A tear portion is formed at a substantially center portion in a longitudinal direction and at both end portions in a lateral direction of an air bag door portion of an instrument panel so as to be formed in an H shape in a plan view. In the air bag door portion, protrusions are protruded downward at positions at both sides in a longitudinal direction of an automotive vehicle having therebetween a center portion of the tear portion, these protrusions being integrally formed with the air bag door portion. Accordingly, it is structured such that during expansion of the air bag body, the expanding air bag body abuts lower surfaces of the protrusions, so as to press the protrusions upward. Therefore, even in a case wherein the air bag door portion and the main body portion of the trim member for the automotive vehicle are formed of the same resin, a quality of an outer appearance is not deteriorated, and a break force of a break portion of the air bag door portion is reduced to a desired value.

Conventionally, as an interior member of an automotive vehicle having an air bag door portion such as an instrument panel, a door trim, a center pillar and the like, there has been known a structure described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 8-192666.
In the instrument panel having the air bag door portion disclosed in the above publication, a main body portion of the instrument panel and the air bag door portion are integrally formed by so-called dual-injection molding (double injection molding) wherein the air bag door portion (an opening portion) is injection molded with a thermoplastic elastomer, after a main body portion of the instrument panel having an opening portion for the air bag door is injection molded with a thermoplastic resin. Further, as a popularly known structure, there is an instrument panel to which an independent air bag door (injection molded with a thermoplastic elastomer) is later attached.
However, in the instrument panel having the air bag door portion mentioned above, in a case wherein the whole of the instrument panel is constructed of the same resin without replacing the resin of the air bag door portion with the resin of the main body portion, on the basis of characteristics of the resin in the main body portion, the rate of elasticity of the resin in the main body portion is 6 to 7 times higher than the rate of elasticity of the resin (TPO) in the air bag door portion, and the tensile strength in the main body portion is 1.5 to 2 times higher than the tensile strength in the air bag door portion; thus, the break force of a portion for expansion formed in the air bag door portion, an H-shaped break portion (a tear portion), for example, becomes higher in a case of the same thickness, so that it is hard for the air bag door portion to expand, and moreover, a hinge portion may break during expansion. If in order to solve this problem, the thickness of the resin in the break portion is made too thin, underfill, oil-can-like-feeling and deformation are generated. Particularly, in a hard resin instrument panel, since unevenness appears in a periphery of the thin portion at an outer appearance side due to weld shrinkage, an undulation and the like, the quality of the appearance of outer is lowered.
Further, in order to achieve a state wherein both a line of the break portion and an outer periphery of the air bag door portion are completely invisible from the outer appearance side (an invisible type), there is a method of making the break portion thick during molding and then cutting the break portion through a later process. However, in this method, it is very difficult to make the line in the break portion invisible while maintaining a predetermined break force. That is, when the thickness of the resin is made thin, the line and the undulation in the break portion are seen from the outer appearance side even in a case wherein a relief groove is provided, so that the quality of the outer appearance can not be maintained, and the thickness of the resin can not be made sufficiently thin.
When it is difficult to expand the door portion due to the increased break force required during expansion at the break portion (tear portion), which is formed at the air bag door portion, and in order to ameliorate this the thickness of the resin in the break portion is made too thin, the thin portion becomes visible from an outer side and so the quality of the exterior appearance deteriorates; this deficiency is also generated with respect to: a break portion of an interior member of an automotive vehicle (vehicle interior member) such as an instrument panel, door trim, center pillar, or the like, wherein the interior member is integrally formed in accordance with dual-injection molding, using different resins for the main body portion of the vehicle interior member and for the air bag portion; and a break portion of a vehicle interior member wherein the vehicle interior member is obtained by integrally assembling the air bag door portion and the main body portion of the instrument panel by means of a locking hook, a screw or the like, after independently molding the air bag door portion and the main body portion of the instrument panel.
As for technologies relating to the present invention, there are: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 3-281457 and 7-179161 in which stress is concentrated at a foaming layer and a skin in a door-integral foaming instrument panel during an initial period of expansion, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2-147452 in which a bead is formed along a tear portion in a later attached resin door, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 5-185898 in which a blade is set at a distal end of a door metal plate insert in a door-integral foaming instrument panel, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 7-291078 in which a hinge portion is reinforced in a hard instrument panel obtained by integrally molding a door portion and a main body of the instrument panel, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 8-290749 in which a hinge portion is reinforced in a skin instrument panel obtained by integrally molding a door base member and an instrument panel base member, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2-283546 in which a rib applying maximum shearing force to a tear portion of an independent door is integrally formed, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2-109848 in which at a can lid, a thin line is formed in a resin layer so as to surround an opened portion and a weld line is set on the thin line, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 7-291078 in which a reinforcing member is thermally caulked on a reverse face of a door portion in a resin instrument panel and a notch is formed on a tear line of the door portion, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 8-20040 in which a different kind of resin is injected by shielding a metal mold cavity by means of a shielding core so as to perform a core-back immediately before the injection is completed.
The present invention has been made taking the above facts into consideration, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an interior member for an automotive vehicle having an air bag door portion in which the quality of the outer appearance is not deteriorated and the break force of a break portion in the air bag door portion can be reduced to a desired value even in a case of molding the air bag door portion and a main body portion of the trim member for the automotive vehicle with the same resin.
A first aspect of the present invention, there is comprises: a tear portion formed in the air bag door portion; and push-up means for pushing up a portion at both sides or one side of the air bag door portion having therebetween a center portion of the tear portion when a bag body of the air bag is expanded.
Accordingly, an impact load from the bag body of the air bag is concentrated at the center portion of the tear portion when the bag body of the air bag is expanded, and the center portion of the tear portion is smoothly broken. As a result, since the tear portion can be easily broken even when the thickness of the tear portion is large, it is possible to devise to reconcile expansion performance and the quality of the outer appearance (making invisible). Further, since the tear portion is broken first, a load at the hinge portion in the air bag door portion can be lightened. Still further, since the air bag door portion can be made of a hard material with high rigidity, an oil-can-like-feeling and deformation can be prevented.
Further, a second aspect of the present invention, comprises: a tear portion formed in the air bag door portion; and a door hinge portion protecting plate disposed below the air bag door portion, protruding toward a side of the tear portion rather than toward a hinge portion of the air bag door portion and having a high break force.
Accordingly, since the door hinge portion protecting plate is provided, the bag body of the air bag is prevented from being directly abutting the hinge portion of the air bag door portion when the air bag body is expanded, so that the hinge portion of the air bag door portion can be prevented from being broken by the bag body of the air bag. Further, since the hinge portion of the air bag door portion can be protected, breakage can be made with relative ease in the tear portion having a low strength.
Still further, a third aspect of the present invention comprises: a resin fluidizing boundary is set at a core back area, which is for forming a tear portion when the air bag door portion is expanded; and a line of the tear portion is not seen from a side of an outer appearance.
Accordingly, the break force in the break portion can be lowered to a desired value due to a reduction of strength caused by the resin fluidizing boundary, by setting the resin fluidizing boundary in the core back area for forming the break portion when the air bag door portion is expanded. Further, since it is not necessary to make the resin thickness of the break portion significantly thin, the line in the break portion can be made in a state of being fully invisible from the side of the outer appearance, so that the quality of the outer appearance can be prevented from being lowered, heat resistance and aging performance is improved, and support and surface rigidity of a whole of the air bag door portion can be also improved.
Furthermore, in a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the push-up means at a position at both sides or one side of the air bag door portion having therebetween a center portion of the tear portion is a protrusion which is integrally provided with the air bag door portion and which protrudes downward.
Accordingly, the impact load from the bag body of the air bag momentarily acts on the portion when the bag body of the air bag is expanded, and breakage is smoothly performed from the center portion of the tear portion. Further, it is possible to devise to reconcile the quality of the outer appearance and expansion performance through a simple structure in which the portion is merely provided in the air bag door portion.
Moreover, in a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the push-up means is disposed at a lower side of the air bag door portion, and is a metal plate providing a protrusion at at least one of an upper surface or a lower surface of a distal end portion that abuts, when the air bag body is expanded, a position at both sides or one side of the air bag door portion having therebetween the center portion of the tear portion.
Accordingly, due to the metal plate, the impact load from the bag body of the air bag acts on the center portion of the tear portion in a concentrated manner when the bag body of the air bag expands, so that breakage is smoothly performed from the center portion of the tear portion. As a result, it is possible to devise to reconcile the quality of the outer appearance and expansion performance. Further, the structure can be applied to a conventional trim member for an automotive vehicle by using the metal plate.
Further, in a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the push-up means is disposed at a lower side of the air bag door portion and is a metal plate providing a narrow protrusion at an upper surface of a distal end portion that abuts, when the air bag body is expanded, a position at both sides or one side of the air bag door portion having therebetween the center portion of the tear portion, when the air bag body is expanded.
Accordingly, due to the protrusion of the metal plate, the impact load from the bag body of the air bag acts on the center portion of the tear portion in a concentrated manner when the bag body of the air bag expands, so that breakage is smoothly performed from the center portion of the tear portion. At this time, the narrow projection is provided on the upper surface of the front end portion of the metal plate, whereby it is possible to reliably break from the center portion of the tear portion even when the upper surface of the bag body of the air bag is of an uneven shape during an initial period of expansion.
Still further, in a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the push-up means is disposed at a lower side of the air bag door portion and is a metal plate providing a distal end portion that abuts, when the air bag body is expanded, a portion at both sides or one side of the air bag door portion having therebetween the center portion of the tear portion when the air bag body is expanded; a hinge portion of the metal plate is off set toward a side of the tear portion rather than toward the hinge portion of the air bag door portion; and with respect to the hinge portion of the metal plate, a tear portion side position has more rigidity than a fixing portion of the metal plate and a hinge portion of the metal plate.
