A method for determining a xe2x80x9csafe-operationxe2x80x9d point for a metal structural element subjected to repeated loading, the same or different, generating variable levels of strain and residual stress in the worked element; and, predicting the imminent failure of the structural element. The surface of the metal element is worked to provide a residual strain, for example, by shot-peening. Measurements of electrical conductivity are compared at various chosen frequencies corresponding to different depths in the xe2x80x9cnear-surfacexe2x80x9d of the element. Similar measurements are made in the near-surface of a xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d and a first difference is computed between the conductivity of the shot-peened surface and the xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d surface. This first difference provides a basis for comparison of the effects of residual stress after successive loadings of the shot-peened metal element. The effect of residual stress on the peened portion after it is subjected to a number of successive loadings is measured and compared to the reference. When the effect of residual stress is measured as conductivity or resistivity, it is found that there is a progressive increase in conductivity (and decrease in resistivity) as the metal element begins to succumb to fatigue. It is found that when the resistivity decreases to a value in the range from about 50% to 60% of the measured first difference in resistivities, the metal element has reached its 50% xe2x80x9csafe-operationxe2x80x9d point beyond which it rapidly,progresses to fatigue failure.

This invention relates to a method of testing a metal structural element, using precise measurements of eddy currents generated on the surface of the structural element being tested, to determine the useful life of the structural element without destroying it. Such eddy currents are induced in a mass of conducting material by a varying magnetic field.
Metal structural elements of a vast array of devices are routinely subjected to severe stresses under which they are designed to operate over the endurance life of the devices. Such stresses are caused by forces producing, or tending to produce deformation in a device or a portion of it; the stresses are measured by the force applied per unit area, for example as dynes per square centimeter (or pounds per square inch); the forces are typically axial torsional or bending. To increase their service life, metal structural elements of ferrous metals, aluminum, titanium and other metals which are susceptible to an increase in residual compressive stress at the surface when peened or shot-peened, are routinely shot-peened, which delays fatigue failure.
Fatigue refers to the failure of materials under the action of repeated stresses; it is responsible for a large proportion of the failures occurring in any one of a myriad structural parts of an aircraft, wheels of heavy duty trucks and rail cars, and a wide array of machine parts. But the expected service life of any of the structural parts is purely conjectural; the expected life is typically estimated from prior experiences with actual failures, or by destructive testing of an essentially identical device, such testing being carried out under what is believed to be the same spectrum of stresses to which such devices are expected to be subjected.
Typically, a series of fatigue tests are carried out on a number of specimens of a particular structural element at different stress levels, until each specimen fails; the stress endured by each specimen is then plotted against the number of cycles sustained. For steel structural elements, choosing lower and lower stresses, a value for stress may be found which will not produce failure even after a very large number of cycles. This stress value is termed the xe2x80x9cendurance limitxe2x80x9d and the diagram is referred to as a stress-cycle diagram or S-N diagram. In structural elements made of aluminum alloys, the build up of residual stress is more cumulative than in steel and less predictable. In the design and construction of devices where weight and cost are critical, designing a device to operate at stress values low enough to produce the endurance limit is not an option; the goal is the opposite, namely to design a device to operate at as high a stress value as will fall just short of the endurance limit.
For example, the landing gear of an aircraft is designed to operate for some predetermined period of time under preselected operating conditions. Failure of a critical strut in the landing gear under a chosen cyclical load, can be observed when the strut breaks. For the chosen strut, and every other structural element, there is a combination of peak load and number of cycles which provides a 50% failure point, that is, the point at which 50% of all the parts tested will have failed under those test conditions. In the field, an engineer does not know what peak load a particular part has endured, nor, typically, the number of cycles. Therefore the time when the part will fail during its normal operation is unpredictable.
Assuming one was to test a single strut, from a batch of many essentially identical struts which had been in similar service, until that strut failed, the test information might be used to predict the useful life of the remaining struts. Unfortunately, one cannot predict with reasonable certainty, the period after which a strut on the landing gear of an aircraft will fail after the aircraft is placed in service. Landing gear, typically of aluminum or titanium, is designed to withstand the forces generated by that aircraft not only while it is at rest, or while it is hurtling down a runway prior to take-off, but also when it lands. As is well-known, each landing is different from another, some, for example those on a pitching deck of an aircraft carrier, generating stresses an order of magnitude (ten times), or more, greater than those on a deck of the carrier on a calm sea. It therefore is imperative that the aircraft and its landing gear be removed from service well before its imminent fatigue failure. Knowing when to do so, until the discovery disclosed herein, has not been possible.
It should be recognized that, were it possible to identify precisely, the 50% failure point for a structural element which was still in service, the identification, in reality, would have been too late, because by definition, there was a 50% probability that the structural element would have already failed.
A structural element such as a strut of a ferrous metal or any other structural element of a device or machine may be checked by magnafluxing the element, which requires a large enough disturbance of the magnetic flux to allow the magnetic powder to gather in the vicinity of a non-uniformity, such as a crack. When this occurs the accumulation of residual stresses in the part has already reached or exceeded a xe2x80x9csafe-operationxe2x80x9d point where failure of the part is imminent, that is, the accumulation has progressed too far to allow the device to be operated safely. An accumulation of stresses past the xe2x80x9csafe operationxe2x80x9d point may also be observed in steel and aluminum devices with dye penetrants commercially available in xe2x80x9cspot checkxe2x80x9d kits.
Checking the structural element by X-ray provides information relating to a change in strain as evidenced by changes in a diffraction pattern from surface atoms, where there is displacement of atoms or distortion of grain structure, to a depth limited to less than 50 xcexcm (microns), typically less than 20 xcexcm, and often as little as 10 xcexcm. Seeing such variations provides no information as to how many stress cycles the structural element has endured, nor the magnitude of the strain. If, just before the X-ray measurements are made, the sample has relaxed its accumulated internal strains sufficiently so as xe2x80x9cto reportxe2x80x9d normal atomic spacing, the conclusion derived from such information, though an excellent method for determining the condition of the element at that particular time, would be misleading. Moreover, X-ray measurements are too costly and time consuming, therefore generally impractical.
The Problem: In the example of the landing gear just provided, over the course of several years, it is presently not possible to make an educated, economical appraisal of the condition of any of its structural elements at any time after it has been in service, and no method of determining how close to failure that element might be. If one could predict that a stressed component of any device would fail within a specified window of time, assuming operation of the device was continued, then, without otherwise interrupting operation of the device, that component could be taken out of service no later than, and preferably before the prediction indicated that the component had reached a xe2x80x9csafe-operationxe2x80x9d point, despite the component appearing to be in good condition. The problem is to find a method which allows one to make that prediction with reasonable accuracy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,610,515 teaches a method of measuring eddy currents modified by residual stress in non-ferromagnetic metal objects, using certain circuit elements in an alternating current circuit the values of near-surface residual stress can be inferred. Generated eddy currents measured are modified by near-surface compression or tension resulting from working the surface for example, by shot-peening it, or by rolling material from which a structural element is fabricated. The term xe2x80x9cnear-surfacexe2x80x9d refers to a superficial zone having a depth in the range from about 0.025 mm (0.001xe2x80x3) to 0.5 mm (0.020xe2x80x3) for structural elements in the range from about 3 mm to 8 mm thick; for thicker elements up to about 25.4 mm thick the depth of the near-surface extends to a depth of about 0.75 mm (0.030xe2x80x3), the depth generally increasing proportional to the thickness. The xe2x80x9cnon-destructivexe2x80x9d test method, so termed because no damage is inflicted on the specimen, provided an indication of the level of residual stress at the surface where the measurement was made. Such detection was more effective than when, in the past, the likelihood of such a macroscopic defect was tested by stressing the specimen with a large, but not excessive force, sufficient to enlarge the defect but not destroy the specimen insofar as its intended use was concerned. There is no suggestion in the ""515 reference that tracking sequential changes in conductivity or impedance might be used to predict failure of the sample under continued stress.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,954 teaches a method of measuring physical properties in ferromagnetic metals by limiting the magnetic field strength of the test coils. It was recognized that a wide variety of physical properties in a metal object will be altered with heat treatment, for example, as well as resulting from fatigue or residual stress. It was also recognized that existing eddy current measurement techniques were incapable of detecting small conductivity changes even in so-called xe2x80x9cperfectxe2x80x9d metals lacking material or structural imperfections. Moreover, the ""954 patent contemplated using its measurement procedure to measure metal fatigue as well as physical condition after heat treatment, but offered no suggestion as to how this might be done.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,302 teaches a method of measuring residual stress in both ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic metals by measuring small imbalances in a bridge having four electrically identical induction coils which form a four terminal alternating current bridge circuit. Because the position of the coils on the metal surfaces is not changed, there is no xe2x80x9clift-offxe2x80x9d, and because the conductivities being measured are nearly the same, the difference measured is readily visible. This method detects very small changes in conductivity between a treated metal object which is worked sufficiently to produce a change in its metallurgical structure, which change is sensed and measurable as resistivity differences. These resistivity differences, attributable to the displacement of atoms or grains of the metal, are converted into residual stress. Different levels of residual stress may then be compared. Prior to the ""302 patent, the eddy current measurements detected relatively macroscopic defects not easily visible, or compositional variations in non-ferromagnetic metal objects. Using appropriate induction coils in the procedure taught in the ""302 patent, one can detect a change in conductivity due to stress corresponding to a change in impedance of the coils in the range from 0.01 to 0.001 percent, typically as small as 0.006 percent.
It is well known that stressing the near-surface of a metal article, for example by shot-peening the surface, provides protection to the extent that the residual compressive stress must be overcome by deformation of the surface before additional deformations cause the article to be so fatigued as eventually to fail. Typically the near-surface of an aluminum element from 3 mm to 6 mm thick is peened, or shot-peened to a depth in the range from about 0.127 mm (0.005xe2x80x3) to 0.381 mm (0.015xe2x80x3).
At the present time, structural elements such as aircraft and truck wheels, spars in the wing of an aircraft, brackets on locomotive wheels, and numerous other elements are surface-stressed for added protection. During the operating life of the structural element, e.g. an aluminum wheel, it is periodically inspected in annular zones known from experience to have a proclivity for failure. Such zones may be different for different wheels of different vehicles but typically include a first zone around the bolt holes, a second zone around the central opening in which an axle is held, and a third zone near where a tire""s bead is secured on the rim. As of this date, when a tire is demounted from the wheel for inspection of both, one or more of the annular zones is typically treated with a dye-penetrant and visually inspected. A visible indication of an incipient fissure, or worse, a crack, is cause to remove the wheel from service. However, either the incipient fissure or the crack is each an indication that failure due to fatigue has already occurred. The critical inspection was made too late because both, the additional protection provided by the shot-peened surface as well as that of the wheel after the added protection provided by shot-peening was used up, have been negated. With luck, the wheel is inspected and removed from further service before a catastrophic accident.
Methods of using eddy currents to compare precisely the electrical conductivity in a shot-peened surface to that of a similar, unpeened surface are disclosed in xe2x80x9cNon-destructive Residual Stress Measurement Using Eddy Currentxe2x80x9d, by Hong Chang, Fred C. Schoenig, and Jack A. Soules, Sixth International Conference on Shot-Peening, San Francisco, Calif., 1996; xe2x80x9cAdvances in Eddy Current Measurement of Residual Stressxe2x80x9d, by D. Barac, W. Katcher., and J. Soules, Seventh International Conference on Shot-Peening, Warsaw, Poland, 1999; and xe2x80x9cEddy Current Offers a Powerful Tool for Investigating Residual Stress and other Metallurgical Propertiesxe2x80x9d, by Hong Chang, Frederick C. Schoenig, Jr., and Jack A. Soules, Materials Evaluation, Vol. 57, No. 12, December 1999.
The accuracy of the foregoing methods allows one to observe the effect of repeated heavy loading on the surface conductivity of a metal article and dispenses with magnafluxing or using a dye penetrant.
Repeated loading of any metal article causes fatigue which, in turn, produces displacement of atoms, distortion of grain boundaries, work hardening and other metallurgical effects which may be sensed and quantified, for example by changes in X-ray diffraction patterns, or by changes in electrical conductivity. In particular, such effects are measurable as electrical conductivity. In a bent specimen, stress is largest in the near-surface where conductivity measurements may be made with precision.
Repeated cyclical loading of a metal structural element generates irregular and unpredictable variations of conductivity. Measurements of such variations cannot be used either to evaluate fatigue of a specimen being tested, or to predict its 50% failure point. However, by superimposing a superficial compressive stress in the near-surface of a zone prone to failure, for example, by working the near-surface of the specimen until it has a chosen level of residual stress, e.g. by peening, preferably shot-peening a portion of the specimen""s surface, and monitoring the conductivity (or resistivity) in that portion over a number of cycles of externally applied stress until the difference is about 50% to 60% of the difference between the initial resistivity at the chosen level of residual stress and a reference xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d, it is unexpectedly found that this difference is correlatable to the xe2x80x9csafe-operationxe2x80x9d point beyond which loading and unloading of the specimen progressively increases the risk of actual fatigue failure.
Assuming failure due to fatigue in an aluminum wheel of an aircraft""s landing gear is known to occur first in the third annular zone (the wheel""s rim near where the bead of the mounted tire is secured), by shot-peening a portion of the zone to a chosen extent, then measuring the difference in resistivity in that portion and a xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d sample, a xe2x80x9cbasexe2x80x9d value is obtained. After the wheel has been in service for a period during which the aircraft has been in service, the same shot-peened portion is measured to obtain the difference in resistivities between that portion and the xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d sample. By monitoring this difference over a prolonged period of operation of the aircraft, the imminent failure of the wheel may be predicted and the wheel removed from service at some chosen time when the difference in resistivities has reached a predetermined value, typically in the range from 50% to 60% of the original or base value.
In an analogous manner, a spar in an airplane wing is shot-peened in a zone known to be likely to fail first when the spar has been unduly fatigued, which zone is marked for easy identification. The difference in resistivities between that shot-peened portion and a xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d sample is monitored over the life of the aircraft to ensure that the difference in resistivities has not diminished more than 50% to relative to that difference between the peened portion at the beginning and the xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d sample.

