Patent Grant
7971464
This invention generally relates to a casing (of a type close to a skeleton) of a small-sized electronic apparatus such as a mobile phone, a mobile terminal, a transceiver, a digital camera, an electronic music reproducing apparatus, an electronic note, an electronic book, a wireless apparatus and others, and a method of manufacturing the casing, and more particularly, to a small-sized electronic casing including an aluminum alloy casing etc. for a mobile communicating apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing.
A mobile communication apparatus terminal such as a mobile phone of a latest type increases not only an occupancy ratio of a liquid crystal display part to a terminal casing, but also the number of components mounted to the casing, as functions available as a mobile communication means further increase. Thus, a weight reduction, that is, a thickness reduction is required for the casing having greater weight of a mass that occupies in the whole terminal.
A plastic injection-molded product excellent in mass productivity is used for the casings of mobile phones that are on the market in large quantities among mobile communication apparatuses, in which case, however, various problems exist.
One of the problems is that the plastic material is inferior in mechanical properties such as tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and impact resistance as compared with a metal material, and besides, a residual stress at the time of molding causes a plastic molded product of a small thickness to be deformed so that degradations in thermal reliability occur, resulting in a limitation in the thickness reduction of the casing comprised of the plastic molded product. While use of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) permits the mechanical properties and/or thermal reliability to be improved to some extent, it is difficult to manufacture a practically serviceable casing having a thickness of 1.5 mm or less using the fiber reinforced plastic.
Another problem is that the casing comprised of the plastic molded product fails to shield electromagnetic waves having undesirable effects on human bodies after leakage from a circuit of internally packaged electronic components, resulting in a need for electromagnetic wave shielding works by giving surface treatments etc. in the manner of plating such as ion plating and electroless plating with copper and nickel etc.
In view of the above backgrounds, a casing obtained by giving forging to an aluminum alloy blank (a rolled sheet) has been suggested in recent years (See Patent document 1 described later). Specifically, an aluminum alloy has a higher density of 2.7 g/cm3 as compared with 0.8 to 1.4 g/cm3 for the plastic material and is also about 1.7 times the tensile strength and about 6 times the modulus of elasticity in comparison with the plastic material. Thus, the aluminum alloy ensures that a specific strength (tensile strength/density) and a specific rigidity (modulus of elasticity/density) are relatively high, permitting contribution toward the thickness reduction of the casing.
The casing involving use of the aluminum alloy is effective in absorbing or reflecting the electromagnetic waves, and thus provides a higher electromagnetic wave shielding efficiency as compared with a casing obtained by giving plating to the plastic material. In the present days with a tendency to call for more strict regulations for the control of electromagnetic troubles, an advantage that the casing itself has the electromagnetic shielding efficiency is by no means negligible.
Further, the aluminum alloy casing has other advantages that anodic oxide coating may provide an impression of higher grade for the casing, and besides, is excellent in recycling efficiency.
However, the casing obtained by giving forging to the aluminum alloy rolled sheet gives rise to problems such as degradations in dimensional precision and fluctuations in surface form and properties. That is, in the case of hot forging, an anisotropy of a material strength depending on a metal forging flow direction and the dimensional precision arises. In the case of cold forging, though somewhat improved dimensional precision is provided, there are problems that formability and dimensional precision are inferior as compared with punching and cutting works, and a surface form and properties after forging are anything but desirable, in addition to a reduction in degree of freedom in selection of forms.
An object of the present invention is to provide, in relation to a casing involving use of an aluminum alloy material, a small-sized electronic casing such as a mobile communication apparatus casing etc. that has a smaller thickness, is excellent in formability, electromagnetic wave shielding efficiency and recycling efficiency, and provides not only a higher degree of freedom in selection of forms, but also more desirable surface form and properties (design properties).
The electronic casing in the present invention is not limited to a casing for a mobile communication apparatus, and an application to any small-sized electronic casing supposed to be of a type permitting use of a shape having a hollow section is possible.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method that is applicable to manufacture, smoothly with higher productivity and dimensional precision, the small-sized electronic casing such as the mobile communication apparatus casing adaptable to meet the above object.
