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Proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an inherited, clinically heterogeneous group of neuromuscular disorders characterized by degeneration of the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord. Patients suffer from symmetrical weakness of trunk and limb muscles, the legs being more affected than the arms and the proximal muscles weaker than the distal ones; diaphragm, facial and ocular muscles are spared. There are three forms of childhood-onset SMA (types I, II and III), and a relatively recently categorized adult-onset form IV, all of which can be distinguished on the basis of age of onset and severity of the clinical course assessed by clinical examination, muscle biopsy and electromyography (EMG) (Munsat T L, Davies K E (1992)).
Type I (Werdnig-Hoffmann disease) is the most acute and severe form, with onset before six months and death usually before two years; children are never able to sit without support. Symptoms of the disease can be present in utero, as reduction of fetal movements; at birth; or more often, within the first four months of life. Affected infants are particularly floppy, experience feeding difficulties and diaphragmatic breathing, and are characterized by a general weakness in the intercostals and accessory respiratory muscles. Affected children never sit or stand and usually die before the age of 2; death is generally due to respiratory insufficiency.
Type II (intermediate, chronic form) has onset between six and eighteen months of age; muscular fasciculations are common, and tendon reflexes progressively reduce. Children are unable to stand or walk without aid. Feeding and swallowing problems are not usually present in Type II SMA, although in some patients a feeding tube may become necessary. Most patients generally develop a progressive muscular scoliosis which can require surgical correction. Like patients with type I disease, clearing of tracheal secretions and coughing might become difficult because of poor bulbar function and weak intercostal muscles. These patients have profound hypotonia, symmetrical flaccid paralysis, and no control of head movement.
Type III (Kugelberg-Welander disease, or Juvenile Spinal Muscular Atrophy) is a mild, chronic form, with onset after the age of 18 months; motor milestones achievement is normal, and deambulation can be preserved until variable ages. These patients often develop scoliosis, and symptoms of joint overuse, generally caused by weakness, are frequently seen. Life expectancy is almost normal but quality of life is markedly compromised.
Types I, II and III SMA progress over time, accompanied by deterioration of the patient's condition.
Adult-onset type IV is characterized by weakness in the second or third decade of life, with mild motor impairment not accompanied by respiratory or nutritional problems. Adult SMA is characterized by insidious onset and very slow progression. The bulbar muscles are rarely affected in Type IV. It is not clear that Type IV SMA is etiologically related to the Type I-III forms.
Other forms of spinal muscular atrophy include X-linked disease, spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress (SMARD), spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (Kennedy's disease, or Bulbo-Spinal Muscular Atrophy), and distal spinal muscular atrophy.
SMA is due to mutations in the Survival of Motor Neuron (SMN) gene, which exists in two forms in humans (SMN1 and SMN2). Loss of SMN is deleterious to motor neurons and results in neuromuscular insufficiency, a hallmark of the disease. From a genetic point of view, SMA is an autosomal recessive condition, caused by disruption of SMN1 gene, located in 5q13 (Lefebvre S., et al. (1995) Cell 80: 155-165). More than 98% of patients with spinal muscular atrophy have a homozygous disruption of SMN1 by deletion, rearrangement, or mutation. All these patients, however, retain at least one copy of SMN2.
At the genomic level, only five nucleotides have been found that differentiate the SMN1 gene from the SMN2 gene. Furthermore, the two genes produce identical mRNAs, except for a silent nucleotide change in exon 7, i.e., a C→T change six base pairs inside exon 7 in SMN2. This mutation modulates the activity of an exon splicing enhancer (Lorson and Androphy (2000) Hum. Mol. Genet. 9:259-265). The result of this and the other nucleotide changes in the intronic and promoter regions is that most SMN2 are alternatively spliced, and their transcripts lack exons 3, 5, or 7. In contrast, the mRNA transcribed from the SMN1 gene is generally a full-length mRNA with only a small fraction of its transcripts spliced to remove exon 3, 5, or 7 (Gennarelli et al. (1995) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 213:342-348; Jong et al. (2000) J. Neurol. Sci. 173:147-153). All SMA subjects have at least one, and generally two to four copies of the SMN2 gene, which encodes the same protein as SMN1; however, the SMN2 gene produces predominantly truncated protein (SMNΔ7) and only low levels of full-length SMN protein.
The SMNΔ7 protein is non-functional and thought to be rapidly degraded. About 10% of SMN2 pre-mRNA is properly spliced and subsequently translated into full length SMN protein (FL-SMN), and the rest being the SMNΔ7 copy. The efficiency of SMN2 splicing might be dependent on severity of disease, and production of a full length transcript of SMN2 could range from 10% to 50%. Furthermore, presence or absence of the SMN1 gene, roughly 90% of which becomes the FL-SMN gene product and protein, influences the severity of SMA by whether or not it can compensate for the truncated SMNΔ7 copies. A low level of SMN protein allows embryonic development, but is not sufficient to sustain the survival of motor neurons of the spinal cord.
The clinical severity of SMA patients inversely correlates with the number of SMN2 genes and with the level of functional SMN protein produced (Lorson C L, et al. (1999) PNAS; 96:6307-6311) (Vitali T. et al. (1999) Hum Mol Genet; 8:2525-2532) (Brahe C. (2000) Neuromusc. Disord.; 10:274-275) (Feldkotter M, et al. (2002) Am J Hum Genet; 70:358-368) (Lefebvre S, et al. (1997) Nature Genet; 16:265-269) (Coovert D D, et al. (1997) Hum Mol Genet; 6:1205-1214) (Patrizi A L, et al. (1999) Eur J Hum Genet; 7:301-309).
Current therapeutic strategies for SMA are mostly centered on elevating full length (wild type) SMN protein levels, modulating splicing towards exon 7 inclusion, stabilizing the wild type protein, and to a lesser extent, on restoring muscle function in SMA by providing trophic support or by inhibiting skeletal muscle atrophy.
The mechanism leading to motorneuron loss and to muscular atrophy still remains obscure, although the availability of animal models of the disease is rapidly increasing knowledge in this field (Frugier T, et al. (2000) Hum Mol. Genet. 9:849-58; Monani U R, et al. (2000) Hum Mol Genet 9:333-9; Hsieh-Li H M, et al. (2000) Nat Genet 24:66-70; Jablonka S, et al. (2000) Hum Mol. Genet. 9:341-6). Also the function of SMN protein is still partially unknown, and studies indicate that it can be involved in mRNA metabolism (Meister G, et al. (2002). Trends Cell Biol. 12:472-8; Pellizzoni L, et al. (2002). Science. 298: 1775-9), and probably in transport of proteins/mRNA to neuromuscular junctions (Ci-fuentes-Diaz C, et al. (2002) Hum Mol. Genet. 11: 1439-47; Chan Y B, et al. (2003) Hum Mol. Genet. 12:1367-76; McWhorter M L, et al. (2003) J. Cell Biol. 162:919-31; Rossoll W, et al. (2003) J. Cell Biol. 163:801-812).
In addition to the SMAs, a subclass of neurogenic-type arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (congenital AMC) has separately been reported to involve SMN1 gene deletion, suggesting that some degree of pathology in those afflicted is likely due to low levels of motor neuron SMN. (L. Burgien et al., (1996) J. Clin. Invest. 98(5):1130-32. Congenital AMC affects humans and animals, e.g., horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, and cats. (M. Longeri et al., (2003) Genet. Sel. Evol. 35:S167-S175). Also, the risk of development or the severity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been found to be correlated with low levels of motor neuron SMN.
There is no cure or effective treatment for SMA available to date and therefore it would be advantageous to provide novel methods for modulating SMN in order to treat those afflicted with SMA, with neurogenic congenital AMC, ALS, or with other SMN-deficiency-related conditions. It would further be advantageous to provide novel drug targets that could be used as a basis for developing effective therapeutics or diagnostics for such neuronal conditions. | {
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For example, in the field of pharmaceutical applications, a preparative isolation and purification system that uses a liquid chromatography is used for the purposes of collecting samples for retaining as a library or analyzing in details various kinds of compounds obtained by means of chemosynthesis. The system disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has been known conventionally as such a preparative isolation and purification system.
In the preparative isolation and purification system disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the target components (compounds) in a sample solution are separated in time by liquid chromatography so as to be introduced into a separate trap column for every target component to be collected once. Next, a solvent (solvent for elution) is allowed to flow to each trap column to dissolve the components captured in the column for a short period of time, thereby collecting a solution containing the target components at a high concentration in a container (collection container). In this way, evaporation and dry solidification processes are performed to each solution isolated in a preparative manner to remove the solvent and collect the target components as a solid.
Patent Literature 2 discloses adding a solution containing target components dropwise in a collection container and spraying gas, such as air or nitrogen, on the dropwise solution to perform evaporation and dry solidification processes. In this preparative isolation and purification system, a solvent in the solution sprayed is evaporated in the collection container to remove the solvent and collect the target components as a powdered solid. The collection container is heated to a temperature comparable as the boiling point of a solvent or somewhat higher than that so that the temperature does not drop below the boiling point of a solvent in order to lower the temperature of the air in the collection container by the heat of vaporization at the time of evaporation of the solvent.
Collection containers are mounted on a collection container rack comprising a bottom surface member, a frame member, a container heat transfer member, and other members, to be heated. The bottom surface member is a plate-like member heated by a heater, and this surface is made of aluminum with high thermal conductivity. The frame member has a frame part in a lattice shape for storing a plurality of collection containers, and this frame is mounted on top of the bottom surface member. The bottom surface of a cup-shaped container heat transfer member made of materials with high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, or the like, similarly to that of the bottom surface member, is fixed to the frame so as to touch the top surface of the bottom surface member, and a collection container is heated from the bottom surface and the side surface by the heat transmitted from the bottom surface member. Between the top surface of the bottom surface member and the bottom surface of the container heat transfer member, a heat transfer sheet (for example, a sheet of silicone resin subjected to a treatment that improves thermal conductivity) having elasticity is inserted to improve the transfer of heat between both members. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor processing technology and, in particular, concerns a device and a fabrication process, whereby a Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM) structure can be formed.
2. Description of the Related Art
MRAM is a developing technology that offers the advantages of non-volatile memory with high-density fabrication. An MRAM structure employs the properties of layered magneto-resistive materials, which utilize the spin characteristics of electrons to produce a selective resistance differential across the MRAM structure. Changes in the spin characteristics of magneto-resistive materials result in changes in the resistance of the MRAM structure, and changes in resistance may be sensed thereby permitting the use of layered magneto-resistive materials in logic state devices.
MRAM devices typically include a pinned (spin stationary) layer, a soft (spin programmable) layer, and a non-magnetic layer interposed therebetween. The soft or sense layer may be programmed through the application of an external magnetic field and the net magnetization vectors between the programmable layer and the pinned layer may be changed between two discrete quantities, which may then be sensed to detect the programmed logic state of the MRAM device.
MRAM devices follow the same high-density fabrication techniques as their semiconductor counterparts. Integrated circuit (IC) fabrication techniques employ sequential steps of layered processing of materials. In one aspect, current manufacturing processes utilize a flow process that deposits a layered magnetic stack structure onto a substrate, where the deposition of the layered magnetic stack structure includes the deposition of the magnetic pinned layer, the non-magnetic layer, and the magnetic sense layer onto the substrate. Once the magnetic stack structure is deposited, the magnetic pinned layer is defined with a photo patterning and dry or wet etching process in a manner known in the art. The last step in the flow process planarizes the magnetic stack structure to define a plurality of magnetic bit shapes using a dry or wet etching process, and then a top electrode is added to complete the MRAM memory structure.
One disadvantage to utilizing a selective wet etching process and/or a dry etching process to define the magnetic bit shapes and/or the magnetic stack structure is that it leaves substantially rough edges, which may reduce the switching reliability of the MRAM device. In addition, another disadvantage is that utilizing a selective wet etching and/or a dry etching process may undercut the barrier layer, which undermines the integrity of the barrier layer and may cause electrical shorting of the magnetic sense layer and/or the magnetic pinned layer. The electrical shorting effect may also contribute to unreliable switching of the MRAM device due to an uncontrolled leakage current.
Still another disadvantage to a selective wet etching and/or a dry etching process is the generation of a non-uniform magnetic bit shape. A non-uniform magnetic bit shape may adversely effect the magnetic coupling and the resistance of the magnetic stack structure. Unfortunately, irregular shapes and non-uniform structures may produce unpredictable magnetic coupling patterns that may require a larger magnetic field for switching. An adverse increase in the magnetic coupling effect of the magnetic stack structure may require a larger magnetic field for switching, which may result in a larger current draw through the MRAM device. Additionally, increased resistance through the magnetic stack structure may also require a larger current draw through the MRAM device. As a result, an increase in the current consumption of the MRAM device reduces the power efficiency of the MRAM device, which is disadvantageous to low power requirements of some electronic devices, such as laptop computers and cellular phones.
Based on the foregoing, there currently exists a need for an improved magnetic memory device that comprises magnetic memory stack layers with improved magnetic coupling characteristics and stability. Furthermore, there also exists a need for a magnetic memory fabrication process that reduces the use of a selective wet etching process or a dry etching process to define the magnetic bit shapes and/or the magnetic stack structure in a manner so as to improve the switching reliability of the magnetic memory device.
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the process flow for forming MRAM structures as described herein below. In one embodiment, the aforementioned needs may be satisfied by an MRAM cell comprising a substrate, a first electrode formed adjacent to the substrate, a pinned layer formed on the substrate so as to overlie the first electrode and be electrically coupled therewith, and an insulating layer formed on the pinned layer, wherein the insulating layer is formed so as to define a bit recess. In addition, the MRAM cell may further comprise a sense layer positioned in the bit recess such that regions of the sense layer at the outer perimeter of the bit recess produce a magnetic field that has a component directed away from the pinned layer, and a second electrode connected to the sense layer, wherein application of voltage differential between the first and the second electrode results in a change in the magnetic state of the sense layer thereby resulting in a detectable change in the resistance of the MRAM cell.
In one aspect, the substrate may be formed using a semiconductor based material, wherein the semiconductor based material includes a silicon wafer. The first electrode may be formed using a damascene process, wherein the first and second electrodes comprise a conductive material, such as copper. The pinned layer may produce a magnetic field with a component in a fixed direction. In addition, the pinned layer may comprise NiFe, the sense layer may comprise NiFeCo, and the insulating layer may comprise an insulating material selected from the group consisting of Silicon Dioxide, Tungsten, and Tantalum. Additionally, the bit recess may comprise sloped interior walls, wherein a barrier layer may be formed so as to interposedly contour the bit recess between the pinned layer and the sense layer. The barrier layer may comprise Aluminum Oxide. Moreover, the barrier layer and the magnetic sense layer may be planarized using a chemical-mechanical polishing technique so as to define a magnetic bit shape and stopping adjacent to the dielectric layer. The bit recess may comprise a recessed well that defines the magnetic bit shape, and the magnetic bit shape is elliptical and the recessed well has sloped interior walls.
In another embodiment, the aforementioned needs may be satisfied by an array of magnetic memory cells comprising a substrate, a first plurality of electrode traces formed in rows adjacent to the substrate, a plurality of pinned layers formed on the substrate so as to overlie the first plurality of electrode traces so as to be electrically coupled therewith, wherein each of the pinned layers provide a first magnetic component in a first direction, and a contiguous insulation layer formed in an overlying manner adjacent to the pinned layers and the substrate, wherein the contiguous insulation layer is formed so as to define an array of recessed wells. Additionally, the array of magnetic memory cells may further comprise an array of discrete soft layers overlying the array of recessed wells, wherein regions of the discrete soft layers produce a second magnetic component either in the first direction or in a second direction that is different from the first direction, and a second plurality of electrode traces formed in rows so as to overlie the array of discrete soft layers and be electrically coupled therewith, wherein conduction of voltage between the first and the second electrode results in a change in the direction of the magnetic component of the discrete soft layers thereby resulting in a detectable change in the resistance of the magnetic memory cells.
In still another embodiment, the aforementioned needs may be satisfied by a memory device formed adjacent to a substrate, wherein the memory device may comprise a lower electrode formed within the substrate, a dielectric layer formed adjacent to the substrate so as to define a recess above the lower electrode, a magnetic memory cell formed within the recess so as to contour the recess and electrically couple with the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed above the magnetic memory cell and electrically coupled therewith. In one aspect, the lower electrode may be formed using a damascene process. The recess may comprise sloped interior walls and/or an elliptical recess with sloped interior side walls. The device may further comprise a thin dielectric layer having a via hole interposed between the magnetic memory cell and the upper electrode. Moreover, the magnetic memory cell may comprise an MRAM, wherein the magnetic memory cell comprises a lower magnetic sense layer, a barrier layer, an upper magnetic pinned layer, and a CMP stop layer.
In yet another embodiment, the aforementioned needs may be satisfied may an MRAM array comprising a plurality of lower electrode traces formed in rows adjacent to a substrate and a contiguous dielectric layer formed adjacent to the substrate so as to define an array of recessed wells with sloped interior walls above the plurality of lower electrode traces. In addition, the MRAM array may further comprise a plurality of MRAM cells formed within the array of recessed wells so as to contour the recess and electrically couple with the lower electrode and a plurality of upper electrodes formed above the plurality of MRAM cells and electrically coupled therewith.
Moreover, the aforementioned needs may be satisfied by a method of fabricating a magnetic memory device having a magnetic stack structure interposed between a lower and upper electrode. In one embodiment, the method may comprise forming an insulating layer so as to define a recessed well above the lower electrode traces, forming the magnetic stack structure within the recessed wells above the lower electrode, planarizing the magnetic stack structure to define a magnetic bit shape using chemical-mechanical polishing, and forming the second electrode on the magnetic stack structure.
In another embodiment, a method of fabricating a magnetic memory device may be utilized, wherein the method may comprise forming a first electrode having an upper exposed surface within a substrate using a damascene process, forming a magnetic pinned layer on the upper exposed surface of the first electrode so as to establish a conductive interconnection therewith, forming a dielectric layer adjacent to the substrate so as to provide a recessed region with sloped interior side walls adjacent to the magnetic pinned layer for the subsequent forming of an overlying barrier layer and a magnetic sense layer. The method may further comprise depositing the barrier layer overlying the magnetic pinned layer, depositing the magnetic sense layer overlying the barrier layer, planarizing the barrier layer and the magnetic sense layer so as to define at least one magnetic bit shape using a chemical-mechanical polishing technique and stopping adjacent to the dielectric layer, and forming the second electrode on the magnetic sense layer so as to establish a conductive interconnection therewith.
In still another embodiment, a method of fabricating a magnetic memory device on a substrate may comprise forming a lower electrode having an upper exposed surface within the substrate using a damascene process, forming a thick dielectric layer adjacent to the substrate so as to provide a recessed region above the upper exposed surface of the lower electrode, forming a magnetic pinned layer on the thick dielectric layer so as to overlie the recessed region, and forming a barrier layer that overlies the magnetic pinned layer. Additionally, the method may further comprise forming a magnetic sense layer that overlies the barrier layer, forming a CMP stop layer that overlies the magnetic sense layer, and planarizing the magnetic pinned layer, the barrier layer, the magnetic sense layer, and the CMP stop layer to define at least one magnetic bit shape using a chemical-mechanical polishing technique and stopping adjacent to the thick dielectric layer. Moreover, the method may comprise forming a thin dielectric layer adjacent to the thick dielectric layer and the CMP stop layer, forming at least one via hole in the thin dielectric layer so as to provide an opening adjacent to the CMP stop layer, and forming an upper electrode on the thin dielectric layer adjacent to the via holes so as to provide conductive contact to the CMP stop layer.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | {
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A typical seat belt comprises a length of belt webbing connected at three points to load bearing parts of a vehicle. Typically one end of the webbing is attached to a belt anchor that is bolted to a load bearing longitudinally extending chassis member on one side of a seat between the seat and the adjacent door. The webbing is arranged to pass laterally across the hips of a seat occupant to a buckle mechanism fixed to the vehicle on the opposite side of the seat, and then diagonally across the torso of the seat occupant, via a webbing guide, to a retractor mounted on the B pillar adjacent the door. A buckle mechanism engages a buckle tongue that is attached to the webbing in a sliding manner.
The retractor fitted at the pillar end of the webbing increases the comfort of the seat occupant restrained by the belt by allowing the webbing to pay out under relatively low loads to enable limited. This allows movement of the restrained seat occupant, for example to reach in-car entertainment controls or storage compartments. The retractor is biased to keep the webbing relatively taut about the seat occupant and a locking element is included to lock the retractor against webbing payout if an acceleration sensor senses the vehicle undergoing rapid acceleration or deceleration indicative of a crash.
In recent years, pretensioners have been introduced to rapidly pull in a length of webbing to tighten the belt about the vehicle occupant in a crash. This takes up any slack in the belt and helps to more correctly position the vehicle occupant in the seat to maximize the protection of the seat occupant provided by the seat belt and the protection of any secondary safety restraint such as an airbag.
Pretensioners use a force reservoir, such as a pyrotechnically operated gas generator, to provide an impulse of sufficient magnitude to tighten the belt in a short space of time, ideally before the crash pulse takes full effect.
Pretensioners are usually located at the retractor end of the webbing where they typically rewind the retractor mechanism to pull in a length of webbing. Pretensioners have also been used at the buckle fastening to pull back the buckle mechanism. Buckle pretensioners have the advantage that they effectively pull in twice as much webbing length for the same translational movement of the pretensioning mechanism because a single movement of the buckle will pull in both the lap and the shoulder portions of the webbing across a vehicle occupant at the same time. However there is limited space in a vehicle around a buckle fastening and there is a tendency in newer vehicles, particularly those with highly adjustable seats, for buckles to be smaller and buckle stalks to be shorter. This limits the performance of a buckle pretensioner. | {
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Various electrical components may be placed on a circuit board that facilitates the electrical components"" electrical connection to a computing device. For instance, components such as processors, memory modules, and peripheral devices may be mounted to a circuit board that can be inserted into and removed from a computing device such as a computer housing or xe2x80x9cbox.xe2x80x9d
Circuit boards are often configured for insertion into a card bay of the computing device in which they are to be used. Various card slots are provided in the card bay to guide the circuit boards to an electrical connector, such as a pin connector, that is configured to couple with connector elements, such as pins, provided on the circuit boards.
Typically, it is desirable to permit insertion and removal of the circuit boards so that the circuit boards may be replaced, for instance to replace defective elements or upgrade hardware. Such insertion and removal can, however, be physically difficult, particularly where a plurality of pins must be inserted into or removed from a pin connector. In particular, a large amount of force may be necessary to both insert the pins into the pin connector, and remove the pins from the connector.
To aid the user in inserting and removing circuit boards and to prevent damage to the circuit boards or the connectors to which they connect, leverage mechanisms are sometimes provided that provide a mechanical advantage to the user during the insertion or removal process. Typically, such leverage mechanisms comprise a simple lever that, when pulled or pushed (as the case may warrant), forces the circuit board into or out of contact with its electrical connector. More particularly, many leverage mechanisms comprise a lever that is connected to a tab or latch that is configured to interface with a lip provided in the card bay. When the lever is actuated (i.e., rotated), the tab or latch is forced against the lip to either force the circuit board into or out of contact with its electrical connector, depending upon the rotational direction in which it is moved.
Although providing the mechanical advantage required to insert or remove the circuit board without difficulty, existing leverage mechanisms require a relatively large amount of space to accommodate the lever because the lever must normally be relatively long to provide the required amount of leverage and therefore requires a relatively large amount of real estate adjacent the edges of the circuit boards with which they are used. In some applications, there simply is not enough room for these long levers due to other computing device components or housing frame. Therefore, the circuit board must either be moved to a card slot in which greater space is available, or the leverage mechanism must be removed, thereby requiring the user to insert and remove the circuit board without the mechanical advantage normally provided by the mechanism.
Disclosed is a circuit board leverage mechanism. In one embodiment, a leverage mechanism comprises a first gear member configured to rotatably mount to a circuit board, the first gear member including gear teeth and at least one tab that is configured to engage a card guide in which the circuit board may be inserted, and a second gear member configured to rotatably mount to the circuit board in proximity to the first gear member, the second gear member including gear teeth that mesh with the gear teeth of the first gear member, the second gear member further including a lever, wherein rotation of the lever effects rotation of the second gear member and opposite rotation of the first gear member which causes the at least one tab of the first gear member to engage the card guide and urge the circuit board into or out of contact with an electrical connector. | {
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The fundamental structure of a modern computer includes peripheral devices to communicate information to and from the outside world; such peripheral devices may be keyboards, monitors, tape drives, communication lines coupled to a network, etc. Also included in the basic structure of the computer is the hardware necessary to receive, process, and deliver this information to and from the outside world, including busses, memory units, input/output (I/O) controllers, storage devices, and at least one central processing unit (CPU), etc. By analogy, the CPU is the brain of the system since it executes the instructions which comprise a computer program and directs the operation of the other system components.
From the standpoint of the computer's hardware, most systems operate in fundamentally the same manner. Processors actually perform very simple operations quickly, such as arithmetic, logical comparisons, and movement of data from one location to another. Programs which direct a computer to perform massive numbers of these simple operations may offer the illusion that the computer is doing something sophisticated. What is perceived by the user as a new or improved capability of a computer system, however, may actually be the machine performing the same simple operations, but much faster. Therefore continuing improvements to computer systems require that these systems be made ever faster.
One measurement of the overall speed of a computer system, also called the throughput, is measured as the number of operations performed per unit of time. Conceptually, the simplest of all possible improvements to system speed is to increase the clock speeds of the various components, particularly the clock speed of the processor. For example, if everything runs twice as fast but otherwise works in exactly the same manner, the system should generally perform a given task in half the time. Computer processors which were constructed from discrete components years ago performed significantly faster by shrinking the size and reducing the number of components; eventually the entire processor was packaged as an integrated circuit on a single chip. The reduced size made it possible to increase the clock speed of the processor, and accordingly increase system speed.
Despite the enormous improvement in speed obtained from integrated circuitry, the demand for ever faster computer systems still exists. Hardware designers have been able to obtain still further improvements in speed by greater integration, by further reducing the size of the circuits, and by other techniques. However, physical size reductions cannot continue indefinitely and there are limits to continually increasing processor clock speeds. Attention has therefore been directed to other approaches for further improvements in overall speed of the computer system.
Without changing the clock speed, it is still possible to improve system speed by using multiple processors. The modest cost of individual processors packaged on integrated circuit chips has made this practical. The use of slave processors considerably improves system speed by off-loading work from the CPU to the slave processor. For instance, slave processors routinely execute repetitive and single special purpose programs, such as input/output device communications and control. It is also possible for multiple CPUs to be placed in a single computer system, typically a host-based system which services multiple users simultaneously. Each of the different CPUs can separately execute a different task on behalf of a different user, thus increasing the overall speed of the system to execute multiple tasks simultaneously. It is much more difficult, however, to improve the speed at which a single task, such as an application program, executes. Coordinating the execution and delivery of results of various functions among multiple CPUs is a challenging task. For slave I/O processors this is not as difficult because the functions are pre-defined and limited, but for multiple CPUs executing general purpose application programs it is much more difficult to coordinate functions because, in part, system designers do not know the details of the programs in advance. Most application programs follow a single path or flow of steps performed by the processor. While it is sometimes possible to break up this single path into multiple parallel paths, a universal application for doing so is still being researched. Generally, breaking a lengthy task into smaller tasks for parallel processing by multiple processors is done by a software engineer writing code on a case-by-case basis. This ad hoc approach is especially problematic for executing commercial programs which are not necessarily repetitive or predictable.
Thus, while multiple processors improve overall system performance, there are still many reasons to improve the speed of the individual CPU. If the CPU clock speed is given, it is possible to further increase the speed of the CPU, i.e., the number of operations executed per second, by increasing the average number of operations executed per clock cycle. A common architecture for high performance, single-chip microprocessors is the reduced instruction set computer (RISC) architecture characterized by a small simplified set of frequently used instructions for rapid execution, those simple operations performed quickly mentioned earlier. As semiconductor technology has advanced, the goal of RISC architecture has been to develop processors capable of executing one or more instructions on each clock cycle of the machine.
Another approach to increase the average number of operations executed per clock cycle is to modify the hardware within the CPU. This throughput measure, clock cycles per instruction, is commonly used to characterize architectures for high performance processors. Instruction pipelining and cache memories are computer architectural features that have made this achievement possible. Pipeline instruction execution allows subsequent instructions to begin execution before previously issued instructions have finished. Cache memories store frequently used and other data nearer the processor and allow instruction execution to continue, in most cases, without waiting the full access time of a main memory. Some improvement has also been demonstrated with multiple execution units with look ahead hardware for finding instructions to execute in parallel.
The performance of a conventional RISC processor can be further increased in the superscalar computer and the Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) computer, both of which execute more than one instruction in parallel per processor cycle. In these architectures, multiple functional or execution units are provided to run multiple pipelines in parallel. In a superscalar architecture, instructions may be completed in-order and out-of-order. In-order completion means no instruction can complete before all instructions dispatched ahead of it have been completed. Out-of-order completion means that an instruction is allowed to complete before all instructions ahead of it have been completed, as long as a predefined rules are satisfied.
For both in-order and out-of-order execution in superscalar systems, pipelines will stall under certain circumstances. An instruction that is dependent upon the results of a previously dispatched instruction that has not yet completed may cause the pipeline to stall. For instance, instructions dependent on a load/store instruction in which the necessary data is not in the cache, i.e., a cache miss, cannot be executed until the data becomes available in the cache. Maintaining the requisite data in the cache necessary for continued execution and to sustain a high hit ratio, i.e., the number of requests for data compared to the number of times the data was readily available in the cache, is not trivial especially for computations involving large data structures. A cache miss can cause the pipelines to stall for several cycles, and the total amount of memory latency will be severe if the data is not available most of the time. Although memory devices used for main memory are becoming faster, the speed gap between such memory chips and high-end processors is becoming increasingly larger. Accordingly, a significant amount of execution time in current high-end processor designs is spent waiting for resolution of cache misses and these memory access delays use an increasing proportion of processor execution time.
And yet another technique to improve the efficiency of hardware within the CPU is to divide a processing task into independently executable sequences of instructions called threads. This technique is related to breaking a larger task into smaller tasks for independent execution by different processors except here the threads are to be executed by the same processor. When a CPU then, for any of a number of reasons, cannot continue the processing or execution of one of these threads, the CPU switches to and executes another thread. One technique is to incorporate hardware multithreading to tolerate memory latency. The term "multithreading" as defined in the computer architecture community is not the same as the software use of the term which means one task subdivided into multiple related threads. In the architecture definition, the threads may be independent. Therefore, the term "hardware multithreading" is often used to distinguish the two uses of the term "multithreading".
Multithreading permits the processors' pipeline(s) to do useful work on different threads when a pipeline stall condition is detected for the current thread. Multithreading also permits processors implementing non-pipeline architectures to do useful work for a separate thread when a stall condition is detected for a current thread. There are two basic forms of multithreading. A traditional form is to keep N threads, or states, in the processor and interleave the threads on a cycle-by-cycle basis. This eliminates all pipeline dependencies because instructions in a single thread are separated. The other form of multithreading is to interleave the threads on some long-latency event.
Traditional forms of multithreading involves replicating the processor registers for each thread. For instance, for a processor implementing the architecture sold under the trade name PowerPC.TM. to perform multithreading, the processor must maintain N states to run N threads. Accordingly, the following are replicated N times: general purpose registers, floating point registers, condition registers, floating point status and control register, count register, link register, exception register, save/restore registers, and special purpose registers. Additionally, the special buffers, such as a segment lookaside buffer, can be replicated or each entry can be tagged with the thread number and, if not, must be flushed on every thread switch. Also, some branch prediction mechanisms, e.g., the correlation register and the return stack, should also be replicated. Fortunately, there is no need to replicate some of the larger functions of the processor such as: level one instruction cache (L1 I-cache), level one data cache (L1 D-cache), instruction buffer, store queue, instruction dispatcher, functional or execution units, pipelines, translation lookaside buffer (TLB), and branch history table. When one thread encounters a delay, the processor rapidly switches to another thread. The execution of this thread overlaps with the memory delay on the first thread.
Existing multithreading techniques describe switching threads on a cache miss or a memory reference. A primary example of this technique may be reviewed in "Sparcle: An Evolutionary Design for Large-Scale Multiprocessors," by Agarwal et al., IEEE Micro Volume 13, No. 3, pp. 48-60, June 1993. As applied in a RISC architecture, multiple register sets normally utilized to support function calls are modified to maintain multiple threads. For example, eight overlapping register windows are modified to become four non-overlapping register sets, wherein each register set is a reserve for trap and message handling. This system discloses a thread switch which occurs on each first level cache miss that results in a remote memory request. While this system represents an advance in the art, modern processor designs often utilize a multiple level cache or high speed memory which is attached to the processor. The processor system then utilizes some well-known algorithm to decide what portion of its main memory store will be loaded within each level of cache. Therefore, each time a memory reference occurs which is not present within the first level of cache, the processor must attempt to obtain that memory reference from a second or higher level of cache.
Yet in the traditional multithreading methods, the presence of branch instructions becomes a major impediment to improving processor performance, especially in pipelined superscalar processors, since they control which instructions are executed next. This decision cannot be made until the branch is "resolved" or completed. Branch prediction techniques have been used to guess the correct instruction to execute--a correct path. As a result, these techniques are not perfect. This becomes more severe as processors are executing speculatively past multiple branches.
Multithreading is an effective way to improve system throughput. However, the execution time of a single task is not improved by the conventional processors. The slow execution time of a single task is considered a problem on commercial workloads where detecting intra-task parallelism is difficult.
It should thus be apparent that a need exists for an improved data processing system which can improve performance of a multithreaded processor in the presence of branch instructions and can speed up single tasks of the multithreaded processor. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Speakers often invite questions from an audience. Some questions might benefit the majority of the participants while other questions may only have the effect of needlessly sidetracking a speaker. Sometimes good questions may never get asked or answered.
Some presentation formats allow questions to be submitted in text by participants in a presentation or event. Such formats are provided for distance learning, online presentations and teleconferences. However, the questions of other participants are usually never seen by all of the participants. The questions that do get answered are usually picked in some ad hoc fashion by a moderator. Audience members may not have a chance to decide or influence which questions they want to have answered.
Participants often like to respond to and influence discussion topics. Some event hosts welcome or seek input from participants and are better served by such participation. Frequently, participants can determine which questions, topics or discussion items are most important to participants. This determination can include participant votes on the quality or popularity of a discussion item. However, the discussion item receiving the most positive votes for a discussion item may not be representative of the participant group as a whole.
Potential questions can be presented to individual participants in order to elicit their voting input before they are formally asked of the host or guest. Unfortunately, these questions are usually selected at random and may not be presented to the right demographic of participants. Discussion items provided to participants at random can also be ineffective in encouraging further participation by the participants. Furthermore, votes for a discussion item may be unchecked by more reliable participants. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to missile control systems and more particularly to a jet tab actuator system for a thrust vector control coupled to an aerodynamic surface control system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Thrust vector control jet tabs have been utilized to enhance reaction jet, aerodynamic surface or other forms of attitude control for rocket propelled vehicles, such as missiles. During initial flight of an earth-launched rocket vehicle, the aerodynamic surfaces of the vehicle may have limited effectiveness in controlling the vehicle path. The aerodynamic surface effect may be enhanced by incorporating individual reaction motors in the tail surface control panels, as in the Maudal U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,970, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, or by directing propulsion engine exhaust against the control panels as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,286,956 of Nitikman, 3,276,376 of Cubbison et al, 3,013,494 of Chanut or 3,164,338 of Cooper et al.
In some cases, during vehicular travel at such altitudes and speeds at which significant control surface aerodynamic effects occur, such control may be adequate. However, at high altitudes where aerodynamic effects are reduced by low atmospheric density, attitude control may desirably be enhanced or may be available only by thrust vector control.
One method to vector thrust for control of missile flight utilizes thrust control jet tabs which are inserted into the missile exhaust flow to deflect the exhaust and thus provide control moments. Such tabs are effective for inducing pitch and yaw attitude control. However, jet tabs are ineffective in inducing roll torque. For roll control, reliance can be placed on aerodynamic surfaces because aerodynamic tail panel forces are adequate for roll attitude control above altitutes at which aerodynamic pitch and yaw attitude control is lost.
Conventional thrust vector control tab actuator systems employ separately powered actuators independent of the actuators for the movable aerodynamic surfaces. In such systems pitch, yaw and roll commands are provided to the aerodynamic control surface actuators; pitch and yaw commands are provided to the thrust vector control jet jabs. Thus at least two separate sets of actuators are required, thereby increasing the complexity and weight of the missile.
Examples of systems utilizing jet tabs or vanes in addition to aerodynamic control surfaces may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,969,017 of Kershner, 3,139,033 of Geissler et al, 3,188,958 of Burke et al, 3,776,490 of Weis, and 3,986,683 of Ellison. Other systems for controlling missile flight by resort to reaction jet forces may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,995,319 of Kershner et al, 3,136,250 of Humphrey, 3,637,167 of Froming et al, and 3,764,091 of Crowhurst. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to perfluoropolymer core/shell polymer.
2. Description of related Art
It has become desirable to provide melt-fabricable perfluoropolymer with higher fluidity at the melt-fabrication temperature so as to increase the production rate for the desired molded article, e.g. to increase extrusion rate for primary insulation or cable jacket for communications cable. The development of high fluidity perfluoropolymer has been accompanied by changes in perfluoropolymer composition such that the physical properties of the perfluoropolymer remain satisfactory. For convenience, melt fluidity is often referred to as Melt Flow Rate (MFR) which is in units of grams of polymer that will flow in 10 min from the Plastometer® of ASTM D 1238-94a under a specified load at a specified temperature established by the ASTM test for the particular perfluoropolymer involved. The higher the MFR, the higher is the fluidity of the perfluoropolymer. When fluidity is expressed in terms of melt viscosity, the higher the MFR, the lower is the melt viscosity. While the high MFR perfluoropolymer has enabled higher production rates to be achieved, the disadvantage has arisen that the high MFR perfluoropolymer is also more flowable (fluid) when exposed to high temperatures such as may be encountered in a fire in a building in which articles such as insulated/jacketed plenum cable are used. The result of this increased fluidity is that the perfluoropolymer melts and drips, the drips causing the creation of smoke, which is prohibited by the building code NFPA-255.
US2005/0187328 A1 discloses the addition of a substantial amount of inorganic char-forming agent together with a small amount of hydrocarbon polymer to counteract the deterioration of the physical properties that would be observed if the blend were only perfluoropolymer plus char-forming agent. While the resultant three-component blend is both non-flammable and non-smoking enough as plenum cable jacket to pass the NFPA-255 burn test, such jacket composition contains a substantial amount of non-perfluoropolymer, i.e. char-forming agent and hydrocarbon polymer, which can be a disadvantage in certain applications.
The problem is how to obtain a perfluoropolymer which possesses both a high melt flow rate, for ease of melt-fabrication, such as by extrusion or injection molding, and which also resists dripping (melt flow), when exposed to heat such as from a building fire. | {
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This invention relates generally to motor controls and more specifically to a control system for a switched reluctance motor.
This application is related to B. K. Bose et al. application Ser. No. 915,291, filed Oct. 3, 1986 and assigned to the instant assignee.
Although they have been known for some time, interest in switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives has recently revived. Compared to conventional induction and synchronous motor drive systems, the SRM drive is simple in construction and economical. In addition, the converter which supplies power to the SRM machine requires fewer power devices and, therefore, is more economical and reliable. In view of these advantages, the switched reluctance motor drive system provides an attractive alternative to conventional drive systems and is expected to find wide popularity in industrial applications.
Switched reluctance motors conventionally have multiple poles or teeth on both the stator and rotor (i.e. doubly salient). These are phase windings on the stator but no windings on the rotor. Each pair of diametrically opposite stator poles is connected in series to form one phase of the multiphase switched reluctance motor.
Torque is produced by switching current on in each phase winding in a predetermined sequence that is synchronized with the angular position of the rotor, so that a magnetic force of attraction results between the rotor and stator poles that are approaching each other. The current is switched off in each phase before the rotor poles nearest the stator poles of that phase rotate past the aligned position; otherwise, the magnetic force of attraction would produce a negative or braking torque. The torque developed is independent of the direction of current flow so that unidirectional current pulses synchronized with rotor movement can be applied by a converter using unidirectional current switching elements such as thyristors or transistors.
In operation, each time a phase of the switched reluctance motor is switched on by closing a switch in a converter, current flows in the stator winding of that phase, providing energy from a DC supply to the motor. The energy drawn from the supply is converted partly into mechanical energy by causing the rotor to rotate toward a minimum reluctance configuration and partly into stored energy associated with the magnetic field. After the switch is opened, part of the stored magnetic energy is converted to mechanical output and part of the energy is returned to the DC source.
Most of the published literature relating to SRM drives concentrates on analysis of the machine and the configuration of the power converters; very few papers discuss the control aspects. The control requirements of the SRM drive are so unique that the concepts of induction and synchronous-type machines can hardly be extrapolated to the SRM. The SRM drives discussed in the literature are mainly open-loop control with angle and current amplitude regulation by manual adjustment, and have usually been designed with discrete components and dedicated hardware. Such prior control systems are frequently bulky, complex, expensive, limited in mode of operation, and hardware intensive. Although suitable for laboratory tests, an SRM with such a control system does not readily lend itself to industiral applications.
A need thus exists for a control system for a switched reluctance motor which overcomes the drawbacks of presentday designs and facilitates use of the switched reluctance motor for general purpose industrial applications. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Terminal airspace and/or airport congestion and delays have been long term problems in the resource-constrained airspace system. Prevailing weather, runway conditions, and flight schedules of the day put constraints on terminal airspace resource utilization and forces airplanes into holding patterns. Requiring an airplane to maintain a position in the holding pattern reduces the efficiency of airline operations, and the airplane itself, through the resulting flight delays and excessive fuel burn.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a flight crew with information regarding a congested airport, which may result in spending an extended period of time in a holding pattern. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background. | {
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Conventionally, there has been a current control circuit that restricts occurrence of overcharge or overdischarge of a secondary battery (e.g. JP-A-2013-018464). Such a current control circuit includes a circuit including a first diode and a first switch that are connected to each other in series and a circuit including a second diode and a second switch that are connected to each other in series, and such two circuits are connected to each other in parallel. The first diode is connected so as to block a current flowing in a discharge direction that discharges electric power from the secondary battery, and the second diode is connected so as to block a current flowing in a charge direction that charges the secondary battery with electric power.
In the current control circuit, if the first switch is in a closed state and the second switch is in an open state, the current flowing in the discharge direction is blocked by the first diode, and accordingly, the secondary battery is less likely to become in the overdischarge state. In the current control circuit, if the first switch is in the open state and the second switch is in the closed state, the current flowing in the charge direction is blocked by the second diode, and accordingly, the secondary battery is less likely to become in the overcharge state. | {
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Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is an injectable anesthetic, which has hypnotic properties and can be used to induce and maintain general anesthesia and sedation. Injectable anesthetics such as propofol are administered directly into the bloodstream. This results in a rapid onset of anesthesia influenced almost entirely by the rate at which the anesthetic agent crosses the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, the anesthetic agent must have sufficient lipid solubility to be able to cross this barrier and depress the relevant mechanisms of the brain. Propofol is poorly water-soluble and therefore is generally formulated as an emulsion. However, propofol containing emulsions have been shown to support microbial growth. Therefore it is desirable to formulate propofol emulsions in a manner in which microbial growth is prevented. Without a preservative in the formulation, any excess formulation must be thrown away within a few hours of its first use.
To overcome the contamination deficiencies found with propofol formulations, preservatives often added in the oil-in-water formulation to preserve its sterility and delay and retard the microorganism growth. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,714,520, 5,731,355 and 5,731,356 disclose the use of EDTA in an amount sufficient to prevent no more than a 10-fold increase in microbial growth over 24 hours after adventitious extrinsic contamination with the microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), Pseudoinonas aeruginosa (ATCC 9027) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231). Disodium EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetate) has been shown to delay, but not prevent, the onset of microbial growth in propofol emulsions. A propofol preparation for clinical use is commercially available as DIPRIVAN 1% Injection. In this formulation, a chelating or sequestering agent (i.e., ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)) is included in the propofol preparation. Unfortunately, formulations containing EDTA is not truly an antimicrobial preserved product under USP standards.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,423 discloses using benzyl alcohol as preservative against microbial growth. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,140,373 and 6,140,374 discloses the use of a number of antimicrobial agents in propofol containing oil-in-water emulsions including combinations of EDTA and benzyl alcohol. However, addition of benzyl alcohol destroys the oil-in-water emulsion and therefore its use is restricted to formulation having a substantially phospholipid-free emulsifying agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,122 discloses a sterile oil-in-water emulsion of propofol and an amount of sodium metabisulfite. The amount of sodium metabisulfite in propofol administrated to patients requires careful monitoring not to exceed the limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO) (7.0 mg/kg as SO2) and the amount infused in total-parenteral-nutrition amino acid formulations, as well as during peritoneal dialysis. In addition, sodium metabisulfite is known for its potential allergy and hypersensitivity in some patients.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,108 discloses a sterile oil-in-water emulsion of propofol and an amount of pentetate sufficient to prevent significant growth of microorganisms for at least 24 hours after adventitious extrinsic contamination. U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,477 discloses a sterile oil-in-water emulsion of propofol and an amount of tromethamine (T1US) sufficient to prevent significant growth of microorganisms for at least 24 hours after adventitious extrinsic contamination.
