Hepatitis B is an infectious disease of the liver caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). The illness can be acute causing liver inflammation, vomiting, jaundice and in some rare instances of severe fulminant disease, death. The majority of infections result in chronic illness that can be either asymptomatic or resulting in chronic liver inflammation leading to cirrhosis of the liver and an increased incidence in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
HBV infection is a global problem with approximately >350 million people world wide chronically infected and 600,000 die each year from HBV-related liver disease or HCC. The disease has caused epidemics in Asia and Africa and is endemic in China. Transmission of HBV is via infectious blood or body fluids. There are currently vaccines for the prevention of HBV infection. However, the vaccine is prophylatic and cannot be used to treat already infected patients.
There are several approved chemotherapeutic treatments for chronic hepatitis B (lamivudine, adefovir, entacavir and telbivudine) that prevent replication of HBV by blocking the action of the HBV polymerase. None of the treatments result in complete clearance of the virus and these treatment result in drug-resistant HBV variants developing after prolonged treatment. Hepatitis B can also be treated with pegylated Interferon-alpha2a but this treatment is associated with severe side effects and is not effective in all patients.
HBV is a member of the Hepadanvirus family and is divided into 4 major stereotypes (adr, adw, ayr, ayw) based on antigenic epitopes. The virus is also classed into eight genotypes (A-H based on genomic sequence. Genotype A is common in the Americas, Africa, India and Western Europe. Genotype B and C are found in Asia and the US. Genotype D is most common in Southern Europe and India. Genotype E is found in Western and Southern Africa. Genotype F and H are commonly found in Central and Southern America. Genotype G is commonly found in Europe and the U.S.
HBV genome consists of a circular strand of DNA that is partially double stranded. The genome is ˜3.3 Kb in length. It encodes 4 known genes (C, X, P and S). HBV is one of the few DNA viruses that utilize reverse transcriptase in the replication process. HBV replication involves multiples stages including entry, uncoating and transport of the virus genome to the nucleus. Initially, replication of the HBV genome involves the generation of an RNA intermediate that is then reverse transcribed to produce the DNA viral genome.
Since current therapies are limited due to their ineffectiveness, serious side effects or due to the generation of drug resistant variants, there is a clinical need for the development of new therapies to treat HBV infection.
Alteration of viral gene expression, specifically HBV gene expression, through RNA interference (hereinafter “RNAi”) is one approach for meeting this need. RNAi is induced by short single-stranded RNA (“ssRNA”) or double-stranded RNA (“dsRNA”) molecules. The short dsRNA molecules, called “short interfering nucleic acids (“siNA”)” or “short interfering RNA” or “siRNA” or “RNAi inhibitors” silence the expression of messenger RNAs (“mRNAs”) that share sequence homology to the siNA. This can occur via cleavage of the mRNA mediated by an endonuclease complex containing a siNA, commonly referred to as an RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). Cleavage of the target RNA typically takes place in the middle of the region complementary to the guide sequence of the siNA duplex (Elbashir et al., 2001, Genes Dev., 15:188). In addition, RNA interference can also involve small RNA (e.g., micro-RNA or miRNA) mediated gene silencing, presumably through cellular mechanisms that either inhibit translation or that regulate chromatin structure and thereby prevent transcription of target gene sequences (see for example Allshire, 2002, Science, 297:1818-1819; Volpe et al., 2002, Science, 297:1833-1837; Jenuwein, 2002, Science, 297:2215-2218; and Hall et al., 2002, Science, 297:2232-2237).
Several studies have attempted to use RNAi for the treatment of HBV and this approach has been comprehensively reviewed in RNAI for treating Hepatitis B Viral Infection, Chen, Y. et al., Pharmaceutical Research, 2008 Vol. 25, No. 1, pgs 72-86. Yet, as noted in the above reference transfection of a single siRNA often fails to provide adequate gene silencing. Id. Thus, despite significant advances in the field of RNAi, there remains a need for agents that can effectively inhibit HBV gene expression and that can treat disease associated with HBV expression such as liver disease and cancer.


The present invention relates to novel hydantoin derivatives, processes for producing hydantoin derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one of said hydantoin derivatives as aldose reductase inhibitors and novel intermediate compounds in the synthesis of said hydantoin derivatives.
The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one of hydantoin derivatives as hypoglycemic agents.
Cataract, peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy associated with diabetes mellitus result from abnormal accumulation of polyol metabolites converted from sugars by aldose reductase. For example, sugar cataract results from damage of lens provoked by change in osmotic pressure induced by abnormal accumulation of polyol metabolites converted from glucose or galactose by aldose reductase in lens. [see J. H. Kinoshita et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 158, 472 (1968) and cited references in the report]. And some reports were submitted about undesirable effect of abnormal accumulation of polyol metabolites in lens, peripheral nerve cord and kidney of the diabetic animals [see A. Pirie et al. Exp. Eye Res., 3, 124 (1964) ; L. T. Chylack Jr. et al., Invest. Ophthal., 8, 401 (1969) J. D. Ward et al., Diabetologia, 6, 531 (1970)]. Consequently, it is important to inhibit aldose reductase as strongly as possible for treating and/or preventing diabetic complications mentioned above. Although several compounds have been offered as aldose reductase inhibitors, none of them is fully sufficient in inhibitory activity against the enzyme. Therefore, it has been desired to develop new compounds having a stronger inhibitory activity against aldose reductase.
In spite of the early discovery of insulin and its subsequent wide-spread use in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, and the later discovery and use of sulfonylureas (e.g. chlorpropamide, tolbutamide) and biguanides (e.g. phenformin) as oral hypoglycemic agents, the treatment of diabetes mellitus remains less than satisfactory. Insulin can only be administered intravenously due to its chemical nature, and therefore, is troublesome and inconvenient to use. Oral hypoglycemic agents tend to promote side effects such as excessive hypoglycemia or lactic acidosis. A continuing need for potent hypoglycemic agents, which may be less toxic, is clearly evident.
Recently, developments of the aldose reductase (AR) inhibitors as agents for diabetic complications are in progress. AR inhibitors will not be agents for diabetes mellitus, but symptomatic agents for diabetic complications, so they are expected to be little effective against diabetes mellitus itself.
Diabetes mellitus should be treated by hypoglycemic agents, and preferably, by the hypoglycemic agents with AR inhibiting activity, so such agents having both hypoglycemic and AR inhibiting activities have been desired.
Further, diabetes mellitus is usually accompanied by cardiovascular disease due to atherosclerosis, so the hypoglycemic agents with hypolipidemic activities have also been desired.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of driving a gate line, a gate drive circuit and a display apparatus having the gate drive circuit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of driving a gate line in which reliability of an operation thereof is substantially enhanced, a gate drive circuit performing the method and a display apparatus having the gate drive circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) apparatus includes an LCD panel which displays images by controlling a light-transmitting ratio of liquid crystal molecules provided with light from a backlight assembly disposed below the LCD panel.
The LCD apparatus typically includes a display panel, a gate driving part and a data driving part. The display panel includes gate lines, data lines and pixel parts electrically connected to the gate lines and the data lines. The gate driving part outputs gate signals to the gate lines. The data driving part outputs data signals to the data lines. The gate driving part and the data driving part may be formed in a chip mounted on the display panel.
In efforts to decrease a size of the LCD apparatus and to improve manufacturing productivity of the LCD apparatus, the gate driving part has been integrated on a display substrate such as an amorphous silicon gate (“ASG”) type substrate. However, when a gate drive circuit integrated on the display substrate is driven at a high temperature, noise from an abnormal gate on signal is generated during a gate off signal interval is generated.
In addition, properties of an amorphous silicon thin-film transistor (“a-Si TFT”) of the gate drive circuit vary with changes in temperature and over time.
As a result, a gate bias stress applied to a TFT in the gate drive circuit generates a threshold voltage shift when the gate drive circuit is driven. The threshold voltage shift substantially reduces a current driving ability of a hold transistor which is included in the gate drive circuit to maintain an off level of a gate line and a gate terminal of a pull-up transistor which outputs a gate signal.


