An integrated pulley-torsional damper assembly (1) comprises a hub (2) designed for being rigidly connected to a drive member (3), a pulley (4) connected to the hub (2) by means of a first ring (5) made of elastomeric material having the function of filter for the torsional oscillations, and an inertia ring (6), connected to the hub (2) by means of a second ring (7) made of elastomeric material, which defines with the inertia ring (6) a damping system. The first elastomeric ring is connected to the hub by mans of a coupling flange (25), which can be pack-tightened between an internal annular flange (10) of the hub and the drive member (3), the hub (2) comprising a first cylindrical wall (11) and a second cylindrical wall (12), which are coaxial with respect to one another and define between them an annular cavity (9) housing the first elastomeric ring (5), the external cylindrical wall (12) defining a support for the second elastomeric ring (7).

Integrated pulley-torsional damper assemblies are known, which comprise a hub designed for being rigidly connected to a drive member, for example the drive shaft of an internal-combustion engine, a pulley connected to the hub by means of a first ring made of elastomeric material having the function of filter for torsional oscillations, and a inertia ring, connected to the hub by means of a second ring made of elastomeric material, which defines with the inertia ring a damping system.
Integrated assemblies of the type described briefly above are used, for instance, in the automotive sector and are connected, at one end of the drive shaft of an internal-combustion engine, to enable driving, by means of a belt transmission, of auxiliary members of the engine, for example, an alternator, a fan and/or a compressor, and enable, at the same time, damping of the torsional oscillations of the drive shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,041 discloses an integrated pulley-torsional damper assembly having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Integrated pulley-torsional damper assembly


An apparatus for dealcoholizing alcoholic beverage comprising: a first receptacle comprising means to receive alcoholic beverage, a second receptacle comprising means receive in fluid, a third receptacle arranged to receive alcoholic beverage from the first receptacle, said third receptacle being further connected to the second receptacle, means for producing vacuum at least functionally connected to at least the third receptacle to lower pressure therein, fractionating means at least partially inside the second receptacle, the fractionating means functionally connecting the second and third receptacle, wherein the apparatus is arranged to facilitate vacuum distillation for the alcoholic beverage so that vaporizing ethanol from the alcoholic beverage travels via the fractionating means to the second so that the vaporized ethanol is dissolved with the fluid in the second receptacle. Corresponding method for dealcoholization is presented.

Wine is a highly appreciated product that has been produced and consumed at least since the Neolithic Era. Nowadays wine is still highly consumed and production is highly governed by regulation. Moreover, tradition plays perhaps even a bigger role in determining how wines are produced and consumed particularly in the countries with the longest roots in winemaking.
Due to climate change, the alcohol by volume (ABV) of wines has, at least in some parts of the world, steadily grown at the pace of some 1.5% increase every ten years during the last 20-30 years. This increase in ABV is a direct consequence of the grapes growing in warmer climates and hence producing more sugar, which directly affects the wine ABV. At the same time, the regulation and tradition of winemaking have made it difficult to solve the trouble with increasing ABV of wines since winemaking should utilize very little dealcoholization means and such processes that affect the essence, i.e. the taste, color and scent, of the wine.
On the other hand, for many the ethanol content of the wine is a byproduct or a catalyst for increasing the essence of the wine. Hence, the ethanol may not be wanted for its own sake. Conversely, in many cases consuming more wine with high ABV quickly leads to also a high consumption of ethanol in the wine, which has many health disadvantages. For consumers who want to enjoy the sensual and health characteristics of wine consumption has to be limited in light of the increased alcoholic content.
Many dealcoholization processes are known from the prior art. Firstly, there exist pre-fermentation and (during) fermentation biological processes and fermentation stopping techniques that may be used prior and/or during a beverage production process. Secondly, there exist methods for removing alcohol from a produced beverage, which methods are relevant to the invention at hand. These methods are conceptually well-known from the prior art but some examples of them comprise adsorption (on resins, silica gels or zeolite) membrane filtrations, distillation techniques, spinning cone columns, freeze concentration, evaporation and extraction using organic solvent or supercritical solvent.
However, the many presented dealcoholization techniques relate to applications that are big in size and typically happen inside big industrial- or laboratory-grade production facilities. Hence, these methods are not in the grasp of ordinary consumers, restaurants and bars that are the end consumers of the alcoholic beverage. Further, current laws in many countries set strict rules on alcohol production and handling, which leaves dealcoholization practically only to the hands of the mentioned beverage producers.
The objective of the embodiments of the present invention is to at least alleviate one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks evident in the prior art arrangements particularly in the context of apparatuses and processes for dealcoholizing alcoholic beverages. The objective is generally achieved with an apparatus and a method in accordance with the claims.
The objective technical problem of the present invention is how to conveniently dealcoholize alcoholic beverage in household and restaurant conditions so that the ethanol content removed from the alcoholic beverage is forced to dilute to a fluid so that no ethanol distil may be manufactured with or taken out of the machine. An additional focus of the present invention is to carry out the dealcoholization such that the ethanol is removed from the alcoholic beverage with as gently as possible so as not to affect (e.g. by cooking or freezing) the complexion of the alcoholic beverage. It is common knowledge that wines and beers change their taste and complexion if heated too much.
Not letting out pure ethanol out of the apparatus serves two important functions. Stronger alcohol, especially ethanol distil, cannot be manufactured with the apparatus and no flammable and irritable ethanol gas is let out from the machine to the ambient air. Gaseous ethanol is highly flammable and therefore dangerous and furthermore also an inconvenience due to its pungent smell and therefore not letting it out of the apparatus in either gaseous or liquid form is important for the actual use of the apparatus. Further, in the present invention producing the vacuum via the cooling liquid forces the ethanol distil to dilute to said cooling liquid and consequently ethanol vapors cannot travel to the pump or otherwise out of the apparatus.
The primary advantage of the present invention is that it allows for dealcoholization of different ready-made alcoholic beverages in home conditions.
Another primary advantage of the present invention is that it doesn't ultimately produce any distil of pure ethanol but instead the ethanol vapors are directly condensed and diluted into a fluid. This is very important for home applications since the user cannot produce and consume any distil produce via usage of the present invention. Further, the aforementioned is achieved inherently by the interrelation and arrangement of the apparatus parts and consequently no filters or vessels for collecting ethanol distil are needed.
Even yet another advantage of the invention is that it especially allows for dealcoholization of wine with minimum effect to the taste, aroma and such essence of the wine. The process of dealcoholization is optimized to utilize the most suitable conditions for treating wine although similar beverages, such as beer, strong wines and the like may also be dealcoholized.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention an apparatus for dealcoholizing alcoholic beverage comprising: a first receptacle comprising means to receive alcoholic beverage, a second receptacle comprising means to receive fluid, a third receptacle arranged to receive alcoholic beverage from the first receptacle, said third receptacle being further connected to the second receptacle, means for producing vacuum at least functionally connected to at least the third receptacle to lower pressure therein, fractionating means at least partially inside the second receptacle, the fractionating means functionally connecting the second and third receptacle, characterized in that the apparatus is arranged to facilitate vacuum distillation for the alcoholic beverage so that the vacuum is produced to the second receptacle and via the fractionating means to the third receptacle wherein vaporizing ethanol from the alcoholic beverage is forced to travel via the fractionating means to the second receptacle so that the vaporized ethanol is dissolved with the fluid in the second receptacle.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the alcoholic beverage is wine.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the first receptacle comprises or constitutes the third receptacle. According to another exemplary embodiment, the third receptacle is a separate receptacle from the first receptacle.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the fractionating means comprises a fractionating column. Further, the fluid in the second receptacle may be used to interact with the fractionating means for cooling the vapors in the column for condensing the vapors into liquid and further into the fluid itself. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention the fractionating means comprise an arrangement of an open fractionating column with a cap part over the fractionating column wherein the cap part provides the condensation surface for the ethanol vapors.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the apparatus comprises means for collecting first vapors of the vacuum distillation before the fractionating means or at the fractionating means. The first vapors may be directed to the first receptacle wherein they are mixed with fluid therein. The first vapors may be directed to the first receptacle via a diffuser, such as a micro bubble diffuser.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus comprises means to heat the alcoholic beverage. The heating means may be preferably situated at the third receptacle to heat the contents therein.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus comprises means to cool the second receptacle and/or liquid therein. This may be used to make the condensation more efficient in the fractionating means by cooling the fractionating means more efficiently. Both the amount and temperature of the cooling liquid may be set to be controlled in view of the preferred efficiency of condensation in the fractionating means.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the fractionating means comprise a two-phased mechanism wherein the first phase lets out first vapors of the vacuum distillation to another receptacle than the second receptacle and wherein the second phase directs ethanol vapor into the second receptacle. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the fractionating means comprises a two-phased valve mechanism or conduit arrangement wherein the first phase lets out the first vapors from the vacuum distilled alcoholic beverage to the first receptacle and wherein the second phase directs ethanol vapor into the second receptacle. The actuation of the valve may be done with in relation to timing or target pressure, i.e. with a timer or in relation to the pressure change induced by the vacuum pump. Accordingly the first vapors, such as first volatile esters and the like forming in the early some 10-20 seconds in the treatment of the alcoholic beverage, may be directed to the first receptacle.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the dealcoholized alcoholic beverage may be flown from the third receptacle to the first receptacle after it has been dealcoholized. This may be used especially to mix a portion of dealcoholized alcoholic beverage with untreated alcoholic beverage. Additionally this may be used to cool down the dealcoholized alcoholic beverage and/or the mixture thereof.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the ethanol-fluid mixture is flown out from the second receptacle to the third receptacle and out of the apparatus after the dealcoholized alcoholic beverage has been flown from the third receptacle to the first receptacle. This may be used to wash the third receptacle. Furthermore, the ethanol-fluid mixture may also be conveyed throughout the conduits, valves and receptacles of the apparatus for cleaning the apparatus.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a method for dealcoholizing alcoholic beverage comprising: receiving alcoholic beverage in a first receptacle, receiving fluid in a second receptacle, determining if fluid is substantially non-alcoholic, setting the alcoholic beverage under lowered pressure and suitable temperature conditions to facilitate vacuum distillation, maintaining said pressure and temperature conditions for an amount of time to extract ethanol vapor from the alcoholic beverage, directing the resulting ethanol vapor into said second receptacle via fractionating means, cooling the ethanol vapor travelling via the fractionating means to create a liquid distillate, directing said liquid distillate from the fractionating means to the fluid in the second receptacle.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the method comprises a method item of determining the initial alcoholic beverage alcohol by volume (ABV).
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the method comprises a method item of maintaining pressure and temperature conditions are for an amount of time in relation to a target alcohol by volume (ABV) of the alcoholic beverage,
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention the vacuum distillation is carried out in a third receptacle.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein the target values of pressure and temperature produce vacuum distillation of ethanol-water solution, such that the ethanol is vaporized in temperature conditions of under 49° C.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention first vapors comprising volatile components from the alcoholic beverage are not mixed with the fluid via the fractionating means but are directed and mixed with the non-dealcoholized alcoholic beverage.
The objective technical problem of the previously described method in accordance with the present invention is how to be able to dealcoholize different ready-made alcoholic beverages such that no pure ethanol distil is created as a result of the process. This is beneficial in view of household applicability since many countries do not allow manufacturing of alcohol at home.
The previously presented considerations concerning the various embodiments of the apparatus may be flexibly applied to the embodiments of the method mutatis mutandis and vice versa, as being appreciated by a skilled person.
As briefly reviewed hereinbefore, the utility of the different aspects of the present invention arises from a plurality of issues depending on each particular embodiment.
The term "exemplary" refers herein to an example or example-like feature, not the sole or only preferable option.
The terms "dealcoholization" and "dealcoholized" are used to refer to reducing the alcoholic (ethanol) content of an alcoholic beverage. The term pertains mainly to reducing the alcoholic content of an alcoholic beverage by lowering ethanol in the alcoholic beverage and the term is not meant to mean that the result of a dealcoholization should be a completely or even near completely ethanol free product although this may also be achieved.
The term "dissolve" is used to refer to dissolution and/or mixing of ethanol distillate or gaseous ethanol with a fluid.
Different embodiments of the present invention are also disclosed in the attached dependent claims.