There is a continuing need to find a suitable preservative for use in the oil-in-water emulsion containing propofol. We surprisingly discovered inclusion of an amount of lipophilic organic compound (butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole) or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof in a propofol oil-in-water emulsion is highly effective in preventing significant growth of a wide range of different microorganisms, including Gram (+) and Gram (−) bacteria as well as yeast and fungi, for at least 24 hours after adventitious contamination.
Many compounds varying dramatically in structure are known to serve as conventional preservatives. Depending upon the intended application or use of a product, a particular preservative is generally preferred. For example, conventional preservatives for food use are generally different than preservatives for cosmetic use, which in turn are generally different than preservatives for pharmaceutical use. Exemplary conventional preservatives include benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, benzoic acid, chlorobutanol, chlorocresol, methyl, ethyl and phenol, phenoxyethanol, propyl gallate, sorbic acid, benzyl alcohol, EDTA, pentetate, abide, organic solvent (such as glycol, propylene glycol, or polyethylene glycol), peroxide, ozone, chlorite, sodium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, potassium sulfite, sodium sulfite, and others known to those of ordinary skill in the art. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The following invention relates generally to network semiconductor chips and specifically to sleep mode circuitry in semiconductor chips.
2. Related Art
In recent times, conservation of energy to semiconductor chips has become increasingly important. In fact, it is a standard feature that three power modes are provided: a select (or on) state, a deselect (or off) state, and a sleep mode state. In the sleep mode, the energy of the chip is conserved from the normal on state. In this sleep mode, while the voltage to the individual transistors is not low enough to lose memory (as when the power is turned off in the deselect state), the voltage is turned down to conserve energy as compared to the select state. The power conservation function of the sleep mode is especially important for portable devices, such as laptop computers.
One concern for chip designers is to decrease the leakage current across the individual transistors in the sleep mode. For a typical semiconductor chip, an external power supply supplies on the order of a few volts of power (e.g., 2.5 to 3 volts) to the chip. This external voltage is fed to regulators, and scaled down in power to one or more actual (internal) voltages used by the internal memory devices of the chip. At the present generation of technology, an internal voltage of approximately 1.9 volts is considered standard.
With a high density memory chip, typically millions of transistors are arranged in memory cells, with word lines, plate lines and bit lines used for reading and writing to these memory cells. These memory cells are supplied by the internal voltages.
Unfortunately, each of these transistors leak a small amount current when the chip is in the deselect or sleep mode states. In the sleep mode state, the leakage is on the order of a few picoamps for example. Although the leakage current for each transistor is negligible, the amount of leakage is significant when the tremendous number of transistors is taken into consideration.
To reduce the leakage while in the sleep mode, it is possible to turn off the outputs from a number of the regulators. However, this does not solve the problem because the amount of internal voltage is not reduced, causing the same amount of leakage current to be drawn in the arrays of memory cells.
A number of techniques have been used to decrease the leakage current. One technique has been to change the physical characteristics of individual transistors and memory cells. For example, is possible to raise the threshold voltage for the transistors and/or increase the device lengths (channel lengths) of the transistors. This technique has the disadvantage of deleteriously affecting active-mode (on state) chip performance, and possibly increasing the size of the chip. In addition, these changes would be fixed and permanent.
Another technique has been to add threshold implants (i.e., implant more atoms). This can deleteriously impact the physical characteristics of the transistors when the chip is returned to the on state. Again, these changes would be fixed and permanent.
Another technique is to add additional circuit elements, to block the flow of currents unneeded in the sleep mode, such as turning off redundant charge pumps. For example, specially tailored transistors can be used, which would receive signals to restrict the flow of current during sleep mode. Unfortunately, this technique can adversely impact chip performance and can add additional process steps. In addition, it would provide a fixed and permanent change to the chip as well.
What is needed is a method for decreasing the leakage current by lowering the internal voltage. In particular, what is needed is to lower the leakage current without the disadvantages of prior techniques, such as affecting the size and shape of the transistors, adding implants, or selectively disabling chip subsystems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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On commercial aircraft with in-flight catering services, it is common for one or more of the galleys installed on the aircraft to be “wet,” i.e. to have a water supply (potable water), water drainage (waste water), and on occasion water used in a waste disposal unit (foul water—post use). The potable water is supplied under pressure to the galley, while gravity, which can be assisted by a vacuum, is used in water drainage and waste disposal. The potable water is used for drinking water, beverage making and cooking (e.g., steam ovens, rice boilers, etc.), and therefore has to meet safety criteria that make it fit for human consumption. That is, potable water must meet certain minimum health and safety standards, and then it is generally filtered to improve taste, smell and to remove bacteria in accordance with airline policy. The aircraft galley plumbing system encompasses all aspects of water usage on a galley, its associated hardware, components and galley equipment which either consume or facilitate water handling.
All galley plumbing systems must pass design and regulatory requirements specified by the aircraft manufacturers and must undergo testing to ensure that the potable, waste and foul water systems are fully functional and remain separated to ensuring no cross contamination. Also, when the aircraft shuts down on completion of a flight, or for longer periods of storage or maintenance, all of the plumbing systems must be capable of draining completely within a specified time. Any residual water that could potentially become contaminated must be purged from the aircraft galley plumbing system. Therefore, the system allows air contained within the plumbing system pipes, hoses, and components to be displaced by water during the filling cycle (with the air vented out), and air replaces the water during the drainage/purge cycle (air vented in) allowing rapid water displacement.
At the resumption of service, the potable water supply circuit must be capable of being filled automatically without manual assistance, and all sections that may potentially trap air must be capable of self-venting. An important consideration to this goal is that the pressure varies depending on the aircraft and design.
From a safety standpoint, the plumbing system must also prevent hot water backflow to the faucets from the galley inserts (GAINs). Moreover, hydraulic pressure reduction is desirable to improve flow and increase water consumption capacity. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Blade server chassis are becoming increasingly popular. In general, a blade server chassis houses a plurality of thin, modular electronic circuit boards, referred to as server blades. Each server blade includes one or more processors, memory, network controllers, and input/output (I/O) ports, and functions as a server, typically dedicated to a particular application. The blade server chassis are usually stacked within racks, with each rack holding multiple blade server chassis. In addition, each blade server chassis has a switch for providing communication between the server blades and external communication networks. Often, the switches within a rack are configured and managed individually, which can consume much of an administrator's time and resources. | {
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It is often desired or needed to provide various products or articles with informational materials or an insert such as booklets, instructions, or coupons. A variety of methods exist for providing such informational materials with products. The oldest and most common method is merely placing the informational materials or insert in the packaging of products. However, this method is often cumbersome and impractical for certain types of products. Moreover, it is often desirable to have the informational materials or inserts attached to the exterior of the product so that it is readily available to the purchaser or user. For example, manufacturers of certain chemicals and pharmaceuticals are often required by government regulations to provide the user with a considerable amount of information concerning its chemical or pharmaceutical products.
Accordingly, many methods have been developed for attaching informational materials or inserts to the exterior of products. One method is to attach the informational materials to the product by an elastic string. However, this method is often cumbersome and difficult to employ in an inexpensive manner. A more recent approach has been to adhesively attach the informational materials to the exterior face of the product, either directly to the product itself, or to a base label which, in turn, is attached to the product. The informational materials or insert may then be removed by the purchaser from the product without opening its packaging.
Examples of some prior art which have addressed this problem are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,827,636 to Ames; 1,896,634 to Brown; 1,924,909 to Brown; 1,949,903 to Fales; 1,974,401 to Miller; 2,093,985 to Stansbury; 2,127,081 to Brown; 2,363,472 to Ritter; 2,614,349 to Barnes; 3,226,862 to Gabruk; 3,524,782 to Buske; 3,822,492 to Crawley; 3,926,113 to Steidinger; 4,323,608 to Denny et al; 4,529,229 to Glibbery; 4,534,582 to Howard; 4,621,442 to Mack; 4,621,837 to Mack; 4,711,686 to Instance; 4,726,972 to Instance; 4,744,161 to Instance; 4,747,618 to Instance; 4,773,584 to Instance; 4,846,504 to MacGregor et al; 4,850,613 to Instance; 4,965,113 to Jones et al; 5,127,676 to Bockairo; 5,234,735 to Baker et al; 5,262,214 to Instance; 5,263,743 to Jones; and 5,308,119 to Roshkoff.
Many of these prior art label assemblies have numerous disadvantages. For example, many of the label assemblies are very complex and expensive to manufacture. In addition, some of the prior art label assemblies have informational materials which are difficult to remove from the product.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need for a label assembly which can be employed on almost any product, and which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture. This invention addresses these needs in the art, along with other needs which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this disclosure. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dental implants and, more particularly, to a structure and a method for supporting temporary protheses.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When a tooth or teeth are missing, the installation of an implant into a human jaw bone is quite common to replace the missing tooth for chewing and/or cosmetic reasons. The implant is typically a metal "fixture" inserted into the jaw bone, where the missing tooth or teeth are, to form a substitute "root" upon which a prosthesis is "loaded" or installed over the fixture, to replace natural teeth. This procedure can be done for a single tooth as well as a whole jaw bone of missing teeth.
A problem with such implants is that the fixture must remain submerged into the bone for a long period of time, typically from four to six months, to allow the fixture to ossio-integrate and become solidly held by the surrounding bone before a prosthesis can be loaded upon the fixture. Thus, during these four to six months, which is the required period for ossio-integration, the patient is essentially toothless.
To overcome this problem, one publication installs a temporary prosthesis with a butterfly system on the lingual side, or the side facing the tongue and adheres the butterflies to the adjacent teeth. Another publication uses a removable bridge instead of the butterfly system to hold the temporary prosthesis in place by also utilizing the adjacent teeth for anchoring. Although these publications have solved the toothless problem during the ossio-integration period by providing the patient with a temporary prosthesis for chewing and cosmetic reasons, these publications also have several disadvantages.
One disadvantage is that the temporary prosthesis has relatively weak stability because the butterfly system or the removable bridge adheres to adjacent teeth for stability. Another disadvantage is that the adjacent teeth are easily damaged by the additional external forces such as chewing that are applied by the temporary prosthesis. Another disadvantage is that the adjacent teeth can be damaged when the dentist removes the temporary prosthesis. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Registration is useful for many reasons: for example, to compare two or more images obtained at different times, or to align images taken by sensors having different spectral responses, such as sensitivity to different coloured lights.
One type of registration combines the two images to be aligned into a composite image to obtain information as to how to better align the images. Such a composite image can be processed by considering the following: (1) the feature space (what features within the images to look for) ; (2) the search space (how one image can be `moved` relative to the other); (3) the search strategy (in what order to `move` one image relative to another to better align the images); and (4) the similarity metric (the measure of how closely the images are aligned).
Conventional registration systems often use features. By using the features in an image, the whole image does not have to be used for alignment. Instead, significant details, for example, edges of objects in the image can be extracted and aligned. The feature space defines the features which are extracted. Depending on the application, using features for registration is robust. However, registration using features requires prior knowledge about what kind of image can be expected so that the important features will be included in the feature space. In addition, if the features can not be detected reliably, special features (markers), may have to be added to the objects or to the images in order to provide reliable registration. Also, in many applications, the images to be registered are dissimilar, that is, the features are not quite the same. These dissimilarities can, for example, be caused by: changes between exposures in the depicted object; or use of different sensors to obtained images, for example, images captured from the red chip and the green chip in a 3-chip CCD (charge-coupled device) camera or images captured from sensors responding to infrared light and visible light.
The search space defines what kind of geometric transformations can be used to align the images. Examples of geometric transformations include: (1) translation (shifting); (2) rotation, and (3) relative magnification.
The search strategy is used to identify (often iteratively) the parameters of the geometric transformation required to align the images. Typically, the search strategy optimizes a similarity metric, that is, a measure of the similarity between images. If the similarity metric measures differences between images, the desired geometric transformation can be obtained by minimizing the measure. Similarly, if the similarity metric measures the sameness of images, the desired geometric transformation can be obtained by maximizing the measure. Some similarity metrics are calculated using: (1) correlation, that is, the summing of those portions from one image which are the same or similar to the corresponding portion of the other image after the portions have been normalized, weighted, statistically adjusted, or phase adjusted; (2) summing of absolute differences of: the intensity of portions of the images, contours in the images, or surfaces in the images; (3) matched filters (similar to correlation); and/or (4) summing of sign changes between portions of a difference image, that is, for example, the resulting image when one image is subtracted pixel-wise from the another image.
However, without feature extraction, only the `summing of sign changes` (sign summing) has been found to be especially useful for dissimilar images. The other similarity metrics: (1) are sensitive to the dissimilarities; (2) require features; (3) are sensitive to noise; and/or (4) are sensitive not only to dissimilarities but also to changes in illumination of the object. Some implementations of sign summing can take advantage of a characteristic of certain noise distributions in certain images wherein the number of sign changes in a pointwise intensity difference image have a maximum when the images are perfectly aligned, but such implementations require knowledge about the type of noise distribution. Also, if the noise distribution is modified (to fit within certain parameters for sign summing), the speed of the registration can be relatively slow. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This disclosure generally relates to turbine systems, and more particularly to environmentally resistant coatings for the various components employed in such turbine systems.
Turbines are devices that generate rotary mechanical power from the energy in a stream of moving-fluid, and may be used in aircraft, watercraft (both marine and fresh water), various types of landcraft, and the like. Materials from which turbine components may be fabricated typically include those from a class of materials known as superalloys, particularly superalloys in which the base constituent is an alloy of nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), or cobalt (Co). Despite their generally superior chemical and physical properties, temperature constraints, particularly for single-crystal nickel-based superalloys, can limit the use of such superalloys in turbine engines in which extreme temperature conditions may be experienced.
In order to overcome some of the temperature limitations of these superalloys, newer materials based on niobium (Nb) and molybdenum have been developed. The niobium based materials used in turbine applications are termed niobium based refractory metallic-intermetallic composites (hereinafter Nb based RMICs), while those based on molybdenum are termed molybdenum-silicide based composites. Both Nb based RMICs and molybdenum-silicide based composites have melting temperatures greater than 1700xc2x0 C., which exceeds the current temperature service limit of nickel based superalloys.
Although the Nb based RMICs and molybdenum-silicide based composites display high melting temperatures, they can undergo rapid oxidation at temperatures of about 1090xc2x0 C. to about 1370xc2x0 C. In addition, another type of oxidation, generally termed as xe2x80x98pestingxe2x80x99, occurs at intermediate temperatures of about 760xc2x0 C. to about 990xc2x0 C. Pesting is a phenomenon that is characterized by the disintegration of a material into pieces or powders after exposure to air at intermediate temperatures. Refractory metals, particularly molybdenum, exhibit poor resistance to pesting oxidation. It is therefore desirable to be able to manufacture turbine components that are capable of withstanding service temperatures of greater than or equal to about 1000xc2x0 C., that have an increased resistance to oxidation at temperatures of about 1090xc2x0 C. to about 1370xc2x0 C., and that have an increased resistance to pesting at temperatures of about 760xc2x0 C. to about 980xc2x0 C.
A turbine component comprises a substrate; and a crystalline coating disposed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the crystalline coating comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.05 atomic percent based upon the total coating.
In one embodiment, a method of making a turbine component comprises disposing a coating composition on a substrate, wherein the coating composition comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.1 atomic percent based upon the total coating composition.
In another embodiment, a crystalline coating comprises tin and yttrium in an amount greater than or equal to about 0.05 atomic percent based upon the total coating.
The above described and other features are exemplified by the following figures and the detailed description. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a support apparatus for a gearing pair and to an industrial application, which is equipped with such a support apparatus.
The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention.
The plant engineering industry requires applications with ever-increasing mechanical efficiency. At the same time, such applications need to have high reliability, durability, compactness and ease of manufacture. Hence, enhanced-performance applications with multiple gearings require a support apparatus for multiple gearings that offers a simple way of installing multiple gearings for applications with increased mechanical efficiency and provides an improvement in at least one of the aspects outlined.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to address prior art shortcomings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Wax is used to provide ability for toner to be fused without the need for silicone oil in the fusion rollers. This is called oil-less fusion. Chemical toner methods allow better control of wax incorporation than mechanical/conventional methods. However, it is still necessary to control the location of the wax within a toner particle. The currently available chemical toners, especially those made through the latex aggregation methods suffer from the problem that it is difficult to control the location of the wax sub-particles within the toner particle.
Fujifilm Imaging Colorants Ltd. (FFIC) and Xerox latex aggregation methods are similar in principle and although they mention the need for wax to be absent from at or near the surface of the toner particle, there is no indication that their process is able to control the location of the wax particle (or for that matter any other sub-component particles). Mitsubishi has overcome this problem to some extent by making the latex around wax seeds and further by forming a secondary layer of wax-less latex during the aggregation process. However, this does not eliminate the possibility of some wax containing latex at or near the surface of the toner particle. This approach can also lead to other problems e.g. suppressing the effect of any charge control agent and/or charge effects coming from the primary latex and colorant.
Even small amounts of wax at or near the surface can cause print quality issues and storage stability issues. As well as the location of the wax sub-particles, it is also desirable to control the location of the other base materials (sub-components). For example, it may be desirable for the charge control agent (CCA) to be near the surface. In some cases it may be desirable to have colorant particles near the surface or away from the surface depending on the tribo-electric behavior of the said colorant particles. There can be up to 6 different latex types in a toner composition. It may be desirable for some of them to be near the surface and some to be away from the surface.
This invention relates to improving the quality of the chemical toner by making structured particle where the component base materials are placed at location, within the toner particle, which result in achieving desirable product features that result in improved toner performance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Traditional development of software involves the direct coding of a program or a business process. Traditional coding resulted in a great deal of custom development of basic components used in a program or business process, including business objects. Even when modeling software through a modeling framework, many components of system development were designed for a specific application, without looking to reuse of the components. An enterprise could end up with a large amount of similar basic components, and non-standardized applications and processes. The accumulation of such components is a result of duplicated programming effort, which represents inefficiencies in the development of systems.
Besides the duplication of effort, traditional systems require a user to choose from a very large amount of potential components and systems. Traditional systems were incapable of encouraging design that was focused on standardization and component reuse. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Technical Field
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and processing, and more particularly to a staircase fin field effect transistor (finFET) that preserves channel region strain.
Description of the Related Art
A stress memorization technique (SMT) has demonstrated a drive current benefit on planar device structures for n-type field effect transistors (NFETs). In finFET devices however, due to the nature of the three-dimensional geometrical constraint, the implementation of SMT has become even more challenging. The fins tend to be isolated from larger bulk semiconductor materials, and their small size makes it very difficult to sustain strain in the fins. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A wireless device may use its current location for a variety of different purposes. For example, the wireless device's current location can be used to access one or more databases of shops, restaurants and other attractions within the vicinity of the wireless device, which can then be presented to a user of the wireless device. In another example, the wireless device's current location may be used to provide travel directions to the user of the wireless device. In another example, the wireless device's current location may be used in conjunction with emergency services, such when the wireless device's current location is provided to an operator as part of an E911 call. This list is not exhaustive, and the wireless device's current location may be used for many other purposes.
The Global Positioning System (“GPS”) is one coordinate-based location system that is commonly used by wireless devices to determine their respective locations. GPS is a satellite navigation system in which multiple satellites orbiting the earth transmit location information to wireless devices. The GPS satellites typically transmit low-power signals (e.g., approximately 20 W) to GPS receivers in the wireless devices. Depending on the time of day and the location of a wireless device, the wireless device may receive GPS signals from approximately four to eleven GPS satellites.
GPS satellites transmit using two different carrier signals—an L1 signal at 1575.42 MHz and an L2 signal at 1227.60 MHz. A coarse acquisition (“C/A”) code and a precise (“P”) code are modulated on the L1 carrier. The L2 code is modulated by either the P code or the C/A code, although typically the P code is used. The C/A code is a pseudo random binary code that repeats every 1023 bits, which is approximately every millisecond. Each GPS satellite uses a different C/A code, thereby allowing GPS receivers to distinguish between signals transmitted from different satellites. The P code is a very long pseudo random binary noise code, which repeats approximately every seven days.
GPS is available for both civilian and government use. The C/A codes are generally known, and they can be used in civilian applications to determine the GPS location of a wireless device. The P codes are generally not publicly known, and they may even optionally be encrypted to provide additional security. Therefore, the P codes are generally only used in military and other government applications. The P codes can be used in conjunction with the C/A codes to provide increased precision over a GPS location that is derived using only the C/A codes.
The L1 carrier is additionally modulated with a navigation data message. The navigation data message includes information describing the orbit of the GPS satellite, clock data and an approximate guide to the orbits of other GPS satellites. The GPS satellite transmits the navigation data message in 1500 bit data frames, which are further divided into five 300 bit subframes. A complete navigation data message takes twenty-five frames, which are sent by the GPS satellite over an approximately twelve and a half minute period.
The clock data in the navigation data message describes the GPS satellite's clock in relation to Universal Coordinated Time (“UTC”), an international time standard used by the GPS satellites and GPS receivers. The GPS satellite can embed within the data navigation message the time that each subframe was transmitted by the GPS satellite. The GPS receiver can then record the time that each subframe was received from the GPS satellite, thereby allowing the GPS receiver to determine the length of time it took the subframe to travel from the GPS satellite to the GPS receiver. Using this length of time and the position of the satellite, the GPS receiver can extrapolate its distance from the GPS satellite.
As a GPS receiver typically receives information from four or more GPS satellites, the GPS receiver can determine its distance from four known locations. Once the GPS receiver determines its distance from the four GPS satellites, it can extrapolate its GPS location in three dimensions. If the GPS receiver knows its distance from more than four GPS satellites, it can use this additional information to build redundancy and error correction into its location computation.
While GPS allows a wireless device to effectively determine its current location, GPS has limitations. Since GPS satellites transmit their location information using low-power signals, these signals are subject to atmospheric interference. The signals may additionally be degraded due to obstructions in the transmission path between the GPS satellite and the GPS receiver. For example, the 1575.42 MHz GPS signal does not penetrate well through buildings, trees, caves, cars or other such enclosures or obstructions.
As these signals do not penetrate well through enclosures, a wireless device that is not near a window or other opening in the enclosure may then have a difficult time detecting the GPS signals from the orbiting GPS satellites. As a wireless device moves further within the interior of the enclosure, this problem compounds. Consequently, a wireless device located within an enclosure might not be able to detect the GPS signals from the orbiting satellites and, therefore, would be unable to determine its GPS location at all.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved system and method for allowing a device located within an enclosed area to determine its position in a coordinate-based location system. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The invention relates to a method of printing on cylindrical objects by resorting to the following steps:
Coating the surface of a cylindrical object with a migration-preventing plastic material that has an affinity for dye, such as printing ink;
Advancing cylindrical objects continuously in a row, one after the other, through an ink application zone in which printing inks are transferred from an endless flexible carrier onto the surfaces of the objects in that the endless, flexible carrier of printing ink, which sublimes in the heat, contacts under tensile stress a portion of the surface of each cylindrical object;
Rolling the cylindrical objects relative to the carrier during advancement through the ink application zone; and
Heating at least the auxiliary carrier above the sublimation temperature of the printing inks.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementation of the method.
A method of the above outlined character and an appurtenant apparatus are known from published German Pat. application Ser. No. 32 29 815. This publication proposes to advance the cylindrical objects, which are contacted by the ink-bearing carrier, through a heating zone. In the heating zone, the objects and the carrier are heated up so that the printing inks can migrate from the carrier into and diffuse in the plastic layers at the surfaces of the objects. With the known method and the known apparatus, objects can be printed in a highly satisfactory manner. The method is being used in particular for printing on beverage cans with a detailed motif, that is, on beverage cans whose external surfaces bear the name of the manufacturer and identify the contents of the can, together with relatively detailed motifs, similar to printed labels on beverage bottles.
It has been ascertained that the quality of printing in accordance with the proposal in the published German patent application is indeed quite high but that the appearance of the cans will suffer after even slight damage to the plastic layer, e.g., as a result of small scratches on the surface. When handling the cans, for example during filling in the bottling plant of a beverage production facility, where several thousand cans must be handled every hour, such damage cannot always be reliably prevented. As a rule, the damage does not amount to removal of plastic layer down to the bare metal of the can. Rather, the damage is in the form of light scratches or similar flaws which affect primarily the image of the print because, as a rule, a portion of the dye is removed. In order to reduce the adverse effects caused by such scratching to a minimum, attempts were made to introduce the ink deeper into the plastic layer. This can be achieved, for instance, by increasing the temperature in the heating zone. However, an increased amount of energy is required to increase the temperature, and this results in increased costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The instant invention relates to juvenile furniture and more particularly to a tray assembly for a seat for young child.
A variety of different types of seats, including high chairs and strollers, have been heretofore available for supporting young children. Further, many of the heretofore available seats have included feeding trays which are either permanently or removably attached thereto. However, in most instances the feeding trays which have been heretofore available for use in combination with seats for young children have not been effectively adapted to be readily and easily removed from seats to which they are attached. They have also not been adapted to be readily and easily moved to out-of-the-way positions on seats to facilitate the positioning of young children in or the removal thereof from seats. Still further, the heretofore available removable trays have, for the most part, not been adapted for use in combination with seats of various different widths.
The instant invention provides an effective tray assembly for use in combination with a seat, such as a stroller for a young child. More specifically, the instant invention provides a tray assembly which is adapted for use in combination with a seat comprising a seat portion for receiving a child therein and a retaining bar for retaining the child in the seat portion, wherein the retaining bar includes a pair of opposite side portions which extend forwardly along opposite sides of the seat portion and a front portion which extends between the side portions. The tray assembly of the instant invention comprises a tray portion and support means for supporting the tray portion on the opposite side portions of the retaining bar. The tray assembly further comprises attachment means for securing the tray portion to the front portion of the retaining bar. The attachment means is constructed so that it encircles the front portion of the retaining bar in a manner which permits the tray portion to be pivoted forwardly about the retaining bar for facilitating the assembly of a child in or the removal of the child from the seat portion. The means for attaching the tray portion to the front portion of the retaining bar is preferably constructed so that it releasably encircles the front portion of the retaining bar, and it preferably includes at least one releasable strap for encircling the front portion. The means for supporting the tray assembly on the retaining bar is preferably adjustable for supporting the tray assembly on retaining bars of different widths and heights. The means for supporting the tray portion preferably comprises a pair of support arms which extend outwardly from opposite sides of the tray portion. Further, the support arms are preferably adjustably secured to the tray portion, and they are preferably adjustably positionable in a plurality of different outwardly extended positions relative thereto. Each of the support arms preferably includes an outwardly extending main portion and a downwardly extending end portion on the outer extremity of the main portion thereof, and each of the support arms is preferably adjustably securable in a plurality of different outwardly extended positions.
It has been found that the tray assembly of the instant invention can be effectively utilized in combination with a seat for a young child, such as a stroller, in order to provide a convenient feeding tray on the seat. Specifically, it has been found that because the tray includes a pair of adjustably positionable support arms, it can be effectively utilized in combination with seats having retaining bars of various widths and heights. Further, because the tray is adapted to be secured to the front portion of a retaining bar in a manner which permits the tray to be pivoted forwardly relative to the front portion, the tray assembly can be readily moved to facilitate the assembly of a child in the chair or the removal of the child therefrom.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective tray assembly for use in combination with a seat for a young child, such as a stroller.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an effective tray assembly for a seat for a young child which is adapted to be readily moved to an out-of-the-way position for assembling a child in the seat or for removing the child therefrom.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide a tray assembly for a seat for a young child which is adjustable for use in combination with chairs having retaining bars of various widths.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the field of the production of knitted tubular articles with circular knitting machines for hosiery or the like, in some cases it is necessary to transfer the article from the machine used to produce it to another production unit in order to perform on the article additional work that cannot be performed on said machine or that it is not economically convenient to perform on said machine.
In particular, in the field of the production of hosiery, in recent years techniques have been developed for automated toe closing by sewing or looping. Some of these techniques are based on picking up the article from the machine used to produce it and on transferring it to a station for further work, which is distinct with respect to the production machine, so as to close the toe of the hosiery item in the station for further work, while the machine is used to produce another hosiery item. These techniques have the advantage, with respect to other techniques based on closing the toe of the hosiery item directly on the machine used to produce it, of not penalizing excessively the productivity of the machine.
The transfer of the hosiery item, or more generally of the tubular article, from the machine used for its production to the station in which the closure of an axial end of the article, or more generally additional work, must be carried out, is generally performed by means of a pick-up device, which by means of pick-up members individually grips the loops of knitting of the article from the needles of the machine and retains them during the transfer of the article.
In some toe closing techniques, the pick-up device is also used to support the article during the execution of the additional work, while in other techniques the pick-up device is used exclusively to transfer the article, since once it has reached the station where the additional work is to be done it releases, usually again in an individual manner, the loops of knitting picked up previously from the needles to another device that is designed to support the article during execution of the additional work, such as for example a handling device. Such handling device arranges the loops that belong to one half of the row of knitting received from the pick-up device so that they face the loops that belong to the other half of said row of knitting and supports the two half-rows of knitting in a mutually facing position during the intervention of a sewing or looping head that joins the pairs of mutually facing loops of knitting.
In known types of pick-up devices used to simply transfer the article from the machine that produces it to a handling device, the coupling between the pick-up members and the needles, in order to transfer the loops of knitting from the needles to the pick-up members, usually occurs by inserting the head of the needle in a seat formed in the end of the pick-up member. For that reason, the pick-up device usually has an annular pick-up body, designed to face coaxially the end of the needle cylinder from which the heads of the needles protrude and which supports a plurality of pick-up members oriented parallel to the axis of the pick-up body.
A pick-up device of this type is disclosed for example in EP0942086.
In devices of this type, the coupling between one end of the pick-up members and the head of the corresponding needle requires high precision both in the provision of the pick-up device as a whole and in the positioning of the pick-up body with respect to the needle cylinder of the machine and of the pick-up members with respect to the needles.
Moreover, the arrangement of the pick-up members, as well as the presence of any members for actuating them, entails a relatively large space occupation of the pick-up body along a direction that is parallel to the axis thereof. This relatively large space occupation can cause problems in positioning the pick-up body with respect to the machine in order to pick up the article. In order to be able to arrange the pick-up body so that it faces the needle cylinder of the machine, in the case of single-cylinder circular machines, it is in fact necessary to lift the dial and the yarn guides that are used to provide the needles with the yarns required to manufacture the article. This lifting can cause tangling of the yarns and accordingly cause problems when knitting on the machine resumes.
If the pick-up device is used with double-cylinder circular machines, the problems generated by the axial space occupation of the pick-up body are even greater, since in this case the pick-up body must be arranged between the two needle cylinders by first lifting the entire upper needle cylinder and the members connected thereto. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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IL-17 is a T cell-derived cytokine that plays an important role in the initiation or maintenance of the proinflammatory response(1–5). Recently, four new proteins are identified and termed as IL-17B, IL-17C, IL-17E/IL-25 and IL-17F/ML-1/IL-26 that are clearly related to IL-17, suggesting that there exists a family of IL-17-like molecules (6–13).
Three homologous receptors for IL-17 family members are also identified, termed as IL-17 receptor, IL-17BR (also known as IL-17Rh1) and IL-17RL (14). IL-17 receptor (IL-17AR) located on human chromosome 22q11.22–11.23 is widely expressed in different tissues and is reported to bind to IL-17A with a weaker affinity than the potency of IL-17A on responsive cells. This receptor is shown to regulate the activities of extracellular regulated kinase ERK1, ERK2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, Raf-1 kinase, STATs and NF-κB (15–20). Furthermore, the recent report that IL-17AR signaling is deficient in TRAF-6-deficient cells strongly suggests that members of the TRAF family, known to be involved in both IL-1/Toll and TNF receptor signaling, are also involved in IL-17AR signaling (21). The proinflammatory function and intracellular signaling pathway of IL-17AR are strikingly similar to those of the IL-1 and Toll receptors (22–26). IL-17BR (IL-17Rh1) located on human chromosome 3p21.1 is expressed mostly in liver and kidney tissues. This receptor binds to IL-17B and IL-17E but not IL-17A (8). Moreover this receptor is shown to activate NF-κB only by luciferase assay in vitro. IL-17RL located on human chromosome 3p25.3–3p24.1 is expressed mainly in prostate, cartilage, kidney, liver, heart, and muscle tissues (14), which has at least eleven splicing forms. However, the signaling mechanism and the biological functions of this receptor are still unknown.
Thus so, in an attempt to identify new IL-17 receptor like membrane proteins, the inventors have isolated and identified a novel single span transmembrane type 1 cytokine receptor-like protein with 31% amino acid identity to IL-17 receptor, and designated the new receptor as hIL-17RLM (IL-17 receptor like molecule). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for handling an apparatus terminated communication request in a communication apparatus, and more particularly to a method for handling an apparatus terminated communication request in the communication apparatus with increased communication capability.
2. Description of the Related Art
The term “wireless”, normally refers to an electrical or electronic operation, which is accomplished without the use of a “hard wired” connection. “Wireless communication”, is the transfer of information over a distance without the use of electrical conductors or wires. The distances involved may be short (a few meters for television remote controls) or very long (thousands or even millions of kilometers for radio communications). The best known example of wireless communication is the cellular telephone. Cellular telephones use radio waves to enable an operator to make phone calls to another party, from many locations world-wide. They can be used anywhere, as long as there is a cellular telephone site to house equipment that can transmit and receive signals, which are processed to transfer both voice and data to and from the cellular telephones.
There are various well-developed and -defined cellular communication technologies. For example, the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) communication system is a well-defined and commonly adopted communications system, which uses time division multiple access (TDMA) technology, which is a multiplex access scheme for digital radio, to send voice, data, and signalling data (such as a dialed telephone number) between mobile phones and cell sites. The CDMA2000 is a hybrid mobile communications 2.5G/3G (generation) technology standard that uses code division multiple access (CDMA) technology. The UMTS communication system (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) is a 3G mobile communications system, which provides an enhanced range of multimedia services over the GSM system. The Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) is a technology defined by the 802.11 engineering standard and can be used for home networks, mobile phones, video games, to provide a high-frequency wireless local area network.
With the advanced development of wireless communication technologies, it is now possible to provide multiple wireless communication services using different or the same communication technologies in one communication apparatus. In order to increase the communication capability, methods for handling an apparatus terminated communication request in the communication apparatus with increased communication capability are highly required. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for regulating cell death. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for providing a plant to which is conferred resistance to various environmental stresses by regulating an expression level of a cell death regulatory gene.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a plant is infected with a pathogen, e.g., virus, bacteria, filamentous fungi, and viroid, the plant shows either of the following reactions: 1) allowing pathogen to grow by spreading through the entire body of the plant, whereby the plant gets disease or 2) enclosing pathogen in an infected site so as to prevent if from spreading through the entire body of the plant, whereby the plant is provided with resistance to the pathogen. The latter reaction of a plant against the pathogen is called a hypersensitive response or reaction (HR). It is known that, in this reaction, cell death locally occurs in an infected site to form necrotic lesions. Such a formation of necrotic lesions involved in pathogen infection is a typical resistance reaction of a plant, which is considered as an example of programmed cell death. However, the molecular mechanism of this reaction remains unclear.
The HR does not occur in all plants. The HR is believed to occur when a plant intrinsically contains a gene which recognizes a product of a pathogenic gene derived from infecting pathogen. In the case where such a gene is not present, the HR does not occur, and a plant is not resistant against the pathogen infection.
The HR of tobacco against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection is a model system which has been conventionally used for studying the HR of a plant.
An N gene is one of the cell death regulatory genes involved in the HR (i.e., cell death) due to TMV infection. It is reported that tobacco having the N gene (NN tobacco) shows the HR against TMV infection, but tobacco having no N gene (nn tobacco) does not show the HR (Holmes, Phytopathology, 28, 553, (1938)). The HR of the NN tobacco occurs only at 24xc2x0 C. or lower. It does not occur at 28xc2x0 C. or higher. Therefore, it has been considered that both the N gene and the temperature condition are required for inducing the HR in a TMV-infected cell.
However, the inventors"" group has found that, in the case where the NN tobacco is treated with actinomycin D (AMD) and heat (50xc2x0 C., 2 minutes), the HR is induced in the NN tobacco against TMV infection even under the temperature condition of 30xc2x0 C. at which the HR does not usually occur. Furthermore, the HR was also induced against TMV infection in the nn tobacco having no N gene, in the case where the nn tobacco was similarly treated with AMD and heat. Because of this, it was clarified that cell death against TMV infection may occur irrespective of the presence or absence of the N gene and the temperature condition (Shimomura and Ohashi, Virology, 43, 531, (1971); Ohashi and Shimomura, Virology, 48, 601 (1972)). It is known that AMD inhibits DNA-dependent RNA synthesis in a nucleus (Reich et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 48, 1238 (1962)). Thus, a possibility was shown that a novel cell regulatory gene may be present in a plant, and that the HR may be induced by suppression of transcription of the gene, followed by suppression of synthesis of proteins.
It is considered that if the above-mentioned cell death regulatory gene is identified, cell death of a plant can be regulated (promoted or suppressed) by controlling an expression level of the gene. In particular, it is an important task in the agricultural field to provide a plant which is conferred with resistance to environmental stress by regulating cell death.
However, the cell death regulatory gene as described above has not been identified. To the extent that the inventors are aware, there has been no study for providing a plant which is conferred environmental-stress resistance by regulating an expression level of such a gene to promote or suppress cell death.
The present invention provides a method for regulating cell death in a plant of the present invention including the steps of: transforming a plant cell with a polynucleotide containing a gene encoding DS9 or a homologue thereof or a part of the gene; and redifferentiating the transformed plant cell to obtain a plant, wherein the DS9 or the homologue thereof is an ATP-dependent Zn-type metalloprotease, and the polynucleotide decreases or increases production of the ATP-dependent Zn-type metalloprotease in the plant cell, whereby cell death of a cell in the plant is promoted or suppressed.
A polynucleotide containing a gene encoding DS9 or a homologue thereof or a part thereof may be incorporated into a DNA in a nucleus of a plant cell by a known gene recombinant technique. The term xe2x80x9cpolynucleotidexe2x80x9d refers to a polymer of nucleotides, and is not limited to a particular chain length.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the polynucleotide contains the gene encoding the DS9 or the homologue thereof or the part of the gene in an antisense orientation, whereby cell death of a cell in the plant is promoted.
A method for producing a plant which is conferred with resistance to environmental stress of the present invention includes the steps of: transforming a plant cell with a polynucleotide containing a gene encoding DS9 or a homologue thereof or a part of the gene; and redifferentiating the transformed plant cell to obtain a plant, wherein the DS9 or the homologue thereof is an ATP-dependent Zn-type metalloprotease, and the polynucleotide decreases or increases production of the ATP-dependent Zn-type metalloprotease in the plant cell.
In one emboidment of the present invention, the environmental stress is pathogen infection.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the polynucleotide contains the gene encoding the DS9 or the homologue thereof or the part of the gene in an antisense orientation.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the homologue has a homology of about 70% or more with respect to an ATPase region of the DS9.
In a method for screening a selective inhibitor of a gene encoding DS9 or a homologue thereof of the present invention, the DS9 or the homologue thereof is an ATP-dependent Zn-type metalloprotease, wherein the method includes the steps of: introducing a candidate inhibitor into an expression system having a gene encoding the DS9 or the homologue thereof; and identifying whether or not production of the DS9 or the homologue thereof is selectively decreased in the expression system.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of (1) providing a method for promoting or suppressing cell death by regulating an expression level of a cell death regulatory gene; and (2) providing a method for producing a plant which is conferred with resistance to environmental stress, e.g., pathogen infection, by regulating cell death; and (3) providing a method for screening a selective inhibitor of a cell death regulatory gene. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of semiconductor, and more specifically, to semiconductor fabrication.
2. Description of Related Art
During the fabrication process of semiconductor devices, the active dice are subject to a number of mechanical and thermal stresses that may cause failures. For example, in the wafer dicing and accelerated test phases, the saw-induced or thermo-mechanical stress-induced cracks may propagate into the active circuitry and cause reliability failures under temperature and/or humidity exposure.
Existing techniques to avoid these reliability failures have a number of drawbacks. Typical techniques use a metal guard ring together with a nitride passivation on top of the metallization stack to create a hermetic seal around the active die. The hermetic seal is intended to prevent cracks from propagating into the active circuitry. However, these designs have been shown inadequate. Cracks have been observed propagating over the top metal layer of the guard ring. As a result, the hermetic seal is breached and moisture is able to penetrate into the die. Corrosion and/or metal migration eventually lead to failures during accelerated reliability testing. | {
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A barcode is a machine-readable representation of information. Barcodes are commonly used to identify products and/or to convey information about products.
FIG. 1 illustrates some exemplary barcodes. The EAN-codes (European Article Number codes) that are commonly used on consumables are represented by the example EAN-code 101. EAN-codes may, for example, be scanned at the counter of grocery stores. An EAN-code is an example of a one-dimensional barcode.
An example of a two-dimensional barcode is represented by the exemplary data matrix 102. This exemplary data matrix is built up by square modules.
Another exemplary barcode type is the OR-codes (Quick Response codes), which is another example of a two-dimensional barcode and is represented by the example OR-code 103. The QR-code is also built up by square modules. In FIG. 1, the modules are depicted as being black or white, but as long as there is acceptable contrast between the colors, any two colors may be used. A OR-code is surrounded by a margin, which is commonly referred to as the quiet zone or the safe zone. This margin may be four modules wide. Currently, QR-codes are widely used in Japan.
Barcodes may be read by optical scanners, such as laser-equipped scanners for EAN-codes, or scanned from an image by special software adapted to read barcodes of a particular type.
When a software program is used to scan a barcode in a photographic image, certain sharpness and resolution of the image may be required. This may impose requirements on the how the image is captured.
Currently, acquisition of the image that is used for barcode reading can be divided into user assisted image acquisition and automatic image acquisition.
In user assisted image acquisition, the user must perform some kind of action, for example pressing a key or button (take a snapshot), in order to capture the image containing the barcode. The requirement of user action makes such systems less user-friendly. In a typical situation, the user must hold the object with the barcode on with one hand, hold the phone/camera that is used to capture the image with the other hand and then press a small button on the phone/camera. This may be rather cumbersome. Furthermore, the act of pressing of the snapshot button may in itself create motion blur in the captured image, since the camera might be moved slightly when pressing the button.
In automatic image acquisition, an image acquisition system may continually capture images and process them in order to read barcodes. Thus, the user no longer has to press a button or key, which makes the system more user-friendly. However, requiring the capturing of a continuous stream of images implies other disadvantages. For example, it is not possible to use advanced image capturing features such as flash and/or auto-focus. Hence, the quality of automatically acquired images may be lower than user assisted acquired images.
Thus, both for user assisted image acquisition and automatic image acquisition, there is a severe risk that the image quality is rather bad. In fact, the quality may be so low so that barcode decoding is impossible. For user assisted image acquisition this may force the user to repeatedly try to capture an image of good enough quality. For automatic image acquisition the system may not respond with decoded information even when a barcode is present.
Therefore, there is a need for methods and arrangements for reading barcode information that are user-friendly and robust. | {
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Ethylbenzene is used predominantly for the production of styrene monomer obtained through dehydrogenation. Presently much of the ethylbenzene being produced is obtained by alkylation of benzene with ethylene under a variety of alkylation conditions. One type of alkylation process which is conventional is to employ relatively high pressures and temperatures to obtain vapor phase reaction conditions wherein the ethylene and benzene are converted in the presence of catalyst materials. Both single and multiple catalyst bed processes are well known in the art. One problem in the production of ethylbenzene by such mwethods is the production of unwanted by-products which can be very detrimental because some of the by-products may be very difficult, or impossible, to separate from the desired ethylbenzene product. Thus, as an example, the production of xylene in these types of processes is very undesirable since separation of xylene from the ethylbenzene product is very difficult from a processing standpoint. In addition to the requirement that the catalyst employed in such processes be selective to the desired ethylbenzene product it is also desirable to obtain acceptable conversion of the reactants to alkylated products. The ability of different catalyst materials to convert the raw feed materials into products is sometimes referred to as its "activity". Conversion is normally measured as a percentage of the amount of feed materials which will be converted into products during the reaction. The ability of the catalyst to maintain high conversion rates (i.e. retain activity) is also important.
Deactivation of catalysts is one major problem in catalytic alkylation processes, since even if high conversion rates are obtained initially, the failure to maintain good conversion over a long period of time requires expensive catalyst changeouts and/or regeneration procedures. As used herein, the term "stability" refers to the relative activity of the catalyst material as a function of time under the conditions of the stated process.
The use of zeolite type catalysts, of both natural and man-made varieties, in hydrocarbon conversion processing has been known for some time. Aluminosilicate type zeolite catalysts, including those known as ZSM-5 and ZSM-12, for example, have been reported to be suitable for hydrocarbon conversion processes and, in particular, for alkylation of aromatic substrates. One problem with these types of catalysts, however, is that they are subject to rapid deactivation in the presence of even small amounts of water. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,214 describes a special method for stabilizing these types of crystalline zeolites which is indicated to be necessary if rapid deactivation in the presence of reducing atmospheres (such as those found in alkylation reactors) and high temperatures in the presence of steam is to be avoided.
