Author: claimsbot

1. A device comprising:
a dispenser configured to release a chemical toward an edge bead of a substrate; and
a splash controller concentrically positioned at least partially around said dispenser and physically unattached from the edge bead, the splash controller being configured to draw the chemical from at least one surface of the substrate and toward said splash controller, wherein said splash controller is configured to generate a gas pressure around the edge bead that is lower than an ambient gas pressure, and wherein said splash controller is configured to physically intercept the chemical.
2. The device in claim 1, wherein the splash controller is around the edge bead.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the splash controller completely surrounds said dispenser.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser has a diameter smaller than a diameter of the splash controller.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein said dispenser is configured to release a chemical on a first side of a wafer and a second side of the wafer toward an edge bead, wherein the splash controller completely surrounds said dispenser.
6. A device comprising:
a dispenser configured to release a chemical toward an edge bead on a semiconductor substrate; and
a splash controller including a vacuum port, wherein the vacuum port is concentrically positioned about the dispenser, wherein the vacuum port is configured to generate a gas pressure around the edge bead and the dispenser, the generated gas pressure being sufficiently lower than an ambient gas pressure to draw the chemical from at least one surface of the substrate and toward the splash controller, wherein the dispenser has a smaller diameter than the vacuum port, and wherein the splash controller is configured to physically intercept the chemical.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein said dispenser is to release a chemical on a first side of a semiconductor substrate.
8. The device of claim 7, wherein said dispenser is to release a chemical on a second side of a semiconductor substrate.
9. The device of claim 8, wherein said dispenser is to release a solvent.
10. The device of claim 7, wherein said dispenser is to release a photoresist solvent.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
a block defining at least one combustion cylinder;
an intake manifold fluidly coupled with at least one said combustion cylinder;
an exhaust manifold fluidly coupled with at least one said combustion cylinder;
a turbocharger including a turbine fluidly coupled with said exhaust manifold, and a compressor fluidly coupled with said intake manifold;
an EGR valve fluidly coupled between said exhaust manifold and said intake manifold, said EGR valve including a valve stem, a shield surrounding said valve stem, a purge air inlet associated with said valve stem, said purge air inlet being in fluid communication with said compressor, and a purge air chamber defined by said shield, said purge air chamber in communication with said purge air inlet.
2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein said EGR valve includes a purge air port terminating at said purge air inlet.
3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein said EGR valve is fluidly interconnected between an EGR cooler and said intake manifold.
4. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, including an aftercooler interconnected between said compressor and said intake manifold, said purge air inlet being in fluid communication with said compressor upstream from said aftercooler.
5. The internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein said EGR valve includes an open frame defining each of said purge air inlet and said purge air chamber.
6. The internal combustion engine of claim 5, wherein said valve stem has a longitudinal axis, and said purge air inlet and said purge air chamber define a cross flow direction transverse to said longitudinal axis.
7. An exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, and a turbocharger compressor coupled with the intake manifold, said exhaust gas recirculation system comprising: an EGR valve fluidly coupled between said exhaust manifold and said intake manifold, said EGR valve including a valve stem, a shield surrounding said valve stem, a purge air inlet associated with said valve stem, said purge air inlet being in fluid communication with said compressor, and a purge air chamber defined by said shield, said purge air chamber in communication with said purge air inlet.
8. The exhaust gas recirculation system of claim 7, wherein said EGR valve includes a purge air port terminating at said purge air inlet.
9. The exhaust gas recirculation system of claim 7, wherein said EGR valve includes an open frame defining each of said purge air inlet and said purge air chamber.
10. The exhaust gas recirculation system of claim 9, wherein said valve stem has a longitudinal axis, and said purge air inlet and said purge air chamber define a cross flow direction transverse to said longitudinal axis.
11. An EGR valve for use in an exhaust gas recirculation system of an internal combustion engine, said EGR valve comprising:
a valve body;
a valve stem carried by said valve body;
a shield surrounding said valve stem;
a valve disk attached to said valve stem;
a purge air chamber defined by said shield;
a purge air inlet in communication with said purge air chamber for receiving combustion air; and
an EGR inlet for receiving exhaust gas.
12. The EGR valve of claim 11, wherein said EGR valve includes a purge air port terminating at said purge air inlet.
13. The EGR valve of claim 11, wherein said valve body includes an open frame defining each of said purge air inlet and said purge air chamber.
14. The EGR valve of claim 13, wherein said valve stem has a longitudinal axis, and said purge air inlet and said purge air chamber define a cross flow direction transverse to said longitudinal axis.

1. A support stand for supporting the hoof of a horse, comprising
(a) a base member adapted for seating on a horizontal support surface;
(b) a vertical support rod having upper and lower ends, said support rod lower end being adjustably connected with said base member for sliding movement between vertically spaced positions relative to said base member;
(c) a pivot assembly connected with said support rod upper end;
(d) a hoof receptacle connected with said pivot assembly, said hoof receptacle including a concave bottom wall, a flat rear wall and opposed side walls defining an open topped chamber that is open at its forward end for receiving the horse hoof; and
(e) an angle adjustment mechanism connected with said pivot assembly for adjusting the angular orientation of said hoof receptacle relative to said vertical support rod.
