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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to manifold controls. More particularly, the invention relates to a manifold control assembly using valves to precisely control the fluid pressure of the fluid sent through the manifold.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manifolds have valves and other equipment mounted thereto which are used to control and move a plurality of parts or elements of a machine or apparatus. Fluid, such as compressed air, is gathered at a set pressure and sent through an inner channel in the manifold to various valve inlet ports where the compressed air can supply the mounted valves and equipment. Valves at each valve inlet port determine through which of the valve inlet ports the compressed air is to pass.
A mechanical regulator is typically used to regulate the pressure of the supplied compressed air as it is sent through the manifold. An example of a regulator in combination with a manifold is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,215 issued to Gonner on Mar. 4, 1980. The pressure regulator is connected between the inlet port and the manifold.
Two problems associated with using a mechanical regulator are both its size and its cost. A mechanical regulator requires a relatively large space to be precise. This proportional relationship places demands on space which is generally a commodity in the industrial settings. The precision mechanical regulator is also an expensive piece of equipment requiring additional assembly cost to the valve manifold. | {
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This invention relates to packet transmission in multiple access communication systems.
In this patent document, the references referred to in square brackets, eg [1], are listed at the end of the disclosure.
The 3G CDMA system is supposed to support simultaneous voice/packet data/circuit data operations [1] with different QoS requirements. Since the traffic characteristics and the quality of service requirements for packet data services are quite different from those of voice traffic, system re-design in certain essential aspects is necessary for an integrated voice-data system without impacting voice quality or sacrificing data performance.
Packet-type services are designed for on-off sources, which generate no information during often prolonged, but unpredictable, off intervals. For many data applications the intermittent nature of the traffic is orders of magnitude greater than that of voice signals as shown in FIG. 1. The system capacity can be greatly increased if no signal is transmitted during the off period, since the CDMA system is interference limited.
The efficient provision of packet-type services is particularly difficult on reverse links (from mobile to base station) of CDMA systems, because of the need to rapidly regain synchronization of spreading sequences when the source resumes transmission after a period of silence. One possible solution to the link maintenance problem when bursty transmission is required on reverse links of CDMA systems is to assign a separate low bit rate physical control channel (created using code division multiplex) to each portable in a given cell. This approach, proposed by some investigators [2], can be called a continuous transmission medium access control scheme (CTX-MAC), and it unfortunately causes increased multi-user interference introduced by continuously transmitted maintenance signals. Increased interference naturally leads to reduced traffic capacity. Also its implementation is characterized by significantly increased complexity of base station receivers, where each physical control channel (serving one portable) would require a separate despreading correlator. If the duty cycle (ratio of the on-period to off-period of the mobile""s transmitter) as shown in FIG. 1 is small, then considerable savings in both base station hardware and system capacity may be achieved if transmission is discontinued during the off-periods and the hardware is shared among different users. This is the discontinuous transmission medium access control (DTX-MAC) scheme. With the DTX-MAC scheme, when a particular user has a data packet to send, the base station needs to be notified by the mobile of its intention to transmit, and synchronization needs to be quickly resumed. To achieve that an access request message (ARM) is transmitted from the mobile to base station to acquire synchronism, and to inform the base station of the mobile""s identity. An access reservation channel (ARC) is allocated for such a purpose. All mobiles in a cell (or sector) use the same PN code to send their ARMs on the ARC; this avoids the need to have a separate receiver for each mobile, even in the off mode. If the number of sources is large, then more than one ARC may be used.
A MAC protocol is required on the ARC for the mobiles to access the base station with individual ARMs. One possible approach is to allow the mobile units to send ARMs in an asynchronous fashionxe2x80x94ADTX-MAC protocol. Another is a synchronous approachxe2x80x94SDTX-MAC protocol, in which a slotted frame structure is used for the access control of ARMs from all users.
Since the user sending a transmission request has already been registered and has acquired synchronization before, the timing ambiguity is mainly caused by the propagation delay uncertainty due to the movement of the mobile in a cell during the silent period. Hence, it is relatively easier to synchronize again than to acquire initial synchronization during the registration phase involving the access channel. On the other hand, the synchronization needs to be regained very quickly so that the arriving data burst can be transmitted without undue delay. Due to these reasons, the specific structure of the IS-95 access channel [3] which is used by the mobile station to initiate communication with the base station and to respond to paging channel messages, is no longer suitable, since its access probe occupies several 20 ms frames in time. Instead, much shorter access request messages are used within the access reservation channel structure significantly different from the IS-95 access channel. Such an approach dramatically reduces access delay and increases throughput.
SDTX-MAC Protocol
In the SDTX-MAC system, a time-slotted frame structure is used to accommodate access requests from different users on the access reservation channel (ARC). Specific time slots in the frame equal in length to the duration of the access request message (if necessary, a small guard time may be added) are assigned by the base station to mobile users after registration (one slot per user). Collision is thus avoided and there is no need of inserting an identifier appendix after the synchronizing part of the ARM. A method of step-increase of power is used for ARMs. After each ARM, the mobile monitors the paging channel for an acknowledgment (ACK) from the base station. If the elapsed time before the ACK is received is longer than the prescribed maximum, the corresponding ARM is regarded as a failure, and next one is sent at a power level increased by a fixed step. For each user, a fixed number of ARMs of increasing powers form an ARM sequence. If the synchronization is still not acquired after the sequence of ARMs is sent, a new sequence is started, with the transmitting power starting from the lowest level. Identical ARM sequences are repeated up to a maximum allowed number of repetitions, which is assumed large enough to ensure acquisition. The synchronism acquired through the ARC may be coarse, but it is sufficiently accurate to receive data packets from the user in question on a dedicated data channel. Each data packet sent on that channel is preceded by a short synchronizing preamble to refine synchronism.
The number of slots in one slotted frame of the access reservation channel (ARC) is designed to accommodate the expected number of registered users in a cell or sector. Once a user is registered, a slot is assigned to him on the ARC, and the base station subsequently uses that assignment to identify a user sending an access request. An example is shown in FIG. 2 wherein there are four slots within one frame, Tp, TF are the slot and frame lengths, respectively, and there are three ARMs within one access message sequence.
ADTX-MAC Protocol
The asynchronous discontinuous transmission medium access control (ADTX-MAC) protocol is in general terms similar to that used in the IS-95 access channel. It is a spread slotted ALOHA [4]-[6] with p-persistence [7] (plus sequence back-off) between ARM sequences. As shown in FIG. 3 a fixed number of ARMs forms an ARM sequence (three ARMs within an ARM sequence in this figure), with the transmission power increasing consecutively by a fixed increment. There is a random back-off TR between ARMs in the sequence, if the ACK is not received before time-out, TA. If the second ARM sequence is required, there is a random back-off TS before a p-persistence test, for the next ARM sequence to start. To reduce the probability of collision, the exact transmission time of each user is pseudo-randomly delayed from the slot start time, the delay being known to the base station.
Since all the users use the same PN code to spread their ARMs, each ARM consists of one synchronization preamble and an appendix for user identification. This appendix is designed to have the same length as the preamble, and is block-coded to provide the necessary error protection. The ARM for ADTX-MAC is of twice the length of an ARM in SDTX-MAC protocol.
SDTX-MAC can provide delay characteristics superior to those of the ADTX-MAC, but ADTX-MAC""s throughput may be larger or smaller than that of the SDTX-MAC depending on the offered traffic and the selected maximum value of the randomization delay. This is also intuitive, since ADTX-MAC""s access request message (ARM) must include an appendix, which increases the access delay. On the other hand, due to PN spreading and randomization procedure, more than one ADTX-MAC""s ARM within one time slot can be received successfully without collision, and clearly only one ARM can be transmitted per slot in SDTX-MAC. Even if the time slot is normalized to enable fair comparison, ADTX-MAC may still provide better throughout characteristics. The reason is that, although SDTX-MAC does solve the collision problem, and takes advantage of TDMA structure, it does not take advantage of the interference suppression capabilities of spread spectrum, and thus its performance is not optimal. On the other hand, ADTX-MAC does take advantage of spread spectrum, but it does not solve the potential collision problem.
When the transmitted signal propagates through a multipath fading channel, its replicas will arrive at the receiving end at different times spread over the maximum excess delay interval. If we denote the maximum excess delay expressed in chip intervals by xcfx84M, it is reasonable to assume that when the temporal separation of signals arriving from different users is larger than (xcfx84M+1) chip intervals, collisions will not occur. If we assume that the start times of transmitted packets form a Poisson point process with the arrival rate xcex packets/s, and denote the duration of a packet in seconds as Tp, the offered channel traffic G (in packets) will be:
G=xcexTp
The present invention provides for an improved multiple access protocol that improves upon the ADTX-MAC protocol and the SDTX-MAC protocol.
The limitations in the SDTX-MAC and ADTX-MAC discussed above are addressed by the following invention, which has been called minislotted SDTX-MAC, or M-SDTX-MAC.
Accordingly, there is provided a method of transmitting packets in a telecommunications system. Packets are transmitted from multiple terminals, in which the packets are spread with an identical spreading sequence for each terminal. The packets are transmitted in frames. An aspect of the invention includes allocating a respective mini-slot in each frame to a particular terminal as an identification reference for a packet transmitted from the particular terminal in the respective time slot. Further, at each terminal, packets are transmitted from the terminal beginning at a time within the mini-slot allocated to that terminal, with the packet being longer than the mini-slot.
In one aspect of the invention, the method is used to gain access to packet data transmission channels in a cellular radio CDMA system. The packets may thus be access request messages (ARMs). The packets may also be data packets.
In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of transmitting ARMs to gain access to a packet data telecommunications channel, comprising the steps of:
transmitting ARMs from multiple terminals as overlapping packets, where each identical packet contains several repetitions of an identical spreading sequence for each terminal; the ARMs corresponding to different terminals being arranged into frames;
allocating a respective mini-slot in each frame to a particular terminal as an initial synchronization and identification reference for an ARM transmitted from the particular terminal; each ARM being longer than its associated mini-slot, but the ARM beginning inside the mini-slot; and
at each terminal, beginning to transmit data from the terminal after a base station allocates to it a packet data transmission channel upon successful receipt of an ARM.
Each mini-slot should be sufficiently long to avoid a collision between ARMs sent from different terminals.
In a further aspect of the invention, the data packet, or ARM, is transmitted within a cell over a radio channel, the channel has a cell-size dependent propagation delay and a maximum excess delay, and each mini-slot has a length at least equal to the maximum excess delay plus twice the maximum expected propagation delay plus guard time.
The mini-slot may be allocated to a terminal upon registration of the terminal in a telecommunications system.
These and other aspects of the invention, including apparatus for implementing the invention, are described in the detailed description of the invention and claimed in the claims that follow. | {
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It is well known that as the cost of crude oil increases, numerous efforts have been made to find and develop alternative fuels, particularly fuels that have a renewable, rather than a limited, source. Considerable effort has been expended researching potential fuels from regenerable biological sources, or biofuels. Biofuels, in the context herein, include biodiesel and renewable diesel, which are diesel fuel-equivalents, processed fuel derived from biological source feedstocks (such as plant seed oils, vegetable oils and animal fats), and which may be used in unmodified diesel engine vehicles. Such fuels are viewed as more environmentally friendly, renewable alternative or supplement fuels to and with conventional petroleum-based diesel. Biofuels are also seen as having the advantage of reducing dependence on foreign-sourced petroleum based oil. Characteristically, the biodiesel has a high flash point for safe handling, has good lubricity, is biodegradable, has reduced emissions (lower particulate matter, carbon oxides and unburned hydrocarbons), and its use fits with existing infrastructure. Alternatively, the renewable diesel is not hygroscopic, has improved cold flow properties for low-temperature handling, has reduced emissions, has higher cetane values to improve the combustion quality, and its use also fits with existing infrastructure.
In the context herein, biodiesel fuels include, but are not necessarily limited to, alkyl esters of a fatty acid, typically either the ethyl ester or methyl ester of a fatty acid. Thus, many biodiesel fuels may be understood to contain fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). The FAMEs or blends thereof are typically referred to as biodiesel. For instance, blends of FAME with No. 2 fuel oil may be referred to as biodiesel. Most biodiesel fuel is presently made by the transesterification of fatty acids. Biodiesel fuel may also be made from free fatty acids using an acid catalyst. There are other processes that use an ion-exchange resin catalyst.
In more detail, most biodiesel fuels are made from vegetable oils, including, but not necessarily limited to rapeseed, soybean, cotton seed, corn, jotropha and the like oils. Some biodiesel is made from animal fats, including, but not limited to beef and pig tallow, chicken fat, fry grease, restaurant trap grease, fish oil, and the like. Efforts are also being made to blend FAME compounds to modify properties such as low temperature handling, for instance esters from palm and soybean oils or soybean and tallow oils (e.g. beef). The mixtures may be complex. All of these fall within the definition of biofuels herein.
Non-esterified or straight vegetable oils (SVO) or straight waste vegetable oil (WVO) are examples of typical biomass feedstocks for the production of biodiesel or renewable diesel. However, biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels as defined herein may include these non-esterified SVOs or WVOs in minor proportions (less than 50 volume %, and in another embodiment less than about 1%). In the context herein, renewable diesel fuels include, but are not necessarily limited to, the hydrocarbon products resulting from the reactions of plant or animal oils under various conditions, not to include esterification. In more detail, renewable diesel fuels can be prepared from the direct hydrotreating of the plant or animal oil feedstocks, through the Fischer-Tropsch process (coal-to-liquid or gas-to-liquid catalyzed reactions), direct pyrolysis of biomass, or through an algae (or other biological organism) production system. As with biodiesel, efforts are being made to blend renewable diesel with petroleum-based fuels to modify properties such as decreased emissions. The mixtures may be complex. All of these fall within the definition of biofuels herein.
The biodiesel fuel B100 has a particular definition, including, among other parameters, a minimum ester content of 96.5 wt %. It may be made by transesterifying triglycerides from plant or animal-based fatty acid oils with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst.
Biofuel instability occurs due to higher levels of unsaturated compounds, which are sites for oxidation reaction over time, and which are accelerated at elevated temperatures and by the presence of contaminants including metals and sulfides. This instability due to oxidative degradation is greater than that associated with conventional petroleum diesel. During transportation and storage, biofuel may be subjected to conditions that promote oxidation of their unsaturated components subsequently degrading quality and performance with undesirable characteristics of residue, acidity, odor and discoloration.
There is a need to improve the stability of biofuels and feedstocks. It is desirable to discover a method and/or composition for improving the stability of biofuel, feedstocks and biofuel blends. | {
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A gel base prepared by increasing the viscosity of an aqueous carboxyvinyl polymer solution with a basic viscosity-increasing agent such as sodium hydroxide, triethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, etc. has such excellent characteristics that (i) since the stock polymer has a high purity and uniform quality, it can give a topical preparation with a high reproducibility, (ii) it shows almost a constant viscosity in the range of a temperature of from 10.degree. to 70.degree. C., (iii) it is hardly decomposed with microorganisms such as bacteria, (iv) the gel is stable in a wide range of pH, and the like, and hence, it has been used for preparing various topical preparations such as medicines, cosmetics, etc. However, the gel base has such defects that the viscosity thereof is decreased by irradiation with a light (ultraviolet light), and it shows low storage stability, and further that it is restricted in the utility. When the above-mentioned conventional basic viscosity-increasing agents are used, it must be adjusted to pH 10 or higher in order to eliminate the above defects. An ointment having pH 10 or higher shows high irritation to mucous membranes and skin which is not tolerable. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a multi-cassette recording and reproducing apparatus in which cassettes in racks are loaded into cassette drive units to record and reproduce a large amount of video information, audio information, and other information.
In the field of broadcast equipments, multi-cassette recording and reproducing apparatuses are used for broadcasting commercials. As will be explained later, a prior-art multi-cassette recording and reproducing apparatus has some problem. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Cardiac ischemia is a condition that results from insufficient oxygenation to heart muscle and may pose an inherent risk in addition to potentially being a precursor to a life threatening event, such as myocardial infarction (MI). Detecting ischemia may be carried out by a variety of methods, some of which are amendable to implantable monitoring devices. Ischemia, and particularly, unstable ischemia, in a patient may be treated in a clinical setting by a variety of modalities.
A patient with severe unstable ischemia may be a candidate for immediate intervention, such as coronary angioplasty or bypass surgery. However, less severe cases may be treated by pharmaceutical methods as well as others. Even with such treatment modalities available, most ischemic events occur initially outside the clinical environment or at a place or time when such clinical assessment and treatment is not immediately available.
For ICD patients experiencing transient ischemia, standard ventricular pacing therapy in order to increase cardiac output is contraindicated as the increased heart rate induced as a result of the pacing will typically increase the oxygen demand on the heart tissue, and particularly the ischemic heart tissue, which may further exacerbate any damage caused by the ischemia. In addition, generally speaking, a paced rhythm is not as mechanically efficient as a normal sinus rhythm, and, as such, the blood flow output may even be further reduced. Thus, typical single chamber ventricle pacing therapy for an ischemic patient may increase oxygen demand of the heart tissue undergoing ischemic trauma and decrease the pumping efficiency of the heart overall or both.
As such, what has been needed are methods and devices for treating a patient with transient ischemia immediately after onset of the ischemia that do not generate a substantial increase in oxygen consumption by the heart. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Field
The present disclosure relates to a laser beam irradiation apparatus used to seal a substrate and a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device by using the same.
Discussion of the Background
In the recent times, portable and thin flat panel display devices have increasingly been used for the displays of electronic devices. Among the flat panel display devices, electroluminescence display devices are a self-emitting type of display device having characteristics such as wide viewing angles, good contrast, and fast response times and thus attract much attention as those of the next generation display devices. Also, the organic light-emitting display devices, of which the emitting layer is formed of organic materials, are known for better luminance, driving voltage, and response time characteristics than the inorganic light-emitting display devices and can realize multicolor emission.
Generally, the organic light-emitting display devices have configurations that one or more organic layers are arranged, including an emitting layer between a pair of electrodes.
As far as the organic light-emitting display devices are concerned, when moisture or oxygen penetrates from the ambient environment to the inside of a device, the electrode materials are likely oxidized and peeled off, and for this reason, the service life of the organic light-emitting device is shortened, the emission efficiency is degraded, and the emission color is degenerated.
Therefore, in manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device, the sealing process that isolates the organic light-emitting device from the outside is generally performed in order to prevent the penetration of moisture. The conventional sealing methods include a method that laminates an organic thin film and an organic polymer, such as polyester (PET), on the second electrode of an organic light-emitting display device and a method that forms a moisture absorbent in an encapsulating substrate, charges nitrogen gas into the encapsulating substrate, and seals the edge of the encapsulating substrate with a sealant, such as epoxy.
However, because these methods have failed to prevent 100% of the degrading factors such as moisture and oxygen from penetrating from the outside, and these methods are also very complicated to implement, they could not be applied without modifications to organic light-emitting display devices that are very vulnerable to moisture. To solve such problems, a substrate-sealing method that enhances the adhesiveness between the organic light-emitting device substrate and the encapsulating substrate by using a sealant, such as frit, has been developed.
By using a structure in which the organic light-emitting display device is sealed with frit coated on a glass substrate, the space between the organic light-emitting device substrate and the encapsulating substrate is fully sealed, and thus the organic light-emitting display device can be protected more effectively.
In this method of sealing the substrate with a sealant such as frit, the frit is coated on the sealing part of the organic light-emitting display device, and a laser beam irradiation apparatus irradiates a laser beam on the sealing part of the organic light-emitting display device in motion to harden the frit, thereby sealing the substrate. | {
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1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to an improved electrical connector that is electromagnetically shielded and provides for a secure, low-profile physical/electrical connection with a mating media plug.
2. The Relevant Technology
The demand for personal computers and related equipment continues to expand due to a number of factors. One important factor is in that the prices of computers continues to decline. Another factor is the expansion and development of the Internet and related network communications. More and more commercial and non-commercial enterprises are conducting business via the Internet and consumers need personal computers to gain access to the products and information that are available on the Internet.
In addition to being more affordable, advances in computer application software, operating systems and communications software has fueled the development of computers having greater processing speeds and capacities. At the same time, the pressure to at least maintain, or preferably reduce, the physical size of the computer has increased as well. Accordingly, downsizing and miniaturization of computer components is an issue of great importance in the industry.
In an effort to reduce the form factor of the typical personal computer, and yet expand the capabilities of that computer, manufacturers began to develop miniature portable expansion devices having smaller sizes, such as add-on memory cards and modems. The typical expansion device was designed to plug into a port or socket on the main computer; thus the expansion device served to expand the capability of the computer without significantly increasing the size of the computer's physical envelope.
While the development of portable expansion devices represented a significant advance in the capabilities of personal computers, one drawback of many of the devices was that they were designed to fit only one manufacturer's computer, and thus were not interchangeable between platforms. The industry recognized that standardization of these devices would, among other things, greatly increase the demand for them. To this end, several manufacturers collaborated to form the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). This body developed and promulgated standards for the physical design, dimensions, and electrical interface of expansion devices. Now, many computers being manufactured, especially those having a reduced size, are adapted to accommodate these standards.
PCMCIA cards have become very popular because of their relatively small size, interchangeability, and capability. However, as a result of the relentless drive for smaller and more capable computers, the industry has developed a new generation of expansion devices with an even smaller form factor than that of PCMCIA cards. The new expansion devices, or cards, are sometimes referred to as "compact flash" or "miniature flash" cards.
Some examples of the new devices include compact flash memory cards, which are solid state storage devices that may have a storage capacity as high as 40MB; modems; and local area network (LAN) cards. The new compact devices have a very small "form factor" or physical size. A typical compact flash card uses about 1550 mm.sup.2 (36 mm long.times.43 mm wide) of space on a circuit board. In contrast, a typical card built to PCMCIA standards uses almost three times as much circuit board space, or about 4644 mm.sup.2 (86 mm long.times.54 mm wide).
Clearly, the compact flash form factor represents an important advancement in the art. However, the smaller form factor has also created some new problems that must be overcome in order that the maximum performance and reliability of the compact flash cards may be realized. Certain of these problems are particularly acute in those compact flash LAN cards that use a 4 pin input/output (I/O) connector. Some of the problems flowing from the use of the new form factor concern the construction and composition of the compact flash media card. Other problems concern the physical and electrical interfaces between the compact flash card and the various types of media cables used to carry media between the flash card and other devices.
One of the shortcomings common in current compact flash card designs concerns the harmful electromagnetic radiation produced by the card. Electromagnetic radiation is a natural consequence of current flow through the electrical circuits on the card. Unchecked, electromagnetic radiation can interfere with and disrupt the operation of electrical and electronic circuits in the host device. The interference resulting from electromagnetic radiation is commonly known as electromagnetic interference (EMI). Because electromagnetic radiation is a natural consequence of current flow, it cannot practically be prevented. Instead, emissions of the electromagnetic radiation must be controlled in order to prevent harmful EMI from resulting.
It is generally acknowledged that metal or metallic structures, if properly located and grounded, can be effective in controlling harmful electromagnetic radiation. Metals are effective in this regard because they generally have a low characteristic impedance which has the desirable characteristic of reflecting the high impedance electromagnetic radiation typically emitted by computers and related devices. By reflecting the electromagnetic radiation away from vulnerable circuits or devices, the metal thereby acts as a protective shield. Materials which can absorb electromagnetic radiation would be effective as well. However, typical compact flash cards are housed in a bay or enclosure, inside the host device, that is constructed of plastic or the like. The non-metallic enclosures are largely ineffectual in reflecting the electromagnetic radiation produced by the card. Furthermore, even though many compact flash cards employ metal covers, those covers are nevertheless inadequate to reflect electromagnetic radiation. This is due to the fact that effective EMI control cannot be achieved unless the metal covers typically utilized in compact flash cards are electrically bonded together and grounded. Since the metal covers of typical compact flash cards are not bonded and grounded, those covers are generally of little use in preventing PCB-generated EMI.
While it is clear that there are unresolved concerns regarding EMI and the construction of the compact flash cards, EMI problems are not limited solely to the card itself. As suggested earlier, some of the problems flowing from the new compact flash form factor relate to the physical/electrical interface used to connect a media cable to the card.
In particular, the current flowing through the media cable and the physical/electrical interface, or I/O connector, generates electromagnetic radiation which, in turn, causes harmful EMI. Many of the connectors currently in use with the compact flash card, including the 4 pin connectors, lack any device or means to reflect or absorb the electromagnetic radiation produced by the connector. Thus, when a media plug at the end of the media cable is inserted into the compact flash card connector, the unchecked electromagnetic radiation that is produced as a result of current flow through the connector, acts to interfere with the operation of electrical and electronic components inside the compact flash card and in the host device.
Not only are the typical compact flash card I/O connector designs ineffectual in preventing harmful EMI, those connectors suffer from other shortcomings as well. A significant problem concerns the structural configuration of the typical connector. In particular, the physical shape of the receiving portion, or aperture, of the connector, i.e., the portion that receives a mating media plug, is such that the connector can readily accommodate modular plugs. For instance, the connector may be capable of receiving a modular plug from a telephone line or a network line. This can give rise to a significant problem if the compact flash card comprises a LAN card, for instance, which is inadvertently connected to a telephone line. In particular, the telephone ring voltage that is applied to a modem line could damage the electronics on a LAN card. Thus, because a user may not always be able to readily ascertain whether a particular connector is a modem card connector or a LAN card connector, it would be relatively easy for a user to inadvertently plug a modem cord into the connector typically used with compact flash LAN cards, and thereby expose the LAN card to harmful telephone ring voltages.
Finally, in addition to their structural deficiencies and the EMI problems that they present, the typical compact flash card I/O connector suffers from an insubstantial and ineffectual mechanical interface with media plugs. Again, this problem results from the small physical size of the card or peripheral, which also limits the size and functionality of any connector that is used. In particular, larger connector schemes provide a more robust and functional retention scheme for maintaining a connection. Moreover, the connectors also provide a user with a tactile "feedback" that indicates when a plug has been satisfactorily received by a connector. In contrast, miniaturized connector schemes provide less physical space in which to provide a satisfactory retention mechanism and any sort of tactile feedback.
For example, a significant problem with existing compact flash I/O connector retention mechanisms is that the contact area between the retaining portion of the receptacle and the retained portion of the plug, respectively, is relatively small. Accordingly, the forces required to insert and withdraw the mating media plug are correspondingly small. Small insertion and withdrawal forces are problematic at least partly because they fail to provide the audible and tactile feedback necessary to indicate to the user that the media plug has engaged the receptacle portion of the connector. Indeed, the feedback provided by typical mechanisms is oftentimes so minimal--as low as 1 to 2 pounds--that the user cannot be certain that latching has occurred. Finally, an implicit and undesirable consequence of small insertion and withdrawal forces is that the media plug is likely to be inadvertently removed from the connector even during normal use.
In view of the foregoing problems with miniaturized peripherals, such as compact flash cards, and their associated I/O connectors, what is needed is an improved shielded I/O connector that can be used with compact flash card-sized devices, such as LAN cards and modem cards. Specifically, the connector should be able to reflect and/or absorb the electromagnetic radiation produced by the connector when current flows through the connector. Further, the connector should be grounded and should be capable of physically and electrically connecting the top and bottom covers of the housing of a compact flash card so that the covers can function effectively as a shield against the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the PCB. Additionally, the connector should be configured in such a way as to ensure that a particular compact flash card is only connectible with media plugs, cables, devices, and the like, that are electrically compatible therewith. Also, the connector should provide a tactile and audible feedback that indicates to the user that the mating media plug is properly received and seated within the connector. Moreover, the retention force exerted by the connector on the received plug should resist at least some inadvertent withdrawals of the plug during normal use. | {
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Conventionally, transmissive liquid crystal display devices are known as image display means. The transmissive liquid crystal display device is provided with a non-self-luminous liquid crystal panel and thus requires a backlight device. In such a backlight device, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) has been used as a light source. Recently, however, a backlight device including a LED as a light source is widely used, which is free from disadvantages of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp, such as environmental pollution caused by mercury, or slower response speed. In addition to solving the disadvantages of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp, the backlight device including a LED as a light source can also achieve a partial drive such as local dimming to improve a contrast ratio of an image. The local dimming will be described below.
The “local dimming” is a process in which (i) a backlight device is divided into segments (blocks) each having its light source and (ii) a light intensity of each of the segments is adjusted based on a luminance component of an image to be displayed in a corresponding area of a liquid crystal panel, which corresponding area is irradiated with light emitted from the segment. That is, in the liquid crystal display device which employs local dimming, a light intensity of a segment corresponding to an area displaying a bright image can be increased, whereas a light intensity of a segment corresponding to an area displaying a dark image can be decreased. The liquid crystal display device which employs local dimming can thus display an image of a higher contrast ratio in which a bright image displaying area is displayed brighter and a dark image displaying area is displayed darker.
However, the liquid crystal display device which employs local dimming has a disadvantage described below, in a case where, for example, one area displaying white and black images and another area displaying only a black image are adjacent to each other. That is, a light intensity of a segment corresponding to the area displaying white and black images is adjusted to a value in accordance with the white image (with high luminance), whereas a light intensity of a segment corresponding to the area displaying only a black image is adjusted to a value in accordance with the black image (with low luminance). This leads to a difference in brightness of displayed black between one area and another area, resulting in an unnaturally-appearing image being displayed in which a boundary between the areas is conspicuous.
In order to avoid such a disadvantage, a liquid crystal display device has been proposed, in which light intensities of respective segments are determined by (i) calculating light intensities of the respective segments on the basis of a local dimming technique and then (ii) correcting the light intensities of the respective segments so that no segment has a light intensity differing greatly from those of adjacent segments. As an example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique in which a luminance is gradually changed for each of adjacent areas.
Meanwhile, multi-display devices, each of which includes a plurality of image displaying means set in array, have been widely used. Such multi-display devices encompass a multi-display device of screen projection type as follows: Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique to prevent light emitted by one of adjacent projectors from being displayed on a screen corresponding to the other of the adjacent projectors, so that adjustment between screens can be easily carried out. Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique in which (i) enlarged images for respective of a plurality of displays are projected such that the enlarged images partially overlap each other, and (ii) a luminance of an overlap image area and a luminance of a non-overlap image area are controlled to be equal to each other so as to eliminate a difference in luminance in the overlap part. Patent Literature 4 discloses a technique in which (i) an original image is divided into a plurality of areas and (ii) a projection image corresponding to the original image is obtained on a single screen by combining images of the respective plurality of areas while partially overlapping adjacent images. | {
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Valves traditionally used in high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems typically operate under high-pressure (about 1 to 400 bar or higher) and allow switching between inlet and outlet ports or allow a single port to be selectively connected to one or more outlet ports. Due to the high-pressure requirements, large forces need to be applied to the components to maintain a seal between them, which has typically been implemented by using screws to hold the components in place. This method of affixing the components is effective and, depending on the size of the system and the screws, high holding-forces can be generated. In addition, this system works for valve systems that do not need maintenance often or for systems that do not need valve components changed or replaced. There are, however, disadvantages to using screws to provide the high forces necessary to ensure seal formation. First, it is difficult to apply the force directly and evenly between the various components, particularly when tightening and loosening the screws. Because the screws are distributed around the perimeter of a typical interface, it is inherently difficult to tighten the screws such that an even force is applied among the components unless all the screws are tightened simultaneously. Second, if the one or more components need to be removed repeatedly and often, it is time-consuming and possible to damage one or more of the components. Third, once screws are removed from the system, they are loose and subject to misplacement or loss.
Microfluidic devices can be used within HPLC or HPLC-like valves and devices to great effect (U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,256, which is incorporated herein by reference), solving the historically challenging process of connecting traditional fittings and equipment to microscale components. However, using screws to mount these devices is, for the above reasons, undesirable. Thus, for any system that requires frequent and(or easy exchange of parts (e.g., microfluidic devices and HPLC stators) it is preferable to use a method of mounting that does not use screws. | {
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1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a system for tracking and monitoring the performance of tools in a multi-user environment and more specifically to a system which networks information from several databases to efficiently associate data to individual tools.
2. Discussion
Tool monitoring systems which monitor the repeatability of tools at an operation level are well known in the art and are commonly used in high-volume automotive factories. These systems largely function at an xe2x80x9coperational levelxe2x80x9d as all data is correlated to the operation which is being performed, rather than to the individual tool performing the operation. This approach has several drawbacks which have not as of yet been identified by the users of such systems.
One drawback of these systems concerns the inability to track and monitor individual tools. The ramifications of this inability affect the integrity of the data collected for an operation, the ability with which the user is able to verify the performance of the tool, the capability to verify that a tool is in a desired location and the ability to perform preventative maintenance on the tool.
The integrity of the data collected for an operation is typically dependent not only on the operation of the tool, but also on the ability of the tool to impact a workpiece in a desired manner. In fastening operations for example, it is not uncommon for different tools to exhibit the same repeatability as measured on test fixtures as measured by dynamic torque checks with in-line torque transducers but have differing impacts on the workpiece due to differences in the design or control of the tool. A common example of one such difference is the speed with which the fastening tools rotate. Significant differences between the rotational speed of two tools may render the impact (i.e., performance) of a tool unacceptable. In system where only the repeatability of the tool is monitored at the operational level, the inability to track and monitor at the tool level leaves the system vulnerable to inadvertent changes in tool assignments, and thus compromises the integrity of the system since only a portion of the information relevant to the quality of the workpiece is monitored.
Another drawback concerns the cross-referencing of information between various disciplines to permit the scheduling of performance verification testing and preventative maintenance. Monitoring and tracking at an operational level does not provide a flexible and current system which permits the user to schedule selected tools for testing and/or maintenance. Tracking at the operation level requires all tools at a given operation to be tested or maintained simultaneously. Such requirements have not been found to be workable as they are highly disruptive to the production environment employing the tool. In an attempt to improve the ability with which tools are tested or maintained, manual systems are often utilized. These manual system typically required substantial duplicative data entry efforts and lacked the ability to automatically update when changes to tool assignments were made. Consequently, changes in tool assignments were not readily incorporated into the schedules for testing and/or preventative maintenance. Therefore, the act of scheduling tests and maintenance on selected tools, as well as the process of maintaining these schedules was extremely labor intensive and fraught with opportunities for error.
Yet another drawback concerns the labor and accuracy with which periodic performance verification tests are configured. Periodic performance verification tests are frequently employed to ensure that a tool is functioning in a desired manner. Configuration of the test for a given tool requires that certain base-lining information be available for use in the analysis of the test data. Examples of this base-lining information include the specification target and the upper and lower specification limits. As this information was not linked to individual tools, manual systems are typically utilized. These manual systems typically required substantial duplicative data entry efforts and lacked the ability to automatically update when changes to tool assignments or specifications were made.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a system for monitoring and tracking tools in a multi-user environment that utilizes information in a network manner to track information to and monitor the location of specific tools.
It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a system for monitoring and tracking tools in a multi-user environment that utilizes information in a network manner to track the location of specific tools and monitor information at the tool level.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for monitoring and tracking tools in a multi-user environment to reduce the effort associated with the scheduling of specific tools for testing and/or maintenance.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system for monitoring and tracking tools in a multi-user environment to permit test data to be correlated to a specific tool to permit the tool operation to be compared with the tool performance.
A tracking and monitoring system for tools in a multi-user environment is provided. The system assigns a unique identification number to each tool used in the system which permits the tool to be tracked for purposes of performing operations on the tool, such as periodic performance verification testing and/or preventative maintenance. The system user programs the frequency and time at which the operation is to be periodically performed on a tool, such as performance verification testing or preventative maintenance. The system generates routes which enable the operation to be scheduled and performed on selected tools. Data collected from the operation may be uploaded to the system, permitting the system to monitor the performance and/or operation of the tool. In a preferred embodiment, the system compares tool performance to tool operation and calculates tool set-up parameters to tune the performance of the tool to desired levels.
Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. | {
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Coatings on parts and products are used in industry for several different purposes. Certain coatings, for instance, are applied to surfaces to provide low friction, non-stick, abrasion resistant or other specific properties. When a harder object contacts a surface and friction is created, the friction of the force on the surface wears away a portion of that surface. Over time, the cumulative effect of repetitive or continuous contact between the object and the surface causes a substantial portion of the surface to wear away so that the surface is no longer functional. One example of such an object applying such a force is the force applied between metal cooking utensils (i.e., the objects) and cooking surfaces such as the non-stick coatings applied to surfaces of pots or pans. Continuous contact between the utensils and these cooking surfaces causes the coatings applied to the surfaces, such as non-stick coatings, to gradually wear away and diminish the effectiveness of the coatings. Therefore, manufacturers have developed abrasion-resistant, non-stick coatings incorporating harder and more durable particles, which resist the abrasive forces created by cooking utensils as the utensils contact the coated surface of the cooking surfaces. As a result, these coatings enhance the durability of cooking surfaces, however, the coatings compromise the non-stick properties of the surface. In addition, the introduced hard particles are not attached firmly to the surface to provide rigid support of the relatively soft non-stick material topcoat. The loose particles can therefore, dislodge from the surface relatively easily.
Wear also occurs, for example, when a surface or surfaces of a component are subject to continuous and prolonged forces such as rotational or reciprocating forces applied by a first object which basically, rubs against the surface of a second object, creating friction between the objects. The friction generally wears away one or both of the surfaces. If one surface is sacrificial in nature, commonly including softer particles or materials versus harder particles or materials, it will wear sooner than the surface including the harder, more durable surface. To prevent this, coatings, which are comprised of relatively soft materials, are applied to a part or parts so that the parts can be replaced easily when the coating wears out. An example is a PTFE-coated solenoid plunger inside a housing of a solenoid which must remain dry or without fluid lubrication in use. In operation, the PTFE-coated solenoid plunger wears at a predictable rate due to friction created between the surface of the plunger and the surface of the housing. Therefore, the plunger can be exchanged for a newly coated plunger on a predictable maintenance schedule. This is particularly appropriate when no fluid lubricants can be introduced into a system.