Apparatus and method for alcoholic beverage dealcoholization


A method and apparatus for the quantitative determination of an individual's risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) is described. Risk determination is accomplished and may have a sensitivity and specificity of greater than 95%, by generating linear and nonlinear mathematical digital ECG-constructed models from digital ECG-type data of an individual's digital ECG, determining stability/instability of digital ECG-constructed control model systems corresponding to the digital ECG-constructed models by a plurality of techniques and transforming stability/instability values obtained by the determining stability/instability into a quantitative value reflecting an individual's risk for SCD.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is defined as the unexpected death due to cardiac causes of persons with or without underlying cardiac disease, with no other known cause for death. SCD occurs within a short period of time, for example, generally within one hour, following the onset of symptoms (if any symptoms are encountered).
SCD is a major public health problem as it has reached epidemic proportions, responsible for at least 325,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. (See Goldberger. Circulation. 2008; 118:000-000; Zipes, D. P., et al., ACC/AHA/ESC 2006 Guidelines for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death—Executive Summary. Circulation, 2006: p. CIRCULATION AHA.106.178104.). SCD is the second leading cause of death in the U.S., responsible for slightly less deaths than myocardial infarction. Despite the decreased incidence of all cardiac deaths secondary to improved medical treatment, SCD continues to represent about half of all cardiac deaths. (See Ezekowitz. Ann Intern Med. August 2007; 21; 147(4):251-62).
Most cases of SCD are related to cardiac ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia, or VT). Coronary artery disease is associated with the largest number of SCDs. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can lead to malignant arrhythmias that are the result of ischemia. Additionally, coronary artery disease (CAD) may lead to microscopic or macroscopic scar formation that can represent substrate for malignant arrhythmias.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) with or without CAD is another cardiac illness associated with a significant risk for SCD. In addition, cardiomyopathy, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), myocarditis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital coronary artery anomalies, and myxomatous mitral valve disease are associated with an increased SCD risk. Finally, the presence of channelopathies such as Brugada syndrome and congenital heart disease or acquired long QT syndrome, idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (VF), Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), catecholaminergic VT, and Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome increase the risk of SCD.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy has significantly decreased the occurrence of SCD in high-risk patients, but has done little to reduce the overall incidence of SCD nationally. (See Bardy. N Engl J Med. 2005 Jan. 20; 352(3):225-37). This is explained by the fact that two-thirds of patients suffering SCD are in low or intermediate risk groups, resulting in the greatest absolute number of patient deaths. However, multiple trials have repeatedly demonstrated that patients in low and intermediate risk groups do not benefit from prophylactic ICD placement. This result demonstrates the lack of sensitivity and specificity of contemporary methods used to stratify individuals for SCD risk. The ability to prevent SCD using ICDs is of great importance, and it demonstrates the critical need for a highly sensitive and highly specific method for identifying individuals at risk for SCD.
Based on the foregoing, the identification of individuals presently considered to have no, low, or intermediate risk for SCD as defined by presently available risk-stratification methods—but in reality are at high risk—continues to be a major public health concern.
Presently available techniques for the identification of individuals at risk for SCD include medical history, (e.g., history of coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF), decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), prior myocardial infarction, structural or ischemic heart disease), Holter monitoring, heart rate variability analysis, signal averaged electrocardiography (SAECG), microvolt T-wave alternans analysis, ambulatory ECG monitoring, metabolic factors and/or parasympathetic tone, heart rate turbulence studies, baroreceptor sensitivity studies and the presence of myocardial scar as detected using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Severely reduced LVEF and the presence of advanced CHF (NYHA Class III or IV) currently serve as the main identifiers for patients at high-risk for SCD and, therefore, for identifying who may benefit from ICD therapy. (See Epstein. Heart Rhythm. 2008 June; 5(6):934-55; Chugh. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2010 Jun. 7 (6): 318-326, available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC3052394/). However, no presently available method, including those listed above, alone or in combination, has clinically acceptable sensitivity or specificity for the identification of individuals at risk for SCD. A detailed discussion of some exemplary techniques is provided herewith.

