The invention relates to a nanocomposite material on the basis of a clay having a layered or fibrous structure and a cation exchange capacity of from 5 to 250 milliequivalents per 100 gram, a polymeric matrix and a block copolymer or graft copolymer, which block copolymer or graft copolymer includes one or more first structural units (A), which are compatible with the clay, and one or more second structural units (B), which are compatible with the polymeric matrix. Methods of making and using the same are also disclosed.

In the past decades, it has already often been proposed to improve the properties of polymeric materials by including in these materials a specific amount of a clay. The presence of a clay in a polymeric material particularly contributes to properties such as the mechanical strength and the heat resistance of the polymeric material.
A great difficulty when including a clay in a polymeric matrix resides in the mutually rather different nature of the materials. The polymeric material of the matrix is a usually non-polar organic material, whereas the clay is a much more polar inorganic material. Because of this difference the materials are poorly intermixable; they are intrinsically not mixable.
To circumvent this difficulty, it has been proposed to carry out the synthesis of the polymer that forms the matrix, a polymerization reaction, in the presence of the inorganic material. The idea was that the clay is perhaps more easily intermixable with a monomeric material than with a polymeric material. This method, however, proved to result in an inhomogeneous product which does not have the desired properties. The clay has a layered or fibrous structure which cannot be broken easily, so that a homogeneous mixing is hard to obtain.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,889,885 and 4,810,734 propose to first swell the clay before adding monomeric material and carrying out a polymerization. To this end, the clay is modified with a swelling agent which increases the mutual distance between the layers of the clay structure to such an extent that monomers fit there between. After polymerization of the monomers polymeric material is then automatically located between the clay layers.
The swelling agent described in the above patents is so-called onium ions. Within this context an onium ion is a surfactant with a head group formed by an ammonium, pyridinium, sulfonium or phosphonium group, and one or more non-polar tails. The cationic head group of an onium ion is exchanged for cations between the crystalline layers of the clay. The tails must have a functional group capable of entering into a bonding interaction with the monomeric material, so that the polymers are formed between the layers of the clay.
Nevertheless, swelling with an onium ion also often proved ineffective in obtaining a proper mixing of the clay with a polymeric matrix. European patent application 0 747 322 describes that even when an onium ion with two non-polar tails is used, additional measures are necessary to homogeneously disperse a clay in a polymeric matrix which particularly consists of rubbery materials. Accordingly, the above European patent application proposes to introduce, in addition to an onium ion with two non-polar tails, one or more host molecules, also surfactant-like molecules, between the clay layers. A drawback of this method is that it is very complicated and does not in all polymeric materials enable a homogeneous dispersion of clay in the polymeric matrix.
Another approach is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,672. This approach comprises two steps. In the first step, an aqueous layered clay is swollen with monomers, oligomers or polymers that are compatible with water. This leads to a partly hydrophilic material. This first step is often referred to as the so-called intercalation. The distance between the clay layers is thereby increased. The second step comprises the mixing of the intercalated clay with a second polymer. This step is referred to as the so-called exfoliation and must lead to loose individual clay plates. The resulting product is finally included in the desired polymeric matrix through extrusion. In this procedure it is essential that the clay contains a specific minimum content (usually at least 5%) of water. The method described in this U.S. patent is rather laborious and complicated. Moreover, this method is not applicable to many polymeric matrices, so that a clay cannot be included in every polymeric material.
The international patent application WO-A-93/04118 describes a composite material on the basis of a polymeric matrix and a clay, which clay is modified with a specific compound. This specific compound consists of a silane or an onium group and a group compatible with the polymeric matrix. It has turned out that with this specific compound a substantial dispersion of a clay in a polymeric matrix is only obtainable with nylon as polymeric matrix.

Nederlandse Oganisatie Voor Toegepastnatuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO


In a storage system for backing up data of an external apparatus, the external apparatus and a storage apparatus collaboratively perform efficient de-duplication. A storage system stores data from the external apparatus in a unit of content, and includes a backup apparatus configured to execute backup processing to create backup data of the data from the external apparatus in the unit of content; and a storage apparatus coupled to the backup apparatus in a communication-enabled manner and configured to store the backup data received from the backup apparatus. A first backup processing part of the backup apparatus determines whether or not a content is already stored in the storage apparatus by using first redundancy determination information that is information for determining whether or not each of contents of the backup data is already stored in the storage apparatus.

A storage apparatus is coupled to an external apparatus such as a host computer via a communication network. The storage apparatus of this type includes, for example, multiple hard disk drives (HDD) as storage devices for storing data. For the purpose of reducing costs required for storage media, data volume reduction processing is performed in the course of storing data into a storage device. The reduction of data volume is done through file compression or de-duplication. The file compression reduces the data volume by compressing data segments having identical data within a single file. On the other hand, the de-duplication reduces the total data volume in a file system or a storage system by detecting data segments having identical data not only within a single file but also among files and by compressing the detected data segments.
In the following description, a "chunk" denotes a unit-data segment that is a unit for de-duplication. In addition, a "container" denotes a set of data consisting of two or more chunks. In general, chunks closely related to each other are gathered in a container for efficient execution of the de-duplication. Moreover, a "container index" denotes a table created for each container and including records of hash values calculated for the respective chunks stored in the container. In addition, a "content" denotes a logically-grouped set of data that is a unit for storage in the storage device. Types of contents include not only general files, but also an aggregate of general files, such as an archive file, a backup file and a virtual volume file.
For storing a content into a storage apparatus from a host computer via a communication network, there have been proposed techniques of performing efficient data storage processing through reduction in a data transfer volume by making redundancy determination in advance as to whether each chunk is already stored in the storage apparatus and by sending only chunks determined as not stored. These techniques are described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2, for example.

Storage system and method of controlling storage system


A truck mounted brake assembly wherein a brake cylinder assembly and slack adjuster each have a first end connected to a first brake beam, and a second end coupled to each other via a first lever pivotally attached to a second brake beam, such that movement of the brake beams relative to each other applies and releases the brakes. The slack adjuster can have a trigger operating slack adjustment, and a rod member can have one end connected to the first brake beam and an opposite end coupled to the trigger via a second lever pivotally attached to the second brake beam, such that movement of the brake beams relative to each other causes the rod member to operate the trigger. The trigger can be connected to the second lever in a length adjustable manner, and a piston travel indicator can be provided adjacent the brake cylinder assembly.

The truck mounted brake assembly described herein relates to such an assembly having a single brake cylinder and a separate slack adjuster each mounted between opposing truss type brake beams of a conventional truck mounted brake rigging which applies brake shoe members to the wheels of the rail vehicle.
Truck mounted brake assemblies are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,958,398, 3,101,814, 3,499,507, and 4,793,446 describe truck mounted brake systems. The first three patents appear to describe dual brake cylinder systems, the latter two of those three apparently incorporate a slack adjustment member in combination with the two brake cylinders. The fourth listed patent appears to describe to a single brake cylinder system with a separate slack adjuster member occupying the general location of one of the previously employed two brake cylinders shown in the prior three patents. This patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,446, further describes another prior art single-cylinder truck mounted brake assembly "shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,016 and comprises, in addition to the brake beams, a force-transfer lever that is pivotally-connected to each brake beam at its midpoint, with the corresponding lever arms of these force-transfer levers being connected to the force-transmitting members. One force-transmitting member comprises a slack adjuster device, such as that disclosed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 06/714,596. The other force-transmitting member includes a brake cylinder device, the body of which is mounted on one brake beam between the beam tension and compression members adjacent the strut bar, and a connecting rod between the transfer lever arm of the other brake beam and the cylinder body. The brake cylinder piston push rod is connected to the transfer lever arm of the one brake beam." Slack adjusters are used to take up the rigging slack caused by brake shoe and wheel wear to ensure that the brake cylinder power stroke remains essentially the same length for each operation of the rail vehicle brake system.
Notwithstanding the availability of single cylinder brake assemblies for many years, there are still many older rail vehicles which are equipped with the earlier designed dual brake cylinder truck mounted brake assemblies of the type described above. As a practical manner, usually due to the cost factor, many older rail vehicles are not "upgraded" until it becomes necessary to do so.
In addition to providing single cylinder truck mounted brake assembly for new rail vehicles, it is also desirable to provide for converting existing rail vehicles from the older style dual cylinder brake assemblies to a new a single cylinder brake assembly, such as will be described in more detail below.


The present specification provides a method for reporting channel state information (CSI) on the basis of priorities in a wireless communication system. More specifically, the method performed by a terminal comprises: a step of receiving, from a base station, downlink control information (DCI) including a reporting trigger for a plurality of CSIs of the same type; and a step of reporting a specific CSI determined on the basis of a predetermined rule among the plurality of CSIs if a time resource and a frequency resource for reporting among the plurality of CSIs are the same, wherein the specific CSI is a CSI that has priority among the plurality of CSIs on the basis of the predetermined rule.

