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Patent application title: Quick Pickup Device for Debris on Any Surface with Positive Capture
Jeremy F. Knopow (Burlington, WI, US)
Keegan J. Trester (Milwaukee, WI, US)
IPC8 Class: AA47L1310FI
USPC Class:
Class name: Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning implements adhesive lint remover
Publication date: 2012-12-06
Patent application number: 20120304405
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A device for quickly cleaning a variety of surfaces is provided that
preferably utilizes a positive capture roller and three-dimensional
capture matrix. In particular, the roller is tacky and is in close
relationship with a three-dimensional capture media. The roller may be
refreshed by a washing mechanism and the media may be replaceable.
1. A cleaning device comprising: a housing defining an interior including
a debris collection bin; at least one roller rotatably coupled to the
housing; a tacky material circumferentially disposed about the at least
one roller and configured to be applied to a surface to be cleaned for
picking up particulate matter therefrom.
2. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the tacky material comprises a gel applied to a matrix and received over the at least one roller.
3. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the tacky material comprises a combination of two or more gels.
4. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a lid movably coupled to a base for selectively covering the at least one roller.
5. The cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising a pair of opposed wheels positioned rearward of the at least one roller.
6. The cleaning device of claim 1, further comprising a debris diverting arrangement configured to selectively engage the at least one roller to divert debris on the roller into the debris collection bin.
7. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises, a base; a lid movably coupled to the base to selectively expose the roller; a rear door movably coupled to the base to selectively empty the debris collection bin.
8. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the roller is removably coupled to the housing for replacement thereof.
9. The cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the debris collection bin is removably coupled to the housing.
10. A method of making a cleaning device comprising the steps of constructing a housing defining an interior including a debris collection bin; coupling a roller to the housing within the interior and in communication with the debris receiving bin, wherein the roller is rotatably coupled to the housing and configured to divert collected debris to the bin; adhering a tacky material to the roller, wherein the tacky material is configured to attract debris when the cleaning device is applied to a surface.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of adhering the tacky material comprises the steps of, coupling a substrate to the roller; applying the tacky material to the substrate;
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the tacky material is a gel.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the gel is a combination of at least two gels.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of, creating the tacky material by combining at least two gels together.
15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of providing a debris diverting arrangement comprising at least one diverting member situated to be engageable with the roller during operation for diverting debris to the debris collection bin.
16. A roller for a cleaning device, the roller comprising: a circumferential substrate having opposing first and second ends; a tacky material coupled to the substrate and configured to pick up particulate matter from a surface to be cleaned.
17. The roller of claim 16, wherein the tacky material comprises a gel.
18. The roller of claim 16, wherein the tacky material comprises a combination of at least two gels.
19. The roller of claim 16, further comprising a matrix configured to be removably coupled to the substrate and for carrying the tacky material.
20. The roller of claim 19, wherein the matrix comprises a mesh material including a plurality of pores configured to receive the tacky material.
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/491,934 filed Jun. 1, 2011 and entitled Quick Pickup Device For Debris On Any Surface With Positive Capture, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by explicit reference thereto.
[0002] The present invention relates to surface cleaning devices, and more specifically to a surface cleaning device including a roller and one or more tacky surfaces for picking up dust, lint, and other debris from a variety of surfaces. The inventive tacky surfaces can be periodically refreshed by the user as well as having a self-refreshing mechanism.
[0003] A number of different surface cleaning devices utilizing adhesive, tacky, attractive, or sticky surfaces, i.e. having "positive capture", have been developed for cleaning various surfaces. The majority of these devices include a single roller having a sheet of material with a tackified outer surface disposed on the exterior of the roller. The adhesive on the roller is generally capable of picking up lint, dust, and other debris on the surface as the roller is contacted with the surface. As the roller moves along the surface, the tackified surface contacts and adheres to the lint, dust, and debris on the surface, thereby lifting the debris off of the surface and onto the roller.
[0004] However, with regard to cleaning devices of this type, the roller has a limited number of uses. This is because the adhesive material on the exterior of the roller must be continually cleaned or replaced based on the amount of debris that adheres to the roller as it moves across the surface.
[0005] In order to overcome this shortcoming, other cleaning devices have been developed that include a pair of rollers. A continuous web of an adhesive sheet material is connected between the rollers. In these devices, the adhesive sheet material can be advanced from a web supply roller toward a web take-up roller as the device is used in order to provide a number of sequential clean sections of the adhesive sheet web when the previous section has collected a sufficient amount of lint, dust, or debris to render the previous section no longer usable. Because the adhesive sheet is continually moved onto the take-up roll and off of the supply roll, the device can readily present a clean section of the adhesive sheet for use in cleaning a surface.
[0006] Examples of devices of this type include Hester, U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,075. This patent discloses a lint pickup device that includes a pair of rollers formed as a supply roller and a take-up roller that are disposed within a cartridge and which support a continuous web of an adhesive sheet utilized to clean carpets, rugs, and other surfaces of lint.
[0007] Blum et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,806, discloses another device of this type including a tacky roller for improved surface cleaning in which a continuous sheet of a tackified web is applied to a surface to clean the surface. The web is supported by a pair of rollers disposed within the device and by a number of contact rollers which maintain the web in contact with the surface to be cleaned as the web moves continuously between the rollers. The device also includes a brush that contacts and provides additional cleaning to the surface.
[0008] Still another cleaning device of this type is shown in Plankenhorn, U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,976, which discloses a cleaning device with continuous action wiping and sweeping having a continuous web of an adhesive sheet material connected between a supply roller and a take-up roller. The web of the adhesive material is advanced from the supply roller onto the take-up roller by a variety of mechanisms, in order to provide the device with a continually clean tackified portion of the web for cleaning purposes.
[0009] Shizuno et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,165, discloses a cleaning device with an adhesive roll cleaner having a single-sided adhesive sheet wound around a core tube into a roll with the adhesive side facing out. Here the adhesive of the adhesive sheet comprises a hot-melt adhesive, solvent adhesive, or aqueous adhesive. The adhesive is applied to the base sheet at a coating weight of 15 to 50 g/m2 and a silicone release agent is applied to a back side of the adhesive sheet. The adhesive roll maintains an outer diameter within a range of 22 to 40 mm from start to end of use and the roll has a width of 180 to 300 mm.
[0010] Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 7,676,877 to Policicchio et al. is a cleaning implement comprising a sweeper head with a removable collection bin with an adjustable height and an opening for receiving debris. The sweeper head has a rotating member for projecting loose soils from the surface being cleaned into the collection bin and a disposable cleaning substrate removably attachable to the collection bin.
[0011] Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,793,377 to Knopow et al. discloses an adhesive web having two take-up rollers.
[0012] Each of the above-discussed references is now expressly incorporated herein by reference.
[0013] In the present invention, it is desirable to develop a cleaning device utilizing one or more positive capture elements that may be automatically refreshed or easily removed and replaced with a minimum of waste materials generated. It is also desirable that the soils and other debris be effectively captured so that they are not subsequently dispersed onto the cleaned area.
[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, a positive capture roller cleaning device is provided mounted to a housing that may be either hand held or as a sweeping attachment. The roller is substantially covered with an external roller material having some positive capture quality such as adhesiveness, stickiness, attractiveness, e.g., electrostatic attraction, or tackiness such that debris that is proximate or in contact with the roller will adhere to the roller in some fashion.
[0015] The device also includes a refreshing mechanism for the roller wherein the time between cleaning or replacement of the roller is extended. The refreshment mechanism may deposit the debris collected by the roller into a collection bin. The refreshment mechanism may also refresh the roller surface by embedding the debris into the external roller material or may expose a new tacky material or less debris-laden external roller material.
[0016] The collection bin may have a mechanism for retaining the debris such as a mechanical one-way channel. Alternatively, it may include a plurality of positive capture 3-dimensional (3D) matrix elements or capture media that have sticky or tacky surfaces, for example, spheres, polygons, cylinders, cubes, and so forth.
[0017] Another aspect of the invention is to provide a refreshing floor sweeper that includes a cleaning element having a handle for grasping by the user and coupled to a base. The base may include a housing with a central opening configured to receive a roller that extends at least partially out of the housing for contacting the surface to be cleaned. The roller includes a tacky material to enable the roller to pick up and retain debris from the surface to be cleaned. The tackiness of the material is such that the debris is easily picked up off of the surface to be cleaned but not so tacky that the roller sticks to the surface to be cleaned when it is rolled over it.
[0018] In one embodiment, a capture media cartridge is configured to be secured within the housing to define a means for capturing the picked-up debris as well as for cleaning the roller. The cartridge preferably provides a 3D matrix for cleaning the roller and securing debris picked up by the roller. In particular, the cartridge includes a plurality of tacky or wet spherical elements that may include superabsorbent compounds such that the surface tension thereof is such that the debris may be picked up off the roller but slick enough so that the elements do not bunch or stick together. The elements are preferably contained within a mesh or cage that allows them to interface with the roller but secures them within the cartridge to prevent the elements from falling out of the cartridge.
[0019] The housing preferably additionally includes a central brush that assists in cleaning the picked-up debris off of the roller. The housing additionally includes a number of containment brushes secured to an underside of the housing and engageable with the roller. The containment brushes prevent debris contained within the housing from falling out of the housing.
[0020] Another aspect of the invention is to provide a cleaning device with a manually grippable handle attached to a base with a positive capture roller and a debris capture matrix contained in the base. The matrix includes a 3-dimensional capture media that may be replaceable. The roller is tacky and is refreshed by a refreshing member.