Accordingly, due to the distal end portion of the metal plate the impact load from the bag body of the air bag acts on the center portion of the tear portion in a concentrated manner when the bag body of the air bag expands, so that breakage is smoothly performed from the center portion of the tear portion. As a result, it is possible to devise to reconcile the quality of the outer appearance and expansion performance. Further, since it is possible due to the metal plate to prevent the bag body of the air bag from being directly abutting the hinge portion of the air bag door portion when the bag body of the air bag is expanded, it is possible to prevent breakage of the hinge portion of the air bag door portion due to the bag body of the air bag.
Furthermore, in an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a hinge portion of the air bag door portion is formed as a thin portion having a predetermined thickness across a predetermined longitudinal width and is adjacent to a case mounting portion, and a groove as a bending point is set in the middle of the longitudinal width of the thin portion.
Accordingly, since the bending point can be set apart from the case mounting portion at which the plate thickness suddenly changes, the rate of local expansion (the rate of the extension of the skin layer) due to bending can be reduced. Further, since the groove is formed at the bending point, the surface expansion length of the bending portion can be increased and the actual expansion rate can be made small, so that it is possible to effectively prevent the hinge portion from breakage due to bending when the bag body of the air bag is expanded.
Moreover, in a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the air bag door portion and the main body portion are integrally formed of the same hard resin material, or separately formed.
Accordingly, even in a case wherein the air bag door portion and the main body portion are integrally or separately formed of the same hard resin material, the impact load from the bag body of the air bag is concentrated at the center portion of the tear portion, so that breakage is smoothly performed from the center portion of the tear portion. As a result, since breakage is easily performed even when the thickness of the tear portion is thick, it is possible to reconcile a expansion performance and a quality of an outer appearance (making invisible). Further, since the tear portion is broken first, it is possible to reduce the load on the hinge portion in the air bag door portion. Still further, since the air bag door portion can be constituted of a hard material having a high rigidity, it is possible to prevent an oil-can-like-feeling and deformation.
Further, in a tenth aspect the present invention, in the first aspect, the air bag door portion and the main body portion are integrally formed of the same hard resin material or separately formed, and a surface of these base materials are covered with a skin with a common or separated tear portion with insert molding or attachment molding.
Accordingly, the impact load from the bag body of the air bag is concentrated at the center portion of the tear portion when the bag body of the air bag expands, so that the base member and the skin of the air bag door portion is smoothly broken. As a result, since breakage can be easily performed even when the thickness of the tear portion in the base member of the air bag door portion is made large, it is possible to reconcile expansion performance and restriction of reduction in the quality of the outer appearance (weld shrinkage and an swelling-shaped unevenness). Further, since it is possible to construct with the hard resin material having a high rigidity, it is possible to prevent an oil-can-like-feeling and deformation. Still further, in a case wherein the air bag door portion and the main body portion are integrally formed of the same hard resin material, a complex mold structure is not required in comparison with a dual-injection molding, and a post treatment of the base member is not required.
Still further, in an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the air bag door portion and the main body portion are integrally formed of the same hard resin material or separately formed, and a foam layer and a skin with a tear portion commonly formed or separately formed are integrally formed on a surface of the base members thereof.
Accordingly, the impact load from the bag body of the air bag is concentrated at the center portion of the tear portion when the bag body of the air bag expands, so that the base member of the air bag door portion, the foamed layer and the skin are smoothly broken. As a result, since it is possible to easily cause breakage even if the thickness of the tear portion in the base member of the air bag door portion is made large, it is possible to reconcile expansion performance and prevention of underfill during molding. Further, since it is possible to construct with the hard resin material having a high rigidity, there is no swelling feeling which easily generates when estimating heat resistance or the like.
Furthermore, in a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the main body portion and the air bag door portion of the trim member for the automotive vehicle integrally formed or separately formed are formed of the same resin in accordance with an injection molding.
Accordingly, by setting the resin fluidizing boundary at a core back area, which is for forming a tear portion during expansion of the air bag door portion, it is possible to lower the break force in the break force to a desired value, due to strength reduction which depends on the resin fluidizing boundary. Further, since it is not necessary to make the resin thickness of the break portion significantly thin, the line in the break portion can be made in a state of being fully invisible from the side of the outer appearance, the quality of the outer appearance can be prevented from being lowered, heat resistance and aging performance is improved, and support and surface rigidity of a whole of the air bag door portion can be also improved. Still further, in a case wherein the air bag door portion and the main body portion are integrally formed of the same resin, it is not necessary to paint the trim member for the automotive vehicle while separating into two kinds of materials, so that low cost can be achieved.
Moreover, in a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, a main body portion and the air bag door portion of the trim member for the automotive vehicle has an air bag door portion integrally formed using different resins in accordance with dual-injection molding.
Accordingly, even in the trim member for the automotive vehicle having the air bag door portion integrally formed by the dual-injection molding, by setting the resin fluidizing boundary at the core back area which is for forming the break portion when the air bag door portion is expanded the break force in the break portion can be lowered to a desired value, due to strength reduction which depends on the resin fluidizing boundary. Further, since it is not necessary to make the resin thickness of the break portion significantly thin, the line in the break portion can be made in a state of being fully invisible from the side of the outer appearance, the quality of the outer appearance can be prevented from being lowered, heat resistance and aging performance is improved, and support and surface rigidity of a whole of the air bag door portion can be also improved.
Moreover, in a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, a main body portion of a base member and the air bag door portion of the trim member for the automotive vehicle, which are integrally formed or separately formed, are formed using the same resin in accordance with injection molding, the base member having an air bag door portion covered by a skin having a tear portion or lacking a tear portion.
Accordingly, even in the trim member for the automotive vehicle having a so-called skin insert and a skin attachment type air bag door portion wherein the base member is covered by the skin having the tear portion or lacking the tear portion, by setting the resin fluidizing boundary at the core back area which is for forming the break portion when the air bag door portion is expanded the break force in the break portion can be lowered to a desired value, due to a strength reduction which depends on the resin fluidizing boundary. Further, since it is not necessary to make the resin thickness of the break portion significantly thin, the quality of the outer appearance transferred to the skin can be prevented from being lowered, heat resistance and aging performance is improved, and support and surface rigidity of a whole of the air bag door portion can be also improved.
Further, in a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, a main body portion of a base member and the air bag door portion in the trim member for the automotive vehicle, which are integrally formed or separately formed are formed using the same resin in accordance with injection molding, the base member being covered by a skin having a tear portion, and a foam layer being formed between the skin and the base member.
Accordingly, even in the trim member for the automotive vehicle having a so-called integrally foamed type air bag door portion in which the base member is covered by the skin having a tear portion and the foamed layer is formed between the skin and the base member, by setting the resin fluidizing boundary at the core back area which is for forming the break portion when the air bag door portion is expanded the break force in the break portion can be lowered to a desired value, due to strength reduction which depends on the resin fluidizing boundary. Further, since it is not necessary to make the resin thickness of the break portion significantly thin, underfill during formation can be prevented, heat resistance and aging performance is improved, and support and surface rigidity of a whole of the air bag door portion can be also improved.
Further, in a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, a cavity is separated in the tear portion by bringing a slide core having a distal end formed in a substantially triangular shape into contact with or in the proximity of a fixed mold, and in this state a resin is injected into each of the separated cavities, moving the slide core slightly backward at about the time filling is completed.
Accordingly, the resin fluidizing boundary can be set at the break portion when the air bag door portion is broken by a simple method of separating the cavity of the air bag door portion, injecting the resin into each of the cavities in this state and slightly moving backward the slide core under condition at about the time filling of the resin is completed, by means of the slide core having the distal end formed in a substantially triangular shape. As a result, since current molding equipment can be used, it is possible to manufacture at low cost. Further, since the method is simple, high reliability can be achieved in functional quality and high productivity can also be achieved.
Further, in a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the sixteenth aspect, wherein the break strength of the tear portion can be controlled with a combination of a keep pressure and a core back timing at about the time filling is completed and the thickness near the tear portion.
Accordingly, it is possible to easily and accurately control the break strength of the break portion to a desired value with a combination of the keep pressure before and after filling is completed, the core back timing and the thickness near the break portion.
Further, in an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the seventeenth aspect, the core back timing is set to after the filling is completed.
When the core back timing is too soon with respect to completion of filling, the resin filled first is fluidized within a space at the side wherein filling is not completed, so that the resin fluidizing boundary is shifted from the breakage expected portion which depends on the slide core. However, in contrast, in accordance with the present invention, since the core back timing is set to after filling is completed, in addition to the contents stated in claim 6, it is possible to prevent the resin fluidizing boundary and the breakage expected portion from shifting the positions thereof.
Further, in a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the eighteenth aspect, the keep pressure after the filling is completed is decreased, separating into several stages, and the core back timing is set to after a second stage of the keep pressure.
Accordingly, since the first stage of the keep pressure can be reliably performed by setting the core back timing to after the second stage of the keep pressure, the weight, size and shape of the formed product can be stabilized, so that generation of deficiencies in the product can be reduced.
Further, a twentieth aspect of the present invention comprises: a tear portion formed in the air bag door portion; and push-up means for pushing up a portion at both sides or one side of the air bag door portion having therebetween a center portion of the tear portion when a bag body of the air bag is expanded, wherein a resin fluidizing boundary is set at a core back area for forming the tear portion, and a line of the tear portion can not be seen from a side of an outer appearance.
Accordingly, the impact load from the bag body of the air bag is concentrated at the center portion of the tear portion when the bag body of the air bag is expanded, since the push-up means is provided. Further, since the resin fluidizing boundary is set at the core back area which is for forming the break portion when the air bag door portion is expanded, it is possible to decrease the break force of the break portion to a desired value, due to strength reduction which depends on the resin fluidizing boundary. As a result, it is possible to devise to reconcile expansion performance and the quality of the outer appearance (making invisible).

