individual color. There are therefore only very restricted possibilities for color mixing, and the color effect achieved becomes very simple.
In the FDM variant described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,648,664, variously colored build materials are used in granulate form, melted separately from one another, and mixed with one another in accordance with color requirement in an intervening extruder, before application as print. This method requires very complicated apparatus, and many advantages of FDM are lost.
In a very similar system according to EP 1 432 566, the mixing of the molten granulates is achieved directly in the heated printing head before these are directly applied as print. The said mixing can certainly not be complete, and the quality of print representation is correspondingly poor. Another disadvantage of this method is moreover that granulates or powders must be used and that these require separate storage and melting in the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,872 describes a process in which the build material is melted in a nozzle and various colorant mixtures are metered selectively into the melt at the end of the nozzle. However, this leads to inadequate mixing and does not give clean color definition.
US 2010/0327479 describes a process in which a plurality of colored filaments are combined in a microextruder and are continuously extruded therein to give a new colored filament, which is then passed onward into the printing head for application as print. This process requires very sophisticated and complicated apparatus. The achievable color range is moreover subject to restriction resulting from the number of filaments. In an alternative embodiment, the variously colored filaments can also be conducted directly into the printing head, and mixed there. However, this variant also exhibits the disadvantages described.
All of the processes described above disclose exclusively techniques in which either the matrix of the material itself has been coloured or else an in-line coating process is used—by using an extrusion-based 3D printing process, e.g. the FDM 3D printing process. However, in-line coating has the disadvantage of requiring specific 3D printers with a corresponding in-line coating system. On the other hand, colored matrix material, or matrix material provided with additives, has the disadvantage of requiring use of unnecessarily large amounts of dye, pigment or additive to achieve a good result.
It was therefore an object of the present invention to provide filaments for a 3D printing process which, by using small amounts of dye, pigment and/or additive, can produce three-dimensional objects which include colors and/or additives.
Another object of the present invention was to provide, for use in extrusion-based 3D printers, filaments which contain colors and/or additives, without any need for production of a plastics masterbatch which involves corresponding colors and/or additives. Another object was to provide, for use in extrusion-based 3D printers, filaments which contain colors and/or additives, where the said printers do not require any modification, for example a coating unit.
Another object was to provide filaments for an advantageous and rapid 3D printing process for the printing of mechanically stable, multicolored objects.
Another object was to permit provision of objects which include colors and/or additives, where the introduction of the color and/or additives is not to be postponed to a downstream operation.
Other problems addressed are not explicitly mentioned but are apparent from the entire context of the description, claims and examples below.

Use and production of coated filaments for extrusion-based 3D printing processes


A method of controlling access to an interaction context of a multi-user application includes receiving and tracking over time login requests pertaining to one of a plurality of user accounts of a virtual application instance of the multi-user application, each login request including a login password and each user account including a user password. A login request for the user account is rejected when the login password fails to match the user password of the user account. Access to the user account is denied when a consecutive number of times a login request for the user account is rejected reaches a selected limit. The user is prompted to change the user password of the user account and given limited access to the user account to do so when the user password is a permanent password and a cumulative number of rejected login requests for the user account reaches a selected threshold.

Web applications are computer applications which are accessed by users via a Web browser over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. Often, it is desired to limit or restrict access to a Web application to only valid or registered users. To prevent access to such user restricted Web applications by unknown or invalid users, valid users are typically required to login via a Web interface using an associated User ID and password which provide authentication of the user. Due to their convenience and ease of use, password-based user authentication is the most common means of authentication on the Web.
However, passwords have a poor reputation among security professionals as being potentially susceptible to online guessing attacks by invalid users or attackers. Because Web applications (or a Web site) are accessible over the Internet from anywhere in the world, an attacker is afforded a high degree of anonymity and impunity. An attacker running a program on a client machine or on thousands of "bots" (hijacked computers) may be able to submit thousands or even millions of password guesses per second.
To protect against such online guessing attacks, one conventional countermeasure employed by Web applications is to lock out a user account, which is identified by the User ID, after a selected number of consecutive failed login attempts using the User ID but an incorrect password. The user's password must then be reset or changed, or a timeout period must elapse (e.g., 24 hours) before logins to the user account are again permitted.
While such a technique or countermeasure is generally effective, there are several drawbacks. First, it can deny service to the legitimate or valid user by repeatedly locking out the user's account and preventing the legitimate user from using the Web application. Such a denial of service may be a side effect of the guessing attack, or it may be the goal of an attack that exploits the countermeasure.
Second, although such a countermeasure limits the number of consecutive incorrect password guesses, the total number of incorrect guesses is unlimited as long as the incorrect guesses are interleaved with valid logins by the legitimate user before the selected number of consecutive incorrect guesses is reached. As such, an attacker who is able to watch or monitor a user or who can otherwise determine a pattern of logins by a legitimate user has the opportunity for an unlimited number of guesses at a password without locking out a user or putting the user on notice that he/she is under attack. A Web application employing such a countermeasure is particularly vulnerable to such "denial of service" attacks by an ex-user who may know the User IDs of several or all of the legitimate or valid users.
Additionally, such a countermeasure does not address a situation created by "password capture" from a different Web site or Web application. Faced with the problem of having to remember USER IDs and passwords for a large number of Web sites and Web applications, many users simply reuse the same User IDs and passwords. An attacker may be able to exploit this by capturing User IDs and passwords from less protected Web sites or by setting up a malicious or rogue Web site for the purpose of collecting or capturing User IDs and passwords. The attacker can then employ these captured User IDs and passwords against a target Web application.
Another conventional countermeasure is to employ a technique commonly referred to as "password aging." According to password aging techniques, a User is forced to change his/her password after a selected amount of time has expired (e.g., 3 months, 6 months, or 1 year), the idea being that the likelihood of a password being successfully guesses will be reduced. However, such a technique is inconvenient as a user is continually forced to remember a new password, regardless of whether the user account has been attacked by an invalid user, and because a user must first be assigned a temporary password by an administrator of the Web application (e.g., via a secure connection) before the user is able to change to a permanent password.

