The present invention includes compositions and methods of preparation for symmetrical and unsymmetrical diamines containing three ether-linked benzonitrile moieties that may be used as monomers for the manufacture of a variety of functional polymers. For example, the presently disclosed multi(ether-benzonitrile) diamines may polymerize with: (i) a dianhydride to form a polyimide; (ii) a diacid chloride directly or with a dicarboxylic acid (diacid) in conjunction with a suitable promoter/catalyst combination such as triethylphosphite/pyridine to form a polyamide; and (iii) 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic anhydride (trimellitic anhydride), trimellitic anhydride chloride, or a diacid/diacid chloride derived from trimellitic anhydride and an aromatic diamine to form a poly(amide-imide).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of heat-resistant polymers with dielectric properties. More particularly, it relates to diamines and polymers containing three ether-linked benzonitrile moieties, polymers made therefrom, and methods of making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Materials with a high dielectric constant or relative permittivity (K) have recently received increasing interest for various potential applications including high energy-density-storage capacitor, gate dielectrics, and electroactive materials. In particular, materials with a high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss are critical for the applications of embedded passives such as capacitors. Such materials are one of the enabling technologies for microelectronic-system integration to provide the necessary size reduction without compromising the performance, and in some cases, with the possibility of performance enhancement in electronic systems. For capacitor applications, materials should generally possess the following properties: high dielectric constant, low dissipation factor, high thermal stability, simple processability, and good dielectric properties over a broad frequency range.
However, it is has also become clear that no single material would be able to satisfy all of these prerequisites. Therefore, recent years have witnessed an extensive exploitation of polymer-nanocomposites strategy. The overarching goal of these efforts is to combine the best characteristics of nano-fillers and matrix polymers in a synergistic fashion to improve the dielectric performance of the materials in terms of maximizing the dielectric constant and at the same time, managing the dielectric loss to an acceptable level. From the materials standpoint, there is clearly an increasing need for high-K, non-conducting polymers (i.e. devoid of both intrinsically electronic and ionic conduction) that are processable and compatible with high-K nanoparticles.
With the exception of ferroelectric polymers such as poly(vinylidene fluoride, PVDF (K-values of 9-10) and poly(vinylidene-fluoride-trifluoroethylene) or P(VDF-TrFE)-based, high-K fluoroterpolymers (K>60), the dielectric constant values for organic and nonferroelectric polymers are typically in the 2-4 range. However, the low surface energy of these highly fluorinated polymers makes them poor matrix materials for both carbon-based and inorganic nano-fillers because of the inherent interfacial incompatibility between them. In addition, the useful dielectric properties of these highly fluorinated polymers are generally stable only at temperatures below 125° C.
To increase the dielectric constant property of polymers, one approach that has been explored is to raise the polarity of the molecular chain by introducing highly neutral or zwitterionic polar groups into the side chains. Thus, for flexible aliphatic polymers, namely poly(olefins) and polysiloxanes, highly polar pendants such as cyclic sulfoxide and carbonate, as well as zwitterionic moieties such as pyridium-propanesulfonate and imidazolium-propanesulfonate, have been attached to polymer backbones. The dielectric properties were improved but generally with limited success. For example, cyclic carbonate-containing PMMA appeared to have the best performance: 6.0 (1 KHz), 5.0 (1 MHz), and 3.4 (1 GHz) with dielectric loss of 0.1-0.2 in the testing range of 1 MHz-1 GHz, where the relatively large loss is ascribed to the association of the zwitterionic units under the influence of electric field.
In the case of less flexible, aromatic polyimides, hole-transporting triphenylamine units have been incorporated into the polymer backbone, resulting in dielectric constants (3.57-4.93 at 1 kHz) higher than those of common polyimides (e.g. Kapton® film, DuPont™, with a value of 3.2). Similarly, the aryl-substituted pyridine heterocylic ring and nitrile (—CN) group were found to be effective in raising the K value up to 4.5 at 1 KHz. While no dielectric loss data is reported for these polymers, substantial dielectric loss has been reported for (βCN)APB-ODA, a non-fluorinated polyimide, at temperatures around 150° C. Therefore, mechanically and thermally robust polymer dielectrics are needed to increase the operating temperature range and to mitigate thermal management issues in compact pulsed power applications.

Aromatic diamines containing three ether-linked-benzonitrile moieties, polymers thereof, and methods of making the same

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A fluid pulse generator can include a fluid motor and a bypass flow path in fluid communication with an inlet and an outlet, and a flow control device configured to permit flow through the bypass flow path in response to a predetermined pressure differential applied across the flow control device. A method of generating fluid pulses can include flowing a fluid through a fluid pulse generator, thereby generating fluid pulses, and then applying a predetermined pressure differential from an inlet to an outlet of the fluid pulse generator, thereby permitting flow of the fluid through the fluid pulse generator without generating the fluid pulses. A fluid pulse generation system can include a fluid pulse generator with a fluid motor, a variable flow restrictor, and a bypass flow path. A predetermined pressure differential applied across the fluid motor permits the flow of the fluid through the bypass flow path.

This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in an example described below, more particularly provides for fluid pulse generation in wells.
It can be advantageous to be able to produce pressure and flow pulses in fluid flow through a tubular string in a well. For example, fluid pulses in a fluid flow can cause a "water hammer" effect and vibration of a tubular string, which can help to displace the tubular string through a horizontal section of a wellbore, prevent differential sticking or produce other desirable effects.
Therefore, it will be readily appreciated that improvements are continually needed in the art of generating fluid pulses in subterranean wells. It is among the objects of the present disclosure to provide such improvements to the art for use in any of a wide variety of different types of well operations.

Fluid pulse generation in subterranean wells


Various implementations of shared upper level cache architectures for multi-core processors including a first subset of processor cores and a second subset of processor cores and a module configured to copy data from a first shared upper level cache memory to a second shared upper level cache memory are generally disclosed.

Multi-core processors may experience greater impact from cache misses and cache busy events. A number of factors may result in increased cache misses on multi-core processors, such as linear superscalar optimization, where instructions may be loaded for the next execution step during the previous execution step, and simultaneous multi-threading, in which processes may be swapped during execution delays. Tracking processes in multi-core processors and moving processes between cores may further impact cache capabilities. A multicore chip may have both a private per-core Level 1 (L1) cache and a chip-wide shared Level 2 (L2) cache and cache penalties may be most acute when multiple cores seek access to the L2 cache.