2. A support stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said base member includes:
(1) a lower base portion
(2) an upper pedestal portion that extends upwardly from said base portion, said base member pedestal portion containing a vertical bore for receiving said support rod lower end, said support rod lower end containing a plurality of spaced openings; and
(3) a locking bolt threadably connected within a threaded bore in said upper pedestal portion for engaging a selected opening in said rod lower end for locking said support rod in a selected one of said vertically spaced positions.
3. A support stand as defined in claim 2, wherein the upper end of said support rod contains a slot to define a pair of spaced walls of said support rod, and further wherein said pivot assembly comprises
(1) a horizontal pivot shaft connected between upper ends of the spaced walls, said pivot shaft being parallel with said receptacle rear wall; and
(2) an angle adjustment plate having:
(a) an upper portion orthogonally arranged relative to, and rigidly secured to, the rear surface of said receptacle rear wall;
(b) an intermediate portion pivotally mounted on said pivot shaft; and
(c) a lower portion that extends into said slot.
4. A support stand as defined in claim 3, wherein said angle adjustment mechanism comprises an angle adjustment pin mounted for axial sliding displacement in a bore contained in one wall of the vertical support rod from a retracted position toward an angle setting position within a selected one of a plurality of spaced angle setting openings contained in said angle adjustment plate lower end portion.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A combination of reagent set and a connection device for providing fluid paths between a plurality of fluid containers in the reagent set and a sample analyzer body for analyzing samples using reagent, comprising:
a reagent box in which the plurality of fluid containers are stored so as to maintain openings of the fluid containers generally in a predetermined geometry in a first plane, the reagent box comprising a peripheral side wall that surround all sides of the stored fluid containers so as to keep the fluid containers inside the reagent box;
a plurality of tubular members each being inserted in the respective fluid container through the opening thereof;
a generally planar holding member placed on the reagent box to cover the reagent box and comprising a pair of latching parts formed, respectively, at a pair of first sides of the holding member, the first sides of the holding member running in a first direction, the pair of latching parts being engaged with upper end portions of the reagent box to position the holding member relative to the reagent box, the holding member further comprising a pair of exposed parts formed, respectively, at the first sides of the holding member, the pair of exposed parts being arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and being shaped to configure the holding member in a form of letter \u201cH\u201d in its plan view and sized sufficiently large to make inside of the reagent box visible from outside thereof through the exposed parts; and
a plurality of cover members fixed in the predetermined geometry to the holding member and each fitted in the opening of the respective fluid container in the reagent box, wherein the plurality of cover members are each shaped to have concentric circular peripheries arranged parallel to the first plane and narrower towards an end of the cover member located inside the fluid containers, and the openings of the fluid containers are substantially immobilized with respect to the holding member solely by engagement with the circular peripheries of the cover members.
2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the openings of the fluid containers are immobilized in the predetermined geometry through contact with the concentric peripheries of the cover members when the cover members are mounted.
3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cover members are generally conical.
4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cover members each comprises a notch for communicating the inside of the fluid container with the outside thereof.
5. The combination of claim 4, wherein the notch runs across the concentric peripheries of the cover member.
6. The combination of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of fluid containers is a reagent container.
7. The combination of claim 6, further comprising a filter for preventing foreign material from passing through the tubular member inserted in the reagent container.
8. The combination of claim 7, wherein the filter is disposed at an end of the tubular member inserted in the reagent container.
9. The combination of claim 1, wherein the holding member comprises a handle to be grasped by a user.
10. The combination of claim 1, wherein the holding member is shaped such that at least one tubular member is visible from above the holding member.
11. The combination of claim 1, wherein the latching part is of a width wider than a width of the reagent box at locations where the latching part is engaged with the reagent box.
12. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cover member is formed of rubber.
13. The combination of claim 1, wherein
the reagent box is in a substantially rectangular shape having lateral ends and longitudinal ends in a plane view;
the plurality of fluid containers comprise a plurality of first fluid containers with openings arranged in a row in a lateral direction of the reagent box near a first longitudinal end of the reagent box, and a plurality of second fluid containers with openings arranged in a row in a longitudinal direction of the reagent box around a center of the reagent box;
the cover members comprise first cover members fitted in the openings of the first fluid containers, and second cover members fitted in the openings of the second fluid containers; and
the first and second cover members are configured such that the holding member is rotated slightly down from the first longitudinal end towards the second longitudinal end, resulting from that when the holding member is lowered towards the reagent box, the openings of the first fluid containers come into contact with the first cover members before the openings of the second fluid containers come into contact with the second cover members, and the holding member rotates down towards the second longitudinal end of the reagent box after the openings of the first fluid containers come into contact with the first cover members and before the openings of the second fluid containers come into contact with the second cover members.
14. An analyzer comprising:
the combination of claim 1; and
an analyzer body configured to analyze samples using fluids supplied from the fluid containers via the connection device.
15. The analyzer of claim 14, wherein the analyzer body is configured to analyze a sample from an animal.