Test method for determining imminent failure in metals


In one embodiment, a distributed antenna system comprises at least one master unit; at least one remote antenna unit coupled to the master unit and comprising a power amplifier to radiate a remote downlink radio frequency signal, the remote antenna unit further configured to receive a remote uplink radio frequency signal from at least one antenna, the remote downlink radio frequency signal comprises first and second downlink frequency bands and wherein the remote uplink radio frequency signal comprises first and second uplink frequency bands; a band suppression module comprising: a controller; an uplink band suppression element configured to apply an attenuation to suppress the first uplink frequency band in response to a signal from the controller; and a downlink band suppression element configured to apply an attenuation to suppress the first downlink frequency band in response to the signal from the band suppression controller.

A Distributed Antenna System (DAS) typically includes one or more master units that are communicatively coupled with a plurality of remote antenna units, where each remote antenna unit can be coupled directly to one or more of the master units or indirectly via one or more other remote antenna units and/or via one or more intermediary or expansion units. A DAS is typically used to improve the coverage provided by one or more base stations that are coupled to the master units. These base stations can be coupled to the master units via one or more cables or via a wireless connection, for example, using one or more donor antennas. The wireless service provided by the base stations can included commercial cellular service and/or private or public safety wireless communications.
In such a safety application, the safety wireless capacity provided by the DAS and the associated base-station-related equipment during normal operations may not be sufficient in emergency situations (such as a fire or security event) due to the presence of many additional users of the safety wireless service. As a result, it is common to provision a DAS used for such safety applications with additional base-station-related and DAS equipment (base stations, repeaters, etc.) that operate in a standby mode during normal operations but can be activated in emergency situations in order to provide increased safety wireless service capacity when necessary.
When planning for coverage within public safety relevant facilities by emergency services providers, the signal distributing infrastructure of the DAS may be shared between private and public safety services, each operating on their own frequency bands. For example the assigned licensed bands for the German Public Safety Digital Radio (BDBOS) TETRA network in Germany are 380-385 MHz for uplink communications and 390-395 MHz in downlink communications. For private safety services, different bands are used. For example, 415-420 MHz may be used for uplink communications and 425-430 MHz may be used for downlink communications for private safety services. Public safety signals are usually used by government agencies, such as police or fire, and public safety coverage is available from base stations provided across large geographic regions (for example, nationwide coverage). Private safety signal coverage, in contrast, is usually found within specific facilities or other areas of private service responsibility, for example, for the use of facility operator.
Subways, and specifically subway tubes, are one example of a facility where the communication infrastructure for both public and private safety services are extended and distributed. It is understood that subway trains may operate on tracks in tunnels below ground, and also on tracks above ground. However, while coverage for private safety services may be desired throughout the subway facility, distributing public safety communications coverage to above ground segments may cause interference with public safety communications coverage provided by other base stations operating in that area. As such, it may be required by regulations that public safety communications coverage by the subway operator's DAS should extend only to the below ground segments of the subway system to avoid interference with the signals from local public safety communications base stations operating close to the above ground segments.
It is therefore highly desirable for remote antenna units operating in above ground segments to be able to switch "off" the public safety band. It is also desirable to be able to selectively switch "on" the public safety band for those same remote antenna units for some emergency cases where the local base station that normally provides coverage around an above ground segment of a subway tube fails and cannot provide public safety coverage in that area.
One standard solution to this problem is for each remote unit to have separately operated communication paths in each remote antenna unit for each band—one for public safety coverage and one for private safety coverage. Then, the power amplifier, low noise amplifier, and/or other electronics for uplink and downlink transport of the public safety communications band may be switched off for those remote units operating in above ground segments. This solution has a big disadvantage however in terms of price since two expensive power amplifier modules (in addition to other RF components) would be needed, one for each downlink safety band of the remote unit. For public safety operators, this redundant and expensive equipment remains dormant most of the time, except for when emergency situations require its operation.

Selectable band suppression for a distributed antenna system


The present invention is an apparatus for preparation of a coating hopper. A preparation pan is positioned beneath the hopper lip during hopper preparation wherein flow within the hopper is chaotic and the curtain is not stable. The preparation pan includes edge walls spaced apart from the edge guides to stabilize the unsteady curtain within the preparation pan. The invention minimizes splashing and splattering of the coating liquids thereby minimizing contamination of the coating equipment.