[0021] Yet another aspect of the invention is to provide for quick pick up of debris on any surface with positive capture using a base including a bin having a cleaning side brush and capture top brushes. The base also includes a cage for holding debris and a capture matrix, as well as a tacky polyurethane textured roller that is in contact with the cleaning brush. The textured roller may have any number of patterns disposed thereon including a diamond shape pattern for assisting in the picking up of debris and removal therefrom. The capture matrix may include a plurality of media made of a carageenan-based gel formulation. The matrix may be a plurality of cylinders made of a gel and restrained by a cage contained in a cartridge. As well, the matrix may be a multitude of removable and disposable gel balls. Furthermore, the matrix may be a plurality of free-floating 3-dimensional gel media in a replaceable cartridge refill.
[0022] Still another aspect of the invention is to provide for quick pick up of debris on any surface with positive capture while providing mechanisms for refreshing the roller and/or capture matrix. For example, the cleaning and refreshing of the roller may be provided by a brush acting on the roller and/or by a member that provides a flicking action. In one embodiment, the flicking action is provided by a brush in communication with the pickup roller that cleans the roller as well as directs the debris from the roller into the bin. Other brushes may be provided that are stiff and angled to prevent the debris from escaping the bin. Alternatively, rotating cleaning/refreshing brushes may be provided that contact the roller. In another embodiment, the cleaning device may also have a wick to refresh the roller surface where pressure is provided by the wick on the roller. In the alternative, the roller may contain a gel that is refreshed by peeling, sanding, or scraping, or the roller may be a replaceable refill. The roller may also include kneadable putty and a kneading member that refreshes the puttied surface of the roller.
[0023] In yet another aspect of the device according to at least one embodiment of the invention, the device may include a disposable roller that may be selectively replaced with a new roller once the roller has lost sufficient effectiveness for picking up debris. In the present embodiment, the device includes a housing having a base member, a rear door member, and a lid member. The rear door member may be movably coupled to the base member by a hinge arrangement disposed therebetween. The rear door member may be secured in place so as to not rotate during operation by way of a pair of opposed clips connected the base member to the rear door member. In this manner, the operator of the device may, as desired, unlock and lock the rear door member relative to the base member and expose the rear of the device for cleaning, maintenance or the like.
[0024] The rear door member may be configured to house and rotatably support a rear wheel arrangement, which may include a pair of opposed wheels at each end of the device. The wheels may be coupled to the rear door member by an axle, pin or similar element for rotation there. The wheels along with the disposable roller are configured to enable movement of the device over a surface to be cleaned.
[0025] The base member may have a two-piece construction including a rear base member and a forward base member, which together define an interior in which the roller is rotatably coupled and movably secured. The forward base member may be movably coupled to the rear base member to enable the operator to remove or replace the roller. In at least one construction, the rear and forward base members are secured to one another by way of a vertical hinge arrangement about which the forward base member may be rotated to disengage from the roller on either side thereof. The forward base member may include a coupling arrangement for receiving an axle, pin, or the like of the roller on either side thereof for rotatably securing the roller thereto. Accordingly, as desired, to remove the roller from the base member, the operator may rotate the forward base member away from the roller on each side thereof such that the axle, pin, or other structure is disengaged therefrom for selective removal thereof.
[0026] The roller may coated with or otherwise have adhered to it a gel material configured to pick up debris that the roller encounters during operation. Moreover, the roller may be impregnated with any number of agents for enhancing tackiness, durability, fragrance, and the like.
[0027] The base member may be coupled to the lid member at a forward edge thereof. In one embodiment, the base member is coupled to the lid on either side by a clip arrangement that operates similarly to the clip arrangement between the base member and the rear door member. In this manner, the lid may be movable relative to the base member to selectively expose the roller for removal, cleaning, applying a treatment thereto, or the like. In one embodiment, the lid may be rotatable between a first, operative position in which the roller is engageable with the surface to be cleaned, a second, non-operative position in which the lid is rotated to cover the surface-engaging portion of the roller, and a third, refilling position in which the lid is moved away from the roller so that the roller may be removed or replaced.
[0028] Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures.
[0029] A clear conception of the advantages and features constituting the present invention, and of the construction and operation of typical mechanisms provided with the present invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore non-limiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings and photos accompanying and forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate the same elements in the several views, and in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the pickup device constructed according to the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 2 is a magnified, isometric view of the base of the pickup device of FIG. 1 wherein the head has a partially transparent cover;
[0032] FIG. 3 is a more magnified, isometric view of the base of the device of FIG. 2;
[0033] FIG. 4A is an isometric view of the inventive pickup device of FIG. 1 in use;
[0034] FIG. 4B is an schematic showing a path of travel of a piece of debris while the inventive pickup device of FIG. 4B is in use;
[0035] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the inventive pickup device of FIG. 1 after some use;
[0036] FIG. 6 is an exploded isometric view of the device of FIG. 1 showing disposal of a used cartridge;
[0037] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a refill cartridge of the pickup device of FIG. 1;
[0038] FIG. 8 is a series of exploded, isometric views of the device of FIG. 3 showing the replacement of the device's cartridge;
[0039] FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the inventive device with parts removed;
[0040] FIG. 10 is a magnified, isometric view of a roller and refreshing wheel of the inventive pickup device of FIG. 9;
[0041] FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of the inventive device with parts removed;
[0042] FIG. 12 is a magnified, isometric view of a roller and refreshing wheels of the inventive pickup device of FIG. 11;
[0043] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the base of the pickup device constructed according to the present invention wherein the head has a partially transparent cover showing cylindrical capture media;
[0044] FIG. 14 is an isometric view of the base of the pickup device constructed according to the present invention along with an exploded, isometric view showing the replacement of the device's roller;
[0045] FIG. 15 is an isometric view of the base of the another pickup device constructed according to the present invention along with an exploded, isometric view showing the replacement of the device's roller pad;
[0046] FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a representative construction of yet another embodiment of the pickup device constructed in accordance with the present invention;
[0047] FIG. 17 is a cross section side elevation view of the pickup device of FIG. 16;
[0048] FIG. 18 is a cross section view of a roller of the pickup device of FIG. 17 taken along the line 18-18;
[0049] FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the pickup device of claim 16;
[0050] FIG. 20 is a side elevation view of the pickup device of claim 16;
[0051] FIG. 21 is a front elevation view of the pickup device of claim 16; and
[0052] FIG. 22 is a bottom plan view of the pickup device of claim 16.
[0053] Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "connected," "including," and "comprising" and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof.
[0054] With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a roller quick pickup cleaning device constructed according to the present invention is indicated generally with the reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1.
[0055] In one embodiment, as best shown in FIGS. 1-8, the quick pickup cleaning device 10 has a long handle 15 and a base 20. The base 20 preferably further comprises a collection bin 25. The bin 25 preferably includes a cage or carrier 30 and cartridge 40. A roller 50 having a tacky surface 60 is operably connected to the base 20.
[0056] A roller clean-off apparatus, e.g., a wiper or brush 55, may be located in the base 20 near the roller 50. The wiper or brush, or preferably both, cleans debris from the roller surface and reconstitutes the tackiness of the roller. In one embodiment, the wiper may be connected to a pad that adds a liquid to the wiper which is then transferred to the roller surface. The pad and brush may be contained in the cartridge 40.
[0057] A dirt capture or catching matrix or media 70 is located within the cartridge 40 as best shown in FIG. 2. In one preferred embodiment, the dirt-catching matrix 70 consists of a plurality of capture media including tacky spheres or balls 80. In one embodiment, such as that shown in FIG. 13, the capture media may be cylinders 86.
[0058] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the bin 25 holding the cartridge 40 may contain a cover 85 that is transparent or see-through. As the individual balls 80 and cartridge 40 capture dirt, they provide a visual cue to the user through the transparent cover 85. Once significant dirt is collected, the individual balls 80 lose their ability to collect any more dirt and must be removed and/or replaced.
[0059] FIG. 7 shows a cartridge 40 containing individual balls 80 after the cartridge has been removed from the base. As can be seen in FIG. 7, a mesh or grate material 35 preferably forms the cage or a carrier 30 (here within the cartridge 40) to hold the balls 80 and also the collected dirt in place.
[0060] FIG. 5 shows the cartridge in place within the base 20. In this Figure, the user has collected a variety of dirt off of a surface 90 which can be seen within the cartridge 40. The dirt has collected on and/or around the individual balls 80, as shown.
[0061] FIG. 6 shows the cover 85 of the base 20 being opened to allow the user to drop the used-up cartridge 40 into a trash pail 95. Preferably, the cover 85 has a lift mechanism 87 to allow the opening of the cover without the user getting dirty.
[0062] FIG. 8 shows typical steps for a use and operation of loading and unloading the cartridge 40. The cartridge 40 is preferably packed in a package 45 in order to keep it fresh and dirt-free. Once the cartridge 40 is removed from the package 45, the door or cover 85 is opened up in the base 20. The cartridge 40 is then placed in the bin 25 of the base 20. The cover or door 85 is then closed and the lift mechanism 87 may be clicked into place which preferably locks the cover 85 closed.
[0063] In another embodiment, for example, FIGS. 9-12, the inventive sweeper device 110 of the present disclosure contemplates a handle 115 and a base 120. The base 120 preferably includes a single main roller 150 in operative communication with a plurality of refresher wheels 163 (FIGS. 11 and 12) or a refresher roller 165 (FIGS. 9 and 10). Further, a coating 155 is provided on the main roller 150 to make it tacky. In one embodiment, the tacky material 155 on the roller 150 is a putty material coating. In addition, the putty material 155 may be continuously engaged with the refreshing wheels 163. This sweeper 110, however, does not include a brush disposed near the main roller. However, in one embodiment, the brush may be replaced by a scraper.
[0064] Referring to FIG. 14, in yet another embodiment, the device 180 may have a roller 50 that is on sleeve that is completely replaceable, like a conventional paint roller. The device 190 may lack a bin, but has a base 20 consisting of a housing 65 in communication with a roller mount 75. The roller 50 preferably slides on to the roller mount 75.
