The present invention is a kit which contains components for an alarm screen assembly. The kit includes a screen mesh which is formed from a sheet of non-conductive screen material and a conductive wire which is mechanically coupled to the screen mesh. The screen mesh has marginal edge portions. The kit also includes a plurality of framing members and frame member-couplers. Each framing member is adapted to secure one of the marginal edge portions of the screen mesh thereto. The framing member-couplers couple the framing members together to form a frame which is to be mounted on a building enclosing structure. The kit further includes a container which includes a tubular member which has a first open end and a second open end. The tubular member is of a predetermined length and a predetermined diameter. The container also includes a first end cap and a second end cap. The first and second end caps are disposed at the first and second open ends of the tubular member, respectively. Each framing member is of either equal length or shorter length than the predetermined length of the tubular member. The screen mesh, the conductive wire, the framing members and the framing member-couplers may be placed in the container. The kit can be conveniently and easily shipped in the container across country to a customer for assembly thereby.

1. Field of the Inventions
The present invention relates to components for an alarm screen assembly and more particularly components for an alarm screen assembly in a kit which can be conveniently and easily shipped in a tubular container across country.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,935, entitled Protective Screen, issued to Clarence P. Willson on Aug. 28, 1962, teaches an alarm screen which includes a frame which is mounted on a building enclosing structure, a screen mesh which is formed from a sheet of non-conductive screen material and which has its marginal portion secured to the frame and at least two strands of conductive wire which are disposed parallel and spaced apart and which are interwoven in the screen mesh with each of the strands having an end portion which terminates adjacent to the frame. It is necessary to mechanically splice together, by either soldering or twisting to each other, the ends of the strands of conductive wire in order to form a continuous wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,293, entitled Entry Detection Screen, issued to Robert E. Mutton and Dennis E. Riordan on Mar. 27, 1979, teaches an alarm screen which includes a frame and a screen mesh. In one embodiment the alarm screen also includes a single wire which is sewn onto the screen mesh in order to fix it in place and which provide a series circuit. In another embodiment the alarm screen also includes double wires which are sewn onto the screen mesh in order to fix it in place so that two series circuits can be provided. The double wires can be twisted to make the alarm circuit more difficult for an intruder to defeat. A twist of the double wires can be made under a section of frame where the twist cannot be seen by an intruder. In both embodiments the single wire and the double wires are continuous. Unlike the alarm screen of U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,935 mechanical splicing of conductive wires is not necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,573, entitled Pet Access Door Kit and Method of Installation, issued to James M. Hackman and La Vona Hackman on June 15, 1982, teaches a pet access door kit and a method of installation in a screen door. The pet door access kit includes members attachable to the door screen to define a generally rectangular screen section adjacent a lower corner of the screen door. The screen material is cut within the defined area except for the upper extremity of the section to form a screen flap. The upper extremity of the flap constitutes a hinge portion. A suitable weight is attachable to the lower extremity of the flap in order to maintain it in a closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,384, entitled Card Frames, issued to David P. Erlam on July 24, 1984, teaches a packaged card frame kit which includes a pair of side plates and a plurality of cross rails and a box. The cross rails can be assembled together with the side plates forming at least part of the card frame. The box is capable of housing the side plates and cross rails so that the box can transport the side plates and cross rails. Each side plates includes a main body portion. Each cross rail is adapted to be secured to the main body portions of the side plates when the side plates are in a predetermined upright orientation. The main body portions are spaced apart by a predetermined distance. The box includes a support member which supports the side plates with the main body portions in a laid flat condition during transport. The support member also includes a pair of first receptors which are spaced apart by the same predetermined distance and which are adapted to engage portions of the side plates and to support the side plates in the predetermined upright orientation with the main body portions which spaced apart by the predetermined distance The support member further includes a second receptor which is associatred with each of the first receptors. Each second receptor is adapted to engage the end portions of the cross rails and maintain the cross rails in a predetermined orientation in which the cross rails extend between the first receptors during transport. The second receptors allow movement of the cross rails between the side plates when the the side plates are in the predetermined upright orientations in order to allow attachment of the cross rails to the side plates while the side plates are in the upright orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,290, entitled Shipping and Storage Container, issued to Randall A. Luebke on Apr. 19, 1983, teaches a container for shipping and storing elongated articles. The container includes a tubular housing having oppositely disposed open ends and a pair of end cap members which are adapted to be removably mounted to the tubular housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,880, entitled Shippable Package of Glass Fiber Strands and Process for Making the Package and Continuous Strand Mat, issued to Walter J. Reese on Oct. 15, 1985, teaches a shippable, covered cylindrcial package of one or more sized glass fiber strands which provides wet, continuous glass fiber strand with improved payout from the cylindrical package.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,697, entitled Shipping Package for Crutches, issued to Ted F. Urban on May 31, 1983, teaches a shipping package for crutches which includes a pair of crutches disposed in face-to-face alignment. Each crutch has a pair of side members and an arm piece which connects the uper ends of the side members. Each crutch also has a hand grip which connects the central portions of the side members. The arm piece, the side members, and the hand grip of each crutch defining an opening. The openings are disposed in alignment. A container is disposed with the hand grips and extends laterally between the side members. A plurality of rubber-like acessories are disposed within the container. A heat shrunk plastic covering encloses the crutches and the accessories.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,970, entitled Plant Care Kit, issued to Howard J. Morrison on June 30, 1981, teaches a plant care kit which includes a generally planar support member, a first cleaning element and a handle. The support member gently supports a leaf of a plant or the like. The first cleaning element is mounted on the top surface of the support member and engages the underside of the leaf. The handle is mounted on the bottom surface of the support member and provides limited oscillation about an axis generally parallel to the bottom surface. The handle includes a mechanism for captured interdigitated engagement of the fingers of a user. The plant care kit also includes a manually operable second cleaning element and a reservoir. The manually operable second cleaning element engages the top of the leaf and the reservoir contains a predetermined amount of cleaning fluid to be applied to the leaves by the first and second cleaning elements.