Access control of interaction context of application


Aspects relate to call control by third parties, where IP or a similar transport is used over a part of the channel for a given call and circuit-switched signaling protocols are used on a different part. For example, a PBX can communicate using SIP signaling to a gateway to a PSTN network, to which a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) is coupled, and which a mobile device, uses for voice communication. Controlling or updating status in these kinds of situations can be accomplished by forming a Q.931/932 message, such as a FACILITY message, which has fields (Information Elements) for pre-defined purposes (other than third party call control), and providing control or status information in such field(s). The message (the info) is tunneled through the gateway and the network(s), and arrives at its destination device. That device determines that a field does not comport with a valid format interpretation, and on that basis, can determine that the field has contents to be interpreted as call control or status information.

1. Field
The present application relates to voice telephony, and more particularly to transport of control and status information for third party call control over packet switched networks.
2. Related Art
Voice telephony remains a major application of interest for business and personal use. In an example corporate setting, a telephony installation at a site can have a large number of users connected to a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) server, which can interface those users to a smaller number of outside lines (e.g., an E1 or T1 line) (a PBX can be implemented using a server with telephony cards for example, and more generally, functions that are often attributable to a PBX can be distributed to different entities in a connected system, and the term PBX is used for convenience herein, rather than by way of limitation). Such a corporation can have multiple sites with multiple PBX servers. The PBX at each site can provide a variety of services to users, such as call forwarding, park, conferencing, and so on.
It is increasingly desirable to extend these kinds of PBX services (or other services that may be available from a PBX) to mobile devices. For example, a service that allows a PBX to dial out on behalf of a mobile device, and bridge a call at the PBX is helpful for mobile users. Providing control and status information from the PBX (or from other control points) to the devices involved in such a call continues to be an area open for further improvements.

Third party call control and status signaling


The disclosed gaming system displays an arrangement of symbols including a plurality of symbol positions. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a randomly generated symbol in each symbol position. One or more of the symbols are displayed as associated with a directional indicator indicating a shift direction for that symbol. If any winning symbol combination is displayed, the gaming system shifts at least one symbol within the symbol matrix according to the directional indicator associated with that symbol, such as by shifting the symbol as designated distance in the shift direction indicated by the symbol's directional indicator. In one embodiment, the gaming system removes one or more symbols in the shift path of a shifting symbol. In one embodiment, the gaming system generates and displays new symbols in the then-empty symbol positions of the symbol matrix and repeats the determination, shifting, and generation.

Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. These gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or winning symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur result in higher awards. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on a play of the base game by the player can vary.
Gaming machines which provide cascading symbol games are also known. In one such cascading symbol game, a gaming machine generates and displays a plurality of symbols in a plurality of symbol positions. The gaming machine evaluates the displayed symbols and provides an award for each winning symbol combination formed. The gaming machine then removes the displayed symbols that form the winning symbol combination(s), creating one or more empty symbol positions. The gaming machine shifts zero, one, or more of the remaining displayed symbols downward into zero, one, or more of the empty symbol positions. If any empty symbol positions remain after this downward shifting, the gaming machine generates and displays a symbol for each empty symbol position. The gaming machine reevaluates the displayed symbols and provides an award for any winning symbol combinations formed. The gaming machine repeats the steps of removing generated symbols, shifting generated symbols, generating new symbols if winning symbol combinations continue to be formed, and evaluating generated symbols.
There is a need to increase the excitement and entertainment experienced by people playing gaming machines. There is also a need for new ways of providing better gaming experiences and environments at gaming machines. There is a further need for increasing the number of winning symbol combinations generated and the number and values of the awards provided to a player for a single wager on a play of a game.

Gaming system, gaming device, and method for providing a cascading symbol game including shifting symbols according to directional indicators


A method for manufacturing vias in a glass substrate includes bonding, through a bonding layer, a first face of the glass substrate including a plurality of holes to a first face of a glass carrier. The bonding layer has a thickness t between the first face of the glass substrate and the first face of the glass carrier and extends into at least some of the plurality of holes to a depth h from the first face of the glass substrate. The method includes etching back the bonding layer to a depth d through the plurality of holes in the glass substrate. The depth d is less than the sum of the thickness t and the depth h. The method can include filling the plurality of holes with an electrically conductive material, and de-bonding the glass substrate from the bonding layer and the glass carrier.

1. Field
The present specification generally relates to the manufacture of through glass vias and, more specifically, to etching processes used to manufacture through glass vias.
2. Technical Background
Through-substrate vias provide electrical connections between layers in a physical electronic circuit or chip. For example, in a three-dimensional stacked integrated circuit, the through-substrate vias enable integration of electronic components both vertically and horizontally. Conventionally, through-substrate vias employ a silicon substrate. However, because glass is less expensive than silicon, glass substrates are becoming more prevalent in electronic devices.
While a reduced cost, a flexible coefficient of thermal expansion, and the inherent insulation properties of glass make the choice of glass as a substrate an attractive option, the use of glass presents several challenges. In particular, one challenge of using a glass substrate is the handling of a suitably thin piece of glass during the manufacturing process. Another challenge is forming holes in a glass substrate at a high rate of speed without cracking the glass at the entrance holes and without adversely affecting metallization of the vias.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative methods for forming through-glass vias which enhance manufacturability and achieve reliable metallization of the vias.

Etch back processes of bonding material for the manufacture of through-glass vias