Embodiments of the present invention facilitate a winding process and enable auxiliary current collectors to be securely fixed to a main current collector, thereby minimizing deformation during battery charging and discharging and maintaining sufficient strength. The jelly roll includes a first auxiliary current collector, a second auxiliary current collector, a mandrel insulating layer, and an electrode plate. The first auxiliary current collector and the second auxiliary current collector are spaced apart from each other and each has a mandrel protrusion on an opposite end portion. The mandrel insulating layer insulates the auxiliary current collectors from each other and insulates the auxiliary current collectors from an exterior. The electrode plate is formed by layering a separator, a first electrode plate, a separator and a second electrode plate and is wound on an external surface of the mandrel insulating layer.

The present disclosure provides a cable-type secondary battery, comprising: an inner electrode; and a sheet-form laminate of separation layer-outer electrode, spirally wound to surround the outer surface of the inner electrode, the laminate being formed by carrying out compression for the integration of a separation layer for preventing a short circuit, and an outer electrode. According to the present disclosure, the electrodes and the separation layer are compressed and integrated to minimize ununiform spaces between the separation layer and the outer electrode and reduce the thickness of a battery to be prepared, thereby decreasing resistance and improving ionic conductivity within the battery. Also, the separation layer coming into contact with the electrodes absorbs an electrolyte solution to induce the uniform supply of the electrolyte solution into the outer electrode active material layer, thereby enhancing the stability and performances of the cable-type secondary battery.

A battery pack, which can secure the strength of an outer case, minimize the thickness over the whole outer case and ensure a battery capacity of the battery pack, by forming a portion of a main wall of the outer case with a metal plate. The battery pack includes a core pack, a first case, and a second case. The first case has a periphery including a first resin molding part, and is configured to cover a first surface of the core pack. The second case has a periphery including a second molding part, and is configured to cover a second surface of the core pack. The first and second cases are connected with each other by a weld of the first and second molding parts.

A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly, a case, a cap assembly, and a current collecting plate. The electrode assembly includes an anode, a cathode, and a separator interposed between the anode and the cathode. The case houses the electrode assembly and has an opening and has a closed end. The cap assembly is coupled to the opening of the case, and is electrically connected to the electrode assembly. The current collecting plate is electrically connected to the anode or the cathode, and has a guide portion. The guide portion bends toward the electrode assembly to be in contact with the electrode assembly.

A lithium rechargeable battery including: a bare cell including an electrode assembly disposed in a pouch, the electrode assembly including two electrodes, a separator, and first and second electrode tabs that extend from the electrodes, through a first side of the bare cell; a protecting circuit board electrically connected to the first and second electrode tabs; a first lead plate connected to the protecting circuit board and the first electrode tab, and a second lead plate connected to the protecting circuit board and the second electrode tab. The protecting circuit board is provided on a second side of the bare cell, which is adjacent to the first side. The first and second lead plates are bent to extend along the first and second sides of the pouch.

In a cap assembly and a rectangular type secondary battery having the cap assembly, the cap assembly includes a cap plate made of a metallic or nonmetallic material, a hollow, low-melting point glass metal tube inserted into a hole formed in the cap plate, and a metallic or nonmetallic pin inserted into the hollow glass metal tube, wherein the cap plate, the glass metal tube and the pin are atomically bonded with one another at their contact areas by high-temperature heating.

An electrode is provided with a metal terminal extending from a battery module main body, a bolt which has an expanded section configuring a retaining section at a rear end portion and penetrates the metal terminal upward, and an insulating body which insulates the metal terminal and the battery module case one from the other. The insulating body is provided with a drop preventing section which abuts at least a lower surface of the expanded section of the bolt and prevents the bolt from dropping from the metal terminal.

In the present invention, there is provided a battery pack including first to fifth terminal portions sequentially arrayed at one side surface of a housing, wherein the first terminal portion formed on one end side of the one side surface is a positive electrode terminal, the fifth terminal portion formed on the other end side is a negative electrode terminal, the fourth terminal portion formed adjacently to the fifth terminal portion is an ID terminal, and the fourth terminal portion and the fifth terminal portion are proximate to each other; and a guide portion for guiding the loading and unloading of the battery pack into and from a battery mounting portion is formed substantially in the center of the one side surface in array with the terminal portions, and the third terminal portion arranged centrally is formed at a position deviated toward the one end side or the other end side.