Apparatus for controlling a vehicle automatic transmission having a hydraulically operated frictional coupling device operable to effect a shifting action of the automatic transmission, a switching valve operable according to a shifting command to effect the shifting action, and a pressure regulating valve operable to control a pressure of a working fluid to be supplied to the frictional coupling device through the switching valve to effect the shifting action, the apparatus including (a) a fluid temperature detector operable to detect a temperature of the working fluid, and (b) a delaying device operable to delay a moment of initiation of an operation of the pressure regulating valve to control the pressure of the working fluid to be supplied to the frictional coupling device for effecting the shifting action, such that the moment of initiation is delayed depending upon the detected working fluid temperature, to reduce a shifting shock of the automatic transmission.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2001-232035 filed on Jul. 31, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for controlling a shifting action of an automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to techniques for operating a hydraulically operated frictional coupling device at a relatively low temperature of a working fluid, in a manner similar to that at a normal temperature of the working fluid.
2. Discussion of Related Art
For an automotive vehicle, there is known an automatic transmission of a type arranged to be shifted by a shifting action of a hydraulically operated frictional coupling device such that the pressure of a pressurized working fluid to be supplied to the frictional coupling device is regulated by a pressure regulating valve under the control of an electronic control device of a shift control apparatus. The shift control apparatus is arranged such that the pressurized fluid whose pressure is regulated by the electronic control device according to a predetermined control program is directly supplied to the hydraulically operated frictional coupling device after the automatic transmission is commanded to effect a shifting action. This arrangement permits a comparatively high degree of control accuracy of the engaging action of the frictional coupling device. JP-A-2000-9221 discloses an example of such a shift control apparatus for a vehicle automatic transmission, wherein the frequency of a drive signal to be applied to a solenoid-operated valve such as a linear solenoid valve provided to apply a hydraulic signal for controlling the pressure regulating valve is increased when the temperature of the working fluid is lowered, so that the engaging action of the frictional coupling device is controlled with a relatively high response even when the temperature of the working fluid is relatively low.
A known shift control apparatus for an automatic transmission is arranged such that the hydraulic signal for controlling the pressure regulating valve, which hydraulic signal is controlled by the electronic control device, is applied from the solenoid-operated valve to the pressure regulating valve through a switching valve which is operated in response to a command to shift the automatic transmission. Alternatively, the known shift control apparatus is arranged such that the pressurized fluid whose pressure is regulated by the pressure regulating valve is supplied to the hydraulically operated frictional coupling device through such a switching valve. Usually, the switching valve is a shift valve which is switched to effect a selected shifting action of the automatic transmission, according to a hydraulic signal generated from the solenoid-operated valve.
In the known shift control apparatus, the switching action of the switching valve tends to be delayed due to an increase in the viscosity of the working fluid with a decrease in the temperature of the working fluid. Where the pressure of the pressurized fluid to be supplied to the frictional coupling device is regulated according to the predetermined control program immediately after the moment at which the automatic transmission is commanded to be shifted, a delay in the switching action of the switching valve causes a delayed application of the controlled fluid pressure to the frictional coupling device, and an accordingly delayed shifting action of the frictional coupling device. Accordingly, the delay in the switching action of the switching valve causes deterioration of control accuracy of the shifting action of the frictional coupling device due to a low control response of the fluid pressure applied thereto, resulting in a considerable shifting shock of the automatic transmission.
The present invention was made in the light of the background art discussed above. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling a vehicle automatic transmission, which apparatus permits accurate control of an engaging action of a hydraulically operated frictional coupling device and is capable of effectively reducing a shifting shock of the transmission, irrespective of a varying temperature of the working fluid used for operating the frictional coupling device.
The object indicated above may be achieved according to the principle of this invention, which provides an apparatus for controlling a vehicle automatic transmission having a hydraulically operated frictional coupling device operable to effect a shifting action of the automatic transmission, a switching valve operable according to a shifting command to effect the shifting action, and a pressure regulating valve operable to control a pressure of a working fluid to be supplied to the frictional coupling device through the switching valve to effect the shifting action, the apparatus comprising: (a) a fluid temperature detector operable to detect a temperature of the working fluid; and (b) delaying means for delaying a moment of initiation of an operation of the pressure regulating valve to control the pressure of the working fluid to be supplied to the frictional coupling device for effecting the shifting action, such that the above-indicated moment of initiation is delayed depending upon the temperature of the working fluid detected by the fluid temperature detector.
In the transmission shift control apparatus of the present embodiment constructed as described above, the delaying means is arranged to delay the moment of initiation of an operation of the pressure regulating valve to control the pressure of the working fluid for effecting the shifting action, such that the moment of initiation of the operation of the pressure regulating valve is delayed on the basis of the temperature of the working fluid as detected by the fluid temperature detector, so that the operation of the pressure regulating valve to control the fluid pressure to be applied to the frictional coupling device is initiated when the switching valve has been completely switched to a position corresponding to the operating position of the automatic transmission to be established by the shifting action. Accordingly, the control of the fluid pressure in the frictional coupling device is initiated at an appropriate point of time determined depending upon the temperature of the working fluid, making it possible to effectively reduce a shifting shock of the automatic transmission, irrespective of a variation in the temperature of the working fluid, that is, irrespective of a variation in the viscosity of the working fluid.
According to one preferred form of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises delay time determining means for determining a delay time by which the moment of initiation of the operation of the pressure regulating valve to control the pressure of the working fluid is delayed, such that the delay time is increased with a decrease in the temperature of the working fluid detected by the fluid temperature detector. In this case, the delaying means delays the moment of initiation of the operation of the pressure regulating valve, by the delay time which is determined by the delay time determining means, so as to be increased as the detected working fluid temperature is lowered, so that the operation of the pressure regulating valve to control the fluid pressure in the frictional coupling device to effect the shifting action of the automatic transmission is initiated when the switching valve has been switched to the position corresponding to the position of the automatic transmission to be established by the shifting action. Thus, the delay time determining means permits accurate control of the releasing or engaging action of the frictional coupling device to effect the shifting action, making it possible to effectively reduce the shifting shock of the automatic transmission, irrespective of a variation in the temperature of the working fluid.
In one advantageous arrangement of the above-indicated preferred form of this invention, the shifting action of the automatic transmission is effected by a releasing action of a first frictional coupling device and an engaging action of a second frictional coupling device, which releasing and engaging actions take place substantially concurrently with each other, and the delaying means delays the moment of initiation of the operation of the pressure regulating valve to control the pressure of the working fluid to be supplied to the first frictional coupling device to effect its releasing action for effecting the shifting action of the automatic transmission. In this case, the delay time is a length of time from a moment of generation of the shifting command to the moment of initiation of the operation of the pressure regulating valve to initiate the releasing action of the first frictional coupling device. Accordingly, the accuracy of control of the releasing action of the first frictional coupling device is improved. Further, the engaging action of the second frictional coupling device is effected in timed relation with the releasing action of the first frictional coupling device, so that those releasing and engaging actions of the two frictional coupling devices can be controlled with a high degree of accuracy, making it possible to further effectively reduce the shifting shock of the automatic transmission, irrespective of the varying temperature of the working fluid.

Apparatus for controlling vehicle automatic transmission


An electrical machine, in particular a rotary current generator for motor vehicles, is proposed which has a housing (13) in which a stator (16) is retained, such that a coolant can flow around the outside of the stator (16) from one of its axial face ends (57) to a circumferential region of the stator (16), defining a flow cross section of the flow course through the stator (16) and the housing (13). The flow course is defined toward the stator by outer stator teeth (62) located on the outer circumference of the stator (16).

From Published German Patent Disclosure DE 44 25 000 A1, an electrical machine embodied as a rotary current generator for motor vehicles is known. This reference describes, among other things, the fact that an air gap may be provided, which is located between a circumferential region of a housing part and the lamination packet of the stator.
The electrical machine of the invention having the characteristics of the main claim, in which among other features it is provided that the flow course is defined toward the stator by outer stator teeth located on the outer circumference of the stator, has the advantage that the cooling area of the stator is markedly increased as a result, and thus the stator can be cooled better on its outer surface.
It is especially advantageous if outer teeth, extending outward and axially, which define the outer stator slots in the circumferential direction extend from the yoke. This has the advantage that the yoke is not weakened, but instead its surface area is increased by additional material extending out from the yoke. This improves both the magnetic flux in the stator iron on the one hand and the convention on the other.
In a further feature of the invention, the stator is retained in the housing via its outer teeth, and the housing rests on an axial face end of the outer stator teeth, and the outer stator teeth are received in a fitted fashion by a housing opening. By this provision, the heat transfer from the stator iron via its outer stator teeth to the housing is improved, since the outer stator teeth rest at least partly in the housing opening on the housing.
A further improvement in the invention is obtained by providing that a housing part, for instance a bearing plate, adjacent to the stator has a toothed or slotted end face, and housing slots are diametrically opposite the outer stator slots. By this provision, an improved guidance of the flow in the circumferential region, that is, at the interface between stator and bearing plate, is made possible, since because of the toothed or slotted end face, additional conduits or flow possibilities are opened up, and thus the flow resistance in this region drops further. The volumetric flow for the coolant can thus be further increased, and as a result the temperature of the stator drops.
For adjusting the desired quantity of cooling air in the region of the contact face between the stator and the housing part, it is provided that the housing slots extend in an annular region of the housing part and also end in that region. In addition, via the design, for instance with regard to the length of these housing slots, the stability of the annular region is also influenced in terms of its vibration properties and thus its vulnerability to breakage. If the housing slots did not end in the annular region, the housing part would be weakened too greatly. It is provided that the housing slots end with a chamfer. This has the advantage that the effective flow cross section is especially large at the transition from the region outside the winding heads of the stator iron or stator to the housing part. As a result, the flow can be guided better. Moreover, the risk that these openings will become soiled and thus plugged up is lessened.
In a further feature of the invention, it is provided that the housing slots alternate with housing teeth, and an inside diameter of the housing teeth is greater than an inside diameter of the outer stator slots. This has the advantage that directly in the plane in which the stator rests on the housing part, the blocking of the flow course by the housing teeth is especially slight. As a result, the flow resistance in this flow path is reduced, and thus the coolant throughput is also improved, leading to the known consequences of such an improvement.
For improved flow guidance, it is provided that the continuous annular region extends for at least 20% up to approximately 70% of its total axial length over the stator. Thus the continuous annular region covers a certain length of the stator, or of its outer stator teeth. As a result, the cooling air can flow over the surface of the outer stator teeth longer, and the cooling effect for the stator or stator iron is thus improved.
The vibration properties of the housing part are furthermore improved by this coverage of the stator.
For further improvement, it is provided that the housing teeth are wider in the circumferential direction than the outer stator teeth.
To further optimize the heat transfer or flow properties, it is provided that the outer stator teeth are covered by housing teeth in a first approximation over a radial length of 40% to 70%. In a second approximation, it is provided that this coverage amounts to between 50% to 64%.