Interior member having an airbag door section for use in vehicles, and its molding method


An apparatus and method for forming a carbon protective layer on a substrate using a plasma CVD method allows a more uniform in-plane distribution of the carbon protective layer thickness. The apparatus includes an annular anode that generates a plasma beam and a disk-shaped shield disposed between the anode and the substrate. The anode, the shield, and the substrate are concentrically arranged so that a straight line connecting the centers of the anode and the substrate is perpendicular to the deposition surface of the substrate where the carbon protective layer is to be formed. The center of the shield is also on the straight line.

Examples of carbon protective layers used for coating sliding-resistant members or friction-resistant members include diamond-like carbon (DLC) films and graphite carbon films. Carbon protective layers are formed on magnetic recording layers of magnetic recording media to serve as sliding-resistant members to protect the magnetic recording layers from damage or corrosion induced by sliding and contact with magnetic heads. In recent years, DLC films formed by a plasma CVD method have been used. This is because a DLC film formed by the plasma CVD method is denser and harder than a film formed by a sputtering method. This feature is apparently due to the fact that the DLC film formed by the plasma CVD method is formed by hydrocarbon radicals, and a tetrahedral structure with a high three-dimensional rigidity is easily formed via hydrogen.
The increase in recording density is a requirement applied to magnetic recording media, and reducing the thickness of protective film and decreasing the distance between a head element and a magnetic recording layer is an effective means for meeting this requirement. When the film thickness is reduced, it is important to have a uniform in-plane distribution of the film thickness. Thus, even where the in-plane average value of film thickness is sufficient to obtain the predetermined electromagnetic conversion characteristic and the thickness is sufficient to ensure reliability, such as corrosion resistance, where the in-plane distribution of film thickness is nonuniform, the predetermined electromagnetic conversion characteristic cannot be obtained in thick places, whereas the reliability such as corrosion resistance cannot be ensured in thin places.
A method of disposing an appropriate shield within a plasma CVD chamber when a DLC film is formed by a plasma CVD method with the object of obtaining a uniform in-plane distribution of protective film thickness has been investigated. See for example Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open Nos. 2001-148118 and 2003-30823. With the usual plasma CVD method, the film thickness in the central zone of a substrate for film formation tends to increase because plasma irradiating the substrate is concentrated in the central zone. Disposing a shield in the vicinity of the central zone can make the film thickness more uniform. See, for example, paragraph 0010 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-30823.
Further improvements, however, are needed to obtain a more uniform film thickness. Accordingly, there still remains a need for forming a carbon protective layer using a plasma CVD method, which makes it possible to bring the in-plane distribution of film thickness close to a uniform distribution.

Apparatus and method for forming carbon protective layer


A hydraulic unit, in particular for a controllable-slip vehicle brake system, includes a housing block, a pump, a first fluid duct, and a second fluid duct. The housing block defines a pump receptacle that receives the pump, which has a suction side and a pressure side. The first duct crosses the pump receptacle in a region of the pressure side of the pump. The second duct leads into the pump receptacle in the region of the pressure side. The first and second ducts are sealed off from each over via a separation point. The hydraulic unit is configured to enable contact with a damping device configured to damp pulsations and reduce operating noise of the hydraulic unit without negatively impacting functional properties of the hydraulic unit, in particular on pressure build-up dynamics of the vehicle brake system, or without jeopardizing a compact construction of the hydraulic unit.

A hydraulic unit of this kind is known from DE 10 2008 002 740 A1, for example. This known hydraulic unit has a housing block, on which the individual components for controlling the brake pressure in accordance with the existing wheel slip are arranged and hydraulically interlinked. One essential component for this is a pump, which is inserted into a pump receptacle of the housing block and is actuated, e.g. mechanically by an electric motor and an eccentric driven by the latter. Pumps pump pressure medium away from the wheel brakes when required in order to lower the wheel brake pressure or supply pressure medium to the wheel brakes at a high pressure if an increase in the wheel brake pressure is necessary.
Particularly pumps in the form of piston pumps can trigger pressure pulsations owing to the cyclical operating principle thereof, and these pulsations are perceptible as unwanted operating noise in the vehicle. To smooth or damp these pulsations, damping devices are provided on the pump pressure side, said devices generally having at least one pressure medium accumulator with an accumulator capacity (C element) that can vary in accordance with the pressure and at least one restriction element (R element), which is arranged downstream thereof. Spring-operated piston accumulators as pressure medium accumulators are known, for example, said accumulators being arranged in a dedicated accumulator receptacle of the hydraulic unit and being linked to the pump pressure side by pressure-medium-carrying fluid ducts. Known restriction elements include fixed restrictors with a constant restrictor cross section or dynamic restrictors with a restrictor cross section that can vary in accordance with the pressure.
Irrespective of this, the small amount of installation space available in motor vehicles makes it necessary to embody the hydraulic unit and hence the housing block thereof in as compact and weight-saving a manner as possible. One known measure for this is to arrange the fluid duct for linking a switchover valve to an inlet valve of a vehicle brake system on the hydraulic unit in such a way that it intersects a pump receptacle.
If a damping device is then connected to a fluid duct routed in this way in order to damp pressure pulsations, there is then the disadvantage that the restriction element arranged downstream of the pressure medium accumulator represents a flow resistance which has a disadvantageous effect in operating states of the vehicle brake system in which it is important to supply as large as possible a pressure medium volume quickly. These are, for example, emergency braking operations, especially those for avoiding a collision with other road users. Particularly in the case of falling temperatures and, accordingly, increasingly viscous pressure medium, the restricting effect of the restriction element furthermore increases sharply and thereby exacerbates the effect described.