To attain the above objects, a small-sized electronic casing according to the present invention comprises, as most principal features, an aluminum alloy extruded shape having a hollow sectional part at least contained in a main part, wherein the extruded shape has at least either component-mounting holes or notches.
The holes and/or notches are preferably formed by means of press punching.
It is to be noted that a term of “component-mounting” is herein supposed to include mounting applicable to effect mounting of components, in addition to that adapted to provide direct mounting of the components to hole or notch portions in engagement or fitting of the components with the holes or notches.
To attain the above objects, a first method of manufacturing a small-sized electronic casing according to the present invention comprises, as most principal features, a press punching process of forming at least either component-mounting holes or notches in an aluminum alloy extruded shape of a prescribed length having a hollow sectional part.
To attain the above objects, a second method of manufacturing a small-sized electronic casing according to the present invention is characterized in that, as most principal features, a machining process excepting surface finishing of the small-sized electronic casing involving use of an aluminum alloy extruded shape of a prescribed length having a hollow sectional shape contains only a press punching process of forming either component-mounting holes or notches in the extruded shape or a press punching process of forming both the component-mounting holes and notches.
According to the small-sized electronic casing of the present invention, this casing is comprised of the aluminum alloy extruded shape having the hollow sectional part at least contained in the main part, and the extruded shape has at least either the component-mounting holes or notches, thereby providing a casing that has a smaller thickness, is excellent in formability, electromagnetic wave shielding efficiency and recycling efficiency, and provides not only a higher degree of freedom in selection of forms, but also more desirable surface form and properties (design properties).
According to the first method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing of the present invention, this method is to form the component-mounting holes and/or notches by press punching adapted to form at least either the component-mounting holes or notches in the aluminum alloy extruded shape of the prescribed length having the hollow sectional part, permitting the small-sized electronic casing according to the present invention to be manufactured smoothly with higher productivity and dimensional precision.
According to the second method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing of the present invention, the machining process excepting the surface finishing contains only the press punching process of forming either the component-mounting holes or notches in the extruded shape or the press punching process of forming both the component-mounting holes and notches, in which case, a need for other machining works excepting the surface finishing is eliminated, permitting productivity to be further improved as compared with the first manufacturing method.
According to the method of the present invention, the press punching is taken to form the component-mounting holes or notches in the extruded shape, leading to higher productivity, in addition to adaptability to give machining to a larger number of portions at the same time without producing chips nor causing damages to the extruded shape, as compared with cutting works.
Further, the method in either case provides such effects that the deformation supposed to occur at the time of press punching against the extruded shape may be minimized by placing a machined material under sufficient constraint in the process of press punching.
It is to be noted that the present invention ensures that, with the machining substantially or completely saved, control of dimensional variations in the process of working is provided, permitting contribution toward use of the hollow-like aluminum alloy extruded shape for the small-sized electronic casing.
An embodiment relating to an application of a small-sized electronic casing and its manufacturing method according to the present invention to a mobile phone casing available as one typical small-sized electronic casing is now described with reference to drawings.
It is to be noted that a term of “flat” is herein defined as a sectional form having two parallel or approximately parallel longer sides. Thus, a flat form is assumed to include various forms such as rectangles, trapezoids and rectangular or trapezoidal forms whose corner parts have R of a prescribed size, and the forms such as those shown in
While a size of the extruded shape 1a is selected depending on a mobile phone design, the embodiment shown in
The extruded shape 1a is a material obtained by cutting a long extruded shape to the above length, in which case, cutting of the long extruded shape as described the above is practicable through a straightening process by means of roll straightening or others after extrusion is finished. However, this embodiment leaves out the straightening process because of an application of extrusion of high precision.
The following is one illustration of extruding conditions and materials of the extruded shape.
Material: JIS6063 alloy (JIS 3003 or 6061 alloy is also available)
Required billet: 145 φ×400 mm
Homogenizing treatment: keeping at 560° C. for 4 hours (a temperature-up rate: 40° C./hr)
Extrusion rate: 15 to 30 m/min
Extrusion temperature: 460 to 530° C.
Others:
Highly precise dies were used which provide a bearing finish as Rmax of 2 μm and 5 μm (normally, 20 μm) by taking measures such as a measure of heightening a male-type bridge rigidity, with a dies thickness increased for prevention of dies bending.