Another example of intended sacrificial wear is a wear end plate in a rotary gear pump. A thin layer of bronze is attached to, for example, a replaceable iron plate. This plate can be changed when the bronze layer wears.
Other methods of applying reinforcing coatings to surfaces to provide wear resistance for soft coatings have been developed. In another example, metal spray coatings, such as bronze, are arc sprayed or flame sprayed onto metal parts to produce an intermittent bronze coating, which is subsequently coated with PTFE and finished into a smooth surface. The wear resistance of the bronze particles reinforce the relatively weak strength of the PTFE, which has a very low friction however with low wear resistance. This bronze/PTFE coating system will wear longer than a unreinforced PTFE coating.
Coatings are also used for many applications such as for rust resistance, corrosion resistance and as functional or protective coatings. In one example, plastic electric motor brush covers are coated with coatings containing metal to absorb and conduct electrical emissions to reduce electrical emissions coming from electric fuel pumps in an automobile or other vehicle.
Coatings may be applied in various different known manners. One method of applying the coatings is to spray the coatings on to a substrate such as metallic material. The coatings are usually sprayed so that the coatings completely cover the surface or surfaces of the substrate that require the coating. Typically, a bonding agent such as primer is used to initially coat the substrate to promote the adhesion of the coating to the substrate. The bonding agent or primer is typically applied to a cleaned surface of the substrate. Additionally it has been known to add particles to the liquid primer and/or the base coating to increase the abrasion resistance of the liquid coating and primer. As a result, the coating or coatings applied to the substrate has greater abrasion resistance.
In one known coating process described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,769, hard particles are embedded in a surface layer on a substrate to improve the scratch or surface wear resistance of the substrate. The surface of the substrate is prepared and then a thin layer of discrete, hard particles are applied to the surface of the substrate. The surface of the substrate is then softened using heat or a solvent. The surface may also be softened prior to the application of the particles to the surface if needed. After the surface of the substrate is softened, the particles are embedded into the softened surface of the substrate using pressure. The particles are embedded in the surface so that approximately 50% of the volume of the particles are located at the surface layer. The softened surface is then allowed to re-harden, which embeds and bonds the particles to the surface of the substrate. This bonding method is generally limited to substrates such as plastics, polymers and softer metals, which are relatively softer than the particles being embedded in the surfaces of these substrates.
In another known coating process, solid particles are mixed with a liquid primer prior to applying the primer to the surface of the substrate. The particles are non-uniform or irregular in shape and the particles are also non-uniformly dispersed or mixed within the primer because the distribution of the particles cannot be controlled. Therefore, as the primer mixture is applied to the surface of the substrate, the unevenly distributed particles within the primer tend to pool or bunch up on particular areas of the substrate, particularly if the particles are very heavy. In addition, heavy introduced particles in a liquid coating system, will settle in different densities on horizontal, vertical or other pockets or depressions of a coated part. As a result, certain portions of the substrate include more particles than other portions of the substrate. This creates an uneven or non-uniform distribution of introduced particles on the substrate that has been coated. Thus, when a topcoat or final coat that contains heavy or dense particles is applied to the substrate, the topcoat or final coat also pools or builds up in the same areas on the substrate as the particles in the primer mixture. This diminishes the finish strength or quality of the surface of the finished product.
In a further known coating process, the particles are flame sprayed or applied in a molten droplet form and propelled onto the surface of the substrate. The molten particles adhere to the surface of the substrate. However, the molten particles are typically applied or sprayed onto the substrate at such a rate that the molten particles flatten or partially flatten as the particles hit or contact the surface of the substrate. Thus, the surface of such substrates are often uneven because of the varying shapes of the applied molten particles. As described above, this causes an uneven surface area or non-uniform surface area so that the coating that is subsequently applied to the particles is also uneven and non-uniform.
One known wear resistant coating sold under the trademark Excalibur® by Whitford Worldwide is formed using molten stainless steel particles and provides non-stick and initial low friction characteristics to surfaces of substrates but is limited in its application exclusively to metal substrates. This coating is applied to a substrate surface by first grit blasting the surface with a suitable abrasive to roughen it and promote the adherence of subsequent material layers. Then, stainless alloy particles are electric-arc sprayed onto the roughened metal surface of the substrate. The particles cool and harden forming varying surface configurations including high peaks and low peaks, which do not completely bond to the surface. Next, several layers of fluropolymer coatings are applied to the particle layer and permanently bond all of the coatings in place on the surface of the substrate. The application of the molten particles, however, incurs the same problems as described above. Thus, the distribution of the size and shape of the molten particles in this process are generally not uniform or evenly distributed on the surface of the substrate.
The varying particle shapes in the above processes and coatings affect the uniform distribution of the particles on the surface of the substrate. The particles are applied to the surface of the substrate to increase the abrasion resistance of the subsequently applied coating. The irregularly shaped particles generally are not evenly or uniformly distributed on the surface of the substrate because the irregular surfaces of the particles generally do not correspond with each other. In addition, particle size may vary where some particles are much larger than other particles. Thus, some particles bunch together while other particles are spread apart based on the size and shape of the particles. This causes the particles to be non-uniformly distributed and be of non-uniform size on the surface of the substrate, which in turn, causes the coating applied to the particles to be non-uniform.
Furthermore, the irregular shape of the particles limits the consistency of the surface area created by the addition of the non-uniform particles to the substrate. As described above, irregularly shaped particles may bunch up or be spread apart on a percentage of the surface of the substrate and consist of varying heights. Therefore, the maximum surface area of each particle may not be exposed to prevent coating wear depending on whether the particles are partially or wholly covered by other particles and whether particles, such as molten metal particles, are deposited on top of previously deposited particles. Because the maximum exposable surface area of each particle is not consistently available, the total surface area generated by the addition of the particles to the substrate is limited or diminished. As a result, the bond between the coating and the particles is less consistent and weaker than if the maximum exposable surface area is exposed for coating by subsequent topcoats. This results in loose or non-adherent particles on top of the previously deposited particles.
Another reinforced metal/PTFE coating system consists of an electric arc spray of stainless steel or titanium particles subsequently coated with a two coat PTFE commercial non-stick coating. In one example, an aluminum cooking pan is grit blasted with aluminum oxide to roughen the aluminum surface to assist the mechanical attachment of the dissimilar metal stainless steel or titanium particles to the pan. The stainless steel particles are heated to provide molten stainless steel particles which are propelled toward the grit blasted surface. The deposited molten stainless steel or titanium particles cool and the result is a rough, varied group of various shaped metal particles which are mechanically attached to the rough grit blasted aluminum surface. This irregular surface, which resembles a mountain range of irregular shaped stainless steel particles, is then coated with two or more coatings of a commercial non-stick coating. When cooking utensils contact the reinforced non-stick coating, wear is reduced as the metal particles take the mechanical abrasion created by cooking utensils.
This stainless steel/PTFE coating system is exemplified by the Whitford Corporation's Excalibur® coating system. After the stainless particles are deposited on the aluminum, the Excalibur® coating system includes the steps of removing non-adherent particles of loose stainless steel from the aluminum. The loose, non-adherent or slightly adherent particles of stainless steel are removed by wire brushing, air cleaning or both prior to the application of the topcoats of PTFE based non-stick coatings.
Uneven or non-uniform distribution of a coating on a surface of a substrate causes several different problems or issues for manufacturers. An uneven coating on the surface of a particular part will cause uneven wear of the parts and subject the part to more friction if particles protrude through the final coating or topcoat. Conversely, if there are less reinforcing particles in an applied coating due to the non-uniform distribution of the reinforcing particles in the coating on the surface of the part, the coated surface of the part will have less wear resistance or wear protection. Thus, the greater friction and wear on the part may cause the part to fail during operation or not last as long in operation. Additionally, an uneven coating quality may cause a part to not perform as well in operation. An uneven surface roughness due to uneven internally distributed and dispersed reinforcing particles may also cause a part or parts requiring specific tolerance levels or dimensions to be outside acceptable limits and therefore not meet desired designed specifications, fail during assembly or during operation. If the coating over the irregular stainless particles is designed to provide non-stick or release properties, taller or larger stacked particles protruding through the coating quickly wear, dislodge easily and diminish the desired non-stick or release properties and cause sticking instead of preventing it.
In a mechanical wear situation, if the dispersed lubricant/reinforcing materials within the liquid coating, whether the materials are metal or non-metallic materials, are protruding, mechanical interference may be caused thereby preventing component motion. If the particles are not dispersed uniformly, the wear resistance and consistency of performance is diminished.
Additionally, liquid coating end use requirements for reinforcing a coating on a surface of a substrate to provide augmentation of, for instance, a soft coating to increase the wear resistance is presently accomplished by introducing hard particles to the liquid coating. The desired laminar placement of specific particles in the coating is impossible when particles are dispersed in a liquid coating. The placement of reinforcing particles within a coating in a specific area is not possible with a liquid coating containing dispersed particles. Furthermore, the placement of different wear resistant particles in a specific order or location with different properties cannot be done in a liquid coating application. Also, providing an extremely dense, near 100% dense layer of reinforcing particles under a smooth topcoat is not possible with a liquid coating. Even if multiple layers are applied, the possibility of particles moving and migrating in a liquid coating prevent assurance of and determination of density before subsequent coating layers are applied as the liquid carrier reduces the density of the interconnected particles. Additionally, if a liquid coating application includes heavy, hard particles such as certain abrasive particles, the coating is difficult to apply using conventional pumps and spray guns, which causes the pumps and spray guns to wear more rapidly.
Accordingly, there is a need for a coating method, and specifically a coating reinforcing underlayment and method of manufacturing same which enables a reinforced coating system to be evenly, uniformly and densely applied to the surface of a substrate. | {
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The present invention is directed to a sign holder device in the form of individual parts which, upon assembly, provide for the support and display of signage in a plurality of orientations. By employing devices as taught herein, a retail facility can inventory a bin of parts and construct signage of a variety of configurations and orientations avoiding the need to stockpile signs of fixed geometry.
Retail establishments such as supermarket chains require signage of every imaginable configuration. Every product sold requires some type of sign to inform a consumer of the nature and price of products on display. For example, produce such as oranges, bananas and grapefruit require one type of signage while frozen food bins and deli cases yet others. It is impractical for a multi-product retail establishment such as a grocery chain to inventory preassembled signage for each dedicated orientation. A far better solution is to provide the retailer with an inventory of parts which can be assembled on site depending upon the product display requiring such signage.
The present invention is not the first instance in which it was suggested that retail store signage be provided from a parts bin rather than as assembled members. However, prior knockdown component oriented kits have not been universally embraced by the retail trade for several reasons. Products of this nature of the prior art tend to be flimsy, and not easily assembled and disassembled and oftentimes require a certain level of skill and experience in converting the bin of parts to professionally looking customer-inviting signage. For example, it is oftentimes important to position a sign frame appropriately upon a support stem in order to make the sign support professional looking. It is not difficult to produce geometrically centered frames upon support stems at a factory location when a product is produced which is not intended to be disassembled on site. However, retail store employees are called upon to work quickly moving from one location to the next and it is oftentimes incumbent upon them to assemble and disassemble signage rapidly. Kit products of the prior art, when assembled rapidly by non-skilled personnel, tend to look haphazard and not professional in construction.
It is also important to manufacturers of such products to be able to construct signage from a bin of parts. Flexibility enjoyed by retail store employees as noted above also provides advantages for manufacturers for a multiple of signage products can be constructed by picking and choosing individual components enabling a wide variety of preconstructed signage products to be shipped to customers without having to inventory a myriad of molds for each variation.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a sign holder device in the form of individual parts which, when assembled, provides for a professional appearing support for the display of signage in a plurality of orientations.
This and further objects will be more readily apparent when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.
The present invention is directed to a sign holder device in the form of individual parts which, upon assembly, provide for support and display of signage in a plurality of orientations. The sign holder device comprises a base configured to receive and support the first end of a stem, the stem having a first end and a second end. The first end of the stem is configured to be releasably retained by the base while the second end is configured to retain a sign frame. The sign frame, in turn, is configured to be releasably retained by the second end of the stem and includes a left side and a right side and gap between these ides. The gap is provided with tabs for positioning the stem on the sign frame to retain the stem on the frame in a predetermined orientation. Alternatively, the frame can be supported directly by the base, thus eliminating the stem when appropriate. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device and more particularly to a liquid crystal type emitting material being capable of being horizontally oriented and having improved emitting efficiency and an OLED device including the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, requirement for flat panel display devices having small occupied area is increased. Among the flat panel display devices, an OLED device, which may be called to as an organic electroluminescent device, is widely introduced.
The OLED device emits light by injecting electrons from a cathode as an electron injection electrode and holes from an anode as a hole injection electrode into an emission compound layer, combining the electrons with the holes, generating an exciton, and transforming the exciton from an excited state to a ground state. A flexible substrate, for example, a plastic substrate, can be used as a base substrate where elements are formed. Since the OLED device does not require a backlight assembly, the OLED device has low weight and low power consumption. Moreover, the OLED device can be operated at a voltage (e.g., 10V or below) lower than a voltage required to operate other display devices. In addition, the OLED device is adequate to produce full-color images.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the related art OLED device.
As shown in FIG. 1, the OLED device includes a first substrate (not shown), a second substrate (not shown) and an organic emitting diode E between the first and second substrates.
The organic emitting diode E includes a first electrode 10, a second electrode 30 and an organic emitting layer 20. The first electrode 10 is formed of a material having a relatively high work function to serve as an anode. For example, the first electrode 10 may be formed of indium-tin-oxide (ITO). The second electrode 30 is formed of a material having a relatively low work function to serve as a cathode. For example, the second electrode 30 may be formed of aluminum (Al) or Al alloy.
To increase emission efficiency, the organic emitting layer 20 includes a hole injecting layer (HIL) 21, a hole transporting layer (HTL) 22, an emitting material layer (EML) 23, an electron transporting layer (ETL) 24 and an electron injecting layer (EIL) 25.
In the OLED device, the hole from the first electrode 10 as an anode is transferred into the emitting material layer 23 through the hole injecting layer 21 and the hole transporting layer 22, and the electron from the second electrode 30 as a cathode is transferred into the emitting material layer 23 through the electron injecting layer 25 and the electron transporting layer 24. The hole and the electron combines in the emitting material layer 23 to emit light.
For example, material in following Formula 1-1 or Formula 1-2 are used for the emitting material layer 23.
Referring again to FIG. 1, the materials are randomly arranged in the emitting material layer 23. The randomly arranged materials cause a limitation in the emitting efficiency, i.e., a limitation in brightness, and decrease of power consumption of the OLED device. | {
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This invention relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing hydrogen within an environment with heterogeneous hydrogen requirements. The invention further relates to a network of hydrogen supply modules and corresponding method for managing hydrogen deployment.
The developing use of hydrogen as an energy carrier will require broad-based and flexible hydrogen supply systems to provide hydrogen efficiently to a large number of diverse hydrogen consumers.
Numerous hydrogen applications are being developed, including hydrogen-powered fuel cell or internal combustion vehicles, stationary power applications, backup power units, power grid management, power for remote locations, and portable power applications in consumer electronics, business machinery, and recreational equipment. Hydrogen dispensing stations will be needed for vehicle refueling, and smaller refill centers will be needed for portable devices such as computers, power tools, mobile communication devices, and other electronic equipment.
With the numerous hydrogen applications, warehouse distribution centers, airports, seaport docks, truck loading docks, offices, factories, shopping malls, sustainable towns and cities, and industrial environments will require a heterogeneous hydrogen supply environment. A wide range of power production devices, hydrogen storage technologies with different performance characteristics will be in use. In this complex environment, hydrogen will need to be supplied at different pressures, purities, and usage rates within the local environment. Hydrogen supply to several of these sites is further complicated because each of them has a unique usage pattern.
For example hydrogen fuel cells require a much higher purity hydrogen than internal combustion engines (ICEs) that run on hydrogen. Certain impurities, such as carbon monoxide in the hydrogen may poison a typical proton exchange membrane fuel cell but would have no negative impact on an ICE.
Hydrogen storage systems also have different hydrogen requirements. For example, metal hydrogen tanks store hydrogen typically at about 250 psia and have restrictions on impurities, for example less than 2 ppm carbon monoxide. Compressed gas storage tanks can store hydrogen up to about 10,000 psia and can accept higher levels of impurities.
Because the hydrogen volume requirements in these hydrogen applications will vary significantly and because the diverse hydrogen utilizers will be geographically dispersed, the logistics of hydrogen supply under normal conditions will be complex but manageable. Under abnormal conditions, however, hydrogen supply logistics may be especially complex and unpredictable. Abnormal conditions would occur, for example, when onsite hydrogen generators malfunction or are shut down for maintenance, or alternatively when local hydrogen demand temporarily exceeds local supply capability or storage capacity. There is a need to solve the problem of hydrogen management within the diverse heterogeneous hydrogen environment.
More specifically, there is a need for flexible and adaptable hydrogen supply methods to address these problems and supply hydrogen within a heterogeneous hydrogen environment and to address the interconnectivity of the various hydrogen utilizers within a heterogeneous hydrogen environment. Embodiments of the present invention, which are described below and defined by the claims that follow, address this need and offer flexible hydrogen supply alternatives for varied user requirements under both normal and abnormal demand conditions | {
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In a mobile wireless device, a wide band and high gain characteristics must be ensured by stabilizing an antenna current flowing through housings and circuit boards in accordance with the wavelength.
In a foldable mobile wireless device, antenna current flows in a coaxial cable and the like that electrically connects circuit boards provided inside two housings.
Since the coaxial cable and the like passes via a hinge for joining the two housings, it is difficult to ensure a large ground-contact area. This leads to a problem that the coaxial cable and the like functions as a coil at high frequencies. Furthermore, since the antenna current and its return current flow in the coil cable and the like, there is also a problem of reverse-phase cancellation of the antenna current.
To avoid such problems, as disclosed in Patent document 1, conductors connected to a reference potential section (ground) of each circuit board are provided at base ends of two housings (hinge vicinity), and antenna current is flowed through them by capacitance-coupling them at high frequency, thereby avoiding cancellation and the like of antenna current.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-54843 | {
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The processing of individual tasks of a control program in a cooperative mode means that, in response to differently prioritized tasks, a higher prioritized task to be executed leads to the interruption of a lower prioritized task being executed at the moment. Differently from preemptive mode, in which a higher prioritized task to be executed interrupts a process of a lower prioritized task being executed at the moment, in the cooperative mode, the higher prioritized task awaits the end of the process of the lower prioritized task being executed at the moment. Only then is the lower prioritized task interrupted, and the higher prioritized task is executed. When the higher prioritized task is completed, the lower prioritized task is continued at the process before which it was interrupted.
The processing of tasks of a control program in cooperative mode is known from German Published Patent Application No. 195 00 957. The interruption of a lower prioritized task by a higher prioritized task belongs to the objects of a multitasking operating system. Such a multitasking operating system, which supports the cooperative mode as well as the preemptive mode in the execution of control programs is, for example, the real time operating system ERCOSEK of the firm ETAS, Entwicklungs- und Applikationswerkzeuge für elektronische System (Development and Application Tools for Electronic Systems) GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, Germany, (cf ETAS GmbH & Co. KG: ERCOSEK V2.0.0 Manual, Stuttgart, 1998). Specific reference is made to German Published Patent Application No 195 00 957 and the ERCOSEK handbook.
The running time of the processes fluctuates according to the loading of the computing element. For this reason, and for reasons of the possible interruptions caused by other, higher prioritized tasks, the sequence of process calls can be different for multiple executions of one and the same control program. That means that, after the execution of the control program, the exact sequence of process calls is not known, and also cannot be reconstructed, for example, for simulation purposes.
Various methods are known for the simulation of a control program, or of parts thereof (algorithm). A subsequent simulation of an algorithm or of the control program, using measured data, is denoted as offline open loop simulation (OOL). A so-called offline closed loop simulation (OCL) concerns simulation of an algorithm or of the control program with a simulation model in a closed simulation loop. The lacking reproducibility of the sequence of the executed processes leads to considerable difficulties, in particular in the case of a subsequent simulation of the algorithm using measured data (OOL).
According to the related art, algorithms which are controlled by a multitasking operating system are usually simulated in an optimum state. That means that the individual tasks of the control program are called up in such a way that no interruption takes place.
In German Published Patent Application No. 195 00 957 it is mentioned that the simulation of a control program to be executed in the cooperative mode has advantages over the simulation of a program to be executed in the preemptive mode, since the time sequence of program execution and the effect of interruptions can be simulated.
That is possible without further consideration because the individual processes are not interrupted in the cooperative mode, and the number of variables describing the program, which variables are stored in a stack storage, is constant. Thereby, the interruptions between the processes can be very well simulated during the development phase, since the number of possibilities of an interruption is limited, and the interruptions are independent of the program sequence.
Because of the lack of reproducibility of the process sequence subsequently to an actual processing of a control program, all simulations, known from the related art, of algorithms of a control program to be processed in a cooperative or in a preemptive mode have the disadvantage that a simulation under real conditions is not possible. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The field of the present disclosure relates generally to ceramic matrix composites and, more specifically, to methods of assembling ceramic matrix composite components.
Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) are materials formed from a continuous reinforcing phase (i.e., ceramic and/or carbon fibers) embedded in a ceramic phase (i.e., a matrix material). CMC materials generally have more desirable physical properties over other known materials typically used in military and/or industrial technical applications, for example. Exemplary physical properties include, but are not limited to, high-temperature stability, high thermal-shock resistance, high hardness, high corrosion resistance, and nonmagnetic and nonconductive properties, as well as having a lighter weight than other known materials. CMC materials are often used, for example, in industrial electric equipment, aircraft, spacecraft, automobiles, electronic devices and equipment, and in components designed for use in high-temperature applications.
At least some known CMC components used in high-temperature applications include a plurality of cooling passages formed therein. More specifically, fluid such as pressurized air is channeled through the cooling passages to facilitate cooling the component during operation. One known method of forming cooling passages in CMC components includes forming a ceramic foam core and removing material therefrom to form the cooling passages. However, orienting the cooling passages may be undesirably limited by the mechanical means used to form the cooling passages. Another known method includes forming ceramic foam core panels and then machining channels into at least one of the panels prior to the panels being coupled together with an adhesive such that the formed passages extend between the coupled panels. However, applying adhesive to the channeled side of the panel may be a time-consuming and laborious task. Moreover, the amount of adhesive applied to the panels must be controlled to prevent blockage of the cooling passages by excess adhesive. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pattern correction apparatus, a pattern optimization apparatus, and an integrated circuit design apparatus for correcting, optimizing, and designing a pattern of an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a leap progress in LSI manufacturing techniques, an ultrafine process called deep submicron has been used. From a physical viewpoint, further miniaturization a process poses difficulty in designing a layout. Moreover, in relation to a signal delay (a gate delay or a trace delay), the influence of a trace delay becomes greater, and hence a contrivance to trace design is required.
In association with the shorter life of LSI products, yields of the LSI manufacturing technique must be enhanced immediately. For instance; in order to realize a design for simpler production, a commitment to a DFM (Design For Manufacturing) technique is sought. Improvements in design quality and reductions in fraction defective are sought not only in the field of LSIs for use in automobiles but also in the field of consumer-oriented or industrial LSIs.
What greatly affects a trace delay as a result of a reduction in the minimum pitch between wires associated with recent miniaturization is crosstalk. A principle approach for avoiding occurrence of crosstalk is a reduction in inter-trace capacitance and asynchronous switching among adjacent wires. A method for increasing a trace pitch is available for reducing inter-trace capacitance. For example, in connection with layout data acquired after detailed routing, a trace pitch disregarding trace grids is enlarged by use of an automatic layout tool.
Next, a finer design rule poses extreme difficulty in mask processing, which in turn raises a problem of deteriorated yields and a failure to manufacture an LSI at worst. These problems are attributable to a graphics pattern of a semiconductor mask being finer than the wavelength of light used for exposure. Further, at some locations, the problems are attributable to a layout relationship between wires and vias. For example, when denseness and nondenseness are present in the pattern, it may be the case where a pattern cannot be transferred accurately.
Although degeneration failure or open failure is detected by use of a test pattern, detecting all nodes is difficult to perform. There is the possibility of a short circuit or a break arising between traces as a result of minute dust or extraneous matters having adhering to nodes (undetected nodes) that cannot be detected by means of the test pattern, to thus cause product deficiency.
An example of the technique for creating a layout pattern which is intended for reducing the chance of occurrence of a cross talk in an LSI or enhancing yields is described in JP-A-2005-301799. Correction of a layout of a pattern of an integrated circuit will be described briefly by reference to FIG. 28.
As shown in FIG. 28, a method for correcting a pattern of an integrated circuit comprises selecting an arbitrary trace pattern by means of taking, as an input, pattern information (21-1) which is an aggregate of trace patterns (step 21-2); computing the degree of adjacent balance from inter-trace capacitance between a trace pattern R selected in step 21-2 and a trace pattern adjacent to the trace pattern R (step 21-3); and moving the position of an adjacent trace pattern in accordance with the degree of adjacent balance computed in step 21-3 (step 21-4).
According to the above method, an adjacent trace pattern is moved in accordance with the degree of adjacent balance determined from inter-trace capacitance developing between a selected trace pattern and an adjacent trace pattern, so that a trace pitch can be increased when compared with a trace pitch determined by the original trace pattern. Therefore, optimization of timing of an LSI chip and realization of a layout which diminishes crosstalk are possible, and yields can be enhanced. Patent Document 1: JP-A-2005-301799
However, under the previously described method for correcting a pattern of an integrated circuit, when a necessity for correcting a trace pattern after optimization of a trace pitch has arisen, it is difficult to correct a trace which is not present on any trace grid by use of an automatic routing tool. Even if correction of the trace is feasible, enormous time is consumed. Further, an evaluation function does not include vias, it may be the case where yields are reduced by means of denseness and nondenseness of the graphics pattern. In association with further miniaturization of a process in future, denseness and nondenseness of a graphics pattern pertaining to vias must also be taken into consideration.
Moreover, a fraction defective in the market (hereinafter called a “market fraction defective”) is computed from the rate of detection of degeneration failures acquired by use of a test pattern. However, in association with miniaturization of a process, a market fraction defective cannot be ascertained by means of a parameter including only the rate of detection of failures determined through use of a test pattern. Further, since graphic pattern information is not included in parameters used for computing a fraction defective, graphics pattern correction for diminishing a market fraction defective cannot be made. | {
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1. Technical Field
This invention relates to tobacco wrappers and, more particularly, to combined tobacco leaf-rolled wrappers and packaging for creating home-made cigarettes.
2. Prior Art
Cigarettes have been around for many centuries, but it wasn't until the 1800s that they gained their paper wrappers and came to some degree of acceptability. In France, especially with women, smoking cigarettes was considered the height of fashion. Ask any smoker today why they find so much pleasure in a cigarette and it is very likely that a plethora of reasons will be given. Whether inhaling the sweet tobacco calms the nerves during stressful times or simply holding a cylindrical smoke allows one to feel enveloped in an aura of cool, smoking provides much enjoyment to the many who indulge in this habit.
While cigarettes are very popular, quality smokes tend to be extremely expensive, especially for college students and financially-struggling young adults just entering the job market. Premium brands can cost, on the low end, between $5.00 and $8.00 per pack in some areas of the country. Seeking a way to enjoy a good cigarette without having to pay a fortune, young smokers often choose to just make their own. One solution is to purchase cheap, inferior paper, then wrap up their own chosen blends inside. While this method may be an effective way for cash-strapped individuals to create an affordable smoke, such a makeshift means can lack glamour and sophistication when image is just as important as taste. Obviously, it would be advantageous to provide users an affordable means to produce their own quality cigarettes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,471 to Fitzgerald discloses cigarettes that possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive materials, which can have the forms of liquid or paste formulations (e.g., aqueous formulations incorporating starch or modified starch), are applied to a continuous paper web on the cigarette making apparatus. The formulation is applied to the paper web using an application apparatus possessing rollers or a series of rollers. For example, additive material is applied to the roll face of a transfer roller due to roll interaction of that transfer roller with a pick-up roller; roll interaction of the transfer roller with an application roller causes transfer of the additive material from the transfer roller to the application roller; and additive material from the application roller is transferred to the paper web that passes between the application roller and a back-up roller. A radiant dryer is used to dry the additive material that has been applied to the paper web. The radiant dryer is located on one component of a two component assembly that is used to manufacture cigarettes. A first component of the two component assembly provides a source of paper web, applies additive material to that web in a pattern and dries the paper web; while a second component receives the paper web, supplies tobacco filler and manufactures a cigarette rod from the paper web and tobacco filler. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a method for allowing a user to wrap their own cigarettes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,652 to Fournier discloses a tobacco smoking article wrapper which selectively reduces the content of gaseous components in the smoke delivered during the use of the smoking article. The gaseous components can be low molecular weight aldehydes in the smoke produced during combustion/pyrolysis of the smoking article. The wrapper can comprise cigarette paper having an ammonium-containing compound filler therein for reducing the aldehyde content in the smoke. The ammonium-containing compound filler evolves ammonia upon combustion/pyrolysis of the smoking article which can chemically react with aldehydes in tobacco smoke and/or modify the combustion/pyrolysis reactions thereby reducing the initial formation of aldehydes to selectively reduce such aldehydes from the smoke inhaled by a smoker. The ammonium-containing compound can be magnesium ammonium phosphate used alone or in combination with one or more other fillers such as calcium carbonate. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a method for allowing a user to wrap their own cigarettes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,346 to Bushby discloses a smoking article comprising a wrapper enwrapping a tobacco smoking material. The wrapper comprising a ceramic material and is capable of mechanically trapping mainly aqueous particulate phase materials in the sidestream smoke, thereby reducing sidestream smoke deliveries considerably despite the use of the wrapper with conventional tobacco materials. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not provide a method for allowing a user to wrap their own cigarettes.
Accordingly, the present invention is disclosed in order to overcome the above noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, and designed for creating home-made cigarettes. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Peer to peer communication, and in fact all types of communication, depend on the possibility to establish connections between selected entities. Entities may have one or several addresses. Indeed, these addresses often vary as the entities move in the network, because the topology changes, or because a lease cannot be renewed. A classic architectural solution to this addressing problem is thus to assign to each entity a stable name, and to “resolve” this name when a connection is needed. This name to address translation must be very robust, and it must also allow for easy and fast updates.
There are two classic types of name services, to wit, those based on the multicast, and those based on centralized servers. Recently, the pure peer-to-peer networks Gnutella and Freenet have tried to perform the naming function using distributed algorithms. Unfortunately, all of these algorithms have limitations, which limit their ability to provide a universal solution in networks approaching the size of the Internet.
In the multicast architecture, the requests are sent to a multicast address to which all the stations in the group listen. The target recognizes its name, and responds. Examples of such services are SLP and SSDP. Unfortunately, multicast services involve a high networking overhead, since the network must transmit many copies of any request. Additionally, they also involve a high computing overhead, since all the members of the group will receive and process all queries, only to discard those in which they don't recognize their own name. Because of these overheads, the multicast architecture is typically only used in very small networks that contain a limited number of nodes and a small number of links. In order to scale, the multicast protocols often include a provision for the insertion of centralized servers, and a transition to a centralized mode when a server is present.
In such a centralized architecture, the requests are processed by a centralized server whose database contains the mapping between names and addresses. The domain name service (DNS) used today in the Internet combines a centralized root with a network of servers, organized to solve hierarchical names. Unfortunately, centralized and semi-centralized services have proven to have several kinds of weaknesses. First, because all trust relies on the central server, updating information requires strong controls. In practice, centralized servers have difficulties coping with the load, and can only work if a large fraction of the queries are solved by means of caches. Old copies of the name to address resolutions linger in these caches, however, which makes fast updates difficult. Further, the centralized server is a point of political, legal and commercial control. These controls can interfere with the reliability of the service. One may be tempted to dismiss these weaknesses as mere scaling issues, but it is very clear that they derive directly from the use of centralized services.
In Gnutella, the database is fractioned into a large number of components. A global search is performed by executing parallel searches on a copy of each component and merging the results. This form of spreading trades memory, the footprint of the database on each node, for messages and computation. If the database is partitioned in P components, for example, then each request will request at least P messages and fill trigger searches in at least P nodes. If the dataset is limited in size, then the number of components P is entirely a function of the relation between the size of the dataset and the maximum size S that a given node can store. In that case, the system scales if the number P of components is basically a constant. However, as the number N of nodes increases, the number of copies of a given component grows as 0(N/P), which is equivalent to 0(N). As such, the number of searches grows as the number of nodes, 0(N). Therefore, the number of searches that a given copy of a component must process scales as the number of searches divided by the number of copies. As both numbers grow linearly with N, the number of searches per copy remains constant.
Unfortunately, in a name server application both the size of the database and the number of searches grow linearly with N, the number of members. This presents a scaling problem. Specifically, there will be 0(N/P) copies of any components, and 0(N) searches per unit of time. As such, each node will have to send 0(P) message per search. Since each component will be searched 0(N) time, each copy will be searched (0(N)/0(N/P))=0(P) times. If there is a maximum size S for a given component, limited by the available memory, then P must grow as 0(N/S). If we assume that S is constant, then P must grow as 0(N). Thus, the number of searches that each node processes and the number of messages that each node sends and receives will both grow as 0(N). In short, if the dataset grows as the number of nodes, then a simple partitioning strategy cannot be sustained. In fact, a surge in demand during the NAPSTER trial caused the system to collapse. Later, the surge in demand caused the average traffic to exceed the capacity of modem links, which in turn caused the Gnutella system to splinter in a set of disconnected networks.
Freenet is a “peer to peer” network that organizes itself with an organic algorithm. The purpose of the network is to distribute documents, identified by a binary identifier. A search for a document will result in a request, propagated to a neighbor of the requesting node as illustrated in FIG. 8. If this neighbor does not have a copy of the document, it forwards the request to another neighbor, and so on. If the document is found, each node in the path, in turn, gets a copy, until finally a copy arrives at the initial requester. Also, there are cases in which no copy will be found, and the search will fail. Nodes that forward searches do not select a neighbor entirely at random. They compare the document's identifier to other identifiers that where previously served by the neighbors and stored in their routing table. Information stored includes a unique number, the address, and a certificate for these neighbors. The node then selects the “closest” neighbor which previously served documents whose identifiers were most similar to the searched identifier. According to the authors of this algorithm, nodes that receive successive requests for similar documents will accumulate a “cluster” of such documents. As such, the most popular documents will tend to be copied near the place where they are needed.
Freenet nodes maintain a “routing table” that associates document identifiers and the identification of neighbors from which a document was received. The routing tables are updated as a by-product of the retrieval process, i.e. when a request is successful, each node in the path enters in the table an entry linking the document identifier and the neighbor node from which the document was received. In a real life environment, there are limits to the practical size of the routing table. Once the limit is reached, nodes will have to select the entries that they intend to keep, or drop. When the limit is reached, a new input will replace the least recently used entry.
When a document is sought, the node looks up the nearest key in its routing table to the key requested and forwards the request to the corresponding node. In Freenet, the key is a 160-bit number. The routing table to find the best suited neighbor. If this neighbor is already listed in the path, the next one is selected, etc. If the search in the routing table is inconclusive, and if there are neighbors that were not already visited, one of these neighbors will be selected. If there is no available neighbor, the request is sent back to the previous node in the path, which can then try a better fit. If the request has rolled back all the way to the sender and there is no new neighbor, or if the maximum number of hops has been exceeded, a failure is declared.
The use of the Freenet algorithm to provide name service in networks containing, in first approximation, exactly one name per node in an environment in which each node publishes exactly one document illustrates the learning effect and its limitations. For example, the learning process is quite slow. Indeed, the learning effect varies widely based on several factors. First, the shape of the graph influences this process. A graph that is more connected yields better results. The number of hops allowed for a given request also plays a substantial role in the learning process. If that number is too small, the results are dramatically worse. The size of the cache in each node is a factor as is the size of the network.
The success rates achieved through the use of the Freenet algorithm vary for various network sizes, after allowing time for network learning. If the average number of neighbors per node is assumed to be 5, the requests are allowed to visit up to 256 nodes, and each node is able to cache up to 512 entries, the effect of the network size becomes quite dramatic. Past a certain size, the learning process stops working all together. On a 10,000 node network, for example, the success rate drops to about 40%. In short, the Freenet algorithm does not scale well.
There exists, therefore, a need in the art for a naming protocol, to the scale of the Internet, which can define the management of at least 10 billion name-to-address mappings. A preferred solution should be fully decentralized, self-tuning and efficient. It should also provide a high level of security. However, as the above discussion makes clear, none of the existing technologies provides such a protocol. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to measuring and control of fluid flow, particularly at low fluid flow rates. More particularly, the present invention permits such measurement and control of fluid flow with a flow sensor which is accurate at fluid flow rates as low as 4-5 milliliters per minute and as high as 100 milliliters per minute.
2. Description of the Related Art
Measurement of the flow or flow rate of a fluid in a conduit, particularly, at very low fluid flow rates, has been a problem if attempted using conventional flow sensors. At very low flow many fluid sensors do not operate properly. For example, velocity flow meters such as turbine wheel flow sensors cease to operate due to there being insufficient energy in the fluid to rotate the wheel. Differential pressure flow sensors can at times operate at low flows, but the smaller flow orifices required for low flows have been prone to obstruction if there were suspended particles in the fluid. Also, pressure drops across the orifices could be significant.