The bow sight assembly is provided for use in archery, more particularly for use with a rangefinder, such as a split image rangefinder. The rangefinder is operated by moving a trigger connected to a positioning mechanism of the bow sight assembly until the instrument reads the range between the bow and the target. Simultaneously, a sight arm on which is located the sight pin rotates about a pivot in direct proportion to the movement of a vertical member connected to the rangefinder. In use, the setting of the sight positioning assembly allows the sight arm and its sight pin to be at the appropriate angle when the rangefinder is indicating the actual range between the bow and the target.

In archery, knowing the distance between the archer and the target is very important for shooting with accuracy. Since the path of an arrow is always curved upwardly for taking the gravity into account according to the laws of ballistics, the farther the target, the greater is the initial angle the arrow defines with the horizontal. Therefore, since the initial angle of the arrow is proportional to the range, the archer has to know or somehow evaluate the range in order to set the bow at the right angle before releasing the arrow. An error in the range evaluation may result in missing the center of the target or worse, hit non vital tissues and wound an animal when bow hunting.
For resolving this problem, one can use various instruments for finding the range between the target and the archer. Among the instruments for finding the range, a very effective one is the split image rangefinder which relies on an optical mechanism generating an image having two halves, which are generally a right and a left half. The user then changes the setting of the rangefinder until the two parts of the image appear to be aligned with each other. At that moment, the user can read the distance on the instrument scale and aim accordingly. However, when bow hunting, the archer may not have enough time to find the range, put the instrument away, take the bow, draw, aim and shoot if the prey is in movement or stopped for only a very short period of time. Moreover, the various movements of the archer may be sensed by the prey and alert it.


The invention provides a method for producing a modified major mite allergen, obtained by altering a major allergen of house dust mites by gene engineering, which involve the steps of culturing prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cells transformed with a replication vector containing a gene encoding modified major mite allergen expressed from a promoter and collecting the expressed modified major mite allergen from the culture. The present invention provides a modified major mite allergen produced by the method, DNA molecules encoding same, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the modified major mite allergen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modified allergen, which is obtained by altering a major allergen (Der f II) of house dust mites by gene engineering, and to a method for production of the modified allergen. The modified allergen obtained by the production method can be utilized as a medicine for treating allergic diseases.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is considered that many allergic diseases are due to several kinds of symptoms which are developed by sensitization to the antigen causing the diseases, in which an IgE antibody specific for an allergen in blood serum and tissue is produced, and when the antibody is exposed again to the antigen, the antibody reacts with the antigen in each tissue. Particularly, an immediate type reaction is caused by the combination of antigens with IgE antibodies on mast cells and basophils followed by cross-linking the IgE antibodies, and the subsequent release of several kinds of chemical mediators from mast cells or basophils.
There is a method for controlling the binding between the antigen and the IgE antibody as a method for treating allergic diseases. If the binding between the antigen and the IgE antibody is controlled, the cross-linking among the IgE antibodies on mast cells or basophils, and the release of chemical mediators are controlled to have an effect on the treatment.
On the other hand, it appears that allergic diseases, such as bronchial asthma, childhood asthma, atopic dermatitis and the like, are mainly caused by an allergen from mites living in house dust. Several kinds of proteins of major mite allergens have been identified as major mite allergens (Platts-Mills et al., J. Allergy Clin. Immunol., 80, 755; 1987). Furthermore, a method for mass producing a purified major mite allergen has been disclosed (Yuuki et al., Japanese J. Allergology, 39, 557 (1990) and Japanese Patent Application No. 3-254683). In addition, the allergen in which a part of the above purified major mite allergen is changed, and a production method thereof has been filed (Japanese Patent Application No. 5-139793).
However, the proteins of the major allergens of mites which have been reported and identified show problems of an allergic reaction, namely anaphylactic shock, in hyposensitization therapy, because the activity of these allergens is high.
On the other hand, if the modified major mite allergen, which has lower IgE-binding activity or lower allergen activity than wild-type allergens and inhibits the binding of the antigen (Der f II) and the IgE antibody, is obtained, it is possible to provide an effective medicine for treating allergic diseases. The medicine does not show the anaphylactic shock of an allergic reaction caused by antigen administration, and it does not have an effect on the other parts of the immune system since the medicine is specific to the antigen. Modified major mite allergens have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Nos. 5-139793 and 5-275897. In the former application, there are problems of maintenance and stability of immunogenicity because the molecular structure is greatly changed by amino acid substitutions. In the latter application, it is not enough to minimize the structural change and to lower the allergen activity because a modified position of the allergen is not satisfactorily specified, and only alanine is used as a substitute amino acid.

Engineered acarid allergen and process for producing the same


An actuation indicator that includes a drum sub-assembly, which includes a rotatable actuation indicator wheel, a rocking, ratchet pawl for rotating the indicator wheel in a set direction and a rocking mechanism for the pawl driven by a slipping clutch arrangement, is described. The slipping clutch arrangement includes a slipping clutch spring engaged at one end to a pinion of a rack and pinion assembly and at a second end to the ratchet pawl.

"pMDIs" are well known in the art of inhalation devices. It is therefore not necessary to describe the construction and operation of a PMDI other than in bare essentials.
A PMDI comprises an aerosol canister and a tubular actuator.
The aerosol canister comprises a pressurised can, typically made from a metal, such as aluminium. Inside the can there is contained the pressurised medicinal aerosol formulation. The can is sealingly capped by a metering valve assembly at what will hereinafter be referred to as the "outlet end" of the aerosol canister. The valve assembly includes a hollow dispensing member or valve stem which projects from the outlet end of the aerosol canister. The dispensing member is mounted for sliding movement relative to the aerosol canister between an extended position, to which the dispensing member is biased by a biasing mechanism in the valve assembly, and a depressed position.
Movement of the dispensing member from the extended position to the depressed position results in a metered dose of the aerosol formulation being dispensed from the canister through the dispensing member.
The tubular actuator comprises an internal passageway having an open end. The aerosol canister is slidable into the internal passageway through the open end with the outlet end being inserted first into the internal passageway.
The actuator has a stand or stem block which receives the dispensing member of the aerosol canister when the aerosol canister is received in the actuator in a "rest position". The stand has a passageway with an inlet end for receiving the dispensing member and an outlet end which faces a mouthpiece of the actuator. The stand holds the dispensing member stationary in the actuator whereby depression of the aerosol canister from its rest position farther into the actuator to an "actuated position" causes the dispensing member to be displaced from the extended position to the depressed position relative to the canister. A metered dose of the aerosol formulation will thereby be dispensed out of the mouthpiece of the actuator via the internal passageway of the stand.
In use, a patient in need of a metered dose of the medicinal aerosol formulation places their lips on the mouthpiece of the actuator and then concurrently inhales and depresses the aerosol canister from the rest position to the actuated position. The inspiratory airflow produced by the patient entrains the medicinal, component of the aerosol into the patient's respiratory tract.
Instead of a mouthpiece, there could be provided a nozzle for nasal use.
Developments to these pMDIs have included the provision of actuation indicators therefor, for instance dose counters which are either incremented on each actuation of the pMDI to display a running total of the number of doses dispensed from the pMDI or decremented on each actuation to display the number of doses left in the dispenser. See, for example, W096/16686, U.S. Pat. Nos.4,817,822 and 5,482,030.
A recently developed dose counter is described in PCT Patent Application No. W098/56444, to Glaxo Group Limited, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by way of reference. The dose counter is fixably secured on the outlet end of the aerosol canister and includes a display which denotes the number of metered doses of the medicament formulation left in the aerosol canister. The display of the dose counter is visible to the patient through a window provided in the actuator. The display is presented by a plurality of indicator wheels rotatably mounted on a common axle, each wheel having numerals from '0' to '9' displayed in series around the circumference.
Before the dose counter is mounted on the aerosol canister, the display wheels are arranged so that the display shows the claimed total number of doses available in the aerosol canister, the so-called "label claim". Upon each actuation, an indexing mechanism in the dose counter comprising a star wheel, a driver yoke and a rack operates to decrement the number displayed by the display by rotation of one or more of the indicator wheels.
When the aerosol canister with attached dose counter is in a rest position in the actuator, the rack, which is formed in the actuator, protrudes into the dose counter. When the aerosol canister is moved from the rest position to the actuated position, this results in relative movement between the dose counter and the rack. During this relative movement, the rack engages the yoke of the indexing mechanism to cause it to operate to decrement the number displayed by the display by turning the star wheel. The index mechanism of the mechanical dose counter known from W098/56444 includes a lost motion coupling to compensate for overtravel of the dose counter relative to the rack as the aerosol canister reciprocates between the rest position and the actuated position in the actuator.
A device and method for attaching a dose counter to an aerosol canister is disclosed in PCT application publication WO01/28887, also to Glaxo Group Limited, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by way of reference. The dose counter is fixedly secured to the outlet end of the aerosol canister through a split-ring collar. More particularly, a skirt portion of the dose counter housing surrounds a neck on the can of the aerosol canister, and the split-ring collar is wedged in-between the skirt and a re-entrant surface of the neck and then ultrasonically welded to the skirt. This effectively provides a permanent connection between the dose counter and the aerosol canister to prevent the dose counter from being tampered with.
All these prior art devices, however, require the components thereof to be manufactured to tight tolerances so that they correctly function, or they are difficult to assemble. Accordingly, they are relatively expensive to manufacture. Further, they are unsuitable for attachment to canisters or actuators that are made with wide manufacturing tolerances, as may occur when attempting to reduce the manufacturing cost of actuators or aerosol canisters.
It would be desirable to provide an actuator and/or dose counter that is inexpensive to manufacture due to the lack of the need for tight manufacturing tolerances. It would also be desirable to provide an actuator and/or dose counter that is simple and therefore inexpensive to assemble. It would also be desirable to provide an actuator and/or dose counter that can be used with more than one size of aerosol canister. It would also be desirable to provide components of such devices that allow for wide manufacturing tolerances.

