Author: claimsbot

1. A heat-sealing machine for heat-sealing an end part of a package containing a polymer battery module provided with a tab, said heat-sealing machine comprising a pair of sealing heads each provided with a sealing surface;
wherein the sealing surface of at least one of the sealing heads is provided with recess in a part thereof corresponding to the tab placed in the end part of the package.
2. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 1, wherein
both the sealing surfaces of the sealing heads are provided with recesses.
3. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 2, wherein
the recesses have a depth equal to about of thickness of the tab.
4. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 2, wherein
the recesses have a width in the range of w0.2 mm to w2.0 mm, where w is width of the tab.
5. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 1, wherein
the package is formed from a laminated structure including, as essential components, a base layer, an adhesive layer, a first chemical conversion coating, a barrier layer, a second chemical conversion coating and an innermost layer.
6. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 5, wherein
the innermost layer is a polyolefin resin film, and the innermost layer is bonded to the second chemical conversion coating by dry lamination.
7. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 5, wherein
the laminated structure further includes an acid-modified polyolefin resin layer sandwiched between the second chemical conversion coating and the innermost layer, the innermost layer is formed of a polypropylene resin, and the acid-modified polyolefin layer and the innermost layer formed of the polypropylene resin are laminated by hot lamination at a process temperature not lower than the softening point of the acid-modified polyolefin resin.
8. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 5, wherein
the laminated structure further includes an extruded resin layer of an acid-modified polyolefin resin sandwiched between the second chemical conversion coating and the innermost layer, the innermost layer is a polyolefin resin film, the extruded resin layer and the innermost layer are laminated to the second chemical conversion coating by sandwich lamination, and the laminated structure is heated at a temperature not lower than softening point of the acid-modified polyolefin resin.
9. The heat-sealing machine according to claim 5, wherein
the laminated structure further includes an extruded resin layer of an acid-modified polyolefin resin sandwiched between the second chemical conversion coating and the innermost layer, the innermost layer is formed of a polyolefin resin, the extruded resin layer and the innermost layer are laminated to the second chemical conversion coating by coextrusion, and the laminated structure is heated at a temperature not lower than softening point of the acid-modified polyolefin resin.
10. A heat-sealing method comprising the steps of:
putting a polymer battery module provided with a tab in a pouch package having one unsealed part through the unsealed part so that the tab is placed in the unsealed part of the pouch package; and
heat-sealing the unsealed part of the pouch package with a pair of sealing heads respectively having sealing surfaces, at least one of which being provided with a recess in a part corresponding to the tab.
11. A heat-sealing method comprising the steps of:
putting a polymer battery module provided with a tab in an embossed package; and
heat-sealing the embossed package with a pair of sealing heads respectively having sealing surfaces, at least one of which being provided with a recess in a part corresponding to the tab.
12. An embossing method of embossing a workpiece having a plurality of package sections by using an embossing machine provided with a male die part having male corrugated parts formed so as to correspond to boundary parts between the adjacent package sections of the workpiece, a male pressing part extending between the male corrugated parts and a male forming part placed in an opening formed in the male pressing part, and a female die part having female corrugated parts corresponding to the male corrugated parts, and a female pressing part provided with a forming recess corresponding to the male forming part, said embossing method comprising the steps of:
forming cuts in a part of each of the package sections of the workpiece corresponding to the male pressing part and the female pressing part; and
forming an embossed hollow part in each package section of the workpiece by embossing the workpiece with the male and the female die part.
13. The embossing method according to claim 12, wherein
the cuts are formed in the workpiece so that the cuts extends in a direction perpendicular to directions in which the workpiece is drawn during embossing.
14. The embossing method according to claim 12, wherein
the cuts are formed in each package section after the package section has been placed between the male and the female die part.
15. The embossing method according to claim 12, wherein
the cuts are formed in each package section before the package section is placed between the male and the female die part.
16. The embossing method according to claim 12, wherein
the workpiece is a laminated structure including, as essential components, a base layer, an aluminum layer and an adhesive layer.
17. A workpiece comprising a plurality of package sections, which is to be embossed by an embossing machine provided with a male die part having male corrugated parts formed so as to correspond to boundary parts between the adjacent package sections of the workpiece, a male pressing part extending between the male corrugated parts and provided with an opening, and a male forming part placed in the opening formed in the male pressing part, and a female die part having female corrugated parts corresponding to the male corrugated parts, and a female pressing part extending between the female corrugated parts and provided with a forming recess corresponding to the male forming part,
further comprising cuts in parts of each package section to be placed between the male pressing part and the female pressing part.
18. The workpiece according to claim 17, wherein
the workpiece is a laminated structure including, as essential components, a base layer, an aluminum layer and an adhesive layer.
19. A work pressing machine for pressing a part of a workpiece other than a part having an embossed hollow part formed by embossing of the workpiece, said workpiece pressing machine comprising:
a first die part provided with a recess for receiving the embossed part of the workpiece and disposed on one side of the workpiece, and
a second die part disposed on the other side of the workpiece to compress the workpiece between the first and the second die part;
wherein at least either the first or the second die part is heated.
20. The work pressing machine according to claim 19, wherein
both the first and the second die part are heated.
21. The work pressing machine according to claim 19, wherein
the workpiece is a laminated structure including, as essential components, a base layer, an aluminum layer and an adhesive layer.