Other related specialized flow sensing techniques are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,542,302; 5,728,949; and 7,051,757 which disclose the use of infrared light from an optical flow measurement circuit that passes through spaced holes in the rotating turbine wheel.
Although these prior flow sensing techniques patents address some of the problems of measuring and controlling flow rate of a fluid in a conduit, so far as is known, these prior flow sensing techniques are not capable of satisfactorily measuring or controlling fluid flow rate at rates less than approximately 10 milliliters per minute. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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A flash memory device is a non-volatile memory device, which may be referred to as a Flash Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM or E2PROM). Nonvolatile memories are able to store data, even with power turned off. Memory cell arrays of flash memory devices (e.g., a NAND-type flash memory device) may be divided into a plurality of blocks, and each of the blocks may be constructed with a plurality of pages. In addition, each of the pages may be constructed with a plurality of memory cells sharing one word line. In general, each block may include 16, 32, or 64 pages, and each page may include 512 Bytes or 2048 Bytes of memory cells.
A flash memory cell may be defective as a result of a fabrication defect, or a flash memory cell may become defective during operation. A block including one or more defective memory cells may be referred to as “Bad Block”. If a number of bad blocks in a flash memory device exceeds a regulatory standard (e.g, more than 5), the flash memory device may be regarded as being defective.
However, a flash memory device including a number of bad blocks less than the regulatory standard may be capable of operating with the bad block(s). Using a copy-back operation, for example, data stored at any first page is stored at another page different from the first page. In this case, the first page may exist in a bad block and store valid data. The second page may exist in a block without defects.
If a bad block occurs, valid data stored at the bad block may be temporarily stored in a buffer memory (e.g., a DRAM or SRAM) by a page unit, and then written in another block of the defective flash memory. Since this copy-back operation reads data by a page unit and writes the read data again, it may have an undesirably long duration. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of Invention
The present invention is in a field related to application of electricity transmission technology of an electric power system. And more particularly, the present invention relates to a method for vertically grounding and leading down form a center of a composite pole tower and pole tower thereof.
2. Description of Related Arts
Pole towers are important instruments in an electric transmission line. The property of material of pole powers has a direct influence on safety, economy, and reliability of operation of the electric transmission line. Since raw steel material has a high intensity and good weight ratio, pole powers of high voltage electric transmission line at home and abroad are mostly made of raw steel material. However, pole powers of raw steel material also have disadvantages such as being massive (density of the raw steel material is high) and easy to corrupt. And thus a lot of manpower and materials are required for construction, transport and maintenance of the pole towers. With the development of the composite materials, advantages such as light weight, high intensity, corrosion-resistant, bearable in high temperature and low temperature, durable, and good insulating property have been found in composite materials. Therefore, poles powers of composite material, which have advantages such as low cost of transporting (especially in a sparsely populated area), antifouling, corrosion-resistant and the like, have good utilization prospects. It should be noted that pole towers of composite material have already been widely used in some areas in Canada and America.
However, lightning protection is not an issue when the pole towers of composite material are used in Canada and America. The mainly reason is that these areas using pole towers of composite material do not suffered a lot from lightning (For these areas in Canada and America have long winters, and lightning days are very few). Furthermore, the electric transmission lines are of low voltage which is mostly lower than 110 kv and do not required grounding. In addition, influence of lightning on the system is not vital because the voltage is relatively low.
Recently, pole towers in China are made of reinforced concrete, wood or raw steel (a pole tower in the rank of high voltage which is more than 110 kv often is made of raw steel). Because of the outstanding property of composite material, many regions in China also begins to use composite material (for pole towers in the rank of high voltage which are more than 110 kv). However, in these regions of China, issues such as much efforts have been put on building the transmission corridor, lightning takes place frequently, and contamination should be concerned, so that when the pole towers of composite material are employed to these regions, focus should be put on reducing a width of the transmission corridor (reduce the maximum distance between the leads of the transmission line), avoiding damage by lightning (reduce the possibility of destroy by lightning), and preventing contamination (reduce the possibility of running out of order because of pollution flashover by increasing a climbing distance of the pollution flashover).
In order to prevent the pole towers from damage by lightning, ground wires should be installed to the transmission line (the pole towers in Canada and America have not been provided with ground wires because it is not a issue in these regions of these countries). The pole towers of composite material should be grounded to release lightning energy of the ground wires (lightning conductor) or tower peak during lightning so as to increase ability lightning protection of the pole towers.
Therefore, in a region in which lightning takes place frequently, grounding should be carefully taken in consideration when pole towers of composite material are applied in use (since the body itself of a steel pole tower is a metal conductor, ground wires are directly electrically connected to the earth through the body of the pole tower, so that grounding is not an issue for a steel pole tower). There are several kinds of grounding and leading-down methods which directly have influence on performance of lightning protection, reducing the width of the transmission line and contamination prevention, so that methods of grounding and leading-down are important and key issues that should be solved when the pole towers of composite material are in application. | {
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Decorative capped wheel nuts and bolts are well-known in the automotive art. A decorative capped wheel nut, for example, conventionally comprises a nut insert and a decorative cap which is fastened to the insert by welding, crimping or with an adhesive. Examples of these constructions are illustrated in various prior art patents, including the Toth U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,773, the Bydalek U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,377, the Chaivre U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,133, and 4,056,862, the Baltzell U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,070 and the Somers et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,420, for example. It is also known to form threads in a cap and in a lug nut and thread the cap onto the nut. See the Nolan et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,266 in this regard.
All methods described in the prior art require relatively complex structures, assembly procedures and/or additional components. Assemblies produced by welding require expensive and sophisticated equipment for practical implementation of production. Practical options for plating the inserts are limited where welding is employed, placing welded designs at a disadvantage for achieving high corrosion resistance. Crimped designs require the addition of components, i.e., a sealant or o-ring, which complicates automated assembly. The use of adhesives causes similar problems. Because of the nature of the welding processes, or the introduction of extra components, production rates for these assembly processes are low. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus adapted to detect amount of remaining toner.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrostatic capacitance detection method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-44184 and a light transmission method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-131936 are used as mechanisms for detecting amount of toner remaining in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Detection of remaining amount of toner according to the electrostatic capacitance detection method is used as a technique ideal for application primarily to an image forming apparatus having an AC bias power supply for non-contact development, such as a monochrome image forming apparatus. Detection of remaining amount of toner according to the light transmission method is used as a technique ideal for application primarily to an image forming apparatus, such as a color image forming apparatus, which performs contact development of non-magnetic toner by DC bias and which does not have an AC bias power supply for development.
FIG. 16 illustrates the configuration of an image forming apparatus as one example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 16, a charging roller 2 serving as charging means uniformly charges the surface of a photosensitive drum 1 serving as an image carrier. An exposure unit 3 then subjects the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 to exposure scanning based upon image information, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image. Next, the electrostatic latent image is visualized by toner (developer) contained in a developing unit 4, whereby a toner image, i.e., developer image, is formed on the photosensitive drum 1. Printing paper 16 contained in a paper-feed cassette 8 is fed into the image forming apparatus by a feed roller 9 and the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred onto the printing paper 16 by a transfer roller 11 serving as transfer means. The unfixed toner image on the printing paper 16 is fixed on the printing paper 16 by a fixing unit 12 using heat and pressure.
FIG. 17 illustrates the configuration of a developing unit as one example of the developing unit 4 used in the image forming apparatus. In the developing unit 4 shown in FIG. 17, toner 20 is stored in a toner container 100 serving as a toner accommodating unit. By rotating a stirring bar 103, the toner 20 is conveyed to the opening of the toner container 100 located at a developing position where the developing unit 4 and photosensitive drum 1 oppose each other. The opening of the toner container 100 has a developing roller 101, which serves as a developer carrier, for supplying the toner 20 to the electrostatic latent image that has been formed on the photosensitive drum 1. The toner 20 is supplied to the developing roller 101, and toner 20 that has not contributed to development of the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 and has been returned to the developing unit 4 is scraped off the developing roller 101 by an RS roller 102, which is placed in contact with the developing roller 101. The developing unit 4 is constructed as a process cartridge removably installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus and is in wide use. Since the image formation described above is carried out using the toner 20, it becomes necessary to prompt the user to replenish the toner 20 when only a small amount of toner is left. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus has a mechanism for detecting remaining amount of toner. This mechanism detects the amount of toner 20 remaining inside the process cartridge, i.e., inside the developing unit 4. A mechanism and method for detecting remaining amount of toner based upon two methods, namely electrostatic capacitance detection and light transmission, will be described below.
FIG. 18 illustrates the configuration of a mechanism for detecting remaining amount of toner based upon electrostatic capacitance detection. An antenna 104 in FIG. 18 is an electrode for detecting remaining amount of toner and is disposed in parallel with the developing roller 101 and spaced a prescribed distance away from the roller. The antenna 104 possesses electrostatic capacitance between itself and the developing roller 101. As the toner 20 inside the toner container 100 is consumed, the toner between the developing roller 101 and antenna 104 decreases. As a result, the dielectric constant between the developing roller 101 and antenna 104 decreases and so does the electrostatic capacitance. By sensing the change in electrostatic capacitance, the amount of toner 20 remaining in the toner container 100 can be detected. In other words, when a prescribed AC voltage is applied to the developing roller 101 by an AC developing high-voltage power supply 105, an AC current value Il conforming to the electrostatic capacitance of an equivalent capacitor 106 formed between the developing roller 101 and antenna 104 is obtained. The AC current value Il is proportional to the product of the frequency and amplitude of the AC developing high-voltage power supply 105 and electrostatic capacitance of the equivalent capacitor 106. The AC current value Il is rectified by a rectifying circuit constructed by diodes 201, 202, resistor 203 and capacitor 204, converted to a voltage value V1 and input to the inverting input terminal of a comparator 108. Similarly, when a prescribed AC voltage is applied to a reference capacitor 107 by the AC developing high-voltage power supply 105, an AC current value 12 conforming to the electrostatic capacitance of the reference capacitor 107 is obtained. The AC current value I2 is rectified by a rectifying circuit constructed by diodes 205, 206, resistor 207 and capacitor 208, converted to a reference voltage value V2 for detecting remaining amount of toner and input to a non-inverting input terminal of the comparator 108. The result of comparison by the comparator 108, i.e., a detection result 110 conforming to the remaining amount of toner, is sent to a controller (not shown) within the image forming apparatus. Based upon the detection result 110, whether the amount of toner 20 remaining inside the toner container 100 is less than a prescribed amount of toner can be detected.
Further, FIG. 19 illustrates the configuration of a mechanism in which the comparison circuit based upon the comparator 108 of FIG. 18 is replaced by an integrating circuit formed by an operational amplifier 109, resistors 209, 210 and capacitor 211. Here the error between the voltages V1, V2 applied to inverting and non-inverting input terminals of the operational amplifier 109 is amplified and detected as the detection result 110. That is, the amount of toner remaining inside the toner container 100 can be detected successively as an analog quantity (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-44184).
FIG. 20 illustrates the configuration of a mechanism for detecting remaining amount of toner based upon the light transmission method. As shown in FIG. 20, the toner container 100 is provided with transparent windows 401, 402 through which light is transmitted. A photodiode 403 serving as a light-emitting member is provided. A phototransistor 404 serving as a light-receiving member is placed at a position where it will intercept light that has passed through the windows 401, 402 when the light is emitted from the photodiode 403. That is, an optical circuit is formed in such a manner that light emitted from the photodiode 403 passes through the interior of the toner container 100 and is received at the phototransistor 404 situated opposite the photodiode 403. As the toner 20 inside the toner container 100 is consumed, the time it takes for the optical circuit to be formed when the toner is stirred inside the toner container 100 by rotating the stirring bar 103, i.e., the time it takes for light to be transmitted, lengthens. The amount of toner 20 remaining inside the toner container 100 can be detected by sensing a change in the light transmission time. In other words, when light emitted from the photodiode 403 has been sensed, the time it takes for a pulsed voltage waveform that is output from the phototransistor 404 to exceed a preset value is sensed. By sending the sensed time to a controller (not shown), it is possible to sense whether the amount of toner 20 remaining inside the toner container 100 has fallen below a prescribed amount or to sense the remaining amount of toner 20 inside the toner container 100 successively as an analog value (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-131936).
Thus, detection of the amount of remaining toner by the electrostatic capacitance detection method is used as a technique ideal for application to a monochrome image forming apparatus having an AC bias power supply for development. Further, the detection of amount of remaining toner by the light transmission method is ideal as a technique for application to a color image forming apparatus that does not use an AC bias power supply for development.
Recently, a developing unit 4 from which the stirring bar 103 has been removed from within the toner container 100 has been proposed for the purpose of reducing the size, weight and cost of the developing unit 4, as illustrated in FIG. 21. However, since the developing unit 4 does not have means for stirring the toner 20 inside the toner container 100, it is difficult to employ the light transmission method in order to detect the remaining amount of toner. In this developing unit 4, therefore, the selection made is detection of remaining amount of toner by the electrostatic capacitance detection method that senses a change in the electrostatic capacitance of the equivalent capacitor 106 formed between the developing roller 101 and RS roller 102.
It should be noted that the RS roller 102 is a member for removing toner from and supplying it to the developing roller 101. In this case, it is required that a color image forming apparatus be provided anew with a special-purpose AC power supply 111 for applying AC voltage to either the developing roller 101 or RS roller 102 only at the time of detection of remaining amount of toner in order to detect the remaining amount of toner by the electrostatic capacitance detection method. Providing the AC power supply 111 raises the cost of the image forming apparatus proper and is a factor that impedes a reduction in the cost of the developing unit 4. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Numerous microorganisms, for example, those of the genera Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium, Microbacterium, Protaminobacter, Bacillus, Norcardia, Streptomyces, and especially Mycobacterium, are capable of degrading zoosterols and phytosterols to carbon dioxide and water. During the degradation, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione are formed as intermediates.
The degradation of the sterols to avoid further degradation of the thus-formed 4-androstene-3,17-dione or 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione is accomplished by using inhibiting additives or mutated microorganisms. See DOS's (German Unexamined Laid-Open Applications) 1,543,269 and 1,593,327, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,657. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In recent years endovascular implantable devices have been developed for treatment of aortic aneurysms. These devices are delivered to the treatment site through the vascular system of the patient rather than by open surgery. The devices include a tubular or cylindrical framework or scaffolding of one or more stents to which is secured a tubular shape of graft material such as woven Dacron, polyester polytetrafluoroethylene or the like. The devices are initially reduced to a small diameter, placed into the leading or proximal end of a catheter delivery system whereafter the delivery system is inserted into the vascular system of the patient such as through a femoral incision. The leading end of the delivery system is manoeuvred to the treatment site over a previously positioned guide wire. Through manipulation of a control system that extends to the proximal end of the catheter from the distal end of the system outside the patient, the implantable device is deployed by holding the device at its location and withdrawing a surrounding sheath. The implantable device or stent graft can then self expand or be expanded through the use of a balloon which is introduced with a stent graft introduction device. The stent graft becomes anchored into position in healthy wall tissue of the aorta, by barbs for example. The delivery system is then removed leaving the inflatable device in position to reverse an aneurysm in the aorta in a manner that channels all blood flow through the stent graft so that no blood flow enters the aneurysm. As a result, not only does the aneurysm no longer continue to grow and possibly rupture but the aneurysm actually begins to shrink and commonly disappears entirely.
For treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms in particular it is necessary to introduce the implantable device high up in the aorta and in a region of the aorta which is curved and where there can be strong blood flow.
In the thoracic aorta there are major branch vessels, the brachiocephalic, the left carotid and the left subclavian. For treatment of an aneurysm in the region of the thoracic arch provision must be made for blood supply to continue to these arteries. For this purpose fenestrations are provided into the wall of a stent graft in that region. Access is generally obtained to these fenestrations, to deploy side arms into the stent graft, via the left or right brachial arteries or less commonly via the left or right carotid arteries. Once into the thoracic arch via such an artery the fenestration in the stent graft must be catheterised. To simplify this, it is desirable to have some working space in the outer side of the thoracic arch which is the region that the branch vessels enter the arch.
It is the object of this invention to provide an arrangement of stent graft to overcome the above problem or to at least provide the practitioner with a useful alternative.
Throughout this specification the term distal with respect to a portion of the aorta, a deployment device or a prosthesis such as a stent graft is intended to mean the end of the aorta, deployment device or prosthesis such as a stent graft further away in the direction of blood flow from the heart and the term proximal is intended to mean the portion of the aorta, deployment device or end of the prosthesis nearer to the heart. For other lumens within the human or animal body the terms caudal and cranial respectively should be understood.
Throughout this discussion the term “stent graft” is intended to mean a device which has a tubular body of biocompatible graft material and at least one stent fastened to the tubular body to define a lumen through the stent graft. The stent graft may be bifurcated and have fenestrations, side arms or the like. Other arrangements of stent grafts are also within the scope of the invention. | {
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The present invention generally relates to methods of producing semiconductor-on-insulator structures and semiconductor devices having the semiconductor-on-insulator structure, and more particularly to a method of producing a semiconductor-on-insulator structure such as a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure and a semiconductor device having such a semiconductor-on-insulator structure.
The SOI technology was proposed as a method of forming an insulator layer between two single crystal semiconductor layers for the purpose of producing high-speed elements and semiconductor devices which are uneasily affected by alpha-rays. As methods of producing the SOI structure, there are the silicon on sapphire (SOS) technique, the laser melt technique, the wafer bonding technique and the like. However, according to the SOS technique and the laser melt technique, it is difficult to form a perfect single crystal layer on the insulator layer. For this reason, there is much attention on the wafer bonding technique.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining a conventional bonding technique. As shown in FIG. 1A, the surface of one of a base substrate 40 and an active substrate 41 is covered by a silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) layer 42. In this example, the SiO.sub.2 layer 42 covers the base substrate 40. The active substrate 41 is bonded on the base substrate 40 having the SiO.sub.2 layer 42 as indicated by an arrow. Thereafter, the active substrate 41 is subjected to lapping and polishing processes so as to remove a portion of the active substrate 41 indicated by a phantom line in FIG. 1B. As a result, the remaining active substrate 41 on the SiO.sub.2 layer 42 of the base substrate 40 has a thickness of approximately 5 microns.
When using the SOI structure shown in FIG. 1B to make a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), a gate electrode g of the MOSFET is formed on the base substrate 40 via an insulator layer 43 as shown in FIG. 2. Then, two n-type regions are formed in the active substrate 41 to form a source s and a drain d of the MOSFET.
But molecules which lack oxygen such as SiO and Si.sub.2 O.sub.3 molecules exist within the SiO.sub.2 layer 42 which is provided between the base substrate 40 and the active substrate 41. For this reason, a positive interface state occurs at the SiO.sub.2 interface, and an inversion and a depletion state easily occur at the interface on the side of the active substrate 41. When such inversion and depletion state occur, an electron transition naturally occurs between the source s and the drain d of the MOSFET and causes an erroneous operation of the MOSFET.
In order to prevent the above described erroneous operation of the MOSFET, it is necessary to prevent the inversion and depletion state from occurring in the SiO.sub.2 layer 42.
FIG. 3 shows one conventional method of preventing the inversion and depletion state from occurring in the SiO.sub.2 layer 42. In FIG. 3, a negative voltage is applied to the base substrate 40 from a voltage source 44.
FIG. 4 shows another conventional method of preventing the inversion and depletion state from occurring in the SiO.sub.2 layer 42. In FIG. 4, a p-type impurity a such as boron (B) is injected into the interface on the side of the active substrate 41, so as to prevent the generation of negative charges in the active substrate 41.
However, according to the method shown in FIG. 3, there is a problem in that a control device for controlling the semiconductor device becomes bulky and complex because of the need to add the voltage source 44 for applying the negative voltage to the base substrate 40. For example, in the case of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, there is a need to provide two bias voltages for the p-channel n-channel transistors.
On the other hand, according to the method shown in FIG. 4, there is a problem in that it is difficult to adjust a threshold voltage of the MOSFET due to the injected impurity ions. In addition, there is also a problem in that the p-type impurity a diffuses into the active substrate 41 and varies the threshold voltage of the gate g when a thermal process is carried out to form elements on the active substrate 41. Hence, it is virtually impossible to make an active substrate which is sufficiently thin and does not contain the diffused p-type impurity a.
In order to eliminate the above described problems, a bonding method was proposed in a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-186612. According to this proposed method, the SOI structure is formed as shown in FIGS. 5A through 5E. The surface of an active substrate 51 is covered by a SiO.sub.2 layer 53 as shown in FIG. 5A. On the other hand, the surface of a base substrate 61 is covered by a SiO.sub.2 layer 63 as shown in FIG. 5B. The thickness of the SiO.sub.2 layer 63 is greater than that of the SiO.sub.2 layer 53. A negative fixed charge nfc is formed in the SiO.sub.2 layer 53 by injecting aluminum (Al) ions or the like as shown in FIG. 5C. Then, as shown in FIG. 5D, the active substrate 51 and the base substrate 61 are bonded together so that the SiO.sub.2 layer 63 of the base substrate 61 makes contact with the SiO.sub.2 layer 53 which has the negative fixed charge nfc. As a result, the positive charge within the SiO.sub.2 layer 53 is eliminated. The structure shown in FIG. 5D is then formed into the structure shown in FIG. 5E by polishing the top portion of the active substrate 51.
But according to this proposed method, the SiO.sub.2 layer 53 is formed on the active substrate 51 by a thermal oxidation, and the formed SiO.sub.2 layer 53 only has a thickness in the range of 0.4 micron to 1.0 micron. For this reason, when the Al ions are injected into the SiO.sub.2 layer 53 at a high energy, the Al ions easily penetrate the SiO.sub.2 layer 53 and reach the active substrate 51. When the Al ions are injected into the active substrate 51, there are problems in that the characteristics of elements such as transistors formed on the active substrate 51 change and the performance of the semiconductor device becomes poor. These problems become notable especially when the active substrate 51 is made thin since a large portion of the active substrate 51 is damaged by the Al ions which penetrated the SiO.sub.2 layer 53.
In order to prevent the Al ions from penetrating the SiO.sub.2 layer 53, it is possible to consider reducing the energy at which the Al ions are injected. To prevent the penetration of the Al ions, the energy must be reduced to 10 keV or less, but at such a small energy the injection coefficient becomes greatly reduced and it becomes difficult to adjust the ion injection quantity. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Controllers play a vital role in allocating computer resources. Thus, controllers often are in a central location, and affect the operation of many program strands. Particularly in larger storage controllers, a failure by the controller can lead to large problems in debugging to prevent further problems.
In a CPU-centric world, applications run in LPARs (z/OS) or hosts (Open). These applications can create either single or multiple jobs which are then used to process I/O to and from storage controllers. There are instances where a job can create an error condition on the storage controller which can then affect all jobs and CPUs accessing that controller. In these cases, it would be advantageous if the particular job could be analyzed to see how it contributed to the creation of the error condition on the storage controller (e.g. malformed command syntax, out of sequence commands, etc). However, in the case where a host or LPAR is running multiple jobs simultaneously, it is not always possible for the “offending” job to be identified from data either on the CPU or the storage controller. While current art allows for the creation and logging of job logs on the CPU, unless the error on the storage controller causes a specific job to fail, it is not possible to identify, from the complete list of jobs, which one created the error condition on the storage controller. It is quite common that even when the storage controller data can point to a particular CPU channel path, IT personnel can not say what jobs are running on that path. Without such ability, debugging and determining the source of the problem can be quite time consuming and expensive, as well as frustrating.
It is therefore a challenge to develop strategies for advancing the art to overcome these, and other, disadvantages. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Object identity and equality are important concepts in computer programming. Every programming language must provide some method for determining the identity of an object and for determining whether two objects are equal.
In relational databases, object identity is encoded via the notion of primary keys. Two rows are considered the same if their primary keys are equal. This assumes, of course, that recursively that question can be answered.
In contrast, in imperative and object-oriented languages, object instances are ultimately identified by their address in memory, which represents their “identity.” For example, in the following segment of Visual Basic code, both variables X and Y refer to the same object in memory and therefore have the same “reference identity” (in Visual Basic, a test for reference identity may be performed using “Is”): Dim X=New Person With {.Name=“Paul”} Dim Y=X Assert(X Is Y) Y.Name=“Amanda” Assert(X.Name=“Amanda”)Because X and Y have the same reference identity, a change to the Name property via variable Y is visible when accessing the Name property via variable X.
In many situations, it is useful to provide a second notion of equality for objects that is based on the value of objects as opposed to their location in memory. For instance, the variable P and Q below point to two different Person instances: Dim P=New Person With {.Name=“Tim”} Dim Q=New Person With {.Name=“Tim”} Assert(P=Q) Assert(P IsNot Q)However, a software developer may wish to consider two Person instances to be the same whenever the .Name properties associated with those instances are the same, so in this case, the programmer may want to assert that P is the same as Q using the =operator.
In some programming languages, programmers can redefine equality on their objects. For example, Microsoft® .NET™ programming languages allow programmers to redefine equality on their objects by overriding the following two virtual methods on the Object class which is at the root of the type hierarchy:
Public Overridable Function Equals (obj As Object) As Boolean
Public Overridable Function GetHashCode( ) As Integer
Other languages/runtimes provide similar protocols. The standard contract in the .NET framework for the Equals and GetHashCode functions is that they satisfy the following rather intricate properties:
(1) x.Equals(x) returns true, except in cases that involve floating-point types;
(2) x.Equals(y) returns the same value as y.Equals(x);
(3) x.Equals(y) returns true if both x and y are NaN;
(4) (x.Equals(y) && y.Equals(z)) returns true if and only if x.Equals(z) returns true;
(5) Successive calls to x.Equals(y) return the same value as long as the objects referenced by x and y are not modified;
(6) x.Equals(a null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic)) returns false;
(7) If two objects compare as equal, the GetHashCode method for each object must return the same value. However, if two objects do not compare as equal, the GetHashCode methods for the two object do not have to return different values;
(8) The GetHashCode method for an object must consistently return the same hash code as long as there is no modification to the object state that determines the return value of the object's Equals method. Note that this is true only for the current execution of an application, and that a different hash code can be returned if the application is run again. For the best performance, a hash function must generate a random distribution for all input.
However, overriding Equals and GetHashCode in this manner is not always possible, typically involves incorporating a substantial amount of boiler plate code, and provides ample opportunity for introducing bugs. Furthermore, programming languages that utilize such object contracts do not typically provide any method of collapsing the notions of equality and identity outside of modifying the execution engine itself. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Cartilage is an avascular tissue of which chondrocytes are the main cellular component. The chondrocytes in normal articular cartilage occupy approximately 5% of the tissue volume, while the extra-cellular matrix makes up the remaining 95% of the tissue. The chondrocytes secrete the components of the matrix, mainly proteoglycans and collagens, which in turn supply the chondrocytes with an environment suitable for their survival under mechanical stress. In cartilage, collagen type II, together with the protein collagen type IX, is arranged in solid fibril-like structures which provide cartilage with great mechanical strength. The proteoglycans can absorb water and are responsible for the resilient and shock absorbing properties of the cartilage.
One of the functional roles of cartilage in the joint is to allow bones to articulate on each other smoothly. Loss of articular cartilage, therefore, causes the bones to rub against each other leading to pain and loss of mobility. The degradation of cartilage can have various causes. In inflammatory arthritides, as rheumatoid arthritis for example, cartilage degradation is caused by the secretion of proteases (e.g. collagenases) by inflamed tissues (the inflamed synovium for example). Cartilage degradation can also be the result of an injury of the cartilage, due to an accident or surgery, or exaggerated loading or ‘wear and tear’. Cartilage degradation may also be the result of an imbalance in cartilage synthesizing (anabolic) and cartilage degrading (catabolic) processes. The ability of cartilage tissue to regenerate after such insults is limited. Chondrocytes in injured cartilage often display reduced anabolic activity and/or increased catabolic activity. The limited ability of cartilage to self-repair after injury, disease, or surgery is a major limiting factor in rehabilitation of degrading joint surfaces and injury to meniscal cartilage.
The degeneration of cartilage is the hallmark of various diseases, among which rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the most prominent.
Osteoarthritis (also referred to as OA, or wear-and-tear arthritis) is the most common form of arthritis and is characterized by loss of articular cartilage, often associated with hypertrophy of the bone and pain. The disease mainly affects hands and weight-bearing joints such as knees, hips and spines. This process thins the cartilage. When the surface area has disappeared due to the thinning, a grade I osteoarthritis is reached; when the tangential surface area has disappeared, grade II osteoarthritis is reached. There are further levels of degeneration and destruction, which affect the deep and the calcified cartilage layers that border with the subchondral bone. For an extensive review on osteoarthritis, we refer to Wieland et al., 2005.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic joint degenerative disease, characterized by inflammation and destruction of the joint structures. When the disease is unchecked, it leads to substantial disability and pain due to loss of joint functionality and even premature death. The aim of an RA therapy, therefore, is not to slow down the disease but to attain remission in order to stop the joint destruction. Besides the severity of the disease outcome, the high prevalence of RA (˜0.8% of the adults are affected worldwide) means a high socio-economic impact. (For reviews on RA, we refer to Smolen and Steiner (2003); Lee and Weinblatt (2001); Choy and Panayi (2001); O'Dell (2004) and Firestein (2003)).
The clinical manifestations of the development of the osteoarthritis condition are: increased volume of the joint, pain, crepitation and functional disability that lead to pain and reduced mobility of the joints. When disease further develops, pain at rest emerges. If the condition persists without correction and/or therapy, the joint is destroyed leading to disability. Replacement surgery with total prosthesis is then required.
In mature articular cartilage, chondrocytes maintain the cartilage-specific matrix phenotype. Early signs of OA include progressive loss from articular cartilage of the proteoglycan aggrecan, due to damage to type II collagen. This protein represents the major structural collagen found in articular cartilage in healthy individuals. There is ordinarily a strict balance between the production of type II collagen and degradation of this protein by catabolic enzymes during normal remodeling of cartilage. Pathological conditions such as OA are characterized by a loss of this balance with increased proteolysis.
In general, elevated expression of MMPs is associated with the degradation of cartilage and/or extracellular matrix (ECM) but not all proteases are capable of degrading native collagen. Among the matrix metallo proteinases, MMP1, MMP8, MMP13 and MMP14 display the highest capacity for degrading collagen type II. Expression and contents of MMP-1 (collagenase-1) and MMP-13 (Mitchel et al., 1996; Shlopov et al., 1997), expression of MMP-8 (collagenase-2), and collagenase activity (Billinghurst et al., 1997, Dahlberg et al., 2000) are upregulated in human OA cartilage. In particular, MMP-13, also known as collagenase-3, is thought to play an important role in type II collagen degradation in articular cartilage and especially in OA (Billinghurst et al., 1997, Mitchell et al., 1996, Dahlberg et al., 2000, Billinghurst et al., 2000) as indicated by various observations. 1) The expression of MMP13 is increased in the cartilage of OA patients and of animals subjected to arthritogenic surgery like meniscectomy (Appleton et al., 2007) 2) The localization of MMP1 and MMP13 in arthritic cartilage appear to coincide with the location of cartilage destruction, as revealed by antibodies revealing neo-epitopes induced by cartilage cleavage. (Wu et al., 2002) 3) Overexpression of MMP13 in cartilage of transgenic mice lead to an OA-like cartilage destruction phenotype (Neuhold et al., 2001). 4) Type II collagen is the preferred substrate for MMP-13 (Billinghurst et al., 1997; Mitchell et al., 1996). Taken together, MMP13 is well-accepted as a key player in OA-induced cartilage and ECM degeneration.
Therapeutic methods for the correction of the articular cartilage lesions that appear during osteoarthritic disease have been developed, but so far none of them have been able to mediate the regeneration of articular cartilage in situ and in vivo.
Osteoarthritis is difficult to treat. At present, no cure is available and treatment focuses on relieving pain and preventing the affected joint from becoming deformed. Common treatments include the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Although dietary supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine sulphate have been advocated as safe and effective options for the treatment or amelioration of osteoarthritis, a recent clinical trial revealed that both treatments did not reduce pain associated with osteoarthritis (Clegg et al., 2006). Taken together, no disease modifying osteoarthritic drugs are available.
In severe cases, joint replacement may be necessary. This is especially true for hips and knees. If a joint is extremely painful and cannot be replaced, it may be fused. This procedure stops the pain, but results in the permanent loss of joint function, making walking and bending difficult.
Another possible treatment is the transplantation of cultured autologous chondrocytes. Here, chondral cellular material is taken from the patient, sent to a laboratory where it is expanded. The material is then implanted in the damaged tissues to cover the tissue's defects.
Another treatment includes the intra-articular instillation of Hylan G-F 20 (e.g. Synvisc®, Hyalgan®, Artz®), a substance that improves temporarily the rheology of the synovial fluid, producing an almost immediate sensation of free movement and a marked reduction of pain.
Other reported methods include application of tendinous, periosteal, fascial, muscular or perichondral grafts; implantation of fibrin or cultured chondrocytes; implantation of synthetic matrices, such as collagen, carbon fiber; administration of electromagnetic fields. All of these have reported minimal and incomplete effects, resulting in a poor quality tissue that can neither support the weighted load nor allow the restoration of an articular function with normal movement.
Stimulation of the anabolic processes, blocking catabolic processes, or a combination of these two, may result in stabilization of the cartilage, and perhaps even reversion of the damage, and therefore prevent further progression of the disease.
The present invention relates to the relationship between the function of selected proteins identified by the present inventors (hereinafter referred to as “TARGETS”) and inhibition of cartilage and/or extra-cellular matrix (ECM) degradation and inhibition of inflammation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In the last decades, epidemiological long term studies have identified numerous factors accelerating formation of atherosclerosis and thereby promoting development of cardiac infarctions. Despite of avoiding risk factors and of behavior increasing the risk of atherosclerosis, the development of pronounced atherosclerotic changes culminating in heart infarction can even be observed in young adults. In such cases, genetic factors play a decisive role. It is for example known that defects of genes playing an important role in cholesterol metabolism require medication with cholesterol lowering drugs. The early detection of a genetic defect allows that counter measures can be taken in time.
Therefore, it is desirable both from a diagnostic point of view and from a therapeutical point of view to be able to recognize and to detect crucial genetic alterations (see A. R. Miserez, Die Bedeutung genetischer Faktoren bei der Entstehung des Herzinfarkts, uni nova, April 1998, S. 44-52).
Cholesterol, besides being the precursor of steroid hormones and bile acids, is an essential constituent of the cell membrane decisively enhancing its permeability-barrier properties. Human cells control their intracellular cholesterol concentration tightly by regulating the receptor-mediated uptake of extracellular cholesterol-containing low density lipoproteins (LDL) and the intracellular cholesterol biosynthesis. LDL particles bind to the LDL receptor (LDLR) by their apolipoprotein (apo) B moieties. The binding and subsequent internalization of these lipoprotein-receptor complexes can be partially or completely abolished if one of the proteins involved in this process is defective or missing. Mutations of the genes encoding the apolipoprotein E (causing familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (FDL)), the apo B-100 (causing familial defective apo B (FDB)), and the LDL receptor (causing familial hypercholesterolemia (FH)) lead to an accumulation of cholesterol-containing particles in the plasma, which is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease. In most of the tested populations, said mutations can only explain 4.2 to 7% of cases with hypercholesterolemia (defined as the 10% of persons of a population with LDLC concentrations above the ninetieth percentile). Thus, the casual gene defects for the majority of affected people with increased plasma LDLC are not yet identified.
The promoters of the LDLR gene and of the genes involved in the cholesterol biosynthesis including the hydroxymethylglutaryl (HMG) CoA synthase, farnesyl-pyrophosphate synthase, and squalene synthase genes, contain specific nucleotide sequences, so-called sterol regulatory elements (SREs).
It is already known that two proteins, SRE-binding protein-(SREBP-)1 and SREBP-2, bind the SREs in the promoters of these genes and activate their transcription rates. When cells are deprived of sterols, both proteins are activated by two proteolytic steps, first by a sterol-sensitive, and then by a cholesterol-independent step. These cleavage events release 68 kDa peptides from the NH2-terminal region of the SREBP-1 and -2 precursor proteins in the cytoplasm. The NH2-terminal, mature form of the transcription factors enters the nucleus and binds the SREs in the promoters of cholesterol-regulating genes. As a consequence, these genes are activated, thus leading to an increase in the receptor-mediated uptake of LDL as well as to an enhanced intracellular cholesterol biosynthesis.
When cholesterol accumulates in the cell, the first, cholesterol-sensitive cleavage event is inhibited, the mature forms of the SREBPs disappear and transcription rates decline, thereby preventing excessive accumulation of cholesterol in the cell. SREBP-1 and SREBP-2 regulate numerous SRE-containing genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis. In addition, SREBP-1 activates the HMG CoA reductase and the squalene synthase. SREBP-1 and SREBP-2 are members of the so-called basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor family. The genes encoding these factors have been cloned recently, and their genetic structures have been characterized (20,21).
Despite of the available knowledge, the percentage—as mentioned above—of identifiable risk patients for e.g. hypercholesterolemia is below 7%.
Therefore, the present invention had the aim to improve the early diagnosis and therapy of risk patients.
Said aim is achieved by providing diagnostic methods as well as polymorphisms in the SREBP genes which are suitable for the use in said diagnostic methods, in particular polymorphisms which are found in a fraction of patients with altered lipid metabolism, in particular cholesterol metabolism, preferably in a big fraction of such patients. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, such as, for example, an SRAM (static random access memory).