An alkaline primary battery includes: a positive electrode 2 containing manganese dioxide; an alkaline electrolyte containing zinc oxide; a gelled negative electrode 3 containing zinc alloy particles, the alkaline electrolyte, and a gelling agent; and a negative electrode current collector 6 inserted in the gelled negative electrode. The gelled negative electrode 3 has a predetermined malleability such that when 4.0 g of the gelled negative electrode 3 formed into a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 15 mm is extended with 200 g of a load through 10 g of a flat plate, and then an upper surface of the extended gelled negative electrode 3 is approximated to a circle, this circle has a diameter ranging from 24 mm to 36 mm, both inclusive.

Electrode structures, and more specifically, electrode structures for use in electrochemical cells, are provided. The electrode structures described herein may include one or more protective layers. In one set of embodiments, a protective layer may be formed by exposing a lithium metal surface to a plasma comprising ions of a gas to form a ceramic layer on top of the lithium metal. The ceramic layer may be highly conductive to lithium ions and may protect the underlying lithium metal surface from reaction with components in the electrolyte. In some cases, the ions may be nitrogen ions and a lithium nitride layer may be formed on the lithium metal surface. In other embodiments, the protective layer may be formed by converting lithium to lithium nitride at high pressures. Other methods for forming protective layers are also provided.

An energy storage composite particle is provided, which includes a carbon film, a conductive carbon component, an energy storage grain, and a conductive carbon fiber. The carbon film surrounds a space. The conductive carbon component and the energy storage grain are disposed in the space. The conductive carbon fiber is electrically connected to the conductive carbon component, the energy storage grain, and the carbon film, and the conductive carbon fiber extends from the inside of the space to the outside of the space. The energy storage composite particle has a high gravimetric capacity, a high coulomb efficiency, and a long cycle life. Furthermore, a battery negative electrode material and a battery using the energy storage composite particle are also provided.

Positive electrode active material particles for lithium ion secondary batteries include: a core particle including a first olivine-structured, lithium-containing phosphate compound which includes Fe and/or Mn and Li; and a shell layer attached to the surface of the core particle. The shell layer includes a second olivine-structured, lithium-containing phosphate compound which includes Fe and/or Mn and Li. At least the core particle includes a phosphorous compound represented by the formula (1): MemPnOp, where Me is Fe and/or Mn, 0

A method for forming a nanocomposite material, the nanocomposite material formed thereby, and a battery made using the nanocomposite material. Metal oxide and graphene are placed in a solvent to form a suspension. The suspension is then applied to a current collector. The solvent is then evaporated to form a nanocomposite material. The nanocomposite material is then electrochemically cycled to form a nanocomposite material of at least one metal oxide in electrical communication with at least one graphene layer.

Electrode protection in electrochemical cells, and more specifically, electrode protection in both aqueous and non-aqueous electrochemical cells, including rechargeable lithium batteries, are presented. In one embodiment, an electrochemical cell includes an anode comprising lithium and a multi-layered structure positioned between the anode and an electrolyte of the cell. A multi-layered structure can include at least a first single-ion conductive material layer, and at least a first polymeric layer positioned between the anode and the single-ion conductive material. The invention also can provide an electrode stabilization layer positioned within the electrode to control depletion and re-plating of electrode material upon charge and discharge of a battery. Advantageously, electrochemical cells comprising combinations of structures described herein are not only compatible with environments that are typically unsuitable for lithium, but the cells may be also capable of displaying long cycle life, high lithium cycling efficiency, and high energy density.

A composite material tape and a lithium secondary battery using the same are provided. The composite material tape includes an organic base and at least one inorganic element dispersed within the organic base. The composite material tapes of the present invention exhibit improved Insulative and heat-resistant characteristics.