Electric machine with stator cooling teeth


A jointed wind turbine rotor blade includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment. A chord-wise joint separates the first and second blade segments, wherein internal joint structure joins the first and second blade segments across the chord-wise joint. A first heating system is configured within the first blade segment, and a second heating system is configured within the second blade segment. A disconnectable coupling is configured between the first and second blade segments at the chord-wise joint to supply power or a fluid medium from the first blade segment across the chord-wise joint for use by the second heating system in the second blade segment.

Wind power is considered one of the cleanest, most environmentally friendly energy sources presently available, and wind turbines have gained increased attention in this regard. A modern wind turbine typically includes a tower, generator, gearbox, nacelle, and one or more rotor blades. The rotor blades capture kinetic energy from wind using known foil principles and transmit the kinetic energy through rotational energy to turn a shaft coupling the rotor blades to a gearbox, or if a gearbox is not used, directly to the generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy to electrical energy that may be deployed to a utility grid.
Wind turbine rotor blades generally include a body shell formed by two shell halves of a composite laminate material joined together along the leading and trailing edges of the blade. Internal support structure, such as spar caps and shear webs, provide the structural properties to the blade (e.g., stiffness, buckling resistance, and strength) needed for the blade to withstand the bending moments and other loads exerted on the rotor blade during operation.
In recent years, wind turbines for wind power generation have significantly increased in size to achieve improvement in power generation efficiency and to increase the amount of power generation. Along with the increase in size of wind turbines for wind power generation, wind turbine rotor blades have also significantly increased in size (e.g., up to 55 meters in length), resulting in difficulties in integral manufacture as well as conveyance and transport of the blades to a site.
In this regard, the industry is developing sectional wind turbine rotor blades wherein separate blade segments are manufactured and transported to a site for assembly into a complete blade (a "jointed" blade). In certain constructions, the blade segments are joined together by a beam structure that extends span-wise from one blade segment into a receiving section of the other blade segment. Reference is made, for example, to US Patent Publication No. 2015/0369211, which describes a first blade segment with a beam structure extending lengthways that structurally connects with a receiving section in a second blade segment. The beam structure forms a portion of the internal support structure for the blade and includes a shear web connected with a suction side spar cap and a pressure side spar cap. Multiple bolt joints are used to connect the beam structure with the receiving section in the second blade segment, including a span-wise bolt on the end face of the beam and at least one chord-wise bolt through the beam structure spaced from the joint line between the blade segments.
Similarly, US Patent Publication No. 2011/0091326 describes a jointed blade wherein a first blade portion and a second blade portion extend in opposite directions from a joint. Each blade portion includes a spar section forming a structural member of the blade and running lengthways, wherein the first blade portion and the second blade portion are structurally connected by a spar bridge that joins the spar sections. The spar bridge may be an extension of one of the spar sections that is received in a receiving spar section of the other blade portion. This configuration also uses a threaded bolt extending from the end face of the spar to connect and tension the spar in the receiving spar section.
Jointed wind turbine blades are, however, just as susceptible to icing as conventional blades. Under certain combinations of atmospheric conditions, the rotor blades can become covered with ice. For an operational wind turbine, ice buildup typically occurs on the leading edge of the blade, resulting in a modified airfoil shape and reduced lifting capability. As the ice layer becomes increasingly thick, weight is added to the airfoil, further reducing the lifting capability and the aerodynamic performance of the rotor blade. Ice shedding (the throwing off of ice as the blades rotate) can also be a safety issue, particularly for wind turbines located near residential areas. For wind turbines that are stopped or idling, ice will generally form uniformly over the entire surface of the blades, thereby necessitating deicing of the entire blade before the wind turbine can be placed back in operation.
Methods and devices are known and practiced for deicing wind turbine rotor blades, which include preventing icing on the rotor blades when atmospheric conditions are favorable for ice formation. For example, installing resistive heating wires or other electrical conductors onto the leading edge or other surfaces of the rotor blade is known. The Canadian patent CA 2228145(counterpart to EP 0842360 B1) describes a system for deicing wind turbine rotor blades wherein a heated medium, which may be the air within the blade cavity, is channeled to internal cavities within the blade. The heated medium is directed from the blade root area into a cavity behind the leading edge of the blade, and then diverted at the blade tip into a cavity along the trailing edge of the blade and back to the root area. A fan with integrated heating elements is provided in the blade root to generate and maintain circulation of the heated medium. The chambers or cavities may be defined by reinforcement ribs that run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blade.
The tip section is the area of the blade most susceptible to icing, and heating systems have been devised to improve upon conventional systems (like that described in the CA 2228145 patent) wherein the warmest air is not directed to the tip of the blade first, but along the entire length of the leading edge before reaching the blade tip. Reference is made, for example, to US Patent Application Publication 2015/0056074 for improved system designs that adequately supply heated air into the tip section of the blade.
US Patent Application Publication 2017/0314536 describes a deicing system for a wind turbine blade that utilizes an air heating system and an independently controlled electric heating system, wherein the electric system uses a heating element disposed on the leading edge of the blade adjacent to the blade tip.
Jointed wind blades, however, use various configurations of internal spar structure at the chord-wise joint. This structure is an impediment to the flow of a heating medium into the tip segment, or a continuous heating element (e.g., a resistance mat or web) across the joint structure.
Therefore, an improved heating system is needed for a jointed blade that can adequately supply the tip segment of the blade with heat for deicing capability.

Heating system and method for a jointed wind rotor turbine blade


A closure bucket group for mounting on a dovetail of a turbine wheel. The closure bucket group may include a leading bucket with a leading bucket rear side, a closure bucket with a closure bucket front side and a closure bucket rear side, and a trailing bucket with a trailing bucket front side. The leading bucket rear side and the closure bucket front side define a first enclosed keyway and the closure bucket rear side and the trailing bucket front side define a second enclosed keyway. A number of keys may be positioned within the first enclosed keyway and the second enclosed keyway so as to support the closure bucket.

Steam turbine airfoils or buckets are positioned around a turbine wheel at regular intervals. The buckets are assembled by inserting them one at a time axially into an opening on the wheel surface and then sliding the buckets circumferentially about the wheel. The buckets are attached by complimentary male and female dovetails. In order to close the assembly, however, the last blade must be restrained by means other than a dovetail. This last bucket, the closure bucket, generally is pinned to the wheel or affixed to its adjacent neighbors by keys.
The curved nature of the round skirt buckets, however, does not lend themselves to the use of keys in the solid portion of the skirt, i.e., the dovetail, so as to restrain the closure bucket from centrifugal forces. Axially positioned keys also are undesirable because the engagement with the adjacent buckets is very small so as to limit shear strength. Further, keys placed at an angle to the machine axis may be undesirable because the curved nature of the round skirt creates an irregular shear plane that does not intersect the center of the key at its thickest part. This may force the use of a closure block fixed to the wheel using pins. A closure block generally is a bucket without an airfoil. By removing the airfoil, the mass and centrifugal load is reduced, thereby lowering stress on the wheel pins to an acceptable level. Because the closure block has no airfoil, however, there is an opening in the steam path with detrimental effects on performance.
There is a desire therefore for an improved closure bucket that can support an airfoil without undue stress. Such a bucket should increase overall system performance.