Actuation indicator for a dispensing device


A computer-implemented method for recovering from continuous-data-protection blackouts may include identifying a continuous data protection system configured to copy each change made to a set of data. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a set of changes made to the set of data but missed by the continuous data protection system. The computer-implemented method may further include identifying an alternate change-tracking system that tracks changes made to the set of data. The computer-implemented method may additionally include updating the continuous data protection system with the missed set of changes as tracked by the alternate change-tracking system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Organizations increasingly depend on digitally-stored data in the course of business. In order to protect their data, many organizations may employ a continuous data protection system. Continuous data protection systems may record a copy of each change made to data by using data change tracking/capture mechanisms, allowing organizations to roll their data back to any previous state.
However, in some cases a continuous data protection system may temporarily be unable to record data changes. For example, upgrading the continuous data protection system may require momentarily disabling the change tracking function. In another example, if the data is accessed via a different operating system (e.g., when booting from a live DVD), the change tracking mechanism may not operate and therefore may not capture changes to the data.
Some continuous data protection solutions may attempt to prevent missing any data changes by ensuring that no changes to the data occur while the change tracking subsystem is unable to function. For example, a continuous data protection system may require a system reboot for an upgrade of the continuous data protection system to ensure that no application changes the data while the continuous data protection system is offline. However, interfering with the uptime of a computing system in order to maintain the system's backup infrastructure may be unacceptable. Furthermore, such solutions may not work in cases where the continuous data protection system cannot control the computing system, such as when a different operating system is loaded.
Alternatively, a continuous data protection solution may discover what changes it missed while it was not active by scanning all of the data to determine what data, if any, changed. Unfortunately, this brute force method may both unduly burden system resources and may take a long time to complete. Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies a need for efficiently and effectively recovering from continuous-data-protection blackouts.

Systems and methods for recovering from continuous-data-protection blackouts


The present invention relates to footwear and in particular, but not necessarily restricted thereto, relates to footwear for those with diabetes and, in particular, with ulcers of the sole. The present invention seeks to address some of the problems encountered by prior art limb compression devices and methods. In particular the present invention seeks to provide a boot which can stimulate blood flow. A further object to the invention is to provide a boot with a sole which is adaptable to conform with various shapes and conditions of human feet. The present invention also seeks to provide a new type of footwear that has a therapeutic benefit for diabetic patients with circulatory problems in their foot, and also enables the technique of “off loading” the foot to assist in the healing of any wounds present. The present invention relates to a method for aiding arterial and venous flow from the limb of an ambulatory patient comprising the step of applying pressure to one or more areas of the soft tissue of an underside portion of the foot.

Improvement of arterial blood flow, in patients with obstruction of the arteries to the leg, is usually obtained by surgically bypassing the occluded arteries, or by removing obstructions with devices that are inserted into the blood vessel. In elderly patients who have undergone multiple vascular procedures, the deterioration of arterial blood flow can lead to severe pain (ischemic neuritis), tissue loss (arterial ulcers) or toe loss (gangrene). When the arteries cannot be repaired anymore, this situation may lead to leg amputation.
Blood flow in patient's extremities, particularly the legs, markedly decreases during extended terms of confinement. Such pooling or stasis is particularly acute in surgery and during recovery periods immediately thereafter.
In the past, numerous devices and methods have been disclosed for aiding cardiocepital venous flow to prevent venous hypertension. These devices and methods usually included the use of boots placed around the foot and leg and pressure was applied to the foot and leg. However, the prior devices were extremely cumbersome and usually required the patient to remain immobile. In addition, the prior devices did not concentrate the pressure in those areas in which it was most effective, namely, the soft tissue areas of the foot and leg, and therefore they did not operate efficiently. Also, the prior devices and method could not be used for an ambulatory patient because of the need to be connected with stationary equipment, which in turn needs to be connected to a mains power supply.
Certain treatments comprise of a massager composed of a linear compressor having a piston reciprocated by force of electromagnetic attraction to produce compressed air at a safe pressure with a relatively small difference between the rated pressure and the maximum pressure, a distributor for allowing the compressed air fed from the compressor to be selectively discharged therefrom and a bag having a plurality of air tight sections which are successively expanded by receiving the compressed air fed from the distributor. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,626 relates to a massager which utilizes compressed air at a safe pressure and has a simple structure and easy operation.
Other devices have comprised pressure-fluid massage machines and devices which have been provided with a bag means of rubber or the like, which is wound around a portion to be treated on the subject and expanded by supplying thereto a pressure fluid such as compressed air to exert massaging pressure upon the portion to be treated, thereby massaging the subject. In the massager of this type, to improve the massaging effect, the bag means is partitioned off into air-tight sections so that a pressure fluid can successively be fed into the air-tight sections by use of a distributing valve to give the massaging pressure to successive parts of the portion to be treated on the subject in consequence of the expansion of the bag means.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,954 teaches of a device which operates by providing simultaneous and rapid compression of the soft tissues of the calf, ankle and foot, thereby completely and instantly emptying the veins, and reducing venous pressure to zero in a sitting patient position. Upon rapid deflation of the boot, the reduced venous pressure results in an increased driving pressure for the arterial blood flow. The increased arterial blood flow will occur approximately one second after deflation, and will last for approximately 4-14 seconds. The compression phase itself does not improve arterial flow, but impedes arterial flow; therefore compression is kept as short as possible. The design of the compression boot is fashioned for this purpose. A stiff, non-elastic outer case for the lower leg and foot reduces the amount of fluid (air) needed to inflate the relatively small bladder.
One use for the above mentioned devices is the prevention of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) which sometimes occurs in surgical patients when they are confined to bed. When a DVT occurs, the valves that are located within the veins of the leg can be damaged which in turn can cause stasis and high pressure in the veins of the lower leg.
Patients who have this condition often have leg swelling (oedema) and tissue breakdown (venous stasis ulcer) in the lower leg.
Certain manufacturers provide cuff-like arrangements and similar types of devices;—whilst being designed for and providing assistance to patients with DVT, have been found to provide benefit in diabetic patients. However, a problem exists in that the equipment is electrically powered, and a patient is required to remain immobile for at least 6 hours per day during therapy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,470 provides a physiologic device having a fluid filled compartment. This is surrounded by an outer sheath fastened to the foot. The sheath holds the compartment under the instep and directs the hydraulic forces into the ankle and lower leg. Pressure produced by walking on the fluid compartment is used to compress the lower leg. This prevents swelling and it can heal ulcers due to bad veins. U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,954 teaches of a device and method for the purpose of increasing arterial blood flow to the lower leg, calf, ankle and foot. The device is a compression boot, or cast, and consists of a mono-compartment bladder enclosed in a non-elastic outer envelope connected to an air compressor with regulator valve, providing fast inflation to pressures over 80 mm Hg. Decompression occurs rapidly, by venting a large valve to the atmosphere. During the resulting low pressure phase, there is a marked increase in arterial blood flow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,244 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,458 teach of a device—and corresponding method of use—for an ambulatory patient, wherein the device comprises a cuff for placement around the lower calf and foot of a person suffering from circulatory problems. In this device, air bladders are pulsated about the lower calf and soft tissue of the foot by means of a pump and pulse-inducing flow control means. The cuff does not provide a boot as such and various fasteners are secured so that the cuffs fit snugly, but not so tight as to impair circulation of a foot. When the bladders are inflated, they will bulge inwardly toward the adjacent soft tissue to provide good pressure against the deep veins. US2003/0013997 provides a venous pump to promote circulation; a bladder placed under the sole of a wearer of such a boot inflates a cuff placed around a calf of the wearer of the boot whereby walking provides cyclical compression of the bladder, which in turn inflates the cuff. U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,194 teaches of a self-powered inflatable compression device for use in promoting circulation. However, this device—which comprises sequentially filled pressure sleeves situated about a leg is wrapped in bandage; it provides no support for ulcerated feet and provides a device that is suitable for indoor use.
Despite the known advantages of compressive forces applied to the legs and feet, there remains a need for simple, truly mobile device without the need for further boot arrangements, which enable ambulatory movement and conveniently do not depend on electrical power being available, either from batteries or mains supply. Additionally there is no system available operable to provide a boot or other form of footwear which enables the user to be supported whereby compressive forces encountered in walking do not compromise healing of an ulcerated wound or similar lesion.
The present invention seeks to address some of the problems encountered by prior art limb compression devices and methods. In particular the present invention seeks to provide a boot which can stimulate blood flow. A further object to the invention is to provide a boot with a sole which is adaptable to conform with various shapes and conditions of human feet. The present invention seeks to provide a new type of footwear that has a therapeutic benefit for diabetic patients with circulatory problems in their foot and also enables the technique of "off loading" the foot to assist in the healing of any wounds present.
The present invention further seeks to provide a boot that can improve arterial blood flow in a leg in order to treat ischemic pain and ulceration, and obviate the need for amputation, thereby eliminating the risks of surgery.