For the present purposes, "welding" can fairly be said to embrace the fusing together of, in particular, two or more metal parts. Welded joints often exhibit greater rigidity than bolted or riveted constructions, and good quality welds are nonporous and leak-proof. In point of fact, good quality welds approximate the level of strength of the parent materials. Weld strengths are only slightly reduced below those levels as a consequence of unfavourable heat stresses that are set up in the immediate vicinity of the weld during the welding process. The potential advantages of welding in manufacturing processes include reduced capital investment requirements, greater flexibility of design, quicker change over to new or alternate designs, reduced machining and cleaning of parts, and improved strength to weight ratios in the assemble product.
The realization of any one or more of these associated advantages is, of course, contingent on the quality of the weld in question. There are a number of factors which impact on the character and quality of the weld, including the selection of any given welding technology, the competency of the operator, and of particular importance in the present context, the condition of the welding equipment.
A commonly used welding technique involves resistance welding. At least two welding electrodes are arranged in mutually opposed relation along a common axis, along which they are relatively movable. The two or more work pieces that are sought to be welded ar interposed between the two electrodes while they are arranged in axially spaced relation from one another. When the workpieces are properly mutually aligned there between, the electrodes are moved towards one another, and embrace the workpieces in forcibly clamped relation, whereupon an electric current is passed between the electrodes and the heat generated by the electrical resistance of the interposed workpieces results in localized melting of the workpieces proximal to the contacting electrode surfaces. The melted materials from the two or more clamped workpieces fuses together and the intermingled materials harden into a unified piece once the electrical current is discontinued. This welding technology utilizes large, physically robust electrodes in order to provide the prerequisite clamping strength. Typical electrodes used in industrial applications may be one half inch in diameter, or more.
The quality of the weld is to some degree, contingent on the condition of the mating surfaces of the electrodes. It was with this in mind that a variety of devices were produced, which were intended to recondition the electrodes. Such a treatment is necessary since the surfaces of the electrodes degrade quite quickly over the course of normal use. Examples of surface reconditioning apparatus for use in treating resistance welding electrodes are disclosed in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,682,487; 4,856,949; 4,916,931; and 4,921,377.
ARC welding is another well known welding technique. This differs fundamentally from resistance welding in that ARC welding electrodes are deliberately consumed during the welding process, and thereby come to form an integral component of the welded product. Accordingly, the problem of electrode reconditioning that arises in association with resistance welding, does not arise in ARC welding practices.
MIG (metal-inert-gas arc) welding is such an ARC welding process. More particularly, it is a process in which the electrode, in the form of a relatively fine wire, is continuously fed from a large spool driven by a variable speed welding drive. The speed at which the wire electrode is delivered to the weld is controlled in order to optimize arc length and burnoff rate during the welding process.
The electrical arc is enveloped in a moving gas flow, usually argon or other inert gas, or mixtures thereof. In an especially preferred form, MIG welding utilizes carbon dioxide as a shielding gas.
In MIG welding generally, both the wire electrode and the gas are channelled through a so-called "torch", which includes a central, electrically charged "tip". The tip directs the wire electrode toward the weld site, and a concentrically arranged metal gas shield that is electrically insulated from the tip, acts as a hood to direct and maintain a coaxial flow of the inert gas in surrounding relation about the wire. The quality of the weld is contingent on both consistent and continuous gas flow and arc patterning. Anything which interferes with the gas flow or redirects or otherwise militates against the desired electrical arc pattern, will diminish the quality of the weld.
MIG welding, when properly executed, permits high welding speeds, and allows for less operator training than is required in the case of other welding techniques. In applications where one or the other or both of these benefits are sought, the weld quality is especially sensitive to those variations which are attributable to adverse gas flow or arc patterning influences.
Gas flow in MIG welding can be adversely effected as a consequence of molten metal deposition. This arises as a result of backsplash splatter on the respective mutually opposed surfaces of the tip and the hood, within the interior of the torch.
Similarly, (since the dielectric strength of the gas flow is otherwise a constant), the accumulation of such backsplash splatter decreases the physical and hence "electrical" distance between the charged tip and the electrically insulated hood. If the distance decreases sufficiently, the voltage differential will exceed the dielectric strength of the intervening gas flow, and the arc will jump between the tip and the hood. This results in a diminished amount of electrical energy being delivered to the weld site and a concomitant compromise in weld quality.
In view of the foregoing, it is important that MIG welding torches be cleaned regularly, in order to avoid these two latter mentioned problems. This realization has led to the development of a number of devices that are intended to perform the necessary operations.
By way of example, one such device, which is intended for use in robotic MIG welding operations, there is provided a heavy gauge wire that is clamped at one end thereof, in upstanding relation, with its uppermost free end available to be received internally of the torch, between the hood (or gas shield) and the tip. The robotic arm is preprogrammed to essay the torch along a predetermined circular path during the cleaning cycle, so that the upstanding wire dislodges splatter material from the two opposed surfaces of the hood and the tip. This approach to the problem can result in the tip being bent out of concentric alignment within the hood, which will in turn result in the very problems that the cleaning cycle is intended to help avert.
Two other such devices each employ a two-part clamping chuck, having a fixed jaw and a movable jaw. Such arrangements do not compensate for differences or vacations in torch nozzle sizes, or off-centred torch insertion, and can result in significant torch nozzle damage.
These clamps are intended to secure the torch in a rigidly-held and centred position, relative to an axially aligned rotating platform. This platform supports one end of each of a number of rotatable, longitudinally extending, substantially elongated blades which are aligned in such a way as to extend in free standing relation within the space between the hood and the tip, and upon rotation to dislodge the splatter from the two surfaces. In both such devices the design of the clamping chuck with its stationary jaw and the use of the substantially elongated blades, can still result in the tip being bent out of alignment relative to the hood, with the seriously adverse consequences already alluded to herein before.
As a consequence of the forgoing, there remains a need in the art for devices that are adapted to minimize the risk of misaligning the tip, while at the same time effectively removing the splatter from within the MIG torch.


Some homes today are equipped with smart home networks to provide automated control of devices, appliances and systems, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system, lighting systems, alarm systems, home theater and entertainment systems. Smart home networks may include control panels that a person may use to input settings, preferences, and scheduling information that the smart home network uses to provide automated control the various devices, appliances and systems in the home. For example, a person may input a desired temperature and a schedule indicating when the person is away from home. The home automation system uses this information to control the HVAC system to heat or cool the home to the desired temperature when the person is home, and to conserve energy by turning off power-consuming components of the HVAC system when the person is away from the home. Also, for example, a person may input a preferred nighttime lighting scheme for watching television. In response, when the person turns on the television at nighttime, the home automation system automatically adjusts the lighting in the room to the preferred scheme.


Ad-hoc networks include multiple devices or nodes that exchange wireless signals. During operation, nodes may enter and leave the proximity of other nodes. Thus, the composition of an ad-hoc network may change over time. Moreover, the mobility of nodes may cause changes in various network characteristics, such as topology. Despite a lack of centralized authority or existing infrastructure, ad-hoc networks are typically capable of rearranging themselves in response to such events.
Recently, ad hoc networking techniques have been considered an attractive technology for implementing mesh networks, which provide a multipoint-to-multipoint network topology. In such networks, communication between two devices may occur across one or more intermediate or relaying nodes. Such communications are referred to as multihop communications.
The application of ad-hoc communications techniques to multihop networking is viewed as a way to provide new applications for mobile device users. In addition, this application has the potential to provide new opportunities for the communications industry in the areas of terminal manufacturing, software engineering, and the deployment of network infrastructure to interconnect ad-hoc networks. Moreover, this application of ad-hoc communications techniques to multihop networking provides for various consumer uses. Examples of such uses include applications related to teenager and other group networking, Internet access, authentication applications, and home networking.
Bluetooth and wireless local area networks (WLAN) are examples of wireless ad-hoc networking technologies. Bluetooth provides a short-range radio network, originally intended as a cable replacement. It can be used to create ad hoc networks of up to eight devices, where one device is referred to as a master device. The other devices are referred to as slave devices. The slave devices can communicate with the master device and with each other via the master device. The devices operate in the 2.4 GHz radio band reserved for general use by Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) applications. Bluetooth devices are designed to find other Bluetooth devices within their communications range and to discover what services they offer.
WLANs are local area networks that employ high-frequency radio waves rather than wires to exchange information between devices. IEEE 802.11 refers to a family of WLAN standards developed by the IEEE. In general, WLANs in the IEEE 802.11 family provide for 1 or 2 Mbps transmission in the 2.4 GHz band using either frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) or direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) transmission techniques.