A distinct type of catalyst material which is synthesized from reaction systems essentially free of aluminum containing reagents and which are therefore either entirely free of framework AlO.sub.4.sup.- tetrahedra or contain no crystalographically significant amounts thereof called "TEA-silicates" are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,294. These TEA-silicate catalysts are reportedly capable of adsorbing at least 28% neopentane which has a kinetic diameter of 6.2 angstroms.
Thus it would be desirable to obtain a process in which conversion of reactants to ethylbenzene can be obtained without production of unwanted xylene by-products and without the necessity of regenerating or replacing the catalytic material employed. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optoelectronic semiconductor component and a side-emitting backlight module.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, new application fields of high-illumination light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been developed. Different from a common incandescent light, a cold illumination LED has the advantages of low power consumption, long device lifetime, no idle time, and quick response speed. In addition, since LED also have the advantages of small size, vibration resistance, suitability for mass production, and easy fabrication as a tiny device or an array device, they have been widely applied in display apparatuses and indicating lamps of information, communication, and consumer electronics products. LEDs are not only utilized in outdoor traffic signal lamps or various outdoor displays, but also are very important components in the automotive industry. Furthermore, LEDs also work well in portable products, such as cell phones and backlights of personal data assistants. The LED has become a necessary component in the very popular liquid crystal display because it is the best choice for the light source of the backlight module.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of an optoelectronic semiconductor component 10 according to the prior art. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 10 includes a light emitting chip 12 for emitting light; a reflective base 14 for reflecting light produced by the light emitting chip 12; an encapsulant 16 formed in the reflective base 14 to enclose the light emitting chip 12; and an electrode 18 for receiving electricity from an external power supply. Preferably, the light emitting chip 12 is a light emitting diode chip, the light emitting chip 12 is installed on one side of the reflective base 14, and the encapsulant 16 is composed of fluorescent material, light dispersing material, or ink. As shown in FIG. 1, the planar design of the reflective base 14 often causes light reflected by the reflective base 14 or light emitted by the light emitting chip 12 to scatter toward all different directions. In other words, the reflected or emitted lights are scattered toward different angles, which ultimately decreases the viewing angle and overall luminance of the optoelectronic semiconductor component 10.
To solve the aforementioned problem, a dome lens is installed on the light exit plane of the optoelectronic semiconductor component 30. Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 illustrates another optoelectronic semiconductor component 30 according to the prior art. The optoelectronic semiconductor component 30 includes a light emitting chip 32 for emitting light, a reflective base 34 for reflecting light produced by the light emitting chip 32, an encapsulant 36 disposed in the reflective base 34 to enclose the light emitting chip 32, and an electrode 38 for receiving electricity from an external power supply. Preferably, the light emitting chip 32 is a light emitting diode chip, the light emitting chip 32 is installed on one side of the reflective base 34, and the encapsulant 36 is composed of florescent material, light dispersing material, or ink. A dome lens 40 is further installed on one side of the reflective base 34 and the encapsulant 36. The dome lens 40 is specifically used to centralize light reflected by the reflective base 34 and light emitted directly from the light emitting chip 32, thereby reducing the viewing angle and increasing the overall luminance of the optoelectronic semiconductor component 30. Unfortunately, the utilization of the dome lens 40 not only increases the height and thickness of the entire package structure, but also raises the difficulty of using surface mounting technique and pick and place process to fabricate the semiconductor component 30. Hence, how to fabricate a novel optoelectronic semiconductor component capable of producing frontal and centralized lights while improving the overall brightness of the device has become an important task in this field. | {
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A voltage regulator is a circuit that provides a constant DC voltage between its output terminals in spite of changes in the load current drawn from the output terminals and/or changes in the DC power supply voltage that feeds the voltage regulator circuit. FIG. 1A describes a simplified DC model of a voltage regulator. As shown in FIG. 1A, the equivalent circuit model of voltage regulators in DC domain can be described as an ideal voltage source VS in series with an internal source resistor RS. The resistor RS represents an equivalent series resistance calculated from non-ideal effects inside the voltage regulator. FIG. 1B illustrate a typical topology of linear regulators in accordance with the prior art.
When non-ideal effects, such as input offset voltage, etc., are not dominant and ignored, the resistor RS is basically equal to the output resistance of the regulator. As the load current IL increases, there may be a non-ideal voltage drop ΔVLDR (also referred to as the load regulation effect) across the source resistor RS as shown below in equation (1):ΔVLDR=RS×ΔIL (1)As a result, the DC voltage drop ΔVLDR over the desired regulator output voltage VS is proportional to both the resistance RS and the change in load current ΔIL. FIG. 2A illustrates the load regulation effect in the DC domain (Load regulation vs. ILOAD), in accordance with the prior art. The load regulation effect in transient response in time domain is illustrated in FIG. 2B. Load regulation effect is a dominant factor determining the best accuracy a regulator can achieve over process corners for products, especially for high load current and low-voltage applications. The load regulation effect is proportional to the resistance RS, which is approximately equal to the output resistance of the regulator, ΔVLDR/ΔIL. This means that the load regulation effect is minimized when the output resistance of the regulator decreases. Based on the typical linear regulator topology shown in FIG. 1B, the closed-loop output resistance RO—REG, which is the actual output resistance of the regulator, can be described as:
R O_REG = R O_op 1 + Aβ ( 2 ) RO—op refers to the open loop output resistance, A is the total gain of the regulator, and β is the feedback factor of the regulator. The total gain of the regulator is inversely proportional to the square root of the load current, Thus, as can be seen from equation (2), Ro_reg increases as the load current increases resulting in high load regulation effect. Therefore, the focus of load regulation effect issues has been on the increasing of loop gain to reduce output resistance of the voltage regulator. It can be seen from equation (2) that as Aβ increases, RO—REG decreases (i.e., RO—REG approaches zero).
In addition to reducing the load regulation effect, there is also a problem related to inter-connection voltage loss. Although inter-connection voltage loss is usually neglected by designers, the voltage loss due to resistors for inter-connection (including on-chip metal connection, off-chip bonding wire, metal connection, etc.) is another critical issue like the load regulation effect, which may cause significant effects in a heavy current load environment. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate typical connection resistance between a regulator and a load circuit where there is both an on-chip connection and an off-chip connection, in accordance with the prior art. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to backplanes for electronic systems, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for grounding the backplane to the chassis of the electronic system when the backplane is inserted into the chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern computers often include multiple hard-disk drives, flexible-disk drives, CD-ROM drives, and the like. These drives include motors and mechanisms for spinning the storage media and for moving read heads or read/write heads, and also include circuitry for controlling mechanical movement as well as the transfer of data. For example, a computer system may include a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) subsystem which includes three or more hard-disk drives.
In computer systems having RAID subsystems, the disk drives are mounted on separate frames or trays and inserted side-by-side into a cavity within the computer. The internal sheet metal chassis of the computer defines guides for aligning connectors on the drives with mating connectors on a rigid backplane. The backplane defines an inner wall of the cavity and provides electrical interconnections to and from the mating connectors. The backplane may be a passive backplane, or it may include electronic components which transfer data to and from the disk drives and which control the disk drives.
Typically, the backplane is constructed of an insulating rigid substrate having the electrical connections formed on one or more layers. The backplane is firmly attached to the internal chassis of the computer, typically with threaded fasteners. The cavity defined on the sides by sheet metal panels of the internal chassis and on the inner wall by the backplane, is termed the "drive cage."
Typically, a computer system having a RAID subsystem has a so-called "tower" configuration wherein the computer system is taller than it is wide, as opposed to a desktop system which is generally wider than it is tall. One aspect of a RAID subsystem is that a disk drive can be readily replaced if it fails during operation. Thus, a RAID subsystem is typically mounted in the computer system so that the disk drives can be extracted and inserted through the front of the computer system cabinet. In order to accommodate this feature, the backplane for the RAID subsystem is mounted with the backplane perpendicular to the side walls of the computer system.
In operation, the disk drives generate substantial electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI), and are susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD). It is important to provide an adequate grounding system to suppress EMI and RFI and to prevent damage from ESD. In particular, the backplane in a computer system must be securely grounded to the internal chassis. This is typically accomplished with the use of fasteners extending through apertures in the backplane and secured within threaded holes in conductive components of the chassis. The fasteners extend through apertures surrounded by conductive ground pads in the backplane. The fasteners also ensure that the backplane is rigidly attached at the inner end of the drive cage so that the various drives can be inserted and pushed against the backplane to couple the mating connectors.
The use of fasteners to attach the backplane to the computer chassis has several drawbacks. For example, positioning and engaging fasteners add complexity to the assembly process. Most of the inner components of the computer are installed through one of the large side panels. The components are designed to be installed straight in through the panel, with the locations being readily accessible. On the other hand, as discussed above, the backplane is mounted perpendicular to the plane of the side panel, and thus the fasteners extend in parallel with the side panel. This requires an assembly procedure wherein the worker has difficulty in accessing and driving the fasteners into place. Moreover, after other components are installed in the computer system, the backplane fasteners may become inaccessible without removing other components of the computer system. The inaccessibility of the fasteners increases the difficulty of maintenance. Another drawback with fastening the backplane to the drive cage is the potential for misalignment between the mating electrical connectors of the backplane and the disk drives. This comes about if the holes for the fasteners in either the backplane or the computer chassis are slightly out of alignment. In other words, to ensure that the mating connectors of the backplane and disk drives accurately align, the mounting holes in the backplane must be precisely located with respect to the backplane connectors, and the mounting holes in the chassis must be precisely located with respect to the disk drive guides. Close tolerances for these mounting holes thus ensure the accurate alignment of the connectors, which adds expense in the manufacturing process.
In view of the foregoing drawbacks, there is a need for an alternative to securing the backplane to the drive cage using fasteners. | {
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The treatment of tumor can be approached by several modes of therapy, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and a combination of any of these treatments. Among them, chemotherapy is indispensable for inoperable or metastatic forms of cancer. Considering the diversity of tumors in terms of cell type, morphology, growth rate, and other cellular characteristics, the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) has developed a “disease-oriented” approach to anti-tumor activity screening. Boyd, M. R. (1989) In Principle of Practice of Oncology Devita, J. T., Hellman, S., and Rosenberg, S. A. (Eds.) Vol. 3, PPO Update, No. 10. This in vitro screening system is based on human tumor cell line panels consisting of approximately 60 cell lines of major human tumors (e.g., leukemia, lung cancer, colon cancer, CNS cancer, melanoma, ovarian cancer, renal cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer), and serves as a tool for identifying compounds that possess anti-tumor activities. Among the compounds, modified nucleobases are of particular interest. | {
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Illuminated electrosurgical devices generally include a hand piece (handle) ergonomically adapted for ease of manipulation by a surgeon during surgery, and for positioning an energy tip of the device to deliver electrical energy to a target tissue for tissue cutting or coagulation. An electrode and electrical supply cable are generally disposed within the handle, traversing from the handle's proximal end through the handle body, and terminating in an energy discharge tip at the distal end of the device. The electrical supply cable typically is connected to an energy source, such as a radiofrequency (RF) energy generator.
The handle or other portion of the device may include an illumination element for illuminating the surgical field. Light may be conducted towards the energy discharge tip and directed onto the surgical field via an optical waveguide coupled to the handle or disposed within the handle. The electrode may be disposed within the optical waveguide, or disposed alongside the waveguide. The electrode and waveguide may be disposed within a suitable supporting structure (for example, a cylindrical metal tube), that may be slidably extendable or retractable to permit the electrosurgical device to elongate or shorten as needed to treat the surgical site. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for manufacturing an inner door panel of a vehicle side door and, more particularly, to a method for manufacturing an inner door panel of a vehicle side door that includes die casting the inner door panel with an impact beam as a single integrated cast.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Much engineering goes in to the design and manufacture of vehicle doors. A typical vehicle side door will include an outer door panel often formed of stamped steel, an inner door panel also formed of stamped steel and a trim panel. An impact beam is typically bolted or welded to the inner door panel so that it is between the inner door panel and the outer door panel for providing protection against side impact. Also, various reinforcement members are often welded to the inner door panel, such as a latch reinforcement member, a hinge reinforcement member and a waist reinforcement member. Once the reinforcement members and the impact beam are mounted to the inner door panel, the outer door panel is then secured to the inner door panel by folding over and joining an edge of the outer door panel to the inner door panel in a hemming process to provide a door in white. The inner trim panel is then mounted to the inside surface of the inner door panel. The various door hardware, such as window switches, motors, latch mechanisms, wiring, etc., are assembled at the appropriate time during the assembly process. Although the inner door panel, the outer door panel, the impact beam and the reinforcement members are typically made of steel, some or all of these components have been known to be made from other materials such as aluminum and polymers.
Die casting is a known metal forming process where a molten metal in a liquid state, such as aluminum or magnesium alloys, is poured or otherwise caused to flow within a die cavity defined by opposing die halves and cooled to be solidified therein to form the particular component. During the casting process, the die halves are clamped together and the molten metal is caused to flow through an orifice into the die under high pressure via a plunger through a shot-sleeve. Once the molten metal has solidified, the die is opened and the now hardened part is removed.
Die casting offers a number of advantages over stamping, forging and other metal forming processes including the ability to form highly complex or intricate part, simplified design and manufacturing and assembly processes, better quality, higher productivity due to a near net-shape process, etc. However, in order to allow a particular part to be die cast, it is necessary that the configuration of the part be such that all areas of the die cavity be filled with molten metal to form the part and allow the die halves to be separated without interference from the part. | {
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In recent years, in addition performing printing by an ink-jet printer on substrate composed of paper, fabric, plastic, ceramic or the like, ink-jet printer is also being used when forming oriented film on transparent glass substrate for equipments such as liquid crystal display equipment, or when coating color filter on transparent glass substrate in organic EL display equipment. Specifically, in the case of liquid crystal display equipment, oriented film material such as transparent PI ink (transparent polyimide ink) or transparent UV ink is discharged and coated on glass substrate (see patent document 1, for example), and in the case of organic EL display equipment, coating material such as, for example, transparent UV ink is discharged and coated on glass substrate.
In such cases, a desirable discharging aspect is such that ink discharges from a plurality of nozzles on a print head of an ink-jet printer are uniform between each nozzle. For example, in the case of a printed material in which color is a main constituent, ink is discharged on coating article having a characteristic that absorbs ink (ink-absorbent characteristic) after taking into consideration on how to produce colors with uniform density from each nozzle. Therefore, the uniformity of color density on the coating article having ink-absorbent characteristic can be easily achieved if the ink droplet discharged from each nozzle is adequately uniform.
However, it is extremely difficult to form thin film having uniform thickness on a coating article having a characteristic that does not absorb ink (non ink-absorbent characteristic), for example the glass substrate described above, using a conventional ink-jet printer. Therefore, it is not only particularly difficult to form a thin film having a uniform thickness of less than 1 μm on a coating article with such non ink-absorbent characteristic, but even when forming a film having a uniform thickness of 1 μm or more, the discharging aspect of ink droplet from each nozzle is required to be improved precisely.
Attempts had been made to produce an adequately uniform discharging aspect of ink droplet discharged from each nozzle by making fine adjustment on the applied voltage of each nozzle (operating voltage that generates pressure fluctuation in pressure chamber through opening of each nozzle) on a print head of an ink-jet printer, in order to form a film having a uniform film thickness on a coating article. According to patent document 2 below, correction of applied voltage (operating voltage) that adjusts discharging speed of ink droplets from the nozzle is disclosed.
Further, when using an ink-jet printer to discharge ink on a coating article having a non ink-absorbent characteristic such as the glass substrate described above, if the spreading of ink droplets after impact is not sufficiently controlled, problems such as the failure of impacted ink droplets fusing together will occur, hence causing difficulty in forming a good quality film having uniform film thickness on the coating article. Therefore, during the actual forming of film by discharging ink on the coating article having a non ink-absorbent characteristic, it is extremely important to precisely control, in advance, the spreading of the ink droplets after impacting the coating article.
In view of such circumstances, a conventional method for controlling the spreading of ink droplets after impacting a coating article is by dribbling pure water or ink on the surface of the coating article, and thereafter measuring the contact angle α formed by the surface of the periphery 13a of the ink droplet 13 and the surface 12a of the coating article 12 as represented in FIG. 19, using an existing contact angle gauge. Here, the smaller and sharper the contact angle α is, the better hydrophilic property the surface of the coating article possesses and the wider the ink droplet will spread, hence indicating an advantage for forming film having uniform thickness. However, the spreading of the ink droplet does not solely differ according to the characteristic of the ink or the surface aspect of the coating article, but is also influenced by other factors such as the size or the discharge rate of the discharged ink droplet. Taking such matters into consideration, it is not difficult to come to a conclusion that the spreading of ink droplet cannot be adequately controlled using the conventional method.
In addition, the forming of oriented film by dribbling oriented film material on the above described glass substrate using an ink-jet printer is another known application of an ink-jet printer. However, due to the ink-jet method, problems such as nozzle defects, nozzle direction and choking of the nozzle by oriented film material occur, hence causing difficulties in adequately dribbling oriented film material at a required location and in a required quantity.
In order to solve such problems, the droplet state is inspected and oriented film material is added and restored if insufficient, and abandoned if unsuitable. As a method for inspecting the droplet state, it is suggested (in patent document 3) to measure the film thickness by passing a substrate, on which an oriented film is formed, through an interference film thickness measuring apparatus; and if it is insufficient, re-dribble oriented film using ink-jet nozzles for reinforcement, and thereafter measuring the film thickness again using the interference film thickness measuring apparatus.
Patent Document 1 JP No. 2001-42330A
Patent Document 2 JP No. 2003-191467A
Patent Document 3 JP No. H9-166783A | {
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The invention relates to an anionically polymerized, impact-modified polystyrene with a disperse soft phase which comprises particles having capsule particle morphology, and also to a process for its preparation.
Various continuous or batch processes, in solution or suspension, are known for producing impact-modified polystyrene, as described in Ullmanns Enzyklopxc3xa4die, Vol. A21, VCH Verlagsgesellschaft Weinheim 1992, pp. 615-625. These processes dissolve a rubber, usually polybutadiene, in monomeric styrene, and polymerize the styrene by a free radical mechanism via thermal or peroxidic initiation. Alongside the homopolymerization of styrene, graft polymerization of styrene on polybutadiene also takes place. The simultaneous processes of polystyrene formation and consumption of monomeric styrene cause xe2x80x9cphase inversionxe2x80x9d. The properties of the impact-modified polystyrene are determined by the morphology, size and size distribution of the disperse rubber particles. These depend on various process parameters, such as the viscosity of the rubber solution and the shear forces arising during stirring.
The process parameters known from free-radical preparation of impact-modified polystyrene cannot be directly transferred to the anionic polymerization of styrene in the presence of rubbers, since the reaction mechanisms for free-radical and anionic polymerization of styrene are different. For example, it is not possible to use homopolybutadiene alone, since no graft reactions occur during anionic polymerization of styrene.
DE-A 42 35 978, DE-A-42 35 978, WO 96/18666, WO 96/18682, WO 99/40135 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,647, for example, disclose a process for preparing thermoplastic molding compositions by anionically polymerizing styrene in the presence of styrene-butadiene block copolymers. The resultant impact-modified products have lower residual monomer contents and lower oligomer contents than do products obtained by free-radical polymerization. The disperse soft phase generally develops cellular particle morphology.
WO 98/07766 describes the continuous preparation of impact-modified molding compositions using styrene-butadiene rubbers. The rubbers were polymerized anionically using alkyl compounds of alkaline earth metals, of zinc and of aluminum, in styrene as solvent. However, their butadiene blocks always contain small amounts of copolymerized styrene.
WO 99/67308 describes anionically polymerized impact-modified polystyrene with high stiffness and toughness and with cellular particle morphology.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an anionically polymerized, impact-modified polystyrene with high gloss, and also a process for its preparation.
We have found that this object is achieved by means of an anionically polymerized, impact-modified polystyrene which comprises a disperse soft phase with particles having capsule particle morphology.
It is preferable for at least 90 percent by volume, in particular at least 95 percent by volume, of the soft phase to be composed of particles with capsule particle morphology.
The impact-modified polystyrene of the invention may be obtained by anionically polymerizing styrene in the presence of a styrene-butadiene two-block copolymer and of an anionic polymerization initiator, the styrene-butadiene two-block copolymer having a styrene block content of from 40 to 60% by weight, preferably from 45 to 55% by weight.
For this purpose it is particularly preferable to use styrene-butadiene two-block copolymers whose styrene block S has a weight-average molar mass Mw of from 20,000 to 200,000 g/mol and whose butadiene block B has a weight-average molar mass Mw of from 30,000 to 300,000 g/mol. The transitions between the blocks S and B may be either sharp or blurred.
The anionic polymerization permits impact-modified polystyrene to be obtained with less than 50 ppm of monomeric styrene, in particular less than 10 ppm. Anionically polymerized impact-modified polystyrene generally comprises no cyclic oligomers.
Impact-modified polystyrenes with a relatively high content of particles with capsule particle morphology generally exhibit relatively high gloss. They may be blended with an anionically polymerized or free-radical-polymerized glass-clear or impact-modified polystyrene. To improve impact strength, they are preferably blended with anionically polymerized or free-radical-polymerized impact-modified polystyrene with cellular particle morphology.
Anionically polymerized, impact-modified polystyrene in which from 95 to 99 percent by volume of the disperse soft phase has capsule particle morphology and from 1 to 5 percent by volume has cellular particle morphology exhibits a property profile with a balance between gloss and impact strength.
These materials may be prepared directly by anionically polymerizing styrene in the presence of an anionic polymerization initiator and of a mixture of a styrene-butadiene two-block copolymer whose styrene block content is from 40 to 60% by weight, preferably from 45 to 55% by weight, and a styrene-butadiene-styrene three-block copolymer with a total styrene content of from 5 to 75% by weight, in particular from 25 to 50% by weight. It is also possible for the anionically polymerized, impact-modified polystyrene with cellular particle morphology to be mixed subsequently with the above-described styrene-butadiene-styrene three-block copolymer or with an impact-modified polystyrene with cellular particle morphology.
The styrene-butadiene block copolymers used have preferably been stopped with an alcohol or a phenol as chain terminator.
The residual butadiene content of the styrene-butadiene block copolymers used should be below 200 ppm, preferably below 50 ppm, in particular below 10 ppm.
The styrene-butadiene copolymer may be dissolved in styrene and, where appropriate, another solvent and used directly for the polymerization of styrene in the presence of the styrene-butadiene copolymer for preparing the impact-modified polystyrene.
The content of styrene-butadiene block copolymer, based on the impact-modified polystyrene, is advantageously from 5 to 25% by weight.
The conversion, based on styrene in the hard matrix, is generally above 90%, preferably above 99%. The process may in principle also be taken to complete conversion.
Instead of styrene, use may also be made of other vinylaromatic monomers for the polymerization of the hard matrix or of the styrene blocks in the block copolymers. Examples of others which are suitable are xcex1-methylstyrene, p-methylstyrene, ethylstyrene, tert-butylstyrene, vinyltoluene, 1,2-diphenylethylene and 1,1-diphenylethylene, and mixtures. It is particularly preferable to use styrene.
Instead of butadiene, the rubbers may also contain other dienes, such as 1,3-pentadiene, 2,3-dimethylbutadiene, isoprene or mixtures of these.
The anionic polymerization initiators used are usually mono-, bi- or multifunctional alkyl, aryl or aralkyl compounds of alkali metals. It is advantageous to use organolithium compounds, such as ethyl-, propyl-, isopropyl-, n-butyl-, sec-butyl-, tert-butyl-, phenyl-, diphenylhexyl-, hexamethylenedi-, butadienyl-, isoprenyl-, or polystyryllithium, or the multifunctional compounds 1,4-dilithiobutane, 1,4-dilithio-2-butene or 1,4-dilithiobenzene. The amount needed of alkali metal organyl compound depends on the molecular weight desired, on the type and amount of the other metal organyl compounds used, and also on the polymerization temperature. It is generally from 0.002 to 5 mol percent, based on the total amount of monomer.
The polymerization may be carried out in the absence of or in the presence of a solvent. Solvents whose use is preferred are aromatic hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon mixtures, such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene or cumene. The use of toluene is particularly preferred.
The polymerization is preferably carried out at a solvent content below 40 percent by weight. The reaction rate here may be reduced by adding compounds which reduce the polymerization rate, known as retarders, as described in WO 98/07766. It is preferable for the retarder used to be magnesium organyl compounds, aluminum organyl compounds or zinc organyl compounds, alone or in mixtures.
Suitable magnesium organyl compounds are those of the formula R2Mg, where the radicals R, independently of one another, are hydrogen, halogen, C1-C20-alkyl or C6-C20-aryl. It is preferable to use dialkylmagnesium compounds, in particular the commercially available ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl or octyl compounds. It is particularly preferable to use (n-butyl)(sec-butyl)magnesium, which is soluble in hydrocarbons.
The aluminum organyl compounds used may be those of the formula R3Al, where the radicals R, independently of one another, are hydrogen, halogen, C1-C20-alkyl or C6-C20-aryl. Preferred aluminum organyl compounds are the trialkylaluminum compounds, such as triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, tri-n-butylaluminum, triisopropylaluminum and tri-n-hexylaluminum. It is particularly preferable to use triisobutylaluminum. The aluminum organyl compounds used may also be those produced by partial or complete hydrolysis, alcoholysis, aminolysis or oxidation of alkyl- or arylaluminum compounds. Examples of these are diethylaluminum ethoxide, diisobutylaluminum ethoxide, diisobutyl(2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenoxy)aluminum (CAS No. 56252-56-3), methylaluminoxane, isobutylated methylaluminoxane, isobutylaluminoxane, tetraisobutyldialuminoxane and bis(diisobutyl)aluminum oxide.
The molar ratios of retarder to polymerization initiator may be varied within wide limits and depend mainly on the retarding effect desired, on the polymerization temperature, on the monomer composition and monomer concentration, and also on the molecular weight desired, and it is advantageous to select a molar ratio of retarder to polymerization initiator of from 0.2:1 to 10:1.
It is particularly preferable for the polymerization of the styrene to be carried out in the presence of a trialkylaluminum or dialkylmagnesium compound.
To increase the elongation at break, from 0.1 to 10% by weight, preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight, of mineral oil, based on the impact-modified polystyrene, may be added in the process of the invention.
As described in WO 97/07766, the polymerization of the hard styrene matrix may be carried out batchwise or continuously, in stirred reactors, circulating reactors, tubular reactors, tower reactors or disc reactors. It is preferable for the polymerization to be carried out continuously in a reactor arrangement composed of at least one back-mixing reactor (e.g. stirred reactor) and of at least one non-back-mixing reactor (e.g. tower reactor).
After completion of the polymerization of the hard styrene matrix, it is preferable to carry out termination with a protic substance, for example alcohols, such as isopropanol, phenols, water or acids, such as aqueous carbon dioxide.
It can be advantageous to crosslink the rubber particles by controlling the temperature appropriately and/or by adding peroxides, in particular those with a high decomposition temperature, such as dicumyl peroxide. The peroxides are added here after completion of the polymerization and after any addition of a chain terminator, and prior to the devolatilization. However, it is preferable for the soft phase to be crosslinked thermally after the polymerization at from 200 to 300xc2x0 C.
Other conventional auxiliaries, such as stabilizers, lubricants, flame retardants, antistats, etc., may be added to the polymers of the invention.
The impact-modified polystyrene of the invention is suitable for producing fibers, films or moldings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication device, an electronic timepiece and a wireless communication method.
Description of the Related Art
Recently, wireless communication devices for performing wireless communication based on Bluetooth (a trademark) which is a standard for near field communication have spread.
For example, JP-A-2008-005060 discloses an image data transmission/reception system for performing transmission and reception of image data by near field communication. In this system, a device for transmitting and receiving image data identifies a device which is a transmission source or a transmission destination based on device IDs assigned to devices, respectively. As an ID for a device, a unique serial number (a Bluetooth device address) assigned to the device during manufacturing of the device can be used.
This near field communication is used even between a wireless communication terminal such as a smart phone and an electronic timepiece. Even in this case, a Bluetooth device address (hereinafter, referred to as a “device address” can be used as a device ID. The device ID of the electronic timepiece is generated by encoding a unique serial number assigned to the device during manufacturing of the device.
In this case, a current wireless communication device such as a smart phone or an electronic timepiece performs mutual authentication with a wireless communication device which is first connected thereto. In a case where mutual authentication succeeds, the wireless communication device stores the device ID of the connected wireless communication device in its own storage unit. The process of registering information on a wireless communication device in a case where the wireless communication device is connected in the above described manner is referred to as pairing. Thereafter, when the wireless communication device is connected with a paired wireless communication device, connection is established without processing such as mutual authentication.
As described above, the device address of a wireless communication device for performing near field communication is generated during manufacturing of the device. Thereafter, the device address cannot be changed or updated by a user's operation or the like.
Some of the wireless communication devices for performing near field communication can be paired with only one wireless communication device. As an example of such devices, there is an electronic timepiece pairable with only one smart phone.
In a case of connecting such a wireless communication device to a non-paired different wireless communication device, unless performing an operation for breaking an existing pairing, a user cannot perform an operation on any other wireless communication device. The operation for breaking the pairing is an operation for deleting information device addresses stored in the storage units of the paired wireless communication devices.
For example, in a case where a wireless communication device is an electronic timepiece pairable only with one smart phone, in order to delete an existing pairing, three deleting operations are required. The first deleting operation is an operation for deleting information on the paired smart phone, such as the device address, from the storage unit of the electronic timepiece. The second deleting operation is an operation for deleting information on the electronic timepiece, such as the device address, from the operating system (OS) of the paired smart phone. The third deleting operation is an operation of deleting information on the electronic timepiece, such as the device address, from the application software of the paired smart phone.
Also, even in a case where the electronic time piece is pairable with only one smart phone needs to redo pairing due to a problem attributable to updating of the OS of the smart phone, in order to break the existing pairing, the three deleting operations are required.
As described above, in the configuration of a wireless communication device for performing near field communication according to the related art, in order to break a pairing, operations for deleting information such as device addresses are required. Therefore, convenience for users deteriorates. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Field of the Invention
The disclosure generally relates to an antenna system, and more particularly, to an antenna system with a harmonic suppression element.
Description of the Related Art
To meet LTE-A (Long Term Evolution -Advance) requirements, support of transmission bandwidths that are wider than the 20 MHz bandwidth specified in 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) Release 8/9 is required. The preferred solution to this is carrier aggregation, which is one of the most distinctive features of 4G LTE-A. Carrier aggregation allows the expansion of effective bandwidth delivered to a user terminal through concurrent utilization of radio resources across multiple carriers. Multiple component carriers are aggregated to form a larger overall transmission bandwidth.
However, the technology of carrier aggregation requires multiple frequency ranges and a wide frequency range width. It has become a critical challenge for engineers to design such an antenna system to meet the requirements of carrier aggregation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a holder for use with a roll of sheet material such as of toilet paper, paper toweling, synthetic resin film, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "roll of sheet material").
It has heretofore been customary for the roll of sheet material to be held in position by being accommodated within a container provided with a slit for dispensatory discharge of the material or by inserting a roller through the tubular core of said roll and causing this roller to be supported at the opposed ends thereof on a holder.
The holder of the former principle entails a disadvantage that the sheet material, while being discharged through said slit, tends to sustain rupture prior to departure from the container interior or the holder itself has a complicated structure. The holder of the latter principle has a disadvantage that the user is compelled to go through the troublesome operation of removing the roller from the holder while keeping the roller in a contracted state by exertion of force thereon, inserting the removed roller through the tubular core of a newly supplied roll of sheet material and subsequently causing the roller, in conjunction with the roll carried thereon, to snap into position on the holder while keeping the roller again in a contracted state by exertion of force thereon.
As described above, the conventional holders for rolls of sheet materials have possessed a complicated structure or have inevitably necessitated troublesome operations in exchanging the remnant of a consumed roll with a newly supplied roll.
An object of the present invention is to provide a holder for a roll of sheet material, which holder has a simple structure and permits the setting of the roll in position to be accomplished by a simple movement of one hand of the user.
The expression "roll of sheet material" as used in the specification hereof refers to a strip of toilet paper, paper toweling, synthetic resin film, aluminum foil or the like which is wrapped round and round in the form of a roll containing at the center thereof a hole for insertion of a roller. Such a roll is generally wrapped round the outside of a tubular core. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
This invention relates generally to Gatling-type miniguns. More specifically, it relates to an improved barrel clamp assembly for an electrically powered minigun.
Gatling-type miniguns have been known for many years. The Gatling-type minigun is a multi-barreled machine gun with a high rate of fire (2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute). It features Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source, such as an electric motor. One previous example of such a gun is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,971,515 B2, entitled “Access Door for Feeder and Delinker of a Gatling Gun,” which is incorporated herein by this reference. Long existing motivations in the design of Gatling-type miniguns have been to minimize jams, extend the operational life and improve ease of use of such guns.
Gatling-type miniguns include a barrel assembly for holding and rotating barrels. It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved barrel clamp assembly for a barrel assembly of such a minigun.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Vehicle brake actuators of the fluid type, utilizing compressed air, or subatmospheric pressures, usually consist of housings having sheet metal portions interconnected at outwardly extending flanges. Seals and diaphragms are often incorporated into the flnage interconnection, and the flanges may be held together by bolts or other fasteners, and many actuators utilize clamping bands to maintain the assembly of the housing portion flanges.
Many vehicle brake actuators utilize heavy duty compression springs for producing the motive forces of the brake, and in such brake actuator constructions the compression spring provides the braking force to render the brake "fail-safe" in the event of loss of compressed air, or the like.
The incorporation of heavy duty compression springs into brake actuators produces a hazardous safety problem during servicing. Special assembly equipment permits the actuators to be safely assembled under controlled conditions wherein the spring may be compressed by a take-up bolt as the housing portions are assembled. However, if the mechanic is inexperienced and does not use the take-up bolt properly, or if the clamp bands holding the actuator together become loose, the actuator end cap may be thrown from the bulkhead with great force.
The danger to the mechanic arising from the disassembly of a brake actuator housing containing a powerful compression spring in a compressed state is obvious. While the spring take-up bolt reduces the danger to the mechanic when disassembling a brake actuator, such safety devices as known are not as dependable as they should be, or require such a sequence of steps as to be difficult to follow by an inexperienced mechanic. Additionally, many safety devices require positive action by the mechanic to be rendered operable, and a mechanic unfamiliar with a particular type of brake actuator and safety apparatus may easily be injured.
It is an object of the invention to provide a low cost safety restraint for brake actuators utilizing compression springs wherein the safety restraint limits the separation of the actuator housing portions upon removal of the conventional clamping means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a low cost safety restraint for brake actuators which limits the separation of the actuator housing portions under the influence of internal springs, and the configuration of the restraint and the associated housing portion is such that the force of the actuator spring augments the forces necessary to maintain alignment of the restraint with the housing portions critical to the operative functioning of the restraint.
In the practice of the invention brake actuators using the restraint disclosed include housings, such as end caps, and the like, which each employ an outwardly extending flange at the connecting line of the housings. These flanges are maintained in an aligned relationship, often having a diaphragm periphery sandwiched therebetween, and drawn toward each other by clamping structure, such as bolts or a clamping band. In the disclosed embodiment a clamping band is employed. The band includes a plurality of circular segments, and at each end an outwardly extending ear includes a hole through which a bolt may be inserted. Two or more segments are employed to circumscribe the brake actuator and as the clamping band includes portions which confine the housing flanges as the band is constricted tightening of the bolts draws the housing flanges toward each other to maintain the actuator assembly.
The safety restraint in accord with the invention comprises planar metal bodies which are affixed to one of the housing portions, usually an end cap. In the disclosed embodiment the restraints include a tang which is received within a rectangular opening in the end cap, and the tang is staked or upset within the opening to attach the restraint to the actuator housing.
The safety restraint includes a notch of sufficient radial depth to receive the housing flanges when fully connected by their clamp band. The sides of the restraint body notches align with the flanges, and the spacing between the notch sides is greater than the spacing between the housing flanges when fully connected. Thus, the notches will prevent excessive separation of the housing flanges as the clamp band is released as long as the restraint notch maintains its alignment with the flanges.
To insure this alignment, cooperating and complementary surfaces are defined on one of the housing flanges and a notch side engaged therewith wherein axial biasing forces produced by an actuator compression spring imposed on the safety restraint as the housing separates also produces an inward force on the restraint to insure the maintaining of the flanges within the restraint notch. To this end an undercut oblique portion defined on the housing flange associated with the restraint member produces a surface engaging a complementary surface defined on the restraint notch side which results in an inward force vector as axial forces are imposed upon the restraint.
The undercut portion of the flange is best defined by forming the associated flange in a conical configuration converging inwardly in the direction of the other housing portion. The restraint notch side engaging this flange is also of a conical complementary configuration, and this "oblique" orientation of the engaging flange and notch surfaces produces the inward force on the restraint.
At least two restraints must be used, and to evenly distribute the restraining forces on the housing, the restraints are evenly spaced about the brake actuator circumference. Two restraints will be located at diametrically opposed 180.degree. locations. Usually, only two clamp band segments are required to maintain the assembly of the actuator housings, and the restraints, which are of a planar configuration, are located intermediate the ears of opposed clamp band segments and include holes defined therein through which the clamp band bolts may extend. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention is directed to benzamidine derivatives and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, which inhibit the enzyme, factor Xa, thereby being useful as anti-coagulants. It also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the derivatives or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and methods of their use.
Factor Xa is a member of the trypsin-like serine protease class of enzymes. A one-to-one binding of factors Xa and Va with calcium ions and phospholipid forms the prothrombinase complex which converts prothrombin to thrombin. Thrombin, in turn, converts fibrinogen to fibrin which polymerizes to form insoluble fibrin.
In the coagulation cascade, the prothrombinase complex is the convergent point of the intrinsic (surface activated) and extrinsic (vessel injury-tissue factor) pathways (Biochemistry (1991), Vol. 30, p. 10363; and Cell (1988), Vol. 53, pp. 505-518). The model of the coagulation cascade has been refined further with the discovery of the mode of action of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) (Seminars in Hematology (1992), Vol. 29, pp. 159-161). TFPI is a circulating multi-domain serine protease inhibitor with three Kunitz-like domains which competes with factor Va for free factor Xa. Once formed, the binary complex of factor Xa and TFPI becomes a potent inhibitor of the factor VIIa and tissue factor complex.
Factor Xa can be activated by two distinct complexes, by tissue factor-VIIa complex on the xe2x80x9cXa burstxe2x80x9d pathway and by the factor IXa-VIIIA complex (TENase) of the xe2x80x9csustained Xaxe2x80x9d pathway in the coagulation cascade. After vessel injury, the xe2x80x9cXa burstxe2x80x9d pathway is activated via tissue factor (TF). Up regulation of the coagulation cascade occurs via increased factor Xa production via the xe2x80x9csustained Xaxe2x80x9d pathway. Down regulation of the coagulation cascade occurs with the formation of the factor Xa-TFPI complex, which not only removes factor Xa but also inhibits further factor formation via the xe2x80x9cXa burstxe2x80x9d pathway. Therefore, the coagulation cascade is naturally regulated by factor Xa.
The primary advantage of inhibiting factor Xa over thrombin in order to prevent coagulation is the focal role of factor Xa versus the multiple functions of thrombin. Thrombin not only catalyzes the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, factor VII to VIIIA, factor V to Va, and factor XI to XIa, but also activates platelets, is a monocyte chemotactic factor, and mitogen for lymphocytes and smooth muscle cells. Thrombin activates protein C, the in vivo anti-coagulant inactivator of factors Va and VIIIa, when bound to thrombomodulin. In circulation, thrombin is rapidly inactivated by antithrombin III (ATIII) and heparin cofactor II (HCII) in a reaction which is catalyzed by heparin or other proteolycan-associated glycosaminoglycans, whereas thrombin in tissues is inactivated by the protease, nexin. Thrombin carries out its multiple cellular activation functions through a unique xe2x80x9ctethered ligandxe2x80x9d thrombin receptor (Cell (1991), Vol. 64, p. 1057), which requires the same anionic binding site and active site used in fibrinogen binding and cleavage and by thrombomodulin binding and protein C activation. Thus, a diverse group of in vivo molecular targets compete to bind thrombin and the subsequent proteolytic events will have very different physiological consequences depending upon which cell type and which receptor, modulator, substrate or inhibitor binds thrombin.
Published data with the proteins antistasin and tick anti-coagulant peptide (TAP) demonstrate that factor Xa inhibitors are efficacious anti-coagulants (Thrombosis and Haemostasis (1992), Vol. 67, pp. 371-376; and Science (1990), Vol. 248, pp. 593-596).
The active site of factor Xa can be blocked by either a mechanism-based or a tight binding inhibitor (a tight binding inhibitor differs from a mechanism-based inhibitor by the lack of a covalent link between the enzyme and the inhibitor). Two types of mechanism-based inhibitors are known, reversible and irreversible, which are distinguished by ease of hydrolysis of the enzyme-inhibitor link (Thrombosis Res (1992), Vol. 67, pp. 221-231; and Trends Pharmacol. Sci. (1987), Vol. 8, pp. 303-307). A series of guanidino compounds are examples of tight-binding inhibitors (Thrombosis Res. (1980), Vol. 19, pp. 339-349). Arylsulfonyl-arginine-piperidinecarboxylic acid derivatives have also been shown to be tight-binding inhibitors of thrombin (Biochem. (1984), Vol. 23, pp. 85-90), as well as a series of arylamidine-containing compounds, including 3-amidinophenylaryl derivatives (Thrombosis Res. (1983), Vol. 29, pp. 635-642) and bis(amidino)benzyl cycloketones (Thrombosis Res. (1980), Vol. 17, pp. 545-548). However, these compounds demonstrate poor selectivity for it factor Xa.
European Published Patent Application 0 540 051 (Nagahara et al.) describes aromatic amidine derivatives which are stated to be capable of showing a strong anticoagulant effect through reversible inhibition of factor Xa.
The synthesis of xcex1,xcex1xe2x80x2-bis(amidinobenzylidene)cycloalkanones and xcex1,xcex1xe2x80x2-bis(amidinobenzyl)cycloalkanones is described in Pharmazie (1977), Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 141-145. These compounds are disclosed as being serine protease inhibitors.
This invention is directed to compounds or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts which inhibit human factor Xa and are therefore useful as pharmacological agents for the treatment of disease-states characterized by thrombotic activity.
Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides compounds selected from the group consisting of the following formulae:
wherein
A is xe2x80x94C(R11)xe2x95x90 or xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90;
Z1 and Z2 are independently xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94N(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, or xe2x80x94OCH2xe2x80x94;
R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, nitro, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)CH2C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8, xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12, or xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)CH2C(O)N(R8)R9;
R2 is hydrogen; halo; alkyl; haloalkoxy; xe2x80x94OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3); morpholin-4-yl; 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy;
or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, carboxy, alkoxysarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, carboxyalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl));
or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is 1-piperazinoyl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkylcarbonyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, and tetrazolylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl and aralklyl);
or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, amidino, 1-iminoethyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
R4 and R7 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, nitro, xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(H)C(O)R8, or xe2x80x94N(H)S(O)2R12;
R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)OR8, xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)C(O)OR12, xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)S(O)2R12, xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)C(O)N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)C(O)R8;
R6 is halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, nitro, amino, ureido, guanidino, xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(NH)NHOH, xe2x80x94C(O)R10, xe2x80x94(CH2)mC(O)N(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94CH(OH)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94N(H)C(O)R8, (1,2)-tetrahydropyrimidinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), (1,2)-imidazolyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), or (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl);
each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl;
R10 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, 1-pyrrolidinyl, 4-morpolinyl, 4-piperazinyl, 4-(N-methyl)piperazinyl, or piperidin-1-yl;
R11 is hydrogen, alkyl or halo; and
R12 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl;
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
In another aspect, this invention provides compositions useful in treating a human having a disease-state characterized by thrombotic activity, which composition comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the invention as described above, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
In another aspect, this invention provides a method of treating a human having a disease-state characterized by thrombotic activity, which method comprises administering to a human in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the invention as described above.
In another aspect, this invention provides a method of treating a human having a disease-state alleviated by the inhibition of factor Xa, which method comprises administering to a human in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the invention as described above.
In another aspect, this invention provides a method of inhibiting human factor Xa in vitro or in vivo by the administration of a compound of the invention.
