The present invention relates to a wedge assembly for removing a tension member by the release of the wedge engagement corresponding to the external anchoring of the tension member in imposing the anchoring load on the tension member anchored to the underground anchor hole, and to an internal anchorage for more simply and efficiently removing the tension member using the wedge assembly without any removing equipment such as a drawbench.
As is well known to those skilled in the art, ground anchors are widely used as a sheet for preventing the collapse of non-excavated ground around a construction field in underground excavation for subsurface structure works to construct a building or engineering structures, and as a safety measure for preventing a landslide of a cross section of poor ground. These ground anchors are of various types, i.e., a compression type, a tension type, and a pressure type. The compression type ground anchor is usually used but cannot remove a tension member. The tension type ground anchor is restricted to point pressure, thereby having difficulty in removing a tension member after works. Considering anchoring force, in the tension type ground anchor, the anchoring force is reduced by tension cracking of a grouting member. The pressure type ground anchor is applied only to rock bed capable of point bearing.
The ground anchor inserts an internal anchorage into a perforated anchor hole in rock bed by using a tension member (PC strand wire) with excellent tension strength, and maintains tensile force by imposing tensile load on a free long side. Therefore, if the tension member remains on the underground after completing the construction work of the subsurface structure, this tension member may be an obstacle to other construction works of the subsurface structure on ground adjacent to this field. In a downtown area with many buildings, a tension member removing method has been used more and more. An anchorage used in this case is an internal anchorage for removing the tension member.
Korean Patent Publication No. 96-4273 discloses an internal anchorage for removing a tension member of a ground anchor. This internal anchorage includes a body provided a solar wedge seat and a planet wedge seat around the solar wedge seat, the solar wedge seat dividing a circumference into two or three equal parts of the planet wedge seat, a solar wedge and a planet wedge seated on a corresponding seat, spacers in the same number as the planet wedge, an upper cover for preventing the upper separation of the solar wedge and the planet wedge, and a cap coating on the body.
However, in addition to the tension member having tension force engaged with the planet wedge, the above-described conventional internal anchorage requires a retrieval tension member for removing this tension member, i.e., the tension member engaged with the solar wedge, and another wedge for engaging this tension member. Therefore, the above-described conventional internal anchorage includes many components, resulting in difficulty in manufacturing, and further additionally includes the retrieval tension member for removing the conventional tension member, thereby increasing production cost. Moreover, it is troublesome to operate the added tension member for removing the tension member.
Further, the spacer includes a taper on its inner surface. The taper of the spacer corresponds to the tapered retrieval tension member. The outer surface of the spacer must be a circular section corresponding to a hollow core of the body. That is, since the spacer is very complicated in shape and structure, it is difficult to manufacture and assemble the spacer. By forming a ring groove on the back surface of a hole of a central member perforated in an axial direction and fixing a C-type retaining ring into the groove, the central member cannot be removed from the back surface of the body during the period in which tension force does not work. Since this internal structure is also very complicated, it is difficult to manufacture.
Furthermore, when the engagement of the tension member becomes loose prior to removing the retrieval tension member, if an anchoring load is imposed on the tension member, the retrieval tension member may slip out of the solar wedge. In this case, the retrieval tension member, which should retrocede by the solar wedge, does not retrocede. Thereby, the planet wedges do not open and the tension member cannot be removed. That is, the tension member cannot be removed without a drawbench.
In order to overcome the drawbacks of the above-described internal anchorage for removing the tension member of the ground anchor, Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-47445 is described hereinafter. An internal anchorage of this document has a structure such that a wedge support formed by covering an electric heater with a thermoplastic resin is inserted into a body provided with one wedge groove, or at least two wedge grooves, and a wedge box is mounted on the wedge support. A tip of the tension member is engaged between the body and the wedge seat of the wedge box, and is inserted into an underground anchor hole and anchored. Then, the tension member is drawn and its outer end is anchored to a furring strip of soil wall. If current flows from the exterior to the wire connected to the electric heater after the work, the electric heater emits heat and melts the wedge support made of resin. The molten wedge support slips out of a space perforated on the back surface of the body. At this time, the wedge remains in its original position but the wedge box is pulled into the outer end of the tension member by tension force of the tension member. As a result, the engagement of the wedge with the tip of the tension member is released, and the tension member may protrude as a result of the anchoring load imposed on it, and may be removed.