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 interface for use between a parallel bus and a serial bus, comprising:
a plurality of serializerdeserializer circuits that generate a clock signal, wherein one of said serializerdeserializer circuits is a master circuit generating a master clock signal and the remaining of said serializerdeserializer circuits are slave circuits generating slave clock signals, wherein said master clock signal is distributed to said slave circuits and wherein said master clock is substantially phase-aligned to a reference clock;
a clock divider associated with said master circuit for selectively generating a master clock signal having one or more lower data rates than said reference clock; and
a frequency detector associated with each of said slave circuits for automatically detecting a rate of said master clock signal.
2. The interface of claim 1, further comprising a data interleaver in each of said serializerdeserializer circuits to handle data interleaving for said lower data rates.
3. The interface of claim 1, wherein said master circuit generates a double rate clock having a rate that is twice the rate of said master clock and wherein said double rate clock is distributed to said slave circuits.
4. The interface of claim 1, wherein said slave circuits further comprise a multiplexer for selecting an appropriate clock signal based on rate identification information from said corresponding frequency detector.
5. The interface of claim 1, wherein selected data rate information is provided only to said master circuit.
6. The interface of claim 1, wherein said interface is configured to compensate for a clock skew by identifying a phase of said master clock
7. A method for use between a parallel bus and a serial bus, comprising:
generating a plurality of clock signals using a plurality of serializerdeserializer circuits, wherein one of said serializerdeserializer circuits is a master circuit generating a master clock signal and the remaining of said serializerdeserializer circuits are slave circuits generating slave clock signals;
distributing said master clock signal to said slave circuits and wherein said master clock is substantially phase-aligned to a reference clock;
selectively generating a master clock signal having one or more lower data rates than said reference clock using a clock divider associated with said master circuit; and
automatically detecting a rate of said master clock signal using a frequency detector associated with each of said slave circuits.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of performing data interleaving in each of said serializerdeserializer circuits for said lower data rates.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of generating a double rate clock in said master circuit having a rate that is twice the rate of said master clock and distributing said double rate clock to said slave circuits.
10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of selecting an appropriate clock signal in said slave circuits based on rate identification information from said corresponding frequency detector.
11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of providing selected data rate information only to said master circuit.
12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of compensating for a clock skew by identifying a phase of said master clock
13. An integrated circuit, comprising:
an interface for use between a parallel bus and a serial bus, comprising:
a plurality of serializerdeserializer circuits that generate a clock signal, wherein one of said serializerdeserializer circuits is a master circuit generating a master clock signal and the remaining of said serializerdeserializer circuits are slave circuits generating slave clock signals, wherein said master clock signal is distributed to said slave circuits and wherein said master clock is substantially phase-aligned to a reference clock;
a clock divider associated with said master circuit for selectively generating a master clock signal having one or more lower data rates than said reference clock; and
a frequency detector associated with each of said slave circuits for automatically detecting a rate of said master clock signal.
14. The integrated circuit of claim 13, further comprising a data interleaver in each of said serializerdeserializer circuits to handle data interleaving for said lower data rates.
15. The integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein said master circuit generates a double rate clock having a rate that is twice the rate of said master clock and wherein said double rate clock is distributed to said slave circuits.
16. The integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein said slave circuits further comprise a multiplexer for selecting an appropriate clock signal based on rate identification information from said corresponding frequency detector.
17. The integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein selected data rate information is provided only to said master circuit.
18. The integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein said interface is configured to compensate for a clock skew by identifying a phase of said master clock