[0065] Turning now to FIG. 15, another embodiment of the device 190 may have a roller 50 that is removable and a roller pad 66 that is replaceable. The device's roller 50 may have a new pad 66, for example, attached to a Velcro®-like surface 68, with the inner surface of the replacement pad 66 having a hook texture 67 that mates with the eye/loop texture of roller surface 68. The pad 66 may be applied to the roller 50 in a wrapping motion 69 and the assembled pad 66 and roller 50 may be mounted on the roller mount 75. In addition, the housing 71 may have a front portion 73 and back portion 77 wherein the front portion 73 may be lifted to access the roller for removal or mounting (not shown).
[0066] In one embodiment, the device's handle may be removable and/or adjustable. For example, the handle may be replaced with a smaller handle or may be made up of sections that come apart to provide a shorter or longer handle depending on the application. In another embodiment, the handle may be telescoping. The handle, like other components of the device, may be made of wood, plastic, metal, or any other suitable rigid and durable material.
[0067] As mentioned above, the inventive device's ability to capture dirt and debris in 3-dimensional capture matrix provides an increased debris-holding capacity and surface area versus the prior art flat tape or 2-dimensional pad or tape. For example, the matrix preferably includes a free-moving capture media, such as spheres or cylinders, that rotate or tumble to remove and capture debris from the roller where it adheres to the capture media or within the collection bin. Preferably, the capture media is made of a material that is durable, tacky, absorbent, and/or has excellent surface tension. The material preferably allows the media to stay whole, hold debris, easily tumble, stay free without clumping together, and remain firm enough to avoid getting smashed by the roller. The capture media may be constructed of a variety of materials, e.g., rubber, fuzzy material, neoprene, wood, plastic, and/or wicking spheres. These materials may also include a superabsorbent polyacrylamide, co-polymer, and/or bisacrylamide with water infusion. In one embodiment, the media is washable and/or replaceable.
[0068] In one embodiment, the capture matrix is preferably made up of spheres that are contained in a disposable cartridge that is placed in the collection bin. In this embodiment, the spheres are lightly tacky and moist to facilitate pickup, but are allowed to move freely avoiding cohesion. The capture media spheres are infused with water to provide the optimum surface tension and stickiness to attract debris while remaining slippery enough to prevent cohesive bonding of the media.
[0069] The capture media within the collection bin is such that it may attract debris from the roller. The bin preferably retains the media within a cage including a thin mesh or a grate that allows the media to interface with the tacky roller, yet not escape and potentially be drawn out onto the floor by the tacky roller.
[0070] As mentioned above, the roller of the device preferably has a tackiness or attractiveness to pick debris off any floor surface. This tackiness needs to be in proper range, however; for example, if the roller is too tacky and the user will not be able to get the material off the roller to later refresh it. If the roller is not tacky enough, the user will not be able to the material off the floor. Thus, the proper durometer and thickness of material is required to optimize pickup. For example, many silicones and polyurethanes work well and, specifically, a polyurethane blended with fillers seems to work best from a tackiness (surface-energy) standpoint and durometer. Adding a texture to the roller surface increases pickup surface area and makes it easier to clean off. One material known in the prior art is currently found in a cleaning tool called Mr. Sticky. See www.buymrsticky.com. In one embodiment, the roller may be constructed of a hook and loop fastener type material and covered with a tacky gel. In another embodiment, the gel, e.g., Kelcogel, may be held in place on the roller with a mesh.
[0071] In one embodiment, the roller is refreshed by shaving, sanding, and/or scraping the tacky roller. In another embodiment, the roller may be washable. In another embodiment, the bin may be a reservoir that may be emptied.
[0072] As mentioned, preferably, a roller-refreshing member is provided on board the device. Applying moisture to the roller while in use facilitates cleaning off and capturing the debris, as well as, rejuvenating the tackiness. The best way to accomplish this action is by using 1) polyacrylamide water balls or carageenan balls or cylinders in double duty (dirt capture and roller washing), 2) a marker-type capillary element saturated with water (about 10-20 milligrams) that applies moisture via a nib across the roller, and/or 3) a saturated absorbent cylinder that rotates along with the tacky roller or is contained within the roller.
[0073] In one embodiment, the moisture-supplying and roller refreshing member may be a 3D rectangular, replaceable wick made of a compressed polyester/polymer fiber. The fiber may be compressed to a certain density to control liquid flow control. One supplier of this material is Filtrona PLC. In another embodiment, the wick may be a small, absorbent roller or pad that engages the roller along its entire length. Where a liquid is present, the liquid may contain cleaners, fragrances, deodorizers, anti-microbals, or disinfectants. Of course, these additives may also be contained in the capture media, e.g., the spheres or cylinders, or the roller itself, or the removal roller pad layer.
[0074] As discussed, in one embodiment, the roller refreshing apparatus includes a kneading roller or wheel(s) that knead a tacky putty-like substance on the roller. In another embodiment, a scrapper blade may be provided to slightly scrape the soiled roller surface away and provide for a new surface contained underneath. In this embodiment, the roller may be made of a cardboard tube that has a roller surface made of carageenan. Here the roller may be sold in a package that is flat and then must be popped open and secured to the handle with a pair of insertion disks that have a male portion that can be inserted into the ends of the roller tube.
[0075] In one embodiment, as mentioned, a centrally located clean-off brush aids in cleaning material off the tacky roller. Some material is cleaned off directly by the capture media, while others require the brush to dislodge it so that it can be ultimately captured by the capture media. The brush preferably provides a flicking action to dislodge debris stuck to the roller surface. The brush needs to be rigid enough do its job, but not too rigid so that it imparts too much resistance to the roller and makes it difficult for the user to push the device along the floor.
[0076] In one embodiment, a debris containment mechanism, e.g., containment wipers or brushes may be provided near the clean-off brush. These durable brushes or wipers work to keep debris trapped inside a disposable cartridge and do not allow the debris to fall back onto the floor. They may aid slightly in cleaning of the roller as well. These could be executed in a variety of forms, perhaps, as plastic flaps molded into the base housing, extensions of the disposable cartridge, separate plastic film parts, rubber flaps, etc.
[0077] When in use, the inventive quick pickup device is moved across a surface to be cleaned in a back and forth motion. In one embodiment, the roller fits in a slot in the base. This preferably elliptical slot allows the roller to engage the wiper only in the forward stroke direction. In the pull back stroke, the roller is disengaged.
[0078] The inventive device preferably captures a variety of debris materials--hair, grass, inorganic, skin, sand, soil, food crumbs, etc.
[0079] The device may be used on hard floors, carpet, throw rugs, automobiles, upholstery, clothing, or any of a number of surfaces.
[0080] It is possible that other cleaning and fragrancing options may be included within the device. For example, steam cleaning technologies may be added, fragrancing may be added to the matrix gel or roller, disinfectant may be added to the roller or matrix as may a cleaning chemistry, a shine chemistry, etc. The matrix also may be constructed of water permeable bags of gel powder.
[0081] With additional reference now to FIGS. 16-22, another embodiment of a cleaning device 210 is illustrated. The cleaning device 210 includes a housing 212. The housing 212 defines a pair of cavities, a forward cavity and a rearward cavity. The forward cavity houses a roller 214 that is rotatably secured to the housing 212 and the rearward cavity rotatably houses a pair of opposed wheels 216 at either end of the housing 212 and configured, along with the roller 214, to facilitate movement of the cleaning device 210 over the surface to be cleaned. While the device 210 is not shown including a handle, it is understood that the device may include a handle similar to that shown in the previous embodiments for grasping by an operator for manipulation of the device 210.
[0082] The housing 212 includes a lid member 218 situated at a forward end of the housing 212, a base member 220 including a forward portion 222 and a rearward portion 224, and a rear door member 226. The lid member 218 may be generally dome-shaped to correspond to the shape of the roller 214 or may be any other suitable shape. The lid 218 also serves to define a chamber for collecting debris picked up by the roller 214, which may then be emptied when the lid 218 is opened. The lid member 218 may be transparent and constructed out of plastic or may be generally opaque or any combination thereof. Understandably, the lid member 218 may be constructed from other materials including metals and the like. The base member 220 is coupled between the lid member 218 and the rear door member 226 and is configured to rotatably support the roller 214. Moreover, the lid member 218 and the rear door member 226 are movably coupled to the base member 220 as will be articulated in addition detail herein. The rear door member 226 along with the base member 220 define the rearward cavity that houses the wheels 216 as previously discussed and defines a debris collection bin 211 for receiving the particulate matter picked up by the roller 214. In particular, the rear door member 226 may define the debris collection bin and may be either rotatable about a pin or similar element to open the rear door member 226 for emptying the debris collection chamber or may be entirely removable from the base 220. In this manner, the debris collection bin 211 may be carried away from the device 210 for disposing of the contents thereof. In one construction, the rear door member 226 may include a hook or similar structure configured to engage a portion of the base 220 and wherein the hook may be removably coupled to the base 220 for removal of the collection bin 211 from the base 220. Moreover, the rear door member 226 may include a handle 227 or similar structure for grasping by an operator thereof for carrying the device 210 or for carrying the debris collection bin 211 as may be appreciated. The handle 227 may also facilitate opening of the rear door member 226.
[0083] The roller 214 may be covered with or otherwise have adhered to it a material configured to pick up particulate matter when the roller 214 is applied to a surface to be cleaned. The material covering the roller 214 may be like that previously discussed herein. In one construction of the roller 214, the roller 214 is covered with or is otherwise configured to rotatably carry and support a gel material. The gel material may include low acyl gellan and a high acyl gellan or gellan gum such as those produced by Kelocogel®. The combination of the two gels results in a durable and impact resistant gel while maintaining a relatively soft and wet surface that is adept at picking up dirt and other particulate debris. The formula of the gel may have a mix of both of the low and high acyl gellans at 2-4% total gum and more preferably at 4% total gum. A preservative may be added to the gel to prevent molding. Also, potassium sorbate or a similar compound may be added for the purpose of smoothing and providing a homogenous gellan during the mixing process as it is being hydrated. Other compounds such as deionized water, salt, and sorbitol solution may be added to the gel as desired. Other additives such as glycerin may be added to the gel to prevent the gel from drying out. Understandably, any number of similar such compounds may be used. In addition, the gel may be impregnated with any number of additives such as those for providing a fragrance, tackiness, or shininess or other additives such as anti-bacterial, fungicide, and other such cleaning solutions as are known in the art.