However, when this internal anchorage for removing the tension member is molten by the heating of the electric heater of the wedge support, a spark is generated by the contact of the exposed portion of the wire connected to the electric heater with the metal-made body. Therefore, it is very dangerous. Further, if a short circuit is generated during melting of the wedge support, the wedge support is no longer molten and the wedge box does not pull out. Thereby, the wedge engagement is not entirely released and the tension member is not retrieved. Furthermore, since the resin of the wedge support is a special resin, it has several drawbacks, such as a low molding tendency and high production cost.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a wedge assembly for an internal anchorage for removing a tension member of a ground anchor, which removes a tension member by the release of the wedge engagement corresponding to the external anchoring of the tension member in imposing the anchoring load on the tension member anchored to the underground anchor hole.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of an internal anchorage wedge assembly for removing a tension member of a ground anchor, the wedge assembly comprising spiral engagement teeth formed on an inner surface of the wedge, and an elastic ring inserted into the end of an outer surface in order to maintain an assembly condition of a circumference-dividing wedge. A front inner surface of the wedge is a smooth surface without engagement teeth, a traction jaw for mounting a wedge traction plate is formed on the end of the smooth surface in the circumferential direction, and an internal ring groove for a wedge expansion ring is formed on the back surface of the traction jaw.
In accordance with another aspect of the preset invention, there is provided an internal anchorage for removing a tension member of a ground anchor of the locking ring type. The internal anchorage comprises a wedge including an external ring groove formed on an end of an external surface, a traction jaw and an internal ring groove formed on the smooth front of the internal surface, engagement teeth formed on the back of the internal surface, a locking groove formed on the back of the external ring groove, a wedge traction platejaw engaged with the back of the traction jaw and pulling the wedge by the reaction force in releasing the external anchoring, when one terminal of the tension member toward the external anchoring is cut in order to remove an anchorage load, a wedge expansion ring inserted into the internal ring groove and expanding the wedge, a wedge box including a tension member hole formed on the back end, a tube seat for inserting and fixing a tube covering the tension member, the tube seat being formed around the tension member hole, a wedge seat for the wedge and a ring seat for a locking ring formed on the internal surface, a wedge separation layer interposed between the wedges, a cap covering the front end of the wedge box and protecting the components of the wedge box, and a wedge locking ring formed between the ring seat of the wedge box and the back end of the cap and locking the locking groove of the retroceding wedge.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an internal anchorage for removing a tension member of a ground anchor of the horn screw type. The internal anchorage comprises a wedge including an external ring groove formed on an end of an external surface, a traction jaw and an internal ring groove formed on the smooth front of the internal surface, engagement teeth formed on the back of the internal surface, a wedge traction plate having a horn screw formed on the center of the front surface, a jaw engaged with the back of the traction jaw and pulling the wedge by the reaction force in releasing the external anchoring, a wedge expansion ring inserted into the internal ring groove and expanding the wedge, a wedge box including a tension member hole formed on the back end, a tube seat for inserting and fixing a tube covering the tension member, the tube seat being formed around the tension member hole, a wedge seat for the wedge and a ring seat for a locking ring formed on the internal surface, a wedge separation layer interposed between the wedges, and a cap having a screw hole for engagement with the horn screw formed on the center of the back surface for covering the front end of the wedge box, and for protecting the components of the wedge box.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an internal anchorage for removing a tension member of a ground anchor of the elastic hook type. The internal anchorage comprises a wedge including an external ring groove formed on an end of an external surface, a traction jaw and an internal ring groove formed on the smooth front of the internal surface, engagement teeth formed on the back of the internal surface, a wedge expansion ring inserted into the internal ring groove and expanding the wedge, a wedge box including a tension member hole formed on the back end, a tube seat for inserting and fixing a tube covering the tension member, the tube seat being formed around the tension member hole, a wedge seat for the wedge and a ring seat for a locking ring formed on the internal surface, a wedge traction plate having an elastic hook formed on the center of the front surface, a jaw engaged with the back of the traction jaw and pulling the wedge by the reaction force in releasing the external anchoring, a wedge separation layer interposed between the wedges, and a cap having a hook hole and a hook engagement jaw for the elastic hook formed on the center of the back surface, for covering the front end of the wedge box, and for protecting the components of the wedge box. The hook of the wedge traction plate and a screw hole of the cap are used as retroceding wedge-locking means.
In accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an internal anchorage for removing a tension member of a ground anchor of the locking ring-safety ring type. The internal anchorage comprises a wedge including an external ring groove formed on an end of an external surface, a traction jaw and an internal ring groove formed on the smooth front of the internal surface, engagement teeth formed on the back of the internal surface, a locking groove formed on the back of the external ring groove, a ring horn for a wedge safety ring formed on the front end, a wedge expansion ring inserted into the internal ring groove and expanding the wedge, a wedge box including a tension member hole formed on the back end, a tube seat for inserting and fixing a tube covering the tension member, the, tube seat being formed around the tension member hole, a wedge seat for the wedge and a ring seat for a locking ring formed on the internal surface, a wedge traction platejaw engaged with the back of the tractionjaw and pulling the wedge by the reaction force in releasing the external anchoring, a cap covering the front end of the wedge box and protecting the components of the wedge box, an inner edge of the back end of the cap being an inclined surface, a wedge locking ring formed between the ring seat of the wedge box and the back end of the cap and locking the locking groove of the retroceding wedge, and a wedge separation layer interposed between the wedges; a wedge safety ring being inserted into the ring horn and stabilizing the wedge on the wedge seat, and a ring stand for supporting the wedge safety ring being disposed between the wedge locking ring and the back end of the cap.
In accordance with still yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an internal anchorage for removing a tension member of a ground anchor of the horn screw-safety ring type. The internal anchorage comprises a wedge including an external ring groove formed on an end of an external surface, a traction jaw and an internal ring groove formed on the smooth front of the internal surface, engagement teeth formed on the back of the internal surface, a ring horn for a wedge safety ring formed on the front end, a wedge expansion ring inserted into the internal ring groove and expanding the wedge, a wedge box including a tension member hole formed on the back end, a tube seat for inserting and fixing a tube covering the tension member, the tube seat being formed around the tension member hole, a wedge seat for the wedge and a ring seat for a locking ring formed on the internal surface, a wedge traction plate having a horn screw formed on the center of the front surface, a jaw engaged with the back of the traction jaw and pulling the wedge by the reaction force in releasing the external anchoring, a cap having a screw hole for engagement with the horn screw formed on the center of the back surface and for covering the front end of the wedge box and protecting the components of the wedge box, an inner edge of the back end of the cap being an inclined surface, and a wedge safety ring inserted into the ring horn and supported between the ring seat of the wedge box and the inclined surface of the cap, thereby stabilizing the wedge.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In
An external front part 13 of the wedge 10 of the present invention is straight. This part is required to obtain a minimal space for opening the wedges with an internal end of the wedge box, in order to easily untie the wedge engagement with the inner tip. Engagement teeth 12 are not formed on an inner front part 14 of the wedge 10. In addition, its radius is larger than that of the engagement teeth 12, thereby not engaging the end of the tension member with the wedge 10. This structure of the inner front part 14 is very important in easily untying the wedge engagement with the end of the tension member from the wedge 10 retroceded by the reaction force of the tension member by removing the external anchor of the tension member from the ground anchor installed on the ground anchor hole.