A mobile communication system has been developed to provide a voice service while ensuring the activity of a user. However, the area of the mobile communication system has extended to data services in addition to voice services. Today, resources are insufficient due to an explosive increase in traffic, and users demand a higher speed service. As a result, a more advanced mobile communication system is necessary.
Requirements for a next-generation mobile communication system should be able to support the accommodation of explosive data traffic, a dramatic increase in the data rate per use, the accommodation of a significant increase in the number of connected devices, very low end-to-end latency, and high-energy efficiency. To this end, various technologies are researched, including dual connectivity, massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO), in-band full duplex, non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), super wideband support, and device networking.

Method for reporting channel state information on basis of priorities in wireless communication system and device therefor


An exemplary elevator input device includes a passenger interface configured to allow a passenger to place a call to indicate a desired elevator service. The elevator input device includes a controller configured to interpret any passenger input regarding desired elevator service. The controller identifies which of a plurality of elevator cars will be able to provide the desired elevator service according to a predetermined criterion. The plurality of elevator cars considered by the controller includes every elevator car that is capable of serving the call. The controller is also configured to assign the call to the identified elevator car. With the input device controller assigning the call to an identified elevator car, the dispatching of elevator cars is distributed among controllers of input devices rather than being accomplished at a single group controller.

Elevator systems provide a variety of types of passenger service within a variety of buildings. In smaller buildings one or two elevators may be provided to adequately address the needs for all passengers in that building. Other buildings have much larger volumes of passenger traffic on a daily basis. Such buildings typically include a large number of elevators.
Controlling all of the elevators to achieve a desired level of passenger service involves a variety of considerations. There are various known dispatching algorithms for determining which car should service a particular passenger request.
One shortcoming of known arrangements is that they require a plurality of group dispatchers, each assigned to a particular subset of the elevators within a building. Passenger requests are processed by a group dispatcher that determines which of the elevator cars within its own group can service that request. For buildings containing a large number of elevator cars, a substantial number of group dispatchers are also required. While such arrangements have proven useful, those skilled in the art are always striving to make improvements.

Elevator system with distributed dispatching


An image processing apparatus includes a color reader for reading image signals, a multi-output memory for outputting the image signals to a plurality of color printers, a control unit for discriminating operating states of the color printers, and a sync control for performing output control of the image signals supplied to the color printers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus for processing such as image formation on the basis of a digital signal obtained by converting, e.g., an optical image into an electrical signal.
2. Related Background Art
In order to obtain a color image hard in a conventional color printer of a thermal transfer system or an electrophotographic system, color developing agents of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (Cyan), and BK (black) are sequentially mixed according to mixing of subtractive primaries, thereby obtaining a full-color (all colors) image hard copy. In this case, the Y, M, C and BK image must be precisely aligned on a single recording medium (a recording sheet).
For this reason, when color image information read by a color image reading apparatus (i.e., a color reader) is to be sequentially printed or an image processing apparatus does not include an image memory, synchronization control for performing color image registration between the color reader and the color printer is required.
In order to obtain a plurality of color image hard copies or identical color image hard copies at different places, the color image information read by a single color reader must be supplied to a plurality of color printers.
However, if a single color reader is connected to a plurality of color printer, the following problem occurs.
After an image formation command is simultaneously input to a plurality of printers, an initial preparatory operation such as preliminary rotation must be performed at each printer for subsequent image formation. In this case, the preparatory periods required for the initial preparatory operation at different printer are often different from each other, and the recording start timings are also different from each other. If the image signal is supplied from a single reader to a plurality of printers at the same timing, supply of the image signal cannot be synchronized with the start of image recording at some printers. In order to eliminate this problem, differences in recording start timings may be absorbed by a large-capacity memory means such as a page memory. However, this arrangement undesirably results in high cost.

Image processing apparatus which can control output to multiple devices to accommodate differing operating timing of those devices


A multivariable sensor for determining and/or monitoring a predetermined fill level and density and/or viscosity of a liquid in a container. The sensor comprises a measuring tube provided in the container. The measuring tube has at least a first oscillatable segment and a second oscillatable segment, wherein the oscillatable segments have a cross sectional area deviating from a circularly round shape and at least one straight side, wherein on an inner wall of the oscillatable segments, driver/receiving units are placed, which cause the oscillatable segments to execute resonant oscillations. At least one control/evaluation unit is provided, which evaluates frequency and/or phase and/or amplitude of the oscillations and determines therefrom reaching of the predetermined fill level and density and/or viscosity of the liquid.

For fill level measurement of a liquid or a bulk good in a container, so-called oscillatory forks are frequently used. In such case, there exist a number of different forms of embodiment, which differ mainly in the shape and length of the oscillatory fork. Such oscillatory forks are composed of two rods and are placed on a membrane, which is excited to oscillations by a drive unit. The two rods are thereby excited to opposite phase oscillations. The excitation is done with the resonance frequency of the oscillatory system. The oscillation is weakened when the oscillatory fork comes in contact with the measured medium. Due to the extra mass, which must be moved when the oscillating fork reaches into a liquid medium, the oscillation frequency decreases. In the case of media with lower density, such as, for example, gases, this effect is negligible. In the case of all viscous liquid media, a damping of the oscillation amplitude occurs as a result of friction. The amplitude change and/or frequency change is evaluated as a function of the medium. Additionally, the phase shift between the drive voltage and received voltage from the oscillatory rods moved to oscillations by the driving is evaluated, since this is likewise changed in the medium.
In containers, two such oscillatory forks are often applied, with one being placed in the lower region of the container and one in the upper region. In the normal state, the oscillatory fork mounted above oscillates in air, and provides an overflow protection, while the oscillatory fork mounted below oscillates in normal operation in the medium, and provides protection against running dry. Such oscillatory forks function excellently in liquids which do not form accretions and in bulk goods with small particle sizes relative to the oscillatory fork. In the case of media which form accretions on the oscillatory fork, after a certain accretion thickness, bridges form, which reach from the one rod to the other. These influence the oscillatory system and ultimately lead to the oscillatory rods no longer oscillating, and thus to measuring being no longer possible.
Oscillatory forks can also be applied for determining the density and/or the viscosity of a liquid medium. In order to be able unequivocally to determine a measured variable, it is, however, necessary to hold the boundary conditions constant and, respectively, to determine disturbance variables. An example of such boundary conditions or disturbing variables in the case of determining density and viscosity is fill level. In the determining of viscosity, a variable density of the medium, for example for reasons of temperature fluctuations, represents a disturbing variable. In order nevertheless to be able to determine viscosity, density is held constant, density is determined with a separate measuring device, or a measuring method is selected, which compensates for density dependencies. The latter is often connected with a large electronic effort. Often, it is not possible to hold the boundary conditions constant, so that at least a second measuring device is necessary for determining the disturbance variables. This requires at least one additional process connection, which not only brings with it extra costs, but also introduces hygienic risks, depending on the field of application.
In the case of bulk goods composed of coarse particles or liquids containing coarse particle, in the case of which the diameter of the particles is about equal to the distance between the two rods of the oscillatory fork, it occurs that particles jam between the rods. This, too, leads to a malfunctioning of the oscillatory fork. As a rule, in both cases, an error report is produced, which, for safety reasons, turns off the process.
A non-vibronic principle for fill level measurement of liquids is that wherein a rod is introduced into the container. The rod protrudes far into the container, and which is provided with a plurality of so-called floats. The floats then arrange themselves at a determined height corresponding to fill level of the liquid.
Due to the application of a plurality of floats on the rod, with this apparatus, not only a fill level can be determined, but also, for example, phase boundaries in the case of multiphase mixtures. A disadvantage in the case of this method is, however that the floats are susceptible to wear.
From the publication DE 3215040 C2, an apparatus for vibronic fill level measurement is known, which is composed of a measuring tube, which is introduced into the container and excited to oscillations by a drive lying in the interior of the measuring tube. The measuring tube is cylindrical, wherein the base is round or elliptical. A jamming of particles does not present a problem in the case of this apparatus. A disadvantage, however, is that, for exciting the measuring tube, relatively high frequencies are necessary, which strain the drive and the electronic components. Additionally, only low oscillation amplitudes are attainable.