Non?invasive prediction of risk for sudden cardiac death


A circuit arrangement (1) for generating motor characteristic curves, in particular for stabilizing the pull-out torque of a two-phase synchronous motor (2) by using a series-connected element (14). The series-connected element (14) is connected between a first line conductor (12.1) formed as a neutral conductor and the common phase (11) of the synchronous motor (2), and a second line conductor (12.2) implemented as a conductor is connected with a phase of the synchronous motor (2). A transistor-diode combination (3) is employed as a voltage-controllable series-connected element (14), whereby for obtaining an approximately constant sinusoidal AC voltage amplitude and/or AC current amplitude through the synchronous motor (2), the transistor (4) designed for the maximum peak voltage of the oscillating line voltage and having an operating point controllable by an analog control signal is a non-switched bipolar transistor or field effect transistor (FET), and the diodes (6) are implemented as a rectifier bridge (5).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for generating motor characteristic curves, in particular for stabilizing the motor pull-out torque of a two phase synchronous motor by using a series-connected element, wherein the series-connected element is connected between a first line conductor formed as a neutral conductor and the common phase of the synchronous motor, and a second line conductor implemented as a conductor is connected with a phase of the synchronous motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Synchronous motors are reliable actuators for many price-sensitive applications in the field of automotive and office communication, medical technology, tool making, consumer electronics, building equipment or measurement technology.
In the building equipment field, synchronous motors are employed, for example, as valve actuators for heating equipment. By combining a relatively small synchronous motor with the gear, very high actuating forces can be produced due to the gear reduction.
Because synchronous motors operate directly on the AC voltage grid, there is typically no need to change the operating voltage. The second phase for synchronous motors configured for two-phase operation is formed from the line phase by a phase capacitor CM. Commonly used is a parallel connection, whereby a common phase is formed.
Operation of synchronous motors with different line voltages typically requires as a series-connected element an ohmic resistor RV or a capacitive resistance CV.
The rotation speed of the synchronous motor is determined by its design, in particular by the number of poles 2p of a stator, and the frequency f of the power grid. The rotation speed does not depend on the torque.
The synchronous motor rotates with a synchronous rotation speed and can hence be loaded from idle speed to a maximum torque without changing its rotation speed. This maximum torque is referred to as pull-out torque MK. It represents a stability limit for the synchronous motor, because at higher applied loads the synchronous motor runs unstable and comes to a stop. It is disadvantageous for the practical applications that the pull-out torque MK is voltage-dependent. There exists a direct proportionality MK=f(U) between the pull-out torque MK and the supply voltage U, so that precisely limiting the torque of the synchronous motor becomes very difficult due to line voltage tolerances.
Conventional applications of synchronous motors which require torque limitation include a combination of synchronous motor/synchronous gear motor and a spring mechanism, whereby the spring mechanism activates a micro-switch at a specified motor load torque which is less than the pull-out torque MK, wherein the micro-switch then switches the synchronous motor off.
In another alternative embodiment for intentionally switching a synchronous motor off when a specified motor load torque is reached, a coupling/clutch with permanent magnets for force transmission or a friction coupling is provided. In addition to the advantage provided by this mechanical switch-off, the same mechanism can be used in operation for switching the motor off during overload as for switching the motor off at the end of the control range of a synchronous motor. However, a not insignificant disadvantage should be noted, for example the need to employ additional mechanical elements, mechanical wear, reduced service life, the necessity to provide one or more disconnecting elements, or adjustment or control of the switch-off characteristic during production.
A circuit arrangement for switching synchronous motors off is known from WO 02/095926 A1 and DE 200 08 483 U1. By using only a single AC voltage switching element, an inexpensive and reliable implementation of the motor turn-off is achieved when the pull-out torque is exceeded. However, the maximal torque at the time of blocking is here also strongly dependent on the line voltage.
In summary, it can be stated that conventionally thyristors, triacs, photo-triacs, relays and micro-switches are used for limiting the torque of actuators through final disconnection of the supply voltage.
DE 19533076 A1 also describes a control circuit for synchronous motors, whereby asynchronous startup of the motor is realized with a triac.
When using thyristors or triacs, the control circuit is frequently combined with a phase angle control. In this way, the effective AC voltage can de effectively and intentionally reduced and/or controlled. A typical example for an application is a light dimmer. However, employing a phase angle control is disadvantageous for controlling the pull-out torque MK of synchronous motors, because the higher harmonics interfere with the synchronism of the synchronous motor and thereby produce additional noise. Additional noise emission can be eliminated and the proper operation of the adequately dimensioned phase capacitor can be maintained only if the voltage curve remains approximately sinusoidal.
The conventional circuit arrangement described in DE 3509451 A1 uses a pulsed switch operating with a high clock rate for solving the disadvantages of a phase angle control, such as the strong humming of motors. This pulsed switch is controlled by pulse width modulation (PWM), thereby maintaining a sinusoidal supply current. The pulsed switch formed as transistor operates always with very short switching times, preferably with frequencies above the audible range. The high efficiency of this pulsed circuit and the low thermal load of the controller are achieved at the "expense" of a rather complex bypass circuit, or free-wheeling circuit, which is expensive to implement. This bypass circuit must be synchronized with the pulsed circuit to prevent high peak switching voltages that could destroy components. The solution is unsuitable for cost reasons when using claw pole motors with rated powers of several watts. Compared to the general excepted state of the art, there remains the question if employing a classic frequency converter AC/DC-DC/AC would not have the same cost, while providing additional advantages in practical applications. A particular disadvantage of the solution are the interference emissions, both on the line and radiated, which are generated by the fast switching flanks of the pulsed switch. It has been observed that such pulsed power switches require additional costly protective measures regarding electromagnetic compatibility.

Circuit arrangement for generating motor characteristic curves


The door knob security alarm is a door alarm that is uniquely adapted to rest upon a top half of a door knob, and upon movement of the door knob the security alarm shell fall off of the door knob, and emit an alarm upon impacting the ground. An alarm housing includes a concave portion along a bottom portion of said alarm housing, which is uniquely adapted for placement atop of a portion of a door handle or door knob. A motion sensor detects impact of the alarm housing with a ground surface, and shall generate an alarm that is audible. The security alarm includes the use of at least one speaker that emits an audible alarm. The alarm housing includes at least one switch on a top surface, which enables operation of the security alarm.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of security alarms, more specifically, a security alarm that rests atop of a door handle, and which is able to slide off upon rotation of said door knob thereby falling to the ground, and activating said security alarm.
Door knob-related security alarms provide a direct line of detecting motion of a door. However, these alarms are bulky or do not provide the simplicity associated with an object that rests on a top half of a door handle or knob, and which is able to slide off when the handle or knob is rotated or attempted to be rotated.
The device of the present application addresses the needs for a simplistic door knob alarm by providing housing uniquely adapted to sit on a top half of the handle or knob, and which is able to slide off when the handle or knob is rotated or attempted to be rotated. Moreover, the housing includes a motion sensor that signals an alarm upon impact of the housing with the ground surface after falling off of the handle or knob.
B. Discussion of the Prior Art
As will be discussed immediately below, no prior art discloses a door knob security alarm that is uniquely adapted for use with a top half of a door handle or knob in order to detect movement of the door handle or knob, and which then signals an alarm; wherein an alarm housing includes a concave portion along a bottom portion of said alarm housing, which is uniquely adapted for placement atop of a portion of a door handle or knob; where upon rotating of said door handle or knob, the door knob security alarm is able to slide off of said door handle or knob, and upon impacting a ground surface shall generate a security alarm via a motion sensor; wherein the security alarm includes the use of at least one speaker that emits an audible alarm; wherein the alarm housing includes at least one switch on a top surface, which enables operation of the security alarm.
The Chen Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,831,559) discloses a security alarm hung from a doorknob. However, the security alarm does not rest onto a top portion of a door knob, and rely on a motion of the door knob to knock off the alarm, and then activate said alarm.
The Mondejar et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,130) discloses a portable room security system having a hook to be suspended from a door knob. Again, the security system relies upon being suspended from a door knob as opposed to resting atop of a top half portion of said door knob.
The Waddell Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,288) discloses an emergency response system that hangs from a doorknob. However, the security system is unable to fall off of the top half of a door knob.
The Kumai et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,623) discloses an alarm hung from a doorknob. However, the alarm does not fall from a door knob when the door knob is rotated, and thereafter generate an audible alarm upon impact with the ground surface.
The Stahl et al. Patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,539) discloses a burglar alarm adapted to slide over a door knob. However, the alarm is not a housing uniquely adapted to rest or sit atop of a top half of a door knob or handle, and which falls off upon rotation or attempted rotation of the door knob or handle.
The Tallent Patent (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 359,251) illustrates a design for a portable door knob alarm, which includes a hole into which the door knob is inserted, and is not resting atop of the door knob.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective and particular objects and requirements, they do not describe a door knob security alarm that is uniquely adapted for use with a top half of a door handle in order to detect movement of the door handle, and which then signals an alarm; wherein an alarm housing includes a concave portion alone; a bottom portion of said alarm housing, which is uniquely adapted for placement atop of a portion of a door handle; where upon rotating of said door knob, the door knob security alarm is able to slide off of said door knob, and upon impacting a ground surface shall generate a security alarm via a motion sensor; wherein the security alarm includes the use of at least one speaker that emits an audible alarm; wherein the alarm housing includes at least one switch on a top surface, which enables operation of the security alarm. In this regard, the door knob security alarm departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.


A method of educating a caregiver about baby care and development, wherein said method comprises the steps of preparing a self-contained baby care kit comprising a storage case, said case being suited for an initial use of storing at least one baby care product and a subsequent use of storing at least one subsequent item, at least one baby care product, and at least one educational insert; providing said self-contained baby care kit to a caregiver; and allowing the caregiver to use said kit.