In accordance with an embodiment, a sensor-less detection circuit is provided that includes a first voltage adjustment circuit coupled for receiving an induced voltage and a second voltage adjustment circuit coupled for receiving a common voltage. A differential amplifier has an inverting input terminal coupled to the first voltage adjustment circuit and a noninverting input terminal coupled to the second voltage adjustment circuit. In accordance with another embodiment, a method for detecting a motor rotor position is provided that includes receiving a first back electromotive force that is at a first voltage level and shifting the first back electromotive force from the first voltage level to a second voltage level. The first back electromotive force is filtered to generate a first filtered voltage; and a first motor rotor position signal is generated in response to comparing the first filtered voltage with a reference voltage.

The present invention relates, in general, to electronics and, more particularly, to a brushless DC motor.
Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motors are used in a variety of applications including actuators used in automotive circuits, disc drives, compact disc players, digital video disc players, scanners, printers, plotters, the aviation industry, etc. Typically, multiple phase motors include a stationary portion or stator that produces a rotating magnetic field and a non-stationary portion or rotor in which torque is created by the rotating magnetic field. The torque causes the rotor to rotate which in turn causes a shaft connected to the rotor to rotate. At start-up it is desirable to detect the position and rotation rate of the brushless DC motor's rotor. In a brushless DC motor having sensors, the rotor position and its rotation rate may be detected and controlled using Hall sensors. However, the accuracy of Hall sensors is influenced by their operating environment, which decreases the accuracy of the measurements they provide. In sensorless brushless DC motors, the position of the rotor is detected using a Back ElectroMotive Force (BEMF) signal. Typically, the BEMF signal is compared with a voltage generated by a high voltage PNP circuit element that consumes large areas of a semiconductor substrate. Because the high voltage PNP circuit element occupies a large area of the semiconductor substrate, miniaturization using monolithic integrated circuit processes is limited. In addition, the comparison is limited to positive voltages and the comparison becomes inaccurate when the rotor is moving slowly or not at all because the BEMF signal becomes very small. These limitations become even more problematic in automotive applications because of the external interruptions such as, for example, noise which occurs in an automotive environment.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a method and structure for detecting a rotor position that accommodates a high input voltage range and has a high noise immunity. It is desirable for the method and structure to be cost and time efficient to implement.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale, and the same reference characters in different figures denote the same elements. Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. As used herein current carrying electrode means an element of a device that carries current through the device such as a source or a drain of an MOS transistor or an emitter or a collector of a bipolar transistor or a cathode or an anode of a diode, and a control electrode means an element of the device that controls current flow through the device such as a gate of an MOS transistor or a base of a bipolar transistor. Although the devices are explained herein as certain n-channel or p-channel devices, or certain n-type or p-type doped regions, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that complementary devices are also possible in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that a doped region may be referred to as a dopant region. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the words during, while, and when as used herein are not exact terms that mean an action takes place instantly upon an initiating action but that there may be some small but reasonable delay, such as a propagation delay, between the reaction that is initiated by the initial action and the initial action. The use of the words approximately, about, or substantially means that a value of an element has a parameter that is expected to be very close to a stated value or position. However, as is well known in the art there are always minor variances that prevent the values or positions from being exactly as stated. It is well established in the art that variances of up to about ten percent (10%) (and up to twenty percent (20%) for semiconductor doping concentrations) are regarded as reasonable variances from the ideal goal of exactly as described.

Sensor-less circuit and method for detecting a rotor position

SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC


A high frequency (HF) radio communications system is disclosed. HF radio communications system comprises a plurality of geographically-distributed HF radio sites comprising a corresponding plurality of receivers, each receiver of the plurality of receivers being configured to: (a) receive, via at least one antenna, respective HF signals throughout a HF band, and (b) directly and concurrently sample a subset of the respective HF signals to provide a respective stream of digital samples, the subset being the respective HF signals that are received over a plurality of HF channels within part of the HF band or all of the HF band; and a central processing server configured to receive a plurality of respective streams of digital samples from the plurality of receivers, being the respective stream of digital samples provided by each receiver of the receivers.

In a conventional HF radio communications system, each user of the system is capable of processing, at any given time, only HF signals that are received at a single HF antenna or a set of co-located HF antennas. This limits a performance capability of the HF radio communications system.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a new HF radio communications system comprising a central processing server for aggregating digital samples and an associated method.
References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below. Acknowledgement of the references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0249486 ("Stratigos, Jr."), published on Sep. 3, 2015, is directed to methods and systems for providing a distributed radio communications network. Each of a first gateway and a second gateway may separately receive modulated signals comprising at least a portion of data from a first node of a plurality of geographically-dispersed nodes. The modulated signals may be wirelessly transmitted as radio frequency (RF) signals from the first node, the data gathered or generated by the first node at a first location. A server may receive the modulated signals from the first gateway and the second gateway. As configured by software-defined radio (SDR) software, the server may perform processing of the separately received modulated signals to recover the data. The processing may include demodulation of the modulated signals.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0070970 ("Kono"), published on Mar. 9, 2017, discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program that causes a computer to execute a process. The process includes: receiving radio signals from base stations, the radio signals being generated by the base stations based on a modulated signal received at the base stations; determining one or more reception target signals in the received radio signals, the reception target signals having a predetermined target frequency and being modulated according to a predetermined target modulation scheme; aligning the reception target signals with each other; generating a demodulation target signal based on the aligned reception target signals; and demodulating the generated demodulation target signal.
HF Cellular Network: A HF ALE Global Gateway, published in 2012, discloses setting all radio sites within an HF network to scan available frequencies (or channels) in Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) mode, waiting for a mobile platform to initiate an ALE call. All radio sites that hear a call, stop scanning, "listen" to the call and perform a link quality analysis (LQA) measurement. Each radio site reports its LQA measurement back to a central HF Cellular server. The server determines which radio site has the best LQA and directs that radio site to complete the ALE link with the mobile platform. In this way, no matter where the platform is located, the best propagating link (channel and ground entry site) is made with that platform. The HF Cellular server then connects the radio site to the control center operator being addressed by the mobile platform. The interconnection process is completely transparent to the mobile platform operator and to the control center operator. The unused/unlinked radio sites are free to accept additional calls with other mobile platforms or control center operators.

High frequency (HF) radio communications network comprising a central processing server for aggregating digital samples and an associated method


The present invention relates to lipid compounds of the general formula (I):

Up to date, there has been a lot of research on fatty acid analogues and their effects on diverse physiological processes impacting normal health and chronic diseases.
For example, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to regulate plasma lipid levels, cardiovascular and immune functions, insulin action, and neuronal development and visual function.
Tetradecylthioacetic acid (TTA) is a modified fatty acid which has a number of powerful effects demonstrable both in-vivo and in-vitro.
TTA has properties very similar to natural fatty acids, the main difference being that it cannot be oxidised by the mitochondrial β-oxidation, but significantly increases the oxidation of other fatty acids. Despite the fact that TTA is not able to undergo β-oxidation, it is metabolised in most ways as a normal saturated fatty acid.

TTA affects oxidative status at different levels by having the potential of changing the antioxidant defence system, in addition to being an antioxidant itself through its free radical scavenging capacity.
Addition of TTA may prevent the oxidative modification of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles in plasma and reduce the generation of lipid peroxides.
Several polyunsaturated fatty acid derivatives with sulfur in 3-position have been prepared (Flock et al, Acta Chemica Scand., 1999, 53, 436). Methyl (all-Z)-3-thia-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoate was tested in a Wistar rat model, and the effects were compared to the effects of TTA. The results suggest that both the saturated and the unsaturated fatty acids lowered plasma triglycerides to a similar extent (Willumsen et al, J. Lipid Mediators Cell Signalling, 1997, 17, 115)
It has surprisingly been found that novel fatty acid derivatives represented by the general formula (I) have higher affinities for the receptors PPARα and PPARγ compared to TTA and (all-Z)-3-thia-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoic acid. Fatty acid derivatives represented by the general formula (I) also reduced triglyceride, cholesterol and free fatty acids levels in a dyslipidemic mice model to a greater extent than TTA and (all-Z)-3-thia-6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoic acid.