A lithium battery including: a positive electrode including an overlithiated lithium transition metal oxide having a layered structure; a negative electrode including a silicon-based negative active material; and an electrolyte between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the electrolyte including an electrolytic solution including a fluorinated ether solvent in an amount of 3 vol % or more based on the total volume of the electrolytic solution.

A microbial fuel cell comprising: a first cathode; at least two anodes electrically connected to each other and to the cathode in a reconfigurable manner; and a processor operatively coupled to the anodes and configured to monitor a parameter of each anode to determine if a given anode has been oxygen-contaminated, and further configured to convert an oxygen-contaminated anode into a second cathode by reconfiguring the electrical connections.

A system for producing energy that includes infusing porous carbon particles produced by pyrolysis of carbon-containing materials with an off-eutectic salt composition thus producing pore-free carbon particles, and reacting the carbon particles with oxygen in a fuel cell according to the reaction C+O2=CO2 to produce electrical energy.

Provided is a method for shutting down an indirect internal reforming SOFC, in which a hydrocarbon-based fuel is reliably reformed, and the oxidative degradation of the anode can be prevented by a reformed gas. A method for shutting down an indirect internal reforming SOFC including a reformer; an SOFC; a combustion region for combusting the anode off-gas of the SOFC; and an enclosure for housing the reformer, the SOFC, and the combustion region, wherein the method includes causing the flow rate of a fuel supplied to the reformer to become FE from FS; and stopping the supply of the fuel to the reformer when an anode temperature becomes lower than the oxidative degradation temperature, where FE represents a flow rate of the fuel supplied to the reformer in a state in which the anode temperature is steady and lower than the oxidative degradation temperature, in which in the reformer the fuel is reformed and a reformed gas with a composition suitable to be supplied to an anode is produced, and in which an amount of the reformed gas produced is equal to or more than the requisite minimum flow rate for preventing the oxidative degradation of the anode when the anode temperature is a temperature equal to or higher than the oxidative degradation temperature, and FS represents a flow rate of the fuel supplied to the reformer at the start of the shutdown method. Also provided is an indirect internal reforming SOFC appropriate for this method.

In a method for operating a high-temperature fuel cell, which in normal mode of generating electrical power is supplied with liquid fuel, preferably diesel oil, and is preceded on the anode side by a reformer for liquid fuel, where at least part of the hot anode exhaust gas is recirculated into the anode circuit via a recirculation line. Upstream of a compressor preceding the reformer the liquid fuel is sprayed or injected into the hot anode exhaust gas, the quantity of air needed for reforming the liquid fuel being added to the mixture of anode exhaust gas and fuel. On change-over from normal operational mode to standby mode without power generation, the supply of liquid fuel and air is stopped and the gas mixture present in the anode circuit be permanently circulated. A defined amount of air being introduced into the anode circuit in order to remove deposits and contaminations in the high-temperature fuel cell following standby operation.

A catalyst layer for a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly includes a plurality of agglomerates, adjacent ones of the plurality of agglomerates contacting with each other with pores provided between said adjacent ones of the plurality of agglomerates, each of the plurality of agglomerates being formed by packing a plurality of catalysts each consisting of noble metal fine particles supported on a fiber-like support material, adjacent ones of the plurality of catalysts contacting with each other with pores provided between said adjacent ones of the plurality of catalysts, and each of the plurality of catalysts contacting with a plurality of catalysts other than said each catalyst at a plurality of contact points. This allows providing a catalyst layer, a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly, and a fuel cell, each of which has compact size and excellent power generation performance, and a method for producing the same.

A multilayer polyelectrolyte membrane for fuel cell applications includes a first perfluorocyclobutyl-containing layer that includes a polymer having perfluorocyclobutyl moieties. The first layer is characteristically planar having a first major side and a second major side over which additional layers are disposed. The membrane also includes a first PFSA layer disposed over the first major side of the first layer and a second PFSA layer disposed over the second major side of the first layer.