Multivariable sensor for determining and/or monitoring fill level and density and/or viscosity of a liquid in a container


A pressure device for use with a balloon angioplasty catheter includes a housing, a syringe body, rubber stopper and a pressure gauge. The rubber stopper is connected to a threaded plunger leading to a handle. The threaded plunger is engaged by a half nut. The half nut may also be disengaged. A forward located thumb button controls the engagement of the half nut with the threaded plunger. The initial operation of the thumb button also irreversibly illuminates the pressure gauge.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for injecting fluid into a balloon catheter and a device for controlling the rate and pressure of fluid injection. Such catheters, when inflated by the injected fluid, are conventionally used for the purpose of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Angioplasty is a procedure for dilating arteries which are occluded or blocked. The dialation procedure is especially useful for cases of coronary artery obstructions. A special catheter is used which carries a balloon at the distal end. To re-shape an occluded artery, the balloon is inflated, for instance, by being filled and pressurized with a radiopaque fluid.
An early practitioner of the angioplasty procedure was Dr. Andreas Gruntzig of the University of Zurich. The procedure developed by Dr. Gruntzig uses a special double lumen catheter. The first lumen allows passage of a guide wire. The second lumen connects to the balloon at the distal end of the catheter, which is generally filled and pressurized with diluted contrast media. Briefly, the procedure involves inserting a guide wire into a blood vessel to be dilated and advancing the guide wire to and past the block. Next, a balloon catheter is inserted along the guide wire and advanced to the most distal portion of the block or occlusion. Then, the balloon is inflated to reform the blockage material against the artery wall. The dilated balloon creates a smooth increased-diameter inner lumen in the artery. After dilation, the balloon is collapsed and retracted. The site of the former obstruction is examined, and, if necessary, the procedure is repeated until the entire segment of the artery is dilated.
The purpose of an angioplasty inflation device is to make the balloon inflation task easier and safer. One conventional procedure is to use a syringe to expand the balloon with radiopaque dye, while watching the balloon on an x-ray monitor. An operator proceeds by judging the relative balloon size, without knowing the balloon pressure; however, the balloon may rupture if its bursting pressure is exceeded.
A well-known approach to measuring the pressure of fluid inflating the balloon is to interpose a T-fitting between the delivery end of the syringe and the balloon. In this approach, a tire pressure-type gauge or other pressure indicator is connected to the T-fitting and measures the pressure exerted by the fluid.
Typically, the angioplasty procedure is performed under relatively low level illumination to facilitate viewing the radiopaque contrast fluid on the x-ray monitor. Unfortunately, this results in difficulty in reading the pressure indicators. Additionally, since the inflated balloon entirely blocks the artery to the passage of blood, time is a critical factor in the procedure. Further, the operating physician generates and controls the inflation force on the syringe, so physician fatigue is a negative factor in the procedure.
A representative example of the prior art is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,185 to Lundquist which discloses an inflation and deflation device adapted to be used by a human hand.
The device of Lundquist includes a stop cock and an optional regulator. The preferred syringe of Lundquist has a capacity of approximately 10 cc. Lundquist teaches the use of the stop cock to maintain a predetermined pressure, thereby freeing the surgeons hands from applying pressure. A single hand may create the force that moves the piston in the syringe body, however, a second hand must be used to turn the stop cock. In an alternative embodiment, Lundquist discloses a nut threaded into a fitting and a knob mounted on a head. Pressure may be applied by turning the head. A dial-type pressure gauge is threaded onto a nipple connected to the regulator.
All of the Lundquist embodiments include a "T" shaped handle large enough so that all the fingers of the hand can grasp the handle. In addition, the portion which is adapted to be engaged by the palm is rounded to fit the palm of the hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,254 to Lundquist teaches a system for filling and inflating and deflating a balloon-type dilating catheter used in performing coronary angioplasty procedures. The device includes a primary and secondary fluid pump assembly. Lundquist also discloses replacing a mechanical dial pressure gauge with a remote electronic pressure readout arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,366 to Raines discloses a syringe stroke controlling mechanism including a gripping member encircling a syringe barrel and a cap on the plunger of the syringe. In an alternative embodiment, a fastener or nut is disclosed to permit rapid stroke adjustment while retaining fine adjustment features. The nut is moved out of engagement to execute the gross adjustment, and snapped back on a threaded rod so that the threads engage the threads of the metering rod. Fine adjustments of the plunger position are made by turning the nut with the threads engaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,749 to Fischione discloses an angioplasty pressure controller including a drive screw which is connected to a piston in a cylinder and arranged for fine adjustment by turning the drive screw. An engagement slide provides a rapid means to create pressure or vacuum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,982 to Reilly discloses an apparatus for injecting and controlling the pressure of fluid being injected into a catheter. The apparatus provides a pressure measuring system that includes a housing for releasably and slidably holding the barrel of the syringe used to deliver fluid into the balloon catheter; and a device for measuring and indicating fluid pressure in the syringe barrel, which is also the balloon pressure. The Reilly pressure measuring system indirectly measures pressure changes of fluid in the syringe barrel by sensing movement of the barrel as a result of fluid pressure changes.
Reilly also discloses a trigger engagement of the threaded sliding barrel. An engager button has a plurality of shaped members designed to fit the grooves or between lands on the threaded portion of a bolt. The button includes a recessed portion that is engaged by a pin to interconnect the button and the housing. The button is pivotable about a pin to move the raised portion into and out of engagement with the grooves on the bolt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,724 to Dorros et al. discloses a pressure generator for intravascular dilators including a ram and a syringe holder. A screw drive having a large mechanical advantage is coupled for advancing the ram at a controlled rate. A coupler at one end of the ram is adapted to engage one end of the syringe plunger. The pressure generator may be provided with a pistol grip and the ram may be calibrated for direct pressure readout.


Information is sent through a bandwidth-constrained communications channel using overlapping signals separated using deconvolution to distinguish between the overlapping symbols. Input data representing the information are convolved with a kernel and transmitted through a communication system, then deconvolved with respect to the kernel for outputting the information resulting from the deconvolution.

Current methods of sending information through a channel which is bandwidth-limited are limited to a maximum error-free rate or channel capacity of C=W*log2(SN+1), where C is the channel capacity, W is the bandwidth, and SN is the signal to noise ratio. Equivalently, for a system with discrete amplitude levels. C=W*log2(N), where N is the number of available amplitude levels. The actual error-free transmission rate is of course smaller for discrete systems with noise. For more information see Shannon, C. E., "A Mathematical Method of Communication", Reprinted from The Bell System Technical Journal, Vol. 27, July, October 1948, pp 379-423, 623-656. None of the modulation methods developed since the time of Shannon's landmark paper have superseded by more than a few percent the limits placed upon channel capacity presented in the above referenced paper. Embodiments of the present invention supersede the limits derived in the referenced paper by the expedient of sending overlapping symbols or pulses, which are then separated at the receiving end by deconvolution or an equivalent mathematical method. Shannon's derivation of the channel capacity makes the assumption that overlapping symbols or pulses are inseparable, a constraint which is obeyed by the current state of the art.
Previous applications of superresolution methods have been used to increase the amount of information discerned from an information source, but have not been directly applied to increase the transmission capacity of a communications channel. Engeler, et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,122,732 and 5,168,214 disclose application of superresolution methods to better determine the temporal spectrum of a signal, but did not use this to increase the information capacity or rate of the system. Stankwitz, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,686,922 disclose a superresolution method to resolve beyond diffraction limits in radar. Abatzoglou, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,507 disclose a method of using superresolution methods to improve resolution of frequency components of a signal. Cohen, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,492 disclose use of a superresolution technique (the CLEAN algorithm) to compress a redundant data set. This method as presented applies to data compression and does not generate any gain in system transmission rate for non-redundant information. Gregory, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,952 disclose a method for extracting additional information from an optical sensor system using superresolution methods, particularly with respect to spatial resolution information. Vaughan et. al., "Super-Resolution of Pulsed Multipath Channels for Delay Spread Characterization." in IEEE Transactions on Communications vol. 47, no. 3, March 1999, pp. 343-347, utilizes superresolution methods to determine the effects of multipath propagation upon a signal.
Investigations of sending signals faster than Nyquist have been made, but none so far have utilized superresolution methods to cope with intersymbol interference. Landau in "Sampling, Data Transmission, and the Nyquist Rate" IEEE Proc. vol. 55, October 1967, pp. 1701-1706 performed calculations showing that for arbitrary signals, transmission beyond the Nyquist rate resulted in unstable measured signals. Later, in "On the Minimum Distance Problem for Faster-than-Nyquist Signaling", IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory, vol. 34, no. 6 Nov. 1989, pp. 1420-1427, Landau and Mazo calculate the amount of intersymbol interference generated when binary valued signals are sent with very close spacing. Liveris et al. in "Exploiting faster-than-Nyquist signaling" IEEE Transactions on Communications vol. 51, no. 9, September 2003, pp. 1502-1511 also discuss the effect of intersymbol interference upon faster-than-Nyquist signaling, but do not discuss use of superresolution methods to deal with its effects. Zakarevicius et al. in "On the Speed Tolerance of Certain Classes of Data Transmission Systems" IEEE Transactions on Communications vol. 34, no. 8, August 1986, pp. 832-836 also analyze the effect of intersymbol interference upon faster-than-Nyquist signaling, but do not discuss the use of superresolution. Wang et al., in "Practically Realizable Digital Transmission Significantly Below the Nyquist Bandwidth" IEEE Transactions on Communications vol. 43, no. 2/3/4, February/March/April 1995, pp. 166-169, use digital pulses to transmit with a permissible amount of intersymbol interference, but do not use superresolution methods to detect the relative location of their digital pulses. All of the above methods of faster-than-Nyquist transmission rely upon establishing a maximum permissible level of intersymbol interference, which is less than an amount which can be reliably detected using standard means of pulse detection. This is different from the use of superresolution methods in that any amount of intersymbol interference can be removed by discernment with superresolution methods, subject to the constraints of resolution and noise.
Methods which send a sum of multiple parallel smaller bandwidth signals in place of a single signal occupying a bandwidth equal to the sum of the smaller bandwidths are well known (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,318 to Addeo), and may superficially resemble the method described herein, in that the convolution or correlation of a data signal with a small bandwidth signal results in a signal comprised of a sum of small bandwidth signals. However, none of these methods have anticipated using this type of method to achieve superresolution of the signal. Superresolution of the signal is required in order to transmit and receive information through a bandwidth-limited channel at a rate higher than C=W*log2(SN+1), which is the object of this invention. The primary differences which the method described herein possesses are that the extent of intersymbol interference induced is very much higher, and orthogonality between subsignals is not needed nor enforced. This is made possible by proper selection of the kernels and the constellation points at which the subsignals may be placed when the convolution is performed. The deconvolution thus places the subsignals at constellation points which can be distinguished in the presence of noise. In addition, accommodation is made for the case where subsignals sent at the same phase are summed and the intended data output must be distinguished by use of a subset-sum algorithm.