In curtain coating, a traveling web or object is coated by a free-falling curtain of coating liquid that is caused to impinge onto the traveling web or object to form a layer thereon. The width of the free-falling curtain is maintained by edge guides that are in wetting contact with the lateral boundaries or edges of the curtain. For example, in aqueous solution systems for photographic products it is known to use a curtain coating method which comprises the simultaneous application of silver halide emulsions containing gelatin as a binder, by using a slide hopper coating apparatus to form a multilayer photographic film or paper. A moving web is coated by a free-falling curtain of coating composition wherein the multilayer composition is formed on the slide hopper and caused to fall as a curtain and impinge the moving web to form the coated layer thereon. The formation of a composite of a plurality of distinct layers on a moving web is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,947, which relates particularly to the manufacture of multilayer photographic materials such as photographic film and paper.
In the process of curtain coating, the coating hopper is usually filled and flushed with water or cleaning solution for some time prior to being filled with coating solutions. This procedure will henceforth be referred to as hopper preparation. As the hopper is flushed with water and the water is purged from the hopper by the coating solutions, the flow through the hopper may not be steady. In other words, during hopper preparation it is con, non to encounter flow rate pulsations on the hopper slide and in the curtain. During this time it is difficult to maintain a full width curtain without breaking due to the unsteady flow and fluid inhomogenities. This generally causes the curtain to degenerate and break into an unsteady, uncontrolled flow. As these solutions leave the hopper lip they have a long distance to fall before they contact a solid surface. The solutions accelerate as they fall. The result of the impingement of the high velocity unsteady fluids on a solid surface is splashing in the coating area. This splashing or splattering can contaminate equipment with water and/or coating solutions.
Contamination of equipment such as the boundary air vacuum baffle, edge guides or high speed start/finish pan can result in unacceptable coating quality causing waste in manufacturing. During hopper preparation, the hopper is not directly over the coating roller or the coating impingement point. The hopper is translated to a position in front of the coating roller in an effort to keep the coating point free of contamination. However, even though some distance separates the curtain from the coating point, splashing may still contaminate the surfaces unless the fluids are well controlled in the hopper preparation position.
It is not practical given the economics, design optimization and space constraints to locate the hopper preparation position far enough from the coating position to prevent contamination at the coating point. For this reason, a device known as a preparation pan is inserted directly below the hopper lip during hopper preparation. The preparation pan intercepts most, but not all, of the fluids flowing off the hopper lip during hopper preparation. Since the preparation pan cannot physically interfere with the edge guide, its width is less than the curtain width and it cannot intercept the fluids that flow off the hopper lip and fall in the vicinity of the edge guides. As a result, while the preparation pan is fairly successful in preventing contamination of the equipment located near the coating point, it does not prevent contamination of the edge guides. Even if equipment in the area of the coating point is kept free from contamination, contamination of the edge guides is a significant problem. The splashing in the hopper preparation position frequently contaminates the edge guides. Any disturbance to the natural path desired by the curtain will result in a wave in the curtain. A stationary disturbance, such as contamination on the edge guides, will result in a standing wave in the curtain. A standing wave will result in a longitudinal streak being seen at the position on the support that the wave strikes which can be several centimeters in from the edge guide. In addition to causing a streak at the point at which they strike the support, waves can also redistribute fluid in the entire area underneath them, therefore compromising the uniformity of the coating from the edge to the wave.
The present invention is an apparatus which improves the preparation of a coating hopper by reducing the amount of splashed material which can cause contamination of the surrounding coating equipment.


A method and system relate to receiving first comments, associated with first digital content, that are submitted by a first user, and determining an opinion of the first user with respect to the first digital content based on the one or more first comments. Determining the opinion of the first user with respect to the first digital content includes parsing the one or more first comments to determine a term included in the one or more first comments, and determining the opinion based on the term. The first user is clustered with second users who share the first users opinion regarding the first digital content. Second digital content, liked by at least one of the second users and have accessed by the first user, are identified, and a recommendation identifying the second digital content is presented for display to the first user.

Modern communications enable a user to access a large quantity of digital content. To assist the user in selecting from the digital content, a service provider may provide a catalog identifying available digital content. The user may search the catalog by keyword(s) or browse the product list. In some instances, the catalog may also provide recommendations based on the user's profile, viewing history or purchase history.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Digital content recommendations based on user comments

Verizon and Redbox Digital Entertainment Services, LLC


A cosmetic container (X) has a cap (11) that is fit externally onto a container body (1), in which a cosmetic is stored, to fully cover a to-be-covered portion of the container body (1). First and second magnets (15 and 17) are disposed respectively in the cap (11) and the container body (1) so as to oppose each other in the completely covered condition and so that the cap (11) fully covers the container body (1) by the mutual magnetic attachment of the magnets (15, 17). Each magnet (15, 17) is formed into a ring in a circumferential direction and having a plurality of magnetic poles disposed alternately in the circumferential direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to cosmetic containers for storing cosmetics, such as lipstick, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known cosmetic container includes a cap that is fit externally to cover an upper end of a container body in which a cosmetic is stored. The container may be stowed in a case, such as a cosmetic bag, etc., with the cap in a fully covering posture. However, a load may act on the case and may cause the case to bend. Thus, the full covering by the cap is undone, and in a worst case, the cap becomes detached inadvertently from the container body.
Japanese Patent No. 3153992 discloses an arrangement to avoid the above-described problem. More particularly, Japanese Patent No. 3153992 shows a thick-walled portion formed on an inner cap and a rib formed on an outer circumferential surface of an upper end of a container body. The thick-walled portion passes over the rib when the cap fully covers the upper portion of the container body. Motion resistance is provided to prevent detachment, provide stability in the covered state, and enable recognition of the cap being in the completely covered condition.
With the above arrangement of Japanese Patent No. 3153992, the upper end of the container body becomes exposed when the cap is removed, and the rib on the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the container body is made visibly recognizable by the exposure. This is unfavorable in terms of appearance and lacking in high-class touch because grime, etc., is readily retained at the vicinity of the rib.
The cap of Japanese Patent No. 3153992 must be pressed toward the container body until the thick-walled portion of the inner cap passes over the rib formed on the upper portion of the container body to put the cap in the completely covered condition. However, the passing over of the rib is not achieved if the pressing force is weakened in the middle. The storage state of the cosmetic degrades if the container is left in such a halfway covering posture. Additionally, the cap may be removed inadvertently thereby causing dirt to be attached to the cosmetic and causing the cosmetic to be attached on other contents of the case if the container is put in a case such as a makeup bag in this state.
To resolve the above-described problem, an arrangement may be considered where magnets are disposed respectively along entire circumferences of portions of a cap and a container body that are put in contact in a completely covered condition in such a manner that mutually different magnetic poles oppose each other. Thus, the magnets will be attached magnetically to each other and will maintain the cap in a covering posture with respect to the container body. However in this case, an entire circumference is of the same magnetic pole. Hence, position setting of the cap in a circumferential direction with respect to the container body cannot be performed in the covering posture. This arrangement cannot be employed in a container that requires such position setting (for example, in a container with which trademarks drawn respectively on the cap and the container body are to be matched with each other). A process of removing such a cap that is in the covering posture requires a strong pulling operation in a direction that opposes a direction in which magnetic lines act most strongly to sever the magnetic attractive force. Such a container generally is used by women who may have difficulty exerting the force for removal of the cap.
FIG. 15 proposes that magnets 20 and 21, with contacting portions being N and S poles, respectively, be disposed opposite each other in a mutually-spaced, dotted manner in a cap 11 and magnets 22 and 23, with contacting portions being S and N poles, respectively, be disposed in likewise manner in a container body 1. In covering with the cap 11, the N and S magnets 20 and 21 of the cap 11 and the S and N magnets 22 and 23 of the container body 1 are made to be magnetically attached to each other.
The magnets will attract each other and will enable correct covering to be achieved even if the magnets 20 and 22 and magnets 21 and 23 of mutually different poles are shifted slightly in the circumferential direction. However, the magnets of different poles may not attract each other if covering is performed with the magnets shifted a large amount in the circumferential direction. In this case, covering by magnetic attachment cannot be performed and the cap 11 is detached easily. The number of magnets may be increased to resolve this problem, but this leads to an increased number of parts and causes assembly to be troublesome and complicated.
In a case where magnets of different poles are disposed in a dotted manner, the cap is removed by turning the cap in the circumferential direction with respect to the container body to turningly sever magnetic lines in the most strongly acting directions. This enables a removal operation that is easy in comparison to the removal operation of the above-described arrangement in which a magnet of the same pole is disposed along an entire circumference. The cap cannot be removed smoothly with the arrangement where a magnet of the same pole is disposed along an entire circumference because a jolt-like response that causes an odd sensation occurs due to the magnetic lines in the most strongly acting directions being turningly severed, and herein lies the problem to be solved by the present invention.


A spring coil assembly having a first row of coils arranged in a first spacing pattern and a second row of coils adjacent the first row and arranged in a second spacing pattern that is different from the first spacing pattern. The spring coil assembly can be assembled using an apparatus comprising a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of coils along an axis, an assembler which is operable to intertwine a plurality of coils into a spring coil assembly, and a transfer station operable to move a plurality of coils from the main conveyor into the assembler. The transfer station includes a plurality of pusher arms each of which include a gripper which is operable to grasp an individual coil, a carriage supporting the gripper arms and means for shifting the carriage axially relative to the axis so that a plurality of coils carried by the gripper arms are displaced in the direction of travel of the conveyor.