[0084] Any number of methods may be used to apply the gel to the roller 214. In a first embodiment of the roller 214 of the present construction, a sheet of scrim material or a thin mesh may be provided and include a connecting arrangement on one side thereof such as, for example, Velcro or the like. The gel may then be tapped or otherwise embedded into the other side of the mesh for bonding thereto. The mesh sheet is then velcroed or otherwise connected to the roller substrate such that the gel side is provided on an external surface of the roller 214. In another construction a scrim or mesh material may have the gel applied as previously described and the material may be glued or otherwise adhered to a tubular member such as a cardboard tube that is sized, shaped, and configured for being received over the roller substrate. In yet another method of applying the gel to the roller 214, a thicker gauge plastic matrix is extruded as a cylinder having holes and the gel is cast onto the plastic cylinder as may be generally understood in the art.
[0085] The gel material of the roller 214 may be configured so that particulate debris of a given size or characteristic may be embedded therein during operation. That is, as the debris is picked up off the surface to be cleaned it is forced into the gel material through the subsequent contact between the roller 214 and the surface to be cleaned. In this manner, the external surface of the roller 214 may be kept relatively clean so that debris picked up is not transmitted back to the surface to be cleaned during subsequent applications. Other particulate debris may be of the size and characteristic that it will be deposited into the debris collection bin 211. In particular, as the roller 214 rotates, that debris will be directed into the debris collection bin 211 that is positioned rearward of the roller 214 and forward of the rear door member 226.
[0086] The roller 214 includes a pair of opposed ends 228 and 230 which may include a support structure for the roller 214 configured to couple the roller 214 to the housing 212. In particular, each of the ends 228 and 230 may include an end cap 232 and 234 respectively coupled to the roller 212. The end caps 232 and 234 may include respective projections 238 configured to be received by the base 220 of the housing 212. In particular, the base 220 may include a hole, aperture, recess, or other such feature, collectively holes 242, respectively, configured to receive the respective projections 238. In this manner, the roller 214 is rotatable about a horizontal axis defined by the projections 238.
[0087] The wheels 216 are secured within a rear portion of the housing 212 as previously indicated. The wheels 216 may include a single axle coupling the wheels 216 to one another or may each include an axle or projection 244 configured to engage a side wall of the rear door member 226. The rear door member 226 may include a pair of corresponding holes, apertures, recesses, or the like for receiving the projections 244 for enabling rotation of the wheels 216 with respect thereto. The rear door member 226 may include a pair of opposed slots 246 corresponding with the locations of the wheels 216 and configured to rotatably support the wheels 216 therein. In this manner, the wheels 216 may project rearwardly from the rear door member 226 by a predetermined distance.
[0088] As indicated previously, the lid member 218 is movable relative to the base 220 of the housing 212. The lid member 218 may include a pair of opposed recesses (not shown) on each end thereof for receiving a corresponding pin 250 of the base member 220. The pins 250 may be carried by a clip member 252 configured to be selectively secured between the base 220 and the lid member 218 to selectively prevent the lid member 218 from rotating about the pins 250. In particular, the clip members 252 may extend from a forward edge of the base member 220 toward the rearward end. The clip members 252 may include a notch 254 for engaging a pin 256 projecting from a respective side of the base 220. To secure the lid member 218 to the base member 220, the clip may be rotated about the pin 250 so as to engage the pin 256 with the notch 254 at its opposite end. To move the lid 218 relative to the base 220, the clip member 252 may be rotated in the opposite direction so that the notch 254 is disengaged from the pin 256 so that the lid may then rotate about the pins 250.
[0089] The base member 220, as previously articulated, includes a forward portion 222 and a rearward portion 224 that are movably coupled to one another. In particular, the forward portion 222 and the rearward portion 224 may be hingedly coupled to one another by a hinge arrangement 258. In particular, the forward portion 222 and the rearward portion 224 of the base 220 are coupled to one another so that the forward portion 222 may be moved between a first, locked position in which the roller 214 is secured to the base 220 as previously discussed and a second, unlocked position in which the forward portion 222 is rotated away from the roller 214 so that the projections 238 are disengaged from the holes 242. In this manner, the roller 214 may be removed from the housing 212 for cleaning, disposal or replacement thereof.
[0090] The rear door member 226 is movably coupled to the base 220. In particular, the rear door member 226 may be movably coupled to the rearward portion 224 of the base 220. The rear door member 226 may be coupled to the base 220 by way of a hinge arrangement 260 disposed along a longitudinal axis of the device 210 and between the base 220 and the rear door member 226. Thus, to rotate the rear door member 226 about the hinge arrangement 260, the user may rotate the rear door member 226 about a horizontal axis to expose the rear of the device 210 and more particularly to enable the operator to empty the bin 211 located therein. The rear door member 226 may be latched to the base 220 to prevent accidental or unwanted opening thereof. In particular, the rear door member 226 may include a projection 262 disposed thereon that is configured to be engaged by a clip 264 having a notch 266 sized and shaped for engagement with the projection 262. The clip 264 may be rotatable between a locked and unlocked position to secure the rear door member 226 relative to the base 220 or to free it relative thereto for rotation thereof for emptying of the bin 211 or for performing maintenance on the wheels 216 or the like.
[0091] With specific reference now to FIG. 18, a cross-sectional view of the roller 214 according to the present construction is provided. The roller 214 includes a base or substrate layer 270, which may be plastic or any other suitable material for serving to support the rest of the roller 214. A mesh or scrim layer 272 is applied to the substrate layer 270. The mesh or scrim layer 272 may be carried by another intermediate material such as a cardboard tube or the like or it may be applied directly to the roller 214. The mesh or scrim layer 272 supports a gel layer 274 adhered thereto as previously described. The gel layer 274 provides the external, surface-engaging portion of the roller 214 and is especially configured for picking up particulate debris as previously described.
[0092] With specific reference now to FIG. 17, the roller 214 is configured to rotatably engage a diverting member 276, which is supported or carried by a lower portion 278 of the housing 212. The diverting member 276 is configured to engage the roller 214 during operation so that particulate debris carried by the roller may be removed from the roller 214 and directed to the bin 211. In this manner, the roller 214 is kept generally free of debris so that it may be used to subsequently pick up additional debris during operation. In at least one construction of the device 210, the diverting member 276 is a brush including a number of bristles or similar elements configured to engage the debris on the roller 214 and configured to remove the debris from the roller 214 so that the debris is brushed into the debris collection bin 211. The diverting member 276 may be held in a cantilevered fashion by a portion of the lower portion 278 so the free end of the diverting member 276 is engaged with the roller 214.
[0093] During development, a tacky surface durability testing machine was created. A soil-depositing and pickup measuring machine was also developed. A tackiness testing device was also developed to help formulate a material with the right pickup characteristics.
[0094] Although the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out the present invention is disclosed above, practice of the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be manifest that various additions, modifications and rearrangements of the features of the present invention may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept.
[0095] Moreover, the individual components need not be formed in the disclosed shapes, or assembled in the disclosed configuration, but could be provided in virtually any shape, and assembled in virtually any configuration. Furthermore, all the disclosed features of each disclosed embodiment can be combined with, or substituted for, the disclosed features of every other disclosed embodiment except where such features are mutually exclusive.
[0096] Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.
Patent applications by Jeremy F. Knopow, Burlington, WI US
Patent applications in class Adhesive lint remover
Patent applications in all subclasses Adhesive lint remover
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2002: Butler began his 2002 senior season as a backup tight end, but was moved to defensive end early in the season. He saw action there as a backup and on special teams in 11 games (all but Auburn and California). Overall in 2002, he had 5 tackles, including 2.5 sacks for 13 yards.
2001: Butler was a reserve tight end and played on special teams as a junior in 2001. He did not make a catch or tackle while appearing in 11 games (all but Kansas State).
2000: Butler, who transferred to USC in the fall of 2000 from a junior college, appeared in 10 games (all but the Colorado and Oregon State contests) as a reserve tight end as a sophomore in 2000. Overall in 2000, he caught 4 passes for 52 yards (13.0 avg.). He had 3 grabs for 46 yards against Arizona State (his other receptions was a 6-yarder against Washington State). He also returned 2 kickoffs (both against Washington State) for 16 yards (8.0 average) as an up-man.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: He was a 1999 Super Prep JUCO 100 selection as a redshirt freshman tight end at Mesa (Ariz.) Community College.
PURDUE: He spent the 1998 season redshirting as a freshman at Purdue before transferring to Mesa.
HIGH SCHOOL: He earned 1997 Super Prep All-Farwest, All-State, All-City and All-League honors as a senior at Sabino High in Tucson (Ariz.). He caught 26 passes for 745 yards (28.7 avg) with 13 TDs as a senior tight end and also played linebacker. Sabino was 13-1 and the state finalists in 1997.
As a junior in 1996, he was All-City and All-League while catching 11 passes for 341 yards (31.0 avg) and 5 TDs on offense and making 150 tackles with an interception on defense. Sabino went 78-7-1 in his 4 years.
PERSONAL: He's a sociology major at USC. He has a 1-year-old daughter, Lux.

subset: commoncrawl


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I've Moved!