Method of transmitting information using a bandwidth limited communications channel


The multi-branch rate change filter of the present invention achieves higher effective output rates by processing the input sample stream in two or more parallel filter branches with offset states.

In digital hardware, it is possible to modify the sampling rate of a signal, for example from 400 MHz to 600 MHz, by implementing a digital filter called a polyphase finite-impulse response (FIR) rate change filter (RCF). In a polyphase FIR rate change filter, every output sample y(m) is generated by multiplying the input sample stream with a subset of the filter coefficients (also called phase), and by summing the resulting products. The upsampling and downsampling factors, denoted U and D respectively, are determined by the ratio of the filter input and output sample rates. In the example of a stream being rate changed from 400 MHz to 600 MHz, the U and D factors could be almost any combination of integers that produce a ratio of 1.50. In this example, the upsampling and downsampling factors could be: U=150 and D=100.
In advanced communication systems, very fast data rates are sometimes needed to implement a group of signal processing functions. However, these rates may be too fast to be realized in digital hardware using the existing technologies, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Therefore, there is a need for new designs for rate change filters using existing technologies that can increase the effective processing speed for high data rate applications.

Telefonaktiebolaget L.M. Ericsson (publ)


High-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer is produced from animal wastes by mixing the waste with water and soft-burned dolomite, recovering ammonia that is liberated with an aqueous acidic medium, neutralizing the mixture, combining the ammonium salt recovered earlier with the mixture, the adding guano-forming bacteria to the mixture, and allowing the mixture to ferment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process of producing a high-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer from animal wastes as well as a product of this process. Specifically, it relates to a process for treatment of animal wastes wherein nitrogen and phosphorus are retained and parasites and pathogenic bacteria are destroyed.
2. Prior Art
Present methods of composting animal wastes, e.g., poultry litter and cattle manure, tend to release nitrogen in the form of ammonia and create nuisance odors. Conventional composting allows the survival of parasites and pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, phosphates tend to leach away into the ground during conventional composting owing to their high solubility in water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,216 discloses a process wherein fecal waste is treated with a smectite clay and lime by fermentation with aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,572 discloses a process wherein wastewater treatment sludge or animal wastes are treated with quicklime, with the loss of ammonia. U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,273 provides a process wherein organic wastes are treated with sulfuric acid and anhydrous ammonia, steam is introduced, and dolomite, potash, urea, and phosphate rock are added.


The invention relates to a solenoid valve with a magnet assembly and a valve cartridge having a pole core, a valve insert connected to the pole core, an armature which is guided within the valve insert in an axially movable manner between a closed position and an open position and is coupled to a closing element, and a valve body which is connected to the valve insert and has a main valve seat which is arranged between at least one first flow opening and a second flow opening. The axially movable armature, when the magnet assembly is energized, is moved by a generated magnetic force within the valve insert in the direction of the pole core counter to a spring force of a resetting spring and counter to a fluid force in order to lift the closing element out of the main valve seat; and to permit a flow of fluid between the at least one first flow opening and the second flow opening. The axially movable armature is moved away from the pole core by the spring force of the restoring spring and by the fluid force within the valve insert in order to press the closing element into the main valve seat in a sealing manner and to interrupt the fluid flow between the at least one first flow opening and the second flow opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a solenoid valve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional solenoid valve, particularly for a hydraulic unit which is used for instance in an anti-lock brake system (ABS) or a traction control system (TC system) or an electronic stability program system (ESP system), is shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen from FIG. 1, a conventional solenoid valve 1, which is closed when without current and which is embodied as an on-off valve, includes a valve cartridge 2 and a magnet assembly 13. The valve cartridge 2 includes a pole core 3, a valve insert 5 connected to the pole core 3 and embodied as a sleeve, an armature 4 guided axially movably inside the valve insert 5 between a closed position and an open position, which armature is coupled with a closing element 8, and a valve body 9, connected to the valve insert 5, with a main valve seat 10 that is disposed between at least one first flow opening 11 and a second flow opening 12. The valve body 9 is likewise embodied as a sleeve. The magnet assembly 13 includes a winding holder 13.1, a housing jacket 13.2, a coil winding 13.3 with electrical terminals 13.5, and a cover disk 13.4. The axially movable armature 4, when current is supplied to the magnet assembly 13, or in other words when current is applied to the coil winding via the electrical terminals 13.5, is moved counter to the pole core 3 by a generated magnetic force Fmagnetic inside the valve insert 5 counter to a spring force Fspring of a restoring spring 6 and counter to a fluid force Fhydraulic, in order to lift the closing element 8 out of the main valve seat 10 and to enable a fluid flow between the at least one first flow opening 11 and the second flow opening 12. The maximum possible stroke of the armature 4 and of the closing element 8 is specified by the air gap 7 between the pole core 3 and the armature 4. In order to press the closing element 8 sealingly into the main valve seat 10 and to interrupt the fluid flow between the at least one first flow opening 11 and the second flow opening 12, the axially movable armature 4 with the closing element 8 is moved away from the pole core 3 in the direction of the main valve seat 10 by the spring force Fspring of the restoring spring 6 and by the fluid force Fhydraulic inside the valve insert 5. The pole core 3 is connected in fluid-tight fashion to the valve insert 5, for instance by means of a weld seam. Moreover, the solenoid valve 1 shown is calked via a calking flange 16 to a fluid unit block 15. The action directions of the spring force Fspring, fluid force Fhydraulic, and magnetic force Fmagnetic are indicated by arrows in FIG. 1.
Until now, outlet valves in the ABS/ESP system have been embodied purely as on-off valves, which can be operated in quasi-stationary fashion as only fully open or fully closed. The outlet valve, as a noncontinuous on-off valve, typically experiences a flow through it in a stroke-closing direction. This is done in the context in which high wheel pressures reinforce the valve tightness. Thus only slight initial spring tensions suffice, which permits a lower total force level and thus allows fast valve reactions.
Compared to on-off valves, continuous valves have the advantage that by adjustment of partial strokes between the fully closed and the fully open position, arbitrarily adjustable intermediate positions can be established, and thus arbitrary flow cross sections can be opened, and arbitrary flow quantities through the valve can be established. For the valves of an ABS/ESP system, this means for instance that the buildup and reduction gradients of a wheel pressure can be adjusted variably, and as a result the meterability of the wheel pressure can be improved and the noise-generating pressure fluctuations can be reduced. A continuous valve through which the flow is in the opening direction, however, requires a high initial spring tension for sealing off a requisite wheel pressure, such as a locking pressure level. However, as a result the total force level also becomes quite high, which when current is supplied to the magnet assembly leads to high current intensities and is disadvantageous with regard to the valve reaction times, current adjustment precision, and the thermal performance.


A artificial blood vessel for facilitating the introduction of fluids into or withdrawal of fluids from the vascular system of an individual, or both, includes a tubular portion that lies beneath skin of the individual and is grafted to a natural blood vessel. Located along the tubular portion where it is offset laterally from the tubular portion is at least one pocket which encloses a chamber that communicates with the lumen of the tubular portion. The artificial blood vessel also includes a port which is attached to the pocket and has grommet that lies over the skin and contains access bore. The port also has a valve which lies at the end of the access bore to normally prevent blood from escaping through the access bore, but does allow access to the chamber for medical procedures.

Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to transcutaneous devices and more particularly to an artificial blood vessel that facilitates access to a vascular system, as well as to a port for a blood vessel.
Those whose kidneys have failed may still lead relatively normal lives by undergoing hemodialysis, perhaps three or four times per week. The procedure involves inserting two catheters into accessible blood vesselsxe2x80x94one to withdraw blood and the other reintroduce the blood after it has been cleansed. But natural blood vessels cannot sustain repeated penetrations by catheters without collapsing. Typically, a patient who requires hemodialysis undergoes a surgical procedure in which an artificial blood vessel is grafted onto an artery and a vein in the patient""s arm to serve as the shunt. Being formed from a polymer, the artificial blood vessel can withstand repeated penetrations by catheters. Even so, the artificial vessel lies beneath the skin, and with dialysis two catheters must penetrate the skin before entering the artificial blood vessel. The penetrations are extremely painful and may produce infections.
The present invention resides in an artificial blood vessel including a tubular portion, at least one pocket located along the tubular portion where it encloses a chamber that communicates with the interior of the tubular portion. The blood vessel also includes a port at the pocket, with the port having a grommet that is above the pocket and a valve that normally prevents communication between an access opening in the grommet and the chamber in the pocket. The invention also resides in the artificial blood vessel implanted in an individual with its ends grafted to a natural blood vessel. In addition the invention resides in a port having a grommet designed to be located over and through the skin and a valve element beneath the skin.

Artificial blood vessel with transcutaneous access ports


A pouring spout for a liquid container, the pouring spout including a pliable plastic sheet defining one side of the pouring spout and freely movable towards and away from an opposite side of the pouring spout to close and open the pouring spout for dispensing liquid therethrough. The pliable plastic sheet is dimensioned such that when liquid is not being dispensed from the pouring spout, the pliable plastic sheet moves towards and into contact with the opposite surface and adheres thereto by surface tension to produce a self-sealing action with respect to the pouring spout.

The present invention relates to novel pouring spouts for liquid containers, and also to liquid containers constructed with the novel pouring spout.
Drinkable liquids are typically distributed in containers of variety of designs and shapes, including bottles, laminated cartons and sealed plastic sleeves. Some liquids, such as milk natural juices, wine and many other beverages are distributed in sterile containers, in order to prolong their shelf life. To this end, milk and other beverage containers are treated under high temperature in processes known as pasteurization and Ultra High Temperature (UHT) treatment. Wines are inherently sterile as they typically contain about 14 or more % alcohol in volume, at which concentration of alcohol no life is maintainable.
Liquid containers are provided with a wide variety of pouring spout constructions to enable the liquid contents of the container to be dispensed.
There is a major shared limitation to all existing pouring spouts, as they are all designed and constructed so as to allow air to enter the container upon pouring. Air contains oxygen and typically carries air-born living matter of both prokaryote and eukaryote origin, such as spores and/or mature forms of bacteria, yeast and fungi. Due to this reason, the contact of air with many drinkable liquids, all of which contain organic compounds, results in accelerated spoilage of the liquids. For example, once contaminated with air born living matter, milk spoils within several hours to a few days, depending on the storage temperature. For example, once exposed to oxygen, wine spoils and loses its fine taste.
One popular type of liquid container, commonly used for milk and natural (e.g., orange) juice products, is in the form of a laminated carton integrally formed at its upper end with a gable which may be manually opened by pulling apart its opposite sides to produce a pouring spout. The pouring spout is readily closable by manually returning the opposite sides to their initial condition. The design of this pouring spout permits air to enter to the container upon pouring of the liquid contained therein, thereby significantly decreasing the shelf life of the container contents after once being opened and used. Furthermore, the design of this pouring spout, when re-closed after use, is imperfect and still permits air to enter, thereby further significantly decreasing the shelf life of the container contents after once being opened.
Other containers have more recently been provided with a plastic, tubular pouring spout joined to the gable and normally closed by a screwable cap. However, such a construction not only adds to the costs of producing the containers, but also requires the user to manually remove the cap to permit pouring out the liquid, and to manually reapply the cap in order to reclose the container. Caps sometimes are misplaced when removed. In addition, also this design allows air to enter the container upon pouring the liquid therefrom, resulting in accelerated spoilage of the liquid contents.
Still other containers have recently been provided with a pouring spout including a hinged plastic element, used to open and close the container. This design of a pouring spout, similarly to all of the other designs described herein, allows air to enter the container upon pouring the liquid therefrom, resulting in accelerated spoilage of the liquid contents.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, a pouring spout and a container devoid of the above limitations. In particular, there is a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, a pouring spout and a container including same which restrict air from entering the container during or following pouring liquid therefrom, which spout and container can be used for successive pourings, yet the contents thereof is prevented from contacting ambient air and hence prevented from accelerated spoilage.
A broad object of the present invention is to provide a pouring spout of a construction which is self-opening when liquid is to be dispensed, and which is self-sealing when liquid is not being dispensed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pouring spout which can be constructed either as a cap to be applied to an existing container, or as an integral part of the container itself.
A further object of the invention is to provide pouring spouts, and containers including such pouring spouts, of a relatively simple construction which can be produced in volume and at low cost.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide pouring spouts, and containers including such pouring spouts which restrict air from entering the container during or following pouring liquid therefrom through the pouring spout.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide pouring spouts, and containers including such pouring spouts, which spouts and containers can be used for successive pourings, yet the container""s contents is prevented from contacting ambient air, thereby accelerated spoilage is prevented.
Hence, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pouring spout for a liquid container, the pouring spout comprising a pliable plastic sheet defining one side of the pouring spout and movable towards and away from an opposite side of the pouring spout to close and open the pouring spout for dispensing liquid therethrough; the pliable plastic sheet being dimensioned such that when liquid is to be dispensed, the pliable plastic sheet is freely movable away from the opposite side by the liquid to permit the liquid to be dispensed therethrough, and when liquid is not being dispensed through the pouring spout, the pliable plastic sheet moves towards and into contact with the opposite side and adheres thereto by surface tension to produce a self-sealing action with respect to the pouring spout.
As will be described more particularly below, such a self-sealing pouring spout may be applied to various types of products normally refrigerated to prolong their life after the containers have been opened. In addition, such a pouring spout may also be used to prolong the storage life of non-refrigerated products after opening.
A number of embodiments of the invention are described below for purposes of example. In some described embodiments, the opposite side of the pouring spout is defined by another pliable sheet, whereas in other described embodiments, the opposite side of the pouring spout is a rigid member.
Where the opposite side of the pouring spout is another pliable sheet, the longitudinal edges along the opposite sides of the two pliable sheets should be joined together to define a passageway for dispensing the liquid, but one or both of the longitudinal edges of the two pliable sheets should be free to move to allow the passageway to open when dispensing a liquid, and to be self-closing (and self-sealing) when not dispensing the liquid. If both longitudinal edges are secured, e.g., to an enclosing tube, the pliable sheets should be elastic to allow the opening and self-closing of the dispensing passageway.
On the other hand, when the opposite side of the pouring spout is rigid, it is preferably non-planar, i.e., concave, to allow the self-opening and self-closing of the passageway by the displacement of the pliable sheet toward and away from that rigid surface.
In some described embodiments, the pouring spout is in the form of a cap removably attachable to a liquid container. In other described embodiments, the pouring spout is initially fixed to, or integrally formed with, the liquid container in alignment with an opening therein.
The invention also provides a number of liquid container constructions including such pouring spouts. In one described construction, the liquid compartment of the container is also of pliable plastic sheets which are integrally formed with the pliable plastic sheets of the pouring spout. In other described embodiments, the container is of a rigid construction and includes a filtered air inlet into its liquid compartment to permit dispensing substantially the complete liquid contents of the container through the pouring spout. Still other embodiments are described in which the container is of a construction permitting the internal volume of its liquid compartment to be reduced as liquid is dispensed therefrom.
According to a further described embodiment, the container may also include a manually-movable pressure member for pressing the pliable plastic sheet of the pouring spout to its closed position in contact with the opposite surface. The present invention successfully addresses the shortcomings of the presently known configurations by providing a pouring spout and a container including same which restrict air from entering the container during or following pouring liquid therefrom, which spout and container can be used for successive pourings, yet the contents thereof is prevented from contacting ambient air and hence prevented from accelerated spoilage.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description below.