2. Description of the Related Art
Most recent semiconductor integrated circuits receive an input signal through an input end thereof in an asynchronous state which does not depend on a clock signal, and execute an operation in response to the input signal at a relatively high frequency on the order of several tens of megahertz. A known example of such a semiconductor device is a semiconductor memory device referred to as an SRAM.
An SRAM includes a plurality of memory cells. The SRAM receives an address signal through an address end thereof and statically accesses a memory cell corresponding to the value of the received address signal so as to perform a read or write operation. Such an operation of the SRAM does not depend on a clock signal which indicates that the value of the address signal input to the address end is valid. Therefore, the read or write operation can be performed rapidly in response to the input address signal.
In the SRAM having the above-described structure, the timing at which the address signal is supplied may widely vary. In one example, after a series of address signals are supplied sequentially from the address end to the SRAM at a high speed of, for example, 20 MHz, a state of the signal which is input from the address end does not change for a relatively long time period. In a conventional SRAM in which a memory cell is accessed completely statically, the access to the memory cell selected in accordance with the value of the address signal supplied to the address end is maintained during the time period in which the state of the address signal does not change, unless the SRAM is controlled by another method using, for example, a chip select signal or an output enable signal.
In order to reduce an amount of power required for the relatively long time period in which the value of the address signal does not change (hereinafter, referred to as a xe2x80x9ctimeout periodxe2x80x9d) and improve an internal dynamic operating performance, most of the recent SRAMs include an address transition detection (ATD) circuit.
The ATD circuit detects a state transition of the signal which is input to an input end, especially an address end, of the SRAM, and generates an internal control signal in response to the detection of the state transition. The SRAM uses the ATD circuit in order to generate the internal control signal after the state transition of the address signal supplied to the SRAM is detected and before an address decoder accesses a desired memory cell. Thus, the SRAM can perform an internal operation such as, for example, a pre-charging operation of a bit line, and activation and deactivation of a sense amplifier. Such an internal operation may alternatively be performed after a prescribed timeout period passes in a cycle in which a memory cell is accessed (access cycle). When a new address signal is supplied to the SRAM, the ATD circuit detects a state transition of the address signal which is input to the address end and generates an internal control signal. Thus, the components of the SRAM which are necessary for the internal operations are activated, and a memory cell corresponding to the value of the new address signal is accessed.
When an address signal including a state transition at, for example, a high frequency is supplied to an SRAM or the like including the ATD circuit, a plurality of word lines in a memory array are undesirably selected and activated simultaneously regardless of whether the state transition is performed intentionally or occurs due to noise. This may undesirably result in that data stored in a memory cell of the SRAM is destroyed or a high level of current causes damage in the SRAM. In order to prevent the plurality of word lines from being simultaneously activated, it has been proposed that all the word lines be forcibly placed into an of f state (inactive state) during a time period in which the operation is in an equilibrium state in, for example, a second half of the access cycle. However, this conventional technique involves an undesirable possibility that a state transition of the address signal occurs before all the word lines are forcibly placed into the off state in the case where an input buffer circuit, provided for buffering the address signal supplied to the SRAM or other types of semiconductor memory devices, has a sufficiently high response speed. Therefore, this technique is not effective for preventing the plurality of the word lines from being simultaneously activated.
In order to solve these problems, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 6-176575, for example, discloses an input buffer circuit as shown in FIG. 4. The input buffer circuit shown in FIG. 4 is provided to each address end for receiving an address signal supplied to the SRAM or other types of semiconductor memory devices. The input buffer circuit includes an input stage 110, a delay circuit 116, a bus gate 118, an ATD circuit 120, and a latch 130.
The input stage 110 includes a terminal A for receiving an address signal, a terminal CE_ for receiving a chip enable signal, two P-channel pull-up transistors 112a and 112b, and two N-channel pull-down transistors 114a and 114b. A gate of one of the P-channel pull-up transistors 112a and a gate of one of the N-channel pull-down transistors 114a receive an address signal A1 (FIG. 5) from the terminal A. A gate of the other P-channel pull-up transistor 112b and a gate of the other N-channel pull-down transistor 114b receive a chip enable signal from the terminal CE_. An output end of the input stage 110 is connected to the delay circuit 116 and the ATD circuit 120 via inverters 113 and 115. The delay circuit 116 and the ATD circuit 120 each receive a signal B_ (FIG. 5) which is obtained by inverting the logic level of the address signal A1.
The delay circuit 116 outputs the signal B_ after a prescribed delay time period. An output end of the delay circuit 116 is connected to the bus gate 118 via an inverter 117, and the bus gate 118 receives a signal AD (FIG. 5) which is obtained by inverting the logic level of the signal B_ with a prescribed delay time period.
The ATD circuit 120 includes a delay gate 124a for directly receiving the signal B_ and a delay gate 124b for receiving the signal B_ via an inverter 123. The signal output from the delay gate 124a is input to one of two input terminals of a delay gate 126a. The signal output from the delay gate 126a is input to one of two input terminals of a delay gate 126b. The signal output from the delay gate 126b is input to one of two input terminals of a delay gate 126c. The other input end of the delay gate 126a, the other input end of the delay gate 126b, and the other input end of the delay gate 126c each receive the signal B_ via the inverter 123 and another inverter 125.
The signal output from the delay gate 126c via an inverter 129a (signal BD) is sent to one of two input terminals of a NAND gate 122a. As shown in FIG. 5, the signal BD is obtained by inverting the logic level of the signal B_. Specifically, a starting point of a pulse (falling edge) of the signal BD is delayed with respect to a starting point of a pulse (rising edge) of the signal B_ by a time period td.
Returning to FIG. 4, the other input end of the NAND gate 122a receives the signal B_ which is input to the ATD circuit 120. The signal output from the NAND gate 122a (signal P_) is sent to one of two input terminals of a NAND gate 128. As shown in FIG. 5, the signal P_ is kept in an inactive state for the time period td when both the signals B_ and BD are in an active state.
Referring to FIG. 4, the signal output from the delay gate 124b is input to one of two input terminals of a delay gate 126d. The signal output from the delay gate 126d is input to one of two input terminals of a delay gate 126e. The signal output from the delay gate 126e is input to one of two input terminals of a delay gate 126f. The other input end of the delay gate 126d, the other input end of the delay gate 126e, and the other input end of the delay gate 126f each receive the signal B, via the inverter 123, which is obtained by inverting the logic level of the signal B_.
The signal output from the delay gate 126f via the inverter 129b (signal BD_) is sent to one of two input terminals of a NAND gate 122b. As shown in FIG. 5, the signal BD_ is obtained by inverting the logic level of the signal B_. Specifically, a termination point of a pulse (falling edge) of the signal BD_ is delayed with respect to a termination point of a pulse of the signal B_ by the time period td.
The other input end of the NAND gate 122b receives the signal B. The signal output from the NAND gate 122b (signal P) is sent to the other input end of the NAND gate 128. As shown in FIG. 5, the signal P is kept in an inactive state for a time period in which both the signals B and BD_, which are input to the NAND gate 122b, are in an active state. Thus, a pulse signal ATD which is at a HIGH logic level during a prescribed time period is output from the NAND gate 128 in response to the state transition of the address signal A1 which is input to the input buffer circuit.
The bus gate 118 includes a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor which are connected in parallel. A gate of the P-channel transistor directly receives the pulse signal ATD from the ATD circuit 120, and a gate of the N-channel transistor receives the inverted pulse signal ATD via an inverter 121. The bus gate 118 is controlled by the pulse signal ATD output from the ATD circuit 120, and the bus gate is shielded from the latch 130 while the pulse signal ATD is output. An output end of the bus gate 118 is connected to the latch 130.
The latch 130 includes two inverters, i.e., a first inverter and a second inverter connected in a loop branch across the first inverter. An output of the latch 130 is connected to an output terminal AOUT of the input buffer circuit via an inverter 131. The output terminal AOUT is connected to an internal circuit (not shown) of the SRAM or other types of semiconductor memory devices.
An operation of the input buffer circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a timing diagram illustrating waveforms of various signals input and output by various components in the input buffer circuit shown in FIG. 4.
During a time period from t2 to t4, the pulse signal ATD is output from the ATD circuit 120 and thus the bus gate 118 is shielded. Therefore, the latch 130 maintains the signal AD which is input for a time period from t0 to t1 before the state transition of the address signal A1 occurs. Thus, a signal A1OUT, which is in the same state as the signal before the state transition of the address signal occurs, is output to the internal circuit. When the time period in which the pulse signal ATD is at a HIGH logic level is terminated at time t4, a new post-state transition signal AD is supplied from the bus gate 118 to the latch 130. A post-state transition signal A1OUT is output to the internal circuit, such as, for example, an address decoder, a pre-charging circuit, or a memory cell.
During a time period from t5 to t10, since the pulse signal ATD is output from the ATD circuit 120, the bus gate 118 is shielded. Therefore, even when an accidental state transition of the address signal A1 occurs as does during a time period from t7 to t9, the signal AD is not input to the latch 130, and the latch 130 outputs a signal maintaining the previous state. Accordingly, such a short, accidental state transition can be prevented from influencing the signal which is output from the input buffer circuit. In FIG. 5, the dashed lines shown regarding the signal BD_ and the signal ATD represent the level which is obtained when the address signal output from the terminal A is at a HIGH logic level until the end of the delay time period td.
In the case where the input buffer circuit having the above-described structure is used for a general, conventional SRAM, the following phenomenon occurs. While the pulse signal ATD is at a HIGH logic level, the post-state transition address signal is not input to the address decoder, and the pre-state transition address signal which is maintained in the latch 130 is input to the address decoder and then decoded. During the time period in which the pulse signal ATD is at a HIGH logic level, an internal operation control signal which is generated based on the pulse signal ATD places the word line selected in an immediately previous access cycle into a non-selected state. After the pulse signal ATD becomes LOW, a new address signal is input to the address decoder and decoded, and a word line corresponding to the value of the new address signal is selected. As a result, even when a short, accidental state transition occurs to the address signal which is input to the input buffer circuit, the plurality of word lines can be prevented from being simultaneously activated as described above.
However, the technology described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 6-176575 has the following problems.
The delay time period realized by the delay circuit 116 is set such that the state transition of the address signal A1 which is input to the terminal A does not reach the bus gate 118 before the bus gate 118 is shielded by the pulse signal ATD output from the ATD circuit 120. The pulse output from the ATD circuit 120 is delayed with respect to the state transition of the address signal A1 input to the terminal A by the delay time periods provided by the delay gates 124a, 124b, 126a, 126b, 126c, 126d, 126e and 126f. The delay time period realized by the delay circuit 116 is set as described above in order to prevent generation of race or competition conditions between the signal output from the delay circuit 116 and the signal output from the ATD circuit 120. In order for the state transition of the signal AD (FIG. 5) not to occur before the pulse signal ATD becomes HIGH, the time period from time t2 to t3 is adjusted by the delay circuit 116. The race or competition conditions cause an inappropriate operation of activating a plurality of word lines in a memory array.
When the pulse signal ATD becomes LOW, the new address signal is decoded by the address decoder. The timing of decoding needs to have a sufficient margin with respect to the internal operation of, for example, deactivating the word line corresponding to the value of the address signal which is input in the immediately previous access cycle, or stopping of the sense amplifier. In order to determine the timing of decoding, the race conditions between the time at which the pulse signal ATD becomes LOW and the time at which the internal operation is completed also need to be considered.
As described above, the conventional semiconductor memory device requires the following race conditions to be considered: (i) the race conditions between the time when the pulse signal ATD becomes HIGH and the time when the state transition of the signal AD output from the delay circuit 116 occurs, and (ii) the race conditions between the time when the pulse signal ATD becomes LOW and the time when the internal operation is completed. Such restriction regarding timings may undesirably influence the operating speed of the semiconductor memory device.
A semiconductor memory device according to the present invention includes a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines arranged so as to cross each other; a memory cell provided at each of intersections of the plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines and connected to the corresponding word line, among the plurality of word lines, and the corresponding bit line, among the plurality of bit lines; an address transition detection circuit for detecting a state transition of an input address signal and generating a transition detection pulse signal; an address latch circuit for receiving the address signal and maintaining a value of the address signal; an address decoder for decoding the value of the address signal output from the address latch circuit, and selecting a word line corresponding to the value of the address signal among the plurality of word lines, and activating the selected word line; a pre-charging circuit for charging a bit line corresponding to the selected word line and the memory cell, among the plurality of bit lines; and a control signal generation circuit for receiving the transition detection pulse signal, and generating a decoder activating signal for activating the address decoder and a bit line pre-charging signal for controlling the pre-charging circuit. The address latch circuit is controlled by the bit line pre-charging signal, such that while the bit line pre-charging signal is at a first logic level, the address signal is input to the address latch circuit, and while the bit line pre-charging signal is at a second logic level, the input address signal is maintained by the address latch circuit. The address decoder is controlled to be activated by the decoder activating signal; and when the address decoder is activated, the word line corresponding to the value of the address signal input to the address decoder from the address latch circuit is activated, and the memory cell connected to the corresponding word line is accessed.
In one embodiment of the invention, the control signal generation circuit includes a first delay circuit, a second delay circuit, a third delay circuit, and a logic circuit. The first delay circuit receives the transition detection pulse signal, and outputs a signal having a termination point which is delayed with respect to the termination point of the transition detection pulse signal by a first delay time period. The second delay circuit receives the transition detection pulse signal, and outputs a signal having a termination point which is delayed with respect to the termination point of the signal output from the first delay circuit by a second delay time period. The third delay circuit receives the signal output from the first delay circuit, and outputs a signal, having a starting point which is delayed with respect to the starting point of the signal output from the first delay circuit by a third delay time period, as the bit line pre-charging signal. The logic circuit receives the transition detection pulse signal and also receives the signal output from the second delay circuit, and outputs the signal which is received from the second delay circuit as the decoder activating signal during a time period in which the transition detection pulse signal is in an inactive state.
In one embodiment of the invention, the first delay circuit, the second delay circuit, the third delay circuit and the logic circuit are timed to operate such that the bit line pre-charging signal is activated in the third delay time period after the decoder activating signal, which is output from the control signal generation circuit, is placed into an inactive state, and such that the decoder activating signal is placed into an inactive state while the transition detection pulse signal is in an active state.
In one embodiment of the invention, the third delay time period is set to be equal to or greater than a shortest possible time period between the time when an immediately previous access is terminated and thus the selected word line is placed into an inactive state and the time when a pre-charging operation of the bit line is started for a subsequent access in the case where the memory cells are continuously accessed after the address signal is input.
In one embodiment of the invention, the third delay time period is set to be equal to or greater than a shortest possible time period between the time when an immediately previous access is terminated and thus the selected word line is placed into an inactive state and the time when a pre-charging operation of the bit line is started for a subsequent access in the case where the memory cells are continuously accessed after the address signal is input.
In one embodiment of the invention, the first delay time period is set to be a time period which is required for the bit line pre-charging signal, generated based on the detection of a transition of the pulse signal, to have a pulse time period which is equal to or greater than a pre-charging time period required to perform the subsequent access to the memory cells.
In one embodiment of the invention, the second delay time period is set to be equal to or greater than a shortest possible time period between the time when the pre-charging operation of the bit line is completed and the time when the activation of the word line is started.
According to a general semiconductor memory device such as, for example, an SRAM, an internal operation control signal is generated based on an ATD pulse signal which is output from an ATD circuit. The internal operation control signal controls an internal operation such as, for example, a pre-charging operation of the bit line, the deactivation operation of the word lines, or the activation and deactivation of the sense amplifier. In order to prevent a plurality of word lines from being simultaneously selected and activated when the state transition of the address signal occurs, the timing at which the logic level of an internal operation control signal changes is adjusted by a delay circuit or the like to be independent from and not directly synchronized with the internal operation. Accordingly, in the conventional semiconductor memory device, the following race conditions, for example, need to be considered: (i) the race conditions between the starting point of the time period in which the ATD pulse signal is at a HIGH level and the time when the state transition of the signal AD output from the delay circuit occurs, and (ii) the race conditions between the termination point of the time period in which the ATD pulse signal is at a HIGH logic level and the time when the internal operation is completed. Thus, the conventional semiconductor memory device needs to be designed with a sufficient margin for variance in the characteristics caused by dispersion in the production process or the like.
According to the present invention, the bit line pre-charging signal, which is an internal operation control signal, controls the input of the address signal to the address latch circuit and maintenance of the address signal by the address latch circuit. The decoder activating signal controls the activation of the address decoder. Therefore, the timing at which the post-state transition address signal is decoded by the address decoder can be synchronized with the timing of the internal operation. Accordingly, the plurality of word lines can be prevented from being simultaneously activated, and the address signal can be supplied to the address decoder within a time period which is usually required for an internal operation, without considering the above-mentioned race conditions. Thus, the margin, which may undesirably influence the operating speed of the entirety of the semiconductor memory device, need not be provided.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of providing a semiconductor memory device capable of preventing a plurality of word lines from being simultaneously selected without influencing the operating speed of the semiconductor memory device.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treatment device for exhaust of a vehicle, and particularly to a treatment device, which is to filtrate harmful substances in the exhaust discharged from a vehicle, and to lower down the temperature of exhaust and the sound volume of generated noise simultaneously.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that the vehicle is an essential and important tool of transportation we need in our daily life. Although the vehicle brings us a great deal of conveniences, unfortunately the exhaust of the vehicle contains harmful substances such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon hydride (HC), nitrogen oxide (NOx), particle contaminant, and dark smoke. And these harmful substances pollute the air as soon as the exhaust is discharged into the atmosphere. Moreover, it is much more serious in big cities that a great numbers of cars produce a great amount of exhaust all the time to pollute the open air. It is known that the polluted air will hurt the human body and especially the respiratory track and the eyes of the child. Harmful substances spreading along with the exhaust in the air may accumulate without any indication to contaminate plants seriously after a long period of time. Then, the food produced by way of contaminated plants and the meat from the animals eating the contaminated plants may be contaminated either. Accordingly, it may result in a tremendous harm to the living environment for our next generation and their body health. Furthermore, the high temperature and the noise generated by the exhaust of vehicle (the vehicle with heavy capacity and the vehicle associated with heavy machine are much more serious) may cause defective influence to the sanitation of environment and our body health. In addition, the noise with high decibel makes us irritable, nervous, and uneasy and makes our hearing ability deteriorated. The present invention has been developed and completed by the inventor at last in order to reduce the air being not polluted by the exhaust of a vehicle, and promote the effectiveness of exhaust filtration, noise silence, and temperature reduction. Hence, our living environment and our body health are possible to be least harmed by the exhaust of the vehicle.
A major object of the present invention is to provide a treatment device for exhaust discharged from a vehicle, which may promote the effectiveness with regard to filtering exhaust, silencing noise, and reducing temperature.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent by way of following description of embodiments with accompanying drawings. | {
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In the field of archery, it is conventional practice to mount a peep sight on a bowstring of an archery bow. A peep sight is an optical sighting device having a sight opening that an archer aligns with the front sight of the bow to focus on a desired object or target.
In a typical archery peep sight arrangement, the peep sight is secured at a desired location along the bowstring by serving or string (which, for best results, is tied to the bowstring by an archery equipment professional). A rubber or silicone elastomeric tube may connect the peep sight to the bow cable of an archery bow. Upon full draw, tension in the elastomeric tube between the peep sight and the bow cable maintains the peep sight opening in alignment with the front bow sight.
Examples of serving-mounted peep sights are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,410,644; 5,542,186 and 6,131,295. A disadvantage of serving-mounted peep sights is that, regardless of how well the serving may be tied, the act of pulling the bowstring back to full draw tends to cause the peep sight to move upwardly along the bowstring. As a consequence, the peep sight does not retain its desired position and the archer's shooting accuracy is correspondingly compromised.
Clamping means have been proposed as an alternative to serving for securing peep sights to bowstrings. Examples include the two-part peep sights disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,656,747 and 5,680,480. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,747 the peep sight is clamped between separated strands of a bowstring and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,480 the bowstring remains unseparated but is clamped between a pair of peep sight sections. If installed properly, such devices should be able to fix the peep sight at a desired position on the bowstring. In the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,747, the bowstring strands are exposed to the ambient environment and, therefore, to moisture, debris or other undesirable matter that might hinder operation of the sight or deteriorate the bowstring at the sight location. In the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,480, the bowstring is clamped within the sight housing. However, the bowstring is essentially permanently clamped within the sight by interlocking projections and recesses provided on the first and second housing sections of the sight. A pin or screw secures the sections together and retains the sight at a desired position along the bowstring. A disadvantage of such a sight is that, because of the mechanical interlock between the housing sections, the sections must be pried apart to remove the sight from the bowstring which may result in damage to either or both of the housing sections.
An advantage exists, therefore, for an archery peep sight which fully encloses and firmly clamps the strands of bowstring. Such sight should be of minimum size and weight, should have high strength and durability, and should be easily and non-destructively attached to and removed from a bowstring. | {
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Aluminum is produced in Hall-Heroult cells by the electrolysis of alumina in molten cryolite, using conductive carbon electrodes. During the reaction the carbon anode is consumed at the rate of approximately 450 kg/mT of aluminum produced under the overall reaction ##EQU1##
The problems caused by consumption of the anode carbon are related to the cost of the anode consumed in the reaction above and to the impurities introduced to the melt from the carbon source. The petroleum cokes used in the anodes generally have significant quantities of impurities, principally sulfur, silicon, vanadium, titanium, iron and nickel. Sulfur is oxidized to its oxides, causing particularly troublesome workplace and environmental pollution. The metals, particularly vanadium, are undesirable as contaminants in the aluminum metal produced. Removal of excess quantities of the impurities requires extra and costly steps when high purity aluminum is to be produced.
If no carbon is consumed in the reduction the overall reaction would be 2Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 .fwdarw.4Al+3O.sub.2 and the oxygen produced could theoretically be recovered, but more importantly no carbon would be consumed at the anode and no contamination of the atmosphere or the product would occur from the impurities present in the coke.
Attempts have been made in the past to use non-consumable anodes with little apparent success. Metals either melt at the temperature of operation, or are attacked by oxygen or by the cryolite bath. Ceramic compounds such as oxides with perovskite and spinel crystal structures usually have too high electrical resistance or are attacked by the cryolite bath.
One of the problems arising in the developing of conductive ceramic anodes has been caused by the difficulty of making a durable electrical connection between the anode and the current conductor. Previous efforts in the field have produced connectors, primarily of metals such as silver, copper, and stainless steel. Can, U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,506, disclose a resilient metal washer held in place to form an electrical connection. Davies, U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,821, disclose a contact material containing Ag, La, SrCrO.sub.3 and CdO. Douglas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,236, disclose a contact material containing Ag, Cu, La, and SrCrO.sub.3. Fletcher, U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,860, disclose cermet compositions containing stainless steel or Mo in a matrix of Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. Shida et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,727, disclose contacts of Ag, Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, SnO.sub.2 and Sn. Schirnig et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,381, disclose an electrode useful for AlCl.sub.3 electrolysis comprising a graphite pipe, a metallic conductor with a melting point below the bath temperature, and a protective ceramic pipe surrounding the former. West German No. 1,244,343, U.S. Ser. No. 729,621, discloses borides or carbides of Ti, Zr, Ta, or Nb cast of Al using a flux of Li.sub.3 AlF.sub.6, Na.sub.3 AlF.sub.6 and NaCl. Alder, U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,226, discloses an anode assembly for a Hall cell comprising individual units mechanically held together by a clamping arrangement.
There have been several lines of development concerning nonconsumable anodes, with ceramics such as stannic oxide compounds, spinels, perovskites and various cermets as principal materials under study. A cermet is a composite material containing both metal and ceramic phases. All of these need some method for connecting to the current conductor. Landon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,889, disclose a cermet composition for a non-consumable electrode of this type. Secrist et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,258, disclose a non-consumable electrode with a gradient cermet composition. Secrist et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,997, disclose a non-consumable anode with a diffusion-limited composition. Clark et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,510, disclose a non-consumable electrode having a specific configuration. Secrist et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,049, disclose an electrode with a specific gradient metal-cermet joint. | {
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Aluminum metal is an energy-dense (e.g., greater than 80 MJ/L) fuel with the potential to enhance a variety of common systems. Because aluminum can oxidize in water, it is especially promising as a power source for undersea devices, which are severely limited by the low energy density of conventional anaerobic energy storage media (e.g., less than 1 MJ/L for Li-ion batteries). However, while recent advancements in the scalable depassivation of aluminum have eliminated some barriers to effective energy storage in aluminum, efficient energy conversion from the heat of reaction 2Al+6H2O→3H2+2Al(OH)3+Q remains elusive. This difficulty is mainly attributable to the slow kinetics of the reaction, which are not conducive to maintenance of the steep temperature gradient required for efficient thermal energy conversion. In electrochemical Al-based devices, the continuous loss of some of the aluminum anode due to parasitic corrosion reduces the energy density of the cell and shortens the self-discharge time of the system. Thus, previous attempts to commercialize Al-air and Al-water fuel cells have failed, largely due to the high anodic overpotentials and parasitic anodic corrosion that reduces discharge efficiencies to ˜10-50 percent. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for controlling a flow rate of a hydraulic operating fluid fed from a variable displacement pump such as a variable displacement swash plate type axial piston pump.
2. Description of the Related Art
A control device for a variable displacement pump has been used in an injection molding machine or a hydraulic press for performing plastic deformation working on a metal plate or the like, for example. In the injection molding machine, for example, control characteristics having high precision and high response are required in such a manner that a flow rate of a hydraulic operating fluid for driving a hydraulic piston can be controlled according to a flow rate of a molten synthetic resin while keeping a predetermined pressure for a short time of 0.2 second, for example, by the hydraulic piston.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Hei 1-66483 has disclosed the typical prior art in which a swash plate acting as a variable element in a variable displacement swash plate type axial piston pump is driven by a hydraulic cylinder so that an inclination thereof is controlled, thereby controlling a discharge flow rate of a hydraulic operating fluid corresponding to the inclination and controlling a discharge pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid. In an injection process to be performed in an injection molding machine, it is necessary to cause an injection flow rate to conform to the flow of a synthetic resin while an injection pressure is being kept constant as described above. It may not be possible, however, owing to the shape of a metal mold and a synthetic resin material. In the prior art, it is very difficult to meet such requirements of the injection molding machine to stably control the inclination of the swash plate at a sufficient speed, and response is limited.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, there has been proposed a structure in which the flow rate of the hydraulic operating fluid discharged from the pump is kept constant and the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is controlled to be constant by means of an electromagnetic relief valve in order to control the pressure. Consequently, it is possible to keep response at a high speed.
With such a structure, however, a relief flow rate of the hydraulic operating fluid bled off from the electromagnetic relief valve is large. Accordingly, there is a problem in that power is wasted.
With such a structure, furthermore, if the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is rapidly raised, a speed of a rise in the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is increased more than a tilting turn speed of the pump. Consequently, there is a possibility that a high surge pressure might be generated. The pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid is detected, and the detected pressure is converted into an electric signal to control the operation of the electromagnetic relief valve. However, it is impossible to control the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid with high precision due to a signal delay caused by the pressure detection and a signal delay caused by the conversion into the electric signal and subsequent arithmetic processings.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of controlling a relief flow rate obtained from an electromagnetic relief valve with high precision and hopefully capable of reducing the waste of a discharged hydraulic operating fluid as much as possible.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of preventing a high surge pressure from being generated.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of statically stabilizing the pressure of the hydraulic operating fluid fed from the variable displacement pump in a short time.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a control device for a variable displacement pump capable of statically stabilizing the flow rate of the hydraulic operating fluid fed from the variable displacement pump in a short time. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Recently, a quadruped robot apparatus which behaves in response to an instruction given by the user of the robot apparatus and adaptively to the surrounding environment and the like has been developed by the Applicant of the present invention, and commercially available. Such a robot apparatus has installed therein a CCD (charge coupled device) camera and microphone. Assessing the environmental condition and determining whether or not an instruction has been given by the user, based on an environment captured by the CCD camera, and a command voice from the user or an ambient sound, picked up by the microphone, the robot apparatus autonomously decides how to behave, and does the behavior, based on the results of assessment and determination.
However, since the robot apparatuses of the above type are normally used in the ordinary dwellings in which there exist many obstacles to the robot apparatus such as doorsills, power cords and the like, some measures have to be worked out to prevent the robot apparatus from easily tumbling while walking in such an environment. To this end, some solutions have been proposed. One of such solutions is a quadruped robot apparatus which controls its own behavior by detecting an obstacle based on image signals from the CCD camera and causing itself to detour around the obstacle based on the result of detection. Another solution is to provide a special force sensor in each of leg blocks of the robot apparatus, and detect, based on an output from the sensor, whether the robot apparatus has collided with any obstacle.
In the robot apparatus using the CCD camera, however, detecting an obstacle based on the image signals from the CCD camera takes a long time and it is not possible to recognize an obstacle, if any, at any high success rate. Also, the sensors provided in the leg blocks add to the number of parts of the robot apparatus whose construction will thus be complicated and production cost and weight will be increased.
Further, in case such a robot apparatus is provided with a plurality of sensors in predetermined positions, it will be able to detect an obstacle and behave as specified (sitting down, for example) correspondingly to a pressed one of the sensors. Therefore, provision of more sensors on the robot apparatus will permit the user of the robot apparatus to enjoy higher-level interactions with his or her robot apparatus.
However, in case such touch sensors are provided in predetermined positions on the robot apparatus, touch can only be detected in the limited positions and thus the interaction of the robot apparatus with its user will be limited. For example, use of advanced sensors for detection of a direction in which a force has been applied to the robot apparatus will also lead to a complicated construction, and an increased production cost and weight, of the robot apparatus. Also, such sensors cannot be provided at all portions of the robot apparatus. | {
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High magnetic field electromagnets have become important in various types of equipment over recent years. One important type of such equipment is medical imaging equipment, such as the type commonly referred to as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment. MRI equipment utilizes the mechanism of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to produce an image, and accordingly imaging systems operating according to this mechanism are also commonly referred to as NMR imaging systems.
As is well known in the field of MRI, a high DC magnetic field is generated to polarize the gyromagnetic atomic nuclei of interest (i.e., those atomic nuclei that have nonzero angular momentum, or nonzero magnetic moment) contained within the volume to be imaged in the subject. The magnitude of this DC magnetic field currently ranges from on the order of 0.15 Tesla to 2.0 Tesla: it is contemplated that larger fields, ranging as high as 4.0 to 6.0 Tesla, may be useful in the future, particularly to perform spectroscopy as well as tomography. The volume of the subject to be imaged (i.e., the volume of interest, or "VOI") is that volume which receives the high DC magnetic field, and within which the DC field is substantially uniform.
Imaging is accomplished in the VOI utilizing the mechanism of nuclear magnetic resonance in the gyromagnetic atomic nuclei contained therewithin. As such, in addition to the large field DC magnet, the MRI apparatus includes an oscillator coil to generate an oscillating magnetic field oriented at an angle relative to the DC field, and at a frequency matching the resonant frequency of the atoms of interest in the selected volume; frequencies of interest in modern MRI are in the radio frequency (RF) range. As the gyromagnetic nuclei in the defined volume will have a common resonant frequency different from atoms outside of the volume, modulation of a gradient magnetic field (produced by a gradient coil) allows sequential imaging of small volumes. The images from the small volumes are then used to form a composite image of the larger volume, such as the internal organ or region of interest. To produce the series of images, the MRI apparatus also includes a detecting coil in which a current can be induced by the nuclear magnetic dipoles in the volume being imaged.
In operation, as is well known, the magnetic dipole moments of those atoms in the volume which are both gyromagnetic and also resonant at the frequency of the oscillating field are rotated from their polarized orientation by the resonant RF oscillation by a known angle, for example 90.degree.. The RF excitation is then removed, and the induced current in the detecting coil is measured over time to determine a decay rate, which corresponds to the quantity of the atoms of interest in the volume being imaged. Incremental sequencing of the imaging process through the selected volume by modulations in the gradient field can provide a series of images of the subject that correspond to the composition of the subject. Conventional MRI has been successful in the imaging of soft tissues, such as internal organs and the like, which are transparent to X-rays.
It is well known in the art that the spatial resolution of MRI tomography improves as the strength of the available magnetic field increases. Conventional MRI equipment useful in diagnostic medical imaging requires high DC magnetic fields, such as 5 kgauss or greater.
Due to the large number of ampere-turns necessary to produce such high magnetic fields, conventional MRI systems now generally utilize superconducting wire in their DC coils. While the magnitude of the current carried in these coils is extremely high, the superconducting material and accompanying cryogenic systems required in such magnets are quite expensive, and also add significantly to the size and weight of the magnet in the MRI apparatus. In the extreme case, some conventional MRI magnets are sufficiently heavy (e.g., on the order of twenty tons) as to limit the installation of the MRI apparatus to a basement or ground floor laboratory. Addition of the necessary coils or iron required to shield the fringe magnetic field generated by such magnets further increases the size, weight and manufacturing costs of the MRI equipment.
By way of background, U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,628 (issued Nov. 8, 1988) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,772 (issued Apr. 18, 1989), both incorporated herein by this reference and commonly assigned with this application, describe superferric shielded superconducting magnets. These magnets described in these patents utilize passive shielding of ferromagnetic material, such as iron. The construction of the magnets described in these patents provide a highly efficient magnet, considering the magnetic field strength as a function of the current conducted in the superconducting loops, and with a highly uniform field in the magnet bore even at very strong magnetic fields such as on the order of 4 Tesla; the shielding is also very good in this magnet, with the 5 gauss line at 50 to 100 cm from the outer wall of the bore. The weight and size of the superferric shielded magnets described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,783,628 and 4,822,772 can be quite substantial, however, such as on the order of 35 to 130 tons.
Another example of a conventional superconducting magnet, but which relies substantially on active superconducting shielding loops is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,899. The magnet disclosed in this reference has a set of three driving coils surrounded by three shielding coils, with the current through the shielding coils adjusted to exactly cancel the dipole outside of the magnet. External ferromagnetic shielding is also located around the shielding coils to assist in further shielding. Examples of other prior magnets used in MRI are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,505, in which shielding is accomplished by way of magnetic soft iron rods, conducting coils, or both; U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,217, issued Apr. 30, 1992, describes yet another prior superconducting magnet utilizing a combination of active and passive shielding.
While actively shielded magnets greatly reduce the magnet weight relative to superferric shielded magnets, the weight of these magnets is still quite substantial, for example on the order of 20 tons. As a result, when used in medical equipment such as NMR stations, the "footprint" required for installation of the magnet and the weight-bearing capability of the floor of the room are both significant, whether the magnet is constructed of the superferric type, the actively shielded type, or a combination of the two. As a result, from the cost standpoint, it is desirable to reduce the physical size and weight of NMR equipment, to reduce the cost of the NMR laboratory.
In addition to the undesirably large footprint of conventional NMR magnets for medical MRI, a further disadvantage of conventional magnets is patient-related. It has been observed that many patients are uncomfortable when placed in magnets of such length, as the patient's entire body is generally disposed within the magnet during much of the imaging procedure. Indeed, conventional cylindrical NMR magnets have been referred to as "tunnel" magnets, suggestive of the sensation perceived by the human subject when placed inside for an imaging procedure. As an example of the importance of reducing this sensation, U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,185 discloses, relative to another cylindrical superconducting magnet design, that the sense of oppression on the part of the patient is reduced as the ratio of bore length to bore diameter is below 1.90. In addition, especially for patients who are seriously ill, it is essential that the magnet be able to receive the patient without requiring disconnecting life support or monitoring conduits from the patient, and while allowing medical personnel to access the patient during the procedure; conventional cylindrical magnets greatly limit such access.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to provide NMR tomography equipment of the minimum size but with adequate field strength and uniformity. Toward this end, copending application Ser. No. 715,552, filed Jun. 14, 1991, entitled "A Compact Shielded Superconducting Electromagnet", incorporated herein by this reference and commonly assigned herewith, describes another cylindrical superconducting magnet which advantageously uses a combination of superferric shielding outside of the shielding coils. The magnet disclosed therein thus can be shorter in length while still providing high DC field in the bore and low fringe field away from the magnet.
Copending application Ser. No. 869,544, filed Apr. 15, 1992 in the name of Sergio Pissanetzky, and entitled "An Ultrashort Cylindrical Shielded Electromagnet For Magnetic Resonance Imaging", commonly assigned herewith, incorporated hereinabove by reference, and being the parent of this continuation-in-part application, discloses a short cylindrical superconducting magnet useful in NMR imaging equipment. This application further discloses an important methodology used to design the coils in the DC field generating magnet in such a manner as to optimize the strength and uniformity of the field in the volume of interest (VOI) while maintaining low fringe fields away from the bore. As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, this methodology also proves useful in the design of magnets of other shapes.
By way of further background, U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,591 discloses a superconducting magnet having a plurality of coaxial coils arranged asymmetrically along the axis, resulting in a volume of interest that is offset from the midplane of the magnet. The volume of interest in this magnet, while offset, remains deeply within a cylindrical bore, however, requiring whole body insertion of the patient for MRI procedures.
Another known type of conventional MRI magnet is of the Helmholtz coil type, including such a magnet which utilizes thermally insulated niobium/tin superconducting material. However, this magnet also requires the patient's whole body to be inserted between the Helmholtz coils.