1. A catalyst support, comprising:
a base member; and
a plurality of paths extending through the base member in a first direction from a first end of the base member to a second end of the base member, wherein:
each path has a first end at the first end of the base member and a second end at the second end of the base member, and
the first ends of the paths are disposed at different intervals from a plane that is perpendicular to the first direction.
2. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end of the base member is an inlet and the second end of the base member is an outlet.
3. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
a first set of paths has first ends disposed at a first interval from the plane,
a second set of paths has first ends disposed at a second interval from the plane, and
the second interval is different from the first interval, such that the first ends of the second set of paths are offset relative to the first ends of the first set of paths.
4. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
the base member has an outer periphery and a center, and
the second set of paths are disposed closer to the outer periphery than the first set of paths.
5. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalyst support is symmetric when rotated about a central axis, the central axis being parallel to the first direction.
6. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catalyst support is asymmetric when rotated about a central axis, the central axis being parallel to the first direction.
7. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first ends of the paths are tilted from a peripheral edge of the base member to an opposite peripheral edge of the base member based on a cross-section of the base member that is parallel to the plane.
8. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end portions of the paths are arranged to form a ripple shape that extends in a direction parallel with an extending direction of the plane.
9. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, wherein a maximum value of the intervals from the plane increases in correspondence with a cell density of the paths.
10. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the base member includes a first base member having a sheet shape and a second base member having a ripple shape and being in contact with one surface of the first base member,
the first base member and the second base member overlap and are wound in a spiral structure, and
the paths are formed between the first base member and the second base member, sidewalls of the paths being at least partially defined by the ripple shape of the second base member.
11. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 10, wherein a path at a central portion of the spiral structure formed by the first base member and second base member has the largest interval from the plane.
12. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 11, wherein:
the first end portions of the paths are arranged in a spiral tower shape, and
the first ends of the paths are arranged in a plurality of steps from a peripheral edge of the spiral structure to the central portion of the spiral structure based on a cross-section of the spiral structure that is parallel to the first direction.
13. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the first base member and the second base member is formed of a thermally conductive material or a metallic material.
14. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base member is formed of a ceramic material having a plurality of penetration holes, the plurality of paths being defined by the plurality of penetration holes.
15. The catalyst support as claimed in claim 1, further comprising catalyst materials disposed in each of the paths.
16. A method of manufacturing a catalyst support, the method comprising:
providing a first base member having a sheet shape;
providing a second base member having a ripple shape;
forming a spiral structure by overlapping and spirally winding the first base member and the second base member; and
offsetting a central portion of the spiral structure by a predetermined interval in a direction parallel to a winding axis of the spiral structure so that a central portion of the spiral structure projects relative to a peripheral edge portion of the spiral structure or is recessed relative to the peripheral edge portion of the spiral structure.
17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising fixing the first base member to the second base member.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one of the first base member and the second base member is formed of a thermally conductive material or a metallic material.
19. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising coating a catalyst material on a plurality of paths formed between the first base member and the second base member, where sidewalls of the paths are at least partially defined by the ripple shape of the second base member.
20. A reformer, comprising:
a first chamber for a target reaction; and
a first catalyst support disposed in the first chamber, wherein the first catalyst support includes:
a base member; and
a plurality of paths extending through the base member in a first direction from a first end of the base member to a second end of the base member, wherein:
each path has a first end at the first end of the base member and a second end at the second end of the base member, and
the first ends of the paths are disposed at different intervals from a plane that is perpendicular to the first direction.
21. The reformer as claimed in claim 20, wherein the target reaction includes at least one of a catalyst-promoted reforming reaction and a catalyst-promoted oxidation reaction.
22. The reformer as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:
a second chamber surrounding the first chamber; and
a second catalyst support disposed in the second chamber.
23. The reformer as claimed in claim 22, wherein:
the first chamber has a first spiral structure, and
the second chamber has a second spiral structure, the second spiral structure encircling the first spiral structure.