Pouring spout for liquid containers, and liquid containers constructed therewith


An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a transmission unit, a reception unit, a control unit configured to obtain a time period until the reception unit receives a first ultrasonic wave via a first recording material and an amplitude value thereof at a reference temperature, obtain a time period until the reception unit receives a second ultrasonic wave via a second recording material and an amplitude value thereof at a different temperature, control an image formation condition for forming the image on the first recording material on the basis of the amplitude value of the first ultrasonic wave, obtain a difference time period between reception of the first and second ultrasonic waves, and control an image formation condition for forming the image on the second recording material on the basis of the difference time period and the amplitude value of the second ultrasonic wave.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for controlling an image formation condition when an image is formed on a recording material on the basis of a detection result of the recording material detected by using an ultrasonic wave.
Description of the Related Art
Up to now, some image forming apparatuses such as a copier and a printer are provided with an internal sensor configured to determine a type of a recording material. In these apparatuses, the type of the recording material is automatically determined, and a transfer condition (for example, a transfer voltage or a conveyance speed of the recording material at the time of the transfer) and a fixing condition (for example, a fixing temperature or a conveyance speed of the recording material at the time of the fixing) are controlled in accordance with a determination result.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-056771 describes an image forming apparatus provided with an ultrasonic sensor configured to determine a basis weight of a recording material by irradiating the recording material with an ultrasonic wave and receiving an ultrasonic wave attenuated via the recording material. In this image forming apparatus, image formation conditions such as the transfer condition and the fixing condition are controlled in accordance with the basis weight of the recording material determined by the sensor.
In the above-described sensor that uses the ultrasonic wave, the determination result may vary in some cases depending on a surrounding environment (for example, an atmospheric pressure or a temperature) where the sensor is installed. Thus, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-056771, an environmental correction is performed on the basis of an amplitude value of the ultrasonic wave obtained in a state in which no recording material exists between a transmission unit and a reception unit. In more details, the correction is performed on the reception result of the ultrasonic wave which is received via the recording material on the basis of a ratio of an amplitude value of the ultrasonic wave obtained in advance in a known environment to an amplitude value of the ultrasonic wave obtained in an environment at the time of the determination of the basis weight. With the above-described control, an influence on the determination result caused by the change in the surrounding environment is suppressed.
However, the surrounding environment of the ultrasonic sensor also changes in the middle of continuously forming an image on a plurality of recording materials. When a temperature around the sensor rises, the amplitude value of the received ultrasonic wave changes, and the basis weight of the recording material may be erroneously determined in some cases. As a result, an erroneous image formation condition may be set, and an image quality may be degraded in some cases.

Image forming apparatus and ultrasonic sensor


A theftproof quick-release type clamping assembly for mounting a bicycle part comprises a tie rod having one end screwed to an end nut and formed at the other end with an enlarged head, and a hollow presser member fitted around the enlarged head as movable relative thereto axially of the tie rod toward and away from the end nut in response to pivotal movement of a lever which has a shaft portion penetrating the presser member and the enlarged head. A lock member screwed to the enlarged head is advanced into abutment with the presser member when the presser member is axially moved toward the end nut, thereby directly limiting axial movement of the presser member away from the end nut. In this condition, the lever can be manually removed from the presser member and the enlarged head without using any tool, thus providing theft prevention.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a quick-release type clamping assembly for mounting a bicycle part. It more particularly relates to a quick-release type clamping assembly for mounting a bicycle hub or a bicycle saddle, which is improved to prevent such a bicycle part from being stolen.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In relatively high quality bicycles such as sports bicycles, generally, it is often required to remove a wheel hub from a pair of fork ends of the bicycle frame for replacement or repair, for example. For this purpose, such a bicycle is provided with a quick-release type hub clamping assembly which enables quick mounting and removal of the hub by simple pivotal movement of an operating lever.
Obviously, the quick-release type hub clamping assembly is advantageous in the capability of easily removing and remounting the hub relative to the bicycle frame without using any tool, thereby enabling the rider to promptly cope with a wheel trouble during racing. However, such an advantage gives rise to a problem that the hub or wheel may be easily stolen during parking.
On the other hand, a similar quick-release type clamping assembly is increasingly used to removably or adjustably mount a bicycle saddle to the seat tube of the bicycle frame. Specifically, the saddle has a seat pillar inserted into the seat tube, and the clamping assembly with a pivotal operating lever functions to cause diametrical expansion and contraction of the seat tube at the upper end thereof. The seat pillar of the saddle is fixed to the seat tube upon diametrical contraction thereof, whereas the seat pillar is rendered slidable relative to the seat tube upon expansion thereof. Thus, the level of the saddle can be adjusted very easily and quickly by simply pivoting the operating lever of the clamping assembly.
Obviously, the quick-release type saddle clamping assembly, though very advantageous in the simplicity of saddle height adjustment, makes the saddle an easy target of theft.
It is of course possible to prevent the hub or the saddle from being stolen by using chain locks for these parts. However, such a manner of theft prevention has limited effectiveness to professional thieves. Further, it is cumbersome for the rider to carry and use many chain locks (at least four chain locks for theft prevention of the bicycle itself, the front hub, the rear hub, and the saddle).

Theftproof quick-release type clamping assembly for mounting bicycle part


An electrode assembly that can be used to apply current to a cornea. The assembly includes a tip that is attached to a stop. The stop is pressed into an inner channel of an electrode body. The stop limits the penetration depth of the tip into a cornea.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermokeratoplasty probe that is placed in direct contact with the outer surface of the cornea.
2. Prior Art
Techniques for correcting vision have included reshaping the cornea of the eye. For example, myopic conditions can be corrected by cutting a number of small incisions in the corneal membrane. The incisions allow the corneal membrane to relax and increase the radius of the cornea. The incisions are typically created with either a laser or a precision knife. The procedure for creating incisions to correct myopic defects is commonly referred to as radial keratotomy and is well known in the art.
Present radial keratotomy techniques generally make incisions that penetrate approximately 95% of the cornea. Penetrating the cornea to such a depth increases the risk of puncturing the Descemets membrane and the endothelium layer, and creating permanent damage to the eye.
Additionally, light entering the cornea at the incision sight is refracted by the incision scar and produces a glaring effect in the visual field. The glare effect of the scar produces impaired night vision for the patient.
The techniques of radial keratotomy are only effective in correcting myopia. Radial keratotomy cannot be used to correct an eye condition such as hyperopia. Additionally, keratotomy has limited use in reducing or correcting an astigmatism. The cornea of a patient with hyperopia is relatively flat (large spherical radius). A flat cornea creates a lens system which does not correctly focus the viewed image onto the retina of the eye. Hyperopia can be corrected by reshaping the eye to decrease the spherical radius of the cornea. It has been found that hyperopia can be corrected by heating and denaturing local regions of the cornea. The denatured tissue contracts and changes the shape of the cornea and corrects the optical characteristics of the eye. The procedure of heating the corneal membrane to correct a patient""s vision is commonly referred to as thermokeratoplasty.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,294 issued to Baron; U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,709 issued to Sand and PCT Publication WO 90/12618, all disclose thermokeratoplasty techniques which utilize a laser to heat the cornea. The energy of the laser generates localized heat within the corneal stroma through photonic absorption. The heated areas of the stroma then shrink to change the shape of the eye.
Although effective in reshaping the eye, the laser based systems of the Baron, Sand and PCT references are relatively expensive to produce, have a non-uniform thermal conduction profile, are not self limiting, are susceptible to providing too much heat to the eye, may induce astigmatism and produce excessive adjacent tissue damage, and require long term stabilization of the eye. Expensive laser systems increase the cost of the procedure and are economically impractical to gain widespread market acceptance and use.
Additionally, laser thermokeratoplastic techniques non-uniformly shrink the stroma without shrinking the Bowmans layer. Shrinking the stroma without a corresponding shrinkage of the Bowmans layer, creates a mechanical strain in the cornea. The mechanical strain may produce an undesirable reshaping of the cornea and probable regression of the visual acuity correction as the corneal lesion heals. Laser techniques may also perforate Bowmans layer and leave a leucoma within the visual field of the eye.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,326,529 and 4,381,007 issued to Doss et al, disclose electrodes that are used to heat large areas of the cornea to correct for myopia. The electrode is located within a housing that spaces the tip of the electrode from the surface of the eye. An isotropic saline solution is irrigated through the electrode and aspirated through a channel formed between the outer surface of the electrode and the inner surface of the sleeve. The saline solution provides an electrically conductive medium between the electrode and the corneal membrane. The current from the electrode heats the outer layers of the cornea. Heating the outer eye tissue causes the cornea to shrink into a new radial shape. The saline solution also functions as a coolant which cools the outer epithelium layer.
The saline solution of the Doss device spreads the current of the electrode over a relatively large area of the cornea. Consequently, thermokeratoplasty techniques using the Doss device are limited to reshaped corneas with relatively large and undesirable denatured areas within the visual axis of the eye. The electrode device of the Doss system is also relatively complex and cumbersome to use.
xe2x80x9cA Technique for the Selective Heating of Corneal Stromaxe2x80x9d Doss et al., Contact and Intraoccular Lens Medical Jrl., Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 13-17, January-March, 1980, discusses a procedure wherein the circulating saline electrode (CSE) of the Doss patent was used to heat a pig cornea. The electrode provided 30 volts r.m.s. of power for 4 seconds. The results showed that the stroma was heated to 70xc2x0 C. and the Bowman""s membrane was heated 45xc2x0 C., a temperature below the 50-55xc2x0 C. required to shrink the cornea without regression.
xe2x80x9cThe Need For Prompt Prospective Investigationxe2x80x9d McDonnell, Refractive and Corneal Surgery, Vol. 5, January/February, 1989 discusses the merits of corneal reshaping by thermokeratoplasty techniques. The article discusses a procedure wherein a stromal collagen was heated by radio frequency waves to correct for a keratoconus condition. As the article reports, the patient had an initial profound flattening of the eye followed by significant regression within weeks of the procedure.
xe2x80x9cRegression of Effect Following Radial Thermokeratoplasty in Humansxe2x80x9d Feldman et al., Refractive and Corneal Surgery, Vol. 5, September/October, 1989, discusses another thermokeratoplasty technique for correcting hyperopia. Feldman inserted a probe into four different locations of the cornea. The probe was heated to 600xc2x0 C. and was inserted into the cornea for 0.3 seconds. Like the procedure discussed in the McDonnell article, the Feldman technique initially reduced hyperopia, but the patients had a significant regression within 9 months of the procedure.
Refractec, Inc. of Irvine Calif., the assignee of the present application, has developed a technique to correct hyperopia with a thermokeratoplasty probe that is in direct contact with the cornea. The probe includes a tip that is inserted down into the stroma layer of a cornea. Electrical current flows through the eye to denature the collagen tissue within the stroma. The process of inserting the probe tip and applying electrical current can be repeated throughout the cornea. The denatured tissue will change the refractive characteristics of the eye.
FIG. 1 shows an electrode 1 of a handpiece (not shown) used to apply current to a cornea. The electrode 1 includes a wire tip 2 that is crimped onto an electrode body 3. To minimize scarring in the cornea the wire tip 2 is very small, on the order of 0.1 millimeters. Crimping such a small tip can be very difficult, particularly when attempting to mass produce the electrode 1.
The electrode 1 also includes a stop 4 that limits the insertion depth of the tip 2. It is critical that the tip 2 not be inserted past the stroma layer of the cornea into the endothelial layer or inner ocular chamber. Over insertion of the tip may cause permanent damage to the eye. It has been found that the stop 4 may become dislodged and slide along the length of the wire tip 2. When this occurs the stop 4 will no longer limit the insertion depth of the tip 4.
An electrode assembly that can be used to apply current to a cornea. The assembly includes a tip that is attached to a stop. The stop extends into an inner channel of an electrode body.