The birth of a child is often one of the most important and joyous moments in the life of a parent. The joy a parent may have with the birth of a child may be tempered by significant stress and anxiety, especially for first-time parents who have not developed the skills necessary to care for a newborn baby. Parents are often confused about basic baby care topics such as feeding, hygiene, and development. Adding to this confusion is an overload of information received by means such as promotions, samples, offers, pamphlets, books, television, and other routes of communication. By combining the parents' own confusion about baby care along with the information overload they experience, parents often will make care decision based on necessity rather than upon analysis of the information received.
Manufacturers of products designed for babies often conduct extensive research involving the growth and development of babies in order to design better products. Consequently, these manufacturers have valuable and useful information regarding babies and young children. This information may include topics such as baby characteristics, development patterns, and the like. Practical education and advice may also be provided in light of the extensive research on baby growth and development. Such practical education and advice may include tips on baby care, feeding, health, hygiene, and the like. The problem for manufactures of baby products is conveying their extensive research and insight to parents.
Manufacturers of baby products have tried to implement a variety of strategies to convey their extensive information and knowledge in a way that will be useful, engaging, and informative to parents. One commonly used way of conveying information is by providing the parent with information at critical points in the baby's life or care needs. For example, parents are often provided with information related to newborn care while at a birth facility and, especially, while at the birth facility for the purpose of delivery. Unfortunately, as more manufacturers of baby care products provide more information to parents while at the birth facility, information of higher value to the parents tends to be lost in the information overload. Thus, it is advantageous for manufacturers of baby care products to distinguish their information, knowledge, and products from those typically distributed to parents.
One mechanism manufacturers of baby care products use to convey their information and products is by providing samples of relevant newborn care products such as diapers, wipes, formula, ointments, and the like. Samples of items such as diapers and wipes tend to be limited in number, and, as a result, offer limited opportunity for the parents to explore and learn about the product. A sample package containing 1 or 2 diapers generally will not allow the parents to explore the unique benefits provided by the diaper. Furthermore, for some first-time parents this may be the first time they have ever applied a diaper. These parents may need to apply several diapers before they feel comfortable with diapering. A sample package containing a small quantity of diapers may not be sufficient.
Manufacturers of baby care products have not been completely successful in delivering information that encourages the parents to use the information over a prolonged period of time. Educational pamphlets, mailings, and fliers are often discarded. Delivery of information by mass media is often forgotten and not easily retrievable. Sample products are used and discarded.
In light of the above identified deficiencies, the present invention provides a method for conveying an informative message to parents over a prolonged period of time. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a method of educating a caregiver about baby care and development with the steps of preparing a self-contained baby care kit, providing said self-contained baby care kit to a caregiver; and allowing the caregiver to use said kit.

Method for educating a caregiver about baby care and development


The present invention relates to livin-derived peptides with pro-apoptotic activity. More specifically, the present invention provides peptides p30-Livin α and p28-Livin β, derived from Livin α and β, respectively, as well as compositions thereof. These herein described peptides display pro-apoptotic activity. Thus, another object of the present invention is the use of the peptides or compositions thereof for the enhancement and/or induction of apoptosis, as well as for the treatment of cancer. Finally, the invention also provides a method of enhancing the sensitivity of cells to death-inducing treatments or agents through the use of the peptides of the invention.

All publications mentioned throughout this application are fully incorporated herein by reference, including all references cited therein.
Apoptosis is an active mechanism of cell death controlling the development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms. Tight regulation is required to ensure a delicate balance of life and death. Indeed, loss of apoptosis regulation results in a wide variety of diseases. Excess apoptosis might result in neurodegenerative disorders [Mattson, M. P. (2000) Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol., 1: 120-129], reperfusion injury after ischemic episodes [Rathmell, J. C. and Thompson, C. B. (2002) Cell, 109 Suppl: S97-107], and immunodeficiency [Reed, C. J. (2000) Semin. Hematol., 37: 9-16]. On the other hand, lack of apoptosis is involved in cancer [LaCasse, E. C. et al. (1998) Oncogene, 17: 3247-3269], and autoimmune disorders [Rathmell, J. C. and Thompson, C. B. (2002) id ibid]. Several gene families are involved in the negative regulation of apoptosis, including the Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAP). The products of the IAP gene family, discovered during the last five years, play a key role in apoptosis regulation and have become increasingly prominent in the field of cancer [Salvesen, G. S. and Duckett, C. S. (2002) Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol., 3:401-410]. So far, eight human IAPs have been identified: c-IAP1, c-IAP2, NAIP, Survivin, XIAP, Bruce, ILP-2, and Livin. These proteins contain one or more repeats of a highly conserved 70 amino acids domain termed the baculovirus IAP repeat (BIR), located at the amino-terminal. With the exception of NIAP and Survivin, human IAPs contain a conserved sequence termed RING finger at the carboxy-terminal. IAPs can block apoptosis mainly through their ability to bind and inhibit specific caspases [Stennicke, H. R. et al. (2000) Biochem. J., 350 Pt 2: 563-568]. Initially, the molecular interaction between IAPs and caspases was thought to be mediated through the BIR domain [Takahashi, R. et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem., 273: 7787-7790]. However, recent crystallographic resolution studies revealed that conserved amino acids in the linker region between BIR1 and BIR2 of XIAP are the most critical for its interaction with caspases 3 and 7. Surprisingly, the BIR2 domain itself has almost no direct contact with caspases 3 and 7 [Chai, J. et al. (2001) Cell, 104: 769-780; Huang, Y. et al. (2001) Cell, 104: 781-790; Riedl, S. J. et al. (2001) Cell, 104: 791-800]. The linker region preceding BIR2 can inhibit caspases through its ability to sterically hinder the substrate access. Yet, this region alone is not sufficient, and the BIR domain is required to either align or stabilize the structure. The BIR domain has also a regulatory function, as molecules such as SMAC/Diablo and HtrA2, that inhibit IAPs function, bind to this region [Hegde, R. (2002) J. Biol. Chem., 277: 432-438]. Several reports showed that many proteins containing a RING domain have E3-ubiquitin ligase activity. This activity is important in mediating the transfer of ubiquitin both to heterologous substrates as well as to the protein itself, thus targeting them to intracellular degradation [Suzuki, Y. et al. (2001) J. Biol. Chem., 276: 27058-27063; Yang, Y. et al. (2000) Science, 288: 874-877]. Indeed, several IAPs were shown to mediate RING-dependent ubiquitylation of caspases as well as to themselves [Jesenberger, V. (2002) Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol., 3: 112-121]. Yet, the full potential of this function in apoptosis regulation remains unclear.
The essential role that IAPs play in the apoptotic process suggests that their activity must be tightly regulated. Indeed, it was reported that IAPs are regulated at the transcriptional/posttranscriptional levels as well as by interaction with inhibitory proteins [Vucic, D. et al. (2002) J. Biol. Chem., 277: 12275-12279]. Another important mechanism to negatively regulate IAPs is the ability of certain caspases, such as caspases 3 and 7 to specifically cleave these anti-apoptotic proteins [Ikeda, H. et al. (1997) Immunity, 6: 199-208].
Among the IAP family, XIAP and cIAP1 were shown to undergo a site-specific cleavage that is mediated by caspases [Deveraux, Q. L. et al. (1999) Embo J., 18: 5242-5251].
The present inventors and other groups have reported a novel IAP member, which was designated Livin/ML-IAP/KIAP [Vucic, D. et al. (2000) Curr. Biol., 10: 1359-1366; Lin, J. H. et al. (2000) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 279: 820-831; Kasof, G. M. (2001) J. Biol. Chem., 276: 3238-3246; Ashhab, Y. et al. (2001) FEBS Lett., 495: 56-60]. Livin contains a single BIR domain at the N-terminus and a carboxy-terminal RING domain. The inventors have previously demonstrated that Livin encodes two splicing variants, termed Livin α and β [Ashhab, Y. et al. (2001) id ibid]. These two proteins are highly similar, except for 18 amino acids located between the BIR and the RING domains, which are present in the α but not in the β isoform.
In the present invention, the inventors demonstrate that Livin undergoes site-specific cleavage by effector caspases 3 and 7, producing a large C-terminal subunit containing both the BIR and RING domains. Moreover, both Livin α and β undergo this cleavage, thus generating Livin-derived peptides α and β.
Unexpectedly, the inventors have found that the two Livin-derived peptides have pro-apoptotic properties. The present invention provides said pro-apoptotic peptides, together with compositions and uses thereof In addition, the present invention provides methods utilizing these Livin-derived peptides.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Livin-derived peptides, compositions and uses thereof

Hadasit Medical Research Services & Development Ltd.


In a drive control circuit of a linear vibration motor, the drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal whose phase is opposite to that of the drive signal generated during the motor running, after the running of the linear vibration motor has terminated; this drive signal of opposite phase includes a high impedance period during which the driver unit is controlled to a high impedance state. An induced voltage detector detects an induced voltage occurring in the coil. A comparator has a function as a hysteresis comparator in which the output level does not vary in a predetermined dead band, and the comparator outputs a high-level signal or a low-level signal during the high impedance period. When an in-phase signal is consecutively outputted from the comparator during the consecutive high-impedance periods, the drive signal generating unit determines that the linear vibration motor has come to a stop.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drive control circuit used to control the drive of a linear vibration motor, including a vibrator and a stator, where the vibrator linearly oscillates back and forth relative to the stator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Though a linear vibration motor is used for a specific purpose of moving an electric shaver and the like, its use is expanding in recent years. For example, the linear vibration motor is used for an element that creates a vibration with which an operation feeling of a touch panel pressed down is to be fed back to a user. As haptics (sense of touch) engineering is finding rapidly increasing use, it is expected that the total number of linear vibration motors shipped from factories be on the increase.
It is desired that a time duration lasting from the beginning of vibration stoppage until the complete stoppage of vibration (hereinafter referred to as "vibration stoppage time") at the time the running of the motor terminates be reduced in the control of the linear vibration motor. Attempting to perform a braking control by which the motor is driven with the oppose phase to reduce this vibration stoppage time is under development. Where the frequency of applying a brake is fixed, the brake force varies depending on the type of the linear vibration motor used and the number of motor-driven cycles up to the completed stop of the motor, so that excess or deficiency in the brake force results.