Sulphur containing lipids for use as food supplement or as medicament

Abstract: wherein R1 is selected from a C10-C22 alkyl, a C10-C22 alkenyl having 1-6 double bonds, and a C10-C22alkynyl having 1-6 triple bonds; R2 and R3 are the same or different and may be selected from a group of different substituents; Y is selected from sulphur, sulfoxide, and sulfone; and X represents a carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof, a carboxylic ester, a carboxylic anhydride or a carboxamide; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, complex or solvate thereof.

Abstract: The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions and lipid compositions comprising such compounds, and to such compounds for use as medicaments or for use in therapy, in particular for the treatment of diseases related to the cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory disease area.


A pressure sensor micromachined by using microelectronics technologies includes a cavity hermetically sealed on one side by a silicon substrate and on the other side by a diaphragm that is configured to be formed under the effect of the pressure outside the cavity. The sensor includes at least one resistance strain gage fastened to the diaphragm and has resistance that varies as a function of the deformation of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is fastened to the resistance strain gages. The gages are located inside the sealed cavity. The diaphragm has an insulting layer deposited on a sacrificial layer and may cover integrated measurement circuits in the silicon substrate.

There are numerous applications of these sensors: atmospheric pressure measurement, vehicle tire pressure measurement, etc.
Microelectronics technologies make it possible to carry out, on one and the same chip, both the micromachining of mechanical components and the formation of electronic circuits associated with these mechanical components. In a pressure sensor, the mechanical components essentially comprise a cavity sealed off by a deformable diaphragm. The electronic transducer elements comprise strain gages or capacitor plates associated with the diaphragm, and active circuits for detecting the changes in resistance or in capacitance as a function of the deformation of the diaphragm.
The advantage of microelectronics technologies is that they allow the fabrication cost of the sensors to be considerably reduced. Now, the fabrication cost is particularly critical in many applications and especially in commercial applications (for example the automobile market, for detecting tire pressure).
However, the technologies devised hitherto are not optimal from the cost standpoint, in particular because of the complexity introduced by the production of the mechanical components, which requires steps being added to the steps for fabricating the electronic circuit elements.
To give an example, the following solutions have already been proposed:                a (FIG. 1): the joining of two plates, for example a glass plate 10 and a silicon plate 12, bonded together, the empty cavity (denoted by the letter V) being hollowed out right through the thickness of the silicon plate and being sealed off on one side by the glass plate 10 and on the other side by a thin diaphragm 14 that remains in the upper part of the recessed plate 12. Metal strain gages 16, 18 are deposited on this diaphragm, with an insulating layer 20 interposed between the silicon diaphragm 14 and the gages;        b (FIG. 2): similar to FIG. 1, but the strain gages, instead of being produced by deposited metal layers, are doped zones 22, 24 of the silicon of the diaphragm. Their doping is the reverse of that of the diaphragm and said doped zones are isolated from the diaphragm only by the reverse junction formed between these doped zones and the diaphragm. The fabrication is simpler, the piezoresistive sensitivity of these doped zones is very good when the diaphragm deforms, but the isolation is not good and leads to operating defects, notably when the temperature rises;        c (not shown, similar to FIG. 1): the strain gages are portions of a polycrystalline silicon layer deposited on the insulating layer 20, instead of the metal strain gages 16 and 18. The sensitivity is intermediate between that of metal resistance strain gages and that of gages based on doped single-crystal silicon zones,solutions a, b and c requiring a treatment of the silicon plate via its rear face, in order to hollow out the cavity V, thereby appreciably complicating the fabrication, and, additionally, measures having to be taken to protect the strain gages from external, chemical or electrical, attack;        d (FIG. 3): to avoid treating the rear face and to avoid having to protect the strain gages after fabrication, more complex structures comprising two silicon plates have been proposed: a lower plate 12 having the cavity and optionally electronic circuits and strain gages, and an upper plate 26 sealing the cavity and thinned down at the cavity so as to retain only the thin diaphragm 14. This solution is very complex and costly, being reserved for professional applications—notably, it requires onerous measures to be taken to make the electrical output connections from the sensor right through the entire thickness of the first plate 12; and        e (FIG. 4): to eliminate the drawbacks of the above solutions, and to be able to integrate both the mechanical components (cavity, diaphragm) and the electronic circuit elements onto the same substrate, it has been proposed to eliminate the strain gages and to detect the pressure via variation in capacitance, the diaphragm 14 being conductive and constituting one electrode, and another electrode 28 being formed in the silicon substrate. The diaphragm 14 is formed by a polycrystalline silicon layer suspended above the silicon plate 12, the empty cavity V being formed between the plate and the diaphragm. Electronic circuits may be integrated in the silicon plate 12, so as to constitute, on the same substrate, both the mechanical components (cavity, diaphragm) and the integrated measurement circuit. Such a solution is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,989 and in the article by M. Kandler et al. in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 1992 pp. 199-201 entitled "A miniature single-chip pressure and temperature sensor". This solution assumes that a large sensor area is consumed, since the capacitances are low, and a wide electrode 28 facing the diaphragm 14 has to be provided. In addition, the pressure measurement is very temperature-dependent and it is necessary in practice to provide a differential measurement with two similar capacitors (to the left and to the right in FIG. 4), one of which is formed with the aid of the diaphragm 14, which can deform under the effect of pressure, and the other is similar but formed from a nondeformable or almost nondeformable diaphragm 141. The relative nondeformability of the second diaphragm may be obtained by depositing thick layers on top of this diaphragm, but the capacitances thus obtained are not sufficiently identical and the temperature compensation is not perfect. This solution has a very large footprint and is therefore expensive. In addition, the diaphragm is conductive and remains subject to external electrical influences that may disturb the measurement. It is also sensitive to chemical influences. Finally, the diaphragm is deposited at 600° C. or higher and must therefore be deposited before certain operations of producing the integrated electronic circuits in the substrate. There is therefore a need to adapt the electronic circuit production according to the steps specific to the mechanical components, and this dependence impedes subsequent circuit production technology developments.

Pressure sensor with resistance strain gages


This sealing mechanism is provided with a cap in an overall sectional configuration of a cramp iron which is made from a synthetic resin, and a resilient sealing body in an overall sectional configuration of a cramp iron. An inner surface of the cap is formed with an inserting groove in which the resilient sealing body is fitted. When the resilient sealing body is fitted in the inserting groove in the cap, this sealing body is partially protruded from inner surface of the cap. The cap is also formed with longitudinal lubricating slots on the outer surface thereof. Moreover, both side surfaces of the cap are provided with a plurality of notches at predetermined regular intervals of place which extend from the outer surface of the cap to the inner surface thereof.