Within the IEEE 802.11 family are the IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g standards. IEEE 802.11b (also referred to as 802.11 High Rate or Wi-Fi) is an extension to IEEE 802.11 and provides for data rates of up to 11 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. This provides for wireless functionality that is comparable to Ethernet. IEEE 802.11b employs DSSS transmission techniques. IEEE 802.11g provides for data rates of up to 54 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. For transmitting data at rates above 20 Mbps, IEEE 802.11g employs Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) transmission techniques. However, for transmitting information at rates below 20 Mbps, IEEE 802.11g employs DSSS transmission techniques. The DSSS transmission techniques of IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g involve signals that are contained within a 23 MHz wide channel. Several of these 23 MHz channels are within the ISM band.
Other technologies are also applicable for the exchange of information at higher data rates. Ultra wideband (UWB) is an example of such a higher data rate technology. Since gaining approval by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2002, UWB techniques have become an attractive solution for short-range wireless communications. Current FCC regulations permit UWB transmissions for communications purposes in the frequency band between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz. However, for such transmissions, the spectral density has to be under −41.3 dBm/MHz and the utilized bandwidth has to be higher than 500 MHz.
There are many UWB transmission techniques that can fulfill these requirements. A common and practical UWB technique is called impulse radio (IR). In IR, data is transmitted by employing short baseband pulses that are separated in time by gaps. Thus, IR does not use a carrier signal. These gaps make IR much more immune to multipath propagation problems than conventional continuous wave radios. RF gating is a particular type of IR in which the impulse is a gated RF pulse. This gated pulse is a sine wave masked in the time domain with a certain pulse shape.
To participate in an ad-hoc multihop network, a device needs to provide several features. Examples of such features include interference avoidance, link management, and routing. Moreover, certain wireless communication technologies are better suited for the exchange of control information, while other wireless communication technologies may be better suited for the transfer of user data. For instance, Bluetooth on its own is not well suited for many forms of user data. However, higher data rate technologies (e.g., WLAN and UWB) are often not efficient for the transfer of network control information.
Therefore, techniques are needed for the effective use of ad hoc techniques. in multihop networks.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a garnet-type ion conducting oxide, a complex, a lithium secondary battery, a manufacturing method of a garnet-type ion conducting oxide and a manufacturing method of a complex.
2. Description of the Related Art
Garget-type oxides such as Li7La3Zr2O12 and Li7ALa3Nb2O12 (A=Ca, Sr or Ba) synthesized by the solid-phase reaction method have been proposed conventionally as a solid electrolyte configured to conduct lithium ion (Non-Patent Literatures 1 to 3). It has been reported that this solid electrolyte has the conductivity of 1.9 to 2.3×10−4 Scm−1 (25° C.) and activation energy of 0.34 eV. The inventors have studied a solid electrolyte of Li7La3Zr2O12-based garnet-type ion conducting oxide among garnet-type oxides having excellent chemical stability and a wide potential window. For example, it has been proposed that the Zr sites in this solid electrolyte should be substituted with an element such as Nb, in order to enhance the conductivity (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). This solid electrolyte has high conductivity but needs treatment at high temperature such as 1200° C. It has been proposed, on the other hand, that La sites should be additionally substituted with an alkaline-earth metal, in order to minimize reduction of the electric conductivity and reduce the firing energy (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).
A solid electrolyte including Li, La, Zr, O and Al has been proposed as Li7La3Zr2O12-based solid electrolyte (see, for example, Patent Literature 3). According to the disclosure of this prior art, addition of Al to Li7La3Zr2O12-based solid electrolyte provides the solid electrolyte with the density and the conductivity required for the solid electrolyte material.


This invention relates to a fluid level indicator for a small watercraft, and more particularly to a fluid level indicator which can provide a useful indication of a particular fluid level in a small watercraft even when the watercraft is experiencing severe rocking and up and down movements during operation and which is able to detect the fluid level at a number of positions.
One type of particularly popular small watercraft is of the jet propelled type and is designed to be operated by a single rider who is seated on the seat in straddle-like fashion. This type of small watercraft is highly maneuverable and is very sporting in nature. A control bridge is normally located forwardly of the seat and carries handlebars which are positioned where the rider may conveniently grasp them to steer the watercraft. An instrument panel may also be positioned on the control bridge in view of the rider and may include an indicator for a fluid such as fuel or oil.
One type of known device for detecting the fluid level in a fuel or oil tank of a boat includes a pivotal arm having a float at one end thereof. Fluctuation of the fluid level causes vertical displacement of the float so that the fluid level may be detected in reference to the angular orientation of the pivotal arm. While this type of device is generally satisfactory for large watercraft, it is not well suited for smaller watercraft which are more strongly influenced by wind and water forces. When this type of device is applied to a small watercraft, the float tends to vibrate or move when the fluid is agitated as a result of these wind and/or water forces which cause the small watercraft to rock or move up and down.
Another type of device used for detecting the fluid level in a fuel or oil tank of a boat includes a vertical guide member disposed in the tank, a single float vertically movable and slidably supported on the guide, and reed switches positioned within the guide for detecting the position of the float along the guide. FIG. 1 illustrates such a device. In this figure, the vertical guide member is designated by the numeral 61 within which three vertically spaced apart reed switches 62a through 62c are disposed. An annular float 63 having a permanent magnet 64 is slidably received by the guide 61. The switches 62a through 62c are turned on and off on based on the position of the float 63 in the sections A through E as follows:
______________________________________ POSITION OF SWITCH THE FLOAT 62a 62b 62c ______________________________________ Section E off off on Section D off off off Section C off on off Section B off off off Section A on off off ______________________________________
As can be seen from the above, this type of arrangement does not distinguish between the float being in section B and in section D. This problem still occurs even if the number of switches are increased to four or more. Decreasing the number of switches to one or two with this type of arrangement will decrease the number of sections so that the fluid level can be detected at only a limited number of positions.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a fluid level indicator which can be used to effectively detect and indicate a fluid level in a small watercraft even when the watercraft is experiencing severe rocking or up and down movements during operation.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a fluid level indicator for a small watercraft which is able to detect and distinguish the fluid level at a number of different positions.


Conventionally, an optical waveguide structure in which an optical waveguide configured to be coupled to an optical fiber is layered on a substrate formed with a groove for positioning the optical fiber, and an optical-waveguide-type optical module including the optical waveguide structure have been known (see the Patent Publication 1 below).
Further, conventionally, an optical waveguide structure which is a component of an optical-waveguide-type optical module, an optical-waveguide-type optical module, and an optical fiber array configured to be coupled to an optical waveguide so as to form an optical module have been known. Particularly, the optical waveguide structure, the optical-waveguide-type optical module, and the optical fiber array, each of which having a groove for supporting an optical fiber, have been known (see the Patent Publication 1 below).
Referring to FIGS. 17-19, a first example of a conventional optical waveguide structure will be explained. FIG. 17 is a top plan view showing an optical-waveguide-type optical module including a conventional optical waveguide structure. FIG. 18 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line XVIII-XVIII in FIG. 17, and FIG. 19 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line XIX-XIX in FIG. 17.
As shown in FIGS. 17-19, an optical-waveguide-type optical module 200 having a single upstream optical fiber 202 extending longitudinally, eight downstream optical fibers 204 spaced longitudinally from the upstream optical fiber 202 and arranged laterally relative to each other, and an optical waveguide structure 206 for transmitting light through the upstream optical fiber 202 to the downstream optical fibers 204. The upstream optical fiber 202 and the downstream optical fibers 204 include respective cores 202a, 204a extending longitudinally.
The optical waveguide structure 206 has a substrate 212 on which a single upstream groove 208 extending longitudinally and eight downstream grooves 210a-210h extending longitudinally and spaced longitudinally from the upstream groove 208 are provided, and an optical waveguide 214 layered on the substrate 212 between the upstream groove 208 and the downstream grooves 210a-210h. The upstream optical fiber 202 is positioned on the upstream groove 208, and the downstream optical fibers 204 are positioned on the downstream grooves 210a-210h.
The optical waveguide 214 includes a lower cladding 214a layered on the substrate 212, a core 214b formed on the lower cladding 214a, and an upper cladding 214c layered on the lower cladding 214a and the core 214b. The core 214b of the optical waveguide 214 is formed so that, when the optical fibers 202, 204 are supported and positioned on the upstream groove 208 and the downstream grooves 210a-210h, the core 214b of the optical waveguide 214 is aligned with the cores 202a, 204a of the optical fibers 202, 204 at the same level in an vertical direction.