Drive control circuit for linear vibration motor

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC


Techniques are disclosed for deploying an application. In one embodiment, a packaging tool determines that an error exists in a packaged application. The packaging tool may guide a user in fixing the error by updating the packaging tool and repackaging the application using the updated packaging tool. The packaging tool may guide the user via one or more notifications output for display to the user.

Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) often package applications for deployment onto an application server. The ISVs may provide the packaged applications to one or more customers of the ISVs. The customers of the ISVs may then deploy the packaged application onto the application server. At least in some cases, as the customers upgrade to newer versions of the application server, the customers may deploy the packaged application onto the newer versions of the application server, without requiring the ISVs to re-package the application for deployment.

Guided problem resolution in deploying an application

International Business Machines Corporation


An offset determination apparatus and a method are for correcting an offset by supplying a switch-off signal outside a predefinable measuring range of time-expanded sampling values of a reflection signal, which switch-off signal can deactivate a transmitter device at least intermittently in order to generate a predefinable quiescent range within the time-expanded sampling values of the reflection signal and in that, by evaluating at least one sampling value of the time-expanded sampling values which is determined within the quiescent range, a value of an amplitude offset of the time-expanded sampling values of the reflection signal from a normal value is determined and is supplied at an output of the offset provision device.

With certain applications of time measurement methods, it can occur that a region of an echo curve which is selected for determining the offset of the echo curve is no longer free from interference, such as free from noise. In this case, the value of the offset is wrongly determined and deviates from the real offset value. A deviation from this actually present offset value can lead to the occurrence of inaccuracies or errors when determining a reference line or a normal value. These inaccuracies may lead in turn to inaccuracies when determining a measured value relating to this reference line.
In document DE 100 44 769 A1, a method is described for measuring distance by means of a signal, wherein an echo signal is received by a receiver device or by a receiving device, said echo signal being superimposed with a first reference pulse and wherein the echo signal is compared with a second reference signal that has a second reference pulse for the determination of a signal transit time.
Often, with measuring methods for the measurement of filling levels, a reference curve which must be determined and stored in advance is used in order to correct a newly read-in curve. An empty tank may be necessary for determining this reference curve, said tank having to be emptied artificially from time to time for adjusting the reference curve.
Accordingly, it may be a motivation for the present invention to enable more efficient measuring of signal transit times.

Apparatus and method for correcting an offset


An input device may include at least one touch surface arranged in a three-dimensional (3D) shape wherein the at least one touch surface receives translational and rotational input along three spatial axes. A six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) input system may include at least one touch registering surface formed into a 3D shape to detect an interactive touch from a user and a processor to receive the interactive touch and adjust the position of a three-dimensional (3D) object represented in 3D space on a graphical user interface (GUI).

Input devices provide data and control signals to an information processing system such as a computer or information appliance. These input devices allow a user to interact with a computing device in order to accomplish a number of tasks.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


What is disclosed is a printer comprising a mechanism mounting section which is able to attach plural image forming sections; a color information obtaining section to obtain color information informing kind of coloring material contained in each of said plural image forming sections attached at each prescribed position of said mechanism mounting section, an image processing section to generate each image data corresponding to each of said plural image forming sections, based on said image information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, such as electrophotographic printer, having plural image forming section.
2. Description of Related Art
A printing apparatus, such as electrophotographic printer, has an image processing section and an image forming section. In the image processing section, image information received from a host device, is transformed to image data. In the image forming section, photosensitive drum is charged negative with a charging roller. And, a electrostatic latent image of the image data mentioned above, is formed with LED head, on the photosensitive drum. On this electrostatic latent image, a toner image is formed with using a developing roller, a toner conveying roller, a developing blade etc. In this process, toner remained on the photosensitive drum, is removed with a cleaning equipment.
Moreover, in a printing apparatus, such as color electrophotographic printer, has above image forming apparatus of four, corresponding to each color of Y, M, C, K. These four image forming sections are installed at prescribed positions in the printing apparatus. To each of these four image forming sections, each image data of prescribed color is sent from the image processing section. Each of four image forming sections reproduces each image on a print sheet, based on each image data. In this way, a color image is reproduced. In this kind of conventional printing apparatus such as color electrophotographic printer, a technique for reproducing monochromic image effectively, is disclosed in public (c.f. JP2001-183886).
However, in the conventional technique, it is necessary for the printing apparatus to attach all of four image forming sections as each color of Y, M, C, K, at each prescribed position in the printing apparatus, even when, for example, a monochromic image is reproduced. Moreover, the prescribed position is limited fixedly beforehand. And, to change the position is difficult. Therefore, it is difficult to realize monochromic printing apparatus enabling continuous printing for a long time, or printing apparatus enabling continuous printing for a long time with only two colors.

Printing apparatus with removable image forming section and position error processing of image forming section installation position


A transformer includes a tank that is attached under a floor of a vehicle, the tank being for housing an iron core, a coil, and an insulating liquid, thereby immersing the iron core and the coil in the insulating liquid; and a cooling unit for air-cooling the insulating liquid that has flowed from tank and returning the insulating liquid to tank, the cooling unit including a plurality of pipes arranged to be spaced from one another such that a spacing in a region relatively closer to floor of the vehicle is greater than a spacing in a region relatively away from floor of the vehicle.

A transformer for vehicles is mounted, for example, under the floor of a vehicle. For railway vehicles such as those on local lines, running wind self-cooling-type transformers that use running wind created by running of vehicles are sometimes used in view of maintenance savings and energy savings, instead of forced-air cooling-type transformers that use fans to cool the transformers for vehicles. However, running wind self-cooling-type transformers have a problem in that the cooling performance, i.e., the amount of heat exchange, is lower than that of forced-air cooling-type transformers.
One example of a running wind self-cooling-type transformer is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laying-Open No. 56-94023 (PTL 1). That is, the winding of the transformer is cooled by circulating an oil using an oil pump. The oil is then cooled by a radiator pipe that is attached outside the transformer, utilizing running wind during running of a vehicle.
One example of an air-cooling structure is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 7-198279 (PTL 2). That is, the direction of a flat surface of a heat-receiving portion of a heat pipe differs by substantially 90° from that of a flat surface of a radiator portion of the heat pipe. This configuration is useful when air is desirably fed to the radiator portion of an assembled radiator in a direction orthogonal to a heat-receiving plate.


A golf card game which utilizes one or more decks of playing cards with each deck being divided into four different suits and there being fourteen different numerical value of cards within each suit. Each deck of playing cards also includes a prescribed number of wild cards. There being separate from the playing cards golf hole representations with each representation to display a golf hole number, a par value for the golf hole number, wild card numbers and a numerical value determining a number of the playing cards that are to be dealt to each player when playing a golf hole number. There is also to be used a plurality of stroke card representations which are numerically sequentially arranged which start with the number 1 and proceed to at least number 5. Cards are to be then dealt to all players and melds to be produced by a player, and when a player has completely melded and the first player to produce all melds will be declared the winner of a given hand and assigned a numerical score. The numerical scores are added for all players for all golf holes which will then determine the winner of the game.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to card games and more particularly to a card game that is designed to be coordinated with the game of golf.
2. Description of the Related Art
Card games have long been known. It is the intent and purpose of the present invention to produce a card game that connects favorably with the actual playing of a game of golf which is to be interesting and entertaining in play to the players.
A first basic embodiment of golf card game that comprises a first deck of playing cards composed of a plurality of the playing cards divided into a plurality of different suits with there being a precise number of the playing cards within each suit. A plurality of golf hole representation cards with each representation card to display a golf hole number, a par value for the golf card number, wild card numbers and a numerical value determining a number of the playing cards that are to be dealt to each player when playing of a golf hole number. A plurality of stroke cards which are numerically sequentially arranged in a stack with the stroke cards starting with the number one and proceeding to at least number five. A stroke card is to be displayed to inform the player which stroke is being played at a given time. Whereby the playing cards are to be dealt to all players and the players taking turns to make melds of these playing cards that have the same numerical value or comprise a sequential run of at least three playing cards in the same suit, and the first player to achieve all the melds will be the winner of a played hand. After playing a hand for each golf hole, all the numerical scores are added for all players and the player with the lowest numerical score will be declared the winner of the game.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by there being four in number of suits.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by there being fourteen different numerical cards within each suit.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by there being included a precise number of wild cards within each deck of playing cards.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by there being used two in number of decks.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by there being utilized eighteen in number of the golf hole representation cards.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the first basic embodiment is modified by there being a wild card that is the same number as the cards dealt for each hand.
A second basic embodiment of the golf card game of the present invention comprises a representation of a first deck of playing cards composed of a plurality of the playing cards divided into a plurality of different suits with there being a precise number of playing cards in each suit. A plurality of golf hole representations are also used with each golf hole representation to display a golf hole number, a par value for the golf hole number, a wild card number and a numerical value determining the number of the playing cards that are to be dealt to each player when playing a particular golf hole number. There is also used a plurality of stroke card representations which are numerically sequentially arranged with each stroke card representation starting with the number one and proceeding to at least number five. A stroke card representation is to be displayed to inform players which stroke is being played at a given time. Whereby the playing cards are to be dealt to all players and the players taking turns to make melds of the playing cards that have the same numerical value or comprises a sequential run of at least three playing cards in the same suit. The first player to achieve all melds will be the winner of a played hand and will obtain a numerical score, and after playing a hand for each golf hole all the numerical scores are added for all the players and the player with the lowest numerical score will be declared the winner of the game.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the second basic embodiment is modified by there being used four in number of suits.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the second basic embodiment is modified by there being used fourteen in number of playing cards within each suit.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the second basic embodiment is modified by there being included a precise number of wild cards within the representation of the first deck of playing cards.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the second basic embodiment is modified by there being used a representation of a second deck of playing cards with the second deck of playing cards being identical to the first deck of playing cards.
A further embodiment of the present invention is where the second basic embodiment is modified by there being used eighteen in number of golf hole representations. A further embodiment of the present invention is where the second basic embodiment is modified by each golf hole representation listing as a wild card the precise number of cards that are dealt to each player for that representation.