The present invention relates to improvements in a sealing mechanism for a rotary actuator.
In general, as shown in FIG. 12, a rotary actuator is provided with a rotor (shaft) a and a casing b having said rotor inserted therein, and is arranged to have the rotor a or the casing b pivoted about the axis thereof with respect to each other.
The rotary actuator as illustrated in FIG. 12 will now be described in more detail.
The rotor a has a pair of protrusions d, d located on the outer circumferential surface c thereof so as to be symmetrical about the axis of thereof, and also, the inner circumferential surface of the casing b is provided with a pair of protrusions which are symmetrically located about the axis of the rotor.
With such an arrangement, cylindrical chambers g1, g2, g3 and g4 are formed between the rotor a and the casing b. The cylindrical chambers g1 and g3 are internally placed under the same pressure of working fluid, while at the same time, the cylindrical chambers g2 and g4 are also put in the same fluid pressure. For example, if with the casing b fixed, the cylindrical chambers g1 and g3 are supplied with working fluid, and at the same time, the cylindrical chambers g1 and g4 have their internal working fluid discharged from them, then the rotor a is rotated in the direction of the arrow head i. Inversely, if the cylindrical chambers g2 and g4 are internally fed with fluid pressure, and at the same time, the cylindrical chambers g1 and g3 have their internal fluid pressure discharged from them, the rotor is rotated in the direction of the arrow head i.
The foregoing conventional arrangement and operation of the rotary actuator necessitated the provision of grooves k in the protrusions d, d and in the protrusions f, f to fit a sealing material m into each groove k so that a sealed condition is achieved between every two adjacent ones of the cylindrical chambers g1, g2, g3 and g4.
Each groove k is in an overall sectional configuration of a cramp iron, as shown in FIG. 13. On the other hand, a conventional sealing material is made by cutting an O-ring so as to have a bar-shaped configuration, and is inserted along and into the groove k of the foregoing sectional configuration. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 13, at corner portions n, n of the groove k, the conventional sealing material was difficult to bend at right angles and to adapt precisely to the internal shape of the groove k. This hindered the complete sealing of the groove, and caused fluid leakage.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improvements in the sealing mechanism of the rotary actuator, in which fluid leakage is minimized, and the relative smooth rotation of the rotor and the casing about the axis to each other can be achieved.


Representative embodiments disclose mechanisms to validate statements made as part of a document creation or editing process. As the user edits or creates a document using a document creation/editing application, statements made in the document can be submitted to a validation service in a proactive or reactive manner. The statement validation service receives the statement, resolves any coreferences using a coreference resolution process. Once coreferences in the statement have been resolved and replaced, entities are resolved using an entity resolution process. Predicates are then resolved using a predicate resolution process. Entity-predicate pairs are then used to traverse a knowledge graph to extract information relevant to the statement. Suggested corrections are created from the extracted information and presented to the user via the document creation/editing application.

Users today have high expectations that systems they interact with will be able to perform tasks and answer questions. For example, a user may desire a digital assistant or search service to answer a question such as "How tall is Mount Everest?" or "What is the capital city of Tanzania?". Users expect not only accuracy but also responsiveness when such questions are answered. They tend to have a low tolerance for incorrect answers or a system that takes too long to return an answer.
It is within this context that the present embodiments arise.


A method for fabricating a native device is presented. The method includes forming a gate structure over a substrate starting at an outer edge of an inner marker region, where the gate structure extends in a longitudinal direction, and performing MDD implants, where each implant is performed using a different orientation with respect to the gate structure, performing pocket implants, where each implant is performed using a different orientation with respect to the gate structure, and concentrations of the pocket implants vary based upon the orientations. A transistor fabricated as a native device, is presented, which includes an inner marker region, an active outer region which surrounds the inner marker region, a gate structure coupled to the inner marker region, and first and second source/drain implants located within the active outer region and interposed between the first source/drain implant and the second source/drain implant.

A native device may include NMOS transistors which can be formed without threshold adjusting dopants in the channel region as found in conventional MOS transistors. For example, a native NMOS transistor may be fabricated without PWELL and VTN implants typically utilized in a conventional NMOS device. This elimination of the threshold adjusting dopants can improve the mobility of charge carriers within the channel. Increased mobility can reduce the threshold voltage (VT) and body effect, and further increase the transconductance (gm) of a device, which may be beneficial for analog and mixed signal applications.
Conventional native devices typically also include pocket implants (also called as halo implants) to control the short channel effect. However, with shrinking device dimensions and the usage of heavier pocket implants, the channel mobility of the native device is being reduced. Accordingly, it is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve a low VT and a high gm using native fabrication. Moreover, this reduced mobility may also increase the variations of the characteristics between adjacent devices. In summary, the heavy doping of the pocket implants can contravene the original purpose for using the native fabrication approach.
Accordingly, there is a need for fabrication techniques for native devices that can reduce the dopant concentration within the device channel to maintain low threshold voltages, high transconductance, and improved consistency among fabricated devices.

Native devices having improved device characteristics and methods for fabrication


A management server is provided. The management server includes a communication interface unit configured to receive user environment information from a plurality of wearable apparatuses located in a preset space, an analyzer configured to analyze an environment state of the preset space based on a plurality of pieces of the received user environment information regarding the plurality of wearable apparatuses and determines an operation state of a common device located in the preset space according to the analyzed environment state, and a controller configured to control the communication interface unit so as to operate the common device according to the determined operation state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to a wearable apparatus, a management server, a management system having the same, and a method for controlling thereof, and more particularly, to a wearable apparatus capable of controlling a common device based on emotion information collected from a plurality of wearable apparatuses, a management server, a management system having the same, and a method for controlling thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent developments in computer technologies have introduced wearable computers, such as those provided on clothing to be worn by users. A wearable computer is a computer in which a personal computer (PC) function is included in clothing and/or a wearable accessory. Wearable computers are also being developed for military training. Use of these devices has also extended beyond users' everyday lives, to uses including fashion and/or mobile communication, and uses related to digital products.
Recently, biosensors capable of sensing a bio-signal have been installed in wearable computers, and methods of checking emotions of a user based on the bio-signal sensed by such biosensors have been provided.
Methods of providing a service corresponding to a corresponding emotion by using the checked emotion have also been provided. However, in existing methods, a service for a corresponding user is provided based on only an emotion change of one person, and a common service is not provided based on emotion changes of a plurality of users.
For example, if a space such as a subway is crowded with a plurality of users in summertime, the users may commonly feel stressed. In other words, an environment in a particular space and changes in the environment may commonly affect a plurality of users.
Therefore, there is a need for technologies for checking emotions of a plurality of users and providing services appropriate for the plurality of users.

Wearable apparatus, management server, management system having the same, and method for controlling thereof


A user-activated, dispenser of pre-moistened, antiseptic towelettes appropriate for hand cleansing use in such contexts as food service, health care, long-term care, child care, educational settings, industry, military, and public restrooms. The dispenser contains two compartments. One is used for towelette-dispensing and the other can be optionally used for housing hand drying means or for storing a reserve supply of towelettes. Each compartment is configured according to operant and classical conditioning strategies that motivate sustained positive changes in both the frequency and effectiveness of hand washing behavior. Optionally, the present invention dispenser can also comprise towelette warming means, a retractable handle, and a sanitary towelette or paper towel disposal assembly. A sensor on the dispenser, triggered by badge proximity to the dispenser housing can provide data for performance feedback and reinforcement/accountability strategies, the performance feedback being documented by research as essential for sustained changes in hand cleansing behavior. Alternative mounting means provide versatility in secure dispenser placement on counter/desks; under cabinets; on pedestals; and on either front, left or right facing walls in a bathroom stall.