As used in the specification and appended claims, unless specified to the contrary, the following terms have the meaning indicated:
xe2x80x9cHaloxe2x80x9d refers to bromo, chloro or fluoro.
xe2x80x9cAminocarbonylxe2x80x9d refers to the radical xe2x80x94C(O)NH2.
xe2x80x9cAmidinoxe2x80x9d refers to the radical xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2.
xe2x80x9cBenzamidinexe2x80x9d refers to a phenyl radical substituted by an amidino radical.
xe2x80x9cCarboxyxe2x80x9d refers to the radical xe2x80x94C(O)OH.
xe2x80x9cDimethylaminocarbonylxe2x80x9d refers to the radical xe2x80x94C(O)N(CH3)2.
xe2x80x9cAlkylxe2x80x9d refers to a straight or branched chain monovalent or divalent radical consisting solely of carbon and hydrogen, containing no unsaturation and having from one to six carbon atoms, e.g., methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, 1-methylethyl (iso-propyl), n-butyl, n-pentyl, 1,1-dimethylethyl (t-butyl), and the like.
xe2x80x9cAlkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a straight or branched chain monovalent or divalent radical consisting solely of carbon and hydrogen, containing at least one double bond and having from one to six carbon atoms, e.g., ethenyl, prop-1-enyl, but-1-enyl, pent-1-enyl, pent-1,4-dienyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cHaloalkylxe2x80x9d refers to an alkyl radical, as defined above, that is substituted by one or more halo radicals, as defined above, e.g., trifluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trichloromethyl, 2-trifluoroethyl, 1-fluoromethyl-2-fluoroethyl, 3-bromo-2-fluoropropyl, 1-bromomethyl-2-bromoethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cHaloalkoxyxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ORb wherein Rb is haloalkyl as defined above, e.g., trifluoromethoxy, difluoromethoxy, trichloromethoxy, 2-trifluoroethoxy, 1-fluoromethyl-2-fluoroethoxy, 3-bromo-2-fluoropropoxy, 1-bromomethyl-2-bromoethoxy, and the like.
xe2x80x9cArylxe2x80x9d refers to a phenyl or naphthyl radical optionally substituted by halo, alkyl, alkoxy, amino, nitro or carboxy.
xe2x80x9cAralkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaRc where Ra is alkyl as defined above and Rc is aryl as defined above, e.g., benzyl.
xe2x80x9cAryloxyxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ORc where Rc is phenyl or naphthyl, e.g., phenoxy and naphthoxy.
xe2x80x9cAlkoxyxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ORa where Ra is alkyl as defined above, e.g., methoxy, ethoxy, n-propoxy, 1-methylethoxy (iso-propoxy), n-butoxy, n-pentoxy, 1,1-dimethylethoxy (t-butoxy), and the like.
xe2x80x9cAlkanolxe2x80x9d refers to a branched or unbranched aliphatic hydrocarbon of 1 to 6 carbons wherein one hydroxyl radical is attached thereto, e.g., methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and the like.
xe2x80x9cAminocarbonylalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaC(O)NH2 wherein Ra is alkyl as defined above, e.g., aminocarbonylmethyl, 2-aminocarbonylethyl, 3-aminocarbonylpropyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-aminocarbonylethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Alkylamino)carbonylalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaC(O)N(H)Ra wherein each Ra is the same or different and is alkyl as defined above, e.g., (methylamino)carbonylmethyl, 2-(ethylamino)carbonylethyl, 3-(methylamino)-carbonylpropyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-(ethylamino)carbonylethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Dialkylamino)carbonylalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaC(O)N(Ra)2 wherein each Ra is the same or different and is alkyl as defined above, e.g., (dimethylamino)carbonylmethyl, 2-(diethylamino)carbonylethyl, 3-(dimethylamino)carbonylpropyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-(diethylamino)carbonylethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Arylamino)carbonylalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaC(O)N(H)Rc wherein Ra is alkyl as defined above and Rc is aryl as defined above, e.g., phenylaminocarbonylmethyl, 2-phenylaminocarbonylethyl, 3-phenylaminocarbonylpropyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-phenylaminocarbonylethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Aralkylamino)carbonylalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaC(O)N(H)Rc wherein Ra is alkyl as defined above and Rd is aralkyl as defined above, e.g., benzylaminocarbonylmethyl, 2-benzylaminocarbonylethyl, 3-benzylaminocarbonylpropyl, 1-dimethyl-2-benzylaminocarbonylethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cAlkoxycarbonylalkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ReC(O)ORa wherein Ra is lower alkyl as defined above and Re is alkenyl as defined above, e.g., 2-methoxycarbonylethenyl, 3-methoxycarbonyprop-1-enyl, 2-ethoxycarbonylethenyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cCarboxyalkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ReC(O)OH where Re is alkenyl as defined above, e.g., 2-carboxyethenyl, 3-carboxyprop-1-enyl, 4-carboxybut-1-enyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cAminocarbonylalkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ReC(O)NH2 wherein Re is alkenyl as defined above, e.g., 2-aminocarbonylethenyl, 3-aminocarbonylprop-1-enyl, 1-methyl-2-aminocarbonylethenyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Alkylamino)carbonylalkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ReC(O)N(H)Ra wherein Ra is alkyl as defined above and Re is alkenyl as defined above, e.g., 2-(ethylamino)carbonylethenyl, 3-(methylamino)carbonylprop-1-enyl, 1-methyl-2-(ethylamino)carbonylethenyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Dialkylamino)carbonylalkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ReC(O)N(Ra)2 wherein each Ra is the same or different and is as defined above and Re is alkenyl as defined above, e.g., 2-(diethylamino)carbonylethenyl, 3-(dimethylamino)carbonylprop-1-enyl, 1-methyl-2-(diethylamino)carbonylethenyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Arylamino)carbonylalkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ReC(O)N(H)Rc wherein Rc is aryl as defined above and Re is alkenyl as defined above, e.g., 2-(phenylamino)carbonylethenyl, 3-(phenylamino)carbonylprop-1-enyl, 1-methyl-2-(phenylamino)carbonylethenyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Aralkylamino)carbonylalkenylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ReC(O)N(H)Rd wherein Rd is aralkyl as defined above and Re is alkenyl as defined above, e.g., 2-(benzylamino)carbonylethenyl, 3-(benzylamino)carbonylprop-1-enyl, 1-methyl-2-(benzylamino)carbonylethenyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Hydroxyalkoxy)carbonylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)ORa wherein Ra is alkyl as defined above substituted by a hydroxy radical, e.g., 2-(hydroxy)ethoxycarbonyl, 3-(hydroxy)propoxycarbonyl, 5-(hydroxy)pentoxycarbonyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Alkoxy)alkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)ORaORa wherein each Ra is the same or different and is alkyl as defined above, e.g., 2-(methoxy)ethoxycarbonyl, 3-(methoxy)propoxycarbonyl, 5-(ethoxy)pentoxycarbonyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c(Hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)ORaORa, wherein each Ra is the same or different and is alkyl as defined above, and the terminal Ra radical is substituted by a hydroxy radical, e.g., 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxycarbonyl, 2-(3-hydroxypropoxy)ethoxycarbonyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c((Alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)ORaORaORa where each Ra is the same or different and is alkyl as defined above, e.g., 2-(2-(methoxy)ethoxy)ethoxycarbonyl, 3-(2-(methoxy)ethoxy)propoxycarbonyl, 4-(3-ethoxy)propoxy)butoxycarbonyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cHaloalkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)ORb wherein Rb is haloalkyl as defined above, e.g., trifluoromethoxycarbonyl, difluoromethoxycarbonyl, trichloromethoxycarbonyl, 2-trifluoroethoxycarbonyl, 1-fluoromethyl-2-fluoro-ethoxycarbonyl, 3-bromo-2-fluoropropoxycarbonyl, 1-bromomethyl-2-bromoethoxy-carbonyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cCarboxyalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaC(O)OH where Ra is alkyl as defined above, e.g., carboxymethyl, 2-carboxyethyl, 3-carboxypropyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cAlkoxycarbonylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)ORa wherein Ra is alkyl as defined above, e.g., methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, n-propoxycarbonyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cAlkoxycarbonylalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaC(O)ORa wherein each Ra is the same or different and is alkyl as defined above, e.g., methoxycarbonylethyl, ethoxycarbonylethyl, t-butoxycarbonylethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9cMorpholin-4-ylalkylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94RaRf where Ra is alkyl as defined above and Rf is a morpholin-4-yl radical, e.g., morpholin-4-ylmethyl, morpholin-4-ylethyl, and the like.
xe2x80x9c4-morpholinoylxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)Rf where Rf is a morpholin-4-yl radical.
xe2x80x9c(3,4)-Piperidinyloxyxe2x80x9d refers to a radical of the formula xe2x80x94ORg where Rg is a piperidinyl radical attached to the oxygen atom at either the 3- or 4-position.
xe2x80x9c3-Tetrahydrofuranyloxyxe2x80x9d refers to the radical of the formula xe2x80x94ORh where Rh is a tetrahydrofuranyl radical attached to the oxygen atom at the 3-position.
xe2x80x9c3-Pyrrolidinyloxyxe2x80x9d refers to the radical of the formula xe2x80x94ORi where Ri is a pyrrolidinyl radical attached to the oxygen atom at the 3-position.
xe2x80x9c1-Piperazinoylxe2x80x9d refers to the radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)Rj where Rj is piperazin-1-yl.
xe2x80x9c1-Piperidinoylxe2x80x9d refers to the radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)Rk where Rk is piperidin-1-yl.
xe2x80x9c1-Pyrrolidinoylxe2x80x9d refers to the radical of the formula xe2x80x94C(O)Rm where Rm is pyrrolidin-1-yl.
xe2x80x9c(1,2)-lmidazolylxe2x80x9d refers to an imidazolyl radical attached at either the 1- or 2-position.
xe2x80x9c(1,2)-lmidazolinylxe2x80x9d refers to a 4,5-dihydroimidazolyl radical attached at either the 1- or the 2-position.
xe2x80x9cDMSOxe2x80x9d refers to dimethyl sulfoxide.
xe2x80x9cHPLCxe2x80x9d refers to high performance liquid chromatography.
xe2x80x9cOptionalxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coptionallyxe2x80x9d means that the subsequently described event of circumstances may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances in which it does not. For example, xe2x80x9coptionally substituted arylxe2x80x9d means that the aryl radical may or may not be substituted and that the description includes both substituted aryl radicals and aryl radicals having no substitution.
xe2x80x9cPharmaceutically acceptable saltxe2x80x9d includes both acid and base addition salts.
xe2x80x9cPharmaceutically acceptable acid addition saltxe2x80x9d refers to those salts which retain the biological effectiveness and properties of the free bases, which are not biologically or otherwise undesirable, and which are formed with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and the like, and organic acids such as acetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, propionic acid, glycolic acid, pyruvic acid, oxalic acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, mandelic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, salicylic acid, and the like.
xe2x80x9cPharmaceutically acceptable base addition saltxe2x80x9d refers to those salts which retain the biological effectiveness and properties of the free acids, which are not biologically or otherwise undesirable. These salts are prepared from addition of an inorganic base or an organic base to the free acid. Salts derived from inorganic bases include, but are not limited to, the sodium, potassium, lithium, ammonium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, aluminum salts and the like. Preferred inorganic salts are the ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium salts. Salts derived from organic bases include, but are not limited to, salts of primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, substituted amines including naturally occurring substituted amines, cyclic amines and basic ion exchange resins, such as isopropylamine, trimethylamine, diethylamine, triethylamine, tripropylamine, ethanolamine, 2-dimethylaminoethanol, 2-diethylaminoethanol, trimethamine, dicyclohexylamine, lysine, arginine, histidine, caffeine, procaine, hydrabamine, choline, betaine, ethylenediamine, glucosamine, methylglucamine, theobromine, purines, piperazine, piperidine, N-ethylpiperidine, polyamine resins and the like. Particularly preferred organic bases are isopropylamine, diethylamine, ethanolamine, trimethamine, dicyclohexylamine, choline and caffeine.
xe2x80x9cTherapeutically effective amountxe2x80x9d refers to that amount of a compound of formula (I) which, when administered to a human in need thereof, is sufficient to effect treatment, as defined below, for disease-states characterized by thrombotic activity. The amount of a compound of formula (I) which constitutes a xe2x80x9ctherapeutically effective amountxe2x80x9d will vary depending on the compound, the disease-state and its severity, and the age of the human to be treated, but can be determined routinely by one of ordinary skill in the art having regard to his own knowledge and to this disclosure.
xe2x80x9cTreatingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctreatmentxe2x80x9d as used herein cover the treatment of a disease-state in a human, which disease-state is characterized by thrombotic activity; and include:
(i) preventing the disease-state from occurring in a human, in particular, when such human is predisposed to the disease-state but has not yet been diagnosed as having it;
(ii) inhibiting the disease-state, i.e., arresting its development; or
(iii) relieving the disease-state, i.e., causing regression of the disease-state.
The yield of each of the reactions described herein is expressed as a percentage of the theoretical yield.
The compounds of the invention, or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, may have asymmetric carbon atoms in their structure. The compounds of the invention and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts may therefore exist as single stereoisomers, racemates, and as mixtures of enantiomers and diastereomers. All such single stereoisomers, racemates and mixtures thereof are intended to be within the scope of this invention.
The nomenclature used herein is a modified form of the I.U.P.A.C. system wherein the compounds of the invention are named as derivatives of benzamidine. For example, a compound of the invention selected from formula (I), i.e.,
wherein A is xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90, Z1 and Z2 are both xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, R1 and R3 are both fluoro, R2 is methyl, R4 is methoxy, R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, R6 is dimethylamino, and R7 is hydrogen, that is, a compound of the following formula:
is named herein as 4-methoxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine.
The compounds of the invention are inhibitors of factor Xa and therefore useful in disease-states characterized by thrombotic activity based on factor Xa""s role in the coagulation cascade (see Background of the Invention above). A primary indication for the compounds is prophylaxis for long term risk following myocardial infarction. Additional indications are prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) following orthopedic surgery or prophylaxis of selected patients following a transient ischemic attack. The compounds of the invention may also be useful for indications in which coumadin is currently used, such as for DVT or other types of surgical intervention such as coronary artery bypass graft and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The compounds are also useful for the treatment of thrombotic complications associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia, diabetes, multiple myelomas, disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with septic shock, purpura fulminanas associated infection, adult respiratory distress syndrome, unstable angina, and thrombotic complications associated with aortic valve or vascular prosthesis. The compounds are also useful for prophylaxis for thrombotic diseases, in particular in patients who have a high risk of developing such disease.
In addition, the compounds of the invention are useful as in vitro diagnostic reagents for selectively inhibiting factor Xa without inhibiting other components of the coagulation cascade.
The primary bioassays used to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of the compounds of the invention on factor Xa are simple chromogenic assays involving only serine protease, the compound of the invention to be tested, substrate and buffer (see, e.g., Thrombosis Res. (1979), Vol. 16, pp. 245-254). For example, four tissue human serine proteases can be used in the primary bioassay, free factor Xa, prothrombinase, thrombin (IIa) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The assay for tPA has been successfully used before to demonstrate undesired side effects in the inhibition of the fibrinolytic process (see, e.g., J. Med. Chem. (1993), Vol. 36, pp. 314-319). Another bioassay useful in demonstrating the utility of the compounds of the invention in inhibiting factor Xa demonstrates the potency of the compounds against free factor Xa in citrated plasma. For example, the anticoagulant efficacy of the compounds of the invention will be tested using either the prothrombin time (PT), or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) while selectivity of the compounds is checked with the thrombin clotting time (TCT) assay. Correlation of the Ki in the primary enzyme assay with the Ki for free factor Xa in citrated plasma will screen against compounds which interact with or are inactivated by other plasma components. Correlation of the Ki with the Fat extension of the PT is a necessary in vitro demonstration that potency in the free factor Xa inhibition assay translates into potency in a clinical coagulation assay. In addition, extension of the PT in citrated plasma can be used to measure duration of action in subsequent pharmacodynamic studies.
For further information on assays to demonstrate the activity of the compounds of the invention, see R. Lottenberg et al., Methods in Enzymology (1981), Vol. 80, pp. 341-361, and H. Ohno et al., Thrombosis Research (1980), Vol. 19, pp. 579-588.
Administration of the compounds of the invention, or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, in pure form or in an appropriate pharmaceutical composition, can be carried out via any of the accepted modes of administration or agents for serving similar utilities. Thus, administration can be, for example, orally, nasally, parenterally, topically, transdermally, or rectally, in the form of solid, semi-solid, lyophilized powder, or liquid dosage forms, such as for example, tablets, suppositories, pills, soft elastic and hard gelatin capsules, powders, solutions, suspensions, or aerosols, or the like, preferably in unit dosage forms suitable for simple administration of precise dosages. The compositions will include a conventional pharmaceutical carrier or excipient and a compound of the invention as the/an active agent, and, in addition, may include other medicinal agents, pharmaceutical agents, carriers, adjuvants, etc.
Generally, depending on the intended mode of administration, the pharmaceutically acceptable compositions will contain about 1% to about 99% by weight of a compound(s) of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and 99% to 1% by weight of a suitable pharmaceutical excipient. Preferably, the composition will be about 5% to 75% by weight of a compound(s) of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with the rest being suitable pharmaceutical excipients.
The preferred route of administration is oral, using a convenient daily dosage regimen which can be adjusted according to the degree of severity of the disease-state to be treated. For such oral administration, a pharmaceutically acceptable composition containing a compound(s) of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is formed by the incorporation of any of the normally employed excipients, such as, for example, pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose, starch, pregelatinized starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, talcum, cellulose ether derivatives, glucose, gelatin, sucrose, citrate, propyl gallate, and the like. Such compositions take the form of solutions, suspensions, tablets, pills, capsules, powders, sustained release formulations and the like.
Preferably such compositions will take the form of capsule, caplet or tablet and therefore will also contain a diluent such as lactose, sucrose, dicalcium phosphate, and the like; a disintegrant such as croscarmellose sodium or derivatives thereof; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate and the like; and a binder such as a starch, gum acacia, polyvinylpyrrolidone, gelatin, cellulose ether derivatives, and the like.
The compounds of the invention, or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, may also be formulated into a suppository using, for example, about 0.5% to about 50% active ingredient disposed in a carrier that slowly dissolves within the body, e.g., polyoxyethylene glycols and polyethylene glycols (PEG), e.g., PEG 1000 (96%) and PEG 4000 (4%).
Liquid pharmaceutically administrable compositions can, for example, be prepared by dissolving, dispersing, etc., a compound(s) of the invention (about 0.5% to about 20%), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and optional pharmaceutical adjuvants in a carrier, such as, for example, water, saline, aqueous dextrose, glycerol, ethanol and the like, to thereby form a solution or suspension.
If desired, a pharmaceutical composition of the invention may also contain minor amounts of auxiliary substances such as wetting or emulsifying agents, pH buffering agents, antioxidants, and the like, such as, for example, citric acid, sorbitan monolaurate, triethanolamine oleate, butylated hydroxytoluene, etc.
Actual methods of preparing such dosage forms are known, or will be apparent, to those skilled in this art; for example, see Remington""s Pharmaceutical Sciences, 18th Ed., (Mack Publishing Company, Easton, Pa., 1990). The composition to be administered will, in any event, contain a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for treatment of a disease-state alleviated by the inhibition of factor Xa in accordance with the teachings of this invention.
The compounds of the invention, or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, are administered in a therapeutically effective amount which will vary depending upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the metabolic stability and length of action of the compound, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, mode and time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, the severity of the particular disease-states, and the host undergoing therapy. Generally, a therapeutically effective daily dose is from about 0.14 mg to about 14.3 mg/kg of body weight per day of a compound of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; preferably, from about 0.7 mg to about 10 mg/kg of body weight per day; and most preferably, from about 1.4 mg to about 7.2 mg/kg of body weight per day. For example, for administration to a 70 kg person, the dosage range would be from about 10 mg to about 1.0 gram per day of a compound of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, preferably from about 50 mg to about 700 mg per day, and most preferably from about 100 mg to about 500 mg per day.
Of the compounds of the invention as set forth above in the Summary of the Invention, several groups of compounds are preferred.
One preferred group are those compounds selected from formula (I):
wherein
A is xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90;
Z1 and Z2 are independently xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94N(R8)xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94OCH2xe2x80x94;
R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, haloalkyl, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8, or xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12;
R2 is hydrogen; halo; alkyl; haloalkoxy; xe2x80x94OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3); morpholin-4-yl; 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy;
or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, carboxyalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy) alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl));
or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is 1-piperazinoyl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, or alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkylcarbonyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, or tetrazolylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, alkoxycarbonylalkyl or aralklyl);
or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, amidino, 1-iminoethyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, or alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
R4 is hydrogen, xe2x80x94OR8 or xe2x80x94N(R8)R9;
R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2;
R6 is guanidino, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94CH(OH)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), 1-piperidinoyl, 1-pyrrolidinoyl, (1,2)-imidazolyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), or (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl);
R7 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl, xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9;
R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl or phenyl; and
R12 is methyl, ethyl, phenyl or benzyl.
Of this group of compounds, a preferred subgroup of compounds is that subgroup wherein
Z1 and Z2 are independently xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94NCH3xe2x80x94;
R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, trifluoromethyl, amino, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94NHC(O)NHR9;
R2 is hydrogen; alkyl; haloalkoxy; xe2x80x94OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)OR8; xe2x80x94N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3); morpholin-4-yl; 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy;
or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, carboxyalkenyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl));
or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxyalkyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxy and alkoxycarbonyl);
or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxyalkyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl and aralklyl);
or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of 1-iminoethyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
R4 is hydrogen, amino, hydroxy, or methoxy;
R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2;
R6 is guanidino, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 1), (1,2)-imidazolyl substituted by alkyl, or 2-imidazolinyl substituted by alkyl;
R7 is hydrogen, methoxy, or hydroxy; and
R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, or phenyl.
Of this subgroup of compounds, a preferred class of compounds is that class wherein Z1 and Z2 are both xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94; R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, fluoro, or chloro; R4 is amino, hydrogen, hydroxy or methoxy; R6 is guanidino, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 or 1), (1,2)-imidazolyl substituted by methyl, or 2-imidazolinyl optionally substituted by methyl; and R7 is hydrogen or hydroxy.
Of this class of compounds, a preferred subclass of compounds is that subclass wherein R4 is hydroxy; R6 is dimethylamino or dimethylaminocarbonyl; and R7 is hydrogen.
Of this subclass of compounds, preferred compounds are selected from the following:
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(1-ethoxycarbonylmethylpyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-propoxypyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(4-carboxypiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-dimethylaminopyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(1,3-difluoroprop-2-oxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(1-bromo-3-fluoroprop-2-oxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-methylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-((methyl)(carboxymethyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-methoxypyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonyphenoxy)-4-(3-carboxypiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(4-carboxymethyl-piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(piperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl) oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(morpholin-4-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-(4-carboxymethylpiperazinyl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-(4-ethoxycarbonylmethylpiperazinyl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-(4-carboxy-2-methoxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-(4-carboxy-2-(morpholin-4-ylmethyl)phenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-((methyl)(carboxymethyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(aminocarbonylmethoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-(1-carboxymethylpiperidin-4-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-carboxymethoxypyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-((2-dimethylaminoethyl)(carboxymethyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-(1-(1-iminoethyl)pyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(pyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl]oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(1-ethoxycarbonylmethylpyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl]oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-(1-(1-iminoethyl)pyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-4-((1-carboxymethyl)pyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine; and
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminophenoxy)-4-((methyl)((carboxymethyl)aminocarbonylmethyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine.
Of this class of compounds, another preferred subclass of compounds is that subclass wherein wherein R4 is hydroxy; R6 is (1,2)-imidazolyl substituted by methyl or 2-imidazolinyl substituted by methyl; and R7 is hydrogen.
Of this subclass, preferred compounds are selected from the following:
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxycarbonylpiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((methyl)(carboxymethyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((methyl)(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-(1-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl)piperidin-4-yl)aminopyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-(2-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethenyl)phenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-(2-carboxyethenyl)phenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(5-carboxypyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(4-(1-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl)piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-4-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(4-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-hydroxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-5-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-5-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,3-dimethoxy-5-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,3-dimethoxy-5-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-aminocarbonyl-5-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-methoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3,5-dicarboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-4-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-6-(3,5-dicarboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-carboxy-5-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-amidinophenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-aminocarbonyl-5-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-chloro-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethyl-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-ethoxycarbonylmethyl)piperidin-4-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(4-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)piperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(5-ethoxycarbonylpyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(1-carboxymethylpiperidin-4-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(1-(1-carboxy-1-methylethyl)piperidin-4-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(4-ethoxycarbonylpiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-ethoxycarbonylpiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-carboxypiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy-4-(4-carboxypiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(3-(2-ethoxycarbonylethyl)phenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-4-ethoxycarbonylmethylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-4-carboxymethylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-5-(tetrazol-5-yl)phenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((2-dimethylaminoethyl)(carboxymethyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-carboxymethylpiperidin-4-yl)(methyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-carboxymethylpiperidin-4-yl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-ethoxycarbonylmethylpiperidin-4-yl)(methyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)piperidin-4-yl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((piperidin-4-yl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((piperidin-4-yl)(methyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-((1-benzylpiperidin-4-yl)(methyl)amino)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(5-carboxypent-1-oxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine; and
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(1-methylimidazolin-2-yl)phenoxy)-4-(4-carboxymethylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine.
Of this class of compound, another preferred subclass of compounds is that subclass wherein R4 is hydroxy; R6 is guanidino; and R7 is hydrogen.
Of this subclass of compounds, preferred compounds are selected from the following:
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-((1-ethoxycarbonylmethyl)piperidin-4-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(1-carboxymethylpiperidin-4-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(5-ethoxycarbonylpyrrolidin-3-yloxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-methoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-aminocarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(2-methoxy-4-carboxyphenoxy)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine;
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(methyl)(phenyl)aminocarbonylpyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine; and
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-(guanidino)phenoxy)-4-(4-carboxymethylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl)oxy]benzamidine.
Another preferred group of compounds are selected from formula (VII):
wherein
Z1 and Z2 are independently xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94N(R8)xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94OCH2xe2x80x94;
R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, haloalkyl, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8, or xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12;
R2 is hydrogen; halo; alkyl; haloalkoxy; xe2x80x94OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3); morpholin-4-yl; 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy;
or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, carboxyalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy) alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl));
or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is 1-piperazinoyl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, or alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkylcarbonyl, carboxy, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, or tetrazolylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, alkoxycarbonylalkyl or aralklyl);
or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, amidino, 1-iminoethyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
R4 is hydrogen, xe2x80x94OR8 or xe2x80x94N(R8)R9;
R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2;
R6 is guanidino, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94CH(OH)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), 1-piperidinoyl, 1-pyrrolidinoyl, (1,2)-imidazolyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), or (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl);
R7 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl, xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9;
R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl or phenyl;
R12 is methyl, ethyl, phenyl or benzyl.
Of this group of compounds, a preferred subgroup of compounds is that subgroup wherein Z1 and Z2 are independently xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94NCH3xe2x80x94;
R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, trifluoromethyl, amino, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94NHC(O)NHR9;
R2 is hydrogen; alkyl; haloalkoxy; xe2x80x94OR8; xe2x80x94C(O)OR8; xe2x80x94N(R8)R9; xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to 3); xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6); xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3); morpholin-4-yl; 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy;
or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, carboxyalkenyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl));
or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxyalkyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxy and alkoxycarbonyl);
or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxyalkyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl and aralklyl);
or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of 1-iminoethyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl);
R4 is hydrogen, amino, hydroxy, or methoxy;
R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2;
R6 is guanidino, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 1), (1,2)-imidazolyl substituted by alkyl, or 2-imidazolinyl substituted by alkyl;
R7 is hydrogen, methoxy, or hydroxy; and
R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, or phenyl.
Of this subgroup of compounds, a preferred class of compounds is that class wherein Z1 and Z2 are both xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94; R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, fluoro, or chloro; R4 is amino, hydrogen, hydroxy or methoxy; R6 is guanidino, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 or 1), (1,2)-imidazolyl substituted by methyl, or 2-imidazolinyl optionally substituted by methyl; and R7 is hydrogen or hydroxy.
Of this class of compounds, a preferred subclass of compounds is that subclass wherein R4 is hydroxy; R6 is dimethylamino or dimethylaminocarbonyl; and R7 is hydrogen.
Of this subclass of compounds, preferred compounds are 4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonylphenoxy)-2-methoxypyridin-4-yl)-oxy]benzamidine; and
4-hydroxy-3-[(3,5-difluoro-6-(3-dimethylaminocarbonyl-phenoxy)-2-(2-methoxy-5-ethoxycarbonylphenoxy)pyridin-4-yl)oxy]benzamidine.
As a matter of convenience, the following description of the preparation of the compounds of the invention is directed to the preparation of compounds of formula (I). It is understood, however, that similar synthetic processes may be used to prepare the compounds of formula (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII) and (VIII). It is also understood that in the following description, combinations of substituents and/or variables (e.g., R4 and R5) on the depicted formulae are permissible only if such combinations result in stable compounds.
1. Compounds of Formula (C)
Compounds of formula (C), as shown below, are intermediates in the preparation of the compounds of the invention. As illustrated below in Reaction Scheme 1, compounds of formula (C) are prepared from compounds of formulae (A) and (B) wherein X is chloro or fluoro and R2a is xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3) or piperazinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxycarbonylalkyl); and each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl:
Compounds of formula (A) and (B) can be prepared according to methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art or are commercially available, for example, from Aldrich Chemical Company, Inc. or from Maybridge Co.
In general, compounds of formula (C) are prepared by reacting a compound of formula (A) with an equimolar amount of a compound of formula (B) at 0xc2x0 C. to 40xc2x0 C., preferably at ambient temperature, in the presence of a base, e.g., triethylamine, or in the presence of a second equivalent of the compounds of formula (B). The compounds of formula (C) are isolated from the resulting reaction mixture by conventional methods.
2. Compounds of Formula (F)
Compounds of formula (F), as shown below, are also intermediates in the preparation of the compounds of the invention. As illustrated below in Reaction Scheme 2, compounds of formula (F) are prepared from compounds of formulae (D) and (E) where each X is independently chloro or fluoro; and R2 is alkoxy, haloalkoxy, xe2x80x94O(CH)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6), xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3), morpholin-4-yl, 3-tetrahydrofuranyloxy; or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl)); or R2 is 1-piperidinyl (optionally substituted by alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is 1-piperazinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl or alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by alkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl or tetrazolylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl or aralklyl); or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by alkyl, aralkyl or alkoxycarbonylalkyl); and each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl:
Compounds of formulae (D) and (E) are commercially available, for example, from Aldrich Chemical Company, Inc., or may be prepared according to methods known to those skilled in the art.
In general, compounds of formula (F) are prepared by treating a compound of formula (D) with a compound of formula (E) in an aprotic solvent, for example, methylene chloride, at between about 0xc2x0 C. and 500xc2x0 C., preferably at ambient temperature, and, if the hydrogen in the compound of formula (E) is an hydroxyl hydrogen, in the presence of a base, for example, cesium carbonate. The compound of formula (F) is isolated from the reaction mixture by standard techniques.
3. Compounds of Formulae (J) and (K)
Compounds of formulae (J) and (K), as shown below, are also intermediates in the preparation of the compounds of the invention. As illustrated below in Reaction Scheme 3, compounds of formula (J) and (K) are prepared from compounds of formula (G) and formula (H) where A is xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90 or xe2x80x94C(R11)xe2x95x90 (where R11 is hydrogen, alkyl or halo); X is fluoro of chloro; R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, nitro, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)CH2C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8, xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12, or xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)CH2xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9; R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkoxy, xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where is n 1 to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3), morpholin-4-yl, 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy; or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl)); or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is 1-piperazinoyl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, and tetrazolylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl and aralklyl); or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); R4 is independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, nitro, xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94N(H)C(O)R8; each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl; and R12 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl:
Compounds of formula (G) include compounds of formulae (C) and (F) as described above, or may be prepared by methods described herein or by methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art. They may also be commercially available, for example, from Aldrich Chemical Co., Inc. or from Maybridge Co. Compounds of formula (H) may be prepared by methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art or may be commercially available, for example, from Aldrich Chemical Co., Inc.
In general, the compounds of formulae (J) and (K) are prepared by reacting a compound of formula (G) with a compound of formula (H) (in an equimolar amount for a compound of formula (K) and with two or more equivalents of a compound of formula (H) for a compound of formula (J)) in the presence of a base, e.g., sodium hydride or cesium carbonate, at temperatures between about 20xc2x0 C. and 120xc2x0 C., preferably, for compounds of formula (J), at temperatures of around 50xc2x0 C., in an aprotic solvent, for example, dimethylformamide, DMSO or acetonitrile, for a period of time sufficient to complete the desired reaction as monitored by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Compounds of formulae (J) and (K) are then isolated from the reaction mixture by standard isolation techniques.
In a similar manner, compounds of formula (G) may be treated with compounds of formula (H) wherein the hydroxy group is replaced by an amino group to produce compounds of formulae (J) and (K) wherein the ether connecting group is replaced by an amino connecting group. The amino group can then be alkylated by standard procedures.
Compounds of formulae (J) and (K) wherein R4 is an amino group may be further treated with an alkylsulfonyl halide, e.g., methylsulfonylchloride, under basic conditions at ambient temperature to produce compounds of formulae (J) and (K) wherein R4 is xe2x80x94N(H)S(O)2R12.
4. Compounds of Formula (M)
Compounds of formula (M), as shown below, are also intermediates in the preparation of the compounds of the invention. As illustrated below in Reaction Scheme 4, compounds of formula (M) are prepared from compounds of formula (K) and formula (L) where A is xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90 or xe2x80x94C(R11)xe2x95x90 (where R11 is hydrogen, alkyl or halo); X is fluoro of chloro; R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, nitro, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)CH2C(O)N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)CH2C(O)N(R8)R9; R2 is hydrogen, alkyl haloalkoxy, xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3), morpholin-4-yl, 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy; or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl)); or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is 1-piperazinoyl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, and tetrazolylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl and aralklyl); or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); R4 and R7 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, nitro, xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94N(H)C(O)R8; R6 is halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, nitro, amino, ureido, guanidino, xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(NH)NHOH, xe2x80x94C(O)R10, xe2x80x94(CH2)mC(O)N(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94CH(OH)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94N(H)C(O)R8, (1,2)-tetrahydropyrimidinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), (1,2)-imidazolyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), or (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl); each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl; and R12 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl:
Compounds of formula (K) are prepared according to the methods described herein (see Reaction Scheme 3 above). Compounds of formula (L) are commercially available, for example, from Aldrich Chemical Co., or from Maybridge Co., or may be prepared according to methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
In general, the compounds of formula (M) are prepared in a manner similar to that described by above for compounds of formula (J) and (K).
Compounds of formula (M) where R4 or R7 is hydroxy may be reacted with a haloalkane, such as iodomethane, under standard conditions to produce the corresponding compounds of formula (M) where R4 or R7 is alkoxy.
Compounds of formula (M) where R6 or R7 contains xe2x80x94C(O)OR8 where R8 is alkyl or aryl may be hydrolyzed under basic conditions (for example, in the presence of sodium hydroxide) to produce compounds of formula (M) where R6 or R7 contains xe2x80x94C(O)OR8 where R8 is hydrogen.
Compounds of formula (M) where the ether connecting group has been replaced by an unsubstituted amino connecting group may be treated with an alkylating agent, such as iodomethane, in the presence of a base, to produce compounds of formula (M) wherein the amino connecting group is substituted by alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl. In addition, compounds of formula (K) can be treated with a compound of formula (L) wherein the hydroxy group is replaced by a hydroxymethyl (xe2x80x94CH2OH) group to produce the corresponding compounds of formula (M).
Compounds of formula (M) where each R6 and R7 independently contains xe2x80x94C(O)OR8 where R8 is hydrogen may be amidated or esterified under standard conditions to produce compounds of formula (M) where R6 or R7 contains xe2x80x94C(O)OR8 where R8 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, or compounds of formula (M) where R6 or R7 contains xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9 where R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl.
Compounds of formula (M) where R3 is nitro may be reduced under standard conditions to produce compounds of formula (M) where R3 is amino; which can then be reacted with the appropriate acid halide or aryl- or alkylsulfonyl halide to produce compounds of formula (M) where R3 is xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8 or xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12 where R8 and R12 are as defined above. In addition, compounds of formula (M) where R3 is amino can be reacted with an isocyanate or chloroformate to produce compounds of formula (M) where R3 is xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9 or xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)OR8.
5. Compounds of Formula (P)
Compounds of formula (P), as shown below, are also intermediates in the preparation of the compounds of the invention, particularly those compounds of formula (I) wherein A is xe2x80x94C(R11)xe2x95x90. As illustrated below in Reaction Scheme 5, compounds of formula (P) are prepared from compounds of formulae (N) and (O) where X is fluoro or chloro; R1 and R3 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)CH2C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8, xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12, or xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)CH2xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9; R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkoxy, xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR8 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR8 (where p is 1 to 6), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR8 (where each n is independently 1 to 3), morpholin-4-yl; 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy; or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR12, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, carboxyalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl)); or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is 1-piperazinoyl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkylcarbonyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, and tetrazolylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl and aralklyl); or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, amidino, 1-iminoethyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl; R11 is hydrogen, alkyl or halo; and R12 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl:
Compounds of formulae (N) and (O) may be prepared according to ordinary skill in the art, or by methods described herein, or may be commercially available, for example, from Aldrich Chemical Co., Inc.
In general, compounds of formula (P) are prepared in the same manner as described above for compounds of formula (J), except the temperatures at which the reaction is run are elevated to between about 50xc2x0 C. and 130xc2x0 C. The compounds of formula (P) are isolated from the reaction it mixture by conventional techniques.
In the following Reaction Scheme 6, compounds of formula (Ia) are compounds of formula (I) as described above in the Summary of the Invention wherein Z1 and Z2 are xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94. As illustrated below in Reaction Scheme 6, wherein A is xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90 or xe2x80x94C(R11)xe2x95x90 (where R11 is hydrogen, alkyl or halo); R1 and R3 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, nitro, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)OR13, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)CH2C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8, xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12, or xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)CH2xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9; R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkoxy, xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)OR13, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, C(O)N(R8)(CH2)mC(O)OR13 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR13 (where n is 1 to 3), N((CH2)nN(R8)R9)(CH2)nC(O)OR13 (where each n is 1 to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)R9 (where n is 1 to to 3), xe2x80x94O(CH2)pC(O)OR13 (where p is 1 to 6), xe2x80x94N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)N(R8)(CH2)nC(O)OR13 (wherein each n is independently 1 to 3), morpholin-4-yl, 3-tetrahydrofuranoxy; or R2 is aryloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, halo, alkyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, haloalkoxy, haloalkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, carboxyalkyl, aminocarbonylalkyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkenyl, carboxyalkenyl, aminocarbonylalkenyl, (alkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (dialkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (arylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (aralkylamino)carbonylalkenyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)carbonyl, (alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, (hydroxyalkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, ((alkoxy)alkoxy)alkoxycarbonyl, tetrazolyl, morpholin-4-ylalkyl, and (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl)); or R2 is piperazin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is 1-piperazinoyl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-1-yl (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); or R2 is (3,4)-piperidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkylcarbonyl, carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl, and tetrazolylalkyl); or R2 is piperidin-4-ylamino (wherein the amino is optionally substituted by alkyl and the piperidinyl group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl and aralklyl); or R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy (optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl, amidino, 1-iminoethyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl and alkoxycarbonylalkyl); R4 and R7 are independently hydrogen, halo, alkyl, nitro, xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(O)OR13, xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94N(H)C(O)R8; R6 is halo, alkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, nitro, amino, ureido, guanidino, xe2x80x94OR8, xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2, xe2x80x94C(NH)NHOH, xe2x80x94C(O)R10, xe2x80x94(CH2)mC(O)N(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94CH(OH)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94(CH2)mN(R8)R9 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94(CH2)mC(O)OR13 (where m is 0 to 3), xe2x80x94N(H)C(O)R8, (1,2)-tetrahydropyrimidinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), (1,2)-imidazolyl (optionally substituted by alkyl), or (1,2)-imidazolinyl (optionally substituted by alkyl); each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl; R10 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, 1-pyrrolidinyl, 4-morpholinyl, 4-piperazinyl, 4-(N-methyl)piperazinyl, or 1-piperidinyl; R12 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl; and R13 is hydrogen, alkyl or aralkyl; compounds of formula (Ia) are prepared from compounds of formula (Q) as follows:
Compounds of formula (Q) are prepared as described herein above for compounds of formulae (J), (M), and (P).
In general, compounds of formula (Ia) are prepared from compounds of formula (Q) by dissolving the compound of formula (Q) in an anhydrous alkanol, preferably ethanol and then treating the solution with an anhydrous mineral acid, preferably HCl, while maintaining the reaction temperatures between about xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. and ambient temperature for between 2 hours and 24 hours, allowing the temperature to rise to ambient temperature while monitoring for reaction completion, for example, through thin layer chromatography. The solvent is then removed and the resulting residue dissolved in fresh anhydrous alkanol, preferably ethanol. The resulting solution was then treated with anhydrous ammonia at ambient pressure or in a sealed flask, at temperatures from between ambient temperature and 100xc2x0 C. for about 1 to about 5 hours. The compounds of formula (Ia) are then isolated from the reaction mixture by standard techniques.
Compounds of formula (Ia) wherein R6 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2 or xe2x80x94C(NH)NHOH are produced from the corresponding cyano compounds.
Alternatively, instead of treating the resulting residue above with anhydrous ammonia, the resulting residue may be treated with a compound of the formula NH2OR8 to afford the corresponding compound of formula (Ia) wherein R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)OR8.
In addition, compounds of formula (Ia) which contain a xe2x80x94C(O)OR13 group may be treated under standard transesterification conditions with an phenol or a naphthol (either optionally substituted by halo, alkyl, alkoxy, amino, nitro or carboxy) to produce compounds of the invention which contain a xe2x80x94C(O)OR8 group where R8 is aryl.
Compounds of formula (Ia) wherein R6 is xe2x80x94C(NH)NH2 or xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)OR13 are produced from the corresponding cyano compounds in a similar manner as that described above for the compounds of formula (Ia).
In addition, compounds of formula (Ia) where R1, R2, R3, R4, and R7 contains a xe2x80x94N(R8)R9 group where R8 and R9 are hydrogen, can be treated with the appropriate alkylating agents to afford the corresponding compounds of formula (Ia) where R1, R2, R3, R4, and R7 contains xe2x80x94N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)S(O)2R12, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)R9, xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)N(R8)CH2xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9, or xe2x80x94N(R8)C(O)R8 where each R8 and R9 is independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, and R12 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl.
Compounds of formula (Ia) may be further treated with the appropriate acid halide, preferably acid chloride, or with the appropriate acid anhydride or an equivalent, to yield compounds of the invention wherein R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)C(O)R8 where R8 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl.
Alternatively, compounds of formula (Ia) may further be treated with carbamoyl chlorides or their equivalents to yield compounds of the invention where R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)C(O)OR12 where R12 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl.
Alternatively, compounds of formula (Ia) may be further treated with compounds of the formula R12xe2x80x94S(O)2-imidazole where R16 is described in the Summary of the Invention in a polar solvent, such as methylene choride, at ambient temperature to afford compounds of the invention where R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)S(O)2R12.
Alternatively, compounds of formula (Ia) may be further treated with an appropriatly Nxe2x80x94R9-substituted phenylcarbamate in a polar solvent, preferably methylene chloride, at ambient temperature, for about 6 to 24 hours, preferably for about 12 hours, to afford compounds of the invention where R5 is xe2x80x94C(NH)N(H)C(O)N(R8)R9.
Compounds of formula (Ia) wherein R1, R2 or R3 contains xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9 or xe2x80x94C(O)OR13 where each R8 and R9 are independently alkyl, haloalkyl, aryl or aralkyl, and R13 is alkyl or aralkyl may be hydrolyzed under acidic conditions to prepare compounds of formula (Ia) where R1, R2 or R3 contains xe2x80x94C(O)OR8 where R8 is hydrogen.
Under the same conditions as previously described, compounds of formula (Ia) where R1, R2 or R3 contains xe2x80x94C(O)OR13 where R13 is hydrogen, alkyl, or aralkyl, may be amidated to form compounds of formula (Ia) where R1, R2 or R3 contains xe2x80x94C(O)N(R8)R9 where R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl.
Compounds of formula (Ia) where R4 is xe2x80x94OR8 where R8 is alkyl, aryl or aralkyl, may be converted to compounds of formula (Ia) where R4 is xe2x80x94OR8 where R8 is hydrogen by treatment with boron tribromide in an aprotic solvent, for example, methylene chloride, at temperatures at first between xe2x88x9280xc2x0 C. and 0xc2x0 C., then at ambient temperature, for about 4 hours to about 16 hours.
Alternatively, compounds of formula (Ia) where R4 is xe2x80x94OR8 where R8 is arylmethyl, preferably, benzyl, may be treated with hydrogen and the appropriate catalyst, for example, palladium on carbon, to give compounds of formula (Ia) where R4 is xe2x80x94OR8 where R8 is hydrogen.
Compounds of formula (Ia) where R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy substituted by arylmethyl on the a nitrogen may be treated under standard hydrogenolysis conditions to remove the arylmethyl group to produce compounds of formula (Ia) where R2 is unsubstituted 3-pyrrolidinyloxy, which can then be reacted with the appropriate imidate to produce the compounds of formula (Ia) where R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy substituted by 1-iminoethyl, or with the appropriate haloalkyl esters to produce the compounds of formula (Ia) where R2 is 3-pyrrolidinyloxy substituted by alkoxycarbonylalkyl.