Further, for light transmission between the upstream optical fiber 202 positioned on the upstream groove 208 and each of the downstream optical fibers 204 positioned on the downstream grooves 210a-210h, the core 214b of the optical waveguide 214 has a single upstream port 220 aligned with the upstream groove 208 and eight downstream ports 222 each aligned with the respective downstream grooves 210a-210h. In the illustrated optical waveguide structure 206, the core 214b of the optical waveguide 214 extends from the single upstream port 220, is branched toward a downstream side, and terminates at the eight downstream ports 222. The optical waveguide 214 has an upstream portion 224a adjacent to the upstream port 220, an intermediate portion 224b between the upstream port 220 and the downstream ports 222, and a downstream portion 224c adjacent to one of the downstream ports 222.
Light transmitted through the single upstream optical fiber 202 is transmitted from the upstream port 220 to the optical waveguide 214 and branched toward the downstream side. Then, the branched lights are transmitted from the eight downstream ports 222 to the eight downstream optical fibers 204. In this case, the optical-waveguide-type optical module 200 serves as an optical splitter. On the contrary, when light is traveled in the opposite direction from the downstream optical fibers 204 to the upstream optical fiber 202, the optical-waveguide-type optical module 200 serves as an optical coupler.
Referring to FIGS. 20-22, a second example of the conventional optical waveguide structure which is a component of an optical-waveguide-type optical module will be explained. FIG. 20 is a top plan view showing an optical-waveguide-type optical module including the conventional optical waveguide structure. FIG. 21 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line XXI-XXI in FIG. 20, and FIG. 22 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line XXII-XXII in FIG. 20.
As shown in FIGS. 20-22, an optical-waveguide-type optical module 300 has a single upstream optical fiber 302 extending longitudinally, eight downstream optical fibers 304 spaced longitudinally from the upstream optical fibers 302 and arranged laterally relative to each other, and an optical waveguide structure 306 for supporting the upstream optical fiber 302 and the downstream optical fibers 304 and transmitting light through the single upstream optical fiber 302 to the eight downstream optical fibers. The optical-waveguide-type optical module 300 further has two fiber-holding lids 308a, 308b which respectively hold the upstream optical fiber 302 and the downstream optical fibers 304 against the optical waveguide structure 306, and an adhesive 310 filled between any two of the optical fibers 302, 304, the optical waveguide structure 306 and the fiber-holding lids 308a, 308b to fix them relative to each other.
The upstream optical fiber 302 and the downstream optical fibers 304 have respective cores 302a, 304a extending longitudinally. The optical waveguide structure 306 has a substrate 312 and an optical waveguide 314 layered thereon. The substrate 312 has an upper surface 316 with a lateral width W, and a plurality of grooves 318 for supporting the upstream optical fiber 302 and the downstream optical fibers 304 are formed in the upper surface 316. The optical waveguide 314 includes a core 314a which is formed so that, when the optical fibers 302, 304 are supported and positioned on the grooves 318, the core 314 of the optical waveguide 314 is aligned with the cores 302a, 304a of the optical fibers 302, 304. Each of the fiber-holding lids 302, 304 has the same width as that of the substrate 312, and is provided with (a) contact groove(s) 322 contacting with the optical fiber(s) 302, 304.
Light transmitted through the single upstream optical fiber 302 is transmitted to the optical waveguide 314, and branched toward a downstream side. Then, the branched lights are transmitted to the eight downstream optical fibers 304. In this case, the optical-waveguide-type optical module 300 serves as an optical splitter. On the contrary, when light is traveled in the opposite direction from the downstream optical fibers 304 to the upstream optical fiber 302, the optical-waveguide-type optical module 300 serves as an optical coupler.
When light is transmitted from the upstream optical fiber 302 to the optical waveguide 314 and transmitted from the optical waveguide 314 to the downstream optical fibers 304, a loss of optical power to be transmitted, called an insertion loss, is caused.
Patent Publication 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 11-125731
In the above optical-waveguide-type optical module 200 which is the first conventional example, when light is transmitted from the upstream optical fiber 202 to the optical waveguide 214 and transmitted from the optical waveguide 214 to the downstream optical fibers 204, a loss of optical power to be transmitted, called an insertion loss, is caused. The insertion loss is a ratio of a downstream output optical power (Po) relative to an upstream input optical power (Pi) expressed in deci Bell unit, i.e., (10 log10 (Po/Pi)). An amount of the insertion loss of the optical-waveguide-type optical module 200 is preferable as small as possible. In a case of the optical module according to the present invention where there is no gain such as amplifying performance, i.e., Po<Pi, a value of the insertion loss expressed in deci Bell unit based on the above formula is negative. When there is no insertion loss, the value thereof based on the above formula is 0 (zero). Thus, in this specification, a small insertion loss means that a negative value calculated by the above formula is large, namely, an absolute value thereof is close to 0 (zero), as with common practice. Such insertion loss can be applied to a case including both of an insertion loss and a gain. In this case, the insertion loss can be considered after a part of the gain is separated. Therefore, an optical waveguide structure is needed, which structure can reduce an amount of insertion loss of an optical-waveguide-type optical module thereof as compared with the conventional optical waveguide structure.
An amount of insertion loss of the optical-waveguide-type optical module 200 shown in FIGS. 17-19, i.e., that of insertion loss between the upstream optical fiber 202 and the optical waveguide 214 or that of insertion loss between the optical waveguide 214 and the downstream optical fibers 204, may be changed depending on changes in an environmental temperature. Particular, since an optical splitter and an optical coupler which are examples of the optical-waveguide-type optical module are used as a part of the Internet with an optical fiber network disposed outside, an environmental temperature thereof may vary, for example, from −40° C. to +85° C. When insertion loss of such an optical-waveguide-type optical module is fluctuated due to variations in the environmental temperature, the optical module may not be able to give its original performance. The fluctuation of the insertion loss of the optical-waveguide-type optical module due to the change in the environmental temperature is preferably as small as possible. Thus, it is desirable to provide an optical waveguide structure capable of reducing fluctuation of an insertion loss of an optical-waveguide-type optical module as compared with that of the conventional optical-waveguide-type optical module.
In the above optical-waveguide-type optical module 300 which is the second conventional example, the upstream fiber-holding lid 308a is likely to be fixed to the optical fiber in a state laterally inclined relative to the substrate 312 (see FIG. 22). In this case, on the opposite sides of the upstream optical fiber 302, distances between the fiber-holding lid 308a and the upper surface 316 of the substrate 312 are different from each other as well as thicknesses of the adhesive 310 are different from each other.
As mentioned above, an optical splitter and an optical coupler, which are examples of the optical-waveguide-type optical module 300, are used as a part of the Internet with the optical fiber network placed outdoor. An environmental temperature around the optical module 300 may be changed, for example, from −40° C. to +85° C. When the environmental temperature is changed, each of the substrate 312, the fiber-holding lid 308a and the adhesive 310 expands and contracts according to their thermal expansion coefficients which are different from each other. Thus, when thicknesses of the adhesive 310 are different from each other on the opposite sides of the upstream optical fiber 302 and the environmental temperature is changed, the upstream optical fiber is subjected to uneven stress, resulting in deterioration of an insertion loss. Fluctuation of the insertion loss of the optical-waveguide-type optical module 300 when the environmental temperature is changed is preferably as small as possible.
Thus, there is a need to provide an optical waveguide structure which is a component of an optical-waveguide-type optical module and is capable of reducing fluctuation of an insertion loss thereof when an environmental temperature is changed. Further, there is a need to provide an optical-waveguide-type optical module capable of reducing fluctuation of an insertion loss thereof when an environmental temperature is changed.
Furthermore, there is a need to provide an optical fiber array configured to be coupled to an optical waveguide so as to form an optical module, the optical fiber array being capable of reducing fluctuation of an insertion loss of the optical module when an environmental temperature is changed.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide an optical waveguide structure capable of reducing an insertion loss of an optical-waveguide-type optical module including the optical waveguide structure as compared with the conventional optical waveguide structure, and to provide the optical-waveguide-type optical module itself.
Further, it is a second object of the present invention to provide an optical waveguide structure capable of reducing fluctuation of an insertion loss of an optical-waveguide-type optical module including the optical waveguide structure when an environmental temperature is changed, and to provide the optical-waveguide-type optical module itself.