The invention relates to spring coil assemblies, and more particularly to systems for making spring coil assemblies.
Spring coil assemblies are well known for use in mattresses, furniture, cushions and the like. In the case of mattresses, it is known to use two types of coils in constructing the spring coil assembly. The industry commonly designates these two types of coils as right-hand coils and left-hand coils based on the location and orientation of the end wind of the coil. As used herein and in the appended claims, the terms xe2x80x9cright-hand coilsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cleft-hand coilsxe2x80x9d are used only by way of example, and different terminology could be substituted.
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior art coil assembly 10. The prior art coil assembly includes a plurality of substantially identical adjacent rows R1, R2, R3 . . . Each row R consists of alternating right-hand (designated both in FIG. 1 and in the other drawings as RH) and left-hand (designated as LH) coils. The plurality of adjacent rows forms a plurality of adjacent columns C1, C2, C3 . . . . Each column C consists entirely of all right-hand coils or all left-hand coils. To remain competitive, manufacturers mass produce the spring coil assemblies, and are therefore limited to coil configurations obtainable with automated assembly machines. Consequently, known spring coil assemblies comprised of left-hand and right-hand coils have been configured substantially as shown in FIG. 1.
To vary the overall firmness of the assembly, it is known to utilize coils made from different gauges of wire, thereby varying the spring characteristics and making the coil assembly softer or firmer. Again, due to the limitations of mass production, all of the right-hand coils are made from the same gauge of wire and all of the left-hand coils are made from the same gauge of wire. While the gauge of wire used for the left-hand coils may be different from the gauge of wire used for the right-hand coils, there are at most only two gauges of wire used in any one spring coil assembly. Since the configuration of coils maintains substantially the same pattern seen in FIG. 1, varying the wire gauge only allows for substantially homogenous variation of the firmness over the entire assembly.
In order to vary the firmness in different areas of the assembly, it is necessary to vary the spacing between the coils in each row. Due to the automated equipment used for mass production, this varied spacing is consistent throughout the rows of the spring coil assembly. This means that softer areas and firmer areas will run across the entire spring assembly in bands, i.e., along columns of coils.
The present invention provides a mattress or spring coil assembly construction having variation along the rows of the spring assembly to suit the needs of the consumer. The arrangement of coils is flexible, however, in that variations or permutations of the coil arrangement can be achieved within the scope of the present invention to provide multiple embodiments of the spring coil assembly. The multiple embodiments provide various characteristics and can be used to change the firmness of mass-produced coil assemblies in predetermined locations or zones as well as over the entire assembly. Advantageously, this coil assembly customization moves beyond simple selection of the firmness of the entire spring coil assembly or selected bands, and now allows the consumer to specify zones of the assembly where softer or firmer support is desired. The zones need not run across the entire assembly and therefore allow softer areas to be completely surrounded by firmer areas or vice-versa.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for making and assembling the multiple spring coil assembly embodiments. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of coils along an axis, an assembler which is operable to intertwine a plurality of coils into a spring coil assembly, and a transfer station operable to move a plurality of coils from the main conveyor into the assembler. The transfer station includes a plurality of pusher arms, each of which have a gripper that is operable to grasp an individual coil. The transfer station also includes a carriage supporting the gripper arms and a device for shifting the carriage in a direction substantially parallel to the axis so that the plurality of coils carried by the gripper arms are displaced in the direction of travel of the conveyor.
In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a coil forming machine having a wire feed advancing mechanism and being capable of forming coils in response to the advancement of wire by the wire feed advancing mechanism. The apparatus also includes a programmable control system capable of selectively varying the advancement of wire by the wire feed advancing mechanism between a consistent advancement, wherein coils are formed and placed on a main conveyor in predetermined consistent intervals, and an inconsistent advancement, wherein coils are formed and placed on the main conveyor in predetermined inconsistent intervals. In one aspect of the invention, the apparatus also includes a sensor element capable of producing a signal that can be selectively interpreted by the control system to stop the manufacturing of the spring coil assembly when the spacing of the coils on the main conveyor is inconsistent, or to permit the manufacturing of the spring coil assembly when the spacing of the coils on the main conveyor is inconsistent.
The present invention further provides a method of arranging coils in a spring coil assembly. The method includes arranging a first plurality of right-hand coils in spaced apart relation in a first row, arranging a first plurality of left-hand coils in spaced apart relation in the first row such that each of the first plurality of left-hand coils in the first row is located between a respective pair of right-hand coils in the first row, arranging a second plurality of right-hand coils in spaced apart relation in a second row, arranging a second plurality of left-hand coils in spaced apart relation in the second row such that each of the second plurality of left-hand coils in the second row is located between a respective pair of right-hand coils in the second row, and arranging the first and second rows such that the first plurality of right-hand coils in the first row is out of phase with the second plurality of right-hand coils in the second row.
In another embodiment, the method includes providing a coil forming machine having a wire feed advancing mechanism and that is capable of forming coils in response to the advancement of wire by the wire feed advancing mechanism. The method further includes selectively varying the advancement of wire by the wire feed advancing mechanism between a consistent advancement, wherein coils are formed and placed on a main conveyor in predetermined consistent intervals, and an inconsistent advancement, wherein coils are formed and placed on the main conveyor in predetermined inconsistent intervals. In one aspect of the invention, the method also includes selectively disregarding or disabling a sensor element that produces a signal intended to stop the manufacturing of the spring coil assembly when the coils on the main conveyor are spaced at inconsistent intervals.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.

Spring coil assembly and system for making the same


This invention presents a low noise amplifier with switching gain control, comprising an amplifier having an impedance matching circuit a switch circuit, a signal amplifying branch circuit, a switch control circuit, a signal attenuating circuit and a current bias circuit, wherein the switch circuit controls signal amplifying or attenuating based on the high or low of an input signal level. This invention provides low noise, great dynamic range, increased system integration, and low power consumption. This invention is used for integrated circuit wireless communication system and RF preamplifiers for receiver.

It is well known that the low noise amplifier is one of the essential components among wireless RF system devices. Commonly a low noise amplifier is used at the rear end of a wireless receiving device (e.g. antenna), to amplify very weak signal(s) received by the receiving device. The low noise amplifier requires a circuitry with low noise and high amplified ratio. Also when the input signal is strong it requires a more precise linearity and low gain.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a prior art low noise amplifier having a switch parallel connected to the amplifier. The switch forms a bias circuit. The switch turns on when the input signal is low, forming an amplified gain. The switch turns off when the input signal is high, ensuring system linearity. However since a 50 Ω impedance is required in the system, energy consumption is high, and moreover the whole system cannot be integrated. Even when CMOS technique is used, a larger potential capacitor will be required, but with low isolation, which will induce a mismatched input signal when the switch turns off.

Low noise amplifier with switch gain control


The present invention relates, in general, to micro RN As and, in particular, to viral microRNAs expressed by Herpes Simplex Vims 1 (HSV-1) or Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2), to agents that inhibit such microRNAs and to methods of treatment based on the use of such agents.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short regulatory RNAs of ˜22 nucleotide (nt) that are expressed by all metazoan eukaryotes. For example, humans encode 420 or more distinct miRNAs. miRNAs are ordinarily first transcribed by RNA polymerase II in the form of a long, capped, polyadenylated transcript called a primary miRNA (pri-miRNA). The miRNA forms part of one arm of an ˜80 nt imperfect stem-loop within the pri-miRNA. One pri-miRNA may contain a cluster of several miRNA stem-loops.
The first step in miRNA biogenesis is the recognition of the pri-miRNA hairpin by the nuclear RNase III enzyme Drosha. Drosha cleaves the RNA hairpin approximately two-thirds of the way down the stem, leaving a 2 nt 3′ overhang, to liberate an ˜60 nt RNA hairpin called a pre-miRNA. This pre-miRNA is exported to the cytoplasm where a second RNase III enzyme, Dicer, binds the base of the pre-miRNA and cleaves ˜22 nt away, generating a second 2-nt 3′ overhang. The mature miRNA, which forms one strand of the resulting miRNA duplex intermediate, is then incorporated into the RNA induced silencing complex (RISC) where it acts as a guide RNA to target RISC to complementary mRNAs. Once bound to an mRNA, RISC ordinarily can induce mRNA cleavage and degradation, if the complementarity is extensive, or translation arrest, if the complementarity is partial. Post-transcriptional regulation by miRNAs is now known to represent a major level of gene regulation in eukaryotes and miRNAs have been shown to regulate many aspects of cell differentiation and development.
In addition to cells, it is now known that several viruses, including, herpesviruses, encode and express miRNAs in infected cells. Specifically, the human γ-herpesviruses EBV and KSHV have been shown to express 23 and 12 miRNAs, respectively, while the human β-herpesvirus hCMV expresses 11 miRNAs. Less is known about the human α-herpesviruses herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2.
Initial infection by HSV-1 generally occurs at mucous membranes, frequently around the mouth and lips, and subsequently in trigeminal ganglion neurons that innervate these tissues, and results in a localized infection that resolves, leaving behind trigeminal ganglia that maintain a latent infection with HSV-1. The virus occasionally spontaneously reactivates, often in response to some form of stress, leading to localized painful "cold sores". Once established, latent HSV-1 infection is life-long and, currently, cannot be cured, although the severity of outbreaks can be ameliorated with antiviral drugs. In immunocompromised patients, HSV-1 can become a serious infection, leading to neuronal damage or even death.
In the latently infected trigeminal ganglion, the HSV-1 genome is found exclusively in infected neurons. Within these neurons, HSV-1 is thought to express a ˜8.3 kb viral transcript, the so-called minor latency associated (LAT) RNA (Bloom, int. Rev. Immunol. 23:187-198 (2004); Stevens et al, Science 235:1056-1059 (1987)) (FIG. 1). LAT is spliced, to give rise to the abundantly expressed ˜2 kb LAT intron, but the remaining exonic—6.3 kb RNA is highly unstable (FIG. 1).
HSV-2 is a close relative of HSV-1, with ˜80% sequence identity at the genome level, but generally infects via genital mucous membranes to establish latent infections in the sacral ganglia that innervate the genitals. Like HSV-1, HSV-2 establishes latent infections in neurons and expresses a LAT in those cells.
The present invention results, at least in part, from studies designed to test the hypothesis that HSV-1 and/or HSV-2 LAT might be a pri-miRNA, that is, that one function of LAT may be to generate miRNAs that play a key role in viral latency.