In one aspect, a first device includes at least one wireless charge receiver that comprises a coil and a circuit electrically coupled to the coil. The first device also includes at least one barrier respectively positioned in the first device to transitionably shield, from a magnetic field of a wireless charge transmitter, at least one component of a second device in which the first device is disposable.

Wireless charging devices are increasing in prevalence. However, as recognized herein, wireless charge receivers are typically arranged on information handling systems to receive a wireless charge from a wireless charge transmitter while the information handling system is in but one physical orientation relative to the wireless charge transmitter. As also recognized herein, this can be problematic to a user when such an information handling system is a so-called "convertible" device and the user wishes to charge in more than one configuration of this device and hence more than one physical orientation.

Transitionable magnetic barrier for wireless charging device


Food packaging articles, food packaging webs, and food packaging methods comprising a myoglobin blooming agent and synergist that promote or preserve the desirable appearance of food products are provided. The food contact layer of the packaging webs may comprise a myoglobin blooming agent and a synergist.

Meat color is an important quality characteristic of packaged meat products that affects their merchantability. Consumers often use color as an indicator of meat quality and freshness. The color of meat is related to the amount and chemical state of myoglobin in the meat. Myoglobin is present in the muscle tissue of all animals and functions to store and deliver oxygen by reversibly binding molecular oxygen, thereby creating an intracellular source of oxygen for the mitochondria. Pork and poultry typically contain lower amounts of myoglobin than beef and thus are lighter in color than beef.
Myoglobin includes an open binding site called heme that can bind certain small molecules, such as molecular oxygen (O2 or "oxygen"), or water. Myoglobin without a molecule bound to the heme site is a purple colored molecule called deoxymyoglobin. The presence and type of ligand bound at the myoglobin binding site can alter the color of the myoglobin. The color of the meat product will change based on the amount of myoglobin present and the amount and type(s) of ligand molecule(s) bound to the heme binding site. Molecular oxygen readily acts as a ligand that binds to the heme group, permitting biological transport of oxygen from the blood stream to the mitochondria within cells. When oxygen binds to the heme pocket, purple deoxymyoglobin becomes oxymyoglobin, characterized by a red color. When a water molecule binds to the heme group, the myoglobin molecule turns brown and is referred to as metmyoglobin. The binding of carbon monoxide (CO) can cause a red color similar to that produced by oxygen binding. Nitric oxide (NO) has been described as forming a stable pink color in cured meat.
Historically, fresh meat products available to consumers have been substantially prepared and packaged for end-use at the site of final sale. Product packaging that preserves a desirable color of fresh meat can promote the merchantability and appeal of the meat product for consumers. Existing meat packaging technology can inadequately preserve favorable meat color for various reasons. The conventional packaging format used by the retail grocer for fresh meat is to stretch a thin plastic film around a foam tray that supports the product. The film is permeable to oxygen so that the color of the meat quickly blooms to a bright red. However, the shelf life for the bright red color is only about three days. Thus, this packaging format is undesirable because the color often becomes unacceptable before it is sold even though the meat remains nutritious and healthy for consumption. As a result, a packaging format that maintains the fresh meat color for a longer period of time has long been sought for centralized packaging operations. Alternatively, meat has been packaged in oxygen barrier, vacuum bags, which are vacuum sealed and prevent oxygen contact with the meat until the package is opened. Vacuum sealed red meat products are nutritious, healthy and have a long shelf life, however they may result in an undesirable purple meat color in the package that does not bloom to a desirable red color until the meat is exposed to air. Consumer acceptance of meat having a purple color is less than that of meat having a red color. To provide meat with the consumer preferred red color, meat has also been packaged in a modified atmosphere package ("MAP"), wherein the meat is maintained in a sealed pocket containing an atmosphere that is different than ambient air. For example, one such commercially acceptable MAP contains an atmosphere enriched with oxygen (up to 80% by volume) to better maintain a preferred red color. One case ready MAP maintains meat in carbon dioxide, with very low oxygen content until just before display when the meat is exposed to oxygen to cause blooming to the desired red color. Alternatively, the meat can be contacted with a MAP having an atmosphere containing a small concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) (e.g., 0.4% by volume) to maintain a preferred red meat color. However, while CO-containing MAP may maintain a shelf life comparable to vacuum packaged meat, the red color induced by the presence of CO can be perceived as "unnaturally" bright red. In addition, the red color developed by CO tends to extend through a significant portion of the meat product, causing a permanent "pinking" of the interior of the meat which may remain even after the meat has been fully cooked. The bright red CO-myoglobin complex is referred to as carboxymyoglobin. The presence of carbon monoxide can also disfavorably impact sales of CO-containing MAP packages among consumers.
MAP also requires a headspace for contact of the modified atmosphere with the meat surface to affect the desired color over time. This requirement for a headspace leads to increased package volume, increased transportation costs and storage requirements and also limits the display appearance by making the product less visible due to the high side walls of the container and the gap between the film and the meat surface.
What is needed are packaging articles that maintain a favorable meat color, while providing an adequate or improved shelf life and meat freshness.
Nitrite or nitrate salts, such as sodium nitrite, are often used in curing meat, and can also affect meat color. Nitrate and nitrite additives are generally recognized as safe for use in foods, and are commonly known preservatives used in the curing process for products such as hams, lunchmeat, bologna and hot dogs. Nitrite and nitrates are used to cure and disinfect meats in the meat industry often producing a stable pink to red color in the process. For example, GB 2187081A discloses immersion of meat in an aqueous solution of sodium chloride, polyphosphate ions and nitrite ions to preserve meat. See also McGee, "Meat", On Food and Cooking, Rev. Ed., 2004, Chapter 3, pp. 118-178 (Scribner, New York, N.Y.) which is hereby incorporated by reference. The presence of oxygen can oxidize available nitric oxide to nitrite thus reducing its availability to associate with the myoglobin molecule. Packaging films have been described that comprise nitrite or nitrate compounds as a desiccant, a food preservative or as a volatile corrosion inhibitor for packaging of metal products. Anti-fungal agents including food preservatives such as sodium nitrite may be applied on various types of packaging to preserve biodegradable packaging against premature deleterious attack by fungi, as disclosed in JP7-258467A. Oxygen barrier films for packaging food products can contain a nitrate salt as a moisture-absorbing agent within an EVOH barrier material or other layer of a multilayer film, as disclosed in JP5-140344A, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,897 (Farrell et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,410 (Farrell et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,484 (Moritani); U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,482 (Moritani et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,639 (Oda et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,038 (Koyama et al.). Nitrate or nitrite products have also been described as being included in packaging films to absorb moisture, e.g., to inhibit corrosion of metal products, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,270 (Blaess); U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,945 (Chandler); U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,040 (Foley et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,618 (Chandler); U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,109 (Ohtsuka), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,909 (Shirrell et al.), U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2005/0019537 (Nakaishi et al.), GB Patent No. 1,048,770 (Canadian Technical Tape, Ltd.), and EP Patent Nos. EP 0 202 771 B1 (Aicello Chemical Co. Ltd.), and EP 0 662 527 B1 (Cortec Corp.) and EP 1 138 478 A2 (Aicello Chemical Co. Ltd.). None of these barrier films teach a meat-contact portion comprising a nitrite or nitrate material adapted to maintain desirable coloration of a meat product.
In many packaging applications, such as vacuum packaging, heat sealable food packaging films are desirable. The packaging can be made from heat sealable films. A typical food packaging bag, pouch or casing can include one, two, or three sides heat sealed by the bag manufacturer leaving one or two open sides to allow product insertion. A typical food container may include a formed tray with a heat sealable lidding film sealed to the tray. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,761 (Williams); U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,891 (Lawless et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,774 (Haedt).
Shrinkable films, bags, and casings also have been used to package fresh, frozen and processed meats for wholesale or retail sale and as processing films for cook-in applications and post-cooking pasteurization processes. Meats cured with nitrites and/or nitrates have been packaged in shrink films. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,815,023 (Tatarka et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,046 (Tatarka et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,910 (Georgelos et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,648 (Idlas); U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,722 (Burger); U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,253 (Juhl et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,862 (Bornstein et al.).
What is needed are packaging products, such as food packaging films including a food-contact portion comprising a material adapted to maintain or promote the desirable coloration of a myoglobin containing food product especially fresh meat.