A carbon supported catalyst composition for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells is disclosed that shows a high mass activity and favorable stability and durability. The catalyst composition comprises an intermetallic phase or alloy comprising Pt and a metal selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, V and Mo, and comprises an oxide of the metal. The carbon supported catalyst composition can be prepared at relatively low temperature either by first depositing and heating an oxide precursor of the metal on a suitable carbon to make a hybrid support, and then depositing and heating a Pt precursor on the hybrid support, or by depositing both an oxide precursor of the metal and a Pt precursor on a suitable carbon support, and directly heating to a final temperature.

When a continuous short circuit occurs between both terminals of a battery pack, fault, destruction and rupture of the battery can occur. Further, when a momentary short circuit occurs, a user may continue to use, without knowing thermal and electrical damage to the batteries, and reliability for the batteries is impaired, To overcome the problem, in a battery pack configured by connecting a plurality of storage batteries in series, at least one first storage battery is included which has a low capacity compared to second storage batteries during high-rate discharge, and the first storage battery undergoes polarity inversion during external short circuit, thereby preventing the other batteries from becoming damaged. There are also included a detector that detects voltage of the first storage battery, and a fault signal generator that generates an output fault signal when a voltage detected by the detector inverses.

A battery module including: a plurality of rechargeable batteries including a first terminal and a second terminal; and a connecting member electrically connecting rechargeable batteries of the plurality of rechargeable batteries through the first and second terminals, the connecting member including an access protrusion protruded toward the first terminal, and the first terminal includes a pressurizer configured to press the access protrusion toward a part of the first terminal.

There is provided a flexible circuit board capable of preventing corrosion and elution of a conductor layer constituting a current collector even under high-temperature and high-voltage working conditions while achieving sufficient electric connection with an MEA. A flexible circuit board having a current collector of a fuel cell provided thereon includes an insulating flexible base material 1, a plurality of openings 5 that supply fuel or air, the openings 5 being provided in a specified region so as to penetrate through the flexible base material 1 in a thickness direction, a plating film 6 that constitutes the current collector, the plating film 6 being formed on front and back surfaces of the flexible base material 1 in the specified region and on inner walls of the openings 5, a surface treatment film 9 formed on the plating film 6 and having corrosion resistance higher than that of the plating film.

The present invention relates to the application of a force to enhance the performance of an electrochemical cell. The force may comprise, in some instances, an anisotropic force with a component normal to an active surface of the anode of the electrochemical cell. In the embodiments described herein, electrochemical cells (e.g., rechargeable batteries) may undergo a charge/discharge cycle involving deposition of metal (e.g., lithium metal) on a surface of the anode upon charging and reaction of the metal on the anode surface, wherein the metal diffuses from the anode surface, upon discharging. The uniformity with which the metal is deposited on the anode may affect cell performance. For example, when lithium metal is redeposited on an anode, it may, in some cases, deposit unevenly forming a rough surface. The roughened surface may increase the amount of lithium metal available for undesired chemical reactions which may result in decreased cycling lifetime and/or poor cell performance. The application of force to the electrochemical cell has been found, in accordance with the invention, to reduce such behavior and to improve the cycling lifetime and/or performance of the cell.

A fuel-cell-system providing structure is provided which is capable of preventing a collision of a fuel cell with a related apparatus of the fuel cell while suppressing the increase in weight of a vehicle. A fuel cell system provided in a vehicle includes: a fuel cell unit in which a fuel cell is contained; and a related apparatus that is electrically connected to the fuel cell and that is located adjacent to the fuel cell unit. The related apparatus is arranged at a position closer to an outer surface of the vehicle than the fuel cell unit.

In a rechargeable battery, a case is combined with an upper surface of a bare cell by being fixed to a lead plate electrically coupling a protection circuit board of a protection circuit module to the bare cell. Alternatively, the case is combined with the bare cell by being fixed to the protection circuit board so as not to be separated from the bare cell, thereby improving the reliability of the products.

A negative electrode active material for an electric device, including an alloy having a composition formula SixZnyAlz, where x++y=100 , 26≦x≦47, 18≦y≦44, and 22≦z≦46 are satisfied.