The extruded shape resulting from extrusion with the extruding dies adapted to provide Rmax of 2 μm was specified as a highly precise extruded material A, and the extruded shape resulting from extrusion with the extruding dies adapted to provide Rmax of 5 μm was specified as a highly precise extruded material B. In addition, extrusion with normal extruding dies (which will be hereinafter referred to as “a normal extruding manner”) was effected for comparison, and the resultant extruded shape was specified as a normal extruded material.
After the extrusion and straightening, the extruded materials were cut to the prescribed length and were followed by measurements of their dimensional precision obtained before and after press punching described later to these extruded materials, and Table 1 gives results of the above measurements. A comparison of the dimensional precision was made in such a manner that, when the opposite ends of a rectilinear part contained in a flat part including no ribs of the hollow sectional part of the casing were specified as A1 and A11 to assign, in order, A1, . . . , and A11 to measurement points obtained by dividing the rectilinear part extending from A1 to A11 into ten equal parts, each maximum of deviations of the measurement points A2 to A10 from a true straight line was given in terms of a straightness. When a position adapted to give the maximum was in misalignment with each measurement point, a value of the measurement point next to a point indicative of the maximum given at the misalignment position was displayed after being rewritten into the maximum. In the case of the extrusion with the above highly precise dies, the straightness was so given as to satisfy 0.15 mm or less per 40 mm of a rectilinear part length. Conversely, the straightness in the case of the extruded shapes resulting from the extrusion with the normal dies was about 0.5 to 1 mm per 40 mm of the rectilinear part length.
In the case of the extrusion in the normal extruding manner, the straightness required for mounting of components is so inferior as to cause an insufficiency of straightness for use of the extruded shape for the mobile phone casing, so that straightening of extruded shape sectional dimensions by roll forming etc. becomes a necessity. As long as a result of the straightening of the extruded shape dimensions is that the straightness before the press punching reaches 0.30 mm or less per 40 mm of the rectilinear part length, the use of the extruded shape for the mobile phone casing is made realizable. As described the above, the roll forming or the like enables the extruded shape (or the extruded shape having the straightness of 0.50 mm in Table 1, for instance) obtained in the normal extruding manner to be so straightened as to fall in a dimensional range requiring that the above straightness be 0.30 mm or less, permitting contributions toward the use of the extruded shape for the casing according to the present invention.
While it is preferable that the straightening of the extruded shape sectional form is given to the long extruded shape as described the above because of its advantage of being more excellent in productivity, use of proper straightening means may also provide the straightening after cutting to a product length and/or forming into a final product shape.
The above straightening means may be by press straightening etc., in addition to the roll forming. Particularly, portions adapted to mount components such as an image display device and closely-arranged number-displayed pushbuttons are supposed to be specified as targets for the straightening, in which case, the dimensional precision of these component-mounting portions requires that the straightness after the press punching be 0.30 mm or less, preferably, 0.25 mm or less per 40 mm of the rectilinear part length.
The extruded shape 1a has a large number of component-mounting holes and notches, and, while the number, the arrangement, the form and the size etc. of these holes and notches are determined in correspondence with the mobile phone design, one embodiment relating to the above is now described.
As shown in
As shown in
The casing 1 manufactured as described the above is given shot blasting or hairline treatment, and is followed by surface finishing in the manner of anodic oxide coating, painting and plating etc.
The extruded shape has, as its characteristics, the same sectional form in a longitudinal direction, so that the casing 1 obtained by punching the extruded shape as shown in
As will be described in the following, the above-mentioned component-mounting holes and notches are preferably formed by means of press punching.