President and Fellows of Harvard College


A liquid decontamination system has a liquid treatment chamber having a liquid input and output and a gas input and output. A plurality of electrodes are positioned to place a voltage across the liquid treatment chamber and the liquid therein. A plurality of magnets are also positioned adjacent the electrodes for placing a magnetic field across the chamber and liquid therein. As the contaminated liquid is fed through the liquid treatment chamber, a predetermined gas, such as nitrogen, ozone, oxygen, or hydrogen peroxide, are fed into the contaminated liquid while simultaneously having the electric and magnetic fields applied to the liquid. The liquid leaving the treatment chamber is fed to a flush tank which removes contaminates and agglomerated solids therefrom.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the decontamination of liquids and especially to a method and apparatus of decontaminating liquids using separate and combined electric and magnetic fields in combination with a selected gas injected into the liquid as it passes through the electric and magnetic fields.
Clean water and other types of fluids are essential to human life and industrial operations. One area of particular concern is the prevention of both microbial and chemical contamination of dental and medical waters. Clean water for household use is also a vital necessity. Many industries require ultra clean water and other fluids for their operations. Zoos, and animal hospitals, doctors and caretakers need clean water to assure the health of their wards.
A severe problem exits due to both microbial and chemical adherence to the interior surfaces of water feed lines and tubing. The formation of a highly protective biofilm layer provides ideal growth conditions for microbiological organisms and the accumulation of chemical contamination. Slime accumulation within fluid feed lines and tubing provides an ideal environment for water contamination. Exposure to Pseudomonas, Moraxella, Staphylococcus, and Legionella has been linked to medical and dental water. Potential exposures of people to these same micro-organisms exists in household water systems.
Present methods of chlorination of water at large water treatment facilities kills chloroform bacteria within the treatment plant. However, many bacteria are not affected by the chlorination and the method does nothing to decrease chemical contaminants. In fact, chlorination increases chemical contamination of water by creating chlorinated organics, such as the trihalomethanes. Even the effectiveness of chlorine to kill bacteria decreases with time after it is placed in the water. Thus, locations close to a water treatment facility have over chlorinated water and locations miles from the facility have little or no effective bactericide in their water.
A methodology has been developed and tested that will both kill micro-organisms and reduce many chemical contaminants in both water and other fluids. The present invention deals with a system of independent electric and magnetic fields in the presence of certain gases or agents and has been shown to notably reduce bacteria and other micro-organisms and simultaneously remove many chemicals from liquids. The method has been tested and shown to eliminate bacteria as well as chemicals from water flowing through a combination of electric and magnetic fields.
The present system combines the effects of electric and magnetic fields being placed across polluted water which has had predetermined gases fed therein. The electric field polarizes the molecules upon which its acts. This polarization disrupts the organic molecular action. Motion of these polarized molecules, both organic and inorganic, through a magnetic field produces a circular or turbulent motion that causes agglomeration into heavier particles. These particles are separated by gravity such that the cleaner fluid is above the fluid concentrated by the contaminated particles. Removing the lower contaminated fluid leaves a cleaner liquid.
Another important affect of the electric field is the creation of hydroxyl ions within the fluid. Recent attention has been given to the action of the hydroxyl radical and its role in the purification of water. Phenols and creosols react rapidly with the hydroxyl radical. A stoichiometric model for an Advanced Oxidation Process has been developed that is based on the fact that organic radicals, created by hydroxyl radicals, attack organic contaminants and react quickly with oxygen to form peroxy radicals. Then, these peroxy radicals can either eliminate super oxides to become stable by-products or undergo more complicated bio-molecular decay to yield hydrogen peroxide and other by-products.
Generated hydroxyl radicals have been found to produce rapid cell death of Escherichia coli in natural waters. In addition, the hydroxyl radical has been found to break the carbon-hydrogen bonds. Some twenty five contaminates have been studied, including solvents, aromatics, and pesticides containing nineteen additional compounds. All molecular structures were degraded by the hydroxyl radical. It has also been shown that the hydroxyl radical reacts rapidly with many organic substances in water and is a potential oxidant of refractory synthetic and natural organic compounds that are resistant to degradation by other processes.
The present system uses a combination of electric and magnetic fields to kill bacteria and remove certain chemical contaminants from various fluids. Synergistic effects are obtained by adding air, oxygen, ozone, and/or hydrogen peroxide to the fluid prior to or during its flow through the electric and magnetic fields. The electric and magnetic fields can be applied to the fluid either in sequence or simultaneously. Actual arrangement of the sequences of the application of the electric and magnetic fields and the use and injection locations of synergistic substances will be different depending upon the fluid being treated, the contaminants, and the particular system in which or to which the purification method is applied.
One prior art patent to Bossert, U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,302, is for an apparatus for treating a liquid with alternating magnetic and electric fields. The liquids are treated by passing the liquid through a flow path through a sequence of magnetic fields and a pulsed alternating electrical field. There are also a number of prior patents which utilize either an electric or a magnetic field including the Nathan patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,766, for a device for neutralizing and preventing formation of scale. The descaling device is used to prevent the formation of calcium carbonate in a water conduit by utilizing a electromagnetic coil adjacent the conduit. Similarly, the Larson patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,747, is an electromagnetic fluid treating device which passes a fluid through a non-magnetic conduit having a ferromagnetic core positioned within the conduit for treating the fluid with an electromagnetic field. The Yoshihisa patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,766, is for an electrolytic treatment of waste water. Waste water is subjected to electrolysis in an electrolytic cell so that impurities in the waste water become occluded within a floc of iron hydroxide formed by electrolytic dissolution of iron pieces. A magnetic field can also be applied to the waste water treated electrolytically to promote sedimentation of the floc.

Liquid decontamination method and apparatus


A method of forming microneedles where through a series of coating and etching processes microneedles are formed from a surface as an array. The microneedles have a bevelled end and bore which are formed as part of the process with no need to use a post manufacturing process to finish the microneedle.

It is well known that the delivery of materials to the body can be via syringes and hypodermic needles but such devices are generally used to deliver a relatively large amount of material at a defined point in time as a single dose. More recently the medical profession has seen the advantage of delivering a smaller amount of material over a time period and to do this transdermal delivery devices have been developed which have an array of microneedles that are in contact with the skin. The microneedles deliver a small amount of material over a period of time and to do this the microneedles have smaller diameters and sharper tips than conventional needles in order to minimize pain and damage to the skin. The microneedles could also be used for blood and cell sampling.
Microneedles have been fabricated from a range of materials including metals, silicon, silicon dioxide, polymers and glass. The mechanism for drug delivery using microneedles is not based on diffusion as is the case in traditional hypodermic delivery but on the mechanical disruption of the skin and the placement of the drug within the epidermis which has capillaries that can then take up the drug and deliver it to the site of action in the body. The microneedles have a length of from a few hundred micrometers to a few millimeters so that they only penetrate the superficial layers of the skin where the density of nerve receptors is low and consequently the use of microneedles is perceived as a being a painless way of delivering drugs, vaccines, and/or cells.
Microneedles are generally produced from a substrate and in the case of silicon needles the needles are produced from wafer of silicon. Thousands of needles can be fabricated on a single wafer and this leads to the production of needles with a high degree of reliability and accuracy.
It is known to fabricate silicon microneedles with flat tips by dry etching technologies using various gas compositions and processes. However, dry etching processes are expensive, and the process does suffer from some drawbacks including for example the requirement for specialised equipment operated by highly trained personnel. Also, batch processing is generally not possible as usually only one wafer can be treated at a time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,801 describes a wet etch process using hydrofluoric acid for fabricating microneedles by providing a substrate, depositing an un-etchable membrane over the substrate, and opening etching holes in the membrane layer to allow flow of etchant underneath to form a cavity and provide a desired needle shape.
However both processes have the disadvantage that if a dry etch method if used then a high level of control is needed to obtain consistency and uniformity in the shape of the needles that are produced, which make the process expensive. In the case of wet etch processes again because the etching process cuts across several crystal planes of the material that is being etched then precise control of the process is needed which may not be compatible with the dry etch processes.
The invention seeks to overcome the prior art by providing an improved process for fabricating microstructures in a consistent and cost effective way.