In summary, compounds of the invention, are prepared by:
1) reacting a compound of formula (A) as described above with a compound of formula (B) as described above under the conditions as described above to produce a compound of formula (C) as described above, which is an intermediate in the preparation of the compounds of the invention; or
2) reacting a compound of formula (D) as described above with a compound of formula (E) as described above under conditions as described above to produce a compound of formula (F) as described above, which is an intermediate in the preparation of the compounds of the invention; or
3) reacting a compound of formula (G) as described above, which can be a compound of formula (C) as described above or a compound of formula (F) as described above, with a compound of formula (H) as described above under conditions as described above to produce a compound of formula (J) or a compound of formula (K) as described above, which are intermediates in the preparation of the compounds of the invention; then
4) reacting a compound of formula (K) as described above with a compound of formula (L) as described above under conditions as described above to produce a compound of formula (M) as described above, which is an intermediate in the preparation of the compounds of the invention; or
5) reacting a compound of formula (N) as described above with a compound of formula (O) as described above under conditions as described above to produce a compound of formula (P) as described above, which is an intermediate in the preparation of the compounds of the invention: then
6) reacting a compound of formula (Q) as described above, which can be a compound of formula (J), a compound of formula (M) or a compound of formula (P) as described above, with the appropriate reagent under the conditions as described above to form compounds of formula (Ia) as described above.
Similar reactions may be performed on similar starting materials and intermediates to produce the corresponding compounds of the inventions not depicted in the Reaction Schemes above.
In addition, all compounds of the invention that exist in free base form or free acid form may be converted to their pharmaceutically acceptable salts by treatment with the appropriate inorganic or organic acid, or by the appropriate inorganic or organic base. Salts of the compounds of the invention can also be converted to the free base form or to the free acid form or to another salt. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates generally to an electric actuator apparatus and, in particular, to an apparatus for actuating vehicle all-wheel steering systems.
Early all-wheel steering systems were generally applied to agricultural and construction vehicles. Since such types of vehicles typically are provided with hydraulic systems, the steering system was powered by hydraulic actuators.
Early four-wheel steering systems for automotive type vehicles steered both the front and rear wheels through steering gear mechanisms. The transfer function between the steering input produced by the driver and the front wheel steering angle, and the transfer function between the steering input and the rear wheel steering angle were both determined by the steering gear mechanism. However, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,131, a vehicle steering control system is shown in which the transfer functions for the front wheel steering angle and the rear wheel steering angle are different so as to obtain optimum cornering characteristics for the vehicle. This steering system has a steering input sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, means for determining the transfer function for the front wheels from a steering frequency and a vehicle speed, means for determining the transfer function of the rear wheels, a front wheel actuator for steering the front wheels, and a rear wheel actuator for steering the rear wheels. The means for determining the transfer function of the rear wheels may be an electronic circuit, or a hydraulic fluid flow restrictor such as an orifice, or mechanical gearing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,981, a four-wheel steering system includes a steering wheel, a front wheel turning mechanism for turning the front wheels in response to the operation of the steering wheel, and a rear wheel turning mechanism which turns the rear wheels in response to operation of the steering wheel and is provided with an electric actuator for changing the position of a moveable member the position of which determines a rear wheel turning angle ratio. The rear wheel turning angle ratio is the ratio of the turning angle of the rear wheels to the turning angle of the front wheels for a given turning angle of the steering wheel. A control circuit receives a vehicle speed signal from a vehicle speed sensor and controls the electric actuator according to the detected vehicle speed so that a target rear wheel turning angle ratio determined in advance according to the vehicle speed is obtained. A preset vehicle speed detector detects a preset vehicle speed and a rear wheel turning angle ratio detector detects the actual rear wheel turning angle ratio. A correction circuit receives signals from the preset vehicle speed detector and the rear wheel turning angle ratio detector and controls the electric actuator to change the position of the moveable member so that the actual rear wheel turning angle ratio coincides with the target rear wheel turning angle ratio at the preset vehicle speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,089 discloses a rear steering control system employing separate closed-loop feedback control and open-loop feedforward control paths. The response characteristics of the open-loop and closed-loop control paths are separately scheduled to optimize the overall system performance. A computer based control unit controls separate electric motors for turning the front and rear wheels. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to monobenzene nitrophenylenediamines having at least one cationic charge delocalized on an unsaturated 5-membered polynitrogenous heterocycle, and comprising at least one cationic group which is chosen from certain aliphatic chains, to their use as direct dyes in dyeing applications for keratinous substances, in particular for human keratinous fibers and especially the hair, to the dyeing compositions comprising them, and to the dyeing processes employing such compositions.
It is known to dye keratinous fibers, and in particular the hair, with dyeing compositions comprising direct dyes, that is to say coloring molecules having an affinity for the fibers. The dyeing process which employs them is a so-called direct dyeing process, wherein the direct dyes are allowed to stand on the fibers and are then rinsed.
The colorings which result therefrom are temporary or semi-permanent colorings, because the nature of the interactions which bind the direct dyes to the keratinous fiber and their desorption from the surface and/or from the core of the fiber are responsible for their weak dyeing power and their poor ability to withstand washing operations or perspiration.
Cationic nitrophenylenediamines have certainly already been described among known direct dyes but their cationic charge is localized on the nitrogen atom of an aliphatic chain or of a mononitrogenous heterocycle. Such nitrophenylenediamines are disclosed, for example, in British Patent No. 1,164,824 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,556, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
However, in hair dyeing, there is a constant search for direct dyes which exhibit improved characteristics.
It is therefore after a great deal of research directed at this question that the inventors have now just discovered, entirely unexpectedly and surprisingly, novel cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamines with at least one cationic charge delocalized over an unsaturated 5-membered polynitrogenous heterocycle and therefore comprising at least one Z cationic group, Z being chosen from quaternized aliphatic chains, aliphatic chains comprising at least one quaternized saturated ring and aliphatic chains comprising at least one quaternized unsaturated ring.
This novel family of dyes exhibits the highly advantageous distinguishing feature of a greater solubility in dyeing media, and these novel dyes produce colors, by direct coloring, which possess a power and a resistance (to the various attacks which hair may be subject to: light, rubbing, bad weather, shampoos or perspiration) which are significantly improved with respect to those of the colors produced with known cationic nitrophenylenediamines of the prior art, the cationic charge of which is localized on the nitrogen atom of an aliphatic chain or of a mononitrogenous heterocycle.
This discovery forms the basis of the present invention.
The subject of the present invention is thus the cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamines of following formula (I):
in which formula,
R1, R2, R3 and R4, which can be identical or different, represent a hydrogen atom; a Z group defined below; a (C1-C6)alkyl radical; a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkoxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an aryl radical; a benzyl radical; a cyano(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a carbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a thiocarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a trifluoro-(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a sulpho(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarboxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylsulphinyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an aminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94Z-aminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical, the alkyl of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more hydroxyl radicals; or an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical, the alkyl of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more hydroxyl radicals and the amine of which is substituted by one or two identical or different radicals which may together form, with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, a carbonaceous 5- or 6-membered ring or a 5- or 6-membered ring comprising one or more heteroatoms, or which are chosen from alkyl, monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl, polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, carbamyl, Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl or N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl, (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl, formyl, trifluoro(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, (C1-C6)alkylcarboxyl or thiocarbamyl radicals, or from a Z group defined below;
R5 and R6, which can be identical or different, represent a hydrogen atom; a halogen atom; a Z group defined below; a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl radical; an amino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94Z-amino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylamino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylamino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl radical; an amino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94Z-amino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl(C1-C8)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylamino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylamino(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a carboxyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarboxyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl radical; an aminosulphonyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94Z-aminosulphonyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl radical; an aminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94Z-aminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a carbamyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl radical; a carbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkyl radical; a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkoxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a trifluoro(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a cyano radical; an OR7 or xe2x80x94SR7 group defined below; or an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical, the alkyl of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more hydroxyl radicals and the amine of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or two identical or different radicals which may together form, with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, a carbonaceous 5- or 6-membered ring or a 5- or 6-membered ring comprising one or more heteroatoms, or which are chosen from (C1-C6)alkyl, monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl, polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, carbamyl, Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl or N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl, (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl, formyl, trifluoro(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, (C1-C6)alkylcarboxyl or thiocarbamyl radicals, or from a Z group defined below;
R7 denotes a hydrogen atom; a (C1-C6)alkyl radical; a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical; a Z group; a (C1-C6)alkoxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an aryl radical; a benzyl radical; a carboxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarboxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a cyano(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a carbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a trifluoro(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an aminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94Z-aminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an N,N-da(C1-C6)alkylaminosulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylsulphinyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical, the alkyl of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more hydroxyl radicals; or an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical, the alkyl of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more hydroxyl radicals and the amine of which is substituted by one or two identical or different radicals which may together form, with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, a carbonaceous 5- or 6-membered ring or a 5- or 6-membered ring comprising one or more heteroatoms, or which are chosen from (C1-C6)alkyl, monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl, polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl, (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, formyl, trifluoro(C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, (C1-C6)alkylcarboxyl, carbamyl, Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl, N,N-di(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl, thiocarbamyl or (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl radicals, or from a Z group defined below;
Z is chosen from the unsaturated cationic groups of following formulae (II) and (III) and the saturated cationic groups of following formula (IV):
xe2x80x83in which formulae:
D is a linking arm which represents a linear or branched alkyl chain preferably comprising from 1 to 14 carbon atoms which can be interrupted by one or more heteroatoms, such as oxygen, sulphur or nitrogen atoms, and which can be substituted by one or more hydroxyl or (C1-C6)alkoxy radicals and which can carry one or more ketone functional groups;
the E, G, J, L and M vertices, which are identical or different, represent a carbon, oxygen, sulphur or nitrogen atom;
n is an integer ranging from 0 to 4;
m is an integer ranging from 0 to 5;
the R radicals, which are identical or different, represent a second Z group identical to or different from the first Z group; a halogen atom; a hydroxyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkyl radical; a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical; a nitro radical; a cyano radical; a cyano(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkoxy radical; a tri(C1-C6)alkylsilyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an amido radical; a formyl radical; a carboxyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl radical; a thio radical; a thio(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylthio radical; an amino radical; an amino radical protected by a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, carbamyl or (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl radical; or an NHRxe2x80x2 or NRxe2x80x2Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3 group in which Rxe2x80x2 and Rxe2x80x2xe2x80x3, which are identical or different, represent a (C1-C6)alkyl radical, a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical or a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical;
R8 represents a (C1-C6)alkyl radical; a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical; a cyano(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a tri(C1-C6)alkylsilyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkoxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a carbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarboxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a benzyl radical; or a second Z group identical to or different from the first Z group;
R9, R10 and R11, which are identical or different, represent a (C1-C6)alkyl radical; a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkoxy-(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a cyano(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an aryl radical; a benzyl radical; an amido(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a tri(C1-C6)alkylsilyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; or an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical, the amine of which is protected by a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, carbamyl or (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl radical; two of the R9, R10 and R11 radicals can also together form, with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, a saturated carbonaceous 5- or 6-membered ring or a saturated 5- or 6-membered ring which can comprise one or more heteroatoms, such as, for example, a pyrrolidine ring, a piperidine ring, a piperazine ring or a morpholine ring, it being possible for the ring to be unsubstituted or substituted by a halogen atom, a hydroxyl radical, a (C1-C6)alkyl radical, a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical, a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical, a nitro radical, a cyano radical, a cyano(C1-C6)alkyl radical, a (C1-C6)alkoxy radical, a tri(C1-C6)alkylsilyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical, an amido radical, a formyl radical, a carboxyl radical, a keto(C1-C6)alkyl radical, a thio radical, a thio(C1-C6)alkyl radical, a (C1-C6)alkylthio radical, an amino radical or an amino radical protected by a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, carbamyl or (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl radical; one of the R9, R10 and R11 radicals can also represent a second Z group identical to or different from the first Z group;
R12 represents a (C1-C6)alkyl radical; a monohydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a polyhydroxy(C2-C6)alkyl radical; an aryl radical; a benzyl radical; an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an amino(C1-C6)alkyl radical, the amine of which is protected by a (C1-C6)alkylcarbonyl, carbamyl or (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl radical; a carboxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a cyano(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a carbamyl-(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a trifluoro(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a tri(C1-C6)alkylsilyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a sulphonamido(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylcarboxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylsulphinyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylsulphonyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; a (C1-C6)alkylketo(C1-C6)alkyl radical; an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylcarbamyl(C1-C6)alkyl radical; or an Nxe2x80x94(C1-C6)alkylsulphonamido(C1-C6)alkyl radical;
x and y are integers equal to 0 or 1; with the following conditions:
in the unsaturated cationic groups of formula (II):
when x=0, the D linking arm is attached to the nitrogen atom,
when x=1, the D linking arm is attached to one of the E, G, J or L vertices,
y can take the value 1 only:
xe2x80x831) when the E, G, J and L vertices simultaneously represent a carbon atom and when the R8 radical is carried by the nitrogen atom of the unsaturated ring; or else
xe2x80x832) when at least one of the E, G, J and L vertices represents a nitrogen atom to which the R8 radical is attached;
in the unsaturated cationic groups of formula (III):
when x=0, the D linking arm is attached to the nitrogen atom,
when x=1, the D linking arm is attached to one of the E, G, J, L or M vertices,
y can take the value 1 only when at least one of the E, G, J, L and M vertices represents a divalent atom and when the R8 radical is carried by the nitrogen atom of the unsaturated ring;
in the cationic groups of formula (IV):
when y=0, then the D linking arm is attached to the nitrogen atom carrying the R9 to R11 radicals,
when y=1, then two of the R9 to R11 radicals form, jointly with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, a saturated 5- or 6-membered ring as defined above and the D linking arm is carried by a carbon atom of the saturated ring;
Xxe2x88x92 represents a monovalent or divalent anion and is preferably chosen from a halogen atom, such as chlorine, bromine, fluorine or iodine, a hydroxide, a hydrogen sulphate or a (C1-C6)alkyl sulphate, such as, for example, a methyl sulphate or an ethyl sulphate;
it being understood:
that the number of Z unsaturated cationic groups of formula (II) in which at least one of the E, G, J and L vertices represents a nitrogen atom is at least equal to 1, and
that, when one and only one of the R1 to R4 or R7 radicals denotes a Z group in which the D linking arm represents an alkyl chain comprising a ketone functional group, then the ketone functional group is not directly attached to the nitrogen atom of the NR1R2 or NR3R4 group or to the oxygen atom of the OR7 group when R5 or R6 represents OR7.
The alkyls and alkoxys mentioned above in the formulae (I), (II), (III) and (IV) can be linear or branched.
The compounds of formula (I) can optionally be salified by strong inorganic acids, such as HCl, HBr or H2SO4, or organic acids, such as acetic, tartaric, lactic, citric or succinic acid.
Mention may in particular be made, among the rings of the Z unsaturated groups of above formula (II), by way of example, of the pyrrole, imidazole, pyrazole, oxazole, thiazole and triazole rings.
Mention may in particular be made, among the rings of the Z unsaturated groups of above formula (III), by way of example, of the pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, oxazine and triazine rings.
The compounds of formula (I) are preferably chosen from those of following formulae (I)1 to (I)15:
i.e., 1-(3-(4-amino-2-chloro-5-nitrophenylamino)propyl)-3-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium bromide,
i.e., 1-(2-(4-amino-2-chloro-5-nitrophenylamino)ethyl)-3-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium chloride,
i.e., 1-(2-(4-amino-2-chloro-5-nitrophenylamino)ethyl)-3-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium bromide,
i.e., 1-(2-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-nitrophenylamino)ethyl)-3-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium bromide,
i.e., 1-(2-(4-amino-2-methylsulphanyl-5-nitrophenylamino)ethyl)-3-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium bromide,
i.e., 1-(2-(4-amino-3-nitrophenylamino)ethyl)-3-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium chloride,
i.e., 3-(3-(4-diethylamino-2-nitrophenylamino)propyl)-1-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium methyl sulphate,
i.e., 3-(3-{4-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)-2-nitrophenylamino}propyl)-1-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium methyl sulphate,
i.e., 1-methyl-3-(3-(3-methylamino-4-nitrophenylamino)propyl)-3H-imidazol-l1-ium methyl sulphate,
i.e., 3-(3-{2-chloro-5-(3-(3-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-io)propylamino)-4-nitrophenylamino}propyl)-1-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium di(hydrogen sulphate),
i.e., 3-(3-{4-chloro-5-(3-(trimethylammonio)propylamino)-2-nitrophenyl-amino}propyl)-1-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium di(methyl sulphate),
i.e., 3-(3-{3-(2-(diethylmethylammonio)ethylamino)-4-nitrophenylamino}propyl)-1-methyl-3H-imidazol-1-ium di(methyl sulphate),
i.e., 1-(2-(4-amino-2-chloro-5-nitrophenylamino)ethyl)-2-methyl-2H-pyrazol-1-ium bromide,
i.e., 1-(2-(4-amino-2-methylsulphanyl-5-nitrophenylamino)ethyl)-2-methyl-2H-pyrazol-1-ium bromide,
i.e., 3-methyl-1-{2-(methyl(4-methylamino-3-nitrophenyl)amino)ethyl}-3H-imidazol-1-ium chloride monohydrate.
The compounds of formula (I) in accordance with the invention can be easily obtained according to methods generally well known in the state of the art for the preparation of quaternized amines, for example:
in one step, by condensation of a nitrophenylenediamine comprising a haloalkyl radical with a compound carrying a tertiary amine radical or by condensation of a nitrophenylenediamine comprising a tertiary amine radical with a compound carrying a haloalkyl radical;
or, in two steps, by condensation of a nitrophenylenediamine comprising a haloalkyl radical with a compound carrying a secondary amine or by condensation of a halogenated nitrophenylenediamine with a (disubstituted amino)alkylamine, followed by quaternization with an alkylating agent.
The quaternization stage is generally, for convenience, the final stage of the synthesis but can take place earlier in the sequence of reactions resulting in the preparation of the compounds of formula (I).
Another subject of the invention is a dyeing composition for keratinous substances comprising, in a medium appropriate for dyeing, an effective amount of at least one cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamine of formula (I) described above.
Another subject of the invention is a composition for the direct dyeing of human keratinous fibers, such as the hair, comprising, in a medium appropriate for dyeing, an effective amount of at least one cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamine as defined above by the formula (I).
Another subject of the invention is the use of the cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamines of formula (I) as direct dyes in or for the preparation of dyeing compositions for keratinous substances, in particular for human keratinous fibers, such as the hair.
However, other characteristics, aspects and advantages of the invention will become even more clearly apparent on reading the description which will follow and various concrete but in no way limiting examples intended to illustrate it.
The cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamine(s) of formula (I) in accordance with the invention and/or their addition salts with an acid preferably represent from 0.005 to 12% by weight approximately of the total weight of the dyeing composition and more preferably still from 0.05 to 6% by weight approximately of this weight.
The cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamines of formula (I) in accordance with the invention can also be used, in the well-known oxidation dyeing processes using oxidation dyes (oxidation dye precursors and, optionally, couplers), to shade or enrich with highlights the colors obtained with the oxidation dyes.
The dyeing composition according to the invention can also comprise, in order to widen the palette of shades and to obtain varied hues, in addition to the cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamines of formula (I), other conventionally used direct dye(s) and in particular nitrobenzene dyes other than the cationic nitrophenylenediamines of formula (I) according to the present invention, such as nitrodiphenylamines, nitrophenol ethers or nitrophenols, nitropyridines, anthraquinone dyes, nitroanilines, mono- or diazo, triarylmethane, azine, acridine and xanthene dyes or metal complex dyes.
The proportion of all these other additional direct dyes can vary from approximately 0.05 to 10% by weight with respect to the total weight of the dyeing composition.
The medium appropriate for dyeing (or vehicle) is generally composed of water or of a mixture of water and of at least one organic solvent, in order to dissolve the compounds which would not be sufficiently soluble in water. Mention may be made, for example, as organic solvent, of lower C1-C4 alkanols, such as ethanol and isopropanol, glycerol, glycols and glycol ethers, such as 2-butoxyethanol, propylene glycol or propylene glycol monomethyl ether, and aromatic alcohols, such as benzyl alcohol or phenoxyethanol, the analogous products and their mixtures.
The solvents can be present in proportions preferably ranging from 1 to 40% by weight with respect to the total weight of the dyeing composition and more preferably still from 5 to 30% by weight approximately.
Fatty amides, such as the mono- and diethanolamides of the acids derived from copra, of lauric acid or of oleic acid, can also be added to the composition according to the invention at concentrations ranging from approximately 0.05 to 10% by weight.
Surface-active agents well known in the state of the art and of anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric or zwifterionic type or their mixtures can also be added to the composition according to the invention, preferably in a proportion ranging from approximately 0.1 to 50% by weight and advantageously from approximately 1 to 20% by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition.
Thickening agents can also be used in a proportion ranging from approximately 0.2 to 5%.
The dyeing composition can, in addition, comprise various conventional adjuvants, such as antioxidizing agents, fragrances, sequestering agents, dispersing agents, hair conditioning agents, preserving agents, opacifying agents and any other adjuvant commonly used in dyeing keratinous substances.
Of course, a person skilled in the art will take care to choose the optional additional compound or compounds mentioned above so that the advantageous properties intrinsically attached to the dyeing composition according to the invention are not, or not substantially, detrimentally affected by the envisaged addition or additions.
The dyeing composition according to the invention can be formulated at acidic, neutral or alkaline pH, it being possible for the pH to vary from 3 to 12 approximately and preferably from 5 to 11 approximately. It can be adjusted to the desired value by means of acidifying or basifying agents or of buffers commonly used in dyeing keratinous substances.
Acidifying agents are conventionally inorganic or organic acids, such as, for example, hydrochloric acid, orthophosphoric acid or sulphuric acid, carboxylic acids such as acetic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid or lactic acid, and sulphonic acids.
Mention may be made, among buffers, of, for example, potassium dihydrogen phosphate/sodium hydroxide.
Mention may be made, among basifying agents, by way of example, of aqueous ammonia, alkaline carbonates, alkanolamines, such as mono-, di- and triethanolamines, and their derivatives, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and the compounds of formula:
in which W is a propylene residue optionally substituted by a hydroxyl group or a (C1-C4)alkyl radical and R13, R14, R15 and R16, simultaneously or independently of one another, represent a hydrogen atom or a (C1-C6)alkyl or hydroxy(C1-C6)alkyl radical.
The dyeing composition according to the invention can be provided in various forms, such as in the form of a liquid, cream or gel or in any other form appropriate for carrying out dyeing of keratinous substances and more particularly of human keratinous fibers and especially of the hair. In particular, it can be packaged under pressure in an aerosol can in the presence of a propellent and can form a foam.
Another subject of the present invention is a process for dyeing keratinous fibers, in particular human keratinous fibers, such as the hair, by direct coloring, which comprises the step of allowing a dyeing composition comprising at least one cationic monobenzene nitrophenylenediamine of formula (I) to act on dry or wet keratinous fibers. The composition according to the invention can be used as a leave-in composition, that is to say that, after application of the composition to the fibers, drying is carried out without intermediate rinsing.
In other methods of application, the composition is allowed to act on the fibers for an exposure time varying from 3 to 60 minutes approximately, preferably from 5 to 45 minutes approximately, rinsing is carried out, washing is optionally carried out, rinsing is then again carried out, and drying is carried out.
Concrete examples illustrating the invention will now be given. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Web caching is generally recognized as an important service for alleviating focused overloads when certain web content data stored on a web server become popular. A user will have a user internet protocol address (IPA) and will select a uniform resource locator (URL) identifying the sought after web content data and the corresponding web server storing the web content data. The user makes use of the domain name system (DNS) and is provided with a DNS server IPA. The DNS system cross references a web server name, contained in a URL, to the corresponding destination web server IPA. The web server name and user IPA are transmitted to a DNS server at the DNS IPA. The DNS server then returns to the user at the user IPA the destination IPA of the web server storing the sought after URL web content data. The user then transmits the user IPA, the destination IPA and URL as a hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) protocol message into the internet where the http message is routed and forwarded through internet routers to the web server at the destination IPA where the web server then returns to the user at the user IPA the requested URL web content data. Web caching introduces a web content data cache store proximal to the user to reduce retrieval time latency of sought after URL web content data.
A web caching system consists of one or more caches that store copies of web pages, images and other web content data with the expectation that the stored copies will be repeatedly requested. A purpose of the web caching system is to reduce both the number of requests received by a web server where the desired content data is located, while providing a faster web interaction experience for the user. The web caching system reacts and adapts to user browsing behavior. Hot spots develop from time to time when user browsing behavior creates network congestion in the internet topological vicinity of and sustained workload at a particular web server. The JPL Mars Pathfinder landing, the Starr Report, and downloads of updated Netscape Communicator, a trademark of Netscape, and Internet Explorer, a trademark of Microsoft, browsers are several examples of activity that previously generated internet wide hot spot events. A more recent phenomenon are short lived hot spots caused by the traffic generated by portal sites, typically news and sports services, where the web content data is periodically changed and updated during the course of the day causing users to periodically refresh their copy of the web content data.
Web caching systems may be designed as stand alone or cooperative systems. The difference between these two types of caching systems is whether or not a cache interacts with another cache while processing a user's request. Each user request for web content data is identified using the URL. When a proximal stand alone cache receives a user request, the proximal stand alone cache checks whether or not the URL web content data is locally stored, either in the proximal stand alone cache memory and disk storage devices. If the URL web content data is locally stored by the stand alone cache, the URL web content data is immediately sent back to the requesting user. Otherwise, the proximal stand alone cache fetches the URL web content data directly from the designated web server.
A cooperative caching system, by contrast, is a system where web caches interact with each other in order to share stored web content data. When a proximal cooperative cache receives a user request, the proximal cache also checks whether or not the URL web content data was previously and locally stored. Again, if the proximal cooperative cache has stored the URL web content data, the URL web content data is sent to the requesting user. If the URL web content data is available from another distal cooperative cache, the proximal cache sends the user request to the distal cooperative cache. Otherwise, the proximal cache fetches the URL web content data from the designated web server.
The Squid web caching system is an example of a cooperative web caching system. In the Squid system, caches are grouped together in peer hierarchical groups, where the peer groups have a parent and child relationship with each other. A proximal cache in the Squid web caching system first checks to see if a user requested URL web content data is stored locally. If the URL web content data is not locally stored by the proximal cache, the proximal cache sends the request to all caches in the proximal cache peer group. If the proximal sending cache does not receive a reply from any cache in the peer group, the proximal cache sends the user request to a distal cache in the parent peer group. The process of checking whether the URL web content data is locally stored, querying the other caches in the peer group, and subsequently sending the user request to the next parent peer group repeats when the URL web content data is not stored by the cache or any of the caches in the peer group. The process stops when a root peer group is encountered, that is, a peer group that does not have a parent peer group. A cache in the root peer group also checks whether the requested URL content data is locally stored, and if not, the cache in the root peer group fetches the requested URL content data directly from the web server named in the URL. The URL web content data is stored by the root peer group cache and sent from the root peer group cache back to the cache that relayed the user request to the root peer group. The URL web content data is subsequently stored and propagated down through the caches in the peer groups through which the user request was relayed until the URL web content data reaches the proximal cache that originally received the request from the user, at which time, the proximal cache sends the URL web content data to the user. The disadvantage of this cooperative caching system is that the caches do not forward user requests between peer groups other than following the peer group hierarchy. These and other disadvantages are solved or reduced using the present invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to semiconductor laser assemblies, and more particularly to semiconductor lasers that hermetically sealed with a seal cap.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of devices are formed on wafers including but not limited to lasers, photodetectors, filters electronic circuits and MEMs. These devices are formed on the wafers utilizing a variety of standard multi-processing steps and procedures. The wafer is typically moved from one process station to another until the final device is completed on the wafer. The devices are then tested. Following testing, the wafer is diced and individual devices are then mounted, electrical connections are made and then there is a final sealing.
This type of wafer scale manufacturing exposes the individual devices to contaminants and corrosive elements found in the atmosphere because of the lengthy time it takes to complete the manufacturing process. Corrosive elements, such as moisture and oxygen, can cause a degradation in the device that is made.
Laser diodes typically include an n-type substrate, an active layer, a p-type clad layer and a p-type cap layer that is laminated over the n-type substrate. In one such semiconductor laser, the n-type substrate is formed of AlGaAs and the active layer is formed of GaAs. An electrode is selectively formed on the obverse surface of the laser diode in an opening of the p-type cap layer. A rear electrode is formed on the reverse surface of the substrate. The resulting structure is a laser diode chip more commonly known as a double heterostructure (DH structure). This laser diode chip can be mounted on a radiation plate. The assembly is then encapsulated to hermetically seal the device. Different methods of encapsulation include the use of metal packages or caps with a light transmitting window, lenses or optical fibers. Wafer scale encapsulation is used on low power light emitting devices where the devices are typically encapsulated with an encapsulating resin layer typically formed of a transparent epoxy resin or the like.
Because the epoxy resin abuts directly against a light-emitting end face of the laser diode from which an output beam is emitted, the resin can become decomposed due to the heat from the output beam. As the degradation increases, the light emission efficiency of the laser diode declines. In some cases, the promoted decomposition results in the formation of a cavity in the encapsulating resin layer in the vicinity of the light-emitting end face.
In one diode laser chip, the output beam has a power 5 mW and an oscillation wavelength of 780 nm is continuously oscillated in a state close to its maximum rating. A conical broken area with a bottom diameter is formed in the encapsulating resin layer in the vicinity of the light-emitting end face after about 1000 hours of operation. Additionally, the encapsulating resins layer often melts and breaks.
There is a need for improvement in wafer scale manufacturing processes and procedures along with the resultant devices that are created. There is a further need to seal the individual devices on the wafer before corrosive environment elements create a degradation. | {
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The present application is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. 2001-076396 and 2001-109555, which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid-crystal display apparatus having substrates which are little bent and hardly broken by pressure so that a display image is little disordered.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid-crystal display apparatus (hereinafter also abbreviated to xe2x80x9cLCDxe2x80x9d) is used in a desktop electronic calculator, an electronic clock, a personal computer, or a word processor. The demand for the liquid-crystal display apparatus has increased rapidly in recent years. The application of the LCD has been widened. Reduction in thickness and weight of a liquid-crystal display panel has been required with the popularization of portable information apparatuses such as a cellular phone and a PAD in recent years. Accordingly, the LCD as a whole needs to be as thin in thickness as possible and as light in weight as possible. Further, it is preferable that the LCD is hard to break because, in most cases, the LCD has been used for portable purposes in recent years.
In the liquid-crystal display apparatus, upper and lower transparent substrates as constituent members of the apparatus were equal in thickness to each other. If reduction in thickness and weight was attended to be attained, the upper and lower transparent substrates were too thin to obtain sufficient stiffness against external force. For this reason, there was a problem that the cell gap varied to cause disorder of a display image when pressure was applied on the upper transparent substrate.
In order to make the strength against external force sufficient, the upper and lower transparent substrates needed to be made thick. This attempt was, however, contrary to the purpose of reduction in thickness and weight of the LCD. On the other hand, when the transparent substrates were made thin and impact was applied on the LCD, there was another problem that the LCD was easy to break.
On the other hand, as a reflection type LCD (liquid-crystal display) apparatus which can used both in an external light mode and in an illumination mode, there is heretofore known an apparatus using a front light system in which a side light pipe is disposed on a visual side surface of a liquid-crystal display panel so that display light can be viewed through the light pipe (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147499/2000). The side light pipe, however, needs a plate thickness of about 2 mm or greater because of necessity in light transmission. Hence, there was a problem that increase in thickness and weight of the liquid-crystal display apparatus could not be avoided. Therefore, reduction in thickness and weight is an important issue particularly in a reflection type liquid-crystal display apparatus used in a portable system such as a portable personal computer or a cellular phone. In a thickness and weight reducing system in which cell substrates in a liquid-crystal display panel are made thin, there arises a disadvantage in that the panel is easy to break because of deterioration of mechanical strength.
An object of the invention is to provide a liquid-crystal display apparatus which is thin in thickness, light in weight, hard to break and easy to view.
The invention is devised on the basis of the knowledge that the stiffness of a liquid-crystal portion is determined by the stiffness of upper and lower transparent substrates of an LCD because each of the transparent substrates is bonded only around its circumference, and that the lower transparent substrate may be thinner than the upper transparent substrate because a large part of pressure is applied on the LCD particularly against the front surface thereof, that is, because pressure is little applied on the lower transparent substrate.
That is, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a liquid-crystal display apparatus having a liquid-crystal cell, the liquid-crystal cell including a lower transparent substrate having a transparent electrode on at least one of its opposite surfaces, an upper transparent substrate having a transparent electrode opposite to the transparent electrode of the lower substrate, and liquid crystal held between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, wherein the upper substrate is thicker than the lower substrate.
In order to achieve reduction in thickness and weight of the liquid-crystal display apparatus according to the invention more effectively, it is preferable that the thickness of the lower substrate is not larger than ⅔ as large as the thickness of the upper substrate.
In order to make the liquid-crystal display apparatus according to the invention harder to break, it is preferable that the lower substrate is constituted by a member having flexibility.
Assume two cases in the liquid-crystal display apparatus as follows. One is the case where the thicknesses of the upper and lower transparent substrates are equal to each other and, for example, each of the thicknesses is 0.6 mm. The other is the case where the total thickness of the upper and lower transparent substrates is equal to that in the former case and, for example, the thickness of the upper transparent substrate is 1.0 mm and the thickness of the lower transparent substrate is 0.2 mm. In the case where the thicknesses of the upper and lower transparent substrates are equal to each other, the strengths of the two substrates are also equal to each other. In the case where the thicknesses of the upper and lower transparent substrates are-different from each other in the same manner as in the invention, the strengths of the two substrates are also different from each other. When the same material is used to form the upper and lower substrates, the thicker substrate has stronger stiffness so that strain of display can be reduced.
As described above, the LCD is, however, often used in the environment that pressure is mainly applied on the upper transparent substrate. Accordingly, stiffness in the case where the upper transparent substrate is made as thick as 1.0 mm is stronger than that in the case where the thicknesses of the upper and lower transparent substrates are equal to each other. Hence, strain in the former case is smaller than that in the later case. When the same material is used, the thinner substrate is more advantageous in flexibility. Hence, the lower transparent substrate has larger flexibility as its thickness is thinner, so that the lower transparent substrate can follow bending of the upper transparent substrate, and, accordingly, can act in the direction of further reducing the influence of the bending on the whole display.
From the description, in the case where the thicknesses of the upper and lower transparent substrates in the liquid-crystal display apparatus are equal to each other, each of the thicknesses needs to be 1.0 mm and the total thickness needs to be 2.0 mm in order to obtain the same strength as that in the case where the upper transparent substrate is 1.0 mm. However, when the upper transparent substrate is made thicker than the lower transparent substrate, sufficient strength can be obtained even in the case where the total thickness is kept constant. Accordingly, when the upper transparent substrate is made as thick as possible and the lower transparent substrate is made as thin as possible relative to the total thickness of the liquid-crystal display apparatus, strain and disorder of a display image can be reduced.
According to the invention, there is also provided a reflection type liquid-crystal display apparatus having: a reflection type liquid-crystal display panel; at least one illuminator; and an optical path control layer, the liquid-crystal display panel including a liquid-crystal cell and a reflection layer, the liquid-crystal cell having a back side cell substrate, a visual side cell substrate, and a layer of liquid crystal, the back side cell substrate being made of a support substrate at least having an electrode provided thereon, the visual side cell substrate being made of a transparent substrate at least having a transparent electrode provided thereon, the transparent substrate in the visual side cell substrate being thicker than the support substrate in the back side cell substrate, the layer of liquid crystal being held between the back side cell substrate and the visual side cell substrate with their respective electrodes disposed opposite to each other, the reflection layer being provided at the back of the liquid-crystal layer in the liquid-crystal cell so that external light incident on an outer surface of the visual side cell substrate is reflected by the reflection layer and so that display light transmitted through the liquid-crystal layer is made to exit from the visual side cell substrate so as to be viewed, the illuminator being disposed on at least one of side surfaces of the liquid-crystal display panel, the optical path control layer having a thickness of in a range from 10 to 300 xcexcm and provided with light exit portions on the outer surface side of the visual side cell substrate, the light exit portions having optical path changing slopes by which light incident on the side surface through the illuminator is reflected toward the back side cell substrate, each of the optical path changing slopes being inclined at an inclination angle of from 35 to 48 degrees with respect to a reference plane of the liquid-crystal display panel.
According to the invention, it is possible to form a front light mechanism in which the optical path of incident light from an illuminator disposed on one of side surfaces of a liquid-crystal display panel is changed to a viewing direction of the liquid-crystal display panel efficiently through light exit portions of an optical path control layer disposed on the visual side and through a reflection layer disposed on the back side so that the light can be used for liquid-crystal display and in which liquid-crystal display can be performed also in an external light mode using incidence of external light. Accordingly, because of the optical path control layer sufficiently thin and the illuminator disposed on the side surface of the panel, it is possible to obtain a reflection type liquid-crystal display apparatus which can be reduced well in thickness and weight, which has the panel hard to break, which is excellent in display quality and which can be used both in an external light mode and in an illumination mode.
That is, in accordance with the invention, incident light from an illuminator disposed on one of side surfaces of a liquid-crystal display panel can be supplied to an optical path control layer while transmitted efficiently through cell substrates of the liquid-crystal display panel, particularly through a visual side transparent substrate. Hence, good emission of light can be achieved even by the optical path control layer considerably thinner than the liquid guide plate. Moreover, the visual side transparent substrate is made thicker than the back side support substrate. Hence, the quantity of light incident on a side surface of the visual side transparent substrate can be increased compared with the case where the thickness of the visual side transparent substrate is made equal to that of the back side support substrate. Hence, display light can be made brighter and the stiffness of the visual side cell substrate subjected to pressure easily can be enhanced so that a display image can be prevented from being disordered due to bending of the visual side cell substrate caused by external light. Hence, it is possible to provide a liquid-crystal display apparatus that is hard to break even in the case where the apparatus has substrates with a total thickness equal to that in the case where the substrates are equal in thickness to each other.
In addition, the light exit portions provided in the optical path control layer have optical path changing slopes each inclined at a predetermined angle. Hence, light incident on the side surface or transmitted light thereof is reflected by the slopes so that the optical path of the light can be changed with good directivity. Further, the optical path of light exhibiting a peak in a direction of regular reflection is controlled so that directivity favorable for display, particularly frontal directivity, can be provided easily. Hence, it is possible to achieve bright liquid-crystal display in an illumination mode. Also in an external light mode, external light can be efficiently taken in the apparatus by use of flat portions other than the optical path changing slopes in the optical path control layer. Hence, it is possible to achieve bright liquid-crystal display in an external light mode as well as in an illumination mode.
Features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments described in conjunction with the attached drawings. | {
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The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus x ericsmithii X Helleborus x hybridus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘COSEH 4800’.
The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new uniform Helleborus plants with unique and attractive plant habit, leaf and flower coloration and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress.
The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in December, 2012 of a unnamed selection of Helleborus x ericsmithii, not patented, as the female, or seed patent and an unnamed selection of Helleborus x hybridus, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Glandorf, Germany in November, 2014.
Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany since March, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to presses and the like having a ram and upper and lower tools for processing workpieces such as sheet metals and more particularly to a method and apparatus for which are applicable to presses in case that the upper tool is mounted free from the ram.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, presses are provided with a vertically movable ram and upper and lower tools or dies which are worked by the ram to process workpieces such as sheet metals. In such presses, the upper and lower tools are held or mounted generally in two manners so as to cooperate with each other. In one of the manners, the upper tool is secured to the lower end of the ram, while the lower tool is mounted on a work-table or bolster just beneath the ram. In the other manner, both of the upper and lower tools are mounted free from the ram, and both the tools are unitized as a tool assembly or die set to be mounted on the work-table just beneath the ram. Also, in the latter manner, the upper and lower tools are held free from the ram on a tool holding means such as a pair of turret members which are so designed as to hold a number of upper and lower tools and selectively bring a desired pair of upper and lower tools into position just under the ram. Nowadays, the upper and lower tools are mostly employed as a tool assembly or die set for the convenience of installation and for other reasons, and also they are in many cases held on turret members in automatic presses which are numerically controlled.
In the manner in which the upper tool is mounted free from the ram, the upper tool is so arranged as to be drawn up or stripped by a stripping spring out of a workpiece to be processed after each completion of a processing cycle. More particularly, such a stripping spring is so disposed as to be compressed when the ram is urging the upper tool to the workpiece and the lower tool and then lift up or strip the upper tool out of contact with the workpiece.
Especially in punching and blanking operations, however, the upper tool will often fail to be stripped out of the workpiece after a completion of a processing cycle from various causes such as breakage or fatigue of the stripping spring and wear or thermal expansion of the upper tool. Of course, when the upper tool is mis-stripped or not stripped out of the workpiece in punching and blanking operations, it often happens that the upper tool will be caught not only in the workpiece but also in the lower tool. Anyway, it is very dangerous that the upper tool is mis-stripped or fails to be stripped from the workpiece, since the press will go on moving with the upper tool caught in the workpiece. Also, any or all of the upper and lower tools, the workpiece and the press will be damaged or broken if the workpiece is forcedly moved by power when the upper tool is caught in the workpiece because of mis-stripping. Since workpieces are mostly moved or fed into presses automatically by power especially in punching and blanking operations, damage to tools, workpieces and presses has heretofore frequently occurred. Thus, it is absolutely necessary to stop the workpiece from being moved and also the press from being driven the moment the upper tool is caught in the workpiece because of mis-stripping especially when the workpiece is being automatically fed by power. Of course, it is necessary first to detect mis-stripping of the upper tool to stop the workpiece and the press from being moved the moment the upper tool is mis-stripped.
Heretofore, various attempts have been made to detect mis-stripping of upper tools in presses in order to stop workpieces and presses from being moved or driven the moment mis-strippings occur. For example, a photoelectric tube is employed so that it may check each return of the upper tool to its normal position after each completion of a processing cycle so as to stop the workpiece and the press when the upper tool is not normally returned to its position. As another example, a drive source such as an electric motor for automatically feeding the workpiece into the press is so arranged as to be stopped when it is overloaded because of mis-stripping of the upper tools.
However, all of the conventional measures have suffered from serious shortcomings, and it has been impossible to securely detect mis-strippings of upper tools to stop workpieces and presses from moving the moment mis-strippings occur. The manner using the photoelectric tube is not applicable in high-speed punching and blanking operations in which a millisecond matters, since the upper tool takes time to return to its normal position and there will be a time lag between occurrence and detection of mis-stripping of the upper tool. Also, it is difficult to mount the photoelectric tube in tool holding means such as turret members where a number of tools are thickly mounted. In the manner to detect mis-stripping from an overload of the drive source for feeding the workpiece, it takes time to detect the overload of the drive source after the occurrance of mis-stripping, and therefore the workpiece and the press could not be stopped the moment mis-strippings occur in high-speed punching and blanking operations. Furthermore, the drive source will not be overloaded to the extent to be detected when a thin workpiece is being processed even if a mis-stripping of the upper tool occurs. | {
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Expandable bands are commonly used to secure flexible sealing elements or gaskets against an internal surface of a pipe, manhole, or other similar structure. Expandable bands typically fit against an annular surface within the sealing element and are expanded to apply pressure against the sealing element. Various types of locking mechanisms are used to lock the band into the expanded position against the sealing element.
The existing bands and locking mechanisms, however, have a number of limitations and disadvantages. Many of the existing expandable bands are expandable to only one diameter and therefore have a limited overall expansion range. Many of these bands also require a number of steps to both expand and lock the band and are not capable of quickly and securely locking the band over a range of diameters. Moreover, the existing expandable bands are difficult to release or "unlock" and cannot easily be removed or adjusted to a smaller diameter. Other existing bands do not slide easily or bind being installed or adjusted. Overall, the existing bands are not useful with seals of various sizes that need to be installed in pipes or manholes having various sizes.
Accordingly, a need exists for an expandable band that is easily installed, adjusted and securely locks over a range of diameters. A need also exists for an expandable band that is more easily released from a locking position. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tendons for posttensioned prestressed concrete structures, which can be completely protected from corrosion without requiring grouting, can integrally be incorporated into prestressed concrete structures after being tensioned, and can easily be used for prestressing concrete structures, and also relates to a method of using such tendons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional posttensioning process for forming a prestressed concrete structure, sheaths are arranged prior to the placement of concrete, prestressing steel members such as steel bars, wires or strands are inserted in the sheaths after or before the concrete has set, and then the prestressing steel members are tensioned when the concrete has the desired strength. Then, a cement slurry or the like is injected under pressure into the sheaths for corrosion prevention and for integrally bonding the prestressing steel members to the concrete structure. The insertion of the prestressing steel members into the sheaths and the injection of the cement slurry or the like require very complicated work requiring a long time and much labor and increasing the cost of prestressed concrete structures. Furthermore, since, in most cases, the prestressing tendon is arranged in curvature, it is difficult to fill up the sheaths perfectly with the cement slurry or the like, and hence it is possible that the prestressing steel members in unfilled portions of the sheaths are corroded.