NOT APPLICABLE
(1) Field of the Invention
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/187,493, filed Nov. 6, 1998, which is included herein by reference. The present invention relates generally to sheet or web dispensers, and more particularly to a dispenser apparatus for use in dispensing antiseptic, pre-moistened towelettes that are stored in either web or sheet form.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death, world-wide, and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Voluminous authoritative research conducted during the last 150 years, by an array of pertinent disciplines, agencies and industries concur that frequent hand washing is the single-most reliable means for preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
Unfortunately, voluminous authoritative research also continues to reveal an abhorrent failure in compliance with this seemingly benign edict. Among the most intensely studied contextsxe2x80x94the health care, child care, elder-care, and food services industries, workers have been found to wash their hands in approximately 30% of required instances. Further, studies indicate that 30% of all food poisoning incidents recorded occur in the home, and at least 70% of these are hand transmitted, person-to-person, fecal-to-oral incidents.
Particularly during the last two decades, the United States has been confronted with the following on-going conditions: (1) growing numbers of emergent and re-emergent pathogens which are attacking with greater xe2x80x9cstealthxe2x80x9d force, and with an unprecedented unpredictability; (2) increasing numbers of multi-drug resistant pathogens; (3) swelling populations of vulnerable immuno-compromised patients; (4) indiscriminate use of antibiotics, contributing to their growing impotence; (5) high-load pathogen sites which defy familial socioeconomic boundaries; (6) an estimated 70% of transmission of pathogenic microbes via hand-transmission, primarily person-to-person, fecal-to-oral route; (7) the dissolution of our own health care infrastructure, such that it is an acknowledged contributor to the emergence and re-emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens; and (8) globalization of infectious diseases previously limited by geographic boundaries.
Numerous commercial establishments are required either by law, civil liability, or a sense of moral obligation to make certain that their workers are washing their hands, resulting in the need for a means by which employers are able to monitor their workers to ensure that proper hand washing takes place.
Many inventions that have attempted to address the above-stated problems through facilitated hand washing have lacked the necessary portability that would allow it to change human behavior and implement the level of hand washing required to reverse and diminish the spread of infectious diseases.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,262 to Hartman et al. discloses an electronic towel dispenser with a sensor that dispenses towels caused by the movement of the towel by the user, however, the device of Hartman does not disclose towels that are pre-moistened with an antiseptic lotion, nor does it disclose a sensor that records data.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,898 to Byrd et al. also discloses a paper towel dispenser that is activated by a variable resistance photo sensor. However, the sensor disclosed in Byrd also does not records data.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,318 to Arabian et al. discloses a towel dispenser that records acts of use and adapts flexibility to external circumstances. However, the microprocessor records use patterns for preventing used towels from being dispensed, preventing dispensing when it is not queried, and the microprocessor does not record specific data relating to particular users.
No invention is known for facilitating an increase in the frequency of hand washing as a means for preventing the spread of infectious disease, that provides all of the advantages disclosed in and exhibited by the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing apparatus for pre-moistened antiseptic towelettes stored in sheets or in web form that renders frequent hand cleansing feasible, and motivates positive sustained changes in hand washing behavior via integral operant and classical conditioning strategies built into actual products. It is also an object of this invention to provide a dispensing apparatus that is adaptable to the numerous commercial environments in which frequent hand-washing is required, including but not limited to, nursing homes, food preparation facilities, and medical establishments. It is also and object of this invention to provide a dispensing apparatus that allows monitoring of its usage by different individuals, so that a behavior modification program can be implemented when recorded activity demonstrates such a need.
Most vital among its multiple uses, the dispensing system of the present invention makes frequent and effective hand washing realistic and practical. In this capacity, the inventive apparatus provides the tools for strategic intervention to xe2x80x9cbreak the chain of contagionxe2x80x9d of hand-transmitted infectious diseases. This means, for example, that many food-borne pathogens, which we carry on our own contaminated hands, will be killed before exposure to the vulnerable mucosal membranes of the mouth, nose, and eyes. Hand transmission is one of the major forms of contagion responsible for the spread of infectious diseases. In the case of eating, hand transmitted pathogens easily become xe2x80x9cfood-bornexe2x80x9d pathogens. In this common situation, we literally xe2x80x9cself-inoculatexe2x80x9d.
One of the paramount obstacles to frequent hand washing, using traditional methods, has been that the traditional methods are time and labor intensive. Consequently, many people neglect to wash their hands at all. In addition, it is common for traditional hand washing methods to be responsible for incomplete hand de-contamination, as well as virtually instantaneous hand recontamination, for example, during exit from a bathroom when newly washed hands come in contact with door handle hardware on a bathroom door.
The present invention system provides a compact, durable, safe, reliable, portable, and multi-purpose anti-microbial weapon. It dispenses, either at room temperature or warmed, individual, broadly germicidal, biodegradable, sturdy yet soft, soothing, moisturizing and healing, flushable pre-moistened towelettes for sanitary/antiseptic cleansing of skin on hands, and face, as well as on many other parts of the human anatomy. In addition to dispensing pre-moistened, perforated towelettes, the present invention system optionally may include a hand drying assembly, a sanitary disposal compartment for used towelettes, and a sensor adapted for interaction with badges that permit verification of system use for those wearing such badges. The apparatus is of a size and shape that permits it to be mounted in any of a number of different orientations and any convenient mounting structure can be employed to secure the housing in any of these orientations.
The present invention system differs from traditional hand-washing methods in many significant ways, including the following: (1) Hand cleansing is completed significantly faster with the present invention; (2) The present invention provides all necessary xe2x80x9cingredientsxe2x80x9d for antiseptic, moisturizing, healing hand washing in the form of a conveniently available in a compact, self-contained unit; (3) During use of the present invention hand cleansing evolves from being a burden, into an easy, pleasurable, and habitual experience; (4) When the present invention includes a means of sanitary disposal for used towelettes, the present invention also prevents unwitting contamination of other sites or persons; (5) Cost in human energy usage regarding the cleansing of self and hands of children is greatly reduced using the present invention; (6) Children can more reliably be taught autonomy in disease prevention for self/wellness because the present invention is easy to use and feels good, providing a positive reinforcement effect; (7) Children and adults are repeatedly influenced by the present invention to remain aware that their personal hygiene can have a most serious impact on their own well-being as well as the well-being of others; (9) Through use of the present invention human suffering and needless loss of lives can be significantly diminished, and a great deal of the enormous costs associated with the spread of infectious diseases attributed to incomplete hand washing can be put to far more constructive use; and (10) Through use of the present invention a system is provided that easily adapts to different cultures for global use.

Commercially modeled portable towelette dispenser system with sensor means

Dr. Beverly Helfer-Grand Lifeworks, Inc.


A swimming pool cleaner comprising a forwardly inclined body having a flow passage therethrough, an inlet foot having a water inlet foot being attached to the body and connected to the flow passage and when in use, is proximate to a surface to be cleaned, a flexible disc surrounding the water inlet and rotatably connected to the inlet foot and having a peripheral edge, and a stop for preventing upward flexing of the peripheral edge beyond a predetermined amount located forward of the body and substantially above and inward of the peripheral edge.

Pool cleaners of the type referred to have become well known in many countries of the world and one such cleaner is sold under the trade mark "Baracuda". The description of the invention below is directed to a pool cleaner of this type but it is to be understood that it can be made suitable for use with other pool cleaners using a flexible disc and interuption of induced flow through the cleaner to promote movement thereof over a surface to be cleaned.
A pool cleaner of the type referred to moves, in use, in step-wise manner automatically and in random fashion over submerged surfaces to be cleaned and traverses from horizontal surfaces to vertical surfaces and the reverse.
A problem with this type of pool cleaner is, however, the necessity to balance it so that it will remain in an appropriate orientation to the surface being cleaned with the inlet parallel and proximate to surface to be cleaned.
This usually requires one side of the pool cleaner to be weighted and the other side to be provided with a float. Some cleaners include a further movable weight to give directional movement to the cleaner during use.
These factors all increase the weight of the machine and result in a pool cleaner of non-streamlined configuration, both of which result in increased effort being required to move the cleaner over the surfaces to be cleaned.
The effect of the disc on the pool cleaner movement is also such that the disc seriously resists and hinders the movement of the cleaner from horizontal to vertical surfaces and can cause damage where the swimming pool has a liner of vinyl sheet material.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a swimming pool cleaner construction which will at least reduce the disadvantages above referred to.
In the description which follows orientation and directions will relate to the swimming pool cleaner where operatively located for use on a surface to be cleaned.