Electrode assembly for a thermokeratoplasty system used to correct vision acuity


The disclosure is a method and system for monitoring the condition of an optical protective component in a laser system associated with a data processor. In one embodiment, the method begins with directing light from the process head of a laser through the optical protective component onto a workpiece. A return light via the workpiece causes light signals coupled through the protective component and into to a fiber which extends proximate the protective component and thereafter flexibly to a sensor. The sensed signals allow monitoring the condition of the protective component during use. The method and system is operative for use with optical protective elements downstream of the process head.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for monitoring an output of fiber laser systems. More specifically, the disclosure provides a fiber extending along a protective component and coupling light therefrom to a distal sensor detecting the coupled return light to monitor a condition relative to an optimal profile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a laser-welding/laser cutting process is associated with the high power laser radiation and the formation of a melting bath on the surface of the workpiece to be laser-treated. As the surface melts, liquid metal drops or "splashes" tend to impinge upon downstream components of focusing optics configured to guide a laser beam along a light path towards the surface and cause damage. Particularly affected is a protective element or glass—the "last" optical element located along the downstream end of the light path (relative to the laser source).
Deformation of the protective glass detrimentally affects several factors of a laser system, including the effective light power of a laser beam incident upon the surface of the workpiece. One example is in U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,527 (Jurca), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The '527 patent teaches a complex light-detecting system including an array of spaced LEDs, which are spaced from the circumference of a protective glass and pulse additional light through the protective glass to a corresponding array of sensors. Cracks and fractures of the protective glass are detected by the light emitted from the LEDs and received by the sensors which may have a short useful life. The deteriorated condition of the protective element may reduce the power of the laser output radiation and reduce the effectiveness of the process.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved method and system for monitoring the condition of an optical protective component in a fiber laser system.

Method and system for monitoring output of high power fiber laser system


The present disclosure relates to structural bonding compositions and attachment brackets, and their use in photovoltaic solar modules. Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to methods of affixing an attachment bracket to a solar module during the lamination step used to manufacture the module.

There are currently various methods of installing photovoltaic (PV) solar modules in the field. The applicability of each method depends on field conditions and the type of solar module being installed, among other factors. The two most common rigid solar modules are glass/backsheet modules and glass/glass modules.
Glass/backsheet rigid modules are commonly used for crystalline silicon PV modules. The dominant mounting method for glass/backsheet modules uses metal frames that surround the entire perimeter of the module. These frames typically have a U-channel, where the panel edges are inserted and secured by either a liquid adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.
Glass/glass rigid modules are the dominant type of module in the thin film PV industry. Clips are more common with glass/glass modules than glass/backsheet modules. Clips contact small areas around the edge of the module, and are subjected to the stress of full wind or snow loads. Clip use is sensitive to the specific clip design as module failure can occur in these areas if the clipped area is unable to withstand the applied loads. Multiple clips around the edge can be used to minimize the forces at each clip area. Thicker glass can also help reduce the potential for failure, but may be cost prohibitive.
A third option for mounting solar modules is to use adhesive bonded rails on the back side of the module. The adhesive can be a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, a liquid, or combination of the two. Rail attachment could be a cost-effective and attractive option for glass/glass modules. A correctly designed rail attachment system can withstand the relevant forces. Rails could be positioned on the back of the module to stiffen and support the module to resist wind and snow loads. 3M™ acrylic foam tapes have been used in solar module rail attachment in the past (see, for example, the photograph of in FIG. 1).
In general, rails are typically attached to the back surface of rigid solar panels, either glass/backsheet or glass/glass, using an adhesive, often in the form of tapes or liquids. Attaching the rails to the solar panel requires additional manufacturing steps and additional costs. In all publicly known cases, the attachment of the rails to the solar module occurs post-manufacturing of the solar module. The present disclosure is directed to a method in which an attachment bracket (such as a rail) can be affixed to a solar module during the lamination process used in the manufacturing of the solar module by using a thermosettable bonding composition.

Structural bonding compositions and attachment brackets, and their use in photovoltaic solar modules


A thin-film magnetic head includes at least one inductive write head element and at least one read magnetic head element, capable of controlling a spacing between a magnetic recording medium and the at least one magnetic read head element by heating. A gain SG (nm/° C.) of the spacing is greater than a spacing gain threshold SGTHLD (nm/° C.) defined by the following expression:SGLIMT=A*dPTP+B                A=1.4642E−02*exp(−6.6769E−05*LRDMF)        B=4.9602E−01*exp(−2.0423E−03*LRDMF)where dPTP represents an amount of change in protrusion (nm) of a top end of the at least one inductive write head element and/or the at least one read magnetic head element by heating, and LRDMF represents a line recording density (kFCI) at a frequency half of the maximum recording frequency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin-film magnetic head, a head gimbal assembly (HGA) with a thin-film magnetic head, a magnetic disk drive apparatus with the HGA, a method for designing a thin-film magnetic head, and a manufacturing method of a thin-film magnetic head.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a magnetic disk drive apparatus, one or more thin-film magnetic heads write signals into and read signals from one ore more magnetic disk rotated by a spindle motor. Each thin-film magnetic head has a slider as a main body fixed at a top end section of a suspension of an HGA, and has an inductive write head element and a magnetoresistive effect (MR) read head element formed on this slider. When writing or reading, the thin-film magnetic head is driven to a desired position on the magnetic disk by an arm capable of swinging.
When writing or reading signals, the thin-film magnetic head aerodynamically flies with keeping a predetermined magnetic spacing above the surface of the rotating magnetic disk. In this flying state, the thin-film magnetic head performs writing of signals to the magnetic disk using magnetic field generated from the inductive write head element, and performs reading of signals by sensing a magnetic field from the magnetic disk using the MR read head element.
Recently, a track width of a thin-film magnetic head becomes narrower to satisfy the requirements for increasing data storage capacities and densities of a magnetic disk drive apparatus. If the track width becomes narrow, writing ability of the magnetic write head element and also reading ability of the magnetic read head element decline. On the other hand, due to the recent increase in recording densities, recording bits on the written magnetic disk become very small. Thus, it is required for the magnetic write head element and the MR read head element to have much higher performance.
In order to solve such problems of the writing and/or reading performance, recent magnetic disk drive apparatus tends to have a smaller magnetic spacing. That is because, as smaller the spacing becomes, the signal magnetic field from the magnetic disk received in the thin-film magnetic head becomes stronger. Therefore, the magnetic disk drive apparatus is designed such that the magnetic spacing between the thin-film magnetic head and the magnetic disk surface becomes very small to satisfy today's increasing recording density.
However, when writing, Joule heat caused by a write signal current generates from a coil layer in the inductive write head element, and moreover, heat caused by an eddy current loss will be generated in upper and lower pole layers in the inductive write head element. This generated heat is accumulated inside of the magnetic head, and thus an overcoat layer or an insulation film expands thermally, to lead to a TPTP (Thermal Pole Tip Protrusion) phenomenon wherein the inductive write head element and the MR read head element protrude toward the magnetic disk surface. In this case, if a designed value of the magnetic spacing is very small, the protruded part of the MR read head element may contact the surface of the magnetic disk. This may lead to frictional heat causing change in the electric resistance value of the MR read head element to produce an abnormal read out signal or thermal asperity.
In order to avoid such thermal asperity, several methods for controlling magnetic spacing have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,113 discloses a slider having a transducer or a magnetic head element, and a heater formed, adjacent to the transducer, in the slider body or between the slider body and the transducer. The heater is heated by applying current there through, and the transducer is protruded due to the difference in expansion coefficients between a transducer-formed region including a protection layer and the slider body so as to control the magnetic spacing.
US patent publication No. 2003/174430 discloses a thin-film magnetic head structure with a read head element, a write head element and a thermally expansive element for bringing the read head element and the write head element close to a magnetic disk surface when current flow a heater. In this structure, the heater and the thermally expansive element are arranged in a pair. When the heater is energized, the thermally expansive element arranged in a pair expands to distort an overcoat layer of the magnetic head so that the read head element and the write head element are brought close to the magnetic disk surface.
US patent publication No. 2003/99054 discloses a thin-film magnetic head with a heating means arranged at the opposite of an air bearing surface (ABS) of a magnetic head element. When the magnetic head element is in operation, the heating means is heated so that the magnetic head element protrudes toward the ABS direction to adjust a magnetic spacing.
However, in such thin-film magnetic heads provided with the pair of heater and thermally expansive element or with the heating means, or a thin-film magnetic head provided with no heater but thermally expanded by the heat of its inductive write head element, because the generated heat and stress are applied to the MR read head element, shortening in lifetime, or change in characteristic or instability caused by the stress change under high temperature sometimes occur.
In the conventional methods for controlling the magnetic spacing of such thin-film magnetic heads, there has been almost no measure to maintain the temperature increase of the MR read head element.