A method of eliminating such disadvantages of the conventional posttensioning process is proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-47609 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,748, in which a prestressing member is formed by coating a steel material with a grease and encasing the steel material coated with the grease in a plastic case. This method completely prevents corrosion of the prestressing steel by grease or the like and makes injection of a cement slurry or the like unnecessary. However, the prestressing steel remains not bonded to the concrete structure after the same has been tensioned. Accordingly, when the prestressing tendon is overloaded temporarily, a load is concentrated on the fixed portions of the prestressing tendon to break the prestressing steel at the fixed portions Since the prestressing steel is not bonded to the concrete structure, breakage of the prestressing steel, even at a single point thereon, affects the strength of the prestressed concrete structure entirely. Furthermore, the ultimate bending strength of a prestressed concrete structure having an unbonded prestressing tendon is lower than that of an equivalent prestressed concrete structure having a bonded prestressing tendon.
Austrian Patent No. 201,280 and EP 219,284 propose structure of this general type but which do not teach or disclose a sheath. EP 129,976 shows corrugated sheaths in the drawings, but they are not seamless, and thus lack anti-corrosion characteristics. U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,163 to Jacob shows an insulating material 9 in its drawings but this lacks a detailed explanation in the specification. U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,748 to Lang teaches a method of manufacturing a seamless sheath with a long span but does not teach a method of manufacturing a corrugated sheath. Therefore, the prior art is still characterized by difficulty in manufacturing a tendon with a corrugated sheath that is seamless and which has a long span. | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,750 discloses the use of esterases in the stereoselective hydrolysis of esters of 2-arylpropionic acids. In this document the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of (S)-naproxen esters is characterized. The corresponding esterase gene was obtained from the Bacillus subtilis Thai 1-8 strain (CBS 679.85). This gene encoding the enzyme responsible for the stereoselective conversion of (R,S)-naproxen ester was cloned in E. coli and Bacillus subtilis. It was found that the esterase activity was improved by introducing multiple gene copies in several Bacillus subtilis (a.o. CBS 673.86). The suitability of the microorganism and the enzyme derived therefrom for use in a process to hydrolyse S-naproxen ester was therefore also improved.
In said U.S. patent only low substrate concentrations (naproxen or ibuprofen) are used. In contrast, commercial applications require high product concentrations in order to obtain economically attractive results. However, during tests at high substrate concentrations (commercial conditions) irreversible inactivation of the enzyme has been noticed. For example, carboxyl esterase obtained from Bacillus Thai I-8 was almost completely inactivated within one hour when 30 g/l naproxen ester was added (pH=9, T=40.degree. C. and Tween 80 (TM) medium). The esterase as such is stable at pH=9 and T=40.degree. C. (with and without Tween 80 (TM)) for several hours. During the stereoselective hydrolysis of (R,S)-naproxen ester, the enzyme was inactivated by the naproxen formed during the hydrolysis. High yields of naproxen could not therefore be obtained.
The enzyme carboxyl esterase may be used in several other stereospecific esterase hydrolysis reactions. However, it is found that the product (the acid) of these reactions often inactivates the enzyme when the reaction takes place at commercially interesting starting concentrations of the ester.
The carboxyl esterase can be used in the stereospecific hydrolysis of diclofop esters, resulting in the corresponding enantiomeric pure (S)-acid, which process is described in EP-A-0299559. The diclofop formed will inactivate the enzyme under commercially attractive conversion conditions.
Other compounds that inactivate the enzyme are, for example, 2-naphthoxy acetic acid, ibuprofen, 2-naphthol and phenol.
In the literature enzymes are known to become inactivated because of their low thermal stability. At elevated temperatures unfolding of the enzyme may take place. Heat treatment causes especially the hydrogen bonds to break (see e.g. R. D. Schmid, Advances in Biochemical Engineering 12, Ghose, Fiechler & Blakebrough (Eds), Springer, Berlin (1979) pp. 41-115). Thermo unfolding of enzymes can, however, be diminished by immobilization or cross-linking of the enzyme. For example, cross-linking with glutaraldehyde improved the thermostability of Papain (Royer et al., FEMS Lett. 80 (1977) 1) and Subtilopeptidase (Boudrant et al., Biotechnol. Bioeng. 18 (1976) 1719).
Even the mechanism of thermostabilisation is not well understood. E. T. Reese and M. Manders (Biotechnol. Bioeng. 22 (2) 1980 pp. 326-336 showed that cross-linking (glutaraldehyde treatment) did not result in an increase of thermostability and activity of cellulase. Similar results were found by N. W. Ugarova (Biokhimiya 42 (7), 1977 pp. 1212-1220) who reported that modification of peroxidase with glutaraldehyde gave a 2.5-fold decrease in thermostability.
The prior art presents only very specific solutions for specific problems (immobilization and cross-linking techniques) which are not generally applicable. Moreover it has been noticed that the carboxyl esterase is not thermally inactivated at normal reaction conditions (up to 45.degree. C.) but is only inactivated by certain compounds at reaction conditions. The prior art is silent on such kind of inactivations.
When the amino acid residue which is the cause of inactivation of the protein is known, an alternative approach to chemical modification is available. In that case one can replace the residue for another one by site-directed mutagenesis, as described for instance by Ausubel et al. (Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Son Inc., 1987, New York). In this way e.g. the oxidation resistance of B. alcalophilus serine protease was improved by replacing a methionine residue by a serine residue (European patent application 0328229).
The known stabilization techniques cannot be applied as such to the present enzyme because the nature of the inactivation is different when inactivation by chemical compounds plays a role. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for assembling pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a machine that assembles a pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical-like product having a plurality of independently formed components with one or more active agents, and to the methods of assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
The delivery of active agents or medicines can be problematic because of the displeasure of swallowing or otherwise taking the medications. This is particularly true where a plurality of medications must be taken.
Contemporary methods of delivering active agents include tablets and capsules. Tablet manufacturing can include wet granulation or direct compression to add the active ingredient into the tablet ingredients. After mixing to achieve homogeneity, the tablets are formed in the desired shape.
Contemporary capsule manufacturing includes inserting an active agent, typically in powder or pellet form, into a capsule, e.g., a hard capsule made from gelatin or starch, which is then sealed, such as through application of an outer coating, or banding.
These contemporary delivery structures or vehicles suffer from the drawback of being limited to the use of compatible active agents. These vehicles are also limited to a selected release rate for the active agent or agents.
Accordingly, there is a need for a pharmaceutical product and a process for assembling a pharmaceutical product that eliminates these drawbacks of the contemporary pharmaceutical delivery structure or vehicle. | {
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Marketing research techniques have been developed in which a substitute television signal in a substitute channel, containing a commercial the effectiveness of which is to be assessed, is substituted for a normal television signal in a normal channel in homes of selected test viewers so that the effectiveness of the commercial can be evaluated. This allows the promoter of a service or product to assess the reaction of a small, demographically controlled panel of test viewers before the wide airing of a commercial which may prove ineffective.
One example of such a television signal substitution system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,589. As there disclosed, substitute television program signals are transmitted in at least one substitute channel along with signal substitution control signals. A control box or terminal at each test viewer receiver responds to the signal substitution control signals by selectively switching to a substitute television program from a normal program. The signal substitution control signals include a number of different terminal command signals and a number of different event command signals. Each of the terminal command signals includes a respective test viewer address signal for identifying a respective test viewer receiver and a number of event identification signals identifying respective signal substitution events in which this terminal is to participate. Each of the event command signals includes a respective event address signal corresponding to a respective event, an appropriate substitution control command, a substitute channel identification signal, and one or more normal channel identification signals for identifying the normal channels from which the receiver is to be switched. The current event command signals corresponding to each allowable event address are stored in the terminal for later correlation with the terminal's participation event list and to the viewer's selected channel signal. When the viewer selected channel corresponds to a normal channel identification signal associated with a current event command whose event address signal corresponds to an event in which the respective terminal is to participate, the substitute channel is substituted for the channel selected by the viewer for a period determined by the event command signals. Subsequent responses to the events, such as purchases of the respective viewers, are then individually tabulated and analyzed against the responses of viewers receiving the normal signals.
When a viewer changes channels on a modern television receiver, the channel change is carried out in, for example, about a quarter of a second. The change is accompanied by momentary disruption of the picture and a sound pop or a period of sound muting. When a market research company causes a channel substitution, it is desirable that the substitution be carried out so quickly and unobtrusively as to be imperceptible to the normal test viewer. If the substitution were distinguishable, it could, at least subconsciously, influence the response of the test viewer to the commercial. That is, were the viewer to know or suspect he was receiving a test commercial, he might react in a manner in which he believes he is expected to react, rather than acting normally, skewing the test results from his normal response. Therefore, it is desirable that the tuning be accomplished extremely rapidly so as to be indistinguishable. More specifically, the transition time between channels should be kept within about 60 microseconds to prevent an audible pop due to loss of the television signal intercarrier frequency modulated with the sound subcarrier. The normal and substitute channel tuning should be very accurately matched to ensure no shift in picture quality, particularly that of the chroma signal. The transition should be timed to occur during the vertical blanking interval between picture fields so that the change is not seen by the viewer.
Switching channels may require a large frequency change in the tuner. For example, if the normal channel is a low VHF channel (wherein Channel 2 has a picture carrier frequency of 55.25 MHz) and the substitute channel is a high UHF channel (wherein Channel 70 has a video carrier frequency of 807.25 MHz), the tuner might have to slew through more than 700 MHz. The vertical blanking interval of standard NTSC video, during which the substitution is to be effected, takes 1.3 milliseconds. The factor that is most critical in making the substitution indistinguishable is the sound. The audio stage of the television receiver is not tuned to the sound carrier, but is tuned to the 4.5 MHz intercarrier beat frequency generated between the video carrier and the sound carrier in each VHF and UHF channel. When the tuner of the receiver tunes between channels the intercarrier beat frequency disappears because both the video and sound carriers are no longer simultaneously present in the IF pass band. When the audio stage of the television receiver has no signal applied, its internal limiter amplifier will amplify noise up to an audible amplitude level. This causes the pop heard during viewer controlled channel changing. This presents no problem when the viewer changes channels, for it is to be expected. However, if an audible pop were produced during signal substitution, it would alert the viewer to the fact of substitution.
In order to avoid the effect of noise during signal substitution, the channel change must be sufficiently fast that the human ear cannot distinguish it. The total energy of the noise burst is the integral of power over time, but the human ear is essentially logarithmic in perception and can hear extremely low energy noise pulses. To make the noise attendant a channel change unobtrusive, the change should be accomplished in less than about 60 microseconds. Not only is extremely fast tuning required, but also the tuning must be relatively accurate to recover the 4.5 MHz intercarrier beat frequency. Due to the close proximity of the sound carrier of an adjacent channel to the video carrier of a substitute channel, a maximum error of about .+-.500 KHz is required for both the picture and sound subcarriers of the substitute channel to be within the pass band.
Previous signal substitution systems have employed a cable television distribution system with a control box for channel switching located at each test viewer's home. These systems have employed a fast electronic tuner having a voltage controlled oscillator whose output frequency determined the channel to which the tuner was tuned. A voltage divider network established predicted tuning voltages necessary to cause the local oscillator to translate each individual channel's frequency to that of at least one channel of the television receiver. The tuner was made to select a particular channel very quickly by jamming the appropriate control voltage into the local oscillator, causing it to slew rapidly to the new frequency. This is known as jam tuning. Thus, by directing an electronic switch in the local oscillator control circuit to change from a normal channel voltage to the substitute channel voltage, a rapid substitution could be made. This prior art tuner controller system was predictive in nature in that the channel tuning control voltages corresponding to the desired input channels were determined by testing prior to or during installation of the control box at the home of the test viewer. A problem encountered was that with time the correct tuning voltages tended to drift.
Drifting resulted in frequency errors which caused loss of picture definition, and color hue and saturation changes. The automatic fine tuning circuitry in the television set of the test viewer might correct the error, but it would correct the error in a visible manner due to its slow operating speed. With time, the drifting became so extreme as to require that the control boxes be removed from test viewer homes for recalibration.
To extend the useful life of the control boxes without returning them to the shop for recalibration, a station-keeping feedback loop was added to the jam slewing. The electronic tuner assemblies for cable television signal substitution systems then employed a phase-locked loop feedback system which sampled the frequency output of the local oscillator in the tuner to determine if a frequency error were present. If such an error were present, the phase detector would provide an error signal for combination with the predicted voltage signal and application of a resultant voltage signal to the local oscillator of the tuner, thereby causing the tuner to provide the desired frequency output even after drifts such as caused by the aging of components. However, with time, due to aging of the components, the control values predicted for the various frequencies became more and more erroneous. This resulted in the voltage applied during the feed forward phase becoming so incorrect for the particular channel desired that the relatively slow operating phase-locked loop operated such that the viewer could perceive the substitution. Indeed, the initial voltage applied could become so erroneous as not to be able to tune to the proper channel. When the tuning became so impaired, the control box had to be returned to the shop for recalibration. Further, this type of control did not compensate for frequency errors in the received signals. Such errors are caused by transmission or conversion errors in the system ahead of the receiver.
Amplitude variation between the normal channel and the substitute channel also can make unobtrusive channel substitution difficult. The viewer can discern the substitution by a change in the visual quality of the picture. If the signal level changes too much, the television may fail to detect the synchronizing pulses and hence may fail to identify a video signal. The prior systems have taken no account of those problems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic systems and methods for controlling power sources, and especially to a system and method for controlling power sources of motherboards through networks in the course of testing the motherboards.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid development of electronics technology, computers have become an indispensable tool for information processing by many individuals and organizations alike. As the mass production of computers continues to accelerate, the mechanical and electrical stability of the computer motherboard is becoming increasingly important. To ensure the stability of newly manufactured computer motherboards, the motherboards must pass a series of standard tests prior to shipment to customers. On/off testing is a major standard test of a computer motherboard.
Traditionally, on/off testing has been performed by manually switching corresponding power sources on and off. However, the number of repetitions of switching that can be performed manually is inherently limited. In addition, by their very nature, some motherboard problems can only be detected by tests which require frequent or continuous switching. When such tests are performed manually, the problems are difficult to find. Furthermore, manual switching and testing is highly labor-intensive and time consuming, and is subject to human error. These difficulties frequently result in poor testing precision, and the motherboards in a batch effectively end up being tested according to non-uniform quality standards.
Moreover, in large-scale enterprises, the quantity of motherboards under test can be exceedingly large. This exacerbates the above-described problems.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for controlling power sources of motherboards under test through one or more communication networks, whereby the above-described problems can be overcome. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Ignition coils are systems attached to or integrated with internal combustion engines used with vehicles such as automobiles and motorcycles. Ignition coils are induction coils that cooperate with a vehicle's battery to provide the energy required to power spark plugs. Specifically, the ignition coil typically converts relatively low voltage current from the vehicle's battery to the high voltage current required to generate a spark from the spark plug that ignites the air-fuel mixture within the internal combustion engine.
Ignition coil systems for motorcycles commonly include the ignition coil being positioned remotely from the spark plugs. Typically ignition coils are connected to the spark plugs by high-voltage insulated ignition wires that run from one location on the engine (i.e., the location of the ignition coil) to another location on the engine (i.e., the location of the spark plugs). Such an arrangement can cause clutter in and around the engine, expose the ignition wires to potentially harsh environments, and lead to sub-optimal performance of the ignition system and engine. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wind direction deflection blade mounting apparatus of a unitary air conditioner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The construction of a conventional unitary air conditioner of this type is as shown in FIGS. 5 through 7. Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7, the unitary air conditioner 1 comprises a substrate 2, a bulk head 5 provided on the substrate 2 and partitioning the unitary air conditioner 1 into an indoor ventilation path 3 and an outdoor ventilation path 4, and an outer box 6. The outdoor ventilation path 4 is provided with an outdoor heat exchanger 7 in the rear face thereof. A motor 8 is mounted on the rear face of the bulk head 5 so that its rotation shaft is disposed perpendicular to the rear face of the bulk head 5. A propeller fan 10 for blowing air toward the outdoor heat exchanger 7 is mounted on one end of the motor 8. A refrigerant cycle comprises a compressor 11 and the outdoor heat exchanger 7. The indoor vnetilation path 3 comprises a water pan (not shown) placed on the substrate 2, an air channel 12, and an indoor heat exchanger 18 mounted on the water pan and confronting an inlet grill 13. Air is introduced from the inlet grill 13 into the air channel 12 and blown out toward an outlet port 14 by a multibrade fan 9 mounted on the other end of the motor 8. The outlet port 14 comprises a lower plate 15 screwed to the bulk head, both-sides deflection blades 16 for deflecting air blown out of the air channel 12, a coupling member 17 interlocked with the both-sides deflection blade 16, and a motor 20 screwed to the lower plate 15 and coupled with the coupling member 17 through a shaft 19 extending from the motor 20.
A power supply portion 21 comprising an electric circuit for controlling the operation of the air conditioner and an electric circuit for controlling the operation of the motor 20 is mounted below the motor 20 connected to the power supply portion 21 through a wire.
The above-described construction has, however, disadvantages: The motor 20 and the power supply portion 21 are troublesome to assemble and disassemble because the motor 20 is mounted separately from the power supply portion 21, i.e., the motor 20 is mounted on the lower plate 15 of the outlet port 14 and the power supply portion 21 is mounted below the lower plate 15. Further, the replacement of the motor 20 requires the disassembly of the lower plate 15 of the outlet port 14. Furthermore, though the motor 20 is mounted rearwards on and removed frontwards from the lower plate 15, a troublesome work of raising, lowering, and turning it is required. | {
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Aircraft often include a radio that allows a pilot to receive broadcasts relating to weather reports, emergency alerts, or other information and communicate with an air traffic control tower or other aircraft. The radio may be configured to monitor a main, active frequency which may be tuned to receive audio from the air traffic control tower. Because the communications on the active frequency are commonly intermittent with quiet times between communications, the radio may be tuned to a standby frequency and monitor an active frequency for an audio signal. In operation, the radio may output audio signals received on the standby frequency, but may switch to the active frequency when there is communication. Thus, the pilot or co-pilot can hear important audio signals communicated on an active frequency by using a listening device, but can listen to the audio signals provided on one or more standby frequencies when audio signals are not communicated on the active frequency. | {
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The present invention relates to sporting goods, and particularly to a device which allows the user to simulate the action of a skateboard.
Skateboarding as a sport has matured and developed to a point where it is now a year-round indoor and outdoor activity, with international competitions being held and with enthusiasts exhibiting the highest levels of skill. A proficient skateboarder is able to form a wide variety of tricks and stunts, which require time and effort to master. The typical learning curve incorporates falls, scrapes, and bruises to the skateboard.
A conventional skateboard comprises an elongated platform on which the skateboarder stands, positions him or herself and two pairs of wheels. In addition to serving as a source of transportation, with the user providing forward force through leg action similar to that used in propelling a scooter, the skilled skateboard enthusiast can execute leaps and skids, riding upon and over a variety of obstacles, performing jumps and other maneuvers. An explanation of the science behind skateboarding can be found at www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding.
The conventional way for a skateboarder to practice his or her craft or learn new tricks is through trial and error. The learning curve is rendered difficult because of the very nature of the skateboard. The skateboard wheels provide a particularly unstable platform, requiring the user to maintain balance as the skateboard moves forward while attempting to master the additional actions necessary to progress. Thus, the learning process is not without physical risks. In addition, both the novice as well as the proficient skateboarder requires a large area to skateboard. A skateboard cannot be used in a small or confined area.
It is accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a skateboard simulator, which allows the enthusiast to develop skateboard skills and creativity without the risks and difficulties associated with conventional skateboard use.
It is a further purpose of the present invention to provide a skateboard simulator which reproduces the feel and action of a conventional skateboard.
A further purpose of the present invention is to provide a skateboard simulator which is stable and which absorbs shock and impact.
Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide a recreational device which simulates the response of a skateboard while allowing use in confined areas.
In accordance with the foregoing and other objects and purposes, the skateboard simulator of the present invention comprises a skateboard-type deck supported by a pair of resilient support truck members. The support truck members are positioned similarly to the location of conventional skateboard wheel trucks, on a conventional skateboard and are of a construction which simulates the response of a conventional wheeled skateboard to the motions and actions of the user. Each of the support truck members includes a pair of laterally-spaced support lobes. The lobes provide a non-slip contact with the ground. Preferably, the support members are of a urethane composition. The lobes may be of a hollow construction to accentuate flexure in a manner which best simulates wheeled skateboard action. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a model advertising system, and more particularly, to a model advertising system in which a display apparatus is coupled with an advertising dummy, motion images are displayed on a part of the advertising dummy, and, if necessary, the advertising dummy can be coupled with or separated from the display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, advertising impact is increased when the configuration and motion images of articles are simultaneously shown.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the advertising impact is increased by an advertising system, in which an advertising dummy, in which a mobile phone is enlarged to the size of a human and a motion image is displayed on a window of the mobile phone advertising dummy, is installed in front of a shop, a model, in which a video camera has a big size screen installed in a monitor part of the video camera advertising dummy, is installed on the ceiling, or an advertising dummy, in which a scene of a movie or a photo of actor or an actress is enlarged to life size and a screen is installed to a part of the enlarged scene or the advertising dummy of the actor or the actress to display motion images.
However, in a conventional advertising system, the advertising dummy is chiefly manufactured by means of printing and the advertising dummy is not coupled with motion images. Although motion images are coupled with the advertising dummy, since the advertising dummy is expendable, the advertising dummy is destroyed when the advertisement period has elapsed. Meanwhile, though the display apparatus is a durable device, the display device becomes useless as well with the advertising dummy when the advertising dummy is destroyed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a latch assembly for supporting the front end of a vehicle seat cushion on an associated vehicle and selectively permitting either removal of the associated seat or movement to a vertical storage position.
2. Background Art
Vehicle seats conventionally include a seat cushion that is mounted generally horizontally on a vehicle floor and supports a seat back in a generally vertical use position. Latches conventionally support the seat back for angular positioning in either a generally vertical use portion or a horizontal storage position. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,860,560 Chiu et al., which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention where such a latch is combined with a recliner to provide angular adjustment in the use position. Also, attachment latches have previously been utilized to support the seat cushion on the associated vehicle floor by engagement with floor mounted strikers. Such latches can be actuated to release the seat for removal. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,585 Liu et al., which is also assigned to the assignee of the present invention. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for quantitatively analyzing digital images of approximately elliptical body organs, and in particular, two-dimensional echocardiographic images.
2. Related Art
Two-dimensional ultrasonic imaging is used as an important non-invasive technique in the comprehensive characterization of a number of body organs. In ultrasonic imaging, a sound pulse is sent along a ray from a transducer towards the organ that is being imaged. The pulse is attenuated and reflected when it hits a medium with an acoustic impedance different from that of the medium in which the pulse is traveling. The time the sound pulse takes in transit is a measure of the distance of the boundary from the transducer, and the amount of energy that is reflected is a measure of the difference of the acoustic impedance across the boundary. (In practice, since the energy of the pulse diminishes as it travels, post-processing Of the reflected signal includes time gain control that compensates the attenuation of the signal over time). Assuming the pulse travels at a single speed in the body, and by taking different rays across the plane, a two-dimensional record of the received energy in spatial coordinates represents a cross-sectional view of the imaged organ.
Echocardiography is the application of ultrasonic imaging to the heart. Echocardiography has experienced widespread acceptance in the evaluation of cardiac disease and in characterizing the structure and function of the heart. This acceptance is in large part due to its non-invasive nature, and its real-time capability for observing both cardiac structure and motion. Using echocardiography, a considerable amount of quantitative information can be obtained concerning cardiac anatomy, chamber diameter and volume, wall thickness, valvular structure, and ejection fraction.
The real-time capability of echocardiography can be used to measure the variation of the shape of head structures throughout the cardiac cycle. These analyses require the complete determination of inner (endocardial) and outer (epicardial) boundaries of the head wall, particularly of the left ventricle. Present evidence indicates that sensitive detection of ischemic disease with two-dimensional echocardiography requires knowledge of the endocardial border on echocardiographic frames throughout the cardiac cycle as well as at end-diastole and end-systole.
Since both global and regional left ventricular function are major variables used to determine prognosis in cardiac disease, there is considerable interest in the ability to quantitate function indexes from echocardiographic images. Presently, such indexes (e.g., left ventricular chamber volume and left ventricular ejection fraction) are calculated from observer-defined cardiac boundaries traced with either a light pen or a digitizing tablet. Tracing of endocardial borders on two-dimensional echocardiograms is tedious and the borders are highly subjective. Indeed, in most systematic studies, substantial intraobserver and interobserver variability has been found in such observer-defined cardiac boundaries.
Manually defining such boundaries becomes increasingly labor intensive when the analysis of a complete cardiac cycle is needed to provide a description of the systolic and diastolic wall motion pattern, or when a number of echocardiographic frames have to be processed in order to obtain a long period time-history of cardiac function. It is therefore desirable to automate as much as possible the determination of boundaries of echocardiographic images. Automated definition of the boundaries would improve the reliability of the quantitative analysis by eliminating the subjectivity of manual tracing.
Finding boundaries in echocardiograms automatically by computers is often difficult because of the poor quality of the echocardiographic images. The lack of clear definition of the boundaries is due to the intrinsic limitations of echo imaging, such as low image intensity contrast, signal dropouts in the image, and boundary discontinuity in any given frame. ("Dropouts" occur where sound waves are reflected from two different levels in a structure and the reflected waves arrive simultaneously at the face of the transducer but out of phase, causing a cancellation of their amplitudes. Thus, no return signal is perceived at that depth).
The poor quality of echocardiograms is also attributable to the reverberations of the initial sound pulse, and "speckle" noise, caused by the back scattering of the incident wave front after it hits the tissue microstructures (this phenomenon produces a very fine texture, a "salt and pepper" pattern, that is superimposed on the image). Another limitation of echocardiographic imaging is that Sound reflection is not very pronounced when the angle between a boundary of the heart and the ray along which the sound pulse is traveling is small. Hence, the lateral wall boundaries of the heart are usually not very well defined in echocardiographic images. Thus, in imaging the left ventricle, typically only the anterior and posterior cardiac walls are well-defined.
In the past several years, advances in computer data processing technology have allowed the application of several different automatic boundary detection methods to echocardiographic images. However, most researchers have had difficulties with image enhancement and boundary detection with echocardiographic images because of the low signal-to-noise ratio and large discontinuities in such images. Thus, automated border detection has been reported in two-dimensional echocardiographic images, but only when the images are of good quality and certain smoothing techniques are employed prior to edge detection in order to render the endocardial edge more continuous. An overview of the field is set forth in Chapter 22 of Echocardiography in Coronary Artery Disease, Kerber, Richard E., Ed., entitled Applications of Automatic Edge Detection and Image Enhancement Techniques to Two-Dimensional Echocardiography and Coronary Disease, by E. A. Geiser (Futura Publishing Company, Mount Kisco, N.Y. 1988 ISBN 087993-325-9).
Consequently, there is a need for a method for automatically determining quantitative characteristics of ultrasonic images, especially echocardiographic images. In particular, there is a need for a method that can automatically determine the center of an imaged structure and approximate the borders of such a structure. With respect to echocardiographic images, there is a need for an automated system that can determine the canter of the left ventricle, approximate both the endocardial and epicardial borders, and estimate cardiac wall motion without the necessity of any user input. In addition, it is also desirable to automatically detect the presence of a flattened interventricular septum caused by pressure or volume overload from the right ventricle.
The present invention provides such a method. The invention uses mathematical techniques implemented in computer software which allows near real-time automatic quantitation of cardiac wall motion, cardiac wall thickness, and the area change fraction of two-dimensional short-axis echocardiographic image studies. Some applications of this system would be in a hospital at a patient's bedside, or in an echocardiography suite, where a detailed evaluation of a patient's cardiac health is required. Another application would be in an operating room, where elderly patients with significant coronary arterial disease are to undergo surgery. The invention provides a means for continuously and automatically monitoring a patient's heart for possible ischemic changes during surgery. Thus, an attending physician could be warned of a potential danger without requiring continuous physician monitoring of a patient, or invasive catheter placement. | {
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Electronic endoscope systems adopt either a field-sequential technique or a simultaneous technique. According to the field-sequential technique, red (R), green (G), and blue (B) illumination light rays are irradiated to an object. The red, green, and blue illumination light rays reflected from the object are converged on a solid-state imaging device, red, green, and blue video signals produced by the solid-state imaging device are synthesized to produce a color video signal. According to the simultaneous technique, white light reflected from an object is split into red, green, and blue object light rays using a color filter. Solid-state imaging devices associated with red, green, and blue produce video signals from the red, green, and blue object light rays, and the object video signals are synthesized to produce a color video signal.
Many endoscopes adopt the field-sequential technique because an insertion member to be inserted into a body cavity must be thin and a produced video signal must offer a high resolution.
An electronic endoscope system adopting the field-sequential technique is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 306123. Illumination light irradiated from a light source lamp is propagated to a light guide by way of a rotary filter and a condenser lens. The illumination light guided by the light guide is irradiated to an object, and light reflected from the object is converged on a solid-state imaging device.
The rotary filter is driven to rotate at a predetermined rps using a motor. Light is passed through red, green, and blue transmission filters that cover three fan-shaped openings formed on the perimeter of the rotary filter. Consequently, red, green, and blue illumination light rays are irradiated to an object.
The red, green, and blue light rays produced by the rotary filter and reflected from the object are converged on the solid-state imaging device. Red, green, and blue video signals produced by the solid-state imaging device are synthesized to produce a color video signal.
A photosensor is provided on the rotary filter at the perimeter thereof to detect an open period of the openings. The photosensor detects a pulse signal that indicates the open period of the openings. Using the pulse signal, a pulse current for lighting the light source lamp is produced.
In other words, during the open period of the openings covered with the red, green, and blue transmission filters included in the rotary filter is unblocked, the pulse current is superposed on a predetermined constant current which lights the light source lamp. The resultant current is then supplied to the light source lamp.
When the light source lamp is lit using the pulse current, a white balance can be readily adjusted within a light source device by controlling the duty cycle or value of the pulse current.
In a conventional electronic endoscope, illumination light irradiated from a light source lamp is converted into red, green, and blue illumination light rays using red, green, and blue transmission filters included in a rotary filter. The red, green, and blue illumination light rays are propagated over a light guide, and successively irradiated to an object. Red, green, and blue object light rays reflected from the object are converged on a solid-state imaging device, and photoelectrically converted into red, green, and blue object video signals.
The red, green, and blue object video signals are synthesized to produce a television video signal. When the television video signal is produced by synthesizing the object video signals, white balance adjustment is needed in order to synthesize the red, green, and blue object video signals at a predetermined ratio.
The white balance adjustment falls into a method for adjusting a lighting current for lighting a light source lamp with each red, green, and blue transmission filter provided at the openings of the rotary filter, and a method for electrically synthesizing the red, green, and blue object video signals produced by the solid-state imaging device.
Aside from the white balance adjustment, driving of a diaphragm that optimizes an amount of illumination light which is emitted from the light source lamp and irradiated to an object by way of the rotary filter and light guide must be controlled.
The regulation of a lighting current for lighting the light source lamp and control of driving of the diaphragm that adjusts an amount of light irradiated to an object, which are required for the white balance adjustment, are achieved by a skilled worker, who uses a predetermined adjustment jig, in the course of manufacturing the electronic endoscope system. Moreover, when the light source lamp included in the electronic endoscope system is replaced with a new one because of termination of the service life thereof, or when the light source lamp is repaired, the white balance adjustment and the adjustment of the diaphragm for regulation of the brightness level of a view image must be performed again using the adjustment jig.
As mentioned above, especially when the light source lamp is replaced with a new one or repaired, the white balance adjustment and the adjustment of the brightness level of a view image must be performed again. At this time, the adjustment jig is needed as a repairing instrument. Moreover, a worker skilled in the white balance adjustment or the adjustment of the brightness in a view image must perform the adjustment by taking much time.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an adjusting method for endoscope systems that permits quick and reliable white balance adjustment and light level adjustment for illumination light without the necessity of an adjustment jig. | {
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In recent years, increasing rates of theft of cars, vans and other motor vehicles have pointed up the inadequacy of door locks and ignition locks in preventing entry into and theft of such vehicles. In response, a variety of auxiliary devices have been proposed and marketed for use as additional deterrents to motor vehicle theft. Typically, such devices include a hardened steel bar arranged to be locked to the vehicle steering wheel and having a length which extends beyond the outer rim of the steering wheel to an extent that free movement of the bar, and thereby the steering wheel, are impeded. Thus, while the bar is in place the steering wheel cannot be freely rotated, because the extended end of the bar strikes other adjacent structures. As a result, the car or other vehicle cannot be driven with the bar locked in place.
Removal of such auxiliary devices, without the proper key to unlock the device, is impeded by provision of structural elements which are resistant to sawing or cutting and a variety of locking arrangements which may use hardened components or be enclosed to promote inaccessibility, or both. However, in practice it has been found that while it is difficult for a thief to cut, break or otherwise remove such auxiliary bars themselves, the steering wheel itself is a weak link in the protection chain. While many of these prior devices are relatively indestructible, the steering wheel is not. As a result, an automobile intended to be protected is actually subject to theft by the simple expedient of cutting through the plastic covered steering wheel rim and removing the protection bar via the cut. The automobile is then steerable and the steering wheel may actually have suffered only relatively minor damage and may be usable as is or with a piece of tape applied over the cut in order to hold the adjacent cut edges of the rim in circular alignment.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved security devices and, particularly, security devices which, when locked in place on the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, are both difficult to remove and protective of the steering wheel itself, so as to provide additional security.
Additional objects are to provide new and improved steering wheel security devices which are effective to provide protection against motor vehicle theft, while at the same time avoiding one or more disadvantages of security devices as previously available. | {
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It has been found quite important, since the advent of air transportation in cold climate, to evaluate and control icing on the surface of a flying vehicle. It is essential to be able to determine not only the presence and thickness of an ice layer; it is also important to be able to distinguish, from a distance, between ice, de-icing liquid, snow, and water presence on the surface in question.
Among known techniques for ice thickness measurement, a distinction can be made between remote and non-remote measurements. Electrical, acoustic, mechanical and optical devices have been proposed to date for this purpose.
In French Patent No. 2618543 issued to Clerc, a surface analyzer for a motor vehicle is described as having electromagnetic emitters whose signals are reflected from road surface for processing by means of receivers and a processing unit so as to determine the state of the road surface.
European Patent Application No. 461,953 proposes another device for examining road surface, including a laser that emits a light beam towards the surface. The reflected light is collected by a detector which generates signals analyzed by a microprocessor. The device is attached to a vehicle. The source is controlled by a circuit so that the beam spot on the road surface is immobile relative to the surface for a certain length of time. The device is useful to differentiate between ice, water and snow.
A device based on the degree of absorption of infrared radiation for detection and thickness measurement of ice is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,824. The reflective and absorptive qualities of ice in the infrared region can also be used to detect ice and measure the thickness according to DE Patent 4008280.
Other optical/electrical methods and devices for ice evaluation on the road surface or other surfaces are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,206 (Schmitt et al.), EP application No. 405,625 (Federow), U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,042 (Michoud) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,553 to Fumizu et al.
There is still a need for a simple and reliable method and device for remote, non-contact detection and thickness measurement of ice. At the same time, it is recognized that a layer of a partly transparent solid other than ice, e.g. a polymer, on a smooth solid surface, has certain characteristics similar to those of ice, and it may be necessary to detect or measure the thickness of, such layer. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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During immunoassay that uses a flow cell, automated analyzers, in particular, that employ magnetic particles quantitatively analyze constituents of a substance to be measured, by causing antigen-antibody reactions in a liquid mixture of a sample, magnetic particles, an antibody that binds the magnetic particles to a substance in the sample that is to be measured, and a labeled antibody including a labeled substance.
To ensure that constituents not to be measured are removed from the liquid mixture (hereinafter, referred to as the reaction solution) that contains the constituents to be measured, the magnetic particles, and the labeled substance, a magnetic separator such as a magnet is provided on a flow channel through which the reaction solution flows.
Because of their binding to the magnetic particles, the constituents to be measured are captured by the magnetic separator, but the constituents not to be measured flow intact without being captured. The constituents to be measured can therefore be separated from those which are not to be measured.
When a voltage is applied to the thus-separated constituents to be measured, the labeled substance that has bound to each of these constituents will emit light, so the quantity of constituents to be measured can be determined by measuring the amount of light emitted. Such an analyzer is described in Patent Document 1, for example. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
There has been known a semiconductor device having a GaN device formed using a compound semiconductor mainly composed of GaN. When the GaN device is to be formed, a natural oxide film is formed on the surface of a GaN layer due to exposure to the air, and hence it is necessary to remove the natural oxide film before formation of a gate insulating film. However, when the natural oxide film is removed by hydrofluoric acid, damage is left on the GaN layer.
Accordingly, Patent Literature 1 discloses a GaN device forming method capable of reducing this damaged layer. Specifically, there is performed a step of forming on a first semiconductor layer a first sacrificial layer in which solid solubility of impurities is higher than in the first semiconductor layer made up of the GaN layer. There is then performed a step of annealing the first sacrificial layer and the first semiconductor layer. Subsequently, a step of removing the first sacrificial layer by wet etching is performed, and thereafter, at least either a step of covering at least part of the first semiconductor layer with an insulator layer or a step of etching part of the semiconductor layer is performed, to remove the damage on the surface of the first semiconductor layer. Thereafter, an electrode layer electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer is formed. In such a manner, the damage formed on the surface of the GaN layer is removed.
Further, there is also a method where at the time of producing a structure with a top layer laminated on the surface of the GaN layer, the natural oxide film formed on the surface of the GaN layer is removed so as not to damage the surface. Specifically, there is performed a step of exposing the surface of the GaN layer to a gas containing ammonia in a non-plasma state. Thereafter, there is performed a step of laminating a silicon oxide (SiO2) layer without exposing the surface of the GaN layer, exposed to the gas containing ammonia, to the air. In such a manner, after the natural oxide film has been removed using the gas containing ammonia, the silicon oxide film is removed on the surface of the GaN layer before formation of the natural oxide film, to thereby reduce the damage on the GaN layer.
However, even in either of the above cases, a donor element concentration (Si concentration or O concentration) in a surface layer section of the GaN layer cannot be reduced. Hence, Si or O present in the surface layer section of the GaN layer acts as a donor element to cause a variation in threshold voltage of the GaN device. | {
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This invention relates to a cage for use in a rolling bearing.
Heretofore, as a cage for use in a rolling bearing under going large load, a machined cage made of high strength brass excellent in the mechanical strength has been used. While the cage is excellent in the slidability and the wear resistance due to self-lubricity, since the material cost is high, the fabrications cost is high, and the yield is low, it is used only for special applications.
On the contrary, a pressed cage formed by fabricating a cold rolled steel sheet typically represented by SPCC or a hot rolled steel sheet typically represented by SPDH by pressing into a predetermined shape is advantageous in view of the cost compared with the machined cage made of high strength brass, but it is poor in the slidability and the wear resistance. Therefore, it has been conducted to improve the slidability and the wear resistance of the pressed cage by applying nitriding thereby forming a hard nitride layer on the surface of the cage.
Generally, when nitriding is applied to an iron and steel member comprising a low carbon steel such as SPCC or SPDH (iron and steel material with carbon content of 0.25% by weight or less), nitrogen and iron are reacted on the surface of the iron and steel member, by which nitrogen atoms diffuse into the iron and steel member and a layer comprising a nitrogen compound (nitride layer) is formed on the surface. The nitride layer forms a phase at higher nitrogen concentration toward the surface of the member. That is, the phase of the nitride layer changes from the vicinity at the boundary with the base material at the innermost site toward the outermost surface in the order of xcex3xe2x80x2 phase (Fe4N), xcex5 phase (Fe2-3N), and "xgr" phase(Fe2N).
In the nitriding conducted in existent pressed cage (xe2x80x9cTufftride methodxe2x80x9d and gas softening nitriding), since nitriding is applied at a high temperature of 550-600xc2x0 C., the xcex5 phase and the "xgr" phase at the surface tend to form a porous structure. When the distribution for the hardness in the surface layer portion of the nitride layer obtained by the gas softening nitriding method by a nano-indentation method accurately at an interval of several micro orders, while the hardness is Hv 600 or more at the depth of about 10 xcexcm but it is sometimes less than Hv 500 at the outermost surface as shown at (b) in the graph of FIG. 3. In the measurement for the hardness by an existent micro-vickers tester, the distribution for the hardness on the surface layer of the nitride layer can not be measured at an interval of several xcexcm.
Further, in the existent method describe above, the nitride layer is formed at a large thickness by making the processing time longer upon nitriding or increasing the nitrogen potential in the treating atmosphere while considering the decrease in the thickness of the nitride layer by wear during use of the cage. In accordance therewith, the nitrogen concentration in the nitride layer becomes higher and most of the nitride layer sometimes forms the "xgr" phase. The "xgr" phase is poor in the toughness and tends to suffer from sharing fracture easily by sliding friction with rolling elements and tends to drop easily from the surface of the cage. As a result, it is difficult to obtain the effect of improving the slidability and the wear resistance.
On the other hand, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Publication Hei 10-2336 describes that fluoridation of replacing the oxide on the surface of the cage with a metal fluoride film before nitriding forms a uniform and dense nitride layer comprising nitrides with an average grain size of 1 xcexcm or less on the surface of the cage. However, since the wear resistance of the cage greatly depends on the type and the hardness of the nitride layer, the slidability and the wear resistance are sometimes insufficient by merely making the nitride grain size finer on the outermost surface like the cage described in the above noted publication.
Further, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Publication 2001-90734 proposes formation of a dense nitride layer of 3-20 xcexcm thickness and a nitride layer of a porous structure of 2-25 xcexcm thickness on the surface of a pressed cage by nitriding. According to this proposal, both the surface hardness and the lubricant retaining performance of the pressed cage are made favorable and improvement is expected for the wear resistance. However, even by the proposal, no sufficient wear resistance can sometimes be obtained in a severe lubrication circumstance in which a lubricant film is less formed.
Further, it is also necessary to prevent degradation of the mechanical strength of the cage by the nitriding.
The present invention has been accomplished taking notice on the subject in the prior art as described above, and it is an object thereof to provide a cage more excellent in the slidability and the wear resistance than usual in a cage in which a nitride layer is formed on the surface by using an iron and steel material with carbon content of 0.25% by weight or less, fabricating the same into a predetermined shape and applying nitriding, and to increase the mechanical strength of the cage.
For solving the subject described above, the present invention provides a cage in which a nitride layer is formed on a surface by using an iron and steel material with a carbon content of 0.25% by weight or less and fabricating the same into a predetermined shape and then conducting nitriding, having a nitride layer with a hardness of 650 or more in vickers hardness (Hv) at a thickness of 3 or more and 15 xcexcm or less.
By the way, even when it is intended to measure the distribution of the hardness in the direction of the depth of a thin layer such as a nitride layer in the measurement for the hardness by an existent micro-vickers tester at an interval of several micron meters, no accurate measurement is possible since reading error is large or indentation diameter increases due to excessive load, but accurate measurement is possible by the nano-indentation method. Accordingly, the hardness of the nitride layer in the cage of the present invention should be measured by a nano-indentation method. Further, when it is measured by the nano-indentation method, measurement is conducted in a state of where the indentation diameter is at least 5 to 50% for the thickness of the nitride layer.
The cage of the present invention is obtained by applying the nitriding to the cage formed of an iron and steel material such that formation of the "xgr" phase is suppressed and a nitride layer comprising xcex3xe2x80x2 phase, xcex5 phase or(xcex3xe2x80x2+xcex5)phase is formed. As the method, it can be mentioned that the reaction rate of nitriding is retarded and the temperature for nitriding is preferably 400 to 550xc2x0 C. and, more preferably, 400 to 540xc2x0 C.
Further, when nitriding is applied at relatively high temperature after forming the cage by pressing from a steel sheet formed of a low carbon steel, since work strains during pressing are relieved during nitriding, the cage tends to form deformation. However, the heat treatment deformation caused to the cage can be suppressed by applying the nitriding in the temperature range described above that is a temperature range in which recrystallization dose not occur in the low carbon steel.
When the temperature for the nitriding is 560xc2x0 C. or higher or the treatment time is longer, since the thickness of the nitride layer exceeds 15 xcexcm in which the "xgr" phase is formed to the outermost surface of the nitride layer making it porous and deteriorating the hardness and the toughness of the nitride layer, no good slidability and wear resistance can be obtained. On the contrary, when the thickness of the nitride layer is less than 3 xcexcm, the thickness of the nitride layer tends to become not uniform possibly forming a portion where the nitride layer is not formed, good slidability and wear resistance can not be obtained reliably.
Good slidability and wear resistance can be obtained reliably by controlling the thickness of the nitride layer to 3 xcexcm or more and 15 xcexcm or less. The thickness of the nitride layer is, preferably, 5 xcexcm or more and 13 xcexcm or less and, more preferably, 8 xcexcm or more and 12 xcexcm or less.