Kit containing components for an alarm screen assembly


A license handling information handling system receives an electronic message from a first computer system utilized by a first user. The first user's message requests a license to a licensed product that has previously been purchased by the organization. The license handling information handling system identifies a second user in the organization that currently has a license to the licensed product, and requests that the second user relinquish the license to the licensed product. The second user indicates that the second user's license will be relinquished for a temporary time period. The licensing handling information handling system sends an electronic message, including the temporary time period, to the first user. In response to the first user accepting the temporary time period, the second user's license to the licensed product is revoked, and the first user is granted a license to the licensed product.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to managing licensed products amongst a group of users. More particularly, the present invention relates to license handling information handling system that revokes and grants licenses to users based on need calculations.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is often the case that a company can only afford to purchase a finite number of software licenses for software applications. This results in a number of software CDs sitting around not being used or applications being installed but not used while a number of employees are left out from using this software because there are no available licenses. This in turn leads to enterprises over spending when they could benefit from using existing software licenses that are not used.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Software license agreement amongst workgroups using software usage data

International Business Machines Corporation


Variable width error correction is described. A memory controller can determine, from a memory address, what type of error correction is to be applied for the address region of that memory address and can generate commands for the memory device. An amount of error correction metadata associated with that address region may vary depending on the spatial location of the address region. In some cases, two translations may be performed: one by a processor using information set up by an operating system and another by the memory controller (or the memory device). In other cases, a single translation may be performed, for example by a processor using information set up by the operating system, which can determine the variable error correction during translation of a virtual address region to a real physical address region.

Reliable data storage depends, in part, on the ability of the underlying memory technology—the hardware—to maintain an accurate indication of the data being stored. Defects in the hardware are commonplace due to a variety of factors including the variations in manufacturing, memory usage, and external conditions. In general, memory errors fall within one of two categories of errors. The first type of error is a hard error, which occurs due to a physical defect in the memory hardware. The second type of error is a soft error, which refers to non-permanent errors such as those caused by electromagnetic radiation. Hard errors are also referred to as repeatable errors because they tend to be errors in the data due to a permanent condition, such as a stuck bit; whereas soft errors manifest as a spontaneous flip of a bit to an opposite state. Sometimes, when multiple soft errors occur within a same block (or other designated region) of memory, the error is considered to be a hard error. Both hard and soft errors may occur during the lifetime of memory hardware, and the memory hardware may further degrade over time.
To minimize the adverse effects of memory errors, various error correction techniques may be applied. There are error correction codes, memory parity checking algorithms and hardware solutions using additional memory bits, memory controller error correction and memory logic error correction.


A liquid cartridge includes: a casing including a liquid chamber; a liquid supply portion; a deformable member; a movable member; and an urging member. An internal pressure of the chamber is reduced as liquid flows out of the chamber. The deformable member protrudes from the casing in a cross direction crossing forward and rearward directions and has an internal space in communication with the chamber. The deformable member has such an elasticity that a dimension thereof in the cross direction becomes smaller as the internal pressure of the chamber is reduced. The movable member includes a detection portion, and a contact portion contacting the deformable member. The contact portion is in contact with the deformable member and disposed at one of positions further forward and further rearward relative to the deformable member. The urging member urges the movable member to move the contact portion toward the deformable member.