Further, it is a third object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber array configured to be coupled to an optical waveguide so as to form an optical module, the optical fiber array being capable of reducing fluctuation of an insertion loss of the optical module when an environmental temperature is changed.


1. Field
The following description relates to a display apparatus and method for questions and answers, and more particularly, to a display apparatus and method that provide a question and answer service related to non-sentence speech.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because display apparatuses have been capable of recognizing user's voice, display apparatuses have been capable of recognizing user's speech voice to provide a voice recognition result intended by users or perform a control command.
In particular, the most universal method related to a voice conversation service that provides the voice recognition result intended by users is a keyword recognition method that performs a conversation between users and display apparatuses through a search engine. Such a keyword recognition method refers to display apparatuses that perform a search related to a core keyword based on speech voice related to the core keyword and provide a search result. However, such a method provides numerous search results related to the speech voice for the core keyword, and thus users experience inconvenience by having to search for desired information from numerous search results.
Another method is a sentence recognition method, where display apparatuses analyze speech voice related to a question sentence of a user to determine a user's speech intention, perform a search based on the determined speech intention, and provide an answer result according to the search.
Such a sentence recognition method is advantageous compared to the keyword recognition method described above in that the sentence recognition method provides an answer result closer to the user's speech intention. However, when a sentence speech appropriate to a preset pattern is not input, or noise occurs in the sentence speech due to an external environment, such a sentence recognition method does not perform correct voice recognition on the sentence speech of a user.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the test techniques and testability architectures used in testing integrated circuits. More specifically, the invention pertains to test techniques applied to testing of user-configurable arrays before they are configured by the user.
2. The Prior Art
User-configurable gate arrays consist of logic circuits or blocks that can be connected together by configurable interconnections, such as anti-fuse elements, to implement a desired circuit function. The configurable interconnect consists of interconnect layers such as metallization, and configurable devices which, when programmed, establish electrical connections between the interconnect layers. However, before configuring the circuit to implement a particular function, all the individual modules in the array and all the input/output (I/O) modules and buffers are isolated from one another. This presents a challenging test problem.
Before the circuit is configured by the user, all of the active circuits in such integrated circuits such as logic modules, I/O modules, configuring circuits, etc., must be tested and guaranteed to be fully functional and meet all required specifications. In addition, all passive interconnect circuits such as metallization interconnect, anti-fuse elements, feed-thru pass transistors, must also be free of defects and guaranteed. This is necessary so that a customer configuring such a circuit can expect a fully functional, high quality integrated circuit after his application circuit is mapped into the device. It is thus imperative that test architectures and test techniques be developed to solve this problem, namely, how to guarantee full functionality and spec of a one-time programmable user configurable array circuit before the circuit is configured by the user.
User configurable arrays or PLDs (programmable logic devices) which use erasable elements to implement their interconnect do not have to contend with this problem since the array can be configured to implement any circuit pattern, be fully tested and later erased to the "blank" state for reconfiguration.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to adhesive and sealant compositions wherein one or more of the reactive and/or curable or polymerizable constituents of said compositions are encapsulated. It more particularly relates to encapsulated cure systems for, directly or indirectly, initiating and/or effectuating the cure or polymerization of adhesive and sealant compositions, as well as methods of making the same.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of microencapsulated ingredients in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, paints, adhesives, sealants and printing inks is well known. Perhaps the most widely known use of microcapsules has been in the product generally referred to as carbonless paper which incorporate or have applied thereto coatings comprising microencapsulated inks and/or other color forming agents that are released upon the application of pressure to the paper surface. In the manufacturing and service sectors one of the most widely known use of microcapsules has been in the manufacture of adhesives and sealants. Here the use of microencapsulation allows one to form a one-part adhesive or sealant from a typical two- or more-part adhesive and sealant system. Microencapsulation also allows one to pre-apply such adhesives and sealants to substrates at the site of manufacture or conversion rather than at the site of use or installation. The use of microencapsulation in adhesive and sealants is well known and takes many different paths.
Encapsulated solvent-based adhesive systems are of several different constructs. Roesch et. al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,798) teach solvent based adhesive compositions wherein a solvent, alone or together with a therein dissolved resin, is encapsulated and used to bond two substrates, each of which is dissolved or softened by the solvent. Eichel (U.S. Pat. No. 2,907,682) discloses adhesive tapes wherein the adhesive portion comprises a combination of encapsulated solvent and encapsulated solid adhesives, which are soluble in the solvent. Upon application of the tape to a substrate and the further application of pressure, the capsules rupture allowing the solvent to dissolve or at least tackify the adhesive whereby, upon evaporation or absorption of the solvent, an adhesive bond is formed. Where the solvent is non-evaporating, e.g., a plasticizer, and neither the substrate carrying the adhesive nor the substrate to which it is to be bonded absorb the non-volatile solvent, the result of the combination of the solvent and adhesive material is a pressure sensitive adhesive. Adhesives based on polyvinyl acetate, rubber, nitrile rubber, ethyl cellulose, or other cellulose derivatives such as cellulose acetate are especially suited for the solvent activation/reactivation type application.
Hot melt adhesive systems employing encapsulated solvents are also known. Baetzold et. al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,010) teaches solid, tacky or non-tacky hot melt glue compositions having incorporated therein microcapsules of a solvent capable of softening or further tackifying the hot melt. Rubbing the hot melt composition, typically in the form of a stick, on the substrate to which it is to be applied fractures the capsules, releasing the solvent which, in turn, softens the hot melt and allows it to be deposited on the surface of the substrate.
Another type of encapsulated adhesive and sealant is that where the adhesive or sealant material or, in the case of a curable adhesive or sealant material, the components thereof are encapsulated in a single capsule. These capsules are typically applied to a substrate in a binder system that is non-tacky and dry to the touch. In this way, otherwise tacky or liquid flowable adhesives can be pre-applied, but not activated or bond forming until the capsule walls themselves are fractured releasing or exposing the adhesive materials. For example, Eichel (U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,477) teaches the encapsulation of tacky adhesive materials. Wallace (U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,982) teaches the encapsulation of curable anaerobic adhesives wherein the encapsulating material is air permeable so that the curable adhesive remains in a liquid or uncured state in the capsule until use. Schwantes (U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,990) teaches encapsulated adhesives, particularly pressure sensitive adhesives, wherein the adhesive is formed in-situ, after encapsulation of the ingredients therefore.
A third, and perhaps the most common use of encapsulation in adhesives and sealants, involves curable or reactive adhesive and sealant compositions which rely upon the presence of curatives or curing and/or cross-linking agents and/or other reactants such as activators, catalysts, initiators, accelerators, and the like for effecting polymerization or curing of the composition so as to form the desired adhesive or sealant, wherein one or more of the reactive constituents is encapsulated so as to isolate it from the other constituents. These adhesive and sealant compositions may be of a number of different types: some of the more typical being those based on epoxies, urethanes, unsaturated polyesters, alkyds, and (meth)acrylates, as monomers, pre-polymers, and low molecular weight polymers or combinations thereof. Such adhesive and sealant compositions are more typically found in the form of and characterized as two or more part systems wherein the parts are combined by the applicator at the time of use. However, with the advent of encapsulation technology, it is possible to encapsulate one or more of the reactive constituents, isolating it from the other constituents, so as to produce storage stable, one-part adhesive and sealant compositions. For example, the curatives or curing and/or cross-linking agents and/or other reactants may be encapsulated and said capsules dispersed in the liquid polymerizable monomer which forms the matrix of the adhesive or sealant. Alternatively, the liquid polymerizable component may be encapsulated and the curative or curing agent adhered to the outer wall of the capsule or the liquid polymerizable component may itself be encapsulated as well.
Oftentimes these one-part adhesive and sealant compositions encompass several different microcapsules, each containing one of the curatives or curing and/or cross-linking agents and/or other co-reactive constituents alone or together with other constituents of the adhesive or sealant composition. For example, with a free-radical polymerizable adhesive or sealant composition, so long as the oxidizing agent (typically the peroxide) and the reducing agent (typically an amine and/or metallocene) are in separate capsules, the system is stable. Here two different microcapsules may be employed wherein each contains a portion of the polymerizable component and one or more of the aforementioned curing agents and/or co-reactants. Similarly, for co-reactive polymerizable systems, each of the co-reactive species is encapsulated in separate microcapsules.