By way of further background, U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,848, issued Sep. 17, 1991, discloses a magnet configuration suited for MRI in mammography. This magnet configuration is of rectangular shape, and includes permanent magnets (5, 6, 7, 8) for generating magnetic flux in two planes in the gap g within which the imaging is to take place. A shimming electromagnet (14) is disclosed as being placed behind the patient, for reducing front edge fringe field.
By way of further background, notched cylindrical coil systems for providing strong magnetic fields are known, as described in M. W. Garrett, "Thick Cylindrical Coil Systems for Strong Magnetic Fields with Field or Gradient Homogeneities of the 6th to 20th Order", J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 38, No 6 (1967), pp. 2563-86. As described in this reference at pages 2578-2583, expansion of ideal magnet elements to larger cross sections by modifying the geometry in an iterative fashion according to Lyle's Principle can be used to arrive at a magnet having a negative current polarity notch or cavity coil within the otherwise cylindrical positive coil; the notch may be at either the inner or the outer radial surface (see FIG. 2 of the reference), or even wholly within the positive coil.
In the method described in the above-cited Garrett article and also according to other conventional methods for designing cylindrical magnets, the designer relies on the property that the axial component of the magnetic field in the bore is a harmonic function within the volume of interest (VOI), which can be expanded into a series of spherical harmonics. The coefficients of this expansion may be expressed as axial derivatives of the axial magnetic field at the origin (center of the VOI). If one assumes that the current density in the cross-section of each magnet coil is constant, these axial derivatives may be calculated directly from coil geometry, without requiring integration of the Biot-Savart Law, allowing the geometry of the magnet to be adjusted so that the undesirable harmonics of the axial field in the VOI vanish. According to this generalized technique, computer-ready methods have been developed as have tabular design conditions (see the Garrett article cited above), facilitating the design of such magnets. This general method constrains the location of the VOI to a high degree, however, in order for the calculations to be readily performed; as such, this general method is practically applicable for a VOI centered at the midplane of the cylindrical magnet.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating an electromagnet for optimizing the field strength and uniformity in a selected volume of interest.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method of fabricating a magnet which is applicable to magnets of various symmetry, including cylindrical and planar magnets.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a magnet constructed according to such a method.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a magnet which allows for optimization of the design for a volume of interest which is not necessarily centered within the magnet bore.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a method which allows the center of the volume of interest to be located outside of the magnet bore.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a superconducting magnet for use in NMR equipment which does not require insertion of the body of the patient into the magnet bore.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a magnet which is of sufficient field strength to enable in vivo NMR tomography of the internal organs of humans.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a magnet which is suitable for the image of specific organs, such as the brain, the female breast, and the like.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a magnet which makes the NMR tomography equipment substantially portable.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the following specification together with the drawings. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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In an image forming device such as an electrophotographic device and an electrostatic recording device, first, an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor is developed by a toner. Next, as needed, the thus-formed toner image is transferred onto a transfer material such as a paper and then fixed by various methods such as heating, applying pressure, and solvent fume.
The above-mentioned toner obtains desired flowability and charging characteristics by attaching an external additive to the surface of colored resin particles. As the external additive, fine particles composed of an inorganic or organic material are widely and generally used.
A toner is disclosed in Patent Literature 1, which is characterized in that the liberation rate of liberated mother particles to which silica is not attached, is set to be 10% or less, and the liberation rate of liberated silica, which is silica that is not attached to the mother particles, is set to be 0.2% to 10%. Also, Patent Literature 1 describes that the toner can improve low-temperature fixability, with preventing toner filming on toner-contact members. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feed forward converter and method, more particularly to a feed forward converter and method that control the input impedance, output voltage and power of the DC/DC converter within a predetermined range.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the near future, in comparison with necessary energy harvester for IoTs power supply, replacing with battery or increasing AC power on objects connected to IoTs is relatively costly. Currently DC-to-DC converters are generally designed with voltage feedback control, or current feedback control. For these DC-to-DC converters, it is not easy for their input impedance to closely match that of several different types of energy harvesters (or to closely match the impedance of an energy harvester while environmental change is made), while the output power and the output voltage is obtained within the desired target range.
DC-to-DC converters are structurally complex, relatively costly, and relatively difficult for them to match the impedance for several different types of energy harvesters closely while also meeting the output voltage and output power requirements within the target range. Therefore, generally, the current practice is to satisfy the output voltage requirements, or to satisfy the specific requirements of the energy harvester in a particular environment. | {
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The invention relates to a process for increasing the proportion of components which are non-volatile under processing conditions, in basecoat compositions containing predominantly organic diluents or solvents, for the production of multicoat finishes, preferably metallic finishes.
In the area of automotive finishing in particular, but also in other areas, considerable interest centers on basecoat compositions for the production of multicoat finishes.
Multicoat finishes of the basecoat-clearcoat type have gained wide acceptance in automotive finishing, in particular for metallic finishes.
Basecoat-clearcoat finishes are produced in such a way that a pigmented basecoat is applied first, and after a short flash-off period without baking (the wet-on-wet process), a clearcoat is applied over the basecoat and subsequently the basecoat and clearcoat are baked together.
The paints for the production of these basecoats must be capable of being processed by the today""s customary economical wet-on-wet process, ie. they must be capable of being coated by a (transparent) topcoat after a predrying period as short as possible without baking, without manifesting interfering dissolution and strike-in phenomena.
In addition, still further problems must be solved in the development of paints for metallic finish basecoats. The metallic effect depends crucially on the orientation of the metallic pigment particles in the paint film. A metallic finish basecoat suitable for the wet-on-wet process must therefore produce paint films in which the metallic pigments are present, after application, in a favorable spatial orientation and in which this orientation is rapidly fixed in such a way that it cannot be disturbed in the course of the coating process.
A whole range of basecoat compositions containing predominantly organic diluents or solvents for the production of multicoat finishes, in particular metallic finishes, is known which is suitable for producing multicoat finishes with excellent properties.
However, these basecoat compositions belonging to the state of the art have the disadvantage of containing a relatively low proportion of components which are non-volatile under the processing conditions.
It is a declared aim of paint manufacturers to reduce the proportion of components which are volatile under processing conditions in basecoat compositions containing predominantly organic diluents or solvents, for the production of multicoat finishes, preferably metallic finishes.
There has been no shortage of experiments aiming at increasing the proportion of non-volatile components at the expense of the volatile components.
Thus attempts have been made, for example, to reduce the mean molecular weight of the binders contained in the basecoat compositions and/or to add microgels and/or solid fillers to the basecoat compositions.
All these measures, however, have disadvantages.
If, for example, the mean molecular weight of the binder components in established, optimally balanced basecoat compositions containing metallic pigments is reduced, it is true that a part of the organic diluents or solvents which are volatile under processing conditions can be dispensed with, but against that one must put up with a poorer metallic effect, redissolution problems, deterioration of color retention and loss of reliability in application.
The addition of microgels usually affects the rheological properties of the paint systems; in addition, compatibility problems can occur.
Microgels cannot be added to established, optimally balanced basecoat compositions, in particular basecoat compositions containing metallic pigments, without creating further problems. They require an expensive adaptation of the total paint system to the amounts and type of the microgels to be added.
The addition of solid fillers to the basecoat compositions, in particular to basecoat compositions containing metallic pigments, has a negative effect on the appearance of the resultant finishes and usually does not permit any reduction of the absolute amount of components which are volatile under processing conditions, contained in the basecoat compositions.
The present invention is based on the object of providing a process for increasing the proportion of the components which are non-volatile under processing conditions, in basecoat compositions containing predominantly organic diluents or solvents, for the production of multicoat finishes, preferably metallic finishes.
The process should be applicable to as many established, optimally balanced basecoat compositions as possible, in particular to basecoat compositions containing metallic pigments, without any large technical outlay, and it should not affect negatively the quality (for example redissolution behavior, color retention, reliability in application and achievable metallic effect) of the established, optimally balanced basecoat compositions.
Surprisingly, these objects can be achieved by replacing up to 10% by weight of the components which are volatile under processing conditions, by an aliphatic polyether or by mixtures of aliphatic polyethers, the aliphatic polyethers having a mean molecular weight of not less than 300, containing not less than one, preferably ably not less than two, hydroxyl groups per molecule and being liquid under normal conditions.
The invention also relates to the use of aliphatic polyethers which are liquid under normal conditions or of mixtures of aliphatic polyethers, preferably polypropylene oxides, having a mean molecular weight of not less than 300 and containing not less than one, preferably not less than two, hydroxyl groups per molecule, for increasing the proportion of components which are non-volatile under processing conditions, in basecoat compositions containing predominantly organic diluents or solvents, for the production of multicoat finishes, preferably metallic finishes.
The process according to the invention can be employed for all basecoat compositions containing predominantly organic diluents or solvents and containing or not containing microgels, for the production of multicoat finishes, and is suitable for basecoat compositions containing or not containing metallic pigments.
The process according to the invention is preferably used for basecoat compositions containing predominantly organic diluents or solvents, which are suitable for the production of metallic finishes of the basecoat-clearcoat type. Many such basecoat compositions are described in the literature. There are for example the patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,639,147, 4,576,868, 4,220,679 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,536. Paints containing metallic pigments and based on cellulose acetobutyrate/polyester, cellulose acetobutyrate/acrylate resin, polyurethane/ polyester, microgel/acrylate resin or microgel/polyurethane/polyester binder systems are particularly preferred.
The basecoat compositions under discussion are basecoat compositions which contain non-aqueous organic diluents or solvents. These basecoat compositions are supplied to the paint finisher with a defined on-delivery viscosity which is higher than that required for the application. There the paint is processed in such a way that
(1) it is brought to the viscosity required for the application by the addition of organic solvents or diluents,
(2) it is applied to the substrate by means of generally known application methods (in particular by pneumatic application or by electrostatic high-speed rotary atomization),
(3) it is overcoated with a clearcoat after a flash-off period generally lasting 30 to 500 seconds, and finally
(4) it is baked in general from about 120 to 140xc2x0 C. for 20 minutes.
The term xe2x80x9ccomponents non-volatile under processing conditionsxe2x80x9d is in this context understood to mean paint components which do not lose more than 5% of their weight by volatilization, ie. by evaporation, under conditions prevailing in the processing stages (1) to (4).
The term xe2x80x9caliphatic polyethersxe2x80x9d is understood to mean substances containing several structural units of the general formula xe2x80x94(Rxe2x80x94O)xe2x80x94, in which R represents an alkylene radical of 2 to 6 carbon atoms.
The aliphatic polyethers which can be used according to the invention, must possess a mean molecular weight of not less than 300. Furthermore, they must contain not less than one, preferably not less than two, hydroxyl groups per molecule and they must be liquid under normal conditions (20xc2x0 C., 760 Torr).
Provided that these limitations are observed, any aliphatic polyether which is soluble or dispersible in the organic solvents or diluents can be used for increasing the proportion of components which are non-volatile under processing conditions. Examples of such aliphatic polyethers are polyalkylene oxide polyols, such as for example polyethylene oxide polyols, polypropylene oxide polyols as well as ethoxylation and/or propoxylation products of suitable di- to hexavalent starter molecules, such as for example glycerol, trimethylolpropane, hexanetriol, pentaery-thritol, sorbitol, sucrose, ammonia, ethylenediamine, aniline etc. Mixtures of aliphatic polyethers can also be used. Polypropylene oxide polyols are preferably used.
The addition of the aliphatic polyethers according to the invention is limited by two factors: on the one hand the aliphatic polyethers according to the invention behave in the coatings produced from the basecoat compositions as plasticizers, and on the other hand the aliphatic polyethers according to the invention increase the hydrophilicity of the coatings produced from the basecoat compositions. The extent of the two effects depends as much on the composition of the basecoat compositions as on the nature of the aliphatic polyethers used. The average person skilled in the art can rapidly determine by simple means in what amount a particular aliphatic polyether can be incorporated in a basecoat composition without the coatings produced from it being too soft or too hydrophilic.
Surprisingly, up to 10% by weight of the components which are volatile under processing conditions can be replaced in established, optimally balanced basecoat compositions preferably containing metallic pigments, by the aliphatic polyethers according to the invention without negatively affecting redissolution behavior, color retention, reliability in application or metallic effect of the coatings produced from the basecoat compositions.
The aliphatic polyethers according to the invention probably act as reactive diluents or solvents. They do not have a negative effect on the good properties of optimally balanced basecoat compositions, they are non-volatile under processing conditions and probably react in the baking process via their hydroxyl groups with suitable binder components, for example melamine-formaldehyde resins.
Surprisingly, it has been further found that the addition according to the invention of the aliphatic polyethers according to the invention also improves the spray mist pick-up and facilitates the electrostatic application.
By the process according to the invention a process has been made available which permits to increase, by very simple means, the proportion of components which are non-volatile under processing conditions, in the basecoat compositions under discussion or to adjust it to a given value. | {
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(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a composite for a temperature sensor, and a method of manufacturing the same.
(b) Background Art
As the number of vehicles being used around the world has increased, the consumption of fossil fuels such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, liquid natural gas (LNG), and liquid propane gas (LPG) has also increased. At the same time the limited supply of these fossil fuels has been gradually depleted, the price of oil has sharply risen. Thus, there is a need to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles.
Also, as a result of the accumulation of greenhouse gases, the environmental standards applied to the regulation of exhaust gas have been tightened; consequently, various apparatuses for reducing vehicle emissions that arise during the combustion of a fossil fuel are required.
In particular, the environmental regulations that control the release of dust, NOx, etc., that result from the combustion of diesel fuel have been highly tightened. Thus, there is a need for a post-exhaust apparatus for the re-combustion of such environmental pollutants/gas, or the conversion of such gas into a non-harmful/non-polluting gas.
This type of post-exhaust apparatus shows optimum efficiency when operated at the proper temperature. Consequently, such an apparatus requires a high precision/high durability temperature sensor.
In other words, the temperature sensor of such a post-exhaust apparatus for vehicles can be used at a high temperature of, for example, 500° C. or more. Furthermore, such a temperature sensor must be able to withstand frequent, extreme variations in temperature that may range from room temperature or below, to an operating temperature of 500° C. or above. Additionally, such a temperature sensor must be able to withstand the high vibration that results from the normal operation of a vehicle.
Temperature sensors are typically made of a metal or a metal oxide. If the temperature sensor is to be used at a high temperature, then a metal oxide temperature sensor is generally used. To manufacture a metal oxide temperature sensor according to the conventional art, a test piece of a transition metal oxide such as Fe2O3—NiO—Cr2O3—MnO2 is initially manufactured by a ceramic process of mixing, calcining, and sintering. After the test piece is manufactured, an electrode is printed or plated on the test piece surface. Then, an electrode wire (lead wire) made of Ni, Pt, Au, Cu, or the like, is bonded on the electrode so as to manufacture the temperature sensor. Disadvantageously, the use of transition metals alone to manufacture such a metal oxide temperature sensor, results in a sensor that cannot accurately measure a resistance at temperatures of 500° C. or more because the resistance is very low (e.g., about several ohms (Ω)). Thus, there is a significant problem with this type of temperature sensor in high temperature applications because the measurement error is large.
Additionally, since the manufacturing process involves printing the test piece surface with an electrode made of Ag, Au, Pt, or the like, which is then attached with an electrode wire or pin, the electrode wire or pin is a connection point that is sensitive to temperature and vibration. For example, the electrode may become detached from the device surface under conditions of high temperature and/or high vibration, as is typically found during the operation of a vehicle. Accordingly, another disadvantage of this type of sensor is that it is prone to failure with normal vehicle use, and subject to frequent replacement. Accordingly, there is a need for a temperature sensor that provides accurate readings at high operating temperatures, and is durable under the high temperature and high vibration conditions that are normally associated with operation of a vehicle. | {
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The invention relates to an electronic key for the actuation of a lock, having a housing on which a key bit for a mechanical lock is arranged and a receptacle for the key bit.
In automobiles particularly, the doors are often equipped with central locking, the locks of the doors being capable of being operated remotely by infrared or high-frequency radiation by means of an electronic key for the sake of increased convenience. An automobile door is usually provided with an additional mechanical lock for opening the door, the lock being actuable by means of an additional mechanical key. This ensures that at least one lock for opening a door can be actuated even if the electronic key fails, for example if the energy accumulator is empty.
In the case of electronic keys of this type, then, it is known to fasten the additional key bit;, serving as an emergency key for the mechanical lock, to the housing of the key. So that the additional key bit does not interfere with general operation, it is arranged pivotably on the housing, so that it can be folded into the housing.
Now these known electronic keys may also be provided with extended functions, in that they are used additionally for actuating the ignition lock in the automobile. While the automobile is in operation, the key is secured in the ignition lock against inadvertent removal which would unintentionally cause the automobile to be rendered inoperative. Now it has become clear that there are emergencies in which the known keys fail. If, for example, the voltage supply at the ignition lock breaks down while the automobile is in operation, the electronic key can no longer be removed from the ignition lock. It is consequently also no longer possible to lock the doors of the automobile at the mechanical lock by means of the emergency key. | {
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The field of this invention lies in the glazing of a window frame and a glass pane, in particular, a double glass pane, which pane is inserted into a window frame groove.
In the known glazing process which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,179, double glass panes are glazed by inserting them into the groove of a horizontally arranged frame member and the groove or slot is filled with a heat-hardenable sealing mass of the polysulfide type, after which such mass is hardened. In this process, the double glass pane thus rests directly on the groove bottom, and the sealing mass thus can only fill up the open groove space situated between the adjacent edge portions of the glass pane and the groove wall. After the heat-hardenable sealing mass is hardened, the open side of the groove is then, in this method, covered with a glass retention strip or bar on whose edge facing toward the pane surface but facing away from the groove bottom there is located an elastic sealing layer. This known technique has the disadvantage that the connection between the glass pane and frame is produced exclusively by the adhesive connection effectuated by means of the sealing mass, which connection naturally, after the sealing mass is hardened, can exert no elastic pressure on the groove bottom or on the groove wall. on the one hand, and, on the other hand, on the glass pane. Accordingly, the danger exists that, as a consequence of the forces acting on the pane in the use thereof, such as wind pressures, and the like, such connection between frame and glass pane comes somewhat undone, so that moisture, dirt and biological agents can penetrate into the groove space particularly from the pane surface adjacent to the groove. The result is that the sealing mass is attacked, and such connection is finally completely loosened. On the side facing away from the groove bottom, the sealing profile provided on the glass retention strip is, to be sure, capable of preventing the occurrence of this kind of phenomena, but only when the glass retention strip is successfully attached to the frame with such a lasting pressure that the elastic sealing layer retains a permanent elastic deformation during the duration of use of the pane; that is, such layer rests against the glass retention strip and the pane surface facing away from the groove bottom with considerable contact pressure. Such pressures can be achieved only with difficulty, so that, in the course of time, the same creeping loosening phenomena must be feared on the pane surface portions located adjacent the bottom as occur on the pane surface portions facing toward the groove bottom, which same surface portions are usually always exposed to weather influences.
The above described disadvantage of the glazing according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,179 cannot be avoided by a process such as described in German O S No. 1,704,450, in which a glass pane is cast into a frame profile. Here as well, an adhesive connection with the frame is effectuated only by means of the casting mass and no provision is made for a permanent elastic pressing of the sealing mass against the pane, on the one hand, and the frame, on the other hand.
Such disadvantage is also no overcome by the technique disclosed in German O S No. 1,683,661 when the casting of an elastic polyurethane edge jacketing is shown. Such jacketing is pressed after assembly. However, in this case also the permanent pressure exerted on the connection surface between the sealing mass and the glass pane depends decisively on the glass retention strip being connected to the frame in the clamped position reliably and without yielding. Above and beyond that, a problem exists here in that the sealing mass cannot be optimized with respect to its ability to guarantee a dependable adhesive connection between the frame and the pane. Because of considerations of process-technology, a compromise must be sought between the necessary elastic characteristics of the sealing mass and its adhesive characteristics, among other factors.
German O S No. 1,759,962 teaches the use of prefabricated elastic rubber strips fitted onto the pane edges, by means of which, in a per se advantageous manner, an elastically compressable sealing profile thus rests against the pane edges, but this technique provides no adhesive connection whatsoever between the glass pane and the frame, so that, with the characteristic fatigue phenomena associated with elastic rubber strips, creeping phenomena, and the like, can easily ensue.
Similar disadvantages exist for the glazing technique according to German A S No. 1,659,744, in which a plastic or malleable intermediate layer is elastically positioned between the frame profile parts and the adjacent pane, just as, in the case of glazing according to German A S No. 1,683,156, and German Utility Model Nos. 1,969,281 and 6,949,025, only elastic, mechanically pressed on sealing profiles are provided, without adhesive connection.
The use of hardenable sealing masses without permanent contact pressure on the pane surfaces is shown, finally, as well, by Austrian Pat. No. 218,187, U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,701 and by the glazing process for all-glass double panes described in the publication "Glaswelt 1960", pp. 128 to 130. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to an absorbent article containing a superabsorbent polymer, which effectively prevents skin rash development without reducing the absorbing performance of the superabsorbent polymer. The present invention also relates to an absorbent article having an agent which has hardly been subjected to thermal history and by which scratches, rashes or inflammation of wearer"" skin can be suppressed or cured. The present invention also relates to fiber or a fiber aggregate having skin-care effects and suitable for use in these absorbent articles.
Absorbent articles developed for preventing rash development on wearer""s skin include those disclosed in WO96/16681 and WO96/16682. These publications show disposable diapers having a lotion containing an emollient applied to the topsheet. The lotion used contains an immobilizing agent for fixing the emollient to the topsheet.
Immobilized on the topsheet, the emollient hardly migrates to the wearer""s skin so that not all the emollient applied to the topsheet participates in antiinflammation. Some immobilizing agents used for fixing the emollient irritate the skin to produce a rash. The lotion sometimes gets hard to cause small scratches on the skin, which can also result in a rash.
In producing the above-described disposable diapers, the emollient is melted together with the immobilizing agent, and the molten mixture is applied to a topsheet. That is, the emollient is repeatedly exposed to high temperature for a long time (thermal history) and, as a result, often undergoes thermal denaturation or thermal decomposition. The immobilizing agent itself and the emollient in the presence of the immobilizing agent tend to become hard to scratch the skin. These agents are difficult to apply uniformly, which is a false economy.
Further, the disclosed disposable diapers are liable to leak because the immobilizing agent used is hydrophobic so that liquid waste discharged on the topsheet is not allowed to quickly permeate through the topsheet, rather tending to flow thereon. In order to secure smooth permeation of liquid, the amount of the lotion applied should be reduced, or application of the lotion must be discontinuous, but such manipulations will ruin the effects that should have been produced. In addition, the area in the topsheet where the lotion is applied interferes with smooth permeation of the liquid waste, resulting in remaining the liquid waste on the topsheet. The liquid waste remained on the topsheet causes swell of the wearer""s skin which leads to unfavorable skin rash due to, for example, scratch and infection of irritating substances.
There are some other known absorbent articles having a pharmacologically active ingredient to prevent a rash. However, without a proper choice of the active ingredient, the crosslinked structure of a superabsorbent polymer would be severed by the active ingredient to reduce liquid absorptivity and increase a back-flow. An increased back-flow brings skin overhydration, which accelerates a skin rash. A reduction in amount of the active ingredient only leads to a failure to exert the anti-rash effect.
Apart from the absorbent articles disclosed in the above publications, fibers having adhered thereto a skin-care agent have been proposed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open 5-44165 discloses chitosan-containing fiber, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open 8-60547 proposes sericin-containing fiber.
Chitosan and sericin generally have high crystallinity and low water solubility and are therefore not easy to apply in fiber processing. Specifically, chitosan or sericin precipitates and falls off while being adhered to fibers. As a result, the production equipment is soiled, and the resulting fiber has an insufficient add-on, and the adhesion is not uniform. A manipulation for increasing the add-on could result in more precipitation and fall-off, making a vicious circle.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article containing a superabsorbent polymer, which effectively prevents rash development without reducing the absorbing performance of the superabsorbent polymer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent article having an agent fixed thereto with reduced involvement of thermal history so that the agent keeps effective in suppressing or curing scratches, a rash or inflammation of wearer"" skin.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an absorbent article which prevents discharged liquid waste from flowing on the skin-contacting surface thereof.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an absorbent article containing an agent effective on the skin which exhibits improved stability while dry and manifests sufficient performance while worn.
A further object of the invention is to provide skin-care agent-containing fiber the skin-care agent of which has high water solubility to produce sufficiently high skin care effects.
A furthermore object of the invention is to provide skin-care agent-containing fiber having high skin care effects which can be produced by a simple process.
To accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides, in its first aspect, an absorbent article comprising a liquid retentive absorbent layer containing a superabsorbent polymer and a liquid-impermeable leak proof layer, wherein an agent having a skin care effect and substantially no decomposing action on the superabsorbent polymer is fixed on a prescribed region of the absorbent article in a state ready to be released from that region on contact with moisture.
The present invention also provides, in its second aspect, skin-care agent-containing fiber comprising fiber and an effective amount of a skin-care agent fixed on the fiber in a state ready to be released on contact with moisture.
The present invention also provides, in its third aspect, an absorbent article comprising a liquid retentive absorbent layer and a liquid-impermeable leak proof layer, wherein an agent having a prescribed effect on the skin of a wearer is fixed with a water-soluble thickener on a prescribed region of the absorbent article. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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As the quantity of available information on computer networks has increased, and as users have become accustomed to accessing this information through fixed computing devices (such as a desktop personal computer permanently connected to an appropriately provisioned network) and laptop computing devices (having either a wired or wireless connection to a network), users have demanded access to the same information through their mobile devices. Specifically, users now expect to be able to access stock quotes, baseball scores, restaurant listings and the like, including accurate network search results, from their mobile devices.
Mobile devices typically include a graphical user interface (GUI) such as a display. The display enables a user to visually interact with the mobile device, and to read information from the mobile device. For example, the user can navigate Internet websites and can view information, in the form of website content, on the display. In another example, a user can open a document including, but not limited to, a Microsoft (MS) Word document and/or an Adobe Acrobat document (pdf). The content that is accessible using the mobile device can include various forms. Text, figures, diagrams, pictures and the like are examples of visual website content.
As mobile devices become more popular, manufacturers endeavor to reduce the size of the mobile devices. As the size of the mobile devices decreases, the display size can also be reduced. Consequently, the amount of content that is viewable on the display at one time is correspondingly reduced. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Flooding is a problem in underdeveloped, emerging and even developed countries and can be a problem in low lying rural, suburban and even urban areas where drainage is less than optimal or has been compromised. Every year people die from drowning as a direct consequence of flooding situations. Even after the event that triggered the flooding ends, unforeseeable dangers can still be present in the areas where stagnant or slow draining water remains. Such circumstances can present a greater hazard specifically because the flood cause has ended, since people will be more inclined to discount the danger.
In some cases, this can be because of their lack of awareness of situations that did not exist prior to the flood, for example, channels cut by the original moving water, sinkholes or depressions, displaced manhole covers, etc., rendering the water in some places deeper than it might appear from the surface or would be presumed based upon a person's knowledge of the pre-flood topography. In such cases, even persons familiar with the highly local topography of that specific area may be misled into thinking that it is safe to cross the remaining water, because they are unaware of the changed situation under the water. For example, an adult attempting to cross a flooded street to safety by wading through what appears to them be about 0.5 meters (about 2 feet) to 1 meter (about 3 feet) of non-flowing water could easily find themselves in grave danger if the water conceals an open manhole directly in their path or a deep channel or sinkhole, caused by the previously flowing water, is now in their path.
In an attempt to prevent some drowning situations in commonly flooded or flood-prone areas, permanent infrastructure may be installed to warn people regarding the depth of the water at a point in the topography known to be the lowest point. Those warning systems may be as simple as poles with markings to indicate height of the water or more sophisticated warnings that rely upon floats or other technology. Such warning systems operate under the premise that, if one knows the depth at the lowest point, everywhere else will have a lesser depth. However, as noted above, those warning systems operate in the specific place where they are located and typically will not be able to account for flood-caused topographical changes, even nearby.
Moreover, such indicators cannot typically be used in, for example, the middle of a roadway, and, being fixed in place, cannot account for unusual flooding circumstances or a flood situation in locations where flooding is not common.
More recently, in the attempts have been made to identify areas where hazards exist, for example flooding, and to put out alerts via the mobile phone networks to warn persons in the area. For example, in the United States, the mobile industry, along with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), developed the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to send concise, text-like messages to users' WEA-capable mobile devices to alert users to, for example, imminent threats that include severe man-made or natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc., or other circumstances where an imminent threat to life or property exists.
WEA use a point-to-multipoint system, so that alert messages are only sent to those within a targeted area, unlike phone, e-mail, text messages which are not location dependent. Thus, if a New York resident is in Arizona and has a WEA-capable device, and a flash flood warning issues for that area of Arizona, their device would receive an “Imminent Threat Alert” because they are within the designated area for the alert. However, alerts are no more than 90 characters, and generally only include: (i) who is sending the alert, (ii) what is happening, (iii) who is affected, and (iv) what action to take.
Canada has implemented a similar system to provide alerts via all television stations, radio stations, and broadcast distribution undertakings. In addition, the province of Alberta has its own system that broadcasts emergency and information alert messages through RSS feeds, social networks, and mobile apps.
In Europe, European Flood Awareness System is involved monitoring and forecasting floods across Europe. It provides complementary, flood early warning information up to 10 days in advance to its partner entities including the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre which collects and analyses real-time information on disasters, monitors hazards, prepares plans for the deployment of experts, teams and equipment, and works with Member States to map available assets and coordinate the EU's disaster response efforts.
In Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency issues warnings for meteorological phenomena such as heavy rain, storms, storm surges, high waves, heavy snow and snowstorms and disseminates them through television, radio, internet and loudspeaker vans.
While these systems are a significant improvement in some cases, they are all clearly intended for broad general warnings, typically before the fact, and do not provide sufficient granularity to address highly local, let alone surface-invisible, unusual situations.
Moreover, such alert systems don't exist at all in less developed locations in many parts of Asia where variable flooding is an ongoing problem.
Thus, there is a significant technological problem regarding determining local flood depth conditions over a given local area, and providing alerts relating to local occult flood-caused conditions, in flooded areas where flooding is uncommon. Moreover, this technological problem potentially exists even within commonly flooded areas because, as noted above, local conditions can vary unexpectedly due to flood-caused hazards or changes in topography or due to particular unusual circumstances. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Kitchen gardens, in which flowers and vegetables are grown, are becoming more and more popular in Japanese homes and apartments these days. The beneficial effects of fragrance and of pets, respectively called aromatherapy and animal therapy, have been confirmed and are conventionally used in medical institutions and similar therapeutic settings. In recent years, the healing effects of growing and viewing plants, “green therapy,” has also been studied and is also attracting increasing attention.
There are two ways to obtain a plant for the kitchen garden or for other use: buying a seedling; and buying a seed, germinating it, and raising the seedling oneself. Since buying a seed to germinate is troublesome and requires some skills compared to buying a seedling, beginners in particular usually buy a seedling.
Since most of the commercially available seedlings are, generally speaking, of standard breeds, seedlings of new breeds and special plants are difficult to obtain, and seedlings are more expensive than seeds, the more advanced gardeners tend to buy seeds to germinate and to raise them to full growth themselves. The problem here, however, is that seeds of plants have different optimum temperatures for germination in accordance with their kind. Pansies, for example, can bloom as early as December in eastern Japan, for which the seeds must be sown from late September to early October in order for the seeds to germinate and seedlings to grow. However, the optimum temperature for the germination of pansy seeds is between 15° C. and 20° C.: hence this period is too hot for the seeds that they are prone to perish, thus reducing their germination rate in a general environment. If the seeds are sown after November, in which the temperature reaches the optimum temperature for germination, their germination rate rises. Nevertheless, the seedlings grow slowly because of the low temperature in raising them, and it is difficult for them to bloom before the end of the year.
In the case of tropical plants, the optimum germination temperature for the bitter melon, for example, is between 25 and 35° C., and the soil temperature reaches this optimum temperature for germination after the middle of June in the east area of Japan. Since it takes approximately 60 days to raise a seedling after germination until the harvest, the harvest is started after August. In addition, since the growth rate of bitter melon quickly decreases when the temperature is under 20° C., the harvest period is limited to approximately 2.5 months, from August to the middle of October.
Nevertheless, if a plant is taken care of at an appropriate temperature during the period of the germination and of the emergence of the young seedling, it can grow after that even if the temperature is a little higher or lower than the optimum temperature. Hence, if an appropriate temperature control is performed during this period, for example, the seeds of pansy, which is suitable for low temperatures, can be sown in September to raise the seedlings so that it blooms in December. If bitter melon or other tropical plants are germinated in March through April and the seedlings are raised and settled in April through May, it is possible to start the harvest from July, which extends the harvest period by more than one month.
Given these factors, with the aim of germinating seeds and growing young seedlings at an appropriate temperature, a plurality of germination/growing apparatuses have been conventionally available in the market. These apparatuses usually comprise: a heat shield chamber capable of containing a seed or plant; means for controlling the temperature of the inside of the heat shield chamber; means for illuminating the inside of the heat shield chamber; and other portions, where seeds or plants with different optimum temperatures for germination and for raising the seedling can be germinated or grown without the influence of season and weather (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-61126 | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention relates to musical cymbals, and more particularly to a strap clip for securing a handle strap to musical cymbals.
With hand held musical cymbals, hand straps are attached to the cymbals for the user's convenience. The straps are secured by feeding the straps through an opening in the cymbal and tying the ends of the straps beneath the underside of the cymbal. The knots, however, can be difficult to tie properly and can often loosen during playing. Further, if the knot contacts the cymbal, the strap interferes with the sound of cymbal. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Networks or network segments are often separated by network border control devices including session border controllers (S/BC). Network border control devices such as S/BC's are configured to control and secure delivery of control signaling and media information across separate networks or separate network segments. In some cases, a network service provider may use S/BC's to separate various network segments or two or more network service providers may use S/BC's to separate respective network segments. In such configurations, media communicated across two network segments has to traverse both an originating S/BC corresponding to an originating network or network segment and a terminating S/BC corresponding to another network or network segment. This is known as media anchoring because the media data must be communicated through (e.g., anchored through) the originating S/BC before being communicated to the terminating S/BC. Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communications are often subject to media anchoring. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus having a configuration that a record medium having an image recorded thereon in an image recording section is conveyed by a conveyor belt and then separated from the conveyor belt in a separating section.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-256790 discloses an inkjet recording apparatus including an endless conveyor belt that adsorbs a record medium on the external surface thereof by electrostatic action, and a recording head that records an image by ejecting ink droplets on the record medium adsorbed to the external surface of the conveyor belt. In this inkjet recording apparatus, a plurality of conveyor belts are looped around a drive roller and a driven roller in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of a record medium with a predetermined space therebetween. This inkjet recording apparatus includes a separation guide having a body plate and a plurality of teeth extended from the body plate toward the upstream in the conveyance direction. The body plate is disposed further downstream from the drive roller positioned downstream form the recording head. Each of the teeth extended from the body plate is positioned between two of the conveyor belts adjacent to each other. The plurality of teeth of the separation guide contact the lower face of a record medium conveyed by the plurality of conveyor belts, thereby separating the record medium from the conveyor belts, to forward the record medium to the body plate. That is, peeled from the plurality of conveyor belts by the plurality of teeth of the separation guide, the record medium is separated from the plurality of conveyor belts, irrespective of the radius of curvature of the conveyor belts. Therefore, separation of a record medium from the plurality of conveyor belts can be ensured without a need of consuming power, while allowing the plurality of conveyor belts to last longer.
However, in the inkjet recording apparatus of the above publication, the body plate of the separation guide is positioned downstream from the conveyor belts, and a feed roller and a spur roller are paired and are positioned further downstream from the body plate. This results in a long length of the inkjet recording apparatus in the conveyance direction of a record medium, which is against recent demands for downsizing an inkjet recording apparatus. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Automotive engines have been developed to obtain higher horsepower in a more compact package with reduced weight. The increased horsepower and weight reduction have been achieved simultaneously with cleaner, more efficient burn and less particulate and gaseous emissions. Lower maintenance is required with modern day automotive engines. Oil changes and spark plug changes now occur at larger mileage intervals as compared to twenty years ago. Fuel efficiency has increased to provide greater mileage per gallon.
The increased horsepower in smaller packages has made it possible to reduce engine compartment sizes in small automobiles so that comfortable and relatively spacious passenger compartments can be provided. The trend has been to make even smaller engines to complement the smaller automobiles allowing even more space for passenger compartments.
While smaller engines have been developed with sufficient horsepower for highway speeds and adequate acceleration, they are more sensitive to the power drain from accessories such as cooling fans, air conditioning, automatic transmission, oil pumps, and four wheel drive. Often the power drain is sufficiently great that the acceleration during the power drain becomes unacceptable. As a result, clutches for accessories have been developed so that the accessories are not continuously and needlessly operated. Often, the clutches are designed to disconnect accessory units during acceleration or other high load conditions to lower the maximum load or torque of the engine.
Smaller batteries have also been developed to accompany the smaller engine compartments to provide starting cranking power. Often these smaller batteries have less ampere-hours and less power than larger heavier batteries and may be more easily drained if there is a problem starting the automotive engine.
Oil pressure is provided by an oil pump to circulate the oil through the engine block to lubricate the various moving parts such as the camshaft, crankshaft, pistons, and connecting rods and other various bearings. The lubrication is necessary to prevent metal to metal contact. The oil is circulated to replace the oil that is warmed and expelled from the bearings due to the heat emanating from the bearings and lubricated surfaces. If the oil is overheated, the oil viscosity becomes very low and the oil breaks down thereby allowing metal-to-metal contact between the bearing surfaces. A gear or chain driven oil pump has been traditionally used by the engine to provide flow of the oil at all times.