Webs with synergists that promote or preserve the desirable color of meat


A method of fabricating a resilient model of an article of manufacture, such as an earth-boring drill bit body or component thereof, including fabricating the resilient model of the article of manufacture by layered manufacturing techniques. The resilient model may then be employed to cast one or more molds from refractory material. The molds may be used to fabricate the modeled article of manufacture. The invention also includes a resilient, layer-manufactured model of an article of manufacture, such as an earth-boring drill bit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to layered manufacturing methods of fabricating earth-boring drill bits and other articles of manufacture. Particularly, the present invention relates to the use of deformable, resilient, layer-manufactured models in the production of molds for earth-boring drill bits and other articles of manufacture. More specifically, the present invention relates to deformable, layer-manufactured models that may be employed in the production of a plurality of molds.
2. Background of Related Art
Conventionally, the bit bodies of metal particulate-based earth-boring drill bits, such as tungsten carbide bits, have been fabricated in graphite molds. The cavities of graphite molds are typically machined with a five- or seven-axis machine tool. Fine features are then added to the cavity of a graphite mold by hand-held machine tools. Additional clay work may also be required to obtain the desired configuration of some features of the bit body. Thus, the fabrication of such graphite molds is typically very time consuming and expensive. Moreover, the use of graphite molds is somewhat undesirable from an environmental and health standpoint, as the machining of such molds typically generates large amounts of graphite or carbon dust.
In fabricating tungsten carbide-based or other metal particulate-based articles of manufacture, such as a bit body of an earth-boring drill bit, the cavity of the graphite mold is filled with a matrix material, such as tungsten carbide. Typically, the matrix material is then vibrated or otherwise packed to decrease the amount of space between adjacent particles of the matrix material. Next, the matrix material is infiltrated in a furnace with a molten binder material, such as a copper-nickel alloy. After the bit has cooled, the graphite mold is then typically destroyed to facilitate removal of the infiltrated bit body therefrom. Thus, the use of graphite molds may be further undesirable in that only a single bit body may be fabricated from each mold and, thus, a new graphite mold must be machined for each new earth-boring drill bit.
Direct layered manufacturing processes eliminate the need for graphite molds. Direct layered manufacturing processes have been employed to fabricate earth-boring drill bits, molds for earth-boring drill bits, and other articles of manufacture. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,550, which issued to Redd H. Smith on Aug. 13, 1996, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,280, which issued to Redd H. Smith on Jul. 18, 1995, disclose the use of layered manufacturing methods to produce earth-boring drill bits and other articles of manufacture.
The direct layered manufacturing of earth-boring drill bits or other articles of manufacture includes generating a three-dimensional computer model of the drill bit or article of manufacture, creating "slices" of the computer model, and using the computer model in conjunction with layered manufacturing equipment to fabricate the article of manufacture
In operation, the layered manufacturing equipment sinters or otherwise secures a first layer of particles of a matrix material together, disposes a second layer of particles over the first layer, sinters particles in selected regions of the second layer together and to the first layer, and repeats this process to fabricate subsequent layers until the desired part has been formed from the matrix material particles.
State of the art layered manufacturing equipment and techniques have good resolution and may, therefore, be employed to manufacture parts that represent their three-dimensional computer model. Thus, once a drill bit or other article of manufacture has been fabricated from the matrix material, the particulate-based part may be infiltrated with a binder material that binds adjacent particles of matrix material together, and forms a substantially integral part that represents the computer model.
This type of layered manufacturing process is, however, somewhat undesirable since it takes a substantial amount of time (i.e., at least the length of the layered manufacturing process) to produce each layer-manufactured particulate-based part. Moreover, layered manufacturing machines that are capable of directly producing a metal part are typically expensive. Thus, the number of parts that may be produced over a given amount of time is limited by the number of available layered manufacturing machines.
Prior to infiltration, the particles of the matrices of particulate-based articles of manufacture produced by such direct layered manufacturing processes may be held together with a binder material, such as a thermoplastic polymer (e.g., polystyrene), a resin, or a low melting point metal (e.g., Wood's metal or a lead-based alloy). In layered manufacturing, the particles of metal matrix material are not, however, typically compacted to full density. The presence of binder material between particles of metal matrix material, or as a coating thereon, also reduces the density of the matrix. Moreover, due to the coefficients of thermal expansion of binder materials, and because of the space that exists between metal matrix particles and particles of binder material prior to melting or softening of the binder material, the dimensions of each layer may change during and after the layered manufacturing process, and shrink as the binder material cools. Further, prior to or during the subsequent infiltration of the matrix, thermoplastic polymer and resin binder materials are "burned out" of the matrix, exposing voids therein. Thus, direct layer-manufactured articles are typically not fully dense, and may shrink or become somewhat dimensionally distorted relative to the computer model employed to generate such articles.
In an effort to employ layered manufacturing processes to produce fully dense parts, so-called investment casting or "lost wax" processes have been employed to create a model that is subsequently used to produce a cast mold. Known layered manufacturing processes include the fabrication of plastic, wax, or paper models. Once the model has been employed to produce a mold, the model is destroyed by known investment casting processes (e.g., melting the plastic or wax or burning the paper), thereby exposing the cavity of the mold. The mold may then be employed in known processes, such as casting or forming a particulate-based matrix and infiltrating same, to fabricate a fully dense article of manufacture. After some articles of manufacture, such as earth-boring drill bits, have been fabricated in such a mold, the mold must be destroyed to remove the part therefrom. One such technique of layered manufacturing investment casting models, which may be used to fabricate earth-boring drill bits, is disclosed in British patent application serial no. 2 296 673 of Camco Drilling Group Limited (hereinafter "the British '673 Application"), which was published Oct. 7, 1996. Such investment casting processes, which employ layer-manufactured models, are, however, somewhat undesirable since the model may be employed to fabricate only a single mold. Thus, it may take longer to fabricate an article of manufacture when layered manufacturing techniques are employed to fabricate an investment casting model than when direct layered manufacturing techniques are used to fabricate the same article of manufacture. Moreover, each layer-manufactured investment casting model may be used to fabricate only one mold and, therefore, only one drill bit or other article of manufacture.
The British '673 Application also discloses the use of a layer-manufactured model that includes several pieces that are assembled prior to casting a mold and individually removed from the mold after casting. The model must then be reassembled prior to the production of another mold. As the use of a model with several individual pieces may require as many separate fabrication steps, as well as the assembly and disassembly of the pieces each time a mold is produced, that process is also time-consuming and, therefore, somewhat undesirable.
The British '673 Application discloses another method of producing molds for earth-boring drill bits, which includes employing layered manufacturing processes to produce a first mold, using the first mold to cast a deformable model, and employing the model to cast manufacturing molds. Although the deformable model may be employed to cast more than one manufacturing mold, this process is somewhat undesirable in that it requires several steps, including a layered manufacturing step, a model casting step, and a manufacturing mold casting step, to produce a manufacturing mold.
Pliable, resilient male mold models have also been cast in the cavities of machined graphite molds, then employed to form the cavities of female ceramic molds by casting the ceramic molds around the male mold model. Since the male mold model is made of a pliable, resilient material, the model may be removed from the cavity of the ceramic mold and reused to cast another female mold. This process is, however, somewhat undesirable since it requires the machining of a graphite mold. Moreover, in order to change any of the features of the mold, as is typically required by customers ordering earth-boring drill bits, a new graphite mold would have to be machined and male mold models cast therein.
Thus, a process is needed that employs a single layer-manufactured model to efficiently produce a plurality of earth-boring drill bit molds.

Process of making a bit body and mold therefor


A light guide includes: a light guide main body that guides light input from an incident surface to an exit surface; and an attachment member that is connected to the light guide main body and includes an attachment portion that is to be fixed to another member, and the area of a connection surface between the attachment member and the light guide main body is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the attachment portion.

Conventionally, a light guide that guides incident light to an optical receiving unit is used as an optical receiving apparatus that is used for remotely controlling an electronic device, such as an image display apparatus. For example, in an infrared light guide member disclosed in Patent Document 1, the light guide member is fixed to the front face of a front panel of an electronic device using an attachment plate, and infrared light that has been input through an incident surface is guided to an optical receiver through an exit surface.
However, there is a problem in that fixing the light guide member using the attachment plate, which is a separate member, results in a complicated assembly operation and high costs. Moreover, although there are means for holding a light guide member using a holding member, means for fixing a light guide member using an adhesive, and so forth, there is a problem in that manufacturing costs are increased even in these cases.
Moreover, for example, a light guide 100 as shown in FIG. 10 (a) is proposed as another light guide. The light guide 100 is integrally formed so that the shape of the light guide 100 becomes approximately a cross, a light guide main body 101 is formed in the longitudinal direction of the light guide 100, and attachment portions 102 to another member are formed on the both side faces of the light guide main body 101. The shape of the light guide main body 101 is, for example, a rectangular plate, and the attachment portions 102 are, for example, plate-shaped members of which thickness is smaller than that of the light guide main body 101.
In the light guide 100, as shown in FIGS. 10 (b) and (c), an incident surface 101a for infrared rays is formed on one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the light guide main body 101, and an optical receiving unit 103 can optically receive the infrared rays emitted through an exit surface 101b, which is provided on the other end portion. Because the light guide 100 does not require an attachment plate, which is a separate member, the parts costs and the assembly costs can be reduced.