Reference numeral 3 denotes a table used for installation of the press punching apparatus 2, and a dies 4 is mounted on the table 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes a core adapted to provide setting of the extruded shape 1a so that a width direction of the hollow sectional part 10 assumes a vertical. The core 5 has one end fixed to a mounting block 50 (See
Reference numeral 6 denotes a punch placed in a suspended position in close vicinity to the upper-positional rib 11 of the extruded shape 1a. A lower end as a working-side end of the punch is in the form of a hook-like end to get near to or make contact with the back surface of the extruded shape 1a at the inside of the lower-positional rib 11.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a press member placed in parallel to the front surface of the extruded shape 1a over the whole length of the extruded shape. The press member 7 is so operated by a screw jack-type pressing apparatus 70 mounted on the table 3 as to make a horizontal motion in a direction of an arrow i (see
Reference numeral 4a denotes another dies located between the upper-positional rib 11 of the extruded shape 1a and the hook-like lower end of the punch 6. The dies 4a is fixed to the dies 4 in close vicinity to the back surface of the extruded shape 1a and a vertical part of the punch 6. Reference numeral 4b denotes a guide member installed to an upper surface side of the dies 4 in close vicinity to the punch 6 and in parallel to the dies 4a.
After setting the extruded shape 1a on the core 5 of the press punching apparatus 2 with the core 5 placed in an inserted position, the pressing apparatus 70 is activated by a handle 71 to move the press member 7 forward in the direction of the arrow i for pressing the shape 1a against the core 5, causing the above shape 1a to be placed under constraint in a direction orthogonal to two directions, i.e., a longitudinal direction of the shape and a punching direction.
Then, the press member 8 is turned in the 180-degree arc as indicated by the arrow k in
With the shape 1a placed under constraint as described the above, the punch 6 is moved downward to form the notch 11a of
To form the notch 11a in the other rib 11 by punching, a punching apparatus is used, in which the core 5 is arranged in a direction opposite to that shown in
A casing manufacturing method including a machining process involving use of the press punching apparatus 2 is correspondent to a method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing according to claim 17.
A core 5a also serves as the dies 4 and is fixed to the mounting block 50 so that a width direction of the core assumes a horizontal. The core 5a is adapted to provide setting of the extruded shape 1a, with the hollow sectional part 10 placed so that its back surface is turned up.
Press members 7, 7a are so mounted in parallel on the table 3 as to be in close vicinity to the opposite sides of the core 5a. The press members 7, 7a are moved uniformly in directions of arrows i and i1 by pressing apparatuses 70, 70a adapted to convert a vertical (downward) press force into a horizontal force, causing the shape 1a to be placed under constraint in the direction orthogonal to two directions, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the shape 1a and the punching direction, with the above shape 1a held from both sides.
The different press member 8 is so mounted on the table as to provide its upward motion up to the level of the shape 1a in advance of a pressing operation.
Reference numeral 9 denotes a stripper slightly operated to make a slightly downward motion in synchronization with the downward motion of the punch 6 into contact with the shape 1a slightly earlier than punching with the punch 6 for pressing the back surface of the hollow sectional part 10 against the core 5a also serving as the dies 4.
After setting the shape 1a on the core 5a of the press punching apparatus 2a like an illustrated state, the press member 8 is moved upward to the level of the shape 1a, and the pressing apparatus 80 is activated through the operation of the handle 81 to press the shape 1a against the mounting block 50, causing the above shape 1a to be placed under constraint in the longitudinal direction. Then, immediately after the pressing apparatuses 70, 70a are moved downward in synchronization with the punch 6 so that the press members 7, 7a are operated to place the shape 1a under constraint in the direction orthogonal to the two directions, i.e., the longitudinal direction and the punching direction, the notch 10a and the hole 10b of
It is to be noted that depending on the size, the number and other requirements of the holes and notches to be formed, it is allowable to effect the punching with the shape 1a placed under constraint only in the longitudinal direction of the shape or in only the direction orthogonal to the two directions, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the shape and the punching direction.
The casing manufacturing method including the machining process involving use of the press punching apparatus 2a is one correspondent form of the method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing according to claim 13.
The core 5a also serving as the dies 4 is fixed to the mounting block 50 so that the width direction of the core assumes a vertical. The core 5a is adapted to provide setting of the extruded shape 1a, with the hollow sectional part 10 placed so that its back surface is turned to the right in the drawing.
The press members 7, 8 are mounted on the table 3 to perform the same operation as that of the press members in the punching apparatus shown in
The stripper 9 is so configured as to make a downward motion in synchronization with the punch 6, as being slightly in advance of the punch 6, into contact with the shape 1a slightly earlier than the punching with the punch 6 for pressing the surface to be machined of the shape 1a against the core 5a.