{photo source: diesel pinterest}
Watching: Girls. Okay so the season finale was last Sunday, but let's talk about it for a second. I've heard a lot of people really hating on this season, and frankly, I just don't get it. This season was by far my favorite season! I know everyone isn't the biggest fan of Hannah, but personally I find her hilarious. Plus, Adam. Oh, how my feelings have changed for Adam this season—love him. Anyone with me? (Update: really Iowa, really?!) Besides Girls, I obviously can't contain my excitement for Game of Thrones and Mad Men to start up in April! Also: how freakin' good was True Detective? One of the best TV shows ever? (I was even one of the few that loved the ending!) Let's just give that Emmy to MM now!
Listening: Junip. So, the way I discovered this folk-rock band is kinda lame (so maybe I watch a few shows on the CW...The Originals, anyone? no?.. okay.) Check out "Line of Fire", "Don't Let It Pass" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad". So good. Also, I created probably the best Spotify playlist EVER that I like to call "throwback emo". Brand New, Something Corporate, Taking Back Sunday, Dashboard Confessional. Seriously, the best. And random but, does anyone remember the song "Beating Hearts Baby" by Head Automatica circa 2004? That song randomly came up and I totally forgot about it.... anddd now it's on repeat.
Wearing: Um, well let's see—still wearing winter clothes. I seriously can't wait for dresses and shorts. Plus, I really feel like I have much better style in the summer because of the types of clothes I can wear—so I'm making it a goal to start up with more outfit posts once it finally gets warm out (will it ever happen?!)
{photo by: nikki moore photography}
Thinking about: Not hard to guess this one! The wedding, of course. I realized I never shared my Save the Dates with you guys. My awesomely talented designer friend/coworker, Emily, created these and they couldn't have turned out any more perfect. She's going to be working on invite designs in the next few weeks and I can't wait to see them!
Looking forward to: Just spring in general because although it's technically spring, it certainly hasn't arrived quite yet. Also, attending a bridal show at West End Salvage this Sunday. We really don't need anything in terms of vendors at this point, but it'll be fun to check out. I feel like I need to go to really get the full wedding planning experience!
See past "currently" posts here.
And.. It's Still Winter
Hi friends! I know, no post in almost two months – but hey, it's winter and I'll be totally honest, my life hasn't really been too exciting lately, which clearly makes for a very boring blog. My weekends in January and February were filled with nights in with takeout and Netflix (House of Cards!) and how many times could I possibly post pictures of that and call it a legit blog post? So, I'll just catch you guys up now with some photos from the winter months.
I am SO happy it's now March – however, I'm so over this winter and the negative degree weather or snow storms every other day. A heat wave looks to be rolling in next week with 40-degree weather though, and at this point, I will take whatever I can get. My sisters came to Des Moines to visit last weekend. It was so nice having them to hang out with for the whole weekend. Can you both move to Des Moines, please? My life would be so much more fun! Saturday we went shopping – Forever 21 is usually hit or miss for me, but they just came out with new line of spring clothes, and I found so many cute things! I ended up buying two dresses to wear for various bridal events coming up this summer. I also bought a maxi dress from Dry Goods, which I'll either wear to one of my bridal showers or the rehearsal dinner. Ahhh, I just can't wait for all things wedding this summer!
Zac brought home these pretty flowers – not for Valentine's Day, but just a random gloomy day in February, which, I think, is even better than roses on Valentine's Day.
One weekend in February, Zac and I went to an Iowa State men's basketball game in Ames with some friends. I really can't say I enjoy watching basketball on TV, but live games are always fun... especially when there are pre-drinks (Blue Moon, obviously) involved at a bar before the game.
As always, a few date nights were taken in January/February – one night we went and saw Wolf of Wall Street (loved it!) then headed to On the Border. On Valentine's Day, Zac took me to Dos Rios downtown for drinks and dinner. We love our Mexican and margaritas!
Two weekends ago, I visited some friends in Omaha. I am having one of my bridesmaids do my hair for my wedding, so we practiced wedding hair, celebrated National Margarita Day, and just caught up on each other's lives. I definitely need to visit more often!
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This column is part of Globe Careers' new Leadership Lab series, where executives and leadership experts share their views and advice about the leadership and management issues of today. There will be a new column every weekday. Follow us at @Globe_Careers. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab
Which do we trust more, Corporate Canada or government? The answer might surprise you. The Edelman Trust Barometer, our agency's annual study of trust around the world – reveals a historic, 11-point gap between trust in business and government. In short: Trust in business is up, and trust in government is down.
But hold on, business leaders: The results for leadership tell a different story.
Only one-third of respondents trust CEOs. It gets worse. Just 9 per cent of respondents trust business leaders to tell the truth, while only 11 per cent trust business leaders to make ethical and moral decisions.
We have a lot of work to do, and that starts with making trust a priority.
But first, why does trust matter?
Trust is at the foundation of everything we do, whether personal or professional. If I trust you, I'm more inclined to like you, do business with you and engage with you, and vice-versa. When that trust isn't there, it has a dramatic impact on relationships. For business leaders, this directly influences your ability to drive your business agenda, motivate your employees, persuade your customers and increase your bottom line.
How can business leaders build trust?
You can't tell people they need to trust you. You must earn their trust by how you behave. Business leaders can build trust through two key attributes: engagement and integrity.
Ask yourself how you can engage your key stakeholders, including employees and customers. Listen to feedback. Treat your employees and customers well. Communicate frequently and honestly about the state of the business, whether it's positive or negative.
To enhance integrity, you must become more transparent. Asked what CEOs can do to build trust, 90 per cent of Canadians chose "communicate clearly and transparently."
You should:
– Be open about business practices. If these aren't entirely ethical, you need to correct them or you simply will never be able to build trust;
– Take responsible actions to address an issue or crisis;
– Most important, always be front and centre during challenging times.
When to talk
Building trust is a balancing act between knowing when to talk and when to let others talk for you. You need to set the vision, establish the tone and empower your stakeholders to carry the torch for the company.
When employees believe in your company's mission, they will be your most powerful ambassadors. Fifty per cent of Canadian respondents trust regular employees to deliver an objective message about a company, so empower them to tell your story.
Similarly, build trust with vocal consumers. They are your best spokespeople when addressing how your business contributes to the common good, not just the bottom line. This includes how your company operates within, and contributes to, its community.
CEOs should think of themselves as their company's "chief engagement officer," building trust by championing an inclusive and transparent culture, and ultimately mobilizing employees to become company ambassadors.
This role extends outside the workplace. Communicate with customers, political figures, your peers and the media. Build relationships during times of calm to ease the challenging ones.
CEOs must act as spokespeople during crises, and this relies on establishing trust beforehand. Leadership must always be visible during situations such as product recalls, lawsuits or location closings, and be open, honest, timely and present about the situation. You can only do this effectively if you have already built up trust internally.
Trust is the foundation of everything we do and it is an earned asset. It's time to rethink what it means to be a business leader, and lead the debate for change. That begins with trust.
John Clinton (@johnclinton122) is the CEO of public relations firm Edelman Canada (@EdelmanTO).Report Typo/Error
Follow us on Twitter: @Globe_Careers


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Wednesday, March 07, 2012
ALBANY -- Sweet Nothings has been the playing the bridesmaid role lately but she's favored to get back into the winner's circle Thursday at Golden Gate Fields.
Sweeting Nothings is the 8-to-5 morning line choice in the featured third race, a one-mile allowance contest for 3-year-old fillies. Sweet Nothings will break from post position three in a field of five.
Sweet Nothings will be out to make amends for her most recent outing on Feb. 11 when she finished second as a heavy 3-to-5 favorite in a one-mile allowance heat. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Sweet Nothings was unable to hold off stablemate Via Villaggio through the stretch and was beaten 1 3/4 lengths.
A Kentucky-bred daughter of Street Cry, Sweet Nothings was purchased as a
2-year-old for $60,000. The filly has made $67,610 in her nine career starts for owners Hollendorfer and Halo Farms.
Jockey Aaron Gryder was aboard Sweet Nothings in all three of her second-place finishes and he'll be in the irons again Thursday. Gryder ranks second in the Golden Gate Fields jockey standings with 57 victories.
The field for Thursday's main event, in post position order with riders and morning- line odds, is as follows: Ms Pianist, Kerwin John, 10-to-1; Habit Forming, Frank Alvarado, 2-to-1; Sweet Nothings, Gryder, 8-to-5; Distant Image, Alejandro Gomez,
10-to-1; and Light Up The Sky, Russell Baze, 5-to-2.
Post time Thursday through Sunday at Golden Gate Fields is 12:45 p.m. The track will present eight-race cards on Thursday and Friday, and nine-race programs on Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday is Dollar Day at Golden Gate Fields with the track offering fans $1 general parking, $1 general admission, $1 programs, $1 hot dogs, $1 beers and $1 sodas.
Read more articles in the Golden Gate category.


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Baby tapir adds cuteness to Dublin Zoo!
Jun 25th, 2012 by Autumn Sunshine
Facts about the Tapir
A tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. The four species of tapirs are: the Brazilian tapir, the Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir and the Mountain tapir. All four are classified as endangered or vulnerable. Their closest relatives are the other odd-toed ungulates, including horses and rhinoceroses.
Lisa Granshaw writes
The male calf is the first baby born to mom Rio, he is the new Brazilian tapir calf born earlier this month at the Dublin Zoo! Like all tapir calves, the baby was born with white spots and stripes that mimic dappled sunlight on the forest floor, acting as camouflage in the wild. The markings will disappear when the young calf reaches adulthood.
"We are delighted with the birth of the tapir calf," team leader Eddie O'Brien said in a press release. "Mum and calf are doing very well … the calf was up and about quickly after he was born, he is really inquisitive!" Take a look at more adorable photos of this newborn below!