In the case of pre-applied adhesive and sealant compositions, typically a liquid adhesive or sealant composition containing the encapsulated component(s) dispersed therein is applied to the substrate and a polymer film formed over and encasing the liquid adhesive or sealant on the substrate to which it is applied. The polymer film holds the liquid adhesive or sealant composition in place and forms a protective barrier as well as a dry to the touch surface for the adhesive or sealant composition. Here, however, the curable or polymerizable component of the adhesive or sealant is not present in an encapsulated form, i.e., is not in the form of discrete microcapsules.
A second embodiment for the pre-applied adhesive and sealants is that where one or more of the components of the adhesive or sealant, including, in particular, the liquid polymerizable components, is encapsulated in a plurality of microcapsules which are dispersed in a liquid curable, polymerizable, or hardenable binder system. In this embodiment, one or more solid curative or curing agents or one or more solid activators, catalysts, initiators, accelerators, and the like for effecting curing or polymerization of the encapsulated liquid polymerizable component may be dispersed in the binder, without encapsulation. Alternatively, all of the components of the adhesive or sealant composition may be encapsulated in a plurality of different microcapsules which are dispersed in the liquid binder. In use, each of these modified binder systems is then applied to the intended substrate and allowed to cure, polymerize or harden; thereby binding the microcapsules to the substrate surface. Suitable binder systems may or may not co-react with the adhesive or sealant composition during cure or polymerization of the same. Most often the binders do not co-react, but instead act as a filler of the polymerizable or curable compositions.
Activation of these encapsulated adhesive and sealant compositions is effectuated by crushing the microcapsules so that the liquid polymerizable component comes into contact with the curative, curing agent, activator, catalyst, initiator, accelerator or the like. Mixing of the ingredients is reliant upon flow caused by the application of pressure and/or relative movement of the substrates to be bonded. Thus, because of the limited mixing, it is important that such systems be as fluid as possible to maximize the opportunity for mixing. Higher viscosity materials will result in less mixing and, thus, only partial curing of the curable materials. More importantly, higher viscosity materials are more difficult, if not impossible, to encapsulate. Where encapsulation is possible, particle size becomes an issue. Typically, in encapsulating high viscosity liquids, one tends to get a large number of large and small particles or microcapsules rather than a parabolic distribution where large and small particles are few.
While the advent of such encapsulated adhesive and sealant compositions has greatly broadened and/or simplified the end-use applications to which such adhesive and sealant systems are employed, they are not without remaining shortfalls. Premature fracturing of the capsules is perhaps the most prevalent of issues, especially in situations where the adhesive or sealant is used in rapid industrial manufacturing processes requiring quick delivery and application of the adhesive or sealant and, further, especially in the case of pre-applied adhesives or sealants, where the substrates to which the adhesives or sealants are pre-applied are likewise subject to such manufacturing processes, repeated handling or movement, etc. Concern for premature fracturing is not, however, limited to the application and use of the encapsulated adhesive. Such is also a great concern in the storage and handling of the microcapsules as well as the manufacture and processing of the adhesive or sealant itself, especially during incorporation of the encapsulated component into the matrix of the adhesive or sealant, or, in the case of pre-applied adhesive, incorporation of the encapsulated adhesive systems into the binder materials. Concerns with premature fracturing are heightened with systems that are thixotropic, have a high viscosity and/or incorporate fillers, especially granular fillers and fillers having sharp edges, or are subject to high shear mixing and dispensing processes.
Oftentimes to overcome concerns with premature fracturing, the thickness of the microcapsule walls is increased. This is especially found with pre-applied adhesives and sealants, particularly thread-locking or thread-sealing pre-applied adhesives and sealants, respectively. Consequently, cell walls comprising as much as 30 weight percent or more, more typically from 10% to 20% by weight, of the encapsulated component are not unusual in those one-part liquid systems to be applied at the time of use or from 15% to 25%, by weight in the case of pre-applied adhesives. However, as thicker and thicker walls are employed, less and less curable material is available with the same weight or volume of adhesive or sealant. Consequently, there is less curable material at the bond-line for forming the adhesive bond or seal. Because of the limited amount of curable material, there is poor flow and wetting of the substrate surfaces. Additionally, the large amount of shell wall fragments creates a gap between two substrates to be mated, much like grains of sand between plates of glass, which gap may be difficult to fill with the liquid curable material: again due to its limited quantity and low viscosity.
Furthermore, as the wall thickness increases, it becomes more and more difficult to break the cell walls when fracturing is desired. Thus, greater forces are needed to ensure the release of a comparable amount of the liquid curable or polymerizable component. Because rupture of the capsules in these instances is typically as a result of finger or hand pressure, pinch rollers and/or threading of threaded elements, the degree of rupture of the microcapsules lessens as the thickness of the capsule walls increases, especially if there is not a concurrent increase in the amount of pressure applied. This is particularly so for applications other than threading applications where multiple rotations are employed. Consequently, depending upon the specific end-use application, there may be poor or low sealant or bond strength due to the release of insufficient liquid curable or polymerizable components; thus, limiting performance or even the suitability of such materials for a given application. Similarly, as oftentimes found with the bonding and/or sealing of threaded elements, a larger volume of the pre-applied adhesive or sealant is necessary in order to attain the same bond or seal volume of cured material arising from the use of liquid, as opposed to pre-applied, adhesive and sealant compositions.
In order to moderate the need for thicker and thicker capsule walls, it is also known to incorporate hollow microspheres as “spacer” particles in the adhesive or sealant composition. For example, Hinterwaldner (U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,566) employs hollow microspheres to enhance storage stability of the adhesive formula as well as enhance fracturing of the microcapsules during activation and application of the adhesive material. However, the addition of such microspheres adds yet another additive to the system and, because the volume of the microspheres must be accommodated, requires the use of larger volumes of the adhesive and sealant to achieve the same bond or seal volume.
Consequently, it would be desirable to achieve encapsulated adhesive and sealant compositions in which the cell wall of the capsules is minimized and the quantity of liquid curable component is increased.
It would also be desirable to achieve encapsulated adhesive and sealant compositions having controlled flow characteristics, especially high or higher viscosities than are traditionally found with encapsulated adhesive and sealant compositions, and, in particular, having a fairly constant rheology over a larger temperature range, so as to enable their use in gap situations and other situations where squeeze-out or flow-out of the liquid curable material is undesirable.
It would also be desirable to achieve encapsulated adhesive and sealant compositions wherein, even if premature rupturing or fracturing of the capsules occurred, the composition was such that minimal, if any, reaction or polymerization of the curable or polymerizable components was able to occur.
It would also be desirable, especially for certain applications, to achieve the foregoing without the use of constituents or materials that are not relevant to the bonding and/or sealing of the substrates and surfaces to which they are to be applied.
It would also be desirable to achieve one-part storage stable adhesive and sealant compositions which are especially suited for use in high speed, industrial manufacturing processes.
It would also be desirable to achieve pre-applied adhesives which are able to withstand large pressures and forces without activation, especially in a pre-applied state on a given substrate.


Prostheses of substantially the above-mentioned construction for artrodhesis already exist in many embodiments.
Examples of such embodiments are found in e.g. US 2010/0130978 A1. One of the drawbacks of this prior art construction is that it is adapted solely for artrodhesis (primary artrodhesis). Should there be a reason for replacing the prosthesis in order to again make the joint flexible, the entire prosthesis must be replaced. Furthermore, the prior art prosthesis does not include any member of the previously used prosthesis for making the joint flexible (artroplasty). Another drawback is the limited possibility to adjust the setting of the prosthesis members relative to each other and that adjustment must be performed by means of special tools.
Other similar constructions for artrodhesis of e.g. knee joints are found in DE 3347055 A1 and US 2009/0171463 A1.