A traction jaw 15 is formed on the end of the inner front part 14 in a direction of the circumference. This traction jaw 15 determines the insertion length of the tension member when the tension member is engaged with the wedge 10 by inserting the end of the tension member into the wedge box. The traction jaw 15 is joined with the front edge of the wedge traction plate 20, which draws all of the wedges 10 of the internal anchorage by the reaction force of the tension member, if the tension member is extruded into the end of the internal anchorage by a reaction force corresponding to the anchoring load when the external anchoring of the tension member is untied in a situation wherein the anchoring load is imposed on the tension member of the internal anchorage anchored on the underground anchor hole. An inner ring groove 16 is formed on the back end of the inner front part 14 in a direction of the circumference. The inner ring groove 16 is a groove into which an expansion ring 30 for opening the wedges 10 in the centrifugal direction is inserted. The wedge 10 is applicable to a horn screw-type internal anchorage including a horn screw-integrated wedge traction plate as a locking means for fixing the preceding wedge, and a screw hole and a hook-type internal anchorage including a hook-integrated wedge traction plate and a hook clogging jaw.
The wedge traction plate 20 is a circular metal plate. The wedge traction plate 20 unties or releases the engagement of the wedge 10 with the tension member by drawing the wedge 10 through a force created when the tension member is extruded prior to the wedge box by a reaction force corresponding to the anchoring load at the moment when the external anchoring is untied at a condition of anchoring the internal anchorage on the underground anchor hole and imposing the anchoring load on the tension member. Until the internal anchorage is joined with the traction jaw 15 and transmits the reaction force of the tension member, untying the external anchoring, to the wedge 10 which is engaged with the end of the tension member and positioned within the wedge box, the wedge traction plate 20 is inserted and anchored into the underground anchor hole, and the tension member is removed. Therefore, the wedge traction plate 20 must have a sufficient strength to avoid deformation in response to the reaction force corresponding to the anchoring load, and must have a sufficient radius not to be extruded into the traction jaw 15.
In
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
With reference to
Hereinafter, according to the aforementioned wedges 10, 10a to 10c and the wedge traction plates 20, 20a to 20b, the internal anchorages for removing the tension member of the ground anchor are described in detail. The internal anchorages provided by the present invention are mainly divided into three types, i.e., locking ring type, horn screw type, and hook type. These types of internal anchorages are differentiated by the locking element used to prevent the wedge from coming out together with the drawn and removed tension member after the wedge engagement with the end of the tension member is untied or released.
The internal anchorages according to types of the wedge locking element, the applicable wedges, and the wedge traction plates are described as follows.
Locking Ring Type Internal Anchorage c1
As shown in
The wedge box 40 includes reversed conical wedge seats 41, a tension member hole 42 formed on the back end of the wedge seats 41, and tube seats 46 disposed around the tension member 42. Spacers 43 for obtaining space for expanding the wedge 10a in the centrifugal direction are formed on the front of the wedge seat 41. Screws 44 for engaging the cap 60, and ring seats 45 for the wedge-locking ring, are formed on the front end of the spacer 43.
The wedge separation layer 50 is interposed between the wedge seat 41 and the wedge 10a in order to easily separate the wedge 10a from the wedge seat 41 of the wedge box 40, when the wedge 10a is withdrawn by the reaction force of the external anchoring-removed tension member, and the wedge engagement with the tension member is untied or released. Therefore, the wedge separation layer 50 serves to prevent the attachment of the wedge 10a to the wedge seat 41 and uses a non-adhesive resin film, an asbestos, or glass fiber. The cap 60 is formed on the end of the wedge box 40 and protects the components of the wedge box 40. The cap 60 includes screw 61 corresponding to the screws 44 of the wedge box 40. Reference number 62 identifies a ring packing.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As the wedges 10a retrocede, the locking groove 17 is coincident with the inner surface of the wedge locking ring 32. Then, the wedge locking ring 32 elastically protrudes between the ring seat 45 and the back end of the cap 60, and is engaged with the locking groove 17. Thereby, the wedge 10a cannot move. During retroceding of the wedge 10a, the wedge expansion ring 30 is elastically expanded to open all the wedges 10a in the centrifugal direction. The aforementioned motions of the tension member b, the wedge 10a, the wedge traction plate 20, and the wedge expansion ring 30 stop, together with the locking of the locking groove 17 by the wedge locking ring 32. In this case, the wedge 10a is entirely opened. Therefore, the end of the tension member b, which was engaged with the wedge 10a, is released.