Tapirs are nocturnal mammals native to the tropics of South and Central America. – Patrick Bolger Photography
My Thoughts
Wow, how very cute the baby tapir is, and what an awesome thing to have this species being preserved! Perhaps many of the animals will not be saved and will eventually become extinct. Hopefully, things will progress and more will be safe. I hope so!
What do you think? Cute baby tapir? A nice new family at the The Dublin Zoo …


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Processing Raw files
As we discussed in part one of this tutorial, you should have shot the wedding on at least a decent semi-pro DSLR, and preferably a professional full-frame camera, so the day after the event you should find yourself with several gigabytes of Raw files which will need to be processed. The main reason for shooting in Raw mode is that it gives you a safety net. Standard JPEG images from a compact camera are recoded in "8-bit" format, in other words for each pixel, 8 bits - binary ones and zeroes - are used to describe each of the three primary colours (red, green and blue), for a total of 24 bits per pixel. With a high-spec professional camera shooting in Raw mode, 12, 14 or 16 bits per channel are recorded, and the image is usually uncompressed. This extra data may fill up your memory cards faster, but it means that more colour and brightness data is recorded per pixel than is actually visible on your monitor or in a final print, giving you more latitude to adjust exposure, contrast and white balance without loss of detail or degradation of the overall image quality.
The downside of shooting in Raw mode is that they have to be converted to JPEG or TIFF format before they can be shared or printed, which can take a long time. There are basically three options for Raw file conversion. You can either use the software that camera with your camera, such as Canon's Digital Photo Professional or Nikon's ViewNX, use a third-party Raw file converter such as Bibble, or do what most professional photographers do, and use Adobe Camera Raw with either Photoshop or Lightroom. Abobe Camera Raw provides a wide range of adjustments, including exposure, tone, noise reduction and even correction for lens faults such as chromatic aberration. I've written a more complete explanation of its abilities in a previous tutorial.
If your camera is has a good exposure metering system, as most professional cameras do, you shouldn't need to make to many adjustments, which is just as well. You will probably have at least a couple of hundred shots to go through, so hopefully you won't need to spend more than a couple of minutes on each one. If you have used the same camera and lens combination for a number of shots, such as the various group photos after the ceremony, you can save a set of adjustment settings and re-use them for each shot.
In general you want the shots to look as natural as possible, but it's a good idea to boost the saturation and contrast a little, by about 10-15 percent or so. This will make the colours stand out more in the final prints, and in the JPEG conversions that will be needed for online sharing.


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Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology
On-line version ISSN 1678-4324
Braz. arch. biol. technol. vol.55 no.3 Curitiba May/June 2012
Fast assessment of mineral constituents in grass by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry
Éder José dos SantosI; Loana Mara BaikaI; Amanda Beatriz HerrmannI; Suzete KulikI; Charyane Satie SatoI; Arlene Bispo dos SantosI; Adilson José CurtiusII, *
IInstituto de Tecnologia do Paraná; C. P.: 357; 81310-020; Curitiba - PR - Brasil
IIDepartamento de Química; Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; 880400-900; Florianópolis - SC - Brasil
A method for evaluating inorganic constituents in the grass by ICP OES is proposed. The samples were digested with nitric acid plus hydrogen peroxide in a microwave system. Seventeen samples were collected in the metropolitan area of Curitiba and Castro in the Paraná State, Brazil. The following elements were studied: Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Se and Zn. The linear coefficients of the curves were higher than 0.999 and the precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation, which was below 10%, being considered adequate. The accuracy was validated by using the recovery test (recoveries from 80 to 107%) and by the analysis of botanical certified materials. For one sample, two other digestion procedures, using two different mixtures of nitric and hydrochloric acids, produced results in agreement with the adopted procedure. Eleven out of the twenty studied elements could be quantified in real samples. High concentrations of Ca, K, Mg and P, the essential elements for bovines and other animals, were found. The results were evaluated using the principal component analysis that gathered the samples in three groups, according to the areas where the plants were grown.
Key words: ICP OES, Inorganic constituents, Acid digestion, PCA
Grass plants are among the main fodder sources for bovines, being considered as a voluminous feed, growing rapidly in favorable conditions and presenting high contents of fibers and water. They also can provide the majority of the required nutrients, depending on the animal species, soil quality, plant fertility and age, among other factors. Efficient pasture management is required to guarantee the availability of the nutrients. Brazil has the biggest cattle herd in the world, with more than 95% of the animals being grown in pastures. Certainly, the milk and meet quality will depend on the grass composition, which should be known (Martuscelo et al. 2009; Souza et al. 2007). For an adequate animal feed, inorganic nutrients or mineral compounds are required. Some of the nutrients are present in the grass as an inorganic salt, for example as CaCO3 or as part of an organic compound, for example P in caseine. Usually, the nutrients are classified as macro constituents, such as Ca, K, Mg, Na and P and as micro constituents, such as Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se and Zn. The macro constituents are required in levels from 0.2% to 1% of the animal corporal mass, while the micro constituents are required from 0.001% to 0.05% of the corporal mass. Some of the mineral constituents are stored in the organism, such as Fe in the liver or Ca in the bones, while the nutrients that are readily soluble in water, such as Na and K, are not stored and must be supplemented continuously by the food. However, deficiency or toxicity symptoms can be verified for low or high constituent concentration, respectively. Selenium, Mo and Cu toxicity can lead to problematic feeding situations. Elements such as As, Cd and Pb can be present in the grass due to environmental pollution. The knowledge of the chemical composition of the grass certainly is very important for the producer and also for the consumer (Azevedo and Chasin 2003; Da silva et al. 2006; Euclides and Medeiros 2003; Nicodemo and Laura 2001; Trevizan et al. 2007). Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES), in comparison to other atomic spectrometric techniques, can be employed for the determination of a relatively large groups of elements in high or low levels of concentration. Specifically for grass, ICP OES was recommended for analyte detection and quantification (Li and Thornton 1993; Madejón et al. 2002; Alexander et al. 2006; Farfel et al. 2005; Melo et al. 2009). In this way, As, Bi and Sb were determined, after sample calcination at 450 ºC for 6 h in the presence of Mg(NO3)2, using hydride generation (Li and Thornton 1993). Digestion with nitric acid in a microwave oven (Madejón et al. 2002) or in digestion blocks with controlled temperature were used for the determination of As, Cd, Cu, Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Mg, Ni, Pb, P, Tl and Zn (Alexander et al. 2006; Farfel et al. 2005). Nitric plus perchloric acids in digestion block were used for the determination of As (Melo et al. 2009). The goal of this work is the development of a method for the simultaneous determination of 20 elements in grass from the metropolitan area of Curitiba and Castro, in the State of Paraná, Brazil. The samples will be acid digested in a focused microwave system, prior to the analysis. The principal components analysis (PCA) will used for data interpretation.
The emission intensity signals, in peak height, were measured in an ICP OES instrument, model Vista Pro from Varian (Mulgrave, Australia), using the experimental conditions shown in Table 1. A focused microwave system, Star System 2 from CEM (Matthews, NC, USA) was employed for sample digestion. A mechanical Mill, model 3600 from Perten (Huddinge, Switzerland) was used to grind the samples previously dried in a drying oven model 400 ND from Nova Ética (Vargem Grande Paulista, SP, Brazil).
Reagents and materials
All chemicals were of analytical grade, unless otherwise specified. High purity water (resistivity of 18.2 Mω cm) was de-ionized in a Milli-Q system (Bedford, MA, USA). The following reagents were used: 65% v/v HNO3 Suprapur® (Part nº 1.00441.1000); 30% v/v H2O2 (Part nº 1.07210.1000) and 30% v/v HCl Suprapur® (Part nº 1.00318.0250), all from Merck (Darmstadt, Germany). Aqua regia (HCl + HNO3 3:1 molar ratio) and inverse aqua regia (HCl + HNO3 1:3 molar ratio) were prepared by mixing the concentrated acids. Mono-elemental stock standard solutions containing 1000 mg L-1 of the analytes, from AccuStandard (New Haven, USA) were used to compose the multi-elemental standard solutions used for calibration, in the concentration range from 0.1 to 2 mg L-1 of the analytes in 10% v/v HNO3.
Samples and reference certified materials
Seventeen samples of fodder grass were collected from April to May, 2010 in pastures in the metropolitan area of Curitiba (Campo Magro, Campo Largo and Bateias) and in Castro in the State of Paraná, Brazil. Among the samples, the following varieties were found: Avena strigosa Schreb, Lolium perenne and Cynodon sp and from the brachiaria gender. In the field, about 50 g of the plant was cut close to the root with an inox knife and kept in a plastic bag. In the lab, the plant samples were washed with de-ionized water and dried at 25 ± 2ºC until constant weigh (Li and Thornton 1993). The samples were then cut into small pieces, ground in a mechanical mill and stored in plastic bags, under the names G1 to G17, being G1 to G10 from the Curitiba area and G11 to G17 from the Castro area.
The following reference certified materials were analyzed: SRM 1515 (Apple Leaves) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD, USA) and SRM 1573 (Tomato Leaves) from the National Bureau of Standards (NBS, Washington, DC, USA).
Sample preparation
An aliquot of about 0.5 g of the ground sample was weighed and transferred to the glass tube of the focused microwave system. Then, 5 mL of concentrated HNO3 and 4 mL of concentrated H2O2 were added to the flask that was left standing for 12 h, before being digested in the focused microwave system under reflux, for 5 min at 110 ºC. The resulting solution was filtrated through a filter paper from JProlab, (No JP41, Curitiba, Brazil) and transferred to a 50 ml volumetric flask, before completing the volume with water. For comparison purpose, the G1 sample was also digested using 10 mL of aqua regia or inverse aqua regia.
Statistical program
The statistical program Statgraphics Plus 5.0 (Statgraphics Graphics Corp.,ST.SC., USA) was used for the principal component analysis (PCA).