In SE 528545 C2, a prosthesis for replacement of a joint (artroplasty) is described. This prior art prosthesis is configured substantially as defined above. This prior art construction however, is not adapted for artrodhesis and members thereof can not be used therefor.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic semiconductor devices, and, more particularly, to erasable programmable memory devices and methods of fabrication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices based on metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) were first proposed in 1967 (see Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, pp. 496-506 (Wiley-Interscience 2d Ed 1981)). These devices store a bit of information as the presence or absence of a quantity of electrical charge on a floating gate that is located so that the charge affects the threshold voltage of a MOSFET. Currently, MOSFET nonvolatile memory devices include EPROMs, EEPROMs, and Flash EEPROMs. EPROM (erasable programmable read only memories) cells store a bit of information as a quantity of electrons on a floating gate; the electrons are avalanche injected into the floating gate from the drain-end of the cell transistor channel and are erased for all cells simultaneously by photoemission under ultraviolet irradiation. The Floating gate Avalanche injection MOS transistor is typically called a "FAMOS" transistor. The density of EPROMs had reached 1 megabit by 1984, but the inconvenience of the ultraviolet erase has led to the development of EEPROMs and Flash EEPROMs.
EEPROMs (electrically erasable programmable read only memories) both program and erase information for a single memory cell by tunneling charges through insulators: the FLOTOX version uses a floating gate as with an EPROM but with a thin tunneling oxide between the floating gate and the transistor drain; the textured poly version uses tunneling between three polysilicon gates with one of the gates a floating gate; and the MNOS version uses a stacked oxide and nitride gate insulators and stores charges in traps in the nitride and programs and erases by tunneling through the oxide to the channel region. See generally S.Lai et al, "Comparison and Trends in Today's Dominant E.sup.2 Technologies," Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 580-583 1986 IEDM.
Flash EEPROMs are hybrids that program in the manner of either EPROMs (avalanche injection) or EEPROMs (tunneling) and erase in the manner of EEPROMs (tunneling) but with the erasure generally limited to bulk electrical erasure of the entire memory analogous to the ultraviolet light erasure of an EPROM.
The trend to larger scale integration has demanded small, highly packed memory cells with low power dissipation, and the desire for flexibility of multiple reprogramming has demanded durable tunneling oxides. Consequently, many variations of the basic EPROM, EEPROM, and Flash EEPROM cells have been introduced. For example, McElroy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,248 shows EPROM cells in an array with a set of parallel continuous buried n.sup.+ diffusion lines in a silicon substrate acting as sources and drains (bitlines) for the floating gate cells with a second set of parallel continuous polysilicon lines over the floating gates acting as control gates (wordlines); the polysilicon lines are perpendicular to the buried diffusion lines. J. Esquivel et al, High Density Contactless, Self Aligned EPROM Cell Array Technology, 1986 IEDM Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 592-595, Mitchell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,060, and Sugiura et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,904 also have buried bitlines and perpendicular polysilicon wordlines in an EPROM array.
Miyamoto, U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,673 has a floating gate EEPROM cell array with parallel continuous buried diffusion lines acting as control gates and each cell has a floating gate transistor plus a select transistor in series with the floating gate extending over a diffusion line; the source/drain contacts are to metal lines (bitlines and source lines) perpendicular to the diffusion lines, and gates for the select transistors are polysilicon lines (wordlines) parallel to the diffusion lines. Note that the series select transistor is added to avoid the case of an over-erased floating gate transistor going into depletion mode and conducting even with no voltage applied to the control gate.
D. Guterman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,504 has an EEPROM array with each cell having a buried source region connected to a buried ground line and a buried drain region including a remote drain portion for tunneling into the floating gate connected to a metal bitline plus parallel polysilicon control gate line and select transistor gate line.
F. Masuoka et al, A 256K Flash EEPROM Using Triple Polysilicon Technology, 1985 ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, pp. 168-169, has a Flash EEPROM cell array with first level polysilicon erase lines, second level polysilicon floating gates, and third level control gate lines (wordlines); the floating gate transistor and the select transistor are merged by having the floating gate over only a portion of the channel region. The transistor source connects to a diffusion line and the drain connects to a metal line over the polysilicon lines; the diffusion lines and the wordlines are parallel, and the erase lines and the metal lines are parallel and are perpendicular to the diffusion lines and wordlines. The floating gate is programmed by avalanche injection as in an EPROM, and erasure of the floating gate is by tunneling to the adjacent erase line.
However, the known EEPROMs and Flash EEPROMs have problems of large cell size limiting packing density, isolation and programmability for dense arrays of cells and complex processing.


This disclosure relates to test and measurement instruments, and in particular, to an acquisition apparatus of a test and measurement instrument having an arbitrary multiband overlay mixer apparatus and associated techniques for bandwidth multiplication.
The performance of test and measurement instruments, including digital oscilloscopes, is limited by the input bandwidth of the acquisition system. Conventional components for acquiring high frequency signals include sophisticated track and hold sampling circuitry, analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, high speed memory, and the like. However, traditional track and hold sampling and analog-to-digital circuitry require large investments of time and capital to effectively build and deploy.
Other approaches have involved the use of mixer technology in front of a digitizer platform to allow the system to have wider bandwidth, and a lower cost in development effort, compared to a standard digitizer platform architecture. In U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0128076 to Pupalaikis, et al., a real-time oscilloscope is disclosed with an increased usable bandwidth. The real-time oscilloscope splits the input signal into multiple split signals. One split signal is digitized. Simultaneously, the other split signals are frequency shifted to a baseband frequency range and digitized. The digitized frequency-shifted signals are frequency shifted to their original frequency range and then combined with the other digitized signals to create a representation of the input signal. By frequency shifting sub-bands of the input signal to be within the bandwidth of their respective digitizers, an input signal having a frequency range larger than the input bandwidth of a digitizer may be acquired using the lower bandwidth digitizers.
However, a need remains for a multi-band overlay apparatus and method that allows for arbitrary mixer local oscillator coefficients having an inverse matrix relationship to local oscillator coefficients used in the reconstruction of an input signal. In addition, it would be desirable to simultaneously digitize two wide band input signals using four digitizers of narrower bandwidth in a particular arrangement that provides for the use of arbitrary coefficients and an efficient reconstruction algorithm.


The present invention relates to long term or semipermanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies, and more particularly to a storage rack for spent fuel assemblies and a method of storage of such fuel assemblies to maximize the capacity of the rack while preventing criticality.
Nuclear reactors consist of an array of fuel rods containing the nuclear fuel. The fuel rods are metal tubes, typically from 8 to 15 feet in length and about 1/2 inch in diameter, and are supported in groups in fuel assemblies which may comprise a considerable number of rods. The large reactors utilized for power generation contain a large number of these fuel assemblies arranged in a suitable configuration.
After an extended period of operation, the irradiated or spent fuel assemblies must be removed from the reactor and replaced. The spent fuel rods contain residual amounts of the original fuel material, and varying amounts of numerous fission products resulting from fission of the nuclei of the original fuel and other nuclear reactions, as well as from radioactive decay of initially-formed fission products. Certain of these materials are themselves fissionable. Many of the fission products are highly radioactive, at least initially, and thus produce considerable heat, while the entire fuel assembly is dangerously radioactive. The fuel rods can be reprocessed by chemically separating the fissionable material for reuse as fuel and recovering various other fission products, such as certain rare earth elements, for example, which have substantial commercial value.
Suitable facilities must be provided for the storage of these highly radioactive fuel assemblies after removal from the reactor until they can be reprocessed or otherwise disposed of. Such storage presents serious problems since the fuel assemblies are initially highly radioactive and generate a great deal of heat. They must, therefore, be kept submerged in water which serves as a coolant to prevent overheating as well as a radiation shield and moderator for the fast neutrons which are still being emitted. It is also necessary to be sure that the assemblies are stored in a manner that will prevent criticality of the collection of fuel assemblies while keeping the space required to a minimum. After some period of time, the heat generated and the radioactivity of the fuel assemblies decline, since many of the fission products have relatively short halflives, and the nature of the storage problem changes as both the heat to be dissipated and the radiation hazard decrease.
In our prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,375, there is disclosed a storage rack for spent nuclear fuel assemblies which is primarily intended for temporary storage of fuel assemblies in a water-filled pit. The rack consists of a checkerboard array of storage cells with the spent fuel assemblies placed in alternate cells. The intervening cells are filled with water which functions as a moderator and as a coolant, and also include a poison or neutron-absorbing material. This arrangement prevents criticality of the collection of fuel assemblies while maximizing the capacity of the rack for relatively short term storage. We have also proposed, in our copending application Ser. No. 851,038, filed Nov. 14, 1977, to use a similar rack structure for very long term or permanent storage, and to maximize the capacity by completely filling all the cells in the array after sufficient irradiation of the fuel and subsequent radioactive decay has occurred to make this safely possible. Concrete shielding may be provided for permanent storage. There is also a need, however, for relatively long term or semipermanent storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies in a manner which will permit the storage of a maximum number of such assemblies in a given space, with complete safety, for a relatively long period until they can be disposed of by reprocessing, placing them in permanent storage, or otherwise.