When the engine is fully warmed up and is at operating temperatures, the oil is hot. Consequently, the viscosity is lower, and oil flows more freely through the various bearings. Since the necessary flow of oil depends on pressure, viscosity and clearance (i.e. passage restriction), and the clearance is virtually a constant, the flow increases as the viscosity decreases and the pressure drops as the oil is warmed. Under such conditions, in order to maintain the necessary flow of oil for keeping the bearing cool enough to establish the required hydrodynamic lubrication film thickness, the pressure must be increased. That means that the size and capacity of the oil pump must be sufficient or in excess of the maximum requirement after the engine is used and partially worn, to assure the necessary flow to keep the bearings from oil starvation and mechanical failure under the worst conditions of temperature (hot) and mechanical wear (increased clearances). The oil pressure by being dependent on the speed of the oil pump, is dependent on the engine speed up to a point where a pressure regulator valve open at or near 60 psi on many engines.
When the engine is cold such as during a cold start, the oil is cold and the viscosity is high, the oil pressure provided by the oil pump is highest. However, this high oil pressure is not desired nor is it beneficial. The high viscosity and the temperatures of the cold oil makes it unnecessary for the oil pump to circulate much oil. Secondly, the oil pressure exerted by the oil pump provides resistance to the cranking of the engine during start up which provides an unnecessary power drain on the battery, lower cranking speeds and increased fuel consumption during cold operation.
All engines use a pressure-relief valve to limit the maximum line oil pressure, for the purposes of providing excess capacity to compensate for hot-oil operating conditions, and for oil which is too thin or diluted by fuel contamination and excessive clearances in the bearings. This pressure-relief valve in many cases is not sufficiently large to handle the large pressure increases at the pump head with cold oil, i.e., when the natural flow of oil past the bearings is limited by the high viscosity of the cold oil; the efficiency of the pump itself is also increased due to the reduced internal leakage. The pressure increase is further compounded by the engine being run at a high speed to promote quick engine warm-up. The applicant is aware of cases where the pump's driving torque under such conditions has been as high as eight times the normal running torque, and where very expensive failures have occurred due to oil pumps drive failure. In such cases, it has been demonstrated that dumping as much as 75% of the pump's capacity, and dumping it at the pump head, solves the problem without other detrimental effects.
Systems have been developed to vary the oil pressure dependent on the operating temperature of the engine. Some prior art systems use two pressure-operated relief valves, one at the pump discharge. Other which use multiple oil pumps provide an electrically operated on-off solenoid valve to dump the output of one of the pumps. For the larger type of automotive engines and large truck diesels operating in very cold regions, very expensive and complicated engine cranking systems are used to generate enough speed and rapidity of compression to initiate combustion. Since the oil pump in such cases requires so much torque, and since the bearings constantly being fed cold oil also increases their own oil-shear friction, dumping the line pressure during cranking in such conditions allow more cranking torque to be used to turn the engine over (crank it) faster, greatly increasing the engine's starting ability. What is needed is a economical system that reduces the pressure and flow of oil during cold engine conditions and controls the oil pressure as the engine temperatures increase. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
This invention relates in general to envelope openers and, more particularly, to a slitter-type envelope opener having its handle portion and slitting portion formed as separate components and to a process for making the same.
Slitter-type envelope openers open envelopes with considerable ease, are quite compact and are produced inexpensively. They find widespread use in offices throughout the country. The typical opener of this type has a handle which enables one to grip the device and a finger or spear that is located below the handle. Between the handle and spear lies a slot, and at the end of the slot, a blade. The spear is small enough to fit behind the fold of a flap for an envelope and the slot is large enough to accommodate the fold. Thus one, while gripping the opener along its handle, manipulates the spear beneath the flap and then advances it behind the fold. After short distance the blade encounters the fold and slits the envelope along the fold as the device is advanced.
Many businesses give the openers away as promotional items, with the handles usually bearing the trademark of the business and perhaps some advertising message as well. Some manufacturers of these openers have configured the handles to identify with specific businesses. For example, the handle may resemble a house, and openers having such handles would appeal to real estate companies for use as promotional items. The handles of others may resemble trucks and, of course, would appeal to trucking companies. U.S. Pat. Des. 329,184, Des. 341,307, Des. 342,008, Des. 354,214, Des. 355,108, Des. 368,010, and Des. 364,547 illustrate openers having handles configured for specific types of businesses.
Most manufacturers of letter openers offer only a few shapes and, rarely, customize an opener for any customer. After all, the mold for producing any opener is costly, with much of the cost being attributable to the region of the mold in which the slitting portion of the opener is formed, that is the portion with the spear and the embedded blade, for that portion has shapes more complex than the handle portion.
The present invention resides in an opener having a handle portion and a slitting or cutting portion which are formed separately and thereafter joined together. The invention also resides in the method of making the opener, that is to say, forming its handle and cutting portions separately and then joining them together. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Our invention relates to the protection of remote control devices from rain and other conditions where the device would otherwise be exposed to water or other liquids. It is particularly suited to remote control devices with pressure sensitive controls.
Although several enclosures, of varying shape, are revealed in the art, none are known to provide protection from actual immersion, heavy rain, and so forth. Furthermore, no such devices appear to be particularly suited to the remote control device which is utilized with respect to car alarm systems and car automatic locking systems.
What is needed is a remote control device cover which closely fits the device and protects it from water while allowing the pressure sensitive controls to be viewed and operated while the device remains in the cover. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Drive mechanisms are known in the art. They generally include a motor, a controller connected to the motor to control its operation and various sensors including limit switches, proximity sensors and the like, connected to the controller to supply data thereto in view of improving the usability and the safety of the drive mechanism.
The use of such sensors is detrimental since they are prone to failure and increase the cost of the drive mechanism. Furthermore, failure of safety sensors may lead, in some case, to material damage and potentially to human injury. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
The invention is based on an apparatus for damping courses of motion as set forth hereinafter. Such an apparatus is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,302.
In this known model, an intervention into the positive volumetric displacement of the damping cylinder is made by open-loop control, thus making this apparatus a so-called active or semi-active damping system. However, this kind of model does not work specifically in the natural frequency range of the wheel. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Tumor protein 53 (P53) is a tumor suppressing protein that regulates the cell cycle, suppresses tumors, and thereby prevents cancer. Murine double minute 2 (MDM2) is an important negative regulator of p53 and inhibitor of p53 transcriptional activation (see Vassilev 2006 Trends in Molecular Medicine 13(1), 23-31). MDM2 binds and inactivates p53 by directly blocking the p53 transactication domain and by serving as an E3 ubiquitin ligase for p53, thereby targeting p53 protein for ubiquitin-dependent degradation in the proteasome. About 11 million cancer patients have an inactivating mutation in the p53 protein.
EGFR is involved in the same cellular signaling pathway as MDM2. EGFR is a known cancer-associated molecule and EGFR inhibitors, such as Tarceva, provide targeted cancer treatment. Significant numbers of cancer patients become resistant to treatment with approved EGFR inhibitors, such as Tarceva. There is currently no approach to overcome such resistance. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tufting machine used for carpet manufacture.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tufting machines are distinguished over other carpet making methods in that loops of yarn which constitute the pile of the carpet are inserted in a backing medium or cloth, which may be fibrous or woven according to the carpet application. The loops are held in place by the retentive pressure of the backing cloth having been expanded locally through the insertion of the yarn. A subsequent operation covers the rear face of the yarn and backing cloth with a retaining adhesive. The adhesive also holds a further layer of backing material, usually hessian.
The yarn is inserted into the backing material by a multiplicity of needles which perform a reciprocating motion. The needles have eyes at the lower extremities through which yarn is both fed and captured. Generally, the needles are connected to one or more transverse bars known as needle bars so that all needles may be reciprocated together into and out of the backing material. In certain specialized tufting machines, the needles are carried by needle holders that may be selectively latched to a reciprocating latch bar so that the needles are capable of individual selection and only those needles selected are subject to the reciprocation, whilst those not selected are not reciprocated. The reciprocating action usually is delivered through a series of pistons or push rods couple by various conventional means to a rotating main-shaft driven by electric motor or similar means. The coupling mechanism is of a crank-shaft type so that the extent of the needle motion is the throw of the crank. Other more complex arrangements are also known which endow features to enable the motion envelope of the needle to be controlled and easily set to any desired range.
The loops of yarn may be of varying heights on the face side of the carpet in order to provide a patterning effect. There are several techniques for causing this effect, such as changing the tension of yarn from low to high from one insertion of a yarn loop to the next (high pile to low pile). Yarn tension may be set by modulating the speed of the yarn feed mechanism controlling the length of yarn delivered for each loop (stitch). A simple form of yarn feed mechanism uses a pair of rollers with a high friction surface between which the yarn is pinched. Variations in the speed of the rollers allows control of the length of yarn delivered for each tuft of carpet pile. There are many more complex mechanisms for exerting control over the yarn delivery. Some of these deliver control over individual strands of yarn, some over subsets of all the strands.
Additional patterning features include the use of cut pile as opposed to pile formed from loops. The cut pile effect is achieved usually during the tufting process by catching the loops formed by the insertion of yarn through the backing cloth on a suitably formed hook on the face (lower) side of the carpet. A knife shears the yarn on one side of the hook after several further loops have been inserted in the backing material. The knife is articulated to move in synchronism with the insertion of yarn. The hooks involved in the loop capture during yarn insertion are also arranged to move into position in synchronism with the yarn insertion process.
The foregoing is a non-exhaustive illustration of some of the features of tufting machines and the mechanisms for controlling carpet patterning. Further features of tufting machines include the ability to introduce a plurality of colors. Tufts of different colored yarns can be made to form attractive carpet patterns such as can be achieved in woven carpets in which any chosen color may be inserted in any location in the carpet by correct design of the patterning commands. One way in which this is done is by burying one colored yarn by giving it a very low pile height in an area of higher pile height of different color by the well known process of backrobbing yarn from the previous stitch to reduce the pile height of that previous stitch. When the buried color is required, the pile height is set high whilst that of the other color in that area is set lower. This results in patches of different colors but has a number of disadvantages in the wastage of yarn which cannot be seen and in the straight line arrangement of the colored yarn. Means for altering the lateral position of the yarns have consequently been developed to overcome some of these limitations.
There are normally up to two needle bars on a machine although more may be fitted. These are reciprocated by the main-shaft rotation and crank means in the vertical direction. An additional degree of freedom of motion is afforded to the needle bars by a mechanism which allows side to side motion, that is across the width of the tufting machine laterally. Yarns may thus be moved from one needle position to others. This provides greater flexibility to produce a required pattern, as needles containing a particular color can be shifted laterally to a position where that particular color is required in the pattern.
Mechanisms for moving the needle bars include cam driven systems, hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators, and electric servo controlled motors with a rotational to linear conversion device. This latter mechanism is typified by WO 97/15708 and EP 867,553. In these cases, the rotational to linear conversion devices include screw thread and nut arrangements (including those with acme threads and other thread profiles; ball screws; inverted roller screws and similar equivalent devices). These mechanisms provide the necessary motional requirements from a functional view but also limit the speed capability of the tufting machine. This limitation may arise due to the speed, rate of acceleration and slackness or free play in the mechanisms connecting the servo motor with the sliding needle bar; other relate to the amount of force required to provide the acceleration, inertia effects and control loop stability.
Further, with these systems, the sliding needle bar drive system, servo motors, or equivalent hydraulic or pneumatic actuators have been mounted on the external and faces of the tufting machine. This has required the provision of holes in the end plates or housing to allow the servo motor output shaft to feed into the sliding needle bar assembly. The servo motor output shaft has been coupled to a ball screw or equivalent device (such as an inverted roller screw or screw and nut assembly). The motion sensor for the servo motor has usually been coupled directly to its rotating shaft so that lost motion in any coupling mechanism between the servo and the sliding needle bar has remained uncompensated. | {
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The technical journal "Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift" (ATZ) 82 (1980) 4 includes an article entitled "Verringerung des Kraftstoffsverbrauchs von Ottomotoren durch elektronische Steuerung von Einspritzung und Zundung". On page 173 of this article, a paragraph 3.5 is directed to the digital engine electronics. In this paragraph, in addition to various lambda values, also the ignition time points can be set to values which are matched with the particular lambda value. FIG. 6 on page 173 shows an ignition characteristic field expanded over intake pipe pressure and rotational speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,891 relates to a method for controlling the operational performance of an internal combustion engine. A method is disclosed for controlling the smoothness of the operation of an engine and provides that the ignition angle in addition to the change of the fuel/air mixture and/or the quantity of exhaust gas fed back is changed. A combined displacement of the ignition angle, the lambda value or the exhaust gas quantity fed back is proposed in the context of a smoothness control.
European patent 0,033,616 discloses a control system for the idle speed wherein the ignition displacement is displaced in proportion to the deviation between the actual and desired speeds and the air or mixture intervention by means of an integral component based on the actual-desired speed deviation is controlled out.
The cooperative relationship between lambda control and idle speed control has been shown not to be optimal in known systems having lambda control and idle speed control. In principle, the two functions of idle speed control and lambda control operate completely independently of each other. However, since both are coupled via the engine, unpleasant operational conditions can occur because the controllers can also operate against each other in dependence upon operating range. The torque supplied by the engine is a function of lambda. If the lambda value changes, this has an influence on engine speed via the changed torque. Since the speed in idle should be held constant, the engine speed controller must intervene immediately in order to reverse the lambda influence. Accordingly, a poor operation of the engine can result at idle in the presence of unfavorable phase conditions for the two controller interventions. | {
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Gas-filled display devices have come into wide use, and these devices are generally of three types, D.C. devices, A.C. devices, and quasi A.C. devices. In D.C. devices, the panel electrodes are disposed within the gas filling of the panel; in A.C. devices, all of the electrodes are insulated from the gas filling by a glass coating; and, in quasi A.C. devices, there is a combination of electrodes, both in contact with and insulated from the gas filling by means of a glass coating formed thereon. When devices of the A.C. and quasi A.C. types are engineered, various factors including the various thermal coefficients of expansion must be taken into account, and, in selecting glasses for coatings, factors to consider are the thermal coefficient of expansion, light transmissivity, and softening temperature.
Up to the present time, glasses suitable for use in various types of display panels have all included lead. As is well known, lead is an undesirable element to have present in the manufacturing process. These lead glasses are readily degraded by thermal processing during fabrication operations and by high electric fields such as those encountered during device operation. In addition, the use of lead-bearing glasses presents a potential environmental and personnel health problem, and this requires complex and expensive protective measures to alleviate.
The present invention provides a new lead-free glass composition which is usable in display panels and the like devices. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame structure for a saddle-ridden-type vehicle such as a motorcycle, and more specifically, to a frame structure of an aluminum twin spar frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a related-art frame structure for a motorcycle, a front end portion of each tank rail is welded to a head frame having a head pipe. In the head frame disclosed in Patent Document 1, a rectangular-tube-shaped joint portion protrudes from a side surface of a head pipe, and a front end portion of a rectangular-tube-shaped tank rail is fitted with the joint portion in an overlap manner. The joint portion of the head frame and the front end portion of the tank rail are subjected to fillet welding over whole circumference thereof, to improve joint strength between the head frame and the tank rail.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S62-034879A
In the motorcycle, however, a bending load is applied to the welded portion between the head frame and the tank rail due to push-up from a road surface or a brake force of a brake. In this instance, stress concentration is easily produced on an upper surface side of the welded portion between the head frame and the tank rail. Further, in the frame structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the joint portion of the head frame and the front end portion of the tank rail are formed in the rectangular-tube-shape, it is not possible to continuously weld them over a corner portion having a high curvature. For this reason, an end portion of a weld bead is formed at a corner portion of the upper surface side of the welded portion, and thus a load is likely to be applied to the welded portion. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface emitting semiconductor laser typically used for optical interconnections, optical switch and optical information processing, and a process for producing such a laser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there has been considerable activity in the development of optical interconnections directed toward dramatically improved transmission rates as means for transmitting information between logic circuit elements. Attention is attracted to a surface emitting semiconductor laser that enables light-emitting elements to be densely arranged in two dimensions as a parallel source. Such a laser is frequently called vertical cavity surface emitting laser diode (which will be hereinafter referred to as VCSEL simply). Pioneer researches in the VCSEL have been conducted by Iga et al. and are summarized in IEEE Photon, Tech. Lett. Vol. 11, No. 12, December 1999, ppp. 1539.
Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, a recent structure of the VCSEL has a resonator 702 that vertically extends from the horizontal surface of a semiconductor substrate 701. The resonator 702 has a mesa structure, and includes an active layer 703, a lower reflection mirror 704, an upper reflection mirror 705, and a spacer layer 706. The active layer 703 confines a carrier and results in light. Each of the mirrors 704 and 705 is made up of a plurality of semiconductor layers. The spacer layer 706 makes phase matching of the light emitted by the active layer 703 at the ends of the reflection mirrors 704 and 705. On the upper reflection mirror 705, provided are an upper contact layer 707, an upper electrode 708, an interlayer insulating film 710 and a lower electrode 709 in this order. The upper electrode 708 defines an aperture via which the laser beam is emitted. The interlayer insulating film 710 covers the sidewall and upper edge portions of the mesa structure.
Laser oscillation is conducted by confining the carrier and light in the horizontal direction in addition to the vertical direction. A confinement structure in the horizontal direction with respect to the substrate may be constructed by any of the following methods. The first method employs dry etching by which a boss (post or mesa) structure as thin as about ten and a few microns is formed. The second method is of oxidization type. A post structure having a diameter as large as tens of microns by dry etching and the property of an AlAs layer called control layer is partially changed into insulation by moisture vapor oxidation so that a restricted current path can be defined. The third method is of implantation type. The third method forms an insulating region by proton implantation and results in the restricted current path. At present, it is acknowledged that the oxide-confined VCSEL has a comparatively low threshold current and exhibits an excellent optical characteristic as a function of current. This is described in, for example, Journal of Solid State Physics and Applications Division, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1999, pp. 11. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, an oxide region in the AlAs layer 712 is indicated by a reference numeral 712A, and a non-oxide region therein is indicated by a reference numeral 712B. An aperture 713 is formed in the upper electrode 708 and the laser beam is emitted via the aperture 713. FIG. 5A and 5B differ from each other in that the semiconductor layer on which the interlayer film located on the bottom of the mesa structure is formed is a surface-oxidized layer 714 of a GaAs layer of the semiconductor substrate 701 or a surface-oxidized layer 715 of an AlGaAs layer that is part of the lower reflection mirror 704. The above difference results in a difference in the post height.
A description will now be given, with reference to FIGS. 6A through 6F, of steps of the process for producing the oxide type VCSEL until the interlayer insulating film is provided.
Referring to FIG. 6A, on an n-type GaAs semiconductor substrate 801, provided are an n-type GaAs buffer layer 802, a distributed Bragg reflector layer (DBR layer) 803, a λ (one wavelength) Al0.6Ga0.4As spacer layer 804, an AlAs layer 807, a DBR layer 808 and a p-type GaAs cap layer 809 in this order by MOCVD (Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition). The DBR layer 803 is composed of 35 n-type Al0.3Ga0.7As/Al0.9Ga0.1As layers. The spacer layer 804 has two Al0.10Ga0.90As quantum well active layers 805, and three Al0.30Ga0.70As barrier layers 806. One of the two layers 805 is sandwiched between two of the barrier layers 806, and the other layer 805 is sandwiched between two of the layers 806. It is to be noted that FIG. 6A shows only one barrier layer 806, and the two remaining barrier layers 806 provided on the upper surface of the upper active layer 805 and the lower surface of the lower active layer 805 are omitted for the sake of simplicity. It may be said that the barrier layers 806 that are omitted from illustration are interposed between the active layers and the spacer layers. The DBR layer 808 is composed of 28 p-type Al0.3Ga0.7As/Al0.9Ga0.1As pairs. The cap layer 809 functions as a contact layer. The layers thus laminated form a VCSEL substrate.
Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, a resist pattern for forming a contact electrode on the p-type GaAs cap layer of the VCSEL substrate is formed by the conventional photolithograph process (PLP). Then, an electrode metal such as Cr/Au or Ti/Au is deposited. Subsequent liftoff of the resist results in contract electrodes 810.
Then, as shown in FIG. 6C, an insulating film such as a SiON or SiO2 film acting as a mask in dry etching is deposited in order to define the post or mesa structure. Then, the insulating film is etched by buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF) wherein resist formed by the conventional PLP is used as the mask. Thereby, an insulating mask 811 is defined.
As shown in FIG. 6D, the wafer is dry-etched in a mixture gas of BCl3 and Cl2 with the mask pattern 811 of the insulating film. This results in a post structure 812 on the VCSEL substrate. The height of the post structure may be defined by the any of two ways of etching described below. The first way of etching progresses beyond the DBR layer 803 composed of 35 n-type Al0.3Ga0.7As/Al0.9Ga0.1As layers and reaches the GaAs substrate 701, as shown in FIG. 5A. The second way stops etching in the course of etching the DBR layer 803. As shown in FIG. 5A, when the GaAs substrate 801 as well as the DBR layer 803 are etched, the resultant post structure is too high to maintain the satisfactory accuracy in the post process. Particularly, there may be difficulty in production of a dense element array. With the above in mind, it is preferable that the height of the post structure is restricted so that etching is stopped in the course of etching the DBR layer 803.
Then, as shown in FIG. 6E, the VCSEL substrate on which the post structure 812 has been formed is oxidized in moisture vapor ambience at an anneal temperature of 350° C.-450° C. The AlAs layer 807 exposed to the sidewall of the post structure 812 is oxidized toward the center of the post structure 812 from the end thereof, so that an oxide region 813 dependent on the oxidizing time can be formed. The oxide region 813 is a porous insulating film, which serves as a current blocking layer for current confinement. A remaining AlAs region 814 that has not been oxidized (non-oxide region) defines a current path. The non-oxide region 814 has a refractive index different from that of the oxide region 813, and therefore acts as an aperture for controlling the horizontal mode of laser light.
Thereafter, as sown in FIG. 6F, the entire post structure is coated with a SiNx, SiO2 or SiOxNy film by CVD, so that an interlayer insulating film 815 can be formed. This is intended to reinforce the post structure because the oxidized region of the AlAs layer 807 is a porous thin film and is structurally weakened. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-340565, the applicant of which is the same as the assignee of the present application, discloses the use of an AlAs control layer (current confinement layer) that has an Al composition of 100%. The above publication proposes to reinforce the mesa structure by coating it with an interlayer insulating film in order to solve a problem such that the mesa structure after the oxidization process may be removed due to a post process of rapid annealing. Next, an electrode material is deposited, and is then annealed at about 400° C. in order to make the electrode ohmic.
However, the interlayer insulating film 815 may be released from the coated surface on the bottom of the mesa structure in annealing at about 400° C. for making the electrode ohmic. In some VCSEL substrates, the interlayer insulating film 815 may float above the coated surface or may be totally separated from the mesa structure. If the degree of separation is too bad, the interlayer insulating film 815 may go into pieces and may be scattered. The above reduces the number of normal VCSEL elements and degrades the reliability thereof. As a result, the yield of VCSEL elements may be degraded to tens to 50%. | {
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This invention relates to a lift assembly for a lift truck and, more particularly, to a hydraulic cylinder arrangement for lifting uprights of a mast and a load-carrying carriage supported by the uprights.
Conventional lift trucks have on their front end a mast or lift assembly including telescoping uprights and a fork lift carriage supported by the uprights. The uprights, when extended, permit high lifting of a load while allowing the truck to have relatively low overall height when the extended uprights are lowered.
In addition, in one type of lift truck, the load carriage is movable vertically without extension of the uprights. A carriage which has this kind of movement is said to have "free lift", which is desirable since it allows a load to be lifted without extension of the uprights. The carriage engages the load in a lower position and thereafter can be raised to a desired elevation without extension of the uprights. In this raised position the load may be transported to another location, and the carriage then lowered and unloaded. Thus, with a "free lift" type of carriage, the load can be lifted without increasing the overall height of the assembly, thereby permitting operation in areas of low overhead.
The uprights and carriage usually are lowered and raised by hydraulic cylinder assemblies which are strategically positioned on the truck. In considering this positioning, one goal is to utilize hydraulic cylinder assemblies and their connections to the uprights and carriage which are simple in design. Another object is to use components for the cylinder assemblies which are as small as possible so that the weight of the lift assembly is kept to a minimum.
Furthermore, it is also important to design a load-lifting assembly which will give the driver of the truck maximum visibility in the forward direction. Consequently, it is desirable to position the hydraulic cylinder assemblies and their connections to the uprights and carriage in such a manner as to minimize their interference with the driver's line of sight.
While there are many types of lift assemblies for lift trucks, one problem is that they sacrifice one or more advantageous features to obtain another. Thus, for example, in one assembly where free lift is provided, a cylinder rod has to be raised into the line of sight of the driver to raise the carriage, thereby impairing visibility. Or, in other assemblies, hydraulic cylinders for extending the uprights are positioned directly behind the uprights to improve visibility; however, these cylinders typically are relatively long, extending almost the entire length of the mast. Consequently the mast must be located further from the truck to allow room for positioning of the long cylinders, but this positioning must be done at the sacrifice of producing additional, undesirable load moments. | {
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Many Interactive Development Environment (IDE) tools exist today to assist users in creating business enterprise computer applications and/or web pages or web applications for conducting business with on-line customers of the enterprise. A few examples are the aforementioned Eclipse® Integrated Development Environment and the Microsoft Corporation's Visual Studio® product. In practice, nearly all enterprise web applications are built using a set of libraries in a composing framework such as Apache® Struts®, Java® ServerFaces® or MicroSoft's ASP.NET®. IDE's often come bundled with web frameworks such as the aforementioned ones, for convenient use. Such web frameworks share the commonality of a session application interface for allowing developers to make objects persistent between web page invocations by an end user, but the IDE's are currently unaware of the usage of the session interfaces and they are treated just as any other library function.
Although it is often convenient to use such APIs, use of them to create a way to share state information between web servers can be problematic for the user because putting too many data structures into a session can virtually clog the operation of a website. For example, use of an HttpSession to maintain temporary user state information for a user's online session can present an enormous problem is, say, 1000 logged-in users each have a one-megabyte temporary storage of session information, the requirement on the system is for one gigabyte or more of memory in use to maintain the integrity of the 1000 user sessions in operation at the time. The general rule of thumb, however, is that programmers creating software for HttpSessions should store only as much state data or information as is necessary for the current business transaction and no more. Thus, when a developer writes the source code and finds it convenient to use the HttpSession API to insert an object, they need to be consistent in removing the object from the session once it is no longer needed for the business transaction. But keeping track of what is put into the session and what is taken out is difficult to do at the time the code is being created or developed by the programmer. The available solutions all provide for inspection and removal of unnecessarily saved data only later when a debugger after the application under development has been compiled.
The present invention solves this problem by providing a static monitoring and analysis tool enhancement to the IDE system which collects information from the source code the user-programmer is building. This information is used to help the user-programmer detect conditions where objects may inadvertently have been left in session. This analysis occurs at development time instead of after the application is actually deployed. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to 2-(benzylsulfinyl)thiazole derivatives and 2-[(1H-pyrazol-4-ylmethyl)sulfinyl]thiazole derivatives. The present invention furthermore provides mixtures of the thiazole derivatives mentioned above with other herbicides and/or safeners. In addition, the present invention relates to processes for preparing the thiazole derivatives mentioned above and to the use of these compounds as plant growth regulators alone and in combination with safeners and/or in mixtures with other herbicides, in particular to their use for controlling plants in specific crop plants or as crop protection regulators.
2. Description of Related Art
It is already known from the prior art that certain 2-(benzylsulfinyl)thiazole derivatives and 2-[(1H-pyrazol-4-ylmethyl)sulfinyl]thiazole derivatives have herbicidal properties. Thus the Japanese patent application JP 2003/096059 describes herbicidally active thiazole derivatives which carry a benzylthio or benzylsulfonyl group as substituents at the 2-position of the thiazole ring.
WO 2006/123088 describes various 2-[(pyrazolylmethyl)thio]-, 2-[(pyrazolylmethyl)sulfinyl]- and 2-[(pyrazolylmethyl)sulfonyl]thiazole derivatives, their preparation and their use as herbicides.
However, on application, the active compounds already known from the publications mentioned above have disadvantages, be it (a) that they have no or else insufficient herbicidal activity against harmful plants, (b) that the spectrum of harmful plants that can be controlled with an active compound is not wide enough, or (c) that their selectivity in crops of useful plants is insufficient.
In particular, the herbicidally active thiazole compounds known from the prior art have unsatisfactory herbicidal activity against certain weed grasses and at the same time unsatisfactory crop plant compatibility in certain crops. | {
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Multiplexed amplifiers commonly have several input stages that can be selected to be active one at a time. Such circuits behave as analog multiplexers with different signal sources connected to each input stage. One convenient configuration of an analog multiplexer is illustrated in FIG. 1 in which a common current source 9 is selectively connected to an activated input stage 11, 12, 13 of the main amplifier 15. The nonactivated input stages are capable of "floating" to some undetermined bias condition. One disadvantage of such circuit configuration is that the base-collector capacitance of the transistors in each input stage that is not active is capable of transferring high-frequency signal appearing on the input base to the main amplifier 15, thus resulting in poor signal isolation through the inactive input stages. Another disadvantage of such circuit configuration is that, when a previously inactive input stage is activated, its previous emitter voltage is unknown. Thus, undetermined time is required for the current source 9 to transfer charge and bias the emitters of the activated input stage to conduction. | {
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The evaluation of the shade of a tooth can be performed visually by a dentist. It is performed, for example, by comparing a tooth to be replaced with a number of reference teeth of a dental shade guide. There are several types of dental shade guides. Generally, dental shade guides have various color ranges, and for each color range, a set of reference teeth with various color saturations.
Visual evaluation allows the dental specialist to take into account the special features of each tooth, and especially any inhomogeneities. However, and despite standardized lighting, the visual evaluation method, remains a subjective method. In particular errors can result from faulty color perception or the practitioner's visual fatigue.
A more objective evaluation can be performed using a colorimeter. The colorimeter analyzes the spectral response of a tooth in a wide band of excitation light. It can be linked to suitable visualization software, to prepare a shade map of a tooth. The shade map is then displayed on a control screen. A colorimeter of this type is commercially available, for example the Shade Scan make. | {
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The device of the present invention is an improvement over drilling mud degassers of the type wherein drilling mud is sprayed into a vacuum chamber to remove a substantial amount of the oxygen present in the drilling mud, such as a drilling mud degasser as shown and descrubed in Burgess U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,946.
When a device of the type disclosed in Burgess U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,946 is used for the deoxygenation of water to be used for a secondary recovery operation, the results are not entirely satisfactory in that single stage centrifugation and spray impacting of the water under vacuum will not remove substantially all of the oxygen normally present in water (typically about 10 to 12 parts per million) such that as much as 3 to 5 parts per million or more of oxygen will remain in the treated water. It is normally considered necessary to provide injection water containing less than about 1 part per million of water, and preferably about 0.01 parts per million of oxygen or less. | {
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This invention relates generally to radio transceiver units, and in particular, to interchangeable front control panel and keypad assemblies for such units.
For marketing and other reasons, manufacturers of radio communications devices typically offer several different configurations for each communications product manufactured. A particular model of mobile radio transceiver may have a "basic" or minimal configuration but may optionally be provided with additional features or "options" at additional cost.
For example, a basic transceiver configuration may provide communications over a limited number of communications channels for basic radio transmitting and receiving functions required by all users. Some users may, however, have additional requirements requiring additional features--such as additional communications channels, receiver channel scanning, etc. The ability of a manufacturer to provide such additional "options" permits increases in the flexibility, versatility, desirability and range of applications of the product without penalizing purchasers of the basic configuration with increased cost. Purchasers of the basic model pay a minimum price for the minimal configuration, while users requiring additional "option" features pay an increased price based on the number and type of options required.
In the past, additional options were generally provided by incorporating additional components and circuitry into the device. For example, in the past, channel scanning capability or additional operating channels were added by installing additional frequency selection circuitry into the transceiver. Similarly, the tone activated squelch option typically required an additional tone decoder circuit to be installed. Transceiver designers used modular architectures to accommodate additional plug-in "option modules".
An example of this design approach is the prior art "MLS" series radio transceivers manufactured for General Electric Company by Japan Radio Corp. These "MLS" transceivers include basic transceiver circuitry disposed within a housing. The front panel assembly of the transceiver housing was manufactured separately, and consists of a separable front panel "escutcheon" plate. Mechanically mounted to the escutcheon plate is a printed circuit board which plug-connects to the basic transceiver circuitry when the escutcheon plate is mechanically fastened to the housing. The escutcheon plate and associated printed circuit board comprises a module separable from the transceiver main housing and basic circuitry. The module includes user controls mounted on the escutcheon plate and circuitry required to connect user controls mounted on the plate to the transceiver circuitry.
Since different "option" features in many cases require different additional user controls, different models of escutcheon plate modules were produced for the "MLS" series transceivers. In particular, the "MLS" transceiver was made available in five different versions: (1) a two-channel "basic" version; (2) an 8-channel version with the scan feature; (3) a 16-channel version without scan; and (4) a 16-channel version with scan feature. Five different interchangeable escutcheon plates with different user control arrangements corresponding to these five different transceiver versions were also made. The particular escutcheon plate/control panel installed on a particular "MLS" transceiver limited the transceiver features the user could access. For example, the escutcheon plate corresponding to the "MLS" transceiver versions with 16-channel capability and no scan feature does not have a control to actuate the scan feature--preventing the user from obtaining the benefit of the scan feature. Similarly, the escutcheon plates corresponding to the 8-channel transceiver versions do not include user controls to access more than 8 channels.
Since all "MLS" transceivers included identical basic transceiver circuitry and main housing, reduced manufacturing costs and increased reliability derived from large scale manufacturing were obtained. Specific purchaser selected options could be provided in a particular unit simply by installing the appropriate escutcheon plate module --a procedure which could be performed in the field if desired. Incorporation of the circuitry performing the option functions and user controls interacting with such circuitry within the same front panel escutcheon plate module permitted a transceiver to be reconfigured by simply "unplugging" one module and "plugging in" a different module (further increasing reliability and decreasing manufacturing costs).
In this regard, see commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/183,212 filed Apr. 19, 1988.
It is a principal object of this invention to provide a transceiver design which permits quick assembly of interchangeable front control panels and associated rubber keypads in order to convert an otherwise standard transceiver design to different versions of varying capabilities.
One advantage of the present invention is that a sixteen channel capacity unit, for example, can be configured as a four channel unit by installation of a four-key keypad and a four-key control panel, even though the unit has the capability of a sixteen channel unit. The final assembly of the control panel and keypad can be carried out easily and quickly at the point of distribution as required. As a result, otherwise standardized transceiver units can be configured quickly and simply, outside the manufacturing facility, so that unnecessary production delays need not be experienced while awaiting customer specifications.
Another advantageous aspect of the present invention lies in the fact that a standardized circuit including an array of switches, is enclosed within the housing, and that no circuitry or electrical components need be included in the keypad and/or control panel elements, with the exception of the conductive carbon buttons on the backside of respective keys of the keypad. This then permits conversion to various model designs merely by the utilization of low cost control panels and keypads, designed to selectively access some or all of the switch elements on the underlying circuit board.
It is another advantage of the present invention that the front control panel and keypad design flexibility allows future similar designs to be made quickly and cheaply to a standard product line transceiver.
In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a relatively thin planar control panel defined by upper, lower and a pair of side edges, is provided with a projection, or locking bar, extending along and away from the upper edge of the panel. This projection is designed to be received in a recess provided within the transceiver unit housing. At the same time, a pair of apertures are provided adjacent the opposite or lower edge to receive a pair of screws to securely fasten the control panel to the front cover of the transceiver unit housing. A number of interchangeable control panels are provided, with different members and configurations of key apertures, depending on the desired end configuration for the unit.
In the exemplary embodiment, the locking bar extending upwardly and away from the upper edge of the control panel is centered between the side edges, but it will be appreciated that it may also extend along the entire length of the upper edge. The recess in which the locking bar is received is formed by a combination of the front cover of the unit housing, a display escutcheon plate located directly above the control panel, and the upper edge of the associated rubber keypad.
It is also a feature of the exemplary embodiment of the invention to provide a corresponding number of rubber keypads with identical peripheral shapes, but with different numbers of keys, again depending on the desired end configuration for the unit.
In order to fasten a selected control panel and corresponding keypad to the front cover of the unit, the keypad (preferably made of rubber or other suitable resilient material) is first placed in position within a recess provided in the front cover. The corresponding control panel is oriented such that the locking bar is slipped upwardly into the above described recess, and the panel is then pivoted downwardly and pressed into contact with the underlying keypad so that the screw holes provided in the control panel are aligned with corresponding screw holes in both the keypad and in the front cover of the housing. By merely inserting and tightening a pair of screws in these two screw holes, the front control panel cover is securely mounted to the housing, with the locking bar securely held underneath the display escutcheon plate. At the same time, the control panel cover captures the rubber keypad, pressing it down against the front housing cover to form a weatherproof seal.
It will be understood that the front control panel cover and associated keypad may be provided in a variety of configurations, for example they may be provided with sixteen holes to accommodate a sixteen-key keypad; four holes for accommodating a four-key keypad; a blank front control panel, i.e., one with no apertures for those applications where a blank keypad is employed, and so on. In converting the unit from one configuration to another, the electrical circuitry is not altered. What is altered is the degree of accessibility to the switch elements located within the unit.