Thin-film magnetic head, head gimbal assembly with thin-film magnetic head, magnetic disk drive apparatus with head gimbal assembly, method for designing thin-film magnetic head and manufacturing method of thin-film magnetic head


[Problems] To provide a chemical polymerization type curable composition which can achieve a very large strength of adhesion even without irradiated with light, and is used in the field of dental therapy.

Means for restoring a tooth that is damaged by, for example, decaying, generally, varies depending upon the degree of damage to the tooth. In the initial to middle stage of decaying, for example, a cavity formed in the tooth is relatively small. In this case, a direct restoration is employed, in many cases, to directly fill the cavity with a curable restorative from such standpoints that the restoring work can be done easily and quickly, and that the restored portion exhibits excellent aesthetic appearance. If the degree of damage is large and a relatively large cavity is formed in the tooth, an indirect restoration is employed, in many cases, to join a prosthetic material (comprising, for example, a metal, ceramics or resin) to the portion of the tooth that is to be restored, the prosthetic material having been prepared in advance outside of the oral cavity.
Here, the restorative such as a composite resin or a prosthetic material has no adhesiveness to the tooth. To adhere it to the tooth, therefore, use is made of a dental adhesive comprising a curable composition that contains a polymerizable monomer component and a polymerization initiator component. In such a dental adhesive, a (meth)acrylate type monomer is used as a chief component of the polymerizable monomer, a photopolymerization initiator is used as a polymerization initiator, and a cured body is, usually, formed by the radical polymerization upon being irradiated with light.
However, there have also been known dental adhesives comprising curable compositions containing a chemical polymerization initiator (see, for example, patent documents 1 to 8). For example, even if it is attempted to directly restore a greatly damaged tooth with its crown destroyed by using a curable restorative, i.e., even if the portion to be restored is irradiated with intense light, light fails to reach the bottom portions thereof to a sufficient degree. In this case, therefore, there is used an adhesive that contains a chemical polymerization initiator as described above. Further, if the indirect restoration is carried out by using a prosthetic material that does not permit the transmission of light, such as a metallic prosthetic material, the adhesive cannot be sufficiently cured by photopolymerization, either. In this case, too, therefore, there is used an adhesive containing a chemical polymerization type polymerization initiator. Namely, the chemical polymerization initiator contains a radical-generating species and a reactive species, and generates radicals which serve as polymerization-initiating species upon contacting these two components together. Therefore, the adhesive containing the chemical polymerization initiator undergoes the polymerization to form a cured body without the need of being irradiated with light.
Further, there have been developed adhesives containing a photopolymerization initiator as well as an acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer having adhesiveness to teeth in order to obtain a higher adhering strength (see, for example, patent documents 1 and 2). That is, acidic groups such as phosphoric acid group and carboxylic acid group have a high affinity to the teeth (hydroxyapatite or collagen). By using a polymerizable monomer having such an acidic group, a cured product can be formed that is highly adhesive to the teeth. Upon making present water together therewith, further, the adhesive containing the acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer exhibits both the demineralizing function (etching capability) and the penetrating function to the teeth owing to the action of the acidic group. Upon being applied only once, the adhesive adheres highly to the teeth even without using primer and can, therefore, be used as a one-step type adhesive offering excellent operability (see, for example, patent documents 4, 9 and 10).
There have, further, been proposed dental adhesives blended with a polyvalent metal ion-eluting filler in addition to being blended with the acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer and water (see, for example, patent documents 4 to 12). Here, the polyvalent metal ion-eluting filler stands for a filler that elutes out ions of a polyvalent metal such as an alkaline earth metal or aluminum in an acidic solution such as a fluoroaluminosilicate glass. With the above adhesives, polyvalent metal ions eluted out from the polyvalent metal ion-eluting filler at the time of curing ionically bond to the acidic groups of the acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer to form ionic crosslinking. Namely, the polymerizable monomer is polymerized while the ionic crosslinking is being formed contributing to greatly increasing the strength of the cured body that is obtained and, as a result, to further increasing the strength of adhesion to the teeth.
With the above adhesives, however, ionic crosslinking occurs excessively during the storage to form a gel. Therefore, the polyvalent metal ion-eluting filler is stored in a package separate from a package that contains the acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer and water. Just before the use, the components contained in the packages are mixed together and used.
There has, further, been proposed a dental adhesive using, as the acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer, a polymerizable monomer that contains a phosphoric acid group, the polymerizable monomer being blended in the form of a salt such as calcium salt. It has been reported that this adhesive exhibits excellent strength of adhesion to the teeth (patent document 3).
The above conventional means for improving adhesion are chiefly applied to the dental adhesives of the photopolymerization type containing photopolymerization initiators. If these means are applied to the adhesives of the chemical polymerization type that contain chemical polymerization initiators and that undergo polymerization and curing without being irradiated with light, however, satisfactory adhesion is not obtained. That is, according to the study conducted by the present inventors, the chemical polymerization type adhesive containing, for example, the acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer and the polyvalent metal ion-eluting filler exhibits a considerably large strength of adhesion in the initial stage of polymerization and curing. After the passage of a predetermined period of time in a severe environment in an oral cavity, however, the strength of adhesion decreases sharply and, therefore, it becomes very highly probable that the composite resin or the prosthetic material peels off.
Patent document 1: JP-A-52-113089
Patent document 2: JP-A-58-21687
Patent document 3: JP-A-53-113843
Patent document 4: JP-A-2001-72523
Patent document 5: JP-A-2006-299201
Patent document 6: Leaflet of International Publication WO03/027153
Patent document 7: JP-A-2007-91607
Patent document 8: JP-A-2001-122718
Patent document 9: JP-A-9-309811
Patent document 10: JP-A-2004-529946
Patent document 11: JP-A-10-236912
Patent document 12: JP-A-2000-86421

Abstract: [Means for Solution] A dental curable composition comprising (A) a polymerizable monomer component containing an acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer, (B) water, and (C) a chemical polymerization initiator component comprising a radical-generating species and a reactive species that generates radicals upon reacting with the radical-generating species; wherein, the dental curable composition is stored being divided into a plurality of packages, and is polymerized and cured by mixing together the components contained in the packages; and wherein one package (I) among the packages contains the component (A) and the component (B), and, further, contains polyvalent metal ions in an amount of 0.3 to 10 meq per gram of the polymerizable monomer component (A) contained in the package; and the chemical polymerization initiator (C) is stored being divided into at least two packages so that the radical-generating species and the reactive species do not come in contact with each other.