In order to prevent corrosion of the tension member b within the underground anchor hole and to easily remove the tension member b, the tension member b is coated with a lubricant and covered with the tube h. Herein, the tube h is fixed by the grout material e of the underground anchor hole. Therefore, even when the tension member b is drawn and removed, the tube h is maintained within the anchor hole d. Thereby, when the wedge engagement of the wedge 10a with the end of the tension member b is drawn and removed, the tension member b can be easily removed by human power.
Horn Screw Type Internal Anchorage c2
With reference to
The wedge 10, the wedge traction plate 20a, and the wedge expansion ring 30 are assembled in the same manner as the aforementioned locking ring type internal anchorage c1, so that the horn screw 21 is exposed to the end of the wedge box 40. Then, the assembly is maintained by inserting the rubber elastic ring 34 into the external ring groove 11. The end of the tube h-covered tension member b is inserted into the tension member hole 42 of the wedge box 40 and is engaged with the wedge 10 until this end contacts the back surface of the wedge traction plate 20a. The wedge separation layer 50 is formed on the wedge seat 41 of the wedge box 40, and the wedge 10 engaged with the end of the tension member b is installed on the wedge box 40. Then, the cap 60a is installed on the end of the wedge box 40.
At this time, the edge of the screw hole 63 of the cap 60a presses on the end of the horn screw 21. Thereby, the back edge of the wedge traction plate 20a contacts the back jaw 15a of the traction jaw 15, and presses and fixes the wedge 10. Then, the wedge 10 engaged with the end ofthe tension member b is fixed, and the wedge engagement is not loosened even by the impact and vibration imposed on the wedge 10 and the wedge box 40, and the shaking of the tension member b, during treating. The tube h is inserted so that its end contacts the tube seat 46, and it is hermetically sealed with sealant to prevent exposure to humidity. Thereby, the assembly of the internal anchorage c2, the tension member b and the tube h is completed.
As shown in
As shown in
If the wedge engagement-released tension member b is pulled, the tension member b comes out. However, the wedges 10 and the wedge traction plate 20a are pulled by the tension member b. Since the wedge engagement with the end of the tension member b is entirely released, the horn screw 21 joined with the screw hole 63 locks the wedge traction plate 20a, and the traction jaw 15 of the wedge 10 is engaged with the edge of the wedge traction plate 20a. Even if the tension member b is drawn, the wedges 10 are not pulled by the tension member b.
Horn Screw Type Internal Anchorage c2′
As shown in
Hook Type Internal Anchorage c3
As shown in
When the wedges 10, engaged with the end of the tension member b, and the cap 60b are joined, the elastic hook 25 softly contacts the edge of the hook hole 64, and the lock edge of the wedge traction plate 20b presses the back jaw 15a of the wedge, thereby preventing the loosening of the wedge engagement at the end of the tension member b.
As shown in
As shown in
If the tension member b having the wedge engagement-released end is withdrawn, when the external terminal of the tension member, the tension member b comes out, but the wedges 10 and the wedge traction plate 20b are not withdrawn by the tension member b. Since the wedge engagement with the end of the tension member b is entirely released, the elastic hook 25 is joined with the hook engagement jaw 65 of the cap 60b and locks the wedge traction plate 20b, and the traction jaw 15 (
Locking Ring-Safety Ring Type Internal Anchorage c4
As shown in
An inner edge of the back end of the cap 60c (
This internal anchorage c4 is manufactured in the same manner as the aforementioned locking ring type internal anchorage c1 from the step of assembling the wedge 10b, the wedge traction plate 20 and the wedge expansion ring 30 to the step of inserting the end of the tension member b covered by tube h into the tension member hole 42 (
The cap 60c is formed on the end of the wedge box 40. Thereby, the back surface of the wedge safety ring 36 reaches the ring support 38, and the outer edge of the front surface of the wedge safety ring 36 is pressed by the inclined surface of the cap 60c. In this assembled internal anchorage c4, the wedge safety ring 36 blocks the front surface of the wedge 10b and prevents the retroceding of the wedge 10b. This alignment is maintained until the assembled internal anchorage c4 is inserted and anchored into the underground anchor hole ofthe construction field, and the tensile force is imposed on the tension member b. Thereby, since the wedge 10b engaged with the end of the tension member b is fixed and the wedge engagement is not loose, even by the impact and vibration imposed on the wedge 10b and the shaking of the tension member b during treating, the internal anchorage c4 has excellent assembly reliability. This excellent assembly reliability of the internal anchorage c4 improves construction quality of the ground anchor and eliminates the trouble of checking the wedge engagement of the wedge 10b with the end of the tension member b prior to inserting the internal anchorage c4 into the underground anchor hole.