Thus, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control panel for a radio transceiver unit comprising a relatively thin, planar member having front and rear surfaces and defined by upper, lower and a pair of side edges; a projection extending along and away from at least one of the edges; and fastening means located adjacent an opposite edge.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a radio transceiver comprising a housing having a front cover, a control panel mounted on the front cover, a keypad provided with a plurality of keys adapted to make electrical connection with a circuit located within the housing; and overlying the keypad, the control panel comprising a relatively thin, planar member having front and rear surfaces and defined by upper, lower and a pair of side edges; a plurality of apertures corresponding to and aligned with the plurality of keys; a locking bar extending along and away from one of the edges, and fastening means located adjacent an another edge, opposite to the one edge.
In still another aspect, the present invention comprises a housing including a front cover, an array of electrical switches located within the housing, a plurality of interchangeable control panels adapted for selective alternative attachment to the front cover, and a plurality of interchangeable keypads adapted for selective alternative attachment to the front cover in underlying relationship with a respective one of the control panels, wherein each control panel is configured for use with a similarly configured one of the keypads, and wherein said keypads are formed with different numbers of keys, respectively for accessing selected ones of the switches in said array.
In a related aspect, the present invention relates to a method of reconfiguring an otherwise standardized radio design comprising the steps of (a) providing a transceiver unit including a housing, the housing having a front cover adapted to receive a keypad and a control panel; (b) providing a circuit board within the housing, the circuit board including an array of switches; and (c) selecting a keypad and associated control panel which permits access to some or all of the switches, depending on the number of keys provided on the selected keypad.
As a result of the above described invention, different versions of otherwise standardized transceivers can be achieved quickly and simply through the utilization of the quick connect and disconnect front control panel covers as described herein. Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention which follows. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Torque biasing systems can be implemented in vehicle components including, but not limited to, a transfer case, a power take-off unit (PTU) and an axle. Torque biasing systems regulate torque transfer between an input and an output. More specifically, a clutch pack is operably disposed between the input and the output. The degree of engagement of the clutch pack is varied to regulate the amount of torque transferred from the input to the output. For example, when the clutch pack is disengaged, there is no torque transfer from the input to the output. When the clutch pack is fully engaged or locked, all of the torque is transferred from the input to the output. When partially engaged, a corresponding portion of the torque is transferred from the input to the output.
The degree of clutch pack engagement is adjusted by a linear force that is imparted on the clutch pack via an actuator system. Traditional actuator systems include an electric motor and a clutch operator mechanism. The clutch operator mechanism converts the torque generated by the electric motor into the linear force, which can be amplified prior to being imparted on the clutch pack. The electric motor is controlled based on a control signal generated by a control system.
Conventional control systems use closed-loop control to regulate a specified system parameter. When the specified system parameter has an accurate means of feedback, such as is the case with direct sensing, the overall system accuracy is sufficient. In the case where the specified system parameter is not directly measurable, system accuracy is difficult to achieve.
Torque biasing systems are typically controlled based on a parameter other than torque, because torque is not easily measurable and torque sensors are not readily available. Torque sensors, however, would not be a total solution because the actual torque generated by a vehicle system is often much slower than is required by the biasing device. As a result, conventional torque biasing systems are not controlled as accurately as is desired. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for cleaning a textile machine, such as by way of example and not limitation a spinning machine, containing a plurality of operating positions, in that exemplary case a plurality of spinning positions.
As to the inventive cleaning apparatus for the cleaning of a plurality of typically similar operating positions of a textile machine, such cleaning apparatus comprises a movable or mobile cleaning device which is movable on rails or the like between the different operating positions and such movable or mobile cleaning device is provided with at least one suction trunk or nozzle.
A heretofore known cleaning apparatus of this general type is shown and described in German Pat. No. 1,510,728. In that case, elements of the individual spinning positions are freed of fiber particles deposited thereon by means of pressure jets of a cleaning device travelling on rails along the spinning machine. These fiber particles then pass in free flight onto the floor upon which the spinning machine is mounted or supported and from that location they are sucked away by a suction trunk also forming part of the cleaning device.
Other cleaning devices, operating in accordance with substantially the same technique or method, are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,754,992 and 3,908,346. An important disadvantage of this prior art blow-suction technique or method resides in the fact that the fiber particles can be caught or entrained only indirectly by the suction nozzle, that is to say, by means of a transfer function This undesirably results in the possibility that the fiber particles blown away by the pressure jets, while on their way or during their flight to the floor or machine supporting structure, can remain entrapped or caught at machine parts or elements located above floor level yet outside the operating range or effective region of the pressure jets. Consequently, at least to some degree there is only effected a displacement of the impurities or contaminants which should be removed from the area of the textile machine.
Furthermore, the known cleaning devices constitute rather limited or non-versatile designs or constructions which are devoid of operational flexibility and adaptability to varying contours of the objects to be cleaned, in this case the parts or elements of the associated textile machine which is to be cleaned. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a brake lathe for drum and disc rotor brakes for grinding the inside cylindrical surface of a brake drum and for machining the opposite parallel surfaces of a disc rotor and, more particularly, to a brake lathe for use in automotive repair shops.
Brakes lathes for resurfacing brake drums and disc rotors are well known and have been used in the art. These lathes commonly utilize a rotating spindle provided along an axis of the brake lathe housing and which accepts at one end thereof the brake device to be machined. The other end of the spindle is driven by a source of power such as a motor. A cutting tool is provided on a moveable platform attached to the lathe so as to advance the cutting tool into the brake drum or disc rotor. The depth of cut can be adjusted by moving the tool platform or by a depth-of-cut adjustment on the tool itself. These known brake lathes have the disadvantage that the cutting tool or boring bar which is normally used to resurface or grind the inside cylindrical surface of the brake drum is located on a mounting surface or platform which is disposed between the operator and the axis of the lathe housing. Accordingly, when the operator needs to adjust the depth of cut for work on a brake drum or to otherwise observe the cutter operation, the operator must lean over the lathe to view the cutting operation which takes place along the horizontal radius of the brake drum located on the operator's side of the lathe. This procedure is awkward and, therefore, the adjustment or observation is difficult to perform. Further, in combination brake-drum and disc-rotor lathes, the location of the guide surface or platform for the boring bar interferes with the placement of inboard and outboard cutters which are utilized to machine the opposite parallel surfaces of a disc rotor and which are also located between the operator and the brake lathe housing.
These and other disadvantages are overcome by the present invention wherein there is provided a brake lathe for use with both brake drums and disc rotors which permits the operator to view the cutting operation of a brake drum machining without leaning over the machine. Further, the brake drum and disc rotor cutting tools are advantageously provided on opposite sides of the brake lathe housing. Still further, the present invention also provides separate platforms for brake drum and disc rotor operations which are independent of one another. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Knit hosiery is worn by women throughout the world. The desire for ultra sheerness results in a material which is easily damaged. The knitting method of producing the fabric in an inexpensive fashion means minor damage may cause a cascading affect which results in an unsightly “run” or “ladder” caused by the continued unraveling of the material's knit.
Hosiery wearers have developed a number of ways to repair minor damages before they become too unsightly. The goal is to save the material from further damage, at least for the day, until the hosiery may be replaced. The fibers are often too fine and too short to be tied or knotted. Pervious solutions have included using nail polish as a means of sticking or gluing the loose ends of the damaged fibers to the surrounding fabric. This solution results in hard inflexible fabric, at the point of the repair, which is unsightly and may be irritating to the skin of the wearer.
Another method of temporarily repairing hosiery has been the application of hair spray to the location of the damage and the surrounding area. The result is that the hair spray creates a bond between the loose fibers and surrounding fabric preventing further “run.” One of the problems is because hair spray causes unsightly discoloration of the fabric as the hair spray is formulated to sit on top of the fibers. Note that hair is not the same as the fibers of the fabric so the result is not ideal. The smooth/regular uniformity of the fibers in the fabric makes the undissolved particles of copolymers visible as a film or discoloration on the fabric which would not be evident on hair.
Further, hair spray results in a sticky feeling on the wearer's skin. Also, hair spray utilizes a urethane which results in an inflexible bond between adjacent fibers. As the hosiery continues to be worn, the movement results in the breaking of the bonds basically undoing the fix. Finally, the chemicals in hair spray are not meant for the direct application to the skin or for application in the quantities required for repair of hosiery, resulting in skin irritation and user discomfort or injury. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The applicant's prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,768,252 and 4,825,489 disclose a fitted sheet having an elastic cross extend therebetween at locations spaced from an end panel of the sheet, and elastic corner bands attached to the side panels of the sheet at the ends of the cross band and extending to the adjacent end panel. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,252, the cross bands and corner ends were formed of a flat elastic band with the ends of the cross bands and corner bands attached by stitching to the side and end panels of the fitted sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,489 and my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/365,353 filed June 13, 1989, disclose fitted sheets in which an elastic cross band and corner bands are formed as a harness that is detachably attached to the side and end panels of the sheet by fabric clasps. However, these prior arrangements used a flat elastic band and stitching to secure the cross band and corner bands to the fabric clasps.
The arrangements disclosed in my prior patents have been found effective to retain a fitted sheet in position on a mattress. However, the sewing operations required for attaching the cross band and corner bands to the sheet or to the fabric clasps added to the cost of production. Further, the tension in the cross band and the corner bands was dependent on the length of the cross and corner bands and points of attachment to the side and end panels of the sheet. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Liquid extraction surface analysis (“LESA”) is a known technique whereby samples are extracted from a surface into a small liquid junction for further analysis by an Electrospray ionisation (“ESI”) ion source. Liquid extraction surface analysis has been used for imaging of tissue sections at fairly modest spatial resolution.
According to a known arrangement a crystallised Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation matrix is provided and desorbed ions or particles are ionised or further ionised by an Electrospray ionisation ion source.
US2014/0070088 (Otsuka) discloses an Electrospray ionisation device.
It is desired to provide an improved ion source and an improved method of ionising a sample. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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There are numerous medical procedures and devices in use today in which a medical device, generally tubular, such as a laparoscope, trocar, electrode, probe, introducer, or the like is inserted into the abdomen, chest, or body parts of a patient for performing some procedure or inspection after which tile device is withdrawn. When the device is inserted, a wound results and hemorrhagic complications arise during the insertion and/or removal of the device. Until my invention, there was no known device which addressed the hemorrhagic complications arising from the wound. If complications arose, the wound was treated in accordance with sound medical practice employing conventional techniques.
Within the prior art, the use of gelatin as a substance for making medication capsules for internal use and adapted to be absorbed by enzyme action or other physiological processes within the body is well known. Also, the use of gelatin material for various surgical techniques has been well documented. In particular, the use of a gelatin material in a "sponge" form or as a foam is commercially available from the Upjohn Company under the trademark "Gelfoam". Gelfoam with and without thrombin, a protein which is active at the last stage of clot formation and functions to change fibrinogen to fibrin, has been used in surgery in virtually all organ systems including prostrate, brain, musculoskeletal, vascular graphs and other areas without adverse complications. The use of gelatin as a coating for a fabric, blood-vessel graft is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,483 to Kline et al dated Oct. 8, 1963, incorporated herein by reference.
The use of hardened gelatin as forming a part of a surgical instrument is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,684 to Marshall dated Dec. 19, 1967, incorporated by reference herein. In Marshall, the distal cutting edge of a cannula which is used as a parenteral injection device is formed from a thiolated gelatin material. Specifically, the gelatin distal tip punctures a vein, and eventually dissolves, leaving the proximal portion of the cannula within the vein for administrating parenteral solutions. The cannula can be thus left in situ without vein damage which would otherwise arise from the presence of a sharp needle or the removal of the sharp needle from the vein. In this sense, the prior art recognizes that it is known to use gelatin as a surgical instrument which can be dissolved at the insertion site. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates generally to the field of floor coverings and more specifically to a Method and Apparatus For Optimization of Floor Covering And System For User Configuration and Real Time Pricing Information. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Present-day application programs almost never interface directly to the hardware of the computer system in which they execute. Instead, application program interfaces (APIs) call code modules which control the hardware, or which call programmed interfaces at yet lower levels. Most API code modules reside in an operating system (OS), although others may exist in a basic input/output system (BIOS), or in other places. Code modules for API functions typically reside in freestanding dynamic link library (DLL) files each containing routines for carrying out dozens or even hundreds of API functions.
Executing an application program written for one computer processor, operating system, or other platform on another platform requires a program, variously known as an emulator, simulator, interpreter, or translator, to convert instructions, data formats, application-program interfaces (APIs), and other characteristics of the application from those of its original platform to those of the native platform in which the emulator runs. Sometimes the original platform has been replaced, but the old application must still be run on the new platform. Sometimes programs are written to an abstract platform, so that the same application can be executed on numerous different platforms merely by writing an emulator for each native platform that is to host the abstract platform.
An emulator subsystem generally has two major components. The emulator itself converts the original processor instructions from the application into instructions or groups of instructions appropriate to the processor of the new platform, and executes them. An API translation layer "thunks" API calls from the original platform being emulated into calls to APIs written for the native platform; that is, it intercepts API calls made by an application written for the emulated platform, converts their arguments from the calling convention of the original platform to that of the native platform, then calls an appropriate native-platform module for executing the API function. A translation module or "API thunk" is a piece of program code in the translation layer which executes between a particular original API and the operating system running on the native platform.
Conventional practice involves hand-writing thunk code for each new and modified API. However, an API set may change daily during the development of an operating system. Also, the number of APIs can be very large. The Microsoft Windows NT operating system, for example, contains more than 3,500 APIs in 42 different DLL modules. Therefore, manual production of individual API translation code becomes increasingly impractical. Increasingly shorter product cycles compounds this problem.
Some interface modules or thunks have been generated from handwritten descriptors for each separate API. However, these must be maintained separately from the APIs themselves, and thus involve costly additional effort. They also suffer from "synchronization" problems: if one or more modules inadvertently escape an update between one development iteration and the next, their down-level code may mistranslate an API, or may crash the system. Such problems can be difficult to find, thus forcing the entire development effort to wait.
Alternatively, a software tool has been employed to create a set of skeleton API thunks as C-language source files which were then hand-modified. This approach is impractical, in that rerunning the tool destroys all the hand edits. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to a device for use in removal of foreign objects from a tract of the human body such as the gastrointestinal tract.
It is often the case that foreign objects will enter the human body through regions such as the gastrointestinal tract, for example, by swallowing. Typically, when it is desired to remove a foreign object through the tract of the human body, often damage is caused by removal of the object. Up to now no device has been designed for use, for example, with an endoscope or other like device for removing such objects.
One prior art device which at first glance appears similar in structure, but fails to provide the necessary function is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,190. This patent discloses a heart stimulation eletrode with a conical positioning parachute. The structure of the parachute responds to the blood flowing in a vein to draw the electrode into the heart. When the electrode is withdrawn from the heart the parachute inverts allowing for withdrawal of the electrode without damage to the vein tissue. However, this patent fails to disclose a device for permitting withdrawal of a foreign body from the human cavity and instead, the functioning of the parachute is merely for the purpose of preventing damage caused by the parachute itself. There is no means provided for covering the electrode upon withdrawal through the vein.
Also related is the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 724,913 which relates to a syringe nozzle suitable for irrigating, for example, the rectum. The syringe nozzle includes a bell-shaped member secured to the tip of the syringe with the bell-shaped member sealing against the which the syringe is being employed. This device merely provides a sealing function and the problems of removing a foreign object, with a device which inverts to provide a protective function, from the human cavity through a passage thereof is not addressed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
Industrial and natural sources produce a wide variety of gas streams containing significant amounts or concentrations of H.sub.2 S. In some instances, the gas streams will also contain or be composed principally of steam, with H.sub.2 S and other non-condensible gaseous materials being present as contaminants. Geothermal steam, for example, comprises or is composed of steam with varying minor concentrations or amounts of non-condensible gases such as H.sub.2 S, CO.sub.2, CH.sub.4, NH.sub.3, H.sub.2, and N.sub.2.
While processing equipment which uses or disposes of such gases is commonly constructed of special materials which resist the corrosive character of H.sub.2 S, downstream usage or requirements may require the removal of the H.sub.2 S. For example, H.sub.2 S interferes with many chemical reactions and cannot be tolerated in a reactant gas. Again, even if tolerated in some operations, the H.sub.2 S-containing gas cannot be exhausted to the environment. For example, boiler exhaust gases containing significant quantities of H.sub.2 S must be treated before being sent to stack. In the case of geothermal steam usage, before the condensate derived from the spent steam can be processed for disposal, H.sub.2 S in the condensate must be eliminated.
A variety of procedures have been employed to treat or purify H.sub.2 S-contaminated gases. In some instances, if the stream comprises principally non-condensible materials, e.g., those mentioned, supra, with a significant concentration of H.sub.2 S, say 200 ppm by volume or more, the stream may be incinerated to produce SO.sub.2 from the H.sub.2 S. In such cases the SO.sub.2 may then be removed from the non-condensible stream by scrubbing, the remaining non-condensibles being vented or further processed. Where the non-condensible gases contain lesser quantities of H.sub.2 S, aqueous reactant systems which comprise regenerable reactants which react with the H.sub.2 S to produce solid free sulfur are preferable. Suitable reactants include polyvalent metal ions, such as iron, vanadium, copper, manganese, and nickel, and include polyvalent metal chelates. Preferred reactants are coordination complexes in which the polyvalent metals form chelates with specified organic acids.
Where the sour or H.sub.2 S-containing gas comprises or is composed principally of steam, steam condensation must be taken into account in any removal procedure. Thus, in one preferred system in use for exhaust geothermal steam, the exhaust steam is condensed in a combination condensation-H.sub.2 S removal zone, with removal of H.sub.2 S from the steam and/or condensate by an aqueous oxidizing iron chelate solution. Solubility of the H.sub.2 S in the condensate or combination condensate/chelate solution is determined largely by the type of condensation employed and, if direct contact of the steam with aqueous iron chelate solution is practiced, by pH of the aqueous oxidizing iron chelate solution. In general, the condensation of the steam is carried out under conditions such that the volume of H.sub.2 S dissolved is less than fifty percent by weight of the H.sub.2 S in the steam. The dissolved H.sub.2 S reacts with the Fe.sup.+++ chelate to form particulate sulfur, the H.sub.2 S remaining as a non-condensible gas being thermally incinerated to SO.sub.2. The SO.sub.2 is further treated with alkaline solution to convert the SO.sub.2 to easily disposable or further usable HSO.sub.3.sup.- and/or SO.sub.3.sup.-2 ions in solution. The process further features regeneration of the derivative Fe.sup.++ chelate in the condensate/chelate solution to Fe.sup.+++ chelate, and, importantly, utilizes sulfur from the condensate and other byproducts of the process to generate thiosulfate ion in solution, the latter being easily and safely disposed of without environmental contamination.
While the prior art schemes have many advantages, they still admit of improvement. For example, if the H.sub.2 S-containing gas contains a large proportion of H.sub.2 S, or if H.sub.2 S is partitioned increasingly, e.g., up to 95 percent or so by weight of the stream, to the incineration reactor, increased energy and chemical (alkaline solution) costs will be incurred. The invention, therefore, is directed to providing a more cost efficient approach to processing high H.sub.2 S content streams or to increasing the volume of the split of non-condensible contaminant H.sub.S from steam condensation processes. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 98-54151, filed Dec. 10, 1998, in the Korean Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid jetting apparatus and a process for manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a fluid jetting apparatus for a print head which is employed in output apparatuses such as an ink-jet printer, a facsimile machine, etc. to jet fluid through a nozzle, and a manufacturing process thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A print head is a part or a set of parts which are capable of converting output data into a visible form on a predetermined medium using a type of printer. Generally, such a print head for an ink jet printer, and the like, uses a fluid jetting apparatus which is capable of jetting the predetermined amount of fluid through a nozzle to an exterior of a fluid chamber holding the fluid by applying a physical force to the fluid chamber.
According to methods for applying physical force to the fluid within the fluid chamber, the fluid jetting apparatus is roughly grouped into a piezoelectric system and a thermal system. The piezoelectric system pushes out the ink within the fluid chamber through a nozzle through an operation of a piezoelectric element which is mechanically expanded in accordance with a driving signal. The thermal system pushes the fluid through the nozzle by means of bubbles which are produced from the fluid within the fluid chamber by the heat generated by an exothermic body. Recently, also, a thermal compression system has been developed, which is an improved form of the thermal system. The thermal compression system is for jetting out the fluid by driving a membrane by instantly heating a vaporizing fluid which acts as a working fluid.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a fluid jetting apparatus according to a conventional thermal compression system. The fluid jetting apparatus of the thermal compression system includes a heat driving part 10, a membrane 20, and a nozzle part 30.
A substrate 11 of the heat driving part 10 supports the heat driving part 10 and the whole structure that will be constructed later. An insulated layer 12 is diffused on the substrate 11. An electrode 14 is made of a conductive material for supplying an electric power to the heat driving part 10. An exothermic body 13 is made of a resistive material having a predetermined resistance for expanding a working fluid by converting electrical energy into heat energy. Working fluid chambers 16 and 17 contain the working fluid, to maintain a pressure of the working fluid which is heat expanded, are connected by a working fluid introducing passage 18, and are formed within a working fluid barrier 15.
Further, the membrane 20 is a thin layer which is adhered to an upper portion of the working fluid barrier layer 15 and working; fluid chambers 16 and 17 to be moved upward and downward by the pressure of the expanded working fluid. The membrane 20 includes a polyimide coated layer 21 and a polyimide adhered layer 22.
Jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38 are chambers which are formed to enclose the jetting fluid. When the pressure is transmitted to the jetting fluid through the membrane 20, the jetting fluid is jetted only through a nozzle 35 formed in a nozzle plate 34. Here, the jetting fluid is the fluid which is pushed out of the jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38 in response to the driving of the membrane 20, and is finally jetted to the exterior. A jetting fluid introducing passage 39 connects the jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38. The jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38 and the jetting fluid introducing passage 39 are formed in a jetting fluid barrier layer 36. The nozzle 35 is an orifice through which the jetting fluid held using the membrane 20 and the jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38 is emitted to the exterior. Another substrate 31 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) of the nozzle part 30 is temporarily employed for constructing the nozzle part 30, and should be removed before the nozzle part 30 is assembled.
FIG. 2 shows a process for manufacturing the fluid jetting apparatus according to a conventional roll method.
As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle plate 34 is transferred from a feeding reel 51 to a take-up reel 52. In the process of transferring the nozzle plate 34 from the feeding reel 51 to the take-up reel 52, a nozzle is formed in the nozzle plate 34 by laser processing equipment 53. After the nozzle is formed, air is jetted from an air blower 54 so as to eliminate extraneous substances attached to the nozzle plate 34. Next, an actuator chip 40, which is laminated on a substrate to the jetting fluid barrier, is bonded with the nozzle plate 34 by a tab bonder 55, and accordingly, the fluid jetting apparatus is completed. The completed fluid jetting apparatuses are wound around the take-up reel 52 to be preserved, and then sectioned in pieces in the manufacturing process for the print head. Accordingly, each piece of the fluid jetting apparatuses is supplied into the manufacturing line of a printer.
The process for manufacturing the, fluid jetting apparatus according to the conventional thermal compression system will be described below with reference to the construction of the fluid jetting apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are views for showing a process for manufacturing the heat driving part and FIG. 3C is a view for showing a process for manufacturing the membrane on the heat driving part of the conventional fluid jetting apparatus. FIGS. 4A to 4C are views for showing the process for manufacturing the nozzle part.
In order to manufacture the conventional fluid jetting apparatus, the heat driving part 10 and the nozzle part 30 should be manufactured separately. Here, the heat driving part 10 is completed as the separately-made membrane 20 is adhered to the working fluid barrier layer 15 of the heat driving part 10. After that, by reversing and adhering the separately-made nozzle part 30 to the membrane 20, the fluid jetting apparatus is completed.
FIG. 3A shows a process for diffusing the insulated layer 12 on the substrate 11 of the heat driving part 10, and for forming an exothermic body 13 and an electrode 14 on the insulated layer 12 in turn. Referring to FIG. 3B, working fluid chambers 16 and 17 and a working fluid passage 18 are formed by performing an etching process of the working fluid barrier layer 15 through a predetermined mask patterning. More specifically, the heat driving part 10 is formed as the insulated layer 12, the exothermic body 13, the electrode 14, and the working fluid barrier layer 15 are sequentially laminated on the substrate 11 (which is a silicon substrate). In such a situation, the working fluid chambers 16 and 17 (which are filled with the working fluid to be expanded by heat, are formed on an etched portion of the working fluid barrier layer 15. The working fluid is introduced through the working fluid introducing passage 18.
FIG. 3C shows a process for adhering the separately-made membrane 20 to the upper portion of the completed heat driving part 10. The membrane 20 is a thin diaphragm, which is to be driven toward the jetting fluid chamber 37 (see FIG. 1) by the working fluid which is heated by the exothermic body 13.
FIG. 4A shows a process for manufacturing a nozzle 35 using the laser processing equipment 53 (shown in FIG. 2) after an insulated layer 32 and the nozzle plate 34 are sequentially formed on a substrate 31 of the nozzle part 30. FIG. 4B shows a process for forming the jetting fluid barrier layer 36 on the upper portion of the construction shown in FIG. 4A, and jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38 and the fluid introducing passage by an etching process through a predetermined mask patterning. FIG. 4C shows a process for exclusively separating the nozzle part 10 from the substrate 31 of the nozzle part 30. The nozzle part 30 includes the jetting fluid barrier layer 36 and the nozzle plate 34. On the etched portion of the jetting fluid barrier layer 36, the jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38 filled with the fluid to be jetted are formed. The jetting fluid such as an ink, or the like, is introduced through the jetting fluid introducing passage 39 (see FIG. 1) for introduction of the jetting fluid. The nozzle 35 is formed on the nozzle plate 34 to be interconnected with the jetting fluid chamber 37, so that the fluid is jetted through the nozzle 35. The nozzle part 30 is manufactured by the processes that are shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C. First, the nozzle plate 34 inclusive of the nozzle 35, is formed on the substrate 31 having the insulated layer 32 through an electroplating process. Next, the jetting fluid barrier layer 36 is laminated thereon, and the jetting fluid chambers 37 and 38 and the jetting fluid introducing passage 39 are formed through a lithographic process. Finally, as the insulated layer 32 and the substrate 31 are removed, the nozzle part 30 is completed. The completed nozzle part 30 is reversed, and then adhered to the membrane 20 of a membrane, heat driving part assembly which has been assembled beforehand. More specifically, the jetting fluid barrier 36 of the nozzle part 30 is adhered to the polyimide coated layer 21 of the membrane 20.
The operation of the fluid jetting apparatus according to the thermal compression system will be described below with reference to the construction shown in FIG. 1.
First, an electric power is supplied through the electrode 14, and an electric current flows through the exothermic body 13 connected to the electrode 14. Since the exothermic body 13 generates heat due to its resistance, the fluid within the working fluid chamber 16 is subjected to a resistance heating, and the fluid starts to vaporize when the temperature thereof exceeds a predetermined temperature. As the amount of the vaporized fluid increases, the vapor pressure accordingly increases. As a result, the membrane 20 is driven upward. More specifically, as the working fluid undergoes a thermal expansion, the membrane 20 is pushed upward in a direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1. As the membrane 20 is pushed upward, the fluid within the jetting fluid chamber 37 is jetted out toward an exterior through the nozzle 35.
Then, when the supply of electric power is stopped, the resistance heating of the exothermic body 13 is no longer generated. Accordingly, the fluid within the working fluid chamber 16 is cooled to a liquid state, so that the volume thereof decreases and the membrane 20 recovers its original shape.
Meanwhile, a conventional material of the nozzle plate 34 is mainly made of nickel, but the trend in using the material of a polyimide synthetic resin has increased recently. When the nozzle plate 34 is made of the polyimide synthetic resin, it is fed in a reel type. The fluid jetting apparatus is completed by the way a chip laminated from the silicon substrate to the jetting fluid barrier layer 36 is bonded on the nozzle plate 34 fed in the reel type.
According to the conventional fluid jetting apparatus and its manufacturing process, however, since the heat driving part, the membrane, and the nozzle part have to be separately made before such are adhered to each other by three adhering processes, the productivity has been decreased. Further; since the adhesion between the heat driving part and the membrane, and between the membrane and, the nozzle part are often unreliable, the working fluid and the jetting fluid often leak, so that a fraction defective has been increased, and the reliability and quality of the fluid jetting apparatus has been deteriorated.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-described problems of the prior art, and accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a fluid jetting apparatus and a manufacturing process thereof capable of improving the reliability, quality and the productivity of the fluid jetting apparatus by sequentially laminating a heat driving part, a membrane, and a nozzle part to form the fluid jetting apparatus, instead of adhering the same to each other.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
The above and other objects are accomplished by a method of manufacturing a fluid jetting apparatus according to the present invention, including: (1) forming a heat driving part having a sacrificial layer; (2) forming a membrane on the heat driving part which includes the sacrificial layer; (3) forming a nozzle part on the membrane; and (4) removing the sacrificial layer.
The step (1) includes: (i) forming an electrode and an exothermic body on a substrate; (ii) laminating a working fluid barrier on the electrode and the exothermic body, and forming a working fluid chamber in the working fluid barrier; (iii) forming a protective layer on the working fluid barrier, the electrode, and the exothermic body; (iv) forming a sacrificial layer on the protective layer and within the working fluid chamber at the same height as the working fluid barrier.
Further, the step (1) may otherwise include: (i) forming an electrode and an exothermic body on a substrate; (ii) forming a plane layer on the substrate at the same height as the electrode and the exothermic body combined; (iii) laminating a protective layer on the electrode and the plane layer; (iv) laminating the working fluid barrier on the protective layer, and forming a working fluid chamber in the working fluid barrier; and (v) forming the sacrificial layer on the protective layer and within an interior of the working fluid chamber at the same height as the working fluid barrier.
The step (2) is performed through a spin coating process.
The step (3) includes: (i) laminating a jetting fluid barrier on the membrane, and forming a jetting fluid chamber in the jetting fluid barrier; and (ii) laminating a nozzle plate on the jetting fluid barrier, and forming a nozzle in the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate is laminated through a process for laminating a dry film.
The above and other objects of the present invention may further be achieved by providing a fluid jetting apparatus including a heat driving part which generates a driving force, a nozzle part having a jetting fluid chamber interconnected to an exterior of the fluid jetting apparatus through a nozzle, and a membrane which transmits the driving force generated from the heat driving part to the nozzle part, wherein the heat driving part comprises: an electrode and an exothermic body formed on a substrate; a plane layer formed on the substrate at the same height as the electrode and the exothermic body combined; a protective layer laminated on the plane layer; and a working fluid barrier laminated on the protective layer, and provided with the working fluid chamber for holding a working fluid which is expanded by the exothermic body to generate the driving force. | {
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The present invention relates to a vehicle speed control apparatus for controlling the speed of an own vehicle relative to a preceding vehicle.
A variety of devices have been developed to alleviate burdens on the driver of a running vehicle and to enhance driving safety. Illustratively, cruise control systems and like apparatuses for controlling vehicles running at a constant speed have already been commercialized. Currently under development are driving control apparatuses that measure by radar a headway distance and a relative speed of a host vehicle with respect to a preceding vehicle so as to let the host vehicle run while maintaining the headway distance or avoid collision with the preceding vehicle. A cruise control system, once its cruise mode switch is turned on, allows the vehicle to maintain its speed until an operation such as the stepping on the brake pedal is carried out to cancel the cruise mode.
One conventional headway distance maintaining system allows the host vehicle to maintain the headway distance if there is a preceding vehicle, and activates a following control device to get into cruise mode based on an established speed if there is no preceding vehicle. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-192661 discloses a driving control apparatus claimed to work as follows: if the host vehicle trailing the preceding vehicle loses the latter from a radar range, the apparatus sets as a target vehicle speed the vehicle speed in effect when the preceding vehicle was lost. Thereafter, if a suitable reset operation is performed during a predetermined period of time, an initially set vehicle speed is restored; if no reset operation is carried out, the target vehicle speed is established as a new vehicle speed.
One disadvantage of the above and other similar conventional apparatuses is that if the preceding vehicle entering a curve is captured by radar, the apparatus causes the host vehicle to start decelerating well before the curve is reached so as to keep the headway distance unchanged. Another disadvantage is that when the preceding vehicle starts accelerating at the exit of a curve, the host vehicle behind it also starts accelerating even if the trailing vehicle is still negotiating the curve.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a vehicle speed control apparatus allowing a host vehicle trailing a preceding vehicle along a curve to accelerate and decelerate in accordance with the configuration of the road.
In carrying out the invention, there is provided a vehicle speed control apparatus comprising detecting means for detecting a headway distance, a relative speed and a direction of a host vehicle with respect to a preceding vehicle, and computing means for computing a speed of the preceding vehicle based on an own speed and the relative speed of the host vehicle. After the speed of the preceding vehicle transiting a given point on a road is acquired and retained, the host vehicle is controlled to pass that point at a speed not exceeding the retained speed of the preceding vehicle. When passing the point in question, the host vehicle may be controlled to run at a speed not exceeding the retained speed of the preceding vehicle while keeping the headway distance to the preceding vehicle from getting shorter than a predetermined value. If subject to a yaw rate of a predetermined minimum value, the host vehicle may be controlled to keep its own speed from exceeding a maximum speed determined by the yaw rate. If the vehicle speed control apparatus further comprises detecting means for detecting headway distances and directions of the host vehicle with respect to a plurality of preceding vehicles, and if the plurality of preceding vehicles change their courses in the same direction, the apparatus may detect the presence of a curve ahead of the host vehicle and may keep the speed of the host vehicle entering the curve not in excess of the speeds of the preceding vehicles. If the plurality of preceding vehicles change their courses in different directions, the vehicle speed control apparatus may control the speed of the host vehicle by getting road information from an on board navigation device to determine whether the directional change is attributable to the preceding vehicles heading into road branches or changing lanes.
The inventive vehicle speed control apparatus above controls the host vehicle entering a curve in a way that keeps its speed from exceeding the speed of the preceding vehicle that entered the curve earlier. This provides speed control of the host vehicle in keeping with the configuration of the road. Because the lateral acceleration of the host vehicle is proportional to the product of the own speed and a yaw rate of the vehicle, the maximum vehicle speed may be set in accordance with the yaw rate. This keeps the lateral acceleration of the host vehicle from exceeding a predetermined level, thus enhancing ride quality in keeping with the road configuration. When the host vehicle is running a multiple-lane road, the inventive apparatus may detect a plurality of preceding vehicles changing their courses to ascertain the presence of curves and thereby allow the host vehicle to travel in accordance with the road configuration. | {
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to a method for assembling a controlled impedance electrical connector using conventional components.
2. The Prior Art
Electrical signals operating at very high frequencies require controlled impedance and energy containment in their associated wiring and connectors. Commonly, controlled impedance and energy containment is effected by using shielded or coaxial cable and/or special electrical connectors or connector inserts. Such connectors typically are custom-made for particular applications and, therefore, often are expensive and not readily available when needed.
It would be beneficial to provide a method for fabricating a controlled impedance connector for a variety of applications using readily available, conventional components.
The present invention provides a novel method for assembling a controlled impedance electrical connector, such as the connector disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/607,487. More particularly, the present invention provides a method for assembling a controlled impedance electrical connector using conventional connector components, including conventional connector shells and inserts. The method of the present invention can be used in connection with connector shells having nearly any cross-section, including, without limitation, circular, square, and rectangular. The method of the present invention can be used to assemble an impedance controlled connector for use with conductors carrying a variety of signals, including single-ended signals, differential signals, and bidirectional differential signals. Test results indicate that a controlled impedance electrical connector assembled using the process of the present invention provides appropriate energy containment for signals varying in frequency from direct current (DC) to approximately 3.5 GHz.
In a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention can be used to terminate an impedance controlled cable, such as a cable having a center conductor and a surrounding shielding braid, to a conventional insert in a conventional electrical connector shell. Preferably, the impedance controlled cable is prepared for termination by first stripping a length of outer jacket away from an end of the impedance controlled cable, leaving all but a short length of the underlying shielding braid in place. The exposed shielding braid then can be pushed back against the end of the remaining outer jacket, exposing the inner dielectric insulation. A short length of the inner dielectric insulation (and center conductor protective wrap, if present) is removed to expose the center conductor. Preferably, the center conductor is folded back upon itself to provide an adequate diameter for crimping.
In a preferred embodiment, a standard M39029/56-348 connector socket or M39029/58-360 connector pin (or the respective, suitable alternative) then is crimped onto the center conductor using a conventional crimping tool and die. A small section of shrinkable tubing can be installed across the gap between the crimp contact, i.e., the connector socket or connector pin, and the inner dielectric insulation to provide additional mechanical strength to the connection.
The shielding braid then is replaced over the inner dielectric insulation. Preferably, the shielding braid is spread evenly over the inner dielectric insulation, ensuring that no opening in the braid has a dimension larger than {fraction (1/20)} of a wavelength corresponding to the highest frequency to be handled by the connector (or, in a time domain, {fraction (1/20)} of the fastest transition speed of a signal, as would be known to one skilled in the art). A wire can be wrapped around the braid to cover any opening of excessive size. If such a cover wire is used, it preferably is soldered to the shielding braid to improve the overall shielding characteristic and to hold the wire in place, thus ensuring the opening remains covered. A drain wire preferably is added around the shielding braid near the end of the outer cable jacket and soldered in place.