“Multiple approaches are presented herein to perform CFO correction within CDMA systems having multiple users. Any communication receiver may be adapted to perform the CFO correction in this manner CDM. One approach assumes a diagonal CFO matrix to decouple the different codes' soft symbol decisions, and each soft symbol decision is independently corrected to obtain hard decisions. Another approach employs direct CFO matrix inversion and multiplies it by a despread soft symbol decision vector to obtain corrected soft symbol decisions. Another approach first performs a single-user correction on the despread soft symbol decisions so, which are then sliced to obtain initial hard decisions. In the next step of this particular approach the initial hard decisions are multiplied by the CFO coefficients to obtain an estimate for the undesired ICI, which is then subtracted from the despread soft symbol decisions to obtain cleaner soft symbol decisions, which then can undergo slicing.”

Data communication systems have been under continual development for many years. There is oftentimes difficulty in accommodating the offset, or differences, of the operational frequencies between the various devices within a communication system. Carrier frequency offsets (CFOs) are very common in data communications systems, in that, two or more devices operate at frequencies that are slightly different. When there is a CFO between a transmitter and a receiver within a communication system, there may be significant degradation in performance. The undesirable degradation in performance may result in an inability to demodulate and decode received data. In extreme situations, the existence of CFO may result in a complete inoperability of the communication system.
In order to correct for CFOs, an accurate estimate of the CFO is needed. In packet based communication systems, a known preamble sequence is transmitted with each data packet. The received sequence and the known preamble are typically used at the receiver to estimate the CFO. The prior art includes various methods and approaches that may be used to achieve an estimate of the CFO; however, these prior art methods and approaches typically involve a high degree of computational complexity. This high degree of computational complexity oftentimes prohibits their implementation. In addition, these prior art methods and approaches often fail to provide for a sufficiently high degree of accuracy. The combination of a high degree of computational complexity and relatively low accuracy provides even further motivation for not implementing these prior art approaches. As such, accurate estimates of CFOs may typically not be achieved in most prior art communication systems. This results in a failure to achieve optimal performance and accurate system operation.
When an accurate estimate of the CFO may in fact be achieved, the CFO estimate may then be used at the receiver to correct for the CFO. Prior art approaches to compensate for this CFO, in a receiver, are typically inadequate to provide for sufficient system performance. As with the estimation of the CFO, the prior art CFO correction techniques are also typically extremely computationally intensive and costly. As such, CFO correction if oftentimes not performed at all within a communication system, and a significant degradation of performance is often the result.
One particular type of communication system, a cable modem (CM) communication system, has been under continual development for the last several years. There has been development to try to provide for improvements in the manner in which communications between the CM users and a cable modem termination system (CMTS) is performed. Many of these prior art approaches seek to perform and provide broadband network access to a number of CM users.
CM communication systems are realized when a cable company offers network access, typically Internet, access over the cable. This way, the Internet information can use the same cables because the CM communication system puts downstream data, sent from the Internet to an individual computer having CM functionality, into a communication channel having a 6 MHz bandwidth capacity. The reverse transmission is typically referred to as upstream data, information sent from an individual back to the Internet, and this typically requires even less of the cable's bandwidth. Some estimates say only 2 MHz of bandwidth is required for the upstream data transmission, since the assumption is that most people download far more information than they upload.
Putting both upstream and downstream data on the cable television system requires two types of equipment: a cable modem on the customer end and the CMTS at the cable provider's end. Between these two types of equipment, all the computer networking, security and management of Internet access over cable television is put into place. This intervening region may be referred to as a CM network segment, and a variety of problems can occur to signals sent across this CM network segment. This represents just one of the many situations where a CFO may exist between two different devices, specifically, between the cable modem on the customer end and the CMTS at the cable provider's end.
One particular deficiency that may arise within the CM network segment is the undesirable introduction of a CFO in the expected clock frequency sent from the CMs within the CM communication system to the CMTS. Again, although there do exist some approaches in the prior art to try to estimate this CFO, but these prior art approaches typically fail to provide an efficient solution. As in the general prior art application of trying to perform CFO estimation, these prior art methods and approaches typically involve a high degree of computational complexity. In addition, these prior art methods and approaches often fail to provide for a high degree of accuracy. In order to correct for CFOs, an accurate estimate of the CFO is needed. In packet based communication systems, a known preamble sequence is transmitted with each data packet. The received sequence and the known preamble are usually used at the receiver side to estimate the CFO. However, in many cases, the preamble might not be long enough to obtain the needed accuracy for the CFO estimate. In all of these deficient prior art approaches that seek to perform CFO estimation, any subsequently performed CFO correction is likewise deficient, in that, the prior art CFO correction approach uses a relatively inaccurate CFO estimate.
These CFOs can lead to significant performance degradation in CDMA systems. These offsets can result in loss of orthogonality in the CDMA codes, especially for synchronized CDMA (S-CDMA) systems, which can cause significant inter-code-interference (ICI) that can become a limiting performance factor. The CFO between each two devices is usually estimated using preamble and/or data symbols contained within the transmitted data.
It is noted here that within Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communication systems, this problem of correcting for CFO does not exist in the same context of CDMA, as different users' codes are orthogonal even in the presence of CFOs. Thus, any single-user carrier frequency offset correction technique would be adequate within TDMA communication systems.
As such, there exists in need in the art to provide for a more efficient way to perform estimation and correction of CFOs existent within the signals communicated between devices.

Multi-user carrier frequency offset correction for CDMA systems


A method and apparatus for detecting the presence and concentration of organic and inorganic acids by their infrared absorption characteristics in a refrigeration unit while running. Acids of interest, such of those formed upon decomposition of refrigerant or refrigerant oil, are volatilized and subjected to infrared radiation. Optical filtering is used to limit the infrared radiation to relevant wavelengths. Organic acids are detected by the absorbance of energy between 4-6 microns while inorganic acids are detected by the absorbance of energy between 2-4 microns.

The present invention is in the technical field of acid detection. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of acid detection in vapor compression heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems, and is an electronic acid detector and method that uses infrared absorbance to determine the type and concentration of acid in a system as well as to detect moisture.
Vapor compression refrigerators, heat pumps, and air conditioners must always be concerned with the presence of acids in the refrigerant which can severely shorten the life of both the compressor and refrigerant. These acids can be formed by chemical reactions of the refrigerant or refrigeration oil with moisture, components and/or materials of construction, and/or impurities. The instabilities of the refrigerants and refrigeration oils are accelerated by elevated temperatures which result from improper operation, such as a failed condenser fan, or clogged air flow path.
Checking the refrigerant and/or oil acid is a common maintenance procedure because acidic compounds can be cleaned up before permanent damage to the hardware and refrigerant occur. Acids in a refrigeration system can potentially result in hermetic compressor motor burn-out because the acid will degrade the motor winding's electrical insulation, causing an electrical short. Acids in a refrigeration system can also form high-viscosity sludge which does not provide adequate lubrication and can also clog the expansion device. The presence of acid indicates the existence of other decomposition products, such as non-condensable gases, which result in elevated pressures leading to reduced efficiency and overloaded compressor operation.
To avoid the above-mentioned problems, refrigeration systems are tested for acid content. Typically, the oil would be tested for acid, because the highest concentration of acid is found in the oil of a non-operating system (shut down). It is, however, much easier to test the system for acid while operational. Several indicator systems are known for testing the presence and concentration of contaminants in a refrigerant. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,923,806 and 5,071,768 show apparatuses for testing liquid or vapor contaminants in a closed system whether the apparatus is operating or not. A disposable testing tube made of transparent material is used at the end of a compressor discharge line or elsewhere in the system. One section of the tube is provided with water removal and moisture indicating chemicals, such as cobaltus chloride and another section is provided with acid indicating chemicals such as a solution of bromophenol blue, ethanol, and glycerol. This construction is relatively complicated and requires a separate, specially configured flow restrictor in addition to a tube holder, and an expensive testing tube in which the multiple contaminant testing chemicals and filter screens are located.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,496 shows an acid contamination indicator for closed loop vapor compression systems in which the indicator is permanently or removably installed in the bypass line around the system compressor where the refrigerant is always in the gaseous phase. A casing has a visual indicator bed of bromophenol blue as the acid indicating medium which is contacted by the refrigerant after flowing through a filter and a flow restrictor orifice. Porous retainer discs are held against the bed by springs. The solid indicator must be mixed with an inert substance to provide some porosity, contact surface area, and increased volume and then packaged in a clear tube. Again, we have recognized that this is an unduly complicated construction which requires a substantial outlay for installation.
Another type of contaminant detector is marketed by Refrigeration Technologies of Fullerton, Calif. under the trademark "CHECKMATE". A specific volume of gas passes through a detection tube at a predetermined termination pressure. However, an expensive sealed Pyrex detection tube containing a color-changing chemical and whose ends are pierced when fully assembled can only be used once even when the test is negative, and thus this approach entails considerable expense regardless of its technical merits. These systems were also developed to detect inorganic mineral acids, which are highly corrosive and therefore easier to detect. With the new refrigerants and oils, mild organic acids are typically formed. These acids which can lead to slug formation, are more difficult to detect.
Electronic refrigerant leak detectors operate on a variety of principles including heated diodes as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,260, negative corona discharge as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,118, and infrared (IR) absorbance as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,791,088. The method disclosed in the latter patent can be summarized thusly: After the IR signal is detected electrically, it is filtered through a band pass filter and then amplified. The signal is then sent through an accumulator/peak detector with a large capacitor to store small signals for a longer period of time; it then is passed into a subtracting op-amp to remove any zero offset set by the potentiometer. The signal is then further processed and delivered to the user as feedback via a lighted display indicating leak intensity. However, no prior art instrument has recognized or addressed the detection of acids as well as moisture in an HVAC/R system using IR detection methods.
Infrared absorbance has been used to monitor the presence of a large variety of gases, including acids. This technology is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,253,413 and has been commercialized by Smiths Detection Inc. as the "GasID" portable gas and vapor chemical identifier. This device is used for the identification of flammables, corrosives, toxic industrial chemicals, and weapons of mass destruction. The system uses a pump to deliver the gaseous sample to an adsorbent bed where the sample can be concentrated for full-spectrum IR analysis. An attached computer then processes the spectral data and a graphical user interface conveys information such as chemical identification to the operator. The gas is sampled for approximately 10 minutes before matches are communicated to the operator. This apparatus is too complicated, expensive, and slow to be used as a portable hand-held device for the portable detection of acids in an HVAC/R system located in the field.