As shown in
The wedge safety ring 36, from which the ring horn 18 as acting as an inner obstacle is removed, constricts by virtue of its elasticity and the force of the inclined surface 66 of the cap 60c in the centripetal direction, and the wedge safety ring 36 is removed by virtue of the gap between the cap 60c and the ring support 38. The removed wedge safety ring 36 falls into the bottom surface of the cap 60c. If the wedge safety ring 36 supporting the wedges 10b is removed, the wedges 10b cannot be retroceded when the external anchoring is released from the tension member b.
As shown in
Horn Screw-Safety Ring Type Internal Anchorage c5
As shown in
Multi-Type Internal Anchorage c6
Each ofthe aforementioned internal anchorages c1 to c5 uses one strand of the tension member b. However, an internal anchorage for a large anchoring load requires a tension member with more than two strands. Thus, a multi-type internal anchorage c6 is described hereinafter.
As shown in
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
Industrial Applicability
In accordance with the present invention, the internal anchorage wedge assembly is capable of removing the tension member of a ground anchor, the wedge assembly including at least one wedge and a wedge traction plate. At the moment that the external anchoring is released, the wedge traction plate pulls all of the wedges by means of a reaction force corresponding to the anchoring load imposed on the tension member, thereby releasing the engagement of the wedge(s) with the end of the tension member. Therefore, in the internal anchorage for removing the tension member of the ground anchor according to the present invention, the wedge engagement with the tension member is easily released.
Further, the internal anchorage for removing the tension member of the ground anchor includes the wedges, the wedge traction plate, a wedge expansion ring for expanding the wedges, wedge locking means for locking the retroceding wedges by means of the reaction force of the external anchoring-released tension member, thereby preventing the withdrawal of the wedge when the wedge engagement-released tension member is withdrawn, a wedge box with wedge seats, a wedge separation layer for preventing the attachment of the wedge to the wedge seat, and a cap formed on the end of the wedge box and acting to protect the inner components. In accordance with the invention, the tension member is easily removed by releasing the external anchoring of the tension member without removing other equipment, such as a drawbench.
Moreover, the internal anchorage for removing the tension member of the ground anchor further includes wedges with ring horns on their end, and a wedge safety ring inserted into the ring horns. The wedges engaged with the end of the tension member are fixed, and the wedge engagements do not become loose but are stabilized even in the presence of impact and vibration imposed on the wedges and shaking of the tension member during treating. The trouble of checking the wedge engagement of the wedge with the end of the tension member prior to inserting the internal anchorage into the underground anchor hole is eliminated.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2001/15335 | Mar 2001 | KR | national |
2001/15539 | May 2001 | KR | national |
2001/26495 | May 2001 | KR | national |
2001/80183 | Dec 2001 | KR | national |
2001/80184 | Dec 2001 | KR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/KR02/00479 | 3/21/2002 | WO | 00 | 7/24/2003 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO02/07737 | 10/3/2002 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4132498 | Ikeda et al. | Jan 1979 | A |
4343122 | Wlodkowaki et al. | Aug 1982 | A |
5556233 | Kovago | Sep 1996 | A |
6146055 | White | Nov 2000 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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59-10614 | Jan 1984 | JP |
10-306440 | Nov 1998 | JP |
1993-18240 | Aug 1993 | KR |
1998-72170 | Oct 1998 | KR |
2000-39990 | Jul 2000 | KR |
WO 95-23896 | Sep 1995 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20040076480 A1 | Apr 2004 | US |