A network enhanced, removable storage medium includes content information stored in a format that enables a content player to retrieve and present the content information, a first universal resource locator that identifies a first network resource, first code stored in such a manner that enables a first computing device to automatically invoke execution of the first code in response to the removable medium being received by the first computing device, a second universal resource locator that identifies the location of a second network resource, and second code stored in such a manner that enables a second computing device to automatically invoke execution of the second code in response to the removable storage medium being received by the second computing device. The first code, when executed by the first computing device, causes the first computing device to automatically retrieve the first network resource identified by the universal resource locator, and automatically invoke execution of first content player code that configures the first computing device to present the content information. The second code, when executed by the second computing device, causes the second computing device to automatically retrieve the second network resource identified by the second universal resource locator, and automatically invoke execution of second content player code that configures the second computing device to present the content information.

The present invention relates generally to storage media, and more particularly to a network enhanced medium for presenting content.
There has been a relatively recent convergence of computer related technologies and typical multimedia distribution technologies. For example, pre-recorded music used to be distributed on vinyl records, 8 tracks, and cassette tapes. These audio distribution mechanisms were very mechanical and stored a representation of the audio signals in an essentially non-encoded analog manner that did not lend itself well to retrieval and playback by personal computing systems. However, pre-recorded music such as a complete album is now being distributed using digital storage media such as compact discs, Sony MiniDiscs, and digital audio tape which store an encoded digital representation of the music. As a result of being stored in a digital format, many personal computing systems include multimedia capabilities which enable the personal computing systems to read the digital storage media and playback the pre-recorded music stored on the digital media.
A similar trend has also occurred in the movie distribution industry. Movies used to be distributed on reels of film and then to the public at large on video cassettes. However, more recently, movies are being distributed upon DVD discs which store the audio and video of a movie in an encoded digital format such as MPEG 2. As a result of being encoded in a digital format, many personal computing systems now include a DVD drive which enables the personal computing system to read the DVD disc and playback the pre-recorded audio and video of the movie stored thereon.
Another trend in the marketplace is associated with the fast growth of Internet usage by consumers and the fast pace by which companies are expanding their presence on the Internet. For most consumers, the personal computing system is their gateway to the wealth of information provided on the Internet; however, other special purpose computing devices such as Microsoft""s WebTV are also providing consumers with the tools necessary to access the Internet. Since the devices needed to access the Internet already contain or could be easily modified to contain hardware for retrieving and playing back audio and video content stored on a removable storage medium, companies may be able to increase their Internet presence by enhancing storage media used to store music, movies, and/or other content to also include components which retrieve additional content from the Internet or another network.
A need, therefore, exists for a network enhanced removable storage media and a method of presenting the removable storage media.
The present invention addresses the above-identified need, as well as others, with a removable storage medium that includes a network enhancement and a method of presenting same. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an enhanced compact disc. The enhanced compact disc includes a first session and a second session. The first session of the enhanced compact disc includes audio content stored in a format that enables standard audio compact disc players to retrieve and present the audio content. The second session of the enhanced compact disc includes first data accessible by computing devices of a first computing platform. The first data includes a first universal resource locator that identifies the location of a first network resource, and first code stored in such a manner that enables a first computing device of the first computing platform to automatically invoke execution of the first code in response to the enhanced compact disc being received by a first compact disc drive of the first computing device. In particular, the first code when executed by the first computing device causes the first computing device to automatically retrieve the first network resource identified by the first universal resource locator, and automatically invoke execution of first content player code that configures the first computing device to present the audio content of the first session.
Pursuant to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a removable storage medium. The removable storage medium includes content information stored in a format that enables a content player to retrieve and present the content information. The removable storage medium also includes a first universal resource locator that identifies the location of a first network resource. Furthermore, the removable storage medium includes first code stored in such a manner that enables a first computing device to automatically invoke execution of the first code in response to the removable medium being received by the first computing device. The first code, when executed by the first computing device, causes the first computing device to automatically retrieve the first network resource identified by the universal resource locator, and automatically invoke execution of first content player code that configures the first computing device to present the content information.
Pursuant to a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of presenting information. One step of the method includes receiving by a computing device a removable storage medium that includes content information and a universal resource locator that identifies a network resource. Another step of the method includes automatically retrieving via the computing device the network resource identified by the universal resource locator in response to the receiving step. The method also includes the step of automatically presenting via the computing device the content information of the removable storage medium.
Pursuant to yet a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of presenting information. One step of the method includes receiving by a computing device a removable storage medium that includes content information and a universal resource locator that identifies a network resource. Another step of the method includes automatically retrieving via the computing device a network resource identified by the universal resource locator in response to the receiving step. The method also includes automatically invoking on the computing device execution of code that configures the computing device to present the content information of the removable storage medium.
The above removable storage medium enables numerous types of marketing and business strategies. For example, a company may distribute free audio and or video content which when placed into an appropriate computing device causes the computing device to automatically retrieve a company sponsored web page from the Internet and display the retrieved web page. In this manner, the company can increase the number of times the web page is accessed thus increasing their web presence and their advertising revenue tied to such web page.
The above removable storage medium also enables new artists to distribute promotional CD""s containing some of their music. These promotional CD""s may be configured to automatically cause an appropriate computing device to retrieve and display a web page that provides additional information about the artist such as future tour dates and additional merchandise associated with the artist.
The above removable storage medium may also be used to market a web site and Internet service provide. It may be used in recruitment programs such as those conducted by colleges and military organizations. It may be used to help facilitate the gathering of information. For example, the removable storage medium may be used to obtain customer feedback information and/or registration information by automatically linking the customer to an web page containing an entry form while playing instructional audio from the removable storage medium that aids the customer in filling out the form.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved removable storage medium and a method of presenting same.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful removable storage medium and a method of presenting same.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a removable storage medium that is useful in marketing activities.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a removable storage medium that is useful in recruitment activities.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a removable storage medium that is useful in data collection activities.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a removable storage medium that stores content information such as audio tracks in a manner which enable standard content players such as home compact disc players to playback the content information.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a removable storage medium that automates much of the playback process in order to be relatively user friendly.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a removable storage medium that is accessible to computing devices of different computing platforms.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the attached drawings.