Sample digestion
Table 2 shows the obtained results for the analytes concentrations in G1 sample using the three mixtures, above mentioned, in the digestion. According to the pared t-test, at a 95% confidence level, the three results for each analyte are in agreement. The method using nitric acid plus hydrogen peroxide was adopted, only because the precision, expressed by the relative standard deviation, was somewhat better than for the other two mixtures. This experiment also indicates that the proposed method is accurate.
Figures of merit
The figures of merit obtained for sample G1 are shown in Table 3, together with the analytical lines used for the intensity signal measurements. The intensity peaks for the G1 sample, not shown in this paper, were very similar to the intensity peaks for the standard solutions for the different analytes, also indicating absence of interference. Absence of interference was verified also for sample G2, by applying the recovery test and by the analysis of two certified reference materials, as described below. Certainly, the sample digestion and dilution allowed the interference free analysis of grass samples. The linear correlation coefficients of the calibration curves in 10% v/v HNO3 were higher than 0.999, demonstrating good and adequate linearity. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were defined as the ratios 3s/b and 10s/b, respectively, where s is the standard deviation of 10 measurements of the blank and b is the slope of the calibration curve (Nolte 2003; Miller et al. 2000). The obtained limits, shown in Table 3, demonstrate that the proposed method is adequate for the determination of Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P and Zn in grass, with LOQ values going from 0.05 (Mg and Mn) to 1 mg kg-1 (Al, Fe and K). The linear range for all analytes was from the LOQ values up to 200 mg kg-1. However, the proposed method is not enough sensitive for trace elements such as As, Cd, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb and Se, for which the concentrations were below the LOQ values (from 0.1 mg kg-1 for Cd to 3 mg kg-1 for Se), as it will be shown later, in the analytical application.
Precision and accuracy were evaluated for the G2 sample, which was enriched with 1% m/m of Ca, K, Mg, Na and P and 100 mg kg-1 of the minor components elements. The obtained concentrations are shown in Table 4. The relative standard deviations (RSD) were below 10%, indicating an adequate precision. The recovery values were from 80% to 107%, demonstrating a good accuracy (Miller and Miller 2000; Okada et al. 2007; Rosecrance 2005). The accuracy was further demonstrated by the analysis of botanical certified reference materials and the results are shown in Table 5. The recoveries of the certified values were between 83% and 119%, confirming the adequate accuracy of the proposed method. The obtained precision in the analysis of the certified materials was also adequate, confirming RSD values lower than 10%.
Analytical application
Table 6 shows the obtained concentrations for the seventeen samples, after digestion using nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide under microwaves. For nine analytes (the non-essential elements As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Sb, Co, Mo and Se), the concentrations were below the quantification limits that could indicate that they were grown in non-contaminated environments. Usually, contaminants are more concentrated in the roots than in other parts of the plants, indicating poor translocation (Trevizam et al. 2007; Lamego and Vidal 2007).
Eleven elements could be measured: Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P and Zn. Certainly, Ca, K, Mg and P are the most important constituents. The PCA for the concentrations of these analytes is represented in Figure 1, where PC1 is the first principal component and PC2 is the second principal component (Dos Santos et al. 2008; Morgano et al. 1999; Yabe and Oliveira 1998). The PC1 is related mainly with Ca, Cu and P, while the PC2 is related to Al, Fe and Mn. As shown in the Figure, the samples are distributed in three groups. One of them gathers the majority of the samples (G1-G6 and G10-G12), being characterized by relative high concentrations of Ca and P, which are essential elements for the living being, and of Cu, important for the immunologic system. The samples from this group, except G11 and G12, were grown in the same Curitiba area, what explains its similarity concerning the elemental composition. The second group contains G7-G9 samples with relatively high concentrations of Al, Fe and Mn. They were grown in Campo Magro. The Al concentrations in all samples showed a great variability going from 6 to 439 mg kg-1, indicating differences in acid of the soil (Wenzl et al. 2003). In the third group, involving samples G13-G15, they have a relatively high concentration of Mn, which in conjunction with P and Zn activate the animal enzymatic system. The samples of this group come from the Castro area, what could explain their similarity. Two samples, G16 and G17 from the Castro area, do not belong to any of the three groups. Samples G11 and G12 were also collected in Castro, but they were similar to the samples from the Curitiba area. Certainly, the PCA statistical tool can be very useful for understanding the elemental composition of plants, gathering the samples that show similarity in the concentrations of the constituents (Rocha et al. 2000; Schunke 2001).
The simultaneous determination of several elements in grass by ICP OES, following microwave-assisted sample digestion is proposed. Three different acid digestion mixtures produce results in agreement for a grass sample. The precision of the proposed method, measured by the relative standard deviation, is adequate. The method is accurate, as verified by the analysis of certified reference materials, by the recovery test and also by comparing different acid mixtures in the digestion. Eleven out of 20 studied elements could be determined, including the most important ones, concerning nutrition, such as Ca, K, Mg and P. The concentration of 6 non-essential plus 3 trace elements were below their quantification limits. The principal component analysis, applied to the concentration results for 17 grass samples, gather the samples in 3 groups according to their composition. The groups could be associated to different areas of plant culture. Most probably, the proposed method can be used for the analysis of other botanical samples.
L. M. Baika and A. B. dos Santos have scholarship from Fundação Araucária. A. J. Curtius has a scholarship from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico.
Azevedo SA, Chasin AAM. Metais: Gerenciamento da Toxicidade. São Paulo: Atheneu; 2003. [ Links ]
Alexander PD, Alloway BJ, Dourado AM. Genotypic variations in the accumulation of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn exhibited by six commonly grown vegetables. Environ. Pollution 2006; 44:736-745. [ Links ]
Da Silva S, Siqueira JO, Soares CRFS. Mycorrhizal fungi influence on brachiariagrass growth and heavy metal extraction in a contaminated soil. Pesq. agropec. bras., 2006; 41(12): 1749-1757. [ Links ]
Dos Santos JS, Dos Santos ML, Oliveira E. Study of metal and trace element mobilization in aquatic environments of brazilian semi-arid zones applying principal component analysis. Quím. Nova 2008; 31(5): 1107-1111. [ Links ]
Euclides VPB, Medeiros SR. Nutritive value of the prevalente grasses used in Brazil. First ed. Campo Grande: Embrapa Gado de Corte; 2003. [ Links ]
Farfel MR, Orlova AO, Chaney RL, Lees PSJ, Rohde C, Ashley PJ. Biosolids compost amendment for reducing soil lead hazards: a pilot study of OrgroÒ amendment and grass seeding in urban yards. The Sci. of the Total Environ. 2005; 340: 81-95. [ Links ]
Li X, Thornton I. Arsenic, antimony and bismuth in soil and pasture herbage in some old metalliferous mining areas in England. Environ. Geog. and Health. 1993; 15(2/3): 135-144. [ Links ]
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Martuscello JA, Jank L, Gontijo Neto MM, Laura VA, Da Cunha DNFV. Genus Brachiaria grass yields under different shade levels. R. Bras. Zootec. 2009; 38(7): 1183-1190. [ Links ]
Madejón P, Murillo JM, Marañón T, Cabrera F, López R. Bioaccumulation of As, Cd, Cu, Fe and Pb in wild grasses affected by the Aznalcóllar mine spill (SW Spain). The Sci. of the Total Environ. 2002; 290: 105-120. [ Links ]
Melo RF, Dias LE, Mello JWV, Oliveira JA. Potential of four herbaceous forage species for phytoremediation of a soil contaminated with arsenic. R. Bras. Ci. Solo. 2009; 33: 455-465. [ Links ]
Miller JN, Miller JC. Statistics and Chemometries for Analytical Chemistry. 5th ed. Edinburgh: Pearson Education; 2000. [ Links ]
Morgano MA, Queiroz SCN, Ferreira MMC. Minerals determination in juices by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Ciênc. Tecnol. Aliment. 1999; 19(3): 344-348. [ Links ]
Nicodemo MLF, Laura VA. Minerals in forages: chemical forms, distribution and bioavailability. First ed. Campo Grande: Embrapa Gado de Corte; 2001. [ Links ]
Nolte J. ICP Emission Spectrometry: a practical guide. Owingen: Wiley-VCH; 2003. [ Links ]
Okada IA, Duran MC, Buzzo ML, Dovidauskas S, Sakuma AM, Zenebon O. Validation and application of an analytical method for determining inorganic nutrients in milled rice. Cienc. Tecnol. Aliment. 2007; 27(3): 492-497. [ Links ]
Rocha GP, Evangelista AR, Paiva PCA, Freitas RTF, Garcia E, Rosa B. Mineral composition of three grasses of the Cynodon genus. Ciênc. Anim. Bras. 2000; 1(1): 31-41. [ Links ]
Sousa LF, Maurício RM, Gonçalves LC, Saliba EOS, Moreira GR. Productivity and nutritional value of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu in a silvopastoral system. Arq. Bras. Med. Vet. Zootec. 2007; 59(4), 1029-1037. [ Links ]
Schunke RM. Interaction between Pastures Fertilization and Mineral Supplementation of Cattle. First ed. Campo Grande: Embrapa Gado de Corte; 2001. [ Links ]
Rosecrance AE. Quality Assurance. In: Eaton AD, Clesceri LS, Rice EW, Greenberg AE. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 21st ed. Maryland: American Public Health Association; 2005. 1-5. [ Links ]
Trevizam AR, Vitti GC, Silva MLS. Concentration of heavy metals in grain of plants cultivated in soil with different contamination levels. Pesquisa Agropec. Bras. 2007; 42(4): 527-535. [ Links ]
Wenzl P, Mancilla LI, Mayer JE, Albert R, Rao IM. Simulating infertile acid soils with nutrient solutions: the effects on Brachiaria species. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 2003; 67: 1457 -1469. [ Links ]
Yabe MJS, Oliveira E. Heavy metals in fresh waters for evaluation of hydrographic basins. Quím. Nova 1998; 21(5): 551-556. [ Links ]
Received: January 12, 2011
Revised: July 14, 2011
Accepted: March 06, 2012
* Author for correspondence: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Category: names that mean night
Many parents — more and more, it seems — wait until the baby arrives to settle on a name. Some want to see what it looks like and try to gauge its incipient personality (not always easy), and some want to tie it into the circumstances of the baby's birth–a practice seen in a number of earlier cultures. This could be the season of arrival–Summer or Autumn–or the month, as in June or January, or the day of the week, as in Sunday Rose Kidman Urban (actually born on a Monday).