In the conventional design of spent fuel storage facilities, criticality is prevented by means of the spacing, or pitch, between adjacent fuel assemblies in the storage rack. There is a possibility that it may at some time be necessary to completely unload the reactor to make repairs or inspections inside the reactor pressure vessel, and it is, therefore, assumed that it may be necessary to place nearly fresh or unirradiated fuel assemblies in the storage rack during such repairs or inspection. In conventional designs, therefore, the pitch between adjacent fuel storage locations has been determined on the basis of the reactivity of fresh or unirradiated fuel assemblies. This, of course, requires a much larger pitch than is needed to prevent criticality with spent fuel assemblies after discharge from the reactor, and results in reduced storage capacity of a given space. Furthermore, once the pitch has been determined in a conventional design, it cannot be changed without rebuilding the storage rack. The arrangement and dimensions of such a rack are such that additional spent fuel assemblies cannot be placed between the initial storage positions both because the usual designs do not provide for accommodating such additional fuel assemblies and because the dimensions are generally too small.


A wide variety of techniques are used to manufacture prostheses and models that have the feel and appearance of living tissue. Methods for manufacturing simulated skin which have the texture and appearance of animal or human skin are known in the art. However, models of animals or prostheses prepared from artificial skin often lack the feel of living tissue because the artificial skin is not connected to underlying structures in a manner that simulates the characteristics of connective tissue.


The invention relates to a surgical punch with a tubular shaft, the distal end of which forms an annular cutting edge, a cutting member which is mounted for longitudinal displacement in relation to the shaft, interacts with the cutting edge and is held on an advancing element mounted for displacement in the tube, and an actuating member for displacing the advancing element in the shaft, this member being arranged at the proximal end of the shaft.
Surgical punches of this type are used to introduce openings into vascular walls, for example for attaching a bypass vessel. In this respect, a cutting member which can, for example, be of a conical design is brought close to a cutting edge with its circumferential edge, wherein the vascular wall is entrained between cutting member and cutting edge. As a result, a cut is made in the vascular wall along the cutting edge, i.e. circular openings can, for example, be introduced into vascular walls.
In the case of conventional instruments, a different punch has to be used for each opening size; moreover, these instruments can be used only for such a time as the cutting edge of the cutting member generates a clean cut, i.e. the cutting edge has the desired sharpness and is not damaged in any way. If the cutting edge becomes blunt or damaged, the instrument has to be replaced.


With the development of touch technology, touch input devices have been widely used in many end electronic products. Because being capable of providing a better controlling and various interface operation ways, touch input devices have replaced the traditional input devices, such as mouse and keyboard, and accordingly the end electronic products need less space and consequentially solve the issue of being inconvenient to carry the peripheral input device.
Based on the touch technology, touch panels can be categorized to resistive, capacitive, optical and sound wave types; wherein the capacitive touch panel currently is relatively more popular in the market and has a higher market share. However, there still has some problems needed to be solved in the conventional capacitive touch sensing system. For example, a capacitive touch sensing system may result in an error operation while a touch panel thereof is being touched by a palm or a wrist of a user; or, for eliminating the effect of wrong touching, the sensing system may be designed to have a complex operation, which may consequentially lead to a long operation time.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to presses and, more particularly, to shell presses and associated methods for forming container closures or ends, commonly referred to as shells. The invention also relates to die assemblies for shell presses.
2. Background Information
The forming of can ends or shells for can bodies, namely aluminum or steel cans, is generally well-known in the art.
There is an ongoing desire in the can-making industry to manufacture shells as rapidly and efficiently as possible. Among the ways companies have attempted to achieve these objectives are: (1) to increase the number of pockets in the die set, within which shells can be formed; and (2) to increase the speed (e.g., strokes per minute (spm)) at which the shell press operates. In general, with each stroke of the shell press ram, one shell is formed in each tooling pocket of the die assembly. Thus, a 24-out die assembly, for example, which has 24 tooling pockets, is capable of forming 24 shells, per stroke. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,995, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, discloses an example of a relatively high capacity (e.g., without limitation, operating speed of up to 400 spm, or more) end shell manufacturing system having a 24-out die assembly.
However, forming shells at relative high speeds generates heat. The heat, which is caused by the friction associated with drawing the metal over forming surfaces of the die assembly and/or clamping the metal between various pressure pads and drawing it through reduced tooling clearances to provide a desired shape, can be excessive, resulting in thermal expansion of the die shoes. Among other disadvantages, such thermal expansion undesirably shifts tooling and/or reduces critical clearances between cutting and/or forming tools. Consequently, tooling wear or damage can result and/or certain features of the end shells are manufactured out-of-specification. For example, thinned spots can be created in the material from which the end shell is manufactured, leading to a loss in buckle pressure performance in the final product.
The foregoing difficulties have been exacerbated by the development of new shell designs having aggressive material thicknesses and shapes. For example, some shells require reduced material thickness and/or have a relatively complex geometry. Such shapes often necessitate additional pressure pads and increased forming pressures in order to properly manufacture the end shells.
Prior proposals that attempted to address thermal expansion of the die assembly tooling (e.g., without limitation, upper and lower die shoes) involved aligning the upper tooling with respect to the lower tooling in the die assembly in a manner intended to compensate for the thermal expansion. Other proposals require coolant (e.g., chilled water) to be pumped throughout the die assembly, for example, to reduce the rate and amount of thermal expansion of the die shoes. However, estimating and establishing the proper aligning of the upper tooling with respect to the lower tooling is a time-consuming process, and it can be difficult to maintain the desired alignment. Similarly, systems that add coolant or other suitable additional cooling or heating mechanisms to the die assembly to compensate for thermal expansion, are costly to install and maintain.
There is, therefore, room for improvement in shell presses, and in die assemblies and associated methods therefor.


When applying water based adhesives by hand spray techniques or automated/machine controlled spray techniques for assembly of cushioning materials, such as for the furniture and bedding industries, there is a problem with adhesive overspray. The overspray presents itself as a fog in the factory that can carry long distances from the actual application area of the factory. This fog also creates a nuisance dust health hazard for the employees. Lastly, the fog or overspray is wasteful of resources as the adhesive is lost and not used for its intended purpose. This overspray not only gets onto the employees that apply the adhesive, but also contaminates nearby equipment, finished product, or raw materials in inventory, and contaminates air conditioners, heaters, and lighting.
One solution has been to set up air extraction hoods in the spray area. This works relatively well when the filters are maintained and the types of parts that are being assembled are small. However when making larger items such as mattresses, large sofa cushions, and the like, the usefulness of an air extraction hoods is negated because of the impracticality of extraction hoods that are sized for large items.
Also there have been attempts to control the overspray fog by using low fogging air atomized guns such as the DUX or EasyFlow Laminair spray gun. Although these spray devices minimize the over spray when adjusted properly, they are dependent on the spray operators not adjusting the settings as they can easily be misadjusted and create fog.
Another solution has been to use different types of adhesive bases other than water base. Solvent based adhesives and hot melt adhesives when sprayed do not create a fog. These types of adhesives work well to eliminate the overspray but have other problems.
Solvent based adhesives contain hazardous materials and often are flammable. They require air extraction equipment to reduce the flammability hazard as well as the health hazards to employees. Also solvent adhesives do not adhere some types of visco-elastic foams.
Hot melt adhesives typically do not bond foam cushion substrates as well as water based or solvent based products. Hot melts also require melt tanks and heated hose and this equipment is more expensive on a per gun basis than water based or solvent adhesives.
Another solution is the roll coating of water based adhesive rather than spray application. Roll coating eliminates the over spray, but suffers additional problems because the rollers are exposed to the atmosphere. As such, during any down time at all, the adhesive on the rollers can coagulate, causing inconsistent application of the adhesive. In addition, at the end of a shift, the workers must clean the rollers, adding to the system downtime and taking away working time from the workers. Further still, rollers do not allow a control of the application rate over a surface. Although roll coating provides a consistent application of adhesive across an entire surface, sometimes it is advantageous to vary the application rate of the adhesive. For example, it may be advantageous to use more adhesive in one area, and less in another, thereby using less adhesive overall.