Provided is a packaging material for electrochemical cells which has an identification mark that can be recognized from the outside and that is difficult to forge. The packaging material comprises a multilayer film which has a structure formed by laminating a base layer (11), an adhesive layer (13), a metal foil layer (12), an acid-modified polyolefin layer (14), and a heat-sealable layer (15) in this order, wherein the base layer (11) comprises both a oriented polyester film (11b) and a oriented nylon film (11e) with a printed layer (11c) provided on the surface of the oriented polyester film (11b) that faces the oriented nylon film (11e).

The present invention provides non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery, comprising an ester-based compound having a branched-chain alkyl group and an ester-based compound having a straight-chain alkyl group; and a lithium secondary battery using the same.

The invention concerns a form for non impact printers, characterized in that it consists of four sections including an upper section and a lower section, and in that each section is separated from the next section by parallel fold lines or perforations. The upper section has the same surface area as the total surfaces of the two subsequent sections, over which the upper section is folded before printing, in such a manner that after printing the upper section can be folded further over the lower section and that an image can be transferred to the lower section by means of mechanical or chemical self-copying techniques by exerting a pressure on the upper section.

A bookbinding structure for binding a stack of sheets including an elongated substrate having a first surface on which a first, heat activated, adhesive matrix is disposed and a second surface on which a second, pressure activated adhesive is disposed. The first adhesive matrix will be used to binding an edge of the stack so as to form a bound book with no cover. The second adhesive matrix includes first and second spaced-apart segments which extend along the length of the substrate. First and second release liners are disposed over the first and second adhesive segments, with the release liners remaining in place until the stack of sheets have been bound with the bookbinding structure. One of the release liners is manually removed from the bound stack and the stack is positioned in a cover assembly with the edge of the stack being positioned opposite a spine section of the cover assembly. The remaining release liner prevents the cover assembly from prematurely attaching to the stack thereby enabling the user to more easily positioned the stack with in the assembly. The user then forces the cover assembly against the exposed adhesive segment thereby securing part of the cover assembly to the stack. The second release liner is then removed and pressure is applied to that part of the cover assembly opposite the exposed segment thereby completing the binding sequence.

An envelope has a top face, a bottom face and an open lower edge. A plurality of gift items are in a generally rectangular configuration. The gift items have a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end, and a second end. The gift items have a length and a width each less that the length and the width of the envelope. A plurality of adhesive stripes are adapted to attach the plurality of gift items end to end. In this manner the gift items are held end to end when the gift items are folded in a corrugated fashion and placed within the envelope. The gift items may be removed by pulling them out from the open lower edge of the envelope.

An information storage device having a first part such as an insert on which information is provided and a second part comprising a holder for the first part, whereby the first part may be stored in the second part. The edges of the first and second parts may be provided with lips for mating together to provide interlocking parts whereby the first part may be pulled outwardly to expose the information thereon but is prevented from being completely separated from the holder.

A business form with laser compatible punch-out card and the methods of making the combination. The card is permanently adhered to a perforated backer sheet, the periphery of which extends beyond the card and is coated with adhesive for application to the bottom surface of a form containing a hole such that the card is disposed within the hole. The card and attached portion of the backer sheet can then be removed from the card-in-form combination by breaking the perforations. The card is die cut from card stock laminated to the backer layer and is prepared for application to the form by stripping a waste matrix of card material from the laminate through the use of patterned release material.

A prescription paper has reproduction material placed on selected areas of the back side of the paper so that prescription information can be transferred directly onto the patient's records while the prescription writer is writing the prescription. The reproduction material can be a carbonized backing or any other suitable reproduction material. The front side of the prescription paper comprises at least two lines that are separated by a pre-selected distance to match the distance between adjacent lines on the medical record. The prescription writer can align the lines on the prescription paper to the lines on the medical record so that information can be neatly transferred to the space between the lines on the medical record.

Disclosed are sets of ink components, and ink compositions, useful for printing markings, on security documents, that are relatively resistant to counterfeiting. Also disclosed are the security documents formed, a method of printing and a method of authenticating the printed material. The markings, formed of the ink compositions have a spectral response that deviates from a predicted spectral response when linearly additively combining spectral responses of components of the ink composition, so that it becomes difficult to reverse-engineer the ink composition from the markings. Use of plural different markings, with each marking being a microdot, increases difficulty in counterfeiting. By forming a template of spectral responses of the original pattern, spectral responses of a pattern on an unknown document can be compared to the spectral responses on the template for determining whether the unknown document is authentic. Formation of the markings is facilitated using an inkjet printer.