Removable storage medium with network enhancement and method of presenting same


A warning and safety system for tractor-trailer dump trucks to indicate that the raised trailer is in a precarious position and in danger of tipping over, which system measures the pivot angle or the angle of revolution of the front end of the trailer. When the raised trailer is in an unstable position and begins to tip over, the front end of the trailer pivots on the hydraulic telescoping cylinder extending from the fifth wheel of the trailer. Mounted directly onto to hydraulic telescoping cylinder is an instrument sensitive to angular motion, or, alternatively, mounted on the fifth wheel of the tractor is a pivoting canister containing that instrument, from which a cable extends, parallel to the hydraulic telescoping cylinder, to the bottom of the front end of the trailer, where the cable engages with a pulley arrangement securely mounted on the cylinder well of the trailer. When the warning and safety system detects that the tipping angle of the trailer is equal to or greater than predetermined, but adjustable, critical angles, various first stage and second stage alarms are triggered. The first stage alarms may comprise audio and visual alarms, whereas the second stage alarms automatically dump the oil from the hydraulic telescoping cylinder back into the oil reserve tank and immediately lower the trailer. The location of the pivoting canister on the fifth wheel prevents spurious false alarms, as does the time-delayed dampened instrumentation within the canister. Power is supplied automatically to the warning and safety system either by using a pressure-sensitive switch which turns on the system as soon as the trailer is raised a small distance, or by wiring a switch into the gate-release switch.

Large dump trucks, usually eighteen-wheelers, having a tractor and a trailer are used to haul and dump large quantities of material, such as dirt, gravel, etc. The rear portion of the trailer nearest the back wheels may or may not be rigidly mounted on a chassis frame. On a frameless truck where the trailer is not rigidly mounted to the wheel chassis, the tandem rear wheels on either side towards the front of the bed are also lifted from the ground when the trailer is raised, so that the points of contact between the trailer and the earth are only on the very rear tandem wheels. When dumping a load, the front end of the trailer nearest the tractor is raised by means of an hydraulic telescoping cylinder, and the dumped material exits the trailer through a hinged tailgate at the rear of the trailer. Because of the nature of the location where these trucks are often used, the ground surface when loading and unloading the dump truck is usually not level; and if the load is dumped on a fresh land fill, the underlying ground may settle rapidly because of the weight of the truck, and/or the load within the trailer may shift. When the truck trailer is raised for dumping the transported material, the center of gravity of the truck trailer is also raised, and if the magnitude of the lateral force vector at the center of gravity exceeds the magnitude of vertical force vector, such as when the truck is on an uneven surface or when the load shifts suddenly, the truck trailer tips over. If the trailer tips, the transported material may be damaged, the truck trailer and tractor may be severely damaged, and worst of all, human life may be harmed or lost.
Truck drivers, truck owners and construction site operators are not unaware of the possibility of a truck trailer tipping over and the resultant loss of time, materials, labor and possible human life. As a result, a number of devices have been disclosed which may level the trailer of the truck, or indicate that an unsafe condition exists when the trailer is unstable, or may even automatically lower the trailer if a hazardous condition exists. Such devices for detecting when a truck trailer is approaching a tip-over condition are generally placed on the underside of the trailer bed or adjacent to the rear wheels, and measure the deviation of the roll angle of the truck bed from the horizontal. Examples of this type of device are given U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,145, entitled "TRUCK LEVEL SENSING AND INDICATING SYSTEM" to Brawner, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,996, entitled "STABILIZER FOR DUMPING VEHICLES" to Pitts; U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,128, entitled "TRUCK ROLL WARNING SYSTEM" to Snead; U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,578, entitled "LEVELLING SYSTEM FOR SEMI END DUMP TRUCKS" to Finney; U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,755, entitled "DUMP TRAILER SAFETY DEVICE" to Brown.
Brawner, Jr. '145 employs a plumb vane mechanism mounted on the bottom of the trailer frame to measure both the pitch and roll axis of the trailer, and when the roll angle exceeds certain preset limits a visual signal is generated. Pitts '996 teaches a stabilizer system also mounted under the trailer bed and adjacent to the rear wheels of the trailer which incorporates a pendulum means oriented to swing transversely to the chassis. Thus, the Pitts '996 invention measures the roll angle of the trailer with respect to the vertical axis. When the pendulum swings out of the vertical plane and contacts one of two microlimit switches on either side, a hydraulic system is triggered to level the trailer. Snead '128 teaches the use of two mercury switches mounted at the center underside of the dump bed; each switch responds when the roll angle of the trailer exceeds a predetermined angle in either direction and an alarm is triggered and a safety valve is opened to lower the truck trailer. The Snead '128 invention compensates for the vertical angle or the pitch of the trailer bed and teaches that the critical roll angle of the dump bed is different when the trailer bed is lowered than when the trailer bed is raised. Finney '578 likewise measures the roll axis of the trailer bed using mercury switches located along the center bottom of the trailer.
There are several disadvantages associated with the devices presented in the prior art that are overcome by the present invention. One disadvantage is that the measuring devices of all of the above inventions are placed towards or at the rear of, and mounted on the underside of the truck trailer. Access to the devices for repair and maintenance is difficult and can be hazardous. Secondly, the type of device actually used to detect the roll angle of truck trailer disclosed in the prior art also presents a severe disadvantage overcome by the present invention. Except for the pendulum means of Pitts '996 and the plumb vane means of Brawner, Jr. '145, all referenced prior art devices incorporate mercury switches to indicate when the roll angle of the trailer bed exceeds a predetermined safety limit. Mercury switches, under these circumstances, are extremely sensitive to small displacements, and a displacement of one side of the trailer bed of only three or four inches with respect to the other side of the trailer bed will cause the mercury switch to detect a "hazardous" condition. For instance, when a traveling truck hits a pot hole or is on an uneven surface, such as an unimproved rocky road, one side of the truck trailer could easily be displaced a distance of three or four inches relative to the other side of the truck trailer, and the alarm systems disclosed in the prior art would be inadvertently triggered. This occurs frequently enough so that the truck operators either turn off or permanently disconnect the detection and warning system to avoid the continuous aggravation of these false alarms.
Yet, another crucial disadvantage associated with the prior art, and as previously mentioned, is that all of these devices taught in the prior art measure the roll angle of the trailer, i.e., the rotation of the trailer bed about the center axis extending the length of the trailer. But, when the trailer is raised, the actual angle which determines whether the trailer will tip on its side is not the angle which the trailer rotates on its own axis (the roll angle), but the degree angle peading through which the front end of the trailer travels along a radial path having a radius determined by the length of the telescoping hydraulic cylinder with the pivot at the fifth wheel. The present invention incorporates an angle measuring device mounted on or near the fifth wheel of the trailer which measures the angle of revolution (tip angle) of the front end of the extended trailer about the fifth wheel pivot. Further, the tip angle is measured at the most distant point from the fifth wheel, i.e., directly above the fifth wheel, when the telescoping hydraulic cylinder is extended. Assuming, for the sake of geometrical illustration, that a point on the fifth wheel of the trailer is labelled Point A, and directly above Point A on the bottom of the raised trailer is Point B. Also assume, that through Point B, perpendicular to Line AB, is a line extending equidistant on either side of Point B, whose end points are Points C and D. Line CD represents the width of the bottom of the trailer bed, approximate dimensions being ninety to one hundred two inches, and Point B represents the center of the trailer bed at the front end of the trailer. The prior art referenced herein measures the rotation of a line, which is parallel to Line CD about the roll axis of the trailer bed. Therefore, using the suggested critical angle of five degrees as taught in Snead '128, a displacement of the side of the truck with respect to Point B or the other side of the bed of approximately 3.9 to 4.5 inches would indicate a dangerous situation in the roll of the trailer bed. Brawner, Jr. '145 measures the angle from which one of the rear wheels deviates from the other rear wheel on the opposite side of the trailer. A displacement of approximately three inches indicates that roll angle of the trailer bed is approaching a dangerous angle. Referring to Points A and B as described above, the present invention, as embodied herein, measures the rotation of Point B about Point A, or the rotation of the trailer bed around the fifth wheel with the hydraulic telescoping cylinder as the radius arm. Using actual measurements, the dimensions of an extended hydraulic telescoping cylinder used on a dump truck is typically two hundred ninety six to four hundred inches, and a determination of the critical tip angle at which a warning system should indicate a hazardous condition is approximately two and one-half to four degrees. The distance through which the raised trailer as to move to trigger the warning and alarm system described herein is given by the tangent of the critical tip angle (21/2.degree. to 4.degree.) multiplied by the dimensions of the extended hydraulic cylinder (296 to 400 inches). Therefore, a movement on Point B approximately thirteen to twenty-nine inches of either side of vertical will be adequate to trigger the warning system embodied herein depending on the dimensions of the hydraulic cylinder and the value of the critical angle used. This difference between measuring approximately three or four inches at the rear of the trailer (as taught by the prior art) to the measurement of approximately thirteen to twenty-nine inches (at the front of the trailer, by the use of a taut cable between Points A and B, which cable is coupled to a pendulum having a pivot point at or near Point A) diminishes, if not eliminates, the possibility of false alarms.