That is, the cage of the present invention comprises an iron and steel material with the carbon content of 0.25% by weight or less in which a nitride layer comprising not "xgr" phase but xcex3xe2x80x2 phase, xcex5 phase or (xcex3xe2x80x2+xcex5) phase is formed on the surface. Thus, as shown in by (a) in the graph of FIG. 3, in the cage of the present invention, the hardness of the nitride layer is Hv 650 or more even at a depth of about 1 xcexcm from the surface and it is formed to a substantially uniform hardness along the direction of the thickness of the nitride layer.
The method of forming a nitride layer comprising xcex3xe2x80x2 phase, xcex5 phase (xcex3xe2x80x2+xcex5) phase to the surface of a cage formed of an iron and steel material with the carbon contend of 0.25% by weight or less can include, for example, (1) a method of keeping in a mixed gas of a nitrogen gas and an ammonia gas at 450-540xc2x0 C. for 2-3 hours (gas soft nitriding method at low temperature), (2) a method of applying fluoridation by using a fluorine gas such as NF3 (nitrogen trifluoride) at about 200-400xc2x0 C. and then keeping the same in an NH3 gas at 400-540xc2x0 C. for 1-3 hours(xe2x80x9cNv super nitridingxe2x80x9d, commercial name of Air Water Inc.), (3) a method of dipping in a special salt bath and keeping at a low temperature of 450-530xc2x0 C. for 1-3 hours by xe2x80x9cTufftride methodxe2x80x9d for 1-3 hours (xe2x80x9cPalsonite treatmentxe2x80x9d, registered trademark of (Nippon Parkarizing Co.) and (4) a method of applying glow discharge at a temperature of about 500-550xc2x0 C. for about 10 hours in a mixed gas atmosphere of nitrogen and hydrogen while using the cage as a cathode and a inner wall of the processing furnace as an anode (ion nitriding).
The nitriding method for obtaining the cage of the present invention (that is, a method of forming a nitride layer comprising xcex3xe2x80x2 phase, xcex5 phase or (xcex3xe2x80x2+xcex5) phase to the surface of a cage formed of an iron and steel material with the carbon content of 0.25% by weight or less) is not restricted to the methods (1) - (4) described above.
It is preferred that the cage of the present invention has a diffusion layer formed by dispersion of nitrogen in a matrix just bellow the nitride layer at a thickness of 50 xcexcm or more and 500 xcexcm or less, in which the vickers hardness (H1) is 160 or more at a position for the depth of 30 xcexcm from the boundary between the diffusion layer and the nitride layer, and the ratio (H1/H2) of the vickers hardness (H1) of the diffusion layer relative to the hardness (H2) of the core portion; is 1.30 or more. It is further preferred that the hardness (H1) of the diffusion layer is 223 or more by the vickers hardness and the ratio(H1/H2) is 2.50 or less.
Further, in view of the impact resistance, the hardness(H1) of the diffusion layer is preferably 300 or less and, further preferably, 280 or less by the vickers hardness. However, in an application use requiring not so high impact resistance since no large impact is applied, the hardness (H1) of the diffusion layer may exceed 300 in the vickers hardness and the upper limit for the hardness in this case is, for example, 350 in the vickers hardness.
When nitriding is applied to the iron and steel material comprising low carbon steel such as SPCC or SPDH (iron and steel material with carbon content of 0.25% by weight or less), a diffusion layer in which nitrogen is diffused in the matrix is formed just below the nitride layer formed on the surface (core side). The mechanical strength of cage is increased by defining the diffusion layer to the constitution described above.
Further, the pressed cage is work hardened by plastic work strain applied upon pressing. As described above, the work hardening can be kept by applying the nitriding in a temperature range not causing recrystallization in the low carbon steel (preferably at 400-500xc2x0 C., more preferably, 400-540xc2x0 C.). When the work hardening is kept, the diffusion layer of the constitution described above can be formed just below the nitride layer. The nitriding method capable of keeping the work hardening also after nitriding can include, for example, the methods (1)-(4) described above.
Also in the case of applying the nitriding at a temperature higher than the recrystallization temperature of steel, the diffusion layer of the constitution described above can be formed just bellow the nitride layer by (1) a method of increasing the cooling rate after nitriding (conducting oil cooling or water cooling), or (2) a method of applying a predetermined post treatment after cooling (air cooling or gradual cooling) by a reduced rate.
In a state where nitrogen in the diffusion layer reacts with iron as a matrix to precipitate barxe2x80x94shape or needlexe2x80x94shape nitrides, the strength of the matrix is lowered due to lowering of the nitrogen concentration in the matrix (ferrite) (refer to FIG. 6). Precipitation of nitrides can be suppressed by the method (1) and (2) described above.
The post treatment conducted in the method(2)can include a method of heating in atmospheric air or in an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen to a temperature of 300xc2x0 C. or higher and then applying oil cooling or water cooling. According to this method, since the cooling rate after nitriding is slow, and nitrides (Fe4N) precipitated in the diffusion layer are solid solubilized into the matrix in the heating step described above, the nitrogen concentration in the matrix is increased. According to the method (2), since the temperature for starting rapid cooling can be lowered compared with the method (1), it also has an effect capable of decreasing the deformation of the cage.
It is preferred that the cage of the present invention has an oxide layer comprising an Fe3O4 phase as a main ingredient and not containing an Fe2O3 phase to a thickness of 50 nm or more nearer to a further surface on the nitride layer.
The cage having an oxide layer comprising the Fe3O4 phase as a main ingredient and not containing the Fe2O3 phase on the surface has increased self-lubricity compared with the case of not having the oxide layer. Provision of the nitride layer under the oxide layer can provide the self-lubricity of the oxide layer effectively and can enhance the corrosion resistance. When the thickness of the oxide layer is less than 50 nm, no substantial effect can be obtained. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor IC (Integrated Circuit) comprising a bipolar transistor and a MIS (Metal Insulator Semiconductor) type capacitor, and to a manufacturing method therefor. More specifically, it relates to accurate control of a current amplification factor h.sub.FE of the bipolar transistor.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, a bipolar type semiconductor IC comprises a vertical npn transistor. In manufacturing an npn transistor, a base region is formed by impurity diffusion in a surface layer of a collector region and an emitter region is formed by impurity diffusion in a surface layer of the base region. Namely, the steps of forming the base and the emitter by diffusion are indispensable and fundamental in manufacturing a bipolar type semiconductor IC. The step of forming a buried layer having high impurity concentration for reducing collector resistance, the step of growing an epitaxial layer, the step of forming junction isolating regions for isolating circuit elements from each other, the step of forming electrodes for electrical connections and so on are also indispensable and fundamental in manufacturing the bipolar type semiconductor IC.
In many cases, a pnp transistor, a register, a capacitor, a Zener diode and so on as well as the npn transistor are desired to be formed on the same substrate of a bipolar type semiconductor IC. Preferably, these circuit elements are desired to be simultaneously formed in any of the above mentioned fundamental steps, in order to avoid complication of the manufacturing process. However, various conditions for the above mentioned fundamental manufacturing steps are selected to provide the best characteristics of the npn transistor, and therefore it is difficult to incorporate other circuit elements simultaneously through the fundamental manufacturing steps. Consequently, new steps are added to the above mentioned fundamental manufacturing steps in order to form circuit elements other than the npn transistor, or to enhance tee characteristics of such circuit elements.
Examples of the additional steps are: a step of p.sup.+ diffusion for forming an anode region of a Zener diode in addition to a cathode region which was formed simultaneously with the emitter of the npn transistor in the same step of diffusion; a step of diffusion or ion implantation for forming a resistor region having a specific resistance different from the base region of the npn transistor; a step of forming a nitride layer as a dielectric layer for a capacitor having a larger capacitance than a MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) type capacitor; and a step of forming a collector low resistance region for reducing the collector resistance of the npn transistor. These additional steps are optional steps which are adopted on taking into consideration the use, purpose, or manufacturing cost of the bipolar type IC.
Referring to FIG. 1, a MIS type capacitor formed by utilizing one of the above mentioned optional steps is shown in a schematic sectional view. An n.sup.+ type buried layer 3 is formed on a p type semiconductor substrate 1. The substrate 1 and the buried layer 3 are covered with an n type epitaxial layer 2. The epitaxial layer 2 is divided into islands 5, on which the circuit elements are formed by p.sup.+ isolating regions 4. An n.sup.+ type lower electrode region 6 of the capacitor is formed simultaneously with an emitter of an npn transistor in the same step of impurity diffusion. The epitaxial layer 2 is covered with a silicon oxide layer 9. A silicon nitride layer 7 having a large dielectric constant is formed in an opening of the silicon oxide layer 9 on the lower electrode region 6. An aluminum layer 8 is formed on the nitride layer 7 as an upper electrode of the capacitor, and an aluminum connection 10 is formed, which is connected to the lower electrode region 6 through a contact hole of the oxide layer 9.
As described above, the n.sup.+ lower electrode region 6 of the MIS type capacitor of the prior art is formed simultaneously in the same step of forming the emitter region of the npn transistor. In other words, the nitride layer 7 is deposited after n type impurities have been applied in predetermined regions on the epitaxial layer, and thereafter, the n type impurities are driven in by diffusion so as to form the emitter region and the lower electrode region 6. However, the n type impurities are unintentionally diffused to some extent, at a temperature of about 800.degree. C. at which the nitride layer 7 is deposited, before the impurities are driven in. Namely, the emitter region is influenced by the temperature for depositing the nitride layer 7, and therefore accurate control of the current amplification factor h.sub.FE of the npn transistor is difficult.
The conditions for thermal treatment for forming the emitter region must be changed dependent on whether or not the optional step is employed for forming the nitride layer. Namely, when a semiconductor IC is manufactured utilizing optional steps, various conditions for the above mentioned fundamental steps must also be changed. | {
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One way of fastening thermoplastic parts together is by the technique of vibration welding. That is, two thermoplastic parts which are to be fastened together are placed into contact and then rapidly vibrated so as to melt their points of contact due to the heat generated by the friction caused by the vibration. Upon solidification, the two parts are welded together. In essence, the two plastic parts are held together tightly and one is rapidly moved back and forth relative to the other to produce friction generated heat.
The technique of vibration welding is useful in producing large numbers of welded together parts at relatively low cost. For this purpose, various types of equipment have been developed in the past. However, because the technique involves applying a relatively rapid vibration, prior equipment has been heavy, large, and expensive. Particularly, the motors used for vibration purposes have been expensive and limited in frequency of vibration. Another disadvantage of previously available equipment has been the necessity for bulky and expensive supporting means to hold the vibrating portions of the apparatus.
Thus, the invention herein relates to a vibration apparatus for rapidly vibrating thermoplastic parts for welding purposes, which apparatus is considerably simpler in construction, less bulky, and less expensive than prior available equipment and which will produce a rapid, low amplitude vibration. The equipment herein has as one objective the performance of the entire operation of vibration for suitable heating, stopping of the vibration and holding of the parts until the weld freeze occurs, in a very rapid time interval, as for example, from considerably less than one second up to several seconds. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an image synthesis method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally known is an imaging apparatus taking an image of a subject by using an image pickup device. As available for such an imaging apparatus, an imaging synthesis technique is disclosed in which an image is synthesized in focuses on a plurality of image planes based on information regarding light incident from an optical system (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2008-515110, for example). | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Ever since the planar integrated circuit was invented independently by Robert Noyce and Jack Kilby in 1959, designers have sought methods to automate the process of creating the mask artwork necessary for photolithography. Originally circuit designers had to manually create accurate scale drawings of a circuit layout and separate these into mask overlays. By the late 1960's, as described in the document, “Masks Automatically,” at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Science Service, CD 1967051, E&MP 68.001, computer-aided design (CAD) methods had been developed so that designers could provide a circuit description in a symbolic language to a computer program that would trace the mask layers on a light table. By the mid-1970's as computers had developed to the point where bit-mapped graphics could be rendered in real-time, and as integrated circuit densities increased into the thousands of devices per chip, automated graphical layout programs began to appear that permitted the designer to directly “draw” the circuit artwork on a computer monitor using interactive graphical tools. Some of these programs are described in the papers “An Interactive Graphics System for the Design of Integrated Circuits,” presented by Infante, B., et al; and “ICARUS: An Interactive Integrated Circuit Layout Program,” presented by Fairbaim, D. G., et al, at the 15th Conference on Design Automation in June 1978.
By the end of the 1970's, many different fabrication processes, or technologies, had been developed by different manufacturers. The earliest layout tools incorporated functions relevant to a specific fabrication process within the code, which meant that the program needed to be modified when the process changed. It quickly became apparent that technology-independence was a necessary characteristic of any program for integrated circuit layout. At the 20th Conference on Design Automation in 1983, papers by Heilweil, M. F., “Technology Rules—The Other Side of Technology Dependent Code,” and Von Ehr, G. J., “Position Paper: Role of Technology Design Rules in Design Automation,” discussed the types of information that needed to be stored in an external technology file.
By the mid-1980's almost all integrated circuit layout programs had adopted the method of storing technology-dependent information in an external technology file. Some of these programs are described in “CAD Systems for IC Design,” by Daniel et al, published in the IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, vol. 1, January 1982, pp. 2-12; “Lyra: A New Approach to Geometric Layout Rule Checking,” by Arnold, M. H. et al, presented at the 19th Conference on Design Automation in June 1982; “Magic: A VLSI Layout System,” presented by Ousterhout, J. K., at the 21 st Conference on Design Automation in June 1984; and in a further paper by Ousterhout, J. K., “The User Interface and Implementation of an IC Layout Editor,” published in the IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits and Systems, vol. 3, July 1984.
At the 22nd Conference on Design Automation in 1985, Smith, P. et al, presented a general framework for a canonical technology file structure in the paper, “The VIVID System Approach to Technology Independence; the Master Technology File System”. The master technology file contains information concerning the design layers that may be drawn, as well as the graphical stipple patterns and colors for rendering the corresponding shapes on a computer monitor display. It also incorporates electrical and physical design rules to specify electrical connectivity between layers or to enforce constraints such as minimum width or spacing rules. While the exact format and contents of the technology file as implemented today in any given CAD program may vary greatly, this basic structure has become well established.
A second innovation in the development of CAD tools for integrated circuit layout, which has also become a standard feature, is the ability to create hierarchical structures and to implement standard cell libraries. An early example of a CAD system implementing cell hierarchies was presented by Edmondson, T. H., et al, “A Low Cost Hierarchical System for VLSI Layout and Verification,” at the 18th Conference on Design Automation in June 1981. In a hierarchical design, “leaf” cells representing simple combinations of gates or interconnect wiring are created as independent structures. A more complex cell can be formed by instantiating combinations of leaf cells in different positions and orientations. Not only is hierarchical design more efficient in terms of memory storage than a “flat” design, but it also permits the use of symbolic notation to represent the leaf cells in a library. This feature further leads to the possibility of automatically generating the layout from schematic or behavioral descriptions with minimal human intervention required to finalize the artwork before fabrication. U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,618 describes a canonical approach for the hierarchical, computerized design of integrated circuits.
More recently, as the need for increased circuit densities and functionalities have begun to outpace the ability of two-dimensional planar fabrication processes to produce these economically, attention has been turning to the possibilities offered by three-dimensional integration. Herein below, the term “three-dimensional integrated circuit”, or 3-D IC, refers to a circuit in which active devices layers are stacked on top of one another and electrically interconnected. The distinction is primarily related to the stacking of active devices that are formed in a semiconductor substrate. Current planar processes are inherently “three-dimensional” in that they are composed of devices upon which are formed one or more layers of dielectric and conducting materials. The text, Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuit Layout (Distinguished Dissertations in Computer Science), edited by Harter, A. C., Cambridge University Press, November, 1991, uses the term to describe the multi-layer metallization used in the planar CMOS process, and not a multi-layer device process. Hereinbelow, a three-dimensional integrated circuit is one in which active devices, such as transistors and diodes, may be arranged both vertically and laterally.
The concept of producing three-dimensional integrated circuits to increase device density is not new. U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,880, issued in 1981 describes a method for fabricating multi-layer integrated circuits in a Silicon-on-Sapphire process, U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,478, issued in 1984 describes a method for forming a secondary semiconductor layer on top of a first with an interposing dielectric layer. However, it is only recently that manufacturing economics have spurred a renewed interest both in 3-D technology development and in 3-D circuit design. A plethora of patents have been issued in the last five years on different methodologies and approaches for 3-D integrated circuit fabrication.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,501 describes a method for creating 3-D circuits by stacking and aligning Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) chips with an interposing metal layer to form interconnects. U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,892 describes a method for routing metal interconnect between vertically aligned circuit layers by boring through the substrates. U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,415 describes another method of stacking and aligning semiconductor substrates with embedded interconnect layers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,727,517 describes a vertical integration approach that involves growing semiconductor crystal grains by metal-induced lateral crystallization following patterning of amorphous silicon on deposited metal strips. U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,671 describes an approach utilizing a substrate with layers of predetermined weak and strong bond regions. Deconstructed layers of silicon circuits are fabricated on the weak bond regions and are then peeled off to form multi-layer circuits. U.S. Pat. No. 6,881,994 describes a monolithic fabrication methodology for fabricating a three-dimensional array of charge-storage devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,943,067 describes yet another SOI-based fabrication approach incorporating a low temperature bonding method and backside/substrate contact process.
Other 3-D fabrication approaches in development have been described in the scientific literature, such as Mcllrath, L. G. et al, “Architecture for Low-Power Real-Time Image Analysis using 3D Silicon Technology,” Proceedings of SPIE AeroSense 1998, vol. 3362, August 1998; Subramanian, V., et al, “Low-Leakage Germanium-Seeded Laterally-Crystallized Single-Grain 100-nm TFT's for Vertical Integration Applications,” IEEE Electron Device Letters, vol. 20, no. 7, July 1999; Banerjee, K., et al, “3-D ICs: A Novel Chip Design for Improving Deep-Submicrometer Interconnect Performance and Systems-on-Chip Integration,” Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 89, no. 5, May 2001; Bums, J. A., et al, “Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits for Low-Power, High Bandwidth Systems on a Chip,” Proceedings of the 2001 IEEE International Solid State Circuits Conference, February 2001; and Patti, R., “3D: Design to Volume—A Look at Various 3D Applications, Their Designs, and Ultimate Silicon Results,” 3D Architectures for Semiconductor Integration and Packaging Symposium, June 2005.
Because technologies for fabricating 3-D integrated circuits have not yet become firmly established, relatively few designers have had the opportunity to develop 3-D circuits for fabrication. For the most part, the designers that have needed to create mask artwork for 3-D circuits have done so by implementing ad hoc workarounds within conventional CAD programs for 2-D layout. One possible workaround is to manually align cells for different stack levels by creating pseudo-3D cells, that is, having leaf cells that are the circuits for each layer. This method does not allow design rule checks or netlist extraction, however. Another method is to replicate the design layer names contained in the 2-D technology file for each of the levels in the stack. This method requires that special rules be created to specify inter-level interconnects. It also results in multiple replications of the electrical and physical design rules for each design layer and is very inefficient in terms of memory usage. The text, Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuit Layout (Distinguished Dissertations in Computer Science), by Harter, A. C., Cambridge University Press, November, 1991, describes some primitive methods for creating topologies for wiring standard cells on multiple layers, but does not provide direct methods for efficiently creating the mask artwork.
Several examples of fabricated 3-D circuits have been described in the literature. Koyanagi, M., et al, “Neuromorphic vision chip fabricated using three-dimensional integration technology,” Proceedings of the 2001 IEEE International Solid State Circuits Conference, February 2001, describes a 3-D IC containing a photoreceptor layer and two neuromorphic layers that perform operations similar to retinal bipolar and ganglion cells.
In the previously cited reference, Bums, J. A., et al, “Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits for Low-Power, High Bandwidth Systems on a Chip,” a 3-D IC is described that has a photodiode on one layer coupled to an analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion circuit on a second layer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,741,198 describes a generalized architecture for a three-layer digital imaging chip incorporating a photosensor, an A/D converter, and a digital signal processing circuit, all realized on separate circuit layers.
A 3-D radio frequency (RF) transceiver was presented by Qun, G., et al, “Three-dimensional circuit integration based on self-synchronized RF-interconnect using capacitive coupling,” 2004 Symposium on VLSI Technology, June 2004. In this device the vertical interconnects are realized through capacitive coupling of elements on separate layers. In Koob, J. C., et al, “Design of a 3D Fully-Depleted SOI Computational RAM,” IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration Systems, vol. 13, no. 3, March 2005, a design is presented for a modular 3-D integrated processor-in-memory stack. The key feature of this design is that the same photolithography masks for each circuit level can be re-used. A hierarchical bus evaluation network senses how many layers are in the stack and generates addresses accordingly. Patti, R., “3D: Design to Volume-A Look at Various 3D Applications, Their Designs, and Ultimate Silicon Results,” 3D Architectures for Semiconductor Integration and Packaging Symposium, June 2005, describes another 3-D processor-in-memory device in which the memory elements are embedded in a circuit below the processor units.
The primary feature that is common to all of these designs is that the cell structures requiring 3-D interconnections are relatively simple. In the 3-D imaging chips, a single inter-layer interconnect is used to connect the photoreceptor to the active pixel circuit on the layer below, and only one or two 3-D interconnects are required to connect the active pixel circuit to the processing layer below it. In the 3-D integrated RF circuit, physical interconnection structures are not required. The processor-in-memory 3-D circuits are each composed of arrays of identical processing elements. Only the unit 3-D cells for each element needed to be laid out carefully and manually checked. Because of this simplicity, it was feasible, albeit time consuming, for the designers to create the mask artwork for the individual circuit layers by ad hoc methods with standard 2-D layout CAD tools.
It should be clear from this discussion that better, more automated CAD systems and methods are required for 3-D IC design before complex components can be realized. Many researchers are now investigating 3-D topologies at a higher level of abstraction than the physical layout. Routing methods for 3-D field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are analyzed by Hung, W. N. N., et al, “Routability checking for three-dimensional architectures,” IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration Systems, Vol. 12, No. 12, December 2004; and Manimegalai, R., “Placement and routing for 3D-FPGAs using reinforcement learning and support vector machines,” 18th International Conference on VLSI Design, 2005. In order to reduce these systems to practice, automated tools for artwork creation and verification will have to be put in place.
In the paper by Mcllrath, L. G., “High Performance, Low Power Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits for Next Generation Technologies,” Proceedings 2002 International Conference on Solid State Devices and Materials, Nagoya, Japan, September 2002, the requirements of an automated 3-D CAD program for generating multi-layer layouts were specified. These requirements include the need to incorporate multiple technology files for combining the technology-dependent information for different processes and the need to implement a hierarchical 3-D cell structure that can handle both vertical and lateral dependencies. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a memory for storing image information corresponding to an original document image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional copying apparatus of the digital type are capable of realizing so-called memory mode copying. Copying apparatus are known which are capable of making multiple copies, for example, wherein the original document is first read only one time and the read image data are stored in memory, such that said image data are repeatedly read from said memory until a specified number of copies has been completed.
In memory mode copying, the number of times the original document image is read is fewer than in normal copying wherein the original document is read for each single copy, thereby rapidly increasing the copy speed. Furthermore, in memory mode copying, the image orientation can be rotated 90 degrees via the memory access control, such that the orientation of the copy image can be unified relative to the copy sheet.
Copying apparatus which store the image information of original documents in the previously described manner have limited memory capacity. Therefore, such apparatus:must have a method for erasing the image data stored within said memory (memory erasure) at all times.
Conventional copying apparatus are constructed so as to automatically accomplish memory erasure when the copying process has been completed, or after a predetermined time period has elapsed thereafter (the length of said time period being constant). A conventional copying apparatus of this type is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 60-190069.
Heretofore, the mode of use of a copying apparatus in a typical office, for example, was limited insofar as the ease of use of said copying apparatus had to be appropriate for all users in the office, although said users actually had different needs regarding the number of copies, mode of operation and the like. Thus, memory erasure was accomplished at uniform points in time.
However, from the standpoint of information security, users handling confidential documents desire to implement memory erasure after completing their copying operation. Furthermore, when a user needs to execute a copying operation wherein the number of sheets of the original document exceeds the memory storage capacity of the apparatus, said original document must be divided such that each subset of the original document contains a plurality of sheets. In such a case, the processing (setting the originals in the tray and the like) must be repeated for each subset of sheets in a continuous operation, and it is desirable that memory erasure be accomplished when copying is completed so as to improve efficiency.
In contrast to the aforesaid circumstance, users who frequently use the multiple copy operation when preparing large volume materials having a plurality of portions which exceed the number of available sorter bins will find memory erasure when the copying operation is completed (in this instance, at the completion of each multiple copy cycle) unsuitable from the perspective of the content is of said operation wherein the multiple copy operation for a number of document portions less than the number of available bins must be repeated a number of times. In such circumstances, it is desirable that the copying apparatus be capable of continuously storing the image information only for a time period specified by the user after the completion of the copying operation.
An operation key is provided for specifying memory erasure. Although copying apparatus constructed so as to accomplish memory erasure when said operation key is depressed have been considered, such operation is troublesome inasmuch as memory erasure must be specified each time a user uses said copying apparatus. Furthermore, information security is breached if a user forgets to specify memory erasure. | {
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Control of organ mass/size in plants is a significant goal in commercial agriculture. Plant shoot vegetative organs and/or structures (e.g., leaves, stems and tubers), roots, flowers and floral organs (e.g., bracts, sepals, petals, stamens, carpels, anthers), ovules (including egg and central cells), seed (including zygote, embryo, endosperm, and seed coat), fruit (the mature ovary) and seedlings are the harvested product of numerous agronomically-important crop plants. Therefore the ability to manipulate the size/mass of these organs/structures through genetic control would be an important agricultural tool.
The intrinsic plant organ size is determined genetically, although it can be altered greatly by environment signals (e.g., growth conditions). In general, larger organs consist of larger numbers of cells. Since neither cell migration nor cell death plays a major role during plant development, the number of cells in plant organs depends on cell proliferation. Precise regulation of cell proliferation is also necessary for proper development of reproductive organs that make plants fertile. While some basic research has identified genes involved in plant organ development and fertility, little is known about genetic control of cell proliferation or its link to organogenesis including organ size/mass control and fertility in plants. Therefore an important goal is to understand the connection between genes that control organogenesis and genes that control cell proliferation. A great deal of basic research has shown that the components (e.g., cyclin dependent kinases, cyclins and their inhibitors) and mechanisms (e.g., regulation by phosphorylations, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis) that control the cell cycle in yeast and animals are conserved in higher plants (Burssens et al., Plant Physiol Biochem., 36:9–19 (1998)).
In Arabidopsis, the developing flower includes the ovule, the precursor of the seed. Wild-type ovule development in Arabidopsis has been extensively analyzed (Robinson-Beers et al., Plant Cell, 4:1237–1249 (1992); Modrusan et al., Plant Cell., 6:333–349 (1994) and Schneitz et al., Plant J., 7:731–749 (1995)). A variety of mutations that affect ovule development have been identified (Klucher et al., Plant Cell, 8:137–153 (1996); Elliott et al., Plant Cell., 8:155–168 (1996); Baker et al., Genetics., 145:1109–1124 (1997); Robinson-Beers et al., Plant Cell., 4:1237–1249 (1992); Modrusan et al., Plant Cell., 6:333–349 (1994); Ray, A., et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA., 91:5761–5765 (1994); Lang, et al., Genetics, 137:1101–1110 (1994); Leon-Kloosterziel, Plant Cell., 6:385–392 (1994); Gaiser et al., Plant Cell, 7:333–345 (1995)), and some of them have been found that specifically affect patterns of cell division (Schneitz et al., Development, 124:1367–1376 (1997)). Of those, several genes have been cloned; AINTEGUMENTA (ANT) (Klucher et al., Plant Cell., 8:137–153 (1996); Elliott et al., Plant Cell., 8:155–168 (1996)), AGAMOUS, (Yanofsky et al., Nature, 346:35–39 (1990); Bowman et al., Plant Cell., 3:749–758 (1991)), SUPERMAN (Sakai et al., Nature, 378:199–203 (1995)). Because these genes are expressed and function not only in developing ovules but also in various developing organs, analysis of these mutations and genes has provided general information about the control of cell proliferation during plant development.
Another trait important to the manipulation of crop species is the ability to reproduce or propagate plants through asexual means, particularly vegetative propagation of sterile or hybrid plants, and regeneration of plants from transformed cells. Asexual reproduction includes regeneration of plants from cells or tissue, propagation of plants through cutting by inducing adventitious shoots and roots, and apomixis by forming somatic embryos. Asexual reproduction has the advantage that genetic clones of plants with desirable traits can be readily produced. Although asexual propagation of plants has been applied for improving agriculture for many years, not all plants can produce adventitious shoots or roots, or regenerate whole plants from cells or tissue.
In spite of the recent progress in defining the genetic control of plant cell proliferation, little progress has been reported in the identification and analysis of genes effecting agronomically important traits such as organ mass/size, fertility, asexual reproduction, and the like through regulating cell proliferation. Characterization of such genes would allow for the genetic engineering of plants with a variety of desirable traits. The present invention addresses these and other needs. | {
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This invention relates to water cooled furnace doors and in particular to such a door for use in a slagging furnace.
When supplying an access door for a furnace, it must of course, be able to tolerate high furnace temperatures. Certain furnaces including most of in which coal is burned operate under slagging conditions. Molten ash forms on the walls on the furnace at least at the general location of the burner elevation. This slag can cause erosion and corrosion of refractory material located in the slagging zone of the furnace.
Various furnace door constructions such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,534,747 (H. W. Wilson et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,547,204 (R. B. Groetzinger) have cooled the refractory portion of a furnace door by routing water cooled tubes through the refractory. Such designs make it possible for the doors to operate for longer times at higher furnace temperatures.
In a slagging furnace however, it has been found that the molten slag tends to erode and corrode the refractory material leading to an unacceptable frequency of repair or replacement. Accordingly, there is a need for a door which will operate satisfactorily for extended periods in such a slagging environment. | {
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A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to encryption of data and issuing licenses, such as fishing licenses. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for generating and issuing license numbers based upon license parameters that allows the license number to later be authenticated by establishing that the license number was generated using the license parameters.
2. Related Art
The recent explosive growth of electronic commerce has led to a proliferation of web sites on the Internet selling products as diverse as toys, books and automobiles, and providing services, such as insurance and stock trading. Millions of consumers are presently surfing through web sites in order to gather information, to make purchases, or purely for entertainment.
Migrating a process (or a service) to the web can provide tremendous advantages because the process instantly becomes accessible from web browsers on millions of personal computers worldwide. Furthermore, by making the process available on a web site, users can interact with the process in an automated manner, without requiring assistance from a human service representative. This automation can dramatically reduce the cost of providing the process.
One process that so far has not been adapted to the web is the issuance of licenses, such as fishing licenses. Issuing licenses of this type provides a number of challenges. One challenge arises because people who are responsible for authenticating the licenses, such as fish and game representatives or park rangers, must be able to authenticate the license at remote locations, perhaps miles from the nearest telephone line. Consequently, the authenticators do not have access to a centralized database containing records of issued licenses. Furthermore, it is not practical to periodically download data from a centralized database because people commonly purchase licenses and use them on the same day. Hence, a previous download of license data may not contain a record of a recently issued license.
Furthermore, even if the authenticator has access to a portable computing device to perform the authentication, the authenticator may have to manually input the data to perform the authentication. This makes it impractical to input more than a small amount of data into the portable computing device to perform the authentication, because an authenticator is not likely to be willing to spend a great deal of time entering a large amount of data. Furthermore, in entering a large amount of data, an authenticator is more likely to make errors.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for issuing and authenticating a license that enables an authenticator in the field to enter a small amount of data into a computing device in order to authenticate the license.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that generates a license number based upon license parameters so that the license number can be authenticated by establishing that the license number was generated using the license parameters. The system operates by receiving the license parameters from a person requesting a license. The system encodes these license parameters into a license number so that the license parameters can be restored by decoding the license number. Next, the system facilitates printing of the license for the person requesting the license. Note that this printed license includes the license number.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the system authenticates the license by receiving the license number, and decoding the license number to restore the license parameters. Next, the system displays the license parameters to a person authenticating the license, and then allows the person authenticating the license to verify the license parameters against information from a photo ID provided by a license holder.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the system receives the license parameters at a web site from a remote browser operated by the person requesting the license.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the system facilitates printing of the license by sending the license to the remote browser so that the person requesting the license can print out the license from the remote browser.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the license is a fishing license.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the license number is of a size less than 20 characters long so that it can be easily inputted by a human into a computer system so that the license number easily be authenticated.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the license parameters include at least one of: a license type, a valid time period for the license, a photo identification number, a unique sequence number generated by the system and added to the license parameters, a credit card number, an address of the person requesting the license, and information for additional family members to be included in the license.
In one embodiment of the present invention, encoding the license parameters involves using a pre-computed random permutation to perform the encoding.
In a variation on the above embodiment, the system additionally rotates a result of the pre-computed random permutation by a random rotation distance, and incorporates a rotation index specifying the random rotation distance into the license number.
In a variation on this embodiment, encoding the license parameters includes using a selected permutation from a set of pre-computed random permutations to perform the encoding, wherein the selected permutation is specified by a permutation identifier that is incorporated into the license number. The system may additionally rotate the permutation identifier by a second random rotation distance, and incorporate a second rotation index specifying the second random rotation distance into the license number.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the system additionally executes a payment transaction to receive a license fee from the person requesting the license. | {
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The present applicant has previously disclosed an endoscope objective lens having a four-group, six lens element construction in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application S63-261213. The present applicant has also previously disclosed an endoscope objective lens having a four-group, five lens element construction in Japanese Patent Application 2002-218696. The endoscope objective lens disclosed in Japanese Patent Application 2002-218696 is intended to provide a wide-angle view with an adequate back focal length while correcting lateral color, results which are difficult to satisfy simultaneously.
Enlarging the field angle of a lens in order to create a wider angle lens requires shortening the focal length if the image size remains constant. However, if the size of the entire lens system is simply reduced proportionally based on an existing endoscope objective lens, the back focal length is also proportionally shortened, making it difficult to insert a prism for deflecting the light path between the prism entrance surface and an imaging element. Thus, it is necessary to not shorten the back focal length while achieving wide-angle conversion. However, if the construction is such that the object side lens component is formed of cemented lens elements and operates to correct lateral color, the longer the back focal length, the weaker the correction of lateral color. Because lateral color not only generates color blurring of the image periphery but also reduces the resolution of the peripheral section, a large lateral color aberration prevents precise observation essential to a precise diagnosis based on imaging through the endoscope.
The four-group, five lens element endoscope objective lens mentioned previously provides a good balance of sufficient back focal length, wide-angle view, and correction of lateral color. However, there is a need for an endoscope objective lens with an even longer back focal length in order to assure an adequate back focal length with sufficient space for filters, such as a lowpass filter and/or an infrared rejecting filter, along with a prism between the image side lens element and the imaging element. With the use of such filters, more than five lens elements may be necessary in order to achieve the desired correction of lateral color because of the longer back focal length. | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,116 to Gahn et al discloses a zirconium carbide coating on an inert electrode in the anode fluid of a REDOX cell. The zirconium carbide coating is catalytic for the oxidation of chromous ions to chromic ions and vice-versa as well as being highly irreversible with respect to hydrogen evolution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,910 to Frosch discloses that an inert electrode of a REDOX cell disposed in the anode fluid may be plated with a layer of copper, silver or gold to act as a catalyst for the reduction-oxidation of chromium ions. An overlayer of lead minimizes hydrogen evolution at the surface of the inert electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,649 to Jalan et al teaches that an improved inert electrode for the anode fluid of a REDOX cell is made by subjecting a carbon felt to a methanol-water solution containing chloroauric acid after being thoroughly cleansed. The carbon felt is then dried and heat treated. The inert anode electrode made by this process has low hydrogen evolution characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,003 to Moser discloses an electrode for use in an electrochemical device such as a fuel cell. The electrode is made by electrodepositing a layer of catalytic noble metal from a solution containing a lead salt onto a conductive substrate. An overlayer of noble metal free of lead is then deposited on the electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,554 to Forten et al discloses an electrochemical cell electrode in which a palladium-gold alloy containing hydrophobic polymer particles is coated on an electrode base such as nickel or carbon. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to memorial park monument, and more particularly to a memorial monument comprising a combined burial headstone and base, where either the headstone or the base includes a columbarium compartment adapted to hold an urn, tube or other container-like structure encasing the cremated remains of a deceased person, or other formerly living creatures. The combination of the present invention contemplates that at least one person will be interned in the ground ahead of the monument, while the remains of another person or formerly living creature are maintained in the urn or tube.
The present invention provides a solution to the problem that arises when one or more family members desire to be buried through internment, while other family members desire to be cremated, and all family members desire to lie in their eternal rest in the same plot of land.
2. Prior Art
Previously, grave monuments have been created for the purpose of a headstone marking the location of an individual interned in the earth ahead of the monument, with recessed or cut-out portions in the monument to display items such as flowers, photographs, memorabilia of the deceased, and even video displays describing salient features of the life of the deceased.
In addition, columbaria of various constructions provide a resting place for urns holding the cremated remains of a deceased loved one. These columbaria normally combine shelves in vertical extending walls forming niches for placement of many cremation urns, indoors or outdoors, some having glass covers over the niches so the urn may be viewed. No columbarium has previously been devised that allows the cremation urn of one family member to be placed at or near the resting place of another family member that chose earthen internment.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,124,143 to Long discloses a transparent monument for use as a headstone, having a transparent casting or plate disposed in an opening in the monument. The casting or plate has identifying indicia applied thereto. There is no teaching in the Long patent of lodging the cremated remains of an individual in the monument structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,710 Barry discloses a customized memorial structure comprising recessed portions formed in the front wall of the monument. The Barry patent indicates that these recesses could be used to contain items such as molded figures, sports objects, and pet likenesses. There is no teaching in the Barry patent that the monument can be constructed to commemorate the lives of two individuals, one cremated whose remains are lodged in the monument, and one who chose earthen internment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,292 to Kawa discloses a cremains container that extends above the ground to provide a grave marker identifying the cremated individual. The cremains container can also hold memorabilia of the deceased. In the Kawa patent, the marker only identifies the single cremated remains. This patent does not teach a monument for identifying the deceased individuals, one whose cremated remains are disposed in the monument, and the other whose remains were interned in the earth.
U.S. Design Pat. No. D89,766 to Hull discloses a burial monument with a compartment for removably holding a portrait and vases. There is no disclosure in the Hull reference that the monument comprises structure to securely house the cremated remains of one individual who is identified on the monument, and to identify a second individual who chose earthen internment with the monument holding the cremated remains also functioning as a headstone identifying the second individual.
As a review of the prior art reveals, monuments or headstones that mark the eternal resting place of two individuals, the monument holding the cremated remains of one individual in the monument and identifying both the cremated and earthen interned individual adjacent to the monument, art not found in the prior art. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical synthetic quartz glass having excellent light transmissivity, optical homogeneity, and optical stability with respect to the ultraviolet ray irradiation, particularly to the excimer laser irradiation, which is an ultraviolet ray laser, a production method thereof, and an optical member for an excimer laser using the synthetic optical glass.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a higher integration degree of the LSI, processing accuracy of the sub-micron order is required in the photolithography for drawing an integrated circuit pattern on a silicon wafer. Therefore, an exposing device for drawing a circuit pattern is also improved. For example, a finer line width in drawing is achieved by a shorter wavelength of the power source of the exposing device or adopting the resolution enhancement techniques using interference of light. That is, the light source has a short wavelength between the g ray (wavelength 436 nm) to the i ray (wavelength 365 nm) of a mercury lamp, and the exposing device of the diffraction system adopts resolution enhancement techniquies utilizing the interference of light, such as a off-axis illumination method or a phase shift mask method. The demand for finer drawing is accelerated these days so that an excimer laser having a shorter wavelength is used in place of the mercury lamp. Examples of the excimer laser include a KrF laser (wavelength 248 nm) and an ArF laser (wavelength 193 nm). Owing to the use of the excimer laser as the light source, a higher quality is required for optical members including a lens used in the exposing device. For example, if the light transmissivity is poor, the focal length of the lens or the other characteristics suffer adverse effects by the heat generation of the lens due to the light absorption, or if the optical homogeneity is poor, problems such as deterioration of the image formation characteristics are involved.
Conventionally, an optical synthetic quartz glass is used as the material of the optical members for an exposing device for drawing a circuit pattern by a photolithography. The synthetic quartz glass can be produced in the direct method where a vapor of a highly pure silicon compound such as silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) is introduced directly to the oxygen-hydrogen flame and glass fine particles obtained by the flame hydrolysis are deposited on a heat resistant substrate to be a molten glass for obtaining a transparent glass or in the soot method where the glass fine particles are deposited on a heat resistant substrate as a porous material and heated in an electric furnace to be a molten glass. In either case, by the use of a highly pure material, the transmissivity in the ultraviolet ray region is improved as well as the optical homogeneity can be maintained. In the case of an optical material made from the above-mentioned synthetic quartz glass, damage caused by the light did not have to be considered if the i ray of the mercury lamp is used as the light source of the exposing device, however, it should be dealt with if the excimer laser is used instead. The problem is derived from the pulse energy per one shot of the excimer laser, which is a pulse laser, is extremely large compared with a continuous light source such as the i ray (mercury lamp, CW laser, etc.). Damage caused by the excimer laser on a synthetic quartz glass may differ remarkably depending on the production method or the production conditions thereof. The damage refers to the deterioration of the laser transmissivity caused by the absorption in the ultraviolet region by the ultraviolet ray laser irradiation and the rise of the refractive index caused by the permanent compaction (contraction of the glass). The insusceptibility to the damage is called the laser resistance. As mentioned above, the absorption in the ultraviolet region occurs subject to the damage. This is considered to be because of the paramagnetic defect derived from the intrinsic defect in the quartz glass by the light reaction. The existence of the paramagnetic defect derived from the laser has been observed and identified by the ESR spectrum. As examples thereof, the structures such as El center (Si.) and NBOHC (Sixe2x80x94O.) are known. Such a paramagnetic defect, in general, has an; absorption band. For example, Exe2x80x2 center has it at 215 nm. Furthermore, although the species of the defect has not been identified yet, absorption is observed also at 260 nm subject to the excimer laser irradiation. These absorption bands can be comparatively broad and strong. For example, in the case of the use as the light transmissive material for a KrF laser (wavelength 248 nm) or an ArF laser (wavelength 193 nm), deterioration in the laser transmissivity caused thereby poses a serious problem. In addition to the absorption in the ultraviolet region, a permanent compaction occurs. The compaction is derived from the transition to a more stable structure in a part of the quartz glass due to the atom recombination subject to a strong laser energy irradiation. Accordingly, the density in the irradiated portion heightens to raise the refractive index of the quartz glass material, resulting in a major influence on the image formation characteristics. Furthermore, due to the local density rise in the laser-irradiated portion, the stress is generated at the interface between the non-irradiated portion and the irradiated portion with the distortion so as to raise the birefringence index and affect the optical characteristics.
Various methods have been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems. Example thereof include a method of having particular production conditions of a quartz glass, and a method of applying a heat treatment to a produced synthetic quartz glass in a particular atmosphere. As an example of the former method, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 6-199531 and 6-287022 disclose a production method with a hydrogen-excessive condition, paying attention to the gas balance in the synthetic quartz glass production. By having the hydrogen molecules dissolved as mentioned above, the paramagnetic defect caused by the laser irradiation can be compensated by the hydrogen molecules so that the generation of the paramagnetic defect can be restrained and thus the laser transmissivity can be ensured without generating an absorption band in the ultraviolet ray region. In the method of dissolving hydrogen molecules, the laser resistance improves with a larger amount of dissolved hydrogen molecules in producing a synthetic quartz glass. However, since the amount of the hydrogen molecules to be dissolved remarkably varies according to not only the gas amount of a combustion gas and a combustion-supporting gas but the surface temperature or the surface area of the substrate to be deposited during the growth in the direct method, it is difficult to control the factor. Therefore, hydrogen molecules dissolved more than intended may result in a strongly reducing property to generate an oxygen lacking defect or a reduced species of silicon atoms (xe2x95x90Si:), which provides a precursor of the paramagnetic defect and deteriorates the laser resistance. Although the above-mentioned method of dissolving hydrogen molecules is advantageous in terms of the improvement of the laser resistance, with the laser irradiation for a very long time to the synthetic quartz glass having hydrogen molecules dissolved, the ultraviolet ray absorption occurs due to the dissolved hydrogen molecule consumption. Since the absorption is derived from the paramagnetic defect, a production method of a quartz glass for minimizing the paramagnetic defect structure is discussed. Examples of structures to cause the paramagnetic defect include (i) one derived from a glass structure, such as an unstable SiO2 network portion, (ii) an unordered structure generated from the deviation in the stoichiometric ratio, such as Sixe2x80x94Si and Sixe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94Si, (iii) a structure excluding silica, such as SiCl and SiOH, and (iv) an unordered structure derived from a metal impurity. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-61823 discloses a production method of a synthetic quartz glass with little amount of such a structure. The method is to have the growth ratio of a quartz glass ingot to be 2 mm/hour or less. However, since the glass growth rate is too low, it results in a poor productivity and a high production cost. Furthermore, the conventional synthetic quartz glass may generate a paramagnetic defect based on SiCl. In the conventional production method of a synthetic quartz glass, since silicon tetrachloride is used basically as the material, and silica fine particles are generated by the hydrolysis reaction thereof in an oxygen-hydrogen flame to have a molten glass, unreacted SiCl remains. The residual amount of SiCl varies depending upon the oxygen-hydrogen flame conditions, and the temperature in the growths surface, that is, the depositing and melting conditions. In general, it remains about 10 to 150 ppm and it is difficult to have its concentration less than the detection limit. In addition to the residual SiCl, in the conventional production method of a synthetic quartz glass, a hydrogen chloride gas is generated in the production. Since the hydrogen chloride gas is hazardous, it should be eliminated. Besides, since it erodes the device, an erode prevention means needs to be provided, and thus the necessity soared the production cost.