For a memo pad, many sheets 1 are bound at a back face as bound sheets using gum. The memo pad is provided with a cover paper on the top and a mounting paper on the bottom. The sheets 1 are printed from a central area of the sheet surface to over an outer peripheral area, with a decorative pattern. Outer peripheral non glued edges of the memo pad have a rugged shape modeled after the decorative pattern in a direction of the sheet surface and in a direction of the bound sheet thickness, such that even if the sheets 1 are turned up one by one or removed, a three dimensional decorative pattern reappears from the surface of the remaining sheets 1 to over the outer peripheral edge.

A portable carrier for containing, using, displaying, protecting and modifying blueprints in an outdoor working environment. The Blueprint Caddy (“Caddy”) includes a removable and durable plastic or polyethylene cover, affixed by means of two detachable pin hinges, which allows for both the protection of any prospective blueprints and easy alterations or amendments to same by means of a wax pencil. The back of the Caddy is constructed with a storage area allowing for the safe and convenient storage of the cover when its use is not desired. The Caddy is equipped with two plastic lock down elongated clamps which fit into channeled grooves of the Caddy to support and restrain blueprints of either twenty-four or thirty-six inches in length with a wrap around storage slot to slide unwanted pages of any blueprints utilized. The top of the Caddy is constructed with two small contained storage areas for carrying wax pencils or other writing materials, erasers, cloths, etc. The Caddy is also equipped with a handle at the top and four one inch removable legs on the back to allow it to be laid flat or posted on a wall for use in the field. The handle likewise allows the Caddy to be carried in convenient fashion to respective job sites.

A linerless label is provided, that can be easily imaged, printed, or hand written upon by the end user. The label consists of a single ply, dispensed usually in a roll form, or alternatively, in a stacked form. A label roll is formed from a web of ply. The face of the web is stripe coated with an adhesive repellant release coat. The back of the web of ply is stripe coated with adhesive. Upon winding the web of ply into a roll, the adhesive on the back of the web of ply overlies the adhesive repellant stripes on the face of the web therebelow. The regions of the face of the web of ply not striped with adhesive repellant form areas for user printing and handwriting. Further, any portion of the face of the web of ply may be press printed prior to the application of the adhesive repellant stripes. Likewise, a label stack includes a plurality of label sheets superposed one on top the other. The face of each label sheet is stripe coated with an adhesive repellant release coat, and the back of each label sheet is stripe coated with adhesive. The stack is formed such that the adhesive on the back of each label sheet overlies the release coat on the label therebelow.

A transportable note pad holder that includes a main body having a note pad well for carrying a note pad. The main body is adapted to be removably carried within a sheath. The sheath includes a means for attachment to an article, illustrated as a pair of resilient arm clips that may be used to attach the sheath to a back pack strap or the like. To remind the user that a note carried within the main body is to be reviewed, the main body is provided with an alarm. Preferably, the alarm is connected to a lamp that will draw the attention of the user to the note pad holder. The lamp may also be arranged to illuminate the interior of the main body in order to allow a user to read any notes carried thereby.

A gaming device having a bonus game with an adjacent selection feature. In one embodiment of the present invention, the gaming device provides a plurality of adjacent player selectable selections. An award is associated with each player selectable selection. The award associated with each selectable selection is not initially displayed or revealed to the player. The player selectable selections are arranged or grouped into a plurality of associated or related selection sets. In one embodiment, each selection set has a different number of player selectable selections. In one embodiment, the related plurality of selection sets are arranged adjacent to each other to enable each player selectable selection in one set to be adjacent to at least one player selectable selection from another selection set. The player's pick in each selection set limits the available selections in the subsequent selection sets.

A pouch or holder has a friction-enhanced surface. The pouch has an opening to receive a cardboard backing of a writing pad. The sheets of paper of the writing pad overlie the upper surface of the pouch. The friction-enhanced material is located at the lower surface of the pouch. The pouch is closed at the bottom end and the side edges. The binding of the writing pad locates on the outside of the pouch.