After setting the extruded shape 1a on the core 5a of the press punching apparatus 2b like the illustrated state, the press member 8 is turned in the 180-degree arc as indicated by the arrow k up to the level of the shape 1a, and the pressing apparatus 70 is activated through the operation of the handle 71 to move the press member 7 forward in the direction of the arrow i for pressing the shape 1a against the core 5, causing the above shape 1a to be placed under constraint in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the shape and the punching direction. Further, the pressing apparatus 80 is activated through the operation of the handle 81 to press the shape 1a against the mounting block 50, causing the above shape to be placed under constraint in the longitudinal direction.
Then, the punch 6 is moved downward in synchronization with the stripper 9, so that the component-mounting hole 10c of
It is to be noted that depending on the size, the number and other requirements of the holes and notches to be formed, it is also allowable to effect the punching with the shape 1a placed under constraint only in the longitudinal direction of the shape or only in the direction orthogonal to the two directions, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the shape and the punching direction. However, the punching with the shape placed under constraint only in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the punching direction is normally required.
The casing manufacturing method including the machining process involving use of the press punching apparatus 2b is one correspondent form of the method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing according to claim 13.
It is allowable to, by preliminarily forming, in dispersed positions, location holes in the surface to be machined of the shape 1a before formation of the component-mounting holes and notches in the shape 1a by punching, machine the component-mounting holes and notches by taking advantage of these location holes.
This type of machining method has advantages of providing easy alignment of target positions for formation of the component-mounting holes and notches of the shape 1a with the stripper holes when the above component-mounting holes and notches are in dense arrangement within a prescribed area, and of being easy to so constrain the shape 1a as to hold it in position at the time of punching.
One embodiment relating to the above method is described in the following.
Before formation of each of the holes 10d, 10e and 10f in the surface to be machined contained in the front surface of the shape 1a in
While these location holes 10g, 10h may be formed by means of drilling etc., press punching is preferably taken to form these location holes. To form the location holes 10g, 10h by press punching, a press punching apparatus may be used, in which the core 5a in the press punching apparatus 2a of
Firstly, the several component-mounting holes 10e and the component-mounting small-sized hole 10f are formed using a press punching apparatus 2c shown in
Referring to
The core 5a also serving as the dies 4 is fixed to the mounting block (not shown) so that the width direction of the core assumes a horizontal. The core 5a is adapted to provide setting of the extruded shape 1a, with the hollow sectional part 10 placed so that its back surface is turned down in the drawing. The core 5a has location holes 5b provided in correspondence with the location holes 10g, 10g and other location holes in the shape 1a as shown in
The press member 7 is so configured as to press the shape 1a against the core 5a by the pressing apparatus (not shown). The press member 8 is mounted on the table 3 to perform the same operation as that of the press member in the press punching apparatus 2a shown in
The stripper 9 is so configured as to make the downward motion in synchronization with the punch 6, as being slightly advance of the punch 6, into contact with the shape 1a slightly earlier than the punching with the punch 6 for pressing the surface to be machined of the shape 1a against the core 5a.
After setting the shape 1a on the core 5a of the press punching apparatus 2c like the illustrated state, each location hole of the shape 1a is placed in alignment with each corresponding location hole 5b of the core 5a to insert location pins 5c into the corresponding location holes 5b such that the location pins pass through both the aligned location holes.
Pressing the press member 7 against the corresponding side surface of the shape 1a causes the shape 1a to be placed under constraint in the direction orthogonal to the two directions, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the shape and the punching direction, and at the same time, the press member 8 is moved upward to the level of the shape 1a to press the shape 1a against the mounting block (not shown) by the press member 8.
Under this condition, the punch 6 and the stripper 9 are moved downward in synchronization with each other to form the several holes 10e and the small-sized hole 10f as shown in
It is to be noted that depending on the size, the number and other requirements of the holes and notches to be formed, it is also allowable to effect the punching without placing the shape 1a under constraint in any direction, or alternatively, with the shape 1a placed under constraint only in the longitudinal direction of the shape or only in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the shape and the punching direction.
The casing manufacturing method including the machining process involving use of the press punching apparatus 2c is one correspondent form of the method of manufacturing the casing according to claims 14 and 15.