The present invention is based on the finding that the combination of a specific 5′UTR polynucleotide sequence (see SEQ ID NO 1) and the hCD33 secretory leader sequence in an expression cassette for expressing a polypeptide of interest results in a surprisingly better expression level of the polypeptide of interest compared to prior art expression cassettes. Based on this finding, the present invention inter alia provides novel expression cassettes, expression vectors and methods for producing a polypeptide of interest with high yield.

The ability to clone and express a polypeptide of interest in large amounts has become increasingly important. The ability to produce and purify high levels of proteins is in particular important in the human pharmaceutical and biotechnological field, for example for producing protein pharmaceuticals as well as in the basic research setting, for example for crystallizing proteins to allow the determination of their three dimensional structure. Proteins that are otherwise difficult to obtain in quantity can be over-expressed in a host cell and subsequently isolated and purified.
The choice of an expression system for the production of recombinant proteins depends on many factors, including cell growth characteristics, expression levels, intracellular and extracellular expression, post-translational modifications and biological activity of the protein of interest, as well as regulatory issues and economic considerations in the production of therapeutic proteins. Key advantages of mammalian cells over other expression systems such as bacteria or yeast are the ability to carry out proper protein folding, complex N-linked glycosylation and authentic O-linked glycosylation, as well as a broad spectrum of other post-translational modifications. Due to the described advantages, eukaryotic and in particular mammalian cells are currently the expression system of choice for producing complex therapeutic proteins such as monoclonal antibodies.
The most common approach to obtain high expressing host cells (also called high producers) is to generate an appropriate expression vector for expressing the product of interest as a first step. The expression vector drives the expression of the polynucleotide encoding the product of interest in the host cell and usually comprises at least one selectable marker for generating the recombinant cell line. Expression vectors used for expressing a polypeptide in a host cell usually comprise besides the polynucleotide encoding the protein of interest transcriptional control elements suitable to drive transcription such as e.g. promoters, enhancers, polyadenylation signals, transcription pausing or termination signals as element of an expression cassette. Furthermore, suitable translational control elements are usually included and operably linked to the polynucleotides to be expressed, such as e.g. appropriate 5′UTRs and 3′ UTRs.
To increase the efficiency of such an expression system, different elements are optimized, especially the DNA sequences which contribute to the efficiency of transcription and translation, protein synthesis, correct folding in ER and protein secretion. High yielding expression systems without optimized translation and secretion components could potentially lead to mRNA instability, insufficient protein secretion, and miss-folded (inactive) protein accumulation in the cell cytosol or membrane. Therefore, expression systems enabling stable and consistent translation and secretion of correctly folded proteins into the cell culture medium are of particular interest. Such secretory systems offer the advantages of a stable and efficient mRNA translation; correct protein folding and efficient secretion, simple and fast product purification procedures, as well as an increased yield compared to cytosolic systems. However, the product yields of the majority of the available secretory systems are not yet fully optimized. To improve the productivity and secretion efficiency, one aim is to optimize the secretion signals (also referred to herein as signal peptide or secretory leader sequence), as well as their combination with different 5′UTR sequences in order to obtain a combination of genetic elements that results in the desired high level expression.
The majority of secreted and membrane-bound proteins from either prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms possess an amino-terminal leader peptide (also referred to as secretory leader sequence or signal peptide) that is cleaved from the nascent precursor polypeptide during biosynthesis. Secretory leader peptides are usually 5 to 60 amino acids long. This sequence is necessary and sufficient for secretion. Analysis of a large number of these secretory leader peptides has revealed a common structural motif that occurs in the absence of significant amino acid sequence homology [Von Heijne, 1981; Perlman et al, 1983]. In general, a secretory leader sequence consists of a positively charged amino terminus (n), a hydrophobic core (h) and a more polar carboxy terminus (c) that defines the signal peptidase cleavage site. The "n" region of the secretory leader peptide is about 5 to 8 amino acids long and is characterized by the presence of basic residues. The "h" region contains 8 to 12 non-polar amino acids that are composed in average of 37% leucine, 15% alanine, 10% valine, 10% phenylalanine, 7% isoleucine and 21% hydrophobic amino acids such as glycine, methionine, proline or trytophane. This region has a high propensity for alpha-helix formation, a conformation which may facilitate interaction with the interior of the lipid bilayer. Studies on the structural features of secretory leader peptides, primarily based on bacterial proteins, have suggested that the "h" region is critical to signal sequence function [Gierasch, 1990]. Disruption of the h region by deletion or by replacement of hydrophobic residues with hydrophilic or charge amino acids leads to loss of signal function, whereas alterations to the "n" region have little effect [Bird et al, 1990]. The carboxy terminus, or cleavage region, is typically about 6 amino acids long. This region is involved in signal peptidase recognition and cleavage, which is usually required to achieve final folding and secretion of the protein.
The 5′ UTR (5′ untranslated region) is a part of a DNA sequence that is transcribed into mRNA, but not into protein. It usually begins at the transcription initiation, and ends one nucleotide before the start codon. A 5′UTR may contain sequences that regulate the translation efficiency or mRNA stability, binding sites for proteins, regulatory elements, and sequences that promote the initiation of translation. 5′UTR sequences can vary in their length and may comprise a few tenths of nucleotides up to few hundreds or even several thousand nucleotides. In eukaryotes, the median length of the 5′UTR is approximately 100 to 200 nt. The specific role of the 5′UTR and its elements has not been fully elucidated yet, partially also because the sequence is not translated into functional protein. However, it is known that the combination of a specific 5′UTR and a specific secretory leader sequence can strongly improve the translation and secretion efficiency of the production system and thus may increase the expression yield. However, as a plethora 5′UTRs and secretory leader sequences are available, it is a challenge to obtain an efficient combination that indeed improves the expression. Thus, despite the plethora of available expression cassettes and expression vectors, obtaining a robust polypeptide/protein production with a high yield in eukaryotic cells is still challenging.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide an expression cassette that enables the secretion of a polypeptide of interest with high yield when said expression cassette is introduced into a host cell. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an expression vector that allows for the expression of a polypeptide of interest with high yield. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method suitable for expressing a polypeptide of interest with high yield.

Optimized expression cassette for expressing a polypeptide with high yield


A system and methods for joining the correct wireless network are provided. The invention allows a device connecting to an unsecure wireless network to choose the correct network from many available wireless networks which are in range. A piece of code is executed on one of the PCs already on the network, then the device connects to each unsecure wireless network in range and sends a small message. If that message receives a reply from the code running on the PC that is already on the wireless network, that particular wireless network is determined to be the correct wireless network.

The use of data communication networks continues to grow. In small as well as large corporate settings, wired local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) have become an established feature of conducting business, and wireless networks are being increasingly employed. The use of network technology in the home, both wired and wireless, is a more recent phenomenon and has been slower to develop. In addition to facilitating Internet connectivity, home networking permits personal computing devices and various consumer electronic devices and appliances within the home to communicate with each other. Wireless technology, such as IEEE 802.11 wireless networks and networks of Bluetooth-enabled devices, is attractive in home as well as corporate environments for reasons of convenience, mobility and flexibility.
A principal impediment to the wider adoption of networking technology in the home and other non-corporate environments has been the difficulty experienced by non-expert users in configuring network devices for use on pre-existing wireless networks. Often users do not know or remember their wireless network connection information. In these cases, the user has to go back to the PC and log into the wireless access point's (WAP) configuration utility to determine the network settings. Even this can be problematic because the configuration utility often requires you to enter a user name and password, which are generally set by the manufacturer. Most users would be forced to look in the documentation that came with the WAP, or consult the WAP manufacturer's website.
Thus, initial setup of a wireless network is difficult even for those familiar with the technology. Connecting to an existing wireless network is also difficult because, even if the network is purposefully unsecure (unprotected, unencrypted), there may be multiple wireless networks within range of the PC or device trying to connect to the wireless network. Thus, the device does not know which network to join. The problem is exacerbated when the wireless device is a thin client device, possessing limited means for input and therefore preventing the user from manually selecting the correct wireless network. Accordingly, there is a need to simplify the procedure for additional devices to find and join the correct wireless network.