Another option is commemorating the time of day or night of the baby's arrival. There are any number of names associated with sun and moon gods and goddesses, as well as names whose meanings refer to day and night, stars, dawn, sun and moon, in both western and eastern cultures. Some of them worth considering are:
ADOUR — African, meaning born at dawn
ALBA –means dawn in Italian and Spanish
ALTAN — Turkish, meaning dawn


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[Ratings: Wed, 04.04.13] The Wind Stops Blowing with No Kiss for Kim Bum
SBS' That Winter, The Wind Blows concluded its run with a happy ending between Zo In Sung and Song Hye Gyo.
Smoothing out all the rough patches between each character as well as a surprise twist, which eventually gets solved, That Winter, The Wind Blows finished with 15.8 percent, its highest number to be recorded, but not high enough to see for Kim Bum to make good on his promise to kiss Jung Eun Ji.
Meanwhile, MBC's When a Man Loves debut at 6.6 percent.
Wednesday, April 4, 2013
KBS Cheer Up, Mr. Kim! 27.0
1. SBS That Winter, The Wind Blows 15.8
2. KBS Iris 2 10.2
3. MBC When a Man Loves6.6
1. SBS One Night of TV Entertainment 7.7
2. SBS Couples (Jjak) 7.0
3. MBC Radio Star 6.7
*All ratings are based on AGB Nielson Media Research
Photo Credit: SBS
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It was appropriate that Emirates Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Cup in San Francisco's fog today - as the future of America's cup defender Oracle Team USA lies under a darkening cloud of cheating allegations.
Moves today by the America's Cup international jury thickened that cloud. Further inquiries by the measurement committee and the jury have called into question some new modifications discovered on some Oracle AC45s, the 45-foot catamarans at the heart of the cheating inquiry.
The findings of the measurement committee have deepened the gloom facing OTUSA. This could be the biggest cheating scandal in the 162-year-history of the Cup.
Stripped of the legal and technical language, the committee found the installation of illegal materials which aided boat speed in the AC45s of OTUSA CEO Sir Russell Coutts and No. 1 skipper Jimmy Spithill. The king post, a fitting called a spigot and carbon tape were all involved in modifications allegedly designed to add weight, length and stiffness to a part of the boat that helps bear the load of the mast and sails.
But the real significance is not mentioned in the measurement committee report nor the jury notice released today.
In the original complaint raising the possibility of cheating, bags of lead weight were found stowed illegally. That alone could be construed as cheating (adding weight for more speed) and is highly serious. But there remained an element of doubt.
A team member or members, mistakenly or otherwise, could have done it or taken it upon themselves to do it. There was not necessarily any involvement of anyone else in that scenario - though there were jury questions raised about OTUSA's corporate responsibility in possibly allowing a representative or representatives to bring the Cup into disrepute; a serious offence on its own.
The discovery of the new modifications indicates that the alterations to the kingposts were far more complex than just stowing a bag of lead. The materials involved - and the way they were applied - suggest that the modifications had to be designed, built and installed. In other words, they clearly raise the issue of deliberate cheating within the team, planned and executed by more than one person.
The jury, in referring this matter directly to the second of two hearings now to be heard on Friday, NZT, indicates that. The first hearing will investigate gross misconduct by an individual or individuals. The second hearing, to be heard under Article 60 of the Cup protocol, is to do with bringing the Cup into disrepute - and is where penalties could be applied against the team.
At the extreme end of the scale is expulsion of the defender or penalties against team members and/or the team itself. Even though the inquiries relate to the AC45s and the warm-up event, the America's Cup World Series, it is still part of the overall America's Cup regatta and subject to the same rules.
Illegal lead weights were found in OTUSA AC45s, initially reported to be those skippered by Coutts and leading sailors Spithill and Sir Ben Ainslie. It subsequently emerged that Ainslie was in London, becoming the most successful sailor in the history of the Olympic Games when the weights were allegedly applied to the boats.
Coutts sometimes skippered one of the AC45s in the ACWS. His boat was reported to have no illegal weights when inspected later - in contradiction of an OTUSA earlier report which suggested that it did. OTUSA suggested that the measurement committee had made a mistake and applied for reinstatement of Coutts' boat in the ACWS (from which they had withdrawn all three boats originally).
But the jury notice of today, quoting a new measurement committee report, refers to "the different lengths of such king posts and the depth of engagement of the spigots of the upper main king post fittings on OTUSA AC45 Yachts, boats 4 and 5." Boat 4 is Spithill's and Boat 5 is Coutts'.
So it seems that forces are gathering around Oracle Team USA. It is still possible that they will survive the jury hearings and the evidence gathered against them - but most observers are predicting team members banned from the regatta and at least two points docked from Oracle's defence of the Cup.
Emirates Team NZ would then go into the Cup match with Oracle Team USA in a negative points situation - meaning they will have to win more than nine races in the best-of-17 final; making it easier for ETNZ to win the Cup.
There is also the prospect that the first hearing (into allegations of gross misconduct against an individual or individuals) could cushion the team from receiving a penalty in the second hearing.
The jury has interviewed 16 members of OTUSA and five members of ACRM and some are likely to give evidence in the first hearing. If an individual or individual make a clean breast of things (assuming there is a clean breast to be made), that could focus any penalties on the team members themselves.
There are strong rumours afoot that two members of the OTUSA sailing crew are involved, including one front-line member.
However, if the first hearing draws to a close without any definitive decisions, that heightens the possibility that the second hearing could focus more intensely on the team - and the possible docking of points or worse.


text: It's one of his earliest memories: He's four years old, standing up on a box in front of his father's big band, baton in hand, conducting. Though his dad stood behind him, doing the real work, for Dan it was a foreshadowing of what his life would be -- following in his father's footsteps to become the leader of the band. "It was an amazing feeling," he declared decades later during a series of discussions for these notes. "To be immersed in music. It felt both very magical and powerful. And I was fearless."


text:
Rising suicides off Tsing Yi bridges raise alarms
Installing telephone hotlines to counsellors could save lives of those in distress, say charities
The marine police and a coalition of suicide-prevention charities are concerned by the alarming rise in people killing themselves by jumping off two bridges at Tsing Yi.
Charities say the installation on the bridges of telephone hotlines to counsellors could save lives.
Figures obtained by the Sunday Morning Post from the marine police reveal that in the past two years there were 13 suicides and 24 attempts from the North and South bridges, which have pedestrian access. Another 37 bodies - suspected suicide cases - had been recovered.
The minutes of a working group on suicide prevention, spearheaded by the marine police, revealed that the number of incidents in the first six months of 2013 was double that of the same period last year.
The figures contrast with just 12 suicides occurring on Hong Kong's largest bridge at Tsing Ma, as well as Ting Kau and Kap Shui Mun bridges, between 1997 and 2007, according to the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong. None of these bridges have pedestrian access.
Centre director Professor Paul Yip Siu-fai said the large number of incidents at Tsing Yi warranted attention.
For the past 14 months, marine police and suicide-prevention groups have been working to set up free emergency telephone hotlines on the North and South bridges and have installed banners displaying a number for people to call.
"It is a very good idea for preventing suicides we could explore," said marine police Senior Inspector Winsy Ng Wing-see.
San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, considered one of the world's top suicide spots, has special telephone hotlines installed for emergency situations.
Vincent Ng Chi-Kwan, executive director of Suicide Prevention Services, said it was important to have a phone available at suicide spots and a person on the other end of the line for someone in distress to talk to.
"If someone is in emotional distress, we encourage them to call us. If they cannot release their emotions, they will feel worse and get depressed," Ng said. "If you don't have someone to listen to you or share your feelings, it is a recipe for suicide."
Founded in 1995, Ng's hotline received 35,000 calls for help in the 2012-13 fiscal year, the highest number in three years.
Alastair Sharp, The Samaritans Hong Kong deputy director, said: "There are banners up on the Tsing Yi bridges with a number asking people to call, but we want phones to be put there, and that's what we are working on. Sometimes suicide is impulsive, and if you can be there to respond to people's feelings and anguish, you can make a difference."
According to preliminary figures from the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, there were 908 suicides last year, up 5 per cent from 2011, but down from 1,200 cases a decade ago.
The statistics also revealed that in half of all cases, jumping from height - buildings, bridges or otherwise - was the preferred method of suicide. Hanging was employed in 25 per cent of cases while one in 10 people burned charcoal and died through carbon-monoxide poisoning.
"If they want to go down to the Tsing Yi bridges, they will usually drive themselves down there and jump off," said a senior marine police commander with first-hand knowledge of suicide rescue and recovery operations.
"Land police will go to the bridge to see what's going on and marine police are told to go to the scene below the bridge to start a search-and-rescue operation in case the person is still alive in the waters. Unfortunately, most people tend to die [after jumping] from that height, so it is more like a search-and-recovery operation," the source said.
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text: My skin was quite fair (computer skin analysis/dr analysis burning at 7 minutes). My skin has all this brown now that did not develop during pregnancy but developed while nursing when hormones are suppressed. I haven't been well. Everyone just assumes melasma. Other ideas to consider I can ask a dr?