Light guide, light guide unit, manufacturing method of light guide unit, and electronic device


A semiconductor substrate includes a photodiode region, a charge storage region electrically coupled to the photodiode region and a capacitive deep trench isolation (CDTI) structure including a conductive region positioned between the photodiode region and the charge storage region. A contact etch stop layer overlies the semiconductor substrate and a premetallization dielectric layer overlies the contact etch stop layer. A first trench, filled with a metal material, extends through the premetallization dielectric layer and bottoms out at or in the contact etch stop layer. A second trench, also filled with the metal material, extends through the premetallization dielectric layer and the contact etch stop layer and bottoms out at or in the conductive region of the CDTI structure. The metal filled first trench forms an optical shield between the photodiode region and the charge storage region. The metal filled second trench forms a contact for biasing the CDTI structure.

Front-side illuminated light sensors are well known in the art. The photosensitive region on the front side of the light sensor generates charges when exposed to light. Those charges are accumulated during an integration phase within the photosensitive region and transferred to a memory area. During a next integration phase, the previously transferred charges are read out from the memory area using a read circuit.
It is important for the light sensor to include some optical shielding. For example, optical shielding may be provided between adjacent light sensors in an imaging array in order to ensure that the light directed toward one photosensitive region does not impinge on an adjacent photosensitive region. Additionally, optical shielding may be provided within the light sensor over the memory area in order to ensure that light directed toward the photosensitive region does not additionally generate charges in the memory area.
A premetallization dielectric (PMD) layer is typically provided at the front side of the light sensor. Metal substrate contacts pass through the PMD layer to electrically connect the integrated circuitry in and on the substrate to the metal lines supported within overlying metallization layers. There is a need in the art to support both metal shield trenches and metal substrate contacts within the PMD layer.

Metal shield trenches and metal substrate contacts supported within the premetallization dielectric (PMD) layer of an integrated circuit using a middle end of line (MEOL) process


A rotary compressor and process of compressing compressible fluids wherein the compressor comprises a housing having at least two axially spaced walls and rotatable in relation to the housing cylinder-piston and piston elements journaled on eccentric portions of cylinder-piston and piston shafts rotating in opposite directions. The axially spaced walls of the housing form stationary walls, and the cylinder-piston and piston elements form moveable walls of at least two compression chambers. Circulated compressible fluid is drawn into the compression chambers through intake channel and intake port in the piston shaft and ports in the piston element, and discharged after compression through the same ports in the piston element, and through discharge port and into the discharge channel located in the piston shaft.

This invention relates in general to a compressor and process of compressing, and more particularly to a positive displacement rotary compressor and process of compressing compressible fluids, such as air and other gases.
At the present time, reciprocating piston and rotary screw compressors dominate the air compressor markets in sizes of up to 150 hp. The valveless, single stage, lubricant flooded and cooled compressor of this invention is a simple, well balanced machine with design, performance and cost advantages over both piston and screw compressors. In particular, the compressor of this invention is a positive displacement machine that combines the following major advantages of:
1. The reciprocating piston compressor-such as simple design utilizing common, inexpensive materials and production techniques, basically reciprocating characteristics of the compression process, good sealing of the compression chambers and high efficiency; and
2. Screw compressors-such as compact, lightweight, single stage, valveless and lubricant flooded and cooled design that is heavy duty, balanced, vibrationless, quiet and reliable in operation.
At the same time, the compressor of this invention is also a design that eliminates the following disadvantages of:
1. The reciprocating piston compressor-reciprocating motion of the pistons and connecting rods, need for suction and discharge valves, bulky and heavy design, slow speed and double stage operation that is required to maintain reasonable discharge temperatures and good efficiency; and
2. Screw compressors-expensive design resulting from precision and costly machining of geometrically complex rotors that require expensive, specialized, single purpose manufacturing equipment, and low efficiency resulting from inherent internal leakage (of air under compression) between the suction and discharge spaces due to a lack of positive sealing between rotors, and between rotors and the housing.
In addition to all above, the compressor of this invention is an improvement over a rotary compressor of my earlier inventions, more fully described in my issued U.S. Pats. No.: 4,135,864; 4,137,021; 4,137,022; 4,174,195 and 4,553,912, all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference, by eliminating the need for the intake and/or discharge valves.

Rotary compressor and process of compressing compressible fluids with intake and discharge through piston shaft and piston


A method and apparatus for detecting an improper stitch for a Class 400 chainstitch sewing machine. A monitor assembly determines the consumption per stitch of the looper thread during the formation of the chainstitches. A processor identifies times when the monitored consumption is indicative of looper thread consumption per stitch below a predetermined threshold value. Since the consumption per stitch for looper thread is nominally a predetermined multiple of the stitch length, those identified times correspond to times when improper stitches have occurred.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring the stitching quality of sewing machines and, in particular, to detecting skipped and malformed stitching for Class 400 chainstitch sewing machines.
With the clothing industry becoming increasingly automated, there is a need for systems that monitor and regulate the functions and output of high speed sewing equipment. Certain of these systems are utilized to monitor the stitching of sewing machines to detect malformed or skipped stitching in apparel manufactured by Class 400 chainstitch sewing machines. The Class 400 chainstitch is employed in a wide range of areas within the apparel industry because it provides a fast, economical, resilient, and strong stitch chain. The Class 400 stitch tends to be very elastic and is well suited for seaming operations, for example, inseaming pants and closing synthetic bags, on wovens and knits of many types and weights of materials. However, in Class 400 chainstitch, malformed or skipped stitching tend to weaken the entire stitch chain and, as a result when included in the final product, the defective product may prematurely fail, for example by unraveling.
The 400 Class "multi-thread chainstitch" is formed by a sewing machine passing one or more needle thread loops through the material. Those needle thread loops are interlooped on the underside with a looper thread supported on a looper As an exemplary Class 400 chainstitch, stitch type 401 is formed with two threads, the needle thread and the looper thread. An angularly reciprocal looper, located underneath the material, engages the needle loop projected by an axially reciprocal needle underneath the material. The looper retains the needle loop when the needle is retracted and, in addition, draws the looper thread from the previous stitch through the needle loop. The needle then penetrates the material again between the looper thread and the previous needle loop. As a result, when the looper retracts, the needle thread, which comprised the needle loop, tightens and thus completes a stitch. A more detailed description of the chainstitch type 401 is provided in Union "Special Stitch Formation Type 401" brochure, published by Union Special Huntley, Illinois (1979).
In the general use of chainstitch type 401 sewing machines, improper stitches maY from time to time be introduced in a workpiece. Generally, improper stitches may have the form of malformed stitches or skipped stitches. Collectively, these malformed and skipped stitches are referred to as "improper stitches" hereinbelow. There are many causes of improper stitches. Malformed stitches can develop from improper synchronization between the active elements within the sewing machine and the needle and looper thread loops. In particular, the malformed stitches are formed when the needle thread loop around the blade of the looper is improperly positioned and as a result the needle on its downward travel can enter this loop, forming a "101-type" stitch.
In general, skipped stitches also result from improper synchronization of the needle thread loop and the looper thread loop and may also occur from deflection of the needle. There are primarily two types of skipped stitches: the "needle loop" skip and "triangle" skip. The needle loop skip develops when the looper fails to enter the needle loop and as a result the upward motion of the needle, the needle thread controls, and the feed motion pull the loop to the top of the fabric The triangle skip is formed not by the looper failing to enter the needle loop, but when the needle fails to enter the looper loop. Consequently, since the needle loop was picked up by the looper, the needle thread remains in the material or is loose on the top side of the fabric.
In the prior art, skipped stitch detection systems are based upon monitoring the tension of the looper thread and/or the needle thread. As detailed in Rockerath et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,283, the loss of thread tension generally said to correspond to a skipped stitch and this reduction in normal thread tension triggers a sensing device. The sensitivity of these systems ranges from complete loss of thread tension, for example, due to the thread breaking, to sensing a momentary reduction in the normal thread tension.
A primary shortcoming of the prior art is the unreliability of these systems at high sewing speeds, for example, greater than 9,000 stitches per minute. These systems fail to detect a momentary reduction of thread tension when the sewing machine is operating at high sewing speeds. The reduction in tension for a malformed or skipped stitch at high sewing speeds tends to be less and in a range that the prior art fails to detect As a result, these systems tend to be less reliable and thus fail to perform these functions with great accuracy.
There exists a need for better methods and systems that are reliable at high sewing speeds. To accommodate the advances in the clothing automation, particularly the increase in sewing speeds, a simple, reliable system for monitoring the malformed and skipped stitches would satisfy a substantial need in the art.

Method and apparatus for detecting improper stitches for a chainstitch sewing machine

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.