Warning and safety system indicating truck trailer tip-over condition


A geared motor reduces a speed of rotation of a DC motor with a gear train and outputs the rotation to the outside. The gear train includes a second gear including a cylindrical portion a third gear a first insertion portion that is inserted in the cylindrical portion the second gear. The second gear and the third gear are made of a resin material. A projecting-and-recessed portion is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the second gear. The projecting-and-recessed portion extends continuously in a circumferential direction over the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. Pressing portions are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction on an outer peripheral surface of the first insertion portion of the third gear. The pressing portions are configured enter recesses in the projecting-and-recessed portion and press wall surfaces of the recesses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a small geared motor mounted in a precision apparatus, such as an amusement apparatus, an audio-visual apparatus, a medical apparatus, or a camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-62963 discloses a technology in this field. This document describes a reduction gear mechanism including a clutch that stops transmitting power between an output shaft and a gear member in case of overload. In this reduction gear mechanism, the gear member includes a shaft-receiving portion in which the output shaft is rotatably inserted and an outer cylindrical portion that surrounds the shaft-receiving portion. A coil spring is disposed between the shaft-receiving portion and the outer cylindrical portion. The coil spring urges the shaft-receiving portion in a radially inward direction. The reduction gear mechanism includes a torque limiter which utilizes a frictional force applied between an inner peripheral surface of the shaft-receiving portion and an outer peripheral surface of the output shaft to transmit or stop transmitting power between the gear member and the output shaft.
However, with the above-described torque limiter, if the output shaft is locked for any cause, the gear member continuously rotates with respect to the output shaft while the frictional force is applied between the inner peripheral surface of the shaft-receiving portion and the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft in the circumferential direction. Accordingly, the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft and the inner peripheral surface of the shaft-receiving portion are gradually worn, and the output shaft easily slips along the gear member. As a result, stability of rotation of the output shaft with respect to the gear member is gradually reduced, and there is a risk that the rotating force cannot be reliably transmitted from the gear member to the output shaft.


5-Amino-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamides, which are intermediates for substituted 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide herbicides are prepared in two steps from 5-amino-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole by chlorination in a medium containing an aqueous acid to obtain 5-amino-3-chlorosulfonyl-1,2,4-triazole and subsequent condensation of this intermediate with substituted anilines. The condensation reaction takes place either in the presence or absence of an acid scavenging base.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of 5-amino-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamides utilizing 5-amino-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole and/or 5-amino-3-chlorosulfonyl-1,2,4-triazole as starting materials or intermediates.
Many 5-amino-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamides, their preparation, and their value as intermediates in the manufacture of substituted 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide herbicides have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,734,123 and 4,755,212. The only process disclosed for preparing these intermediates, however, involves the degradation of 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide compounds by oxidation to 5-acylamino-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamides and subsequent hydrolysis. This process is very expensive because it involves the preparation and degradation of one 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide compound in order to obtain another 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]-pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide compound.
The discovery of more direct, lower cost methods for the preparation of intermediates useful in the manufacture of substituted 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-2-sulfonamide herbicides would be of great interest.


A new cultivar of Lavandula plant named ‘WINTER LACE’ that is characterized by dense mounding habit, early blooming, fragrant grey-green foliage, fragrant violet flower spikes with large mid-violet sterile bracts. These traits set ‘WINTER LACE’ apart from all other existing varieties of Lavandula known to the inventor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of lavender known botanically as Lavandula stoechas and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'WINTER LACE'.
The new Lavandula cultivar named 'WINTER LACE' is one individual selection in the Australian lavender 'Lace Series' that resulted from a formal breeding program. The breeding program was established in November 2001 and conducted by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Victoria, Australia. The inventor, a specialists of the genus Lavandula, selected 'WINTER LACE' in September 2003. Selection was based on the criterion of strong commercial sales potential, due to early flowering, hardiness, and strong landscape performance.
'WINTER LACE' is a selection arising from controlled cross-pollination of Lavandula stoechas 'Kew Red' (unpatented) as the female parent Lavandula stoechas 'Pukehou' (unpatented) as the male parent. Cross-pollination of the parent plants took place in Park Orchards, Victoria, Australia. From this cross a seedling population was raised in February 2002, and grown to flowering maturity in 140 mm containers in September 2002. From these seedlings the final selection was made.
'WINTER LACE' is a perennial suitable for use in the landscape. Cultural requirements include full sun, adequate but not excess water, and well-draining soil. Mature height and breadth is 70 cm. 'WINTER LACE' exhibits dense mounding habit, scented green foliage, and scented violet flower spikes in spring and summer. Sterile bracts are mid-violet in color.
The traits that distinguish 'WINTER LACE' from all other Lavandula known to the inventor, are early flowering, large sterile bract size, dense plant habit, medium peduncle length, and mid-violet sterile bract color. 'WINTER LACE' is distinguishable from the female parent by length and color of sterile bracts. An individual sterile bract of 'WINTER LACE' is long and mid-violet in color when compared to the sterile bract of 'Kew Red', which is short and pink. 'WINTER LACE' is distinguishable from the male parent by medium peduncle length, dense habit and dark mid-violet sterile bracts. In comparison, 'Pukhou' has a long peduncle, medium to sparse plant density, and dark violet sterile bracts.
The new Lavandula cultivar named 'WINTER LACE' was first asexually propagated by the inventor in 2003. Asexual propagation was accomplished at the inventor's nursery in Victoria, Australia using tip cuttings. Since that time 'WINTER LACE' has been determined stable, and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.


An intubation instrument for intubating a patient's trachea including an imager module having a base unit with a finger loop and a longitudinal member attached to the distal end of the base unit, as well as a blade having a handle that is hollow and mates with the outer surface of the longitudinal member forming a male-female connection, the distal end of the blade projecting laterally therefrom, the distal end of the blade being insertable into a human during intubation.

Intubation instruments such as video laryngoscopes are known in the art. Known laryngoscope systems include U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,178 to Berall; U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,377 to Pacey; U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,447 to Pacey; U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,488 Cubb et al.; Japanese Patent No. JPH05-292504; U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,519 to Lee; U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,344 to Wood; U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,838 to George; U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,787 to Bullard; Crosby, Techniques using the Bullard Laryngoscope, Anesthesia and Analgesia 81: 1314-1315 (1995); WO 97/15144 to Shapiro; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,343 to Upsher.
Known commercial laryngoscope systems include the Pentax AIRWAY SCOPE and the Verathon GLIDESCOPE RANGER. However, these laryngoscope systems suffer from various deficiencies.
One problem known to laryngoscopes is that the imager shaft may become twisted when being inserted into a blade element. If the imager shaft is not inserted correctly into the blade element, then the imager shaft may become stuck and the image produced by the camera does not appear upright or appears off-center in a display.
Other problems known in the prior art involve the cable becoming damaged when the imager shaft is pulled out of the single-use blade after use. Another known problem in the prior art involves difficulties in disinfecting the imagers in known laryngoscope systems.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a video laryngoscope system that overcome and solve these above mentioned problems.

Video laryngoscope with disposable blade