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 method for a computer having a processor that executes instructions for invoking shared service programs that are provided to a plurality of application programs, wherein:
at least one of said application programs has a plurality of application contexts, and
at least one of said shared service programs has a plurality of service contexts, the method comprising the following steps:
setting a call of a shared service program from an application context of an application program, said call including:
first information identifying the application context of the application program, and
second information identifying a service context of the shared service program;

accessing, in response to the call, state information of the shared service program stored in a computer-readable data storage device, said state information corresponding to the first information and the second information; and
setting the state of the shared service program in accordance with the accessed state information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service program comprises a user interface presented on a display device.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stored state information includes information about selected items of the user interface.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call further includes information about an identification of a user.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the call further includes information about an identification of the service program.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the call includes a plurality of information fields, one of said information fields having a context identifier for the calling application program.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein one of said information fields has data related to a version of the service program.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of accessing the stored state information comprises accessing the stored state information of the service program with a reference that is based on the call.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reference is a pointer to an index of a database structure.
10. A computer-readable storage device containing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, control the processor to execute a method for invoking shared service programs that are provided to a plurality of application programs, wherein:
at least one of said application programs has a plurality of application contexts, and
at least one of said shared service programs has a plurality of service contexts, the method comprising:
setting a call of a shared service program from an application context of an application program, said call including:
first information identifying the application context of the application program, and
second information identifying a service context of the shared service program;

accessing stored state information of the shared service program in response to the call, said state information corresponding to the first information and the second information; and
setting the state of the shared service program in accordance with the accessed state information.
11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the service program comprises a user interface presented on a display device.
12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein the stored state information includes information about selected items of the user interface.
13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the call further includes information about an identification of a user.
14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the call further includes information about an identification of the service program.
15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the call includes a plurality of information fields, one of said information fields having a context identifier for the calling application program.
16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein one of said information fields has data related to a version of the service program.
17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the step of accessing the stored state information comprises accessing the stored state information of the service program with a reference that is based on the call.
18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the reference is a pointer to an index of a database structure.
19. A system for invoking shared service programs that are provided to a plurality of application programs, wherein:
at least one of said application programs has a plurality of application contexts, and
at least one of said shared service programs has a plurality of service contexts, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage device containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to provide:
means for setting a call of a shared service program from an application context of an application program, said call including:
first information identifying the application context of the application program, and
second information identifying a service context of the shared service program;

means for accessing stored state information of the shared service program in response to the call, said state information corresponding to the first information and the second information; and
means for setting the state of the shared service program in accordance with the accessed state information.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the service program comprises a user interface presented on a display device.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the stored state information includes information about selected items of the user interface.
22. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for setting the call of the application program further includes information about an identification of a user.
23. The system of claim 19, wherein the call further includes information about an identification of the service program.
24. The system of claim 19, wherein the call includes a plurality of information fields, one of said information fields having a context identifier for the calling application program.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein one of said information fields has data related to a version of the service program.
26. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for accessing the stored state information comprises accessing the stored state information of the service program with a reference that is based on the call.
27. The system of claim 26, wherein the reference is a pointer to an index of a database structure.
28. A system for invoking shared service programs that are provided to a plurality of application programs, wherein:
at least one of said application programs has a plurality of application contexts, and
at least one of said shared service programs has a plurality of service contexts, the system comprising:
a processor;
a database having stored state information;
a computer-readable storage device containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to provide:
an application program having a call set of a shared service program from an application context of the application program, said call including:
first information identifying the application context of the application program, and
second information identifying a service context of the shared service program,

wherein the call accesses the stored state information of the shared service program said state information corresponding to the first information and the second information; and
a shared service program having a state set in response to the call accessing the stored state information.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the service program comprises a user interface presented on a display device.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the stored state information includes information about selected items of the user interface.