A driver's seat and a passenger's seat integrally formed as a bench seat elongated in a vehicle width direction together with an intermediate connecting portion, which connects the driver's seat and the passenger's seat. An upper end portion of a seat support frame configured to be erected above a footrest surface and constitute a part of a vehicle body frame formed along one plane. A fuel tank and canister arranged in a separated manner in the vehicle width direction below the bench seat supported on the upper end portion of the seat support frame.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a vehicle where a driver's seat and a passenger's seat are arranged parallel to each other in the vehicle width direction, an internal combustion engine which generates power for driving drive wheels, a fuel tank which stores fuel to be supplied to the internal combustion engine, and a canister which absorbs a fuel gas evaporated in the fuel tank are supported on a vehicle body frame. Embodiments of the present invention more particularly relate to the improvement of the evaporated fuel treatment device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known in the arrangement structure in, for example, JP-A-2004-169605 (Patent Literature 1), where, in a four-wheeled vehicle, a fuel tank and a canister are arranged below a floor panel at positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

Evaporated fuel treatment device for vehicle


Synchronous communications between a public electronic environment (e.g., a browser on a global computer network) and a private electronic environment (e.g., an ERP application on a private computer network) are facilitated by automatically routing a communication from the browser to the ERP application through messaging middleware, obtaining by the messaging middleware a reply from the ERP application in response to the communication while the browser and messaging middleware wait therefor, and automatically returning the reply from the ERP application to the browser. Encryption and firewalls are also used for security.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to communications between public and private electronic environments. More particularly, the present invention relates to synchronous communications between a public electronic environment and a private electronic environment.
2. Background Information
The protection of sensitive electronic data has often resulted in that data being placed in a private electronic environment not accessible from a public electronic environment. For example, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications are large, expensive and complex computer programs that track massive volumes of commerce data (e.g., base prices, customers, contracts, tax conditions, etc.) and perform various functions for sellers of goods and services. Due to the sensitive nature of the types of information tracked by ERP applications, from both the buyer and seller perspective, the ERP applications have resided on private, secure computer networks, and have not been accessible from public computer networks.
However, with the increasing use of and dependence on public computer networks, such as, for example, the Internet, for everything from communications to electronic business transactions, the inaccessibility of ERP applications has posed problems. For example, organizations participating in electronic commerce have discovered that the inability to access ERP applications from public computer networks has made it very difficult (and generally impractical) to provide accurate, real time information in electronic transactions.
Where a merchant organization has had the resources, elaborate schemes have been used to make it seem to the customer that the information is provided effortlessly, when in fact much manual maneuvering is going on in the background. Where a merchant organization has not had the resources, it simply either has not provided some of the information it would like to provide to customers (and/or which customers are requesting), or has forced the customer to go outside the electronic transaction to obtain the information (e.g., call the merchant on the telephone). Under either scenario, it would be vastly more efficient to be able to communicate with ERP applications from outside the private computer networks on which they reside. In addition, extremely complex computer architectures have been theorized as necessary to accomplish secure communications with a back end ERP application.
Thus, a need exists for relatively simple, real time communications between public electronic environments and private electronic environments, while still addressing security concerns.

Method, system and program product for synchronous communication between a public electronic environment and a private electronic environment

International Business Machines Corporation


A waste water recovery system for recycling shower/bath water for use in a tank-type toilet is provided. The system includes a storage tank with a suction pump to draw water into the storage tank. The system also includes a valve which is used to timely shut off the pump when the tank is full. Recovered water from the storage tank is delivered to the toilet tank when needed. A collector which surrounds the floor drain is removably attachable either by adhesive or suction means to the floor of a bath or shower and has an inlet and an outlet. Waste water is drawn by a suction pump from the outlet of a collector to the storage tank.

Background Art
Residential water recycling systems are old in the art and generally involve the reuse of wash water to be used to flush toilets.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,112,467 to Call and 4,162,218 to McCormick both disclose water reuse systems for recovering and collecting used shower, sink and bath water. The water is collected at the drain pipes of the shower, bath or sink and transferred to a storage tank where it is later used to flush a commode.
West German patent No. 2,336,744 to Reinke and West German patent No. 3,828,528 to Hasse disclose a water recovery system for recovering used bath or shower water for use when flushing a toilet. The system has a collection device plumbed in the drain pipe of the tub and transfers water by means of a suction pump to a storage tank and then upon demand to a commode.
The above water recovery systems represent central water recovery systems for the entire home that requires a large capital expense to install. And since access to existing plumbing fittings that are under existing fixtures and/or behind existing walls, the retrofitting of a water recovery system into an existing home is very difficult and at least requires the removal of a tub and/or the shower stall. The large number of components and the central system nature of the many of these systems makes them expensive to install and maintain.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.


A loofah includes an inner core and an outer portion. The inner core includes a natural material. The outer portion includes a natural material. A water absorbency of the inner core is less than a water absorbency of the outer portion.

Generally speaking, a loofah is a handheld device used to stimulate and exfoliate human skin, which may be usually used in a shower or bath and may usually be moistened with water and possibly soaps or lotions. A loofa is preferably thick enough to have a feeling of body in the hand, especially when wet. When wet, it preferably maintains its structural integrity. A loofah may be made from materials such as plastics or the body of a type of cucumber intended for repetitive, frequent use.
A loofah may become soiled with contaminants such as skin dirt, body oils and makeup, after few uses. The warm water environment where loofahs are commonly used encourages the growth of molds after a few uses. The cost of available full size loofahs ranges from about $5 to $20 each, which leads to a high cost per use if the loofah is discarded due to the above issues. Surveys have found that a loofah is used less than five times on average before being discarded. In a commercial environment, such as a hotel or spa where a single use is necessary, available loofahs are very expensive on a per use basis.
A product that allows for uses at a low cost per use would be desirable.


A system, method and computer program product for searching documents within a collection includes partitioning the collection into a plurality of document segments based on a range of values for a document attribute. Each document segment is associated with a different value range for the document attribute and includes documents each with a value for the document attribute within the associated value range. The system, method and computer program product also determines one or more document segments to search based on one or more search criteria within a search request pertaining to the document attribute. The system, method and computer program product further searches the determined one or more document segments for information satisfying the search request.

1. Technical Field
Present invention embodiments relate to segmenting a collection of documents, and more specifically, to improving full text index searching of documents stored in one or more databases.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Document searching to be done in a quick and efficient manner is of prime importance in today's fast-paced environment. With databases storing greater amounts of data than before, the amount of time expended in a document search can be fairly lengthy, which leads to undesired latency in obtaining a desired document from the time when a document search request was entered by a user.

Segmenting documents within a full text index


A first inorganic powder molded body and a second inorganic powder molded body are obtained. Each of the bodies contains an inorganic powder, an organic dispersion medium having a reactive functional group and a gelling agent and is solidified by chemical reaction of the organic dispersion medium and the gelling agent. Slurry containing a powder component and an organic dispersion medium is applied to a joint surface of the first inorganic powder molded body. The inorganic powder molded bodies are allowed to abut on each other while interposing the slurry therebetween, and integrated together into a joined body. A sintered body is obtained by sintering the joined body.

Since ceramics, high-melting point metals and ceramics/metal composites are generally produced by sintering raw material powders, shape assignment to product is performed mainly at the time of molding. However, the easiness of the shape assignment depends on molding method. For example, a disk product can be easily molded by mold pressing method. However, a product with complicated shape requires molding of a massy molded body by CIP (Cold Isostatic Press) before shape assignment by machining.
Gel cast molding is a method for obtaining an inorganic powder molded body by solidifying liquid slurry containing an inorganic powder by mutual chemical reaction of organic compounds contained in the slurry. This process is excellent in accurate shape assignment property because of accurate transferability of mold shape. However, in the case of a product having a closed structure, this process is not applicable because of the non-releasable shape, or requires separate providing of a core mold as in lost-wax process for assignment of inner surface shape.
Particularly, in a product having an end hole diameter smaller than a body part inside diameter such as a metal halide lamp light emitting tube or a high-pressure sodium lamp light emitting tube, it is difficult to improve the productivity. It is considerable to divide each element constituting the light emitting tube to simply-shaped small parts and obtain each small part by extrusion molding, dry back press molding, or mold press molding. In this case, a plurality of parts can be integrated at the time of sintering using the sintering shrinkage difference between them. Further, a method for obtaining a preliminarily integrated molded body by a gel cast molding comprising separately molding a core and injecting slurry between the core and an outer mold is also adopted (refer to Republished Patent Applications WO 2002-085590A1 and WO 2005-028170A1).
To separately mold a plurality of parts and join them to an integrated unit, a method described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-519820 is further adoptable. In this joining method, an organic binder is included in each ceramic body, and the organic binder is locally melted by simultaneously heating a joint surface of a first ceramic body and a joint surface of a second ceramic body. The first and second joint surfaces are then brought into contact with each other through the locally melted binder, and compression and elongation are alternately provided to the boundary surface area between the two joint surfaces, whereby joining parts are integrated together.

Method for producing sintered body, and sintered body