System and methods for joining the correct wireless network


In an EL element of this invention, a thin film layer is formed between a transparent substrate and a layer formed adjacent to the transparent substrate, and the refractive index of the thin film layer is changed to be approximated to those of these layers toward the interfaces between the thin film layer and the corresponding layers, so that a difference in refractive index at these interfaces is minimized. The thin film layer may be formed between at least two adjacent layers formed on the transparent substrate.

The present invention relates to an electroluminescence element which is utilized as a still image or motion picture display means in a low-profile display device of a terminal of a computer system or the like.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional electroluminescence (to be abbreviated as an EL hereinafter) element of this type. As shown in FIG. 7, the conventional EL element is formed as follows. That is, a reflection preventive film 2 of SiO, MgO, or the like is formed on a transparent substrate 1 of a glass plate. Transparent electrode layers 3 of In.sub.2 O.sub.3, SnO.sub.2, or the like are aligned on the reflection preventive film 2. A first dielectric layer 4 of Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5 or the like, an electroluminescent layer 5 of ZnS or the like in which 0.1 to 2 wt. % of Mn are doped as an activator, and a second dielectric layer 6 are sequentially stacked on the transparent electrode layer 3. Thereafter back electrode layers 7 of Al, Ta, Mo, or the like are aligned on the second dielectric layer 6. In this case, when viewed from the transparent electrode layer, a region where one transparent electrode layer and the corresponding back electrode layer crosses constitutes one pixel. When an AC voltage is applied between the electrodes, yellowish orange light having Mn as the activator is emitted from each pixel portion. Thus, display is made by controlling a voltage applied to the electrodes (e.g., refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-33579).
The reflection preventive film 2 in the conventional EL film adopts the principle that if the following thin film layer is interposed between two materials respectively having refractive indices of n.sub.1 and n.sub.2, reflectance with respect light of the wavelength .lambda. at the interface between the two materials becomes zero:
Refractive index: n=(n.sub.1 .multidot.n.sub.2).sup.1/2
Film Thickness: t=.lambda./4 (.lambda.: wavelength of light)
If the refractive index of the transparent substrate 1 is represented by n.sub.1, the refractive index of the transparent electrode layer 3 is represented by n.sub.2, and the central wavelength of light emitted from the electroluminescent layer 5 (to be referred to as EL light hereinafter) is represented by .lambda., the refractive index and the film thickness of the reflection preventive film 2 are selected to satisfy the above conditions. Then, the EL light from the electroluminescent layer 5 can be prevented from being reflected by the interface between the transparent substrate 1 and the transparent electrode layer 3. Thus, a decrease in effective luminance can be prevented.
The dielectric layer in the EL element is required to have high dielectric breakdown voltage and dielectric constant and small dielectric loss. In addition to these requirements, the first dielectric layer formed between the electroluminescent layer and the transparent substrate on which the transparent electrodes are formed is required to have a high adhesion force with the transparent substrate and transparent electrodes, and not to cause abnormality such as film cracking or peeling in a high-temperature heat treatment for activation after the electroluminescent layer is formed.
The conventional dielectric layer employs a single layer or multilayers of an oxide such as Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, HfO.sub.2, PbTiO.sub.3, BaTa.sub.2 O.sub.6, or the like, or a material such as Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, silicon oxynitride, or the like. The layers of these materials are normally formed by the sputtering technique in order to prevent insulating breakdown due to microdefects.
However, the conventional EL element described above has the following problems:
(1) As described above, the refractive index n of the reflection preventive film 2 must satisfy the following relation if the refractive index of the transparent substrate 1 is represented by n.sub.1 and the refractive index of the transparent electrode layer 3 is represented by n.sub.2 : EQU n=(n.sub.1 .multidot.n.sub.2).sup.1/2
However, the transparent substrate 1 and the transparent electrode layer 3 can only employ very limited materials. The values of n.sub.1 and n.sub.2 are limited in advance by the materials which can be used. As a result, the value of n must be a limited, specific value derived from the values of n.sub.1 and n.sub.2. However, it is not easy to form a thin film having such a specific refractive index.
(2) In order to effectively apply a voltage applied between the transparent electrode layer 3 and the back electrode layer 7 to the electroluminescent layer 5, the specific dielectric constant of the layers interposed between the electrodes and the electroluminescent layer 5 must be increased as large as possible or their film thicknesses must be decreased, so that a voltage loss caused by a voltage drop across these layers is reduced as small as possible. However, the specific dielectric constant of a material normally employed for the reflection preventive film 2 is small (e.g., the specific dielectric constants of the above-mentioned SiO and MgO are respectively 4 to 6 and 9 to 10). In addition, in order to obtain the functions of the reflection preventive film, the reflection preventive film must have a thickness 1/4 the central wavelength .lambda. (in this case, about 1,500 .ANG.) of the EL light from the electroluminescent layer 5. For this reason, a voltage loss due to a voltage drop is considerably increased.
(3) The reflection preventive film 2 can provide a reflection preventive effect with respect to only light having the wavelength .lambda., i.e., the central wavelength of the EL light, and cannot provide the effect with respect to light of other wavelengths. Therefore, although the EL light from the electroluminescent layer 5 is efficiently output outside the layer, almost no reflection preventive effect can be obtained with respect to white light including various wavelengths externally incident on the EL element. Therefore, when the EL element is used in a bright location, the display is not easy to see due to reflection of external light.
(4) When the dielectric layer is formed by sputtering an oxide, the underlying transparent electrode may be darkened due to the influence of oxygen plasma, or an electrical resistance may be increased. Meanwhile, most compositions constituting the above-mentioned dielectric layer do not have sufficient adhesion force with the transparent substrate and electrodes. For this reason, peeling tends to occur by a heat treatment at a temperature of 400.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. performed for activating the electroluminescent layer. In order to solve this problem, the present inventors have already proposed a technique of preventing film peeling and degradation in the transparent electrode wherein an SiO.sub.2 film having good adhesion properties with the respective film layers is formed between the transparent substrate, the transparent electrodes and the dielectric layer in an argon gas atmosphere (Y. SHIMIZU, et al., CONFERENCE RECORD OF THE 1985 INTERNATIONAL DISPLAY RESEARCH CONFERENCE, P101, 1985). However, since the EL element with this structure has a large difference of refractive indices of the SiO.sub.2 film and the dielectric layer (e.g., if a BaTa.sub.2 O.sub.6 film is used as the dielectric layer, the refractive index of the dielectric layer is 2.4, while the refractive index of the SiO.sub.2 film is 1.4), a reflectance at their interface is increased, resulting in unclear display.


A superconductor is produced by electric discharge explosion flame spraying of a composite body of constituents of an immiscible alloy. The electrically discharged composite body is deposited on a substrate and the resultant alloy is oxidized to yield an oxide of the alloy having superconductive property. This process can be applied to the Ln-Ba-Cu system (Ln is at least one of the rare earth elements including Y), typically the Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 - or Y.sub.2 Ba.sub.4 Cu.sub.8 system, or other immiscible alloy systems such as the Bi-(Ca, Sr)-Cu system to form an oxide thereof.

This invention relates to a method for producing a superconductor of an immisicible alloy and its oxide.
There exist many alloy systems the constituents of which are not easily mixed together (termed hereinafter the "immisicible alloy"), and in which the formation of an alloy (a mixed state) is difficult especially under gravity. These systems, even though capable of forming uniform alloys under nongravity, do not easily form alloys under gravity due to the difference in specific gravity, wettability between consitituents or the like.
For example, an alloy system of Ba and Cu is a typical immisicible alloy, in which it is difficult to obtain a uniformly-mixed melt even in a molten state. The addition of a rare-earth element (Ln), such as Y, does not change the circumstances (It is to be noted that, in the present invention, Y is also treated as a rare-earth element other than the lanthanides, due to similarity in properties). As a method for alloy formation in a system in which alloy formation is difficult by usual methods, a method of forming an amorphous state by rapid quenching (or rapid cooling) of molten metals is well known. As an example of this method, it has been reported that a LnBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x -system oxide can be produced by forming a ribbon-like sheet of an amorphous alloy by rapid quenching of a melt having a composition of LnBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3, and subsequently oxidizing the same (Takeshi Masumoto, Journal of the Japan Institute of Metals, vol. 26, No. 10 (1987), p. 968).
However, this rapid quenching method of a melt is effective only for Eu and Yb, in the Ln series, which are capable of having the divalency, and no successful example has been reported about other Ln elements. Especially, the Y-Ba-Cu system, which is a monotectic alloy, is not capable of forming an alloy by the rapid quenching method of a melt, since the molten alloy of the system is not formed.

Method for producing a superconductor of an immiscible alloy and its oxide