On the other hand, optical members used in the exposing device with a photolithography technique, such as a lens and a prism need to have the laser resistance. In addition, it is also important to have excellent light transmissivity, optical homogeneity without generation of fluorescence, bubbles, or distortion, or inclusion of a foreign matter. Regarding the optical homogeneity, it is required even for a member larger than a 200 mm diameter size not to have a stria, and to have a refractive index difference (xcex94n) of 2xc3x9710xe2x88x926 or less. In general, in a production method of a synthetic quartz glass with a single burner, a material is introduced from one direction onto a rotating target with an oxygen-hydrogen flame blown so as to deposit and melt silica fine particles and thus a temperature distribution is generated on the growth surface. That is, a portion where directly applied with the flame has a relatively high temperature, but on the other hand, a portion on the opposite side has a relatively low temperature. Since the target is rotated with a predetermined rotation frequency, a certain portion has a temperature change as time passes with a cycle of a high temperature and a low temperature successively alternated according to the rotation frequency of the target. Glass is deposited and grows on the rotation axis accordingly. If silica fine particles of a high temperature are blown to a portion having a low temperature and re-melted, the interface is not homogeneous but the density and physical properties differ thereat from the microscopic viewpoint so that the interface is observed as the stria like a layer along the rotation axis direction. In order to restrain the stria generation, the production conditions need to be improved. As a method therefor, (A) to have the temperature distribution in the growth surface homogeneous, (B) to maximize the temperature in the growth surface, and (C) to minimize the amount of attached silica fine particles per one rotation of the target can be presented. In the direct method using one burner, it is difficult to have the temperature distribution in the growth surface homogeneous. Therefore, a method of surrounding the growth surface with a heat resistant container to seal the heat has been proposed. However, the method has a disadvantage in that the flame is disturbed and thus a stable continuous growth cannot be conducted. Furthermore, in the method of maximizing the growth surface, with an excessively high temperature, the viscosity of a quartz glass becomes too low to keep the shape of the growth surface and the shape differs in the distance from the burner to the target to cause an irregular quality. In the worst case, a continuous growth cannot be conducted. Besides, since a noncombustible silicon compound such as silicon tetrachloride is used as the material in the conventional production method of a synthetic quartz glass, the frame temperature of the burner tends to be lower and thus it is difficult to maintain the temperature of the silica fine particle growth surface at a high level. Therefore, a large amount of a combustion gas needs to be introduced to the burner. It results in a higher gas flowing rate of the burner to dent a portion which is applied to the flame of the burner directly to cause the growth surface shape change. As a result, generation of a stria becomes more liable.
In consideration of the problems of the conventional production methods of a synthetic quartz glass, the present inventors have studied elaborately to find out that a synthetic quartz glass having excellent light transmissivity and optical homogeneity and a high laser resistance can be produced with a high productivity by using an organosilazane compound as the material and introducing it into a flame comprising a combustion gas and a combustion-supporting gas to generate silica fine particles, and depositing the silica fine particles onto a rotating heat resistant substrate to be a molten glass, and completed the present invention.
A synthetic quartz glass of the present invention is excellent in terms of the excimer laser resistance, in particular, the ArF laser resistance. The synthetic quartz glass is advantageous as an optical member, such as a lens, a prism, and a beam slitter for an exposing device for a stepper having an excimer laser as the light source.
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical synthetic quartz glass, having excellent light transmissivity and optical homogeneity and a high excimer laser resistance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical synthetic quartz glass having excellent laser transmissivity and optical homogeneity and a high ArF laser resistance.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a production method of the synthetic quartz glass.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an optical quartz glass member having a high excimer laser resistance, using the synthetic quartz glass. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention is related to a color regulating device for illumination, a color regulating apparatus for illumination using the color regulating device, and a color regulating method.
2. Description of Related Art
Human life style has greatly changed since Edison invented incandescent lamps, and more durable, aesthetic and efficient illumination products have been advanced and developed continuously.
However, because sunlight has been adapted during the human evolution, human visual organs still favors natural illumination environment even when situated under artificial illumination. Sense of structures of human eyes to visible light changes based on variation of light wavelength and brightness of the environment. When visible light affects on human eyes to generate light sense, it is not only related to the composition and intensity of light, but also related to physiological characteristics of human visual organs and psychological factors of human. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate visual effect generated by light radiation according to physiological characteristics of human eyes and agreed regulations through “light measurement.”
Because light measurement relies on physiological characteristics of human visual organs, the Commission Internationale de l'Eclariage (CIE) unifies and sets the evaluation standard of the light sensing capability of human eye. Human eye sensitivity function V(λ) has been set forth to connect and convert the radiation measurement and light measurement, and chromaticity diagrams are used to standardize to human eye sense of color. In 1924, CIE set forth that in an equal energy spectrum experiment of a small field of view of 2 degree, eye sensitivity function of a point light source under a photopic vision condition is called CIE 1931 eye sensitivity function and is relied to derive a CIE 1931 color space chromaticity diagram, as shown in FIG. 1. Because human eye has different light vision performance under different wavelengths, CIE, according to the human eye sensitivity to blue and indigo spectrum zones, sets forth CIE 1978 eye sensitivity function in 1978. This corrected function has higher responded value in the spectrum zone with wavelength being lower than 460 nm. However, although the CIE 1978 eye sensitivity function is the most accurate sensitivity description, the CIE 1391 is the most used color space chromaticity diagram in the world at present.
White light is the most widely used light source in the application of illumination. Because of the characteristics of the light metamerism, many spectrum combinations can be found from the chromaticity diagram to form white light. Because the characteristic difference amount all white lights is “color temperature,” the color temperature relative to the chromaticity coordinate becomes an importance parameter of describing the characteristic of white light source. “Color temperature” is the parameter of “absolute temperature of the surface of a black body” to represent a spectrum distribution of a light source when such spectrum distribution is the same of a spectrum radiated from the black body. (The black body means an object that absorbs the radiation of any wavelength falling downward to its surface at any temperature.) In summary, color temperature is an expressing manner defined according to light color variation emitted from black body radiation, and the expressing manner of the defined color employs the unit of absolute temperature Kelvin (K). When the black body is heated, the outer surface of the black body under different temperatures emits different colored light. For example, when heated to 1000K, the black body presents red, red-yellow is presented below 3000K, white is presented from about 3000K to 6500K, and white light turns a little blue over 6500K. Because “color temperature” can be simply used to describe a specific spectrum, it is used to be a standard in the illumination field.
According to temperature variation, the color temperature of the light emitted from the black body can be used to depict a locus in the chromaticity diagram. The locus of the black body radiation spectrum in the CIE 1931 color space chromaticity diagram is called “Planckian Locus” or Black Body Locus (BBL). The white light spectrum in the natural world is greatly similar to the Planckian spectrum. The locus aa′ in FIG. 1 indicates the “black body locus” of the Planckian black body radiation spectrum in the CIE 1931 color space chromaticity diagram and the corresponding color of its color temperature.
In the aspect of color temperature control, for a white light illuminating lamp, different color temperatures have different application fields. For example, the color temperature below 3,300 K is called “warm light,” which is close to the incandescent lamp, has more red composition and provides people with feelings of warmth, health and comfort. Therefore, warm color light is adapted suitably to families, residences, dormitories, guest houses or places with low temperatures, etc. The color temperature from 3,300 K to 5,300 K is called “cold white light.” Because such light is soft, it makes people feel joyful, comfortable and peaceful. Such cold light is adapted suitably to stores, hospitals, offices, restaurants and waiting rooms, etc. Color temperature over the absolute temperature 5,300 K is called “cold light,” which is most close to natural light, and is bright to make people concentrate. Such cold light is adapted suitably to offices, conference rooms, classrooms, drafting rooms, design rooms, reading rooms of libraries and display cabinets, etc. Therefore, a good white light illuminating device necessarily completes adjustment of color temperature to greatly increase its application and value.
Furthermore, to evaluate whether the white light source is close to natural light, “color rendering index” of an object under illumination also becomes an important parameter. The object under illumination of sunlight or an incandescent lamp shows so-called “true color” because the characteristics of broadband of such light sources. The level of the true color presented from the object by the light source is called “color rendering index (CRI or Ra)” to evaluate the color rendering of the light source. A standard light source is used as a reference value, and Ra thereof is 100; the rest of the light sources have Ra lower than 100. When Ra value is larger, the color rendering of the light source is better. The Ra of the incandescent lamp can reach to 98. Because human eyes evolve to adapt to daylight environment, CIE employs the black body radiation spectrum of Planckian locus as an evaluation basis. To daylight of every time phase falling into an extent at a little distance to the Planckian locus, the color rendering ratio is very high.
In the modern illumination apparatuses, the most common light sources include halogen lamps, fluorescent lamp, cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), and light emitting diodes (LEDs), etc. Once an illuminating light source is completely manufactured, both color temperature and color rendering thereof are not adjusted easily anymore. With regard to conventional illumination apparatuses, common incandescent tungsten lamps have good color rendering but short lifespan and low luminous efficiency. Halogen lamps have improved lifespan and luminous efficiency when compared with incandescent lamps but high heat and ultraviolet thereof are criticized. Furthermore, conventional illumination devices based on principles of operation of incandescent lamps are all limited by overheating and unchangeableness of color temperature and color rendering after leaving factories. With regard to CCFL, it is not eco-friendly because of contained mercury and also has problems of insufficient color rendering. Recently, LED comparatively has advantages of compact volume, excellent light emitting efficiency, long lifespan and quick operating reaction time and complies environmental protection requirements of non-radiation and non-poisonous material such mercury so that having superiority when compared with other conventional illuminating light sources.
An LED is fabricated by using semiconductor process technologies to realize an optical element based on semiconductor diodes, it converts electricity to light wave, radiation spectrum belongs to mono color light and wavelength includes infrared, visible light and ultraviolet. Because the LED is required to form illuminative white light, the wavelength spectrum needs to cross red, green and blue wavelength bands of three primary colors of light to further mix into light beam. In other words, the wavelength needs to cross 300 nm (from about 400 nm to 700 nm). However, because the energy difference of a full-width at half-maximum of the radiation spectrum of the LED is very narrow, it can only emit mono light with a mono wavelength. Since a long time ago, LED is limited by the slow development of blue light wavelength band of three primary colors, because the brightness of the emitted blue light was not good and thus it cannot achieve true color images and white light illumination.
To realize white light illumination of LED, methods used by businesses are classified into two types. The first method is to combine LED chips that emit different wavelengths. For example, combination of red, green and blue LEDs or combination of blue and yellow-green LEDs is used. Electric current regulating each LED is controlled separately and a light diffusing film layer is then applied to emitted LEDs to mix and form white light. The other method is to employ material capable of converting wavelength, such as a semiconductor, phosphor or dye to cooperate with a mono light LED to achieve the purpose of emitting white light. The matured one of such white light emitting technologies is the technology that uses phosphor to cooperate with mono light LED. In 1996, Nichia Chemical Industries, Ltd. of Japan developed to use blue (GaxIn1-xN) LED to cooperate with yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) phosphor emitting out yellow light to form a white light source. Yellow phosphor absorbs part of blue light emitted by the blue LED and then radiates out yellow light with longer wavelength. Finally, the lights of different colors are mixed into white light. Such method only needs one group of LED chips of the same color. Another common phosphor is terbium aluminum garnet (TAG) phosphor, which has worse light emitting efficiency but exhibits better color rendering when compared with YAG. The present method, cooperating the wavelength converting material capable of converting wavelength of the mono color LED to achieve white light illumination, still cooperates blue LED with yellow YAG or TAG phosphor.
However, newly risen LED light sources still cannot replace conventional illumination apparatuses. The major cause is that all marketable LED lamp products lack the characteristic presenting a uniform color temperature so that difference of color temperature between products is inevitable. The marketable white light LEDs mostly use blue LEDs and yellow phosphor to mix color. The present blue light LED manufacturing process has gradually become mature. However, when the blue light LED cooperates with the yellow fluorescent light to mix and form white light, a bias away from a predetermined zone of color temperature happens due to the mixing of luminous flux generated from the blue light and yellow phosphor has great uncertainty so that the factory color temperature of each product cannot be controlled accurately. The causes of uncertainty include phosphor mixing ratio during manufacture, uniformity of phosphor distribution, time control of phosphor dispensing during mass production and corresponding LEDs which may have different characteristics. The present mass production of white light source by cooperating phosphor with LEDs still causes an inaccuracy of more than positive and negative 200K. However, human eyes can sense and feel the color temperature variation of a light source once the color temperature variation is more than positive and negative 100K. A more sensitive person can even become aware of color temperature difference down to 50K. Therefore, general illumination products have a tolerance reduced from 100K to 50K at present. White light LEDs are limited by many above-mentioned factors of uncertainty and the yield thereof is greatly decreased. Defective samples have no choice but sell by lowered prices.
FIG. 2 is a diagram of CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinate and color tolerance, which sets up specifications for the chromaticity of solid state lighting products for electric lamps of ANSI C78.377A of white light LEDs under different color temperatures. The intervening curve shown in FIG. 2 is part of the curvature aa′, a black body locus (BBL) in FIG. 1. The edge of each small grid along the up and down direction of BBL in FIG. 2 is about 50K, which represents that chromaticity within the grid is deemed “the same color temperature” because human eyes cannot distinguish any difference from color temperatures within the same grid. A common white light source for illumination has its color temperature at least inside a certain zone of the figure. Therefore, for a present indoor light source assembled from multiple LED chips, once any of the LED chips is damaged, all of the LED chips will need to be replaced completely to achieve the uniformity of color temperatures of all light sources.
As mentioned above, most of marketable white light LEDs use blue light LED and yellow phosphor to mix colors and the disadvantage thereof is that the factory color temperature of each product cannot be controlled. The reason for failure in accurate control is that the mixing of luminous flux of from the blue light and yellow phosphor has great uncertainty. Furthermore, a specific color temperature of each batch of white light sources is completed by mixing out a specific ratio of phosphor and the ratio cannot be changed by itself after package. Such method cannot arbitrarily adjust and change color temperature of the white light source so the applicability and value of the illumination apparatuses are greatly lowered. Moreover, the light source for indoor illumination should meet the criteria of suitable brightness, cozy light field, and color consistency between space and time. However, many LED light sources in the market have the issue of the space color shift, which refers to a “yellow halo” resulting from a blue shift in the middle and yellow shift in periphery. The space color shift may render adverse effect to the human body in the case of extremely high color temperature at certain angles.
In addition, at present three colors of red, blue and green LED light source are also used. With controlling the relative intensity by circuit, a white LED light is able to be made. However, in that three colors have different decay rates (in which red LED is the fast one), a significant color shift occurs after using for a period of time. The present various light sources for illumination apparatuses or adjustment of wavelength, including LEDs, have serious problems on or cannot completely control the variation and adjustment of color temperature and color rendering. To increase the quality of light sources and the application value of products (for example, illumination), the present light source devices such as for illumination have great difficulty to overcome. Therefore, a method how to accurately adjust the spectrum distribution or wavelength band of final outgoing light is greatly valuable in applications of illumination and may be used in the other application fields that highly require the quality of light sources. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cellular telephones and, more particularly, to a cellular phone speaker and microphone assembly that permits the use of cellular phones in a manner that limits the user""s exposure to electromagnetic radiation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cellular telephones are handheld devices that are usually positioned immediately adjacent the ear and face of the user when in use. They operate by transmitting and receiving wireless signals to and from a remote cell site. As a consequence, they generate and receive electromagnetic radiation that can be harmful to individuals. In particular, when the cellular phone is transmitting to the cell site, electromagnetic radiation emits from the phone at a location adjacent the head of the user. It is believed that prolonged exposure to such electromagnetic radiation can pose health risks to the cellular phone user including increased incidence of brain tumors and cancer.
To address this concern, some microphone and speaker assemblies have been developed for the cellular phone to allow for the use of cellular phones without requiring the phone being placed immediately adjacent the user""s head. These assemblies typically involve attaching an electronic microphone and speaker by wire to the cellular phone in a manner so that only the speaker and microphone are adjacent the ear and mouth of the user while the cellular phone is being used. An electronic signal produced by the cellular phone is then transmitted along the electrical wire to the speaker and subsequently transformed into an audio signal by the speaker located adjacent the user""s ear. Furthermore, the electronic microphone that is positioned adjacent the user""s mouth converts audible voice signals produced by the user into electronic signals which in turn are transmitted via the wire to the cellular phone for subsequent transmission to the cell site.
While these speaker and microphone assemblies somewhat reduce the user""s exposure to electromagnetic radiation generated by the cellular phone, they still raise some health concerns as these assemblies themselves can be a source of electromagnetic radiation. In particular, these assemblies typically use an electrical conductor such as a metal wire to connect the speaker with the microphone and to transmit electronic signals to and from these devices. Disadvantageously, it is believed that the metal wire can act as an antenna which can receive and transmit electromagnetic radiation, thereby continuing to cause health risks to the cellular phone user.
To address these concerns, communication headsets that are configured to place all electronic components necessary for telephone communication remote from the user""s head have been developed. Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,879 to Larkin discloses a headset assembly in which the microphone, receiver, and related amplifiers are housed in a detachable case that is worn on the user""s belt or lapel while hollow transmitter and receiver tubes are coupled to the case to conduct sound from the user""s mouth to the microphone and from the receiver to the user""s ear.
However, the Larkin reference places the microphone and speaker in such close proximity to each other inside the case such that undesirable noise interference between the two devices can occur. For instance, sound that is emitted from the receiver and intended for the user""s ear can be picked up by the microphone and retransmitted to the cell site, thereby create undesirable feedback. Similarly, sound generated by the user and intended for the microphone can reach the adjacent speaker and travel back to the user via the receiver tube next to the speaker. Disadvantageously, such sound wave interference generates extraneous noise that can adversely impact the clarity and overall quality of the communication. Furthermore, FIG. 2 of the Larkin reference illustrates that the case containing the microphone and speaker needs to be strapped to the user""s belt, which suggests that the case is not compact and light enough to hang freely from the tubes that are attached to the user""s head. Disadvantageously, it can be inconvenient and cumbersome for the user to have to attach such a case to the user""s belt or clothing whenever the cellular phone is in use.
Hence from the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a cellular telephone assembly that will permit the use of the cellular phone in a manner that reduces the risk of exposure to electromagnetic radiation and yet does not compromise the clarity of sound transmission. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that there is a need for the cellular telephone assembly to be lightweight and not cumbersome so that users can use the cellular phone without having to attach any device or contraptions to the users"" clothing. To this end, there is a need for a cellular phone speaker and microphone assembly that is light, compact and configured to minimize noise interference between the speaker and microphone.
The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the cellular telephone speaker and microphone assembly of the present invention which permits the use of the cellular phone in a manner that reduces the user""s exposure to electromagnetic radiation and also minimizes noise interference between the speaker and the microphone.
In one aspect, the cellular phone speaker and microphone assembly of the present invention comprises a microphone and a speaker that are contained in a first and second enclosure respectively. The assembly further comprises a connecting member that is joined to the first and second enclosures in a manner such that the connecting member is interposed between the first and second enclosures to inhibit sound transmission between the microphone and speaker. Preferably, the connecting member interposes an air gap between the enclosures to inhibit transmission of sound therebetween. In one embodiment, the connecting member comprises a first and second circular disk, and a plurality of legs extending therebetween to separate the first and second disks by a first distance. Preferably, the first distance is approximately 0.2 inch.
In another aspect, the cellular phone speaker and microphone assembly of the present invention comprises a microphone and speaker that are each contained in a first and second enclosure respectively. The first enclosure has an upper opening that is adapted for transmitting sound from the user""s mouth to the microphone. The assembly further comprises an air tube that extends between the user""s ear and the second enclosure so as to transmit sound from the speaker to the user""s ear. In one embodiment, the first and second enclosures are adhered together.
In yet another aspect, the cellular phone assembly comprises a microphone and a speaker that are each contained in a first and second enclosure respectively. The first enclosure has a first cavity that is configured to seat and firmly hold the microphone inside the first enclosure and to channel substantially all sound entering an upper opening of the first enclosure to the microphone. Similarly, the second enclosure has a second cavity that is configured to seat and firmly hold the speaker inside the second enclosure and to channel substantially all sound from the speaker toward an upper opening in the second enclosure. Preferably, the first and second cavities are funnel shaped.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | {
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Device-to-Device (“D2D”) communication allows wireless mobile stations to communicate directly with one another with minimal use of network resources. To set up a typical D2D communication session in a Long-Term Evolution (“LTE”) network, the enhanced Node B (“eNB”) identifies a pair of mobile stations, allocates radio network resources (e.g., a portion of the cellular spectrum, which can be expressed in terms of sets of resource blocks (“RBs”) in specific subframes) to the devices, and broadcasts information about the allocated radio network resources. Using the allocated resources, the mobile stations can transmit and receive data between themselves without the need for the eNB to relay the data.
Current D2D communication schemes require resource allocation to be performed independently for each device in a pair or a group. This approach can result in inefficiencies because it requires the eNB to send a separate control message to each individual mobile station to let it know which RBs to use for D2D communication. Sending separate control messages increases signaling overhead for the eNB.
One way to address this problem is to allocate D2D resources well in advance and on a long-term basis. Doing so, however, significantly reduces the amount of control the eNB (and hence the network operator) can exercise over the mobile stations. For example, once mobile stations are able to synchronize with one another, they can use the allocated D2D resources and disregard any limitations imposed by the eNB. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing technology, and more particularly to an image processing technology capable of easily deciding a desired image processing method when an original image is subjected to image processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of subjecting an original image to image processing, there has conventionally been known a method of displaying the original image on a display device, operating slide bars corresponding to a plurality of image processing parameters, and checking effects of the image processing by an image displayed in a preview.
According to this method, however, only an image processing result uniquely decided by each parameter is displayed in the preview. Thus, comparison with image processing results by the other parameter values is difficult, causing a problem that checking of image processing effects is difficult.
To solve the problem, a technology capable of easily checking image processing effects has been proposed. According to this technology, using a predetermined color adjustment parameter as a reference, a plurality of thumbnail images subjected to different color processing operations by parameters in the vicinity of the color adjustment parameter are generated (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-30039). | {
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U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,169 teaches an optical coupling system in which system nodes are connected to one another through the medium of an input interface, a central coupling device and an output interface. The data information transmitted between the nodes is modulated on different carrier waves or wavelength channels. The signals that are sent between the nodes will thus include a number of wavelength channels, for instance W1, W2, W3, W4, in accordance with one embodiment of the patent. The signals are fed to the inputs of the coupling device via the input interface, wherein the wavelength channels are switched, or in other words cross-connected, in the coupling device in accordance with a fixed cross-connection schedule. The cross-connection schedule discloses to which output a certain wavelength channel will be connected when said channel is fed-in on a certain input. Thus, correct selection of a wavelength channel in accordance with the cross-connection schedule will enable any two nodes in the system to be connected together.
According to the method described in the aforesaid patent specification, actual cross-connection is achieved by dividing the wavelength channels applied to an input of the coupling device into two branches in a first branch point, wherein half of the wavelength channels are connected to the first branch and the other half of said channels are connected to the second branch. This division of the wavelength channels is repeated in further branch points, until only one wavelength channel remains on each branch. The branches are disposed in "horizontal planes", one horizontal plane for each input of the coupling device. The wavelength channels are then re-combined in "vertical planes". Thus, two wavelength channels are joined together in a first combination point, and these two wavelength channels are joined to two other wavelength channels in a second combination point, and so on, until a signal is delivered from the coupling device. The number of wavelength channels in the output signal will then equal the number of wavelength channels in the input signal applied to the input of the coupling device. The coupling device operates in accordance with the principle of complete division of the wavelength channels of the input signals, whereafter the output signals are obtained by combining wavelength channels from all input signals.
The drawback with the known coupling device resides in its complex construction which requires a large number of components. | {
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} |
This invention is particularly directed to improvements in photovoltaic devices and the like and particularly such devices which include at least one semiconductor layer which is a thin polycrystalline film of suitable large grain size. One such semiconductor material is zinc phosphide (Zn.sub.3 P.sub.2).
Zinc phosphide is an important semiconductor for photovoltaic solar cells. See, for example, a report by applicant et al, which was published in the Proceedings of the Fourteenth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, pp. 641-646 (1980) and references cited therein. It possesses a steep optical absorption edge near 1.5 eV, where the maximum performance of terrestrially based cells is expected, has a sufficiently long (.about.10 .mu.m) minority carrier diffusion length to permit high current collection efficiency, and is comprised of elements which are abundant, thus permitting widespread use. To date, conversion efficiencies as high as 6.08% (total area, 100 mW/cm.sup.2 ELH simulation) have been reported for metal-semiconductor junctions. Cells of the heterojunction type and cells comprising solid solutions of zinc phosphide and cadmium phosphide are described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 944,971, the details of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Cells of the homojunction type are described in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,879.
A particular problem with such semiconductor materials as zinc phosphide is in the difficulties encountered for selecting a proper substrate which meets the necessary criteria while being compatible with high temperature growth. For example, the relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion of zinc phosphide (1.4.times.10.sup.-5 /.degree.C.), compared to those of other semiconducting materials, such as silicon, which have a coefficient of thermal expansion of 4.5.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C., makes it difficult to bond zinc phosphide to conventional substrate materials as are commonly used in making thin film photovoltaic cells. This problem is particularly apparent in view of the temperatures to which these materials are exposed in the normally employed close spaced vapor transport (CSVT) method of forming zinc phosphide films.
Commonly assigned application Ser. No. 944,971 teaches a mica substrate with a layer of silver covered by a thin diffusion barrier of carbon as a substrate for forming zinc phosphide semiconductor layers of Schottky barrier and heterojunction type photovoltaic cells. The parent application teaches, inter alia, homojunction photovoltaic cells comprising zinc phosphide deposited on a multilayer substrate. Pasierb in U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,125 teaches use of a thin germanium layer in combination with a tin layer on a molybdenum substrate for depositing gallium arsenide films. The teaching of Pasierb has not been, to our knowledge, applied to semiconductor materials from Groups IIB and VA of the Periodic Table such as zinc phosphide. Furthermore, even if the teaching of Pasierb were operable with zinc phosphide and the like, the high cost of germanium and molybdenum would mitigate against their use in photovoltaic devices for large scale generation of electricity. A publication by Sberveglieri et al which appears in Thin Solid Films, Vol. 83, pp.L133-L136 (1981) teaches use of an evaporated layer of thallium in connection with a polished stainless steel substrate for deposition of zinc phosphide thin films. The teaching of Sberveglieri et al involves annealing for periods of up to eight hours. In view of the expense and toxicity of thallium and the long processing times inherent in this method, such substrates are unlikely to be useful for commercialization of zinc phosphide comprising thin film photovoltaic cells.
Photovoltaic cell devices as taught in the prior art can suffer from low yield and loss in conversion efficiency due to low fill factor. These problems are attributable to properties of the substrate such as high contact resistance, unwanted doping, incidence of pin holes, loss of adherence, extreme roughness and small grain size. Thus it would be advantageous to provide a substrate which overcomes these problems. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Electrical stimulation of neural tissue serves as the core of many neurological therapies, and can provide relief for a variety of disorders, improving the quality of life for many patients. In some cases, electrical stimulation may be characterized by a lack of specificity in the excitation of neural tissue. In particular, it can be difficult to stimulate a specific, localized neural population due to constraints on electrode geometry and placement. For example, the area of stimulation may be dictated by electrode size, which can be generally orders of magnitude greater than the cellular targets of interest. In some cases, this may lead to overexciting cellular networks and or inefficient stimulation, and may result in stimulation of non-target cells. In addition, inhibitory stimuli through the use of electrical coupling generally may be accomplished only through a electrical stimulation block that involves inefficient, high frequency stimulation, thereby limiting the therapy modulation strategy in some circumstances. The presence of electrodes in tissue may also place limitations on electromagnetic exposure from electromagnetic sources such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electrosurgery devices. In addition, electrical stimulation can undermine the ability to sense underlying electrical neural activity simultaneously with delivery of electrical stimulation. In particular, electrical stimulation currents flowing through the tissue that are necessary to achieve a localized current density high enough to depolarize the cell or axon can mask the bioelectrical activity to be sensed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Mobile communication systems have been developed to provide voice services, while guaranteeing user activity. Service coverage of mobile communication systems, however, has extended even to data services, as well as voice services, and currently, an explosive increase in traffic has resulted in shortage of resource and user demand for a high speed services, requiring advanced mobile communication systems.
The requirements of the next-generation mobile communication system may include supporting huge data traffic, a remarkable increase in the transfer rate of each user, the accommodation of a significantly increased number of connection devices, very low end-to-end latency, and high energy efficiency. To this end, various techniques, such as small cell enhancement, dual connectivity, massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), in-band full duplex, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), supporting super-wide band, and device networking, have been researched. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to digital communications, and more particularly to mobile wireless systems and methods.
Spread spectrum wireless communications utilize a radio frequency bandwidth greater than the minimum bandwidth required for the transmitted data rate, but many users may simultaneously occupy the bandwidth. Each of the users has a pseudo-random code for “spreading” information to encode it and for “despreading” (by correlation) received spread spectrum signals to recover the information. Such multiple access typically appears under the name of code division multiple access (CDMA). The pseudo-random code may be an orthogonal (Walsh) code, a pseudo-noise (PN) code, a Gold code, or combinations (modulo-2 additions) of such codes. After despreading the received signal at the correct time instant, the user recovers the corresponding information while other users' interfering signals appear noise-like; indeed, a single user can receive multiple independent channels of information through use of multiple spreading codes. For example, the interim standard IS-95 for such CDMA communications employs channels of 1.25 MHz bandwidth and a pseudo-random code pulse (chip) interval Tc of 0.8138 microsecond with a transmitted symbol (bit) lasting 64 chips. The recent wideband CDMA (WCDMA) proposal employs a 3.84 MHz bandwidth and the CDMA code length applied to each information symbol may vary from 4 chips to 512 chips. The UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) approach UTRA (UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access) provides a spread spectrum cellular air interface with both FDD (frequency division duplex) and TDD (time division duplex) modes of operation. UTRA currently employs 10 ms duration frames partitioned into 15 time slots with each time slot consisting of 2560 chips (Tc=0.26 microsecond).
The CDMA code for each user is typically produced as the modulo-2 addition of a Walsh code with a pseudo-random code (two pseudo-random codes for QPSK modulation) to improve the noise-like nature of the resulting signal. A cellular system could employ IS-95 or WCDMA for the air interface between the base station and multiple mobile user stations.
A spread spectrum receiver synchronizes with the transmitter by code acquisition followed by code tracking. Code acquisition performs an initial search to bring the phase of the receiver's local code generator to within typically a half chip of the transmitter's, and code tracking maintains fine alignment of chip boundaries of the incoming and locally generated codes. Conventional code tracking utilizes a delay-lock loop (DLL) or a tau-dither loop (TDL), both of which are based on the well-known early-late gate principle.
The air interface leads to multipath reception from a single transmitter, and a RAKE receiver has individual demodulators (fingers) tracking separate paths and combines the finger results to improve signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). The combining may use a method such as the maximal ratio combining (MRC) in which the individual detected signals in the fingers are synchronized and weighted according to their signal strengths or SINRs and summed to provide the decoding statistic. That is, a RAKE receiver typically has a number of DLL or TDL code tracking loops together with control circuitry for assigning tracking units to the strongest received paths. Further, arrays of antennas allow for detection of and transmission with signal directionality by phasing the combined signals among the antennas the signals from or to a single user. FIGS. 2a-2d Illustrate functional blocks of various CDMA receivers and transmitters.
For FDD mode the physical synchronization channel appears in each of the 15 time slots of a frame and occupies 256 chips out of the 2560 chips of the time slot. Thus a base station transmitting in the synchronization channel a repeated primary synchronization code of pseudo-noise of length 256 chips modulated by a length 16 comma-free code (CFC) allows a mobile user to synchronize by first synchronizing to the 256-chip pseudo-random code to set slot timing and then using the cyclic shift uniqueness of a CFC to set frame timing. Further, decoding the CFC by the mobile user reveals the scrambling code used by the base station.
Antenna arrays for the base station (e.g., 2 to 16 antennas in a linear array) and possibly also for the mobile users (e.g. 2 antennas) can improve data rates or performance. For example, transmit adaptive array (TxAA) is a two-antenna diversity technique which adjusts antenna weights (relative phase and possibly also the power balance between the two antennas) at the base station to maximize SINR at the mobile user. TxAA can be used in the proposed 3GPP standard for a high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) in WCDMA which transmits packets in a 2 ms (3 time slots) transmission time interval (TTI). Packets may be transmitted with either 16-QAM or QPSK modulation. Within a TTI the ratio between the transmitter power for the pilot symbol channel (CPICH) and the transmitter power for the high-speed downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH) does not change. This requirement of a constant power ratio during a TTI allows a mobile user to estimate the power ratio in the first time slot of the TTI which would then be valid for the remaining two time slots of the TTI. Indeed, due to the timing constraints at the mobile user for decoding the packet and reporting an ACK or NAK to the base station, there is insufficient time to make power ratio estimations in every time slot if each estimation takes one time slot. This implies a problem of changing antenna weights within a TTI for TxAA mode 1 and mode 2 which adjust weights at the base station based upon feedback (e.g., FDD) from the mobile user. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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For the design of digital circuits on the scale of VLSI (very large scale integration) technology, designers often employ computer aided techniques. Standard languages such as Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) have been developed to describe digital circuits to aide in the design and simulation of complex digital circuits. Several hardware description languages, such as VHDL and Verilog, have evolved as industry standards. VHDL and Verilog are general purpose hardware description languages that allow definition of a hardware model at the gate level, the register transfer level (RTL) or the behavioral level using abstract data types. As device technology continues to advance, various product design tools have been developed to adapt HDLs for use with newer devices and design styles.
In designing an integrated circuit with an HDL code, the code is first written and then compiled by an HDL compiler. The HDL source code describes at some level the circuit elements, and the compiler produces an RTL netlist from this compilation. The RTL netlist is typically a technology independent netlist in that it is independent of the technology/architecture of a specific vendor's integrated circuit, such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGA). The RTL netlist corresponds to a schematic representation of circuit elements (as opposed to a behavioral representation). A mapping operation is then performed to convert from the technology independent RTL netlist to a technology specific netlist which can be used to create circuits in the vendor's technology/architecture. It is well known that FPGA vendors utilize different technology/architecture to implement logic circuits within their integrated circuits. Thus, the technology independent RTL netlist is mapped to create a netlist which is specific to a particular vendor's technology/architecture.
One operation which is often desirable in this process is to plan the layout of a particular integrated circuit and to control timing problems and to manage interconnections between regions of an integrated circuit. This is sometimes referred to as “floor planning.” A typical floor planning operation divides the circuit area of an integrated circuit into regions, sometimes called “blocks,” and then reassigns logic to reside in a block. These regions may be rectangular or non-rectangular. This operation has two effects: the estimation error for the location of the logic is reduced from the size of the integrated circuit to the size of the block, and the placement and the routing typically runs faster because as it has been reduced from one very large problem into a series of simpler problems.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate two methods in the prior art for performing floor planning in designing an integrated circuit. FIG. 1A illustrates a method in which floor planning is performed after a completed synthesis from HDL code. The method 10 of FIG. 1A begins an operation 12 in which an HDL code for a particular integrated circuit design is prepared; no attempt at floor planning is made when writing the source code. In operation 14, the HDL code is compiled to generate an RTL netlist. In operation 16, logic optimization is performed on the RTL netlist. This optimization typically involves substituting different gate types or combining or eliminating gates or interconnections, and often results in reordering the hierarchies and relationships between the original RTL objects and the underlying source code that produced the RTL objects. In operation 18, the optimized RTL netlist is mapped to a selected target architecture to generate a technology specific netlist. Floor planning occurs in operation 20 after operation 18 by specifying specific portions of the technology specific netlist and assigning these portions to specific portions of the integrate circuit. After floor planning in operation 20, conventional place and route software tools may be used in each area to create circuitry implemented in the vendor's target technology.
FIG. 1B shows a method 25 which involves floor planning before HDL compilation. In this case, HDL code for two regions of an integrated circuit is separately prepared along with an interconnect HDL code as shown in operations 26, 28, and 30. Then in operation 32, there is a second synthesis for each region and for the interconnect. Then place and route software tools may be used within each region to create circuitry in each region as indicated in operation 34.
The method shown in FIG. 1A can improve the placement and routing processes, but this method typically prevents the use of operation 16 or at least seriously impacts the logic optimization process. Also, floor planning after synthesis as in the case of FIG. 1A, is considerably more difficult because the understanding of a design has deteriorated due to the loss of the contextual information from the HDL code which has been hidden within the design's programmable logic cells and the level of detail has increased dramatically.
In the case of the method of FIG. 1B, the placement information can be used by the synthesis tool to make logic optimization decisions. Unfortunately, it is not easy to know whether the capacity of a block has been overflowed or which logic has the most critical timing impact. In addition, the design's granularity prevents manipulation of lower level functions such as counters, adders, state machines, etc.
From the foregoing it can be seen that it is desirable to provide an improved method for designing an integrated circuit. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of integrated circuit application and, more particularly, to the field of integrated circuit memory devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art which may be related to various aspects of the present invention which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Microprocessor controlled integrated circuits are used in a wide variety of applications. Such applications include personal computers, vehicle control systems, telephone networks, and a host of consumer products. As is well known, microprocessors are essentially generic devices that perform specific functions under the control of the software program. This program is stored in a memory device which is coupled to the microprocessor. Not only does the microprocessor access memory devices to retrieve the program instructions, but it also stores and retrieves data created during execution of the program in one or more memory devices.
There are a variety of different memory devices available for use in microprocessor-based systems. The type of memory device chosen for a specific function within a microprocessor-based system depends largely upon what features of the memory are best suited to perform the particular function. Memory manufacturers provide an array of innovative fast memory chips for various applications. While both Dynamic Random Access Memories (DRAM) and Static Random Access Memories (SRAM) are making significant gains in speed and bandwidth, even the fastest memory devices can not match the speed requirements of the microprocessors. The solution for providing adequate memory bandwidth depends on system architecture, the application requirements, and the processor, all of which help determine the best memory type for a given application. Limitations on speed include delays in the chip, the package, and the system. Thus, significant research and development has been devoted to finding faster ways to access memory.
Also of concern to researchers has been developing new ways to get more and more capabilities into smaller areas. Engineers have been challenged with finding ways to increase hardware capabilities, with memory capacity being one area in which board geography is at a particular premium. Increasing memory capability while reducing the amount of layout space that the memory components require presents developers with a considerable challenge.
Another type of memory device is a standard Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM). Synchronous control means that the DRAM latches information from the processor under the control of a system clock. The processor can be told how many clock cycles it takes for the DRAM to complete its task, so it can safely implement other tasks while the DRAM is processing its request.
One technique for increasing the speed of a synchronous DRAM is called “prefetch.” In this case more than one data word is fetched from the memory on each address cycle and transferred to a data selector on an output buffer. Multiple words of data can then be sequentially clocked out for each address access. The main advantage of this approach is that, for any given technology, data can be accessed at multiples of the clock rate of the internal DRAM.
There are also some drawbacks to a prefetch type of architecture. An output register must be added to the chip to hold the multiple words that are prefetched. Disadvantageously, this adds to the chip size. If more than two address bits (two data words) are prefetched, it adds considerably to the chip size but ensures a fast unbroken data stream. An eight-bit prefetch scheme, for example, can achieve a very high frequency of operation for long bursts but it adds a considerable amount of chip area. In addition the power consumption may disadvantageously increase if random addressing is required due to data thrashing.
A two-bit prefetch scheme adds a conventionally acceptable increase in the chip size for narrow I/O width memories. For wide word I/O memories, such as ×32 I/O widths, even a two word prefetch scheme may have an unacceptable die size penalty. With a two-bit prefetch, however, there are limitations on the timing. New column addresses can only occur on alternate cycles since there are always two address bits generated for every access.
The present invention may address one or more of the problems set forth above. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The present invention relates to a process for producing L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine or L-phenylalanine, by fermentation. L-tryptophan is useful in the medical, food and animal feed industries. L-Tyrosine is useful in the medical industry. L-Phenylalanine is useful in the medical and food industries.
As the microbiological processes for producing such aromatic amino acids using a microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium or Brevibacterium, the following processes have been known so far; for example, a process using a mutant strain to which amino acid auxotrophy and/or resistance to analogs of the aromatic amino acids is/are imparted (Journal of Japan Agricultural Chemistry Association, 50, (1), p.R. 79, 1976), and processes using strains in which activity of a rate limiting enzyme involved in the biosynthetic pathways for the aromatic amino acids has been amplified by the introduction of the genes coding for the rate limiting enzyme (U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,698, and European Publication No. 338,474).
It has been desired to develop a more industrially economical method for the production of L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine or L-phenylalanine.
The present inventors have found that L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine and L-phenylalanine can be produced in a higher yield by intensifying transetolase activity in the aromatic amino acid-producing microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium or Brevibacterium.
Transketolase catalyzes the following two reactions in the pentose phosphate cycle. Transketolase is considered to play an important role in the synthesis or decomposition of erythrose-4-phosphate, which is the initial substrate for the biosynthesis of the aromatic amino acids.
(i) Fructose-6-phosphate+glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate .fwdarw./.rarw. erythrose-4-phosphate+xylulose-5-phosphate PA1 (ii) Ribose-5-phosphate+xylulose-5-phosphate .fwdarw./.rarw. glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate+sedoheptulose-7-phosphate | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ferroelectric liquid crystal compositions and liquid crystal devices incorporating the composition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently liquid crystal display devices predominantly utilize the nematic phase of liquid crystals, while active research has also been conducted in recent years on various display modes utilizing a smectic phase. Especially promising is ferroelectric liquid crystal display utilizing a chiral smectic C phase because this mode is adapted to large-capacity display with a wide viewing angle.
The liquid crystal material for use in the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device wherein the smectic C phase is utilized must of course exhibit the smectic C phase over a wide temperature range around room temperature and needs to fulfill various other requirements. First, the device for large-capacity display must have high-speed responsiveness, and from this view-point, the liquid crystal material needs to be highly amenable to spontaneous polarization and low in viscosity. Further to obtain satisfactory orientation and bistability when used for the liquid crystal cell, the liquid crystal material needs to exhibit the phase series of IAC (Isotropic-Smectic-A-Smectic C) or INAC (Isotropic-Nematic-Smectic A-Smectic C), and the helical pitch of nematic phase and smectic C phase needs to be sufficiently larger than the cell thickness. It is also desired that the material be great in tilt angle which is relevant to the contrast and brightness of liquid crystal display. The material must also be optimized in dielectric anisotropy, refractive index anisotropy, specific resistance, etc.
At present, however, it is impossible for a single compound to fulfill all the desired requirements, so that a plurality of compounds are usually mixed together for use as a liquid crystal composition. To prepare a liquid crystal composition fulfilling the requirements for actual use, it is necessary to use numerous single liquid crystal compounds having a wide variety of properties. It is even likely that compounds which per se exhibit no liquid crystal properties will be useful as components of the liquid crystal composition. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to detecting a position of an object, and more particularly, to detecting a position of an object using radio frequency identification (RFID).
2. Description of the Related Art
When small objects, such as a television (TV) remote controller or an automobile key, fall into a slot between sofa cushions or under a table, it is not easy to find these objects when they are needed. Also, as time goes by, it is easy to forget which book is on which shelf and it can be a waste of time to search for the book without knowing where it is.
However, RFID can help find lost items. The RFID is a recognition technology which senses information about an object and surrounding circumstances by using a wireless communication technology, provided that an electronic tag is affixed to the object. The RFID is a technology which stores identifier (ID) information in an electronic memory device called an RFID tag and transmits ID information using an RF wireless technology, and an RFID system includes the RFID tag, an RFID reader, and a host supporting the RFID reader. The RFID tag includes a memory and an antenna, which transmits information stored in a memory to the RFID reader. The RFID tag can be classified into a passive type and an active type according to a power supply method, where the passive RFID tag generates a power using an electric wave from the RFID reader and the active RFID tag has its own power supply.
A basic principle of operation is that an antenna of an RFID tag and an antenna of an RFID reader transmit and receive data by communicating using frequencies. When the antenna built into the RFID tag receives a frequency from the RFID reader, an integrated circuit (IC) chip built into the RFID tag operates, transforms information in the IC chip into a signal, and transmits the signal through the antenna of the RFID tag. The RFID reader then receives the transmitted signal through the antenna and the received information is transmitted to a server by a wired/wireless communication method.
However, when finding an object using the RFID tag and the RFID reader, the user has to carry the RFID reader for scanning so as to find the object. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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