The foregoing steps describe the preferred method for preparing a cable carrying a single-ended signal for termination at a connector insert. The method of the present invention also can be used in connection with, for example, multiple cables or a multi-wire cable carrying differential signals and bidirectional differential signals, among others. In a differential signal application, a second cable or wire is prepared and terminated in the same manner as for the single-ended signal application described above. The drain wires of the two cables or wires then are twisted and preferably soldered together. A standard M39029/56-348 connector socket or M39029/58-360 connector pin (or the respective, suitable alternative) is crimped onto the twisted and soldered drain wires using conventional tools. In a bidirectional differential signal application, a second pair of cables or wires for the second signal path also is prepared, as described above.
The prepared cables and/or wires are arranged into a predetermined pattern in which they will be configured when installed into the connector. This pattern is selected to ensure that the assembled connector will exhibit adequate impedance control characteristics. This pattern can be determined using any suitable parameter extraction software, such as the Maxwell(copyright) program available from the Ansoft Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pa., or other commercial or proprietary program. One suitable alternative software package is available from Innoveda of Redmond, W.Va.
The prepared and arranged wires are inserted into a conventional insert in a conventional connector housing in the predetermined pattern. Preferably, all of the conductor termination components (i.e., connector sockets or pins) associated with a particular cable or group of cables are pressed into the connector insert substantially simultaneously, a little bit at a time, to avoid placing excessive strain on any of the wiring. Any practical number of conductors can be prepared for and terminated at a connector in the foregoing manner. Once installed into a connector, individual connector sockets and/or pins can be removed and reinserted using conventional insertion and removal tools.
If reference planes are needed for impedance control within the connector, as would be known to those skilled in the art, they may be provided by inserting signal pins into the connector insert in a predetermined configuration and grounding them to the connector shell, thus forming a Faraday Cage around the signal wires requiring such impedance control measures. Preferably, the grounds (or drains) of the relevant signal wires are connected to any of these grounded pins.
Overall shielding of the cable also can be accomplished using conventional connector fittings in a novel manner. More particularly, the shielding can be bunched at the location where the shielding normally ends. This allows the shield to continue within the connector to provide impedance control right up to the inner face of the connector housing. | {
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Urinary catheters for draining the bladder through the urethra are commonly packaged in sterile and pre-lubricated condition in flexible containers or pouches. In some cases, the catheters are intended to be fully removed from such containers at the time of catheterization, whereas in others the containers and catheters may remain in communication with the containers then serving as urine-collecting pouches. Reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,854,483 (Powers), 5,226,530 (Golden), 3,934,721 (Juster et al), 6,004,305 (Hursman et al), 5,147,341 (Starke et al) and 6,053,905 (Daignault et al) as illustrative of the art.
Catheterization commonly involves inserting the distal tip of a catheter (sometimes protected against contamination by an introducer sleeve as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,483 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,259) into the urethra and then longitudinally collapsing and extending the pouch in an accordion-like manner until the tip reaches the bladder. Such action is illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,363 (Bonner). By gripping the remote (proximal) end of the catheter between the walls of the pouch during the pouch-collapsing phase, the catheter is advanced in a distal direction and, conversely, during the pouch-extending phase, the catheter is held against reverse sliding movement by gripping it between the pouch walls near the pouch""s distal end. The operation is a two-handed one requiring considerable dexterity to insure that the catheter is advanced during the pouch-collapsing phase and not retracted during the pouch-extending phase.
Complications may arise that make such a procedure even more difficult. For example, fluid pressure may tend to expel the catheter and require the user to continue gripping the catheter between the walls of the pouch to hold it in place during voiding. Because the catheter is lubricated, immobilizing it by applying a gripping force to the walls of the pouch may require more strength and dexterity than patients can provide, thereby precluding self-catheterization.
In an effort to reduce such problems, some packages for prelubricated catheters contain gripping devices that may be squeezed to help hold a catheter against reverse sliding movement (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,053,905, 6,004,305 and WO 98/06642). Typically, such gripping devices are designed to engage the side surfaces of a catheter but, since those surfaces are already lubricated, slippage may still readily occur.
Lubricating and gripping systems used in current catheter packages often have other shortcomings as well. Lubricant gel may not be retained in one area of such a package but may be free to migrate into the urine-collective chamber, causing the walls of the pouch to stick together and make voiding more difficult. Squeezable gripping devices, even if properly fitted onto the tip of a catheter during production, may slip off during storage and transport, requiring a user to refit such a device prior to catheterization. Further, in some constructions, lubricant tends to be unevenly distributed over the surfaces of a catheter, causing patient discomfort and risking possible injury during catheterization.
This invention therefore concerns an improved self-lubricating catheter package that overcomes or at least greatly reduces the aforementioned defects and disadvantages of current products. More specifically, this invention involves a catheter package in which lubricant (preferably in the form of a gel) is retained in a housing located within the distal end portion of a pouch. Means are provided to insure even distribution of the lubricant over the surfaces of a catheter during a catheterization procedure. The housing includes gripping means which, in contrast to conventional devices, normally holds a catheter against sliding movement and releases that catheter for movement only when squeezing forces are applied by a user""s fingers. Since the gripping means automatically restrains sliding movement of the catheter in the absence of such squeezing forces, the device holds the catheter in place during storage and transport, thereby eliminating the possibility that a user might have to reinsert the catheter into the gripping device prior to use. Further, the gripping device easily holds the catheter in place in the urethra during voiding and also eliminates or greatly reduces the possibility of reverse movement of the catheter during the pouch-collapsing and pouch-extending phases of catheterization. The catheter gripping and lubricating device is therefore believed to be considerably more effective in operation and ease of use than existing devices and, when used in combination with a flexible container or pouch, results in a catheter package that is superior to current assemblies.
Briefly, the catheter gripping and lubricating device includes a deformable and shape-recoverable housing of elastomeric material defining a lubricant chamber. At its distal end, the chamber is substantially closed by an end cap having an axial catheter-receiving passage extending therethrough. The opposite or proximal end of the chamber includes a retention wall that restrains lubricant flow in a proximal direction from the housing. The retention wall is apertured to allow sliding movement of a catheter into and through the lubricant chamber of the housing.
Catheter gripping means is located at the proximal end portion of the housing in advance of (i.e., proximal to) the apertured retention wall and lubricant chamber. The gripping means normally grips opposite side surfaces of a catheter to restrain its sliding movement but is deformable upon the application of squeezing force (by a user""s fingers applied against the opposite side walls of the housing) to selectively release the catheter for sliding movement. The catheter gripping means includes a pair of deformable clamping members that normally frictionally engage opposite side surfaces of the catheter, such clamping members extending between and being connected to upper and lower walls of the housing so that squeezing forces applied to those walls will cause the clamping members to bow outwardly away from each other and release the catheter for sliding movement.
The catheter gripping and lubricating device is located within the distal end of a pouch that maintains the catheter in sterile condition prior to use and may advantageously serve as a urine collection pouch during catheterization. Ideally, side surfaces of the guide housing""s end cap are heat sealed or otherwise bonded to inside surfaces of the pouch at its distal end. The end cap includes a tubular extension that projects through and beyond the pouch""s distal end, and in one preferred embodiment of the invention such extension carries a soft pliant introducer sleeve designed to protect the catheter tip against contamination by non-sterile urethral surfaces immediately adjacent the urethral opening.
A lubricant, preferably in the form of a lubricant gel, is disposed in the lubricant chamber. The passage of the distal end cap, including the extension of that end cap, is of a diameter sufficiently greater than the outside diameter of the catheter to insure that a thin even coating of lubricant is applied to and remains on the catheter as it is advanced into the urethra. In that connection, it is to be noted that squeezing forces applied to the lubricant housing for purposes of releasing the gripping means also helps to insure that lubricant will be forced into contact with the external surfaces of the catheter as it advances through the lubricant chamber.
Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and specification. | {
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In general, 3-dimensional display devices comprise membranes or films that project an illusion of depth in a photograph, movie or other 2-dimensional image. A 3-dimensional illusion can be projected to a viewer by displaying two 2-dimensional images, which represent two perspectives of the same photograph, movie or image. However, such 3-dimensional display devices generally require viewers to wear specialized eyeglasses.
On the other hand, some 3-dimensional projection devices, such as swept-volume displays, comprise a plurality of image projectors that project images on a display surface undergoing rotational motion. As the display surface rotates, the images projected on the 2-dimensional display surface changes, which creates a 3-dimensional illusion. However, such 3-dimensional projection devices have limited viewing angles. | {
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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect systems and organs throughout the body. The pathogenesis is unknown, but in the numerous cases, it is considered to be an autoimmune rheumatic disease activated by polyclonal B cell in vivo and autoantibodies against autoantigens. Western medicine treatment of SLE currently mainly involves glucocorticoids and cytotoxic drugs or immunosuppressive agents; Even though these methods can prolong a patient's survival, long-term usage or high-dosages of such hormones can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, osteoporosis, infections and other complications, which cause many complications for the treatment. Therefore, it is urgent to study an effective and reliable, minimal side-effect and economical drug treatment, to meet the different needs of patients.
As2O3, commonly called arsenic trioxide, is highly toxic, but is a compound with a wide range of functions. It has a long medical history in China, and has been used for the treatment of psoriasis, syphilis, rheumatism, and certain maladies. As a traditional Chinese medicine, arsenic was first an invention and contribution of great significance in the field of drug development and treatment of leukemia, and was universally acknowledged. In recent years, because As2O3 plays a significant role in acute promyelocytic leukemia treatment, many scholars have conducted in-depth studies on the drug which has demonstrated that As2O3 can treat a broad range of tumors. Not only does it have excellent inhibitory effect on leukemia cells, but it also is effective against many solid tumors, including lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, ovarian cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer and so on.
Many scholars in China and abroad have intensely studied the structure of arsenic through the scope of modern medicine. Studies have shown that arsenic, in a trivalent state, works in vivo. Trivalent arsenic is a complexing agent of thiol (—SH), and can inhibit metabolic?? activity (of what) after interaction with thiol in the interior of enzyme molecule, which induces apoptosis through a number of pathways, demonstrating that As2O3 is very effective against tumors. Wei Yaming etc. (Northwest Military Medical Journal, 2002, 23 (5): 324-326.) reported dual effects of As2O3 on apoptosis and differentiation of leukemia cells. As2O3 is found that lower concentration of As2O3 has no effect on expression of differentiation antigen of NB4 and HL-60 cell lines, and only high concentration of As2O3 treated for more than 72 h could play effects of both apoptosis and differentiation. Meanwhile, mechanism of action of As2O3 on cytokines and immunomodulatory has also caused extensive concerns, some studies: Zhu Xiaochun, etc. (Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine, 2001, 40 (11): (764-765); (Chinese Journal of Rheumatology, 2002, 6 (5):343-346) postulated that As2O3 could control or reduce autoimmune responses by inducing apoptosis of autoreactive lymphocytes and play an important role in inhibiting the pathogenesis of SLE.
However, there are still many problems in the traditional clinical application of As2O3, such as high toxicity, and low bioavailability, etc. At present, the clinically used preparation is through an arsenious acid injection made from As2O3. After intravenous administration, as elevated arsenic concentrates in plasma and rapidly diffuses into the surrounding tissue, side effects including but not limited to: gastrointestinal symptoms, peripheral neuritis, dry skin, pigmentation, even renal damage or ascites can occur in the patient. Since safe dose of As2O3 systemic administration is very limited and the difference between a safe dose and a toxic dose is infinitesimally small, which limits its application as a chemotherapeutic agent.
Therefore, when seeing the clinical value of As2O3 medicine, if we can improve the traditional preparation process, and adopt modern technology to prepare new As2O3 nanoparticles, thereby increasing the bioavailability, reducing drug dosage and toxicity, and improving efficacy, it will have important clinical significance.
The existing preparing process of nanoparticles preparation containing As2O3:
1. Zhou Jie et al (Chinese Journal of New Drugs 2005 14 (1) 54) disclosed a process for preparing arsenic trioxide-albumin microspheres through a method of emulsion-glutaraldehyde solidification; this method not only uses a large amount of organic solvent and oil, but also requires more chemical crosslinking agents-glutaraldehyde, the residual of which will bring some potential safety hazard to the application of preparations. 2. Chenhua Jiang (Second Military Medical University 2007.28 (6) 644) disclosed a process for preparing arsenic trioxide albumin microspheres by an emulsification-heat solidification method; 3. Yang Zhiwen, etc. (Traditional Chinese Medicine 2007 25 (8) 115) disclosed a process for preparing arsenic trioxide albumin microspheres by a emulsification-heat-stabilization method, which requires castor oil, cottonseed oil, and large amounts of organic solvent for removing the oily residue. The latter two methods, either an emulsion-glutaraldehyde solidification method or an emulsification—heat-stabilization method, have complicated technical processes and are unsuitable techniques for mass-production.
In the initial research phase of preparing arsenic compound-loaded nano-particles it was found, through many trials, that the particle size of nanoparticles prepared by a emulsion-heat-solidification method using castor oil could vary greatly, with a complicated technical process; and then it is switched to a desolvation-glutaraldehde chemical solidification method, but due to a large specific surface area of nanoparticles, the nanoparticles having not been solidified easily merge into big grains large clumps during stirring, which increases the likelihood of cross-linking between nanoparticles. The prepared particle will be too large, have a relatively short release time, contain residual glutaraldehyde chemical reagents, and require complicated technical processes, making it unviable for industrial production.
In summation, the prior art has complicated technical processes; hidden danger from residual toxic reagent glutaraldehyde; and a short release time, poor stability, poor storage stability, etc. There is an urgent need to develop a new process for preparing As2O3 loaded nanoparticles preparation. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to household room air purifiers of the type filtering room air to remove particulates down to very small sizes with efficiencies of 95% and more. More particularly, the invention relates to room air purifiers of a convenient quarter-round shape that will fit into a corner, that mount their own fans and motors, and that put out high volumes of air, in the hundreds of cubic feet per minute.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous household room air purifiers are known. Some incorporate so-called HEPA filters; others rely on electrostatic principles to separate unwanted particulate from the room air or use ozone generation to give a sense of fresh air. Continuing improvement efforts in known devices and a number of newly introduced devices signal that the best room air purifier is not yet found. | {
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It is very common to laminate two or more tissue plies in order to produce the final tissue product. Herewith a more flexible and softer tissue product is obtained as compared to if one single ply with a corresponding thickness and basis weight had been produced as for the laminated product. The absorbent capacity and the bulk are moreover improved.
The lamination of two or more tissue plies is often made by means of gluing. A mechanical embossing of the plies is also often performed before they are glued together. It is further known to laminate two plies only by means of a mechanical embossing, at which a mechanical joining of the plies occurs in the embossing sites.
Through for example EP-A-796 727 it is known to first emboss two paper plies in a three dimensional structure with alternating raised and recessed portions, after which glue is applied to one of the plies and the two plies are joined in a press nip between two embossing rolls, so that the raised portions of the respective plies are glued to each other. A similar embossing procedure is shown in EP-A-738 588, according to which the glue also has a colouring effect.
In WO 95/08671 there is disclosed an example of so called nested embossing, in which the two individually embossed plies are combined and joined with the raised portions of one ply nesting into the recessed portions of the opposite ply.
Through U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,889 there is known a procedure for laminating two paper plies, which are fed over a pattern roll each, said pattern rolls having alternating raised and recessed portions and where glue is applied to one ply while this is led over the roll. The two paper plies are then glued together in a nip between the two pattern rolls, which are in register with each other so that a joining and compression of the paper plies occurs in a pattern corresponding to the protuberances of the pattern rolls.
A drawback that occur in connection with embossing a paper web where this is compressed in spots, is that a considerable strength reduction occurs in the embossing sites, which effects the strength properties of the entire paper product. Strength reductions of up to 70% of an embossed paper as compared to a corresponding non-embossed paper are not unusual.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,950 discloses a method for producing a quilted or cushioned adhesively laminated tissue product in which glue is applied in a certain pattern to one tissue ply in a press nip between a first pattern roll and an impression roll. This ply is laminated to another ply in a press nip between the same impression roll and a second pattern roll having a pattern corresponding with that of the first pattern roll and driven in registry with the first pattern roll. The two plies are in different conditions of stress during the lamination process, so that a quilted or cushioned product is provided.
Laminating three or more tissue plies together by gluing can be made in different ways. According to one alternative embodiment an embossing unit comprising two embossing nips defined by an embossing roll and a marrying roll providing a nested configuration of the embossed and laminated web and further comprising a glue applicator, as disclosed in for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,225, is used, with the modification that two plies are fed together into at least one of the embossing nips. Using this technique for laminating three or more plies gives a rather stiff product since the glue has to penetrate completely through the middle layer(s) in order to glue all layers together. An insufficient penetration of the glue through the middle layer(s) will not provide a sufficient plybonding effect.
According to an alternative embodiment three or more plies may be joined together by mechanical plybonding by so called male-to-flat or male-to-male embossing. The embossing is normally made only along the edge portions of the tissue product, so called edge embossing, as is disclosed in for example U.S. Pat. No. 1,774,497, but may also be made over the entire surface of the product. EP-A-436 170 discloses a multiply tissue product comprising two or more plies that are individually embossed and laminated together by edge embossing. It is difficult to achieve a sufficient plybonding with mechanical embossing only, especially when only the edge portions are embossed. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates to circuits and more particularly to a system for establishing the input impedance of an amplifier in a stacked configuration.
Prior attempts to match the input impedance of an amplifier to the impedance associated with a load, such as a load resistor, include adding a resistor to the amplifier in either shunt or series configuration. A drawback to this approach is that it adds a 3 dB noise figure in the circuit. A further drawback to this approach is that it is difficult to always set the input impedance of the amplifier and the gain of amplifier independently of each other.
Prior attempts to stack a mixer and an amplifier so that they could share a bias current involved the use of a current source in the circuit. A drawback to this approach is that the voltage used to operate the transistor associated with the current source consumes a valuable portion (e.g., 1.0 to 1.5 volts) of the overall voltage headroom available in the circuit.
In accordance with the present invention, the disadvantages and problems associated with prior circuits have been substantially reduced or eliminated.
In one embodiment, a circuit for establishing the input impedance of an amplifier includes an amplifier, a circuit component, a first feedback resistor, and a second feedback resistor. The amplifier has an input impedance and is coupled to a load having a load impedance. The circuit component is coupled to the load and shares at least a portion of a bias current with the amplifier. The first feedback resistor is coupled to the amplifier and the load, and has a first impedance. The second feedback resistor is coupled to the amplifier and has a second impedance. The input impedance of the amplifier is established based at least in part upon the first impedance and the second impedance.
In another embodiment, a circuit for establishing a bias current includes a mixer, an amplifier, a bias resistor, a comparator, and a drive circuit. The mixer receives a drive voltage and at least a portion of a bias current. The amplifier is coupled to the mixer and receives at least a portion of the bias current. A bias resistor is coupled to the amplifier at a node and a bias voltage exists at the node. The comparator is coupled to the node and compares the bias voltage with a reference voltage. The comparator further generates an output signal based at least in part upon the comparison. The drive circuit generates the drive voltage in response to the output signal such that the bias voltage substantially equals the reference voltage thereby establishing the bias current. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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The present invention relates generally to printing techniques and in particular to verifiable printing.
Secured paper is commonly associated with currency, stocks, and other financial instruments. The production of conventional secured paper is costly in terms of the paper stock (because specialized paper having security features is required) and the printing equipment (because special inks and printing machinery is required). Many businesses could benefit if secured paper document capability was cost-effectively available.
Various techniques are known for uniquely signaturizing a paper document based on inherent characteristics of the paper. This allows a recipient to verify the originality of a document by obtaining a signature of the paper document in question and comparing it against a data store of signatures of documents. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Fluorescent dye-containing beads have been used for many years in diagnostics testing, microscope- and flow cytometry-based assays, and combinatorial library synthesis. As such they can be routinely manufactured with a variety of surface modifications which enable many classes of molecules to be coupled and subsequently read and manipulated using commercially available instrumentation. The fluorescent organic dye molecules suffer from a number of disadvantages however including photo-bleaching, different excitation irradiation frequencies and broad emissions. Alternatives to conventional fluorescent materials have therefore been investigated. The substitution of the fluorescent organic molecules with luminescent compound semiconductor nanoparticles or “quantum dots” (QDs) is one approach which is intended to circumvent many of these limitations.
The size of a QD dictates the electronic properties of the material; the band gap energy being inversely proportional to the size of the QDs as a consequence of quantum confinement effects. Different sized QDs may be excited by irradiation with a single wavelength of light to give a discrete fluorescence emission of narrow band width. Further, the large surface area to volume ratio of the QDs has a profound impact upon the physical and chemical properties of the QD.
Nanoparticles that comprise a single semiconductor material usually have modest physical/chemical stability and consequently relatively low fluorescence quantum efficiencies. These low quantum efficiencies arise from non-radiative electron-hole recombinations that occur at defects and dangling bonds at the surface of the nanoparticle.
Core-shell nanoparticles comprise a semiconductor core with a shell material of typically wider band-gap and similar lattice dimensions grown epitaxially on the surface of the core. The shell eliminates defects and dangling bonds from the surface of the core, which confines charge carriers within the core and away from surface states that may function as centers for non-radiative recombination. More recently, the architecture of semiconductor nanoparticles has been further developed to include core/multi-shell nanoparticles in which the core semiconductor material is provided with two or more shell layers to further enhance the physical, chemical and/or optical properties of the nanoparticles. To add further stability, a compositionally graded alloy layer can be grown epitaxially on to the nanoparticle core to alleviate lattice strain between adjacent layers that could otherwise lead to defects and reduce the photoluminescence (PL) emission of the QDs. The emission and absorption properties of the QDs can also be manipulated by doping wide band gap materials with certain metals or luminescence activators to further tune the PL and electroluminescence (EL) at energies even lower than the band gap of the bulk semiconductor material, whereas the quantum size effect can be exploited to tune the excitation energy by varying the size of the QDs without having a significant affect on the energy of the activator-related emission.
The surfaces of core and core/(multi)shell semiconductor nanoparticles often possess highly reactive dangling bonds, which can be passivated by coordination of a suitable ligand, such as an organic ligand compound. The ligand compound is typically either dissolved in an inert solvent or employed as the solvent in the nanoparticle core growth and/or shelling procedures that are used to synthesize the QDs. Either way, the ligand compound chelates the surface of the QD by donating lone pair electrons to the surface metal atoms, which inhibits aggregation of the particles, protects the particle from its surrounding chemical environment, provides electronic stabilization and can impart solubility in relatively non-polar media. | {
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A wide variety of epilators are used for extracting hair. For example, European patent EP 0 705 546 A2 discloses an epilator having mechanical clamping devices for clamping and plucking hairs. The clamping devices are arranged on an axle. Each clamping device is comprised of a pair of axially adjacent clamping elements at least one of each pair of elements is drivable in an axial direction so that the clamping elements of each pair can be urged against each other axially. In addition, the clamping elements can be driven to perform an oscillatory rotary motion. As this occurs, the clamping elements of a pair close while oscillating from a first to a second position to trap a hair. Then they maintain their closed position while oscillating back into the first position in order to pluck the hair. Each two movable clamping elements are urged against the one stationary clamping element from both sides to avoid undesired vibrations and an attendant noise development.
Another patent WO 98/05234 describes a rotary cylinder for an epilator apparatus. The rotary cylinder includes a plurality of pairs of clamping elements essentially arranged in an angularly offset relation to each other. The rotary cylinder further includes actuating elements for bringing the clamping elements into clamping contact with one another in pairs in the area of a plucking zone of the epilator, and then separating them again. Moreover, provision is made for at least one control element for controlling the actuating elements. Each pair of clamping elements is assigned a separate, individually movable actuating element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,122 describes a depilation apparatus, which comprises at least one pair of rollers rotating in opposite directions. The roller pair is covered by a shear plate having elongate apertures. The shear plate keeps the skin away from the rollers while enabling the hair to penetrate the apertures in the shear plate to be subsequently caught by the rollers.
The aforementioned epilators with their discretely plucking clamping devices allow a relatively reliable extraction of the hairs captured by them. However, under marginal conditions they do not perform with optimal efficiency in providing a painless extraction with a long lasting effect.
Therefore, an epilator apparatus is needed that enables an efficient, and long-lasting, removal of hairs with minimum discomfort for a user. | {
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The various organs and tissues of the human body fall prey to a myriad of different afflictions. For example, each year in the United States alone, approximately 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 46,000 women die of this disease. In all, 10 to 11 percent of all women can expect to be affected by breast cancer at some time during their lives. The causes of most breast cancers are not yet understood. Screening and early diagnosis are currently the most effective ways to reduce mortality from this disease.
Currently mammography is the most effective means of detecting non-palpable breast cancer. However, mammography cannot determine whether a lesion is benign or cancerous, typically one or more biopsies must be performed per lesion. Unfortunately the biopsy operation itself is a very traumatic and costly operation that often results in some degree of disfigurement. Therefore it is important to improve the specificity of mammography thereby reducing errors, patient trauma, and disfiguration from unnecessary biopsies. It is also important to reduce health care costs by decreasing the number of unnecessary biopsies. For example, to detect 100,000 non-palpable cancers, approximately 500,000 biopsies must be performed at a cost of about $5,000 per biopsy, yielding a total cost of approximately 2.5 billion dollars. Therefore a reduction of 50 percent would save about 1.25 billion dollars per year.
Palpable mass abnormalities of the breast are often difficult to evaluate mammographically. This is especially true for patients with dense or dysplastic breasts (approximately 35 percent of women over 50 and 70 percent of women under 50) or those patients that exhibit signs of a fibrocystic change, for example due to radiation therapy. For example, invasive lobular carcinoma in dense breasts can attain a size of several centimeters and yet still show no mammographically detectable signs. Furthermore, about 50 percent of all preinvasive cancers do not show mammographically significant calcifications, thus decreasing the chances of detecting the malignant tumors.
Lastly, due to the interpretational limitations of mammography, many high risk patients (i.e., patients with a family history of breast cancer, patients with prior histologic evidence of cellular atypia, patients with a prior history of breast cancer who have undergone lumpectomy and radiation therapy) may be forced to rely on random tissue biopsies performed on suspicious areas. Unfortunately this technique typically results in a high nonmalignant-to-malignant biopsy ratio.
A relatively new scientific tool that has allowed scientists and physicians to address problems in physiology and biochemistry in the human body with low risk is emission computed tomography (ECT). ECT systems are mainly used for the detection and imaging of the radiation produced by radiotracers and radiopharmaceuticals. For example, by administering biologically active radiopharmaceuticals into a patient it is possible to image organ functions in real time.
The two major instruments presently used for ECT are Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). These instruments have been used to study a variety of different organs and conditions including cerebral glucose consumption, protein synthesis evaluation, cerebral blood flow and receptor distribution imaging, oxygen utilization, stroke, heart, lung, epilepsy, breast cancer, dementia, oncology, pharmacokinetics, psychiatric disorders, and radio labelled antibody and cardiac studies. Since the SPECT and PET instruments use different types of radiotracers, the metabolic activities imaged are mostly different leading these two instruments to complement rather than compete with each other. The SPECT detectors have proven especially useful for heart and brain imaging.
SPECT dates back from the early 1960s, when the first transverse section tomographs were presented by Kuhl and Edwards (1963) using a rectilinear scanner and analog back-projection methods. With the availability of computer systems and the impetus of computer-assisted tomography using transmitted x-rays, nuclear medicine instruments were modified, and a number of mathematical approaches to tomographic reconstruction were developed in the early 1970s. Rotating Anger cameras and advances in computers opened the way to three-dimensional SPECT systems. Recently interest in SPECT increased as mathematical reconstruction techniques improved. They allowed for attenuation compensation, scattered radiation correction and the availability of new radiopharmaceuticals with higher uptake in the brain or other organs. The major limiting factors for the SPECT systems presently are the sensitivities (≈10 Cts s−1 μCi−1 point and ≈1,000 Cts s−1 cm−1 volume), resolution (7 to 12 mm FWHM), size, and cost.
Present SPECT systems mainly use the rotating Anger camera. Many different variations of the Anger camera and other smaller size rotating single or dual instruments have been designed and used. Most of the commercial instruments use NaI(Tl), CsI(Tl), CsF, BaF2, BGO and other related crystal detectors. The majority of the commercial instruments use the Anger cameras made of NaI(Tl) crystals. All commercial SPECT instruments use collimators for determination of the direction of the incident gamma rays. The main types are parallel and converging collimators. The converging fan or cone beam collimators produce higher sensitivity but increase the complexity of the data analysis. Pinhole and slit collimators are also used. The collimators for high resolution systems eliminate about 99.9 percent of the incident gamma rays. A typical collimator hole has an area of about 1 square millimeter and a length of 1.9 centimeters. Increasing collimator resolution decreases sensitivity and vice versa. Collimators made of high atomic number materials such as lead which also produce considerable amounts of scattered gamma rays on the inside surface of the collimator, thereby increasing the scattered photon background.
Anger cameras are normally rotated on a gantry around the patient for about 20 minutes to acquire sufficient data for a reasonable image. The spatial resolutions are limited to about 7 to 12 millimeters although spatial resolutions are expected to reach 6 millimeters in the near future. The best energy resolution at gamma ray energies is about 10 percent, limiting the ability of Anger cameras to discriminate scattered photon background. Commercially available SPECT systems include ADAC ARC, GE Starcam, Elscint APEX, Trionix Triad, Digital Scintigraphics ASPECT and University of Michigan SPRINT II.
From the foregoing it is apparent that an improved gamma ray imaging system is desired. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for cleaning an in-sink dishwasher having a removable basket that carries a spray arm.
2. Description of the Related Art
In-sink dishwashers use the bowl of a sink to form part of the dishwasher housing that defines a wash chamber, with the open top of the bowl providing access to the wash chamber. A liquid recirculation system sprays wash liquid throughout the wash chamber to clean any dishes placed within. A lid covers the open top of the bowl when the in-sink dishwasher is being used to prevent the splashing or spraying of the recirculating wash liquid out of the open top of the bowl.
For the in-sink dishwasher to be convenient for the anticipated user, conversion between the in-sink dishwasher and sink must be easy and simple. Such a convenient appliance will preferably not require the user to couple or uncouple any liquid supply conduits associated with the dishwasher function when switching between the dishwasher function and a traditional sink function. A convenient appliance will also minimize the number of dishwasher components that must be inserted or removed from the sink when switching between the dishwashing and sink functions.
The convenience of the appliance to the user must also be weighed against the complexity and redundancy of components needed to accomplish both the dishwashing and sink functions to avoid any unnecessary decrease in product reliability and any unnecessary increases in product costs. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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Flouropolymers are melt-processable resins that are formed into polymer structures by many different processes, such as extrusion, injection molding, fiber spinning, extrusion blow molding and blown film. They are also used as polymer processing aids due to their low surface energies and phase behaviors.
Flouropolymers, and especially polyvinylidene fluoride polymers and copolymers often have a white color. In the manufacture of fluoropolymer articles, thermoforming processes are often used, which often lead to undesirable discoloration of the fluoropolymer in the final product.
Several methods have been proposed to reduce discoloration of fluoropolymers during the processes for manufacturing articles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,265 describes the synthesis of poly (vinylidene fluoride) resin having good thermal stability by polymerizing VDF in suspension using diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate as the initiator and 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane as the polymerization accelerator. The synthesis of heat resistant PVDF by an emulsion process using ammonium persulfate as the initiator and methyl/ethyl acetate as the Chain transfer agent is reported in JP 58065711.
The use of special chain transfer agents has been reported to provide improved whiteness in PVDF synthesis, such as trichlorofluoromethane in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,978 emulsion polymerization; Dialkyl ethers in JP 01129005 suspension polymerization; ethane in emulsion polymerization in U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,720; and HCFC-123 in emulsion polymerization in EP 655468.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,885 describes improved color using copolymerization of vinylidene fluoride (VDF) with hexafluoropropylene (HFP). According to this invention 1-20% HFP was added when 50-90% of VDF was already charged into the polymerization reactor.
EP 816397 describes improved resistance to heat-induced color distortion by a reduction of impurities, using a perfluoropolyether as the surfactant.
Suspension polymerization of VDF using organic peroxide initiators has been reported in JP 02029402. The application claims that pH treatment of the reaction mixture with NaOH yielded a milky white product that was resistant to discoloration at high temperatures.
Post-treatment of the fluoropolymer with sodium acetate for improved resistance to discoloration is described in US 2004225096.
Surprisingly it has been found that a fluoropolymer composition can be produced having excellent whiteness even after melt processing, by producing a multi-phase composition having a polyvinylidene fluoride continuous phase and a non-continuous phase having an average domain size of 20-900 nm, and a refractive index mismatch of between 0.007 and 0.07 between the phases. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
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This invention relates generally to an improved dispenser of the reciprocating piston type for discharging liquids from a portable container, and more particularly to such dispenser as having a feature which prevents any hydraulic lock which would interfere with a full depression of the discharge head into a lock-down position, as well as a feature which facilitates easy unlocking of a seal lock between the head and a retaining collar on the container closure.
Liquid dispensers generally of the type described herein, as including a stationary pump cylinder for direct association with a container and a reciprocable piston unit which is manipulated to effect discharge of the container contents, are known as having means provided for temporarily locking the piston against relative displacement in a position such that the dispenser is completely sealed, thereby preventing leakage from the container during shipping or storage, even though the container be inverted. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,084,873, 3,248,021 and 3,237,571 disclose liquid dispensers having plunger lock-down means for immobilizing and retaining the plunger in a depressed position. Such means is generally in the form of co-acting threads provided on the plunger head and a collar portion of the container cap. Thus, the plunger is locked down into its depressed position by screwing down the head within the collar. And, co-acting sealing surfaces are made to interengage when the plunger is fully depressed and locked so as to effect a seal against leakage of liquid outwardly of the container from the space between the plunger and the pump cylinder. While these plunger lock-down and sealing mechanisms have generally performed satisfactorily, they are not without their shortcomings. For example, the interengaging sealing surfaces must be provided in addition to the co-acting screw threads for respectively producing a seal and a lock which require additional time and materials to achieve these intended functions. Moreover, if the container cap is threaded down on to the container neck, as in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,084,873 and 3,237,571 dispensers, unthreading the plunger head relative to the collar for unlocking the plunger oftentimes results in an inadvertent unthreading and loosening of the cap from the container.
In lieu of co-acting locking threads, the plunger has been maintained in a downwardly depressed immobilized position by means of a protective overcap (as in U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,509) which snaps down over the collar but which has generally proven cumbersome because of the need for such an overcap.
And, means are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,248,021 and 3,237,571 for preventing flow of liquid, when in the plunger lock-down position, past the inlet valve and outwardly through the discharge passage, or between the pump cylinder and the plunger, when the dispenser is inverted. In the former, the inlet ball valve is spring biased into a fully seated position and a lip seal on the plunger is engaged in the lock-down position, and in the latter, the lower end of an inlet valve is seated below the valve openings in the lock-down position of the plunger. In any event, with or without such anti-leakage means, the liquid dispensers of the aforedescribed types are oftentimes difficult to lock down during shipment and storage due to a hydraulic lock effect which arises especially after the pump has been primed with liquid to be dispensed. This condition renders it difficult if not impossible to fully depress the plunger into its immobilized and locked position because of the resistance from the pressurized liquid which remains in the pump cylinder. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aerosol drug formulations. This invention also relates to dispersing aids for use in aerosol drug formulations. In another aspect this invention relates to aerosol formulations comprising hydrofluorocarbon propellants.
2. Description of the Related Art
Delivery of drugs to the lung by way of inhalation is an important means of treating a variety of conditions, including such common conditions as bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Steroids, .beta.-2 agonists, and anti-cholinergic agents are among the drugs that are administered to the lung for such purposes. Such drugs are commonly administered to the lung in the form of an aerosol of particles of respirable size (less than about 10 .mu.m in diameter). In order to assure proper particle size in the aerosol, particles can be prepared in respirable size and then incorporated into a suspension formulation containing a propellant. Alternatively, formulations can be prepared in solution form in order to avoid the concern for proper particle size in the formulation. Solution formulations must nevertheless be dispensed in a manner that produces particles or droplets of respirable size.
Once prepared an aerosol formulation is filled into an aerosol canister equipped with a metered dose valve. In the hands of a patient the formulation is dispensed via an actuator adapted to direct the dose from the valve to the patient.
It is important that an aerosol formulation be stable such that the dose discharged from the metered dose valve is reproducible. Rapid creaming, settling, or flocculation after agitation are common sources of dose irreproducibility in suspension formulations. Sticking of the valve also can cause dose irreproducibility. In order to overcome these problems aerosol formulations often contain surfactants, which serve as suspending aids to stabilize the suspension for a time sufficient to allow for reproducible dosing. Certain surfactants also function as lubricants to lubricate the valve to assure smooth actuation. Myriad materials are known and disclosed for use as dispersing aids in aerosol formulations. Suitability of materials, however, is dependent on the particular drug and the propellant or class of propellant used in the formulation.
It is sometimes difficult to dissolve sufficient quantities of conventional surfactants in hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) propellants such as HFC-134a and HFC-227. Cosolvents have been used to overcome this problem. An alternative approach that avoids use of cosolvents involves materials that are soluble in hydrofluorocarbon propellants and are said to be effective surfactants or dispersing aids in an aerosol formulation. Among such materials are certain fluorinated surfactants and certain polyethoxy surfactants.
The materials used in medicinal aerosol formulations are taken into the lungs. It is therefore desirable that they be non-toxic or suitably metabolized or eliminated. | {
"pile_set_name": "USPTO Backgrounds"
} |
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