A promotional form is provided which includes a detachable element received within the surrounding margin of a base sheet, the base sheet being folded and sealed around one side of the detachable element to initially conceal a message, question or other indicia hidden until the detachable element is at least partially removed. The promotional form may include a plurality of detachable elements having correlated indicia printed on an exposed side and either on the concealed side of the element or in a portion of the opposing form section in registry with the detachable element. A game or educational piece may be inexpensively provided by correlating different indicia messages corresponding to respective detachable elements, so that in response to an initial query or instruction, a plurality of possible results may be revealed, leading in turn to an outcome revealed by removal of a further detachable element. Tampering with the form is revealed when multiple detachable elements corresponding to alternate results are removed, or the adhesive bonding the facing form sections is disturbed.

An assembly for mailing an article requiring delivery by a special service and a method for mailing same are provided. The assembly includes a return postcard and anchor portions removably attached to the return postcard. The anchor portions include adhesive that allows the anchor portions to be attached to a mailpiece. The return postcard includes a special services designator section indicative of the special service required for delivery of the mailpiece. The return postcard is integrally formed, but removably attached, such that the return postcard remains attached to the envelope until received by the addressee, at which time the return postcard may be removed. The assembly is designed to incorporate a form into the return postcard to simplify preparation of the mailpiece for delivery by the special service. Alternatively, the postcard may contain a machine readable code that aids in the delivery and tracking of the mailpiece.

A business form is provided which is particularly useful in shipping products where certain preprinted information can be provided and then individualized information is printed before the form is applied to a substrate. The form includes a face ply which has a pattern of adhesive applied to at least a portion of the inner face, and a release liner which includes a pattern of adhesive which exposes a portion of the release liner to direct adhesive contact to the face ply without intervening release coating to permanently adhere a part of the release liner to the face ply. The release liner has a surrounding protective border provided with release coating on the release face thereof and which is removed prior to application to the substrate, and a slip which remains with the form as applied to the substrate. The face ply includes lines of perforation defining a central portion. At least a part of the central portion is directly adhered by the adhesive to the slip without intervening release coating between the adhesive and the slip or the central portion. Individualized indicia, such as an address, may be printed on a label area of the top face of the central portion, while other individualized indicia, such as the content of a package, may be printed on the back face of the slip. Masking indicia is preferably provided on one of the inner face of the top ply or the release face of the release liner to inhibit viewing of the content indicia until the slip is removed from the package.

A server-based video game system maintains a number of video game characters having computer-simulated genetic (“digenetic”) structures that prescribe a number of physical and cognitive performance traits and characteristics for the video game characters. The system allows end users to establish remote online access to the game characters (via, e.g., the Internet). The results of competitions and training activities are based upon the game characters' digenetics, the conditions of the game environment, and the game characters' current levels of physical and cognitive development. The game characters' performance capabilities and cognition are updated continuously in response to the results of competitions and training activities. Competition and training results can be processed by the game servers and transmitted to the end user presentation devices for graphics rendering. In this manner, the video game system need not be burdened by network latency and other delays. The game system also supports game character breeding; game character evolution based upon the digenetics; and game character buying, trading, selling, and collecting.

A hard laminate sheet for security booklets and method of making the same. The laminate sheet comprises at least two hard core layers (e.g. of polycarbonate) and a flexible component (e.g. nylon) there between and extending beyond an outer edge of the core layers to form a flexible band. The flexible component may be provided as an intermediate layer also comprising a hard component (e.g. of polycarbonate) juxtaposed with the flexible component and laminated to the adjacent core layers. The flexible component comprises a plurality of apertures within which material of the adjacent core layers is laminated together and affixes the flexible component to the laminate sheet. Additional hard core layers may be laminated to the core layers which sandwich the intermediate layer. Optionally, the laminate sheet may be used for a travel document (such as a passport) and may be laser engraved. Also, optionally, the laminate sheet may comprise a hard core inlay layer configured for containing a contactless integrated circuit chip and antenna or other electronic hardware.