After formation of the component-mounting holes 10e, 10f in the front surface of the shape 1a as described the above, the display part-mounting hole 10d is formed, using a press punching apparatus 2d shown in
In the press punching apparatus 2d in
After setting the shape 1a on the core 5a of the press punching apparatus 2d of
It is to be noted that depending on the size, the number and other requirements of the holes and notches to be formed, it is also allowable to effect the punching with the shape 1a placed under constraint only in the longitudinal direction of the shape, or only in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the shape and the punching direction.
The casing manufacturing method including the machining process involving use of the press punching apparatus 2d is one correspondent form of the method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing according to claim 13.
The following is one illustration of requirements for machining of the holes and the notches by each press punching apparatus.
Machining rate: 1 m/sec. for a mechanical press, and 0.05 m/sec. for a hydraulic press
Clamping force: 3000 to 6000N
Driven-up of punch: 4 mm
Clearance of tools (Difference in level between the punch and the dies): 0.04 mm (in the case of punching of the holes)
0.04 mm (in the case of shearing of the notches)
In the present invention, in relation to a portion adapted to press the press member with the screw jack-type pressing apparatus, a change to a pressing method based on driving of a hydraulic or air cylinder is possible in consideration of productivity. A mass production process gives a preference to this type of pressing method.
According to the small-sized electronic casing of the above embodiment, use is made of the extruded shape 1a having the hollow sectional part 10, and the extruded shape 1a has the component-mounting holes and notches, providing the casing that has a smaller thickness, is excellent in formability, design properties and electromagnetic wave shielding efficiency, and provides a higher degree of freedom in selection of forms.
This casing ensures a sufficient strength even if its maximum thickness portion has a thickness of 1 mm or less (or 0.4 mm or more).
According to the method of manufacturing the small-sized electronic casing of the above embodiment, after cutting the aluminum alloy extruded shape having the hollow sectional part 10 to the prescribed length, the component-mounting holes and notches are formed in the cut extruded shape 1a only by press punching, permitting the productivity and the dimensional precision of the casing having excellent features as described the above to be improved. Further, the press punching in the above embodiment is adaptable to provide positional alignment of higher precision, and also requires a smaller punching clearance, so that a burr hardly occurs. The finishing such as trimming, while being supposed to be applicable to adjustment of the sectional form of the holes, is not required in particular.
Further, a variation in straightness of the surface to be press-punched before and after press punching may be limited to 0.10 mm or less per 40 mm in the rectilinear part. Thus, the press-punched small-sized electronic casing may provide a skeleton dimensional precision as much as 0.30 mm or less per 40 mm. Use of the shape made of the highly precise extruded material A enables the dimensional precision of 0.25 mm or less per 40 mm to be realized as a preferable range, and besides, 0.20 mm or less as the most preferable range. The dimensional precision remains unchanged even after the finishing so far as some measures are taken at the time of the finishing.
While the sectional form of the extruded shape 1a is designed depending on an electronic apparatus design, the extruded shape, when used for the mobile phone casing, preferably requires that the hollow sectional part 10 be in a wholly flat form such as the flat forms including the forms as shown in
As shown in the above embodiment and
Further, the hollow sectional part 10 may have, therein, partition walls to divide the whole hollow into several hollow parts within limits not injurious to formability and component mounting performance.
While the above embodiment has been described as related to the integrated casing, it is to be understood that when the casing is of a type having more than one casing unit like a transmitting-side casing and a receiving-side casing contained in a foldable-type or sliding-type mobile phone, the above embodiment is applicable to one or both of the casing units. Further, the present invention is also applicable to a case where a different aluminum alloy extruded shape etc. is combined with the casing of the present invention to form the whole casing, so far as this casing is contained in the main part in the whole casing.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-375052 | Dec 2004 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2005/023642 | 12/22/2005 | WO | 00 | 12/1/2006 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2006/068240 | 6/29/2006 | WO | A |
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| 3166957 | Biesma | Jan 1965 | A |
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| 5649442 | Yoshikawa et al. | Jul 1997 | A |
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| 4106182 | Sep 1992 | DE |
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| WO 2005070577 | Aug 2005 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20070236870 A1 | Oct 2007 | US |