There are conventional inkjet recording apparatus known in the art that can record an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink stored in an ink container through nozzles. One such inkjet recording apparatus is configured such that a new ink cartridge can be attached every time ink in an ink cartridge that has been attached is consumed.
Japanese Utility Model Registration Publication No. 3156861 discloses an ink cartridge that can be attached to and detached from a cartridge attachment section of an inkjet recording apparatus. The ink cartridge has a detection mechanism that is used for optical detection of a remaining amount of ink. The detection mechanism includes a movable member that can pivotally move about a fixed shaft, and a deformable member. When ink stored in an ink bag is consumed, the ink bag deflates. As the ink bag deflates, the deformable member also deflates. This causes the movable member to change its pivoting posture. By optically detecting the change in the pivoting posture of the movable member, consumption of ink in the ink cartridge can be detected.

Liquid cartridge provided with deformable member, movable member, and urging member for detection of remaining amount of liquid


The present invention is directed to methods and reagents for determining the genotype of a hepatitis C virus (HCV) species present in a test sample. The invention more particularly relates to mixtures of degenerate amplification and sequencing primers, and methods of using such primers, that are complementary to a plurality of HCV species, and are capable of generating nucleotide sequence information for a region of NS5B of HCV that is, for each species, indicative of the type and/or subtype, of the species present in the sample.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is estimated to infect at approximately 170 million people worldwide, and is responsible for chronic liver disease and increased risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Treatment of HCV is principally limited to antiviral regimens, the efficacies of which are largely influenced by several biological parameters, such as the virus genotype. HCV genotyping has therefore been widely used to predict the response to antiviral therapy and to optimize the duration of treatment. HCV genotyping has also become an essential tool for epidemiological studies and for tracing sources of contamination by HCV.
The plus-strand HCV RNA genome is approximately 9600 nucleotides in length and encodes at least one open-reading frame with approximately 3010 amino acids. In infected cells, this polyprotein is cleaved at multiple sites by cellular and viral proteases to produce structural and non-structural (NS) proteins. HCV isolates are characterized by a high degree of genetic variability due to the lack of fidelity of the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which is encoded by the non-structural 5B (NS5B) gene. In addition, as a result of endogenous mutation or infection by a plurality of species, also gives rise to genetically variable quasi-species of HCV within a single patient. Six main genotypes of HCV, and over a hundred subtypes, have been described.
The genetic variability of HCV complicates the processes of amplification, sequencing, and genotyping. These processes typically rely upon use of oligonucleotide primers and probes (e.g., PCR amplification primers, sequencing primers, and site-specific probes) that are complementary to and are capable of hybridizing to corresponding nucleic acid sequences of the HCV genome. As a result of the high degree of variability of the HCV genome, oligonucleotide primers and probes complementary to one species of HCV may not be complementary to another species. Such primers and probes must therefore be designed for specificity to highly conserved regions. Alternatively, assays must use mixtures of degenerate primers and probes that are complementary to all species.
Some genotyping methods have focused on the 5′ noncoding (5′NC) region. The 5′ non-coding (NC) region of HCV is highly conserved, yet contains type-specific polymorphisms that can be utilized to distinguish between genotypes. To date, most of the commercially available 5′NC region genotyping assays have been based on PCR amplification and fragment analysis by RFLP or hybridization to oligonucleotide probes. These types of assay are rapid but not as accurate as sequencing-based assays. For this reason, alternative genomic regions have been proposed for use in genotyping HCV, including the NS5B region.
The most accurate and direct method of genotyping HCV is to sequence the virus genome in a region that is sufficiently divergent among various species to distinguish between virus types and subtypes. Equally importantly, databases for phylogenetic analysis must be readily available to analyze the sequences generated from these regions.
Commercially available sequencing-based HCV genotyping assays include, for example, the TRUGENE HCV 5′NC Genotyping Kit (Bayer HealthCare), which is a rapid sequencing-based assay utilizing the 5′NC region of HCV. Sequence data generated by this assay are directly analyzed utilizing a phylogenetic 5′NC region database (TRUGENE HCV 5′NC software module v3.1.1). Previously, 5′NC databases have included sequences from various sources that have never been fully validated and, in some cases, subtype assignments for particular strains have been discordant when 5′NC or NS5B sequences were analyzed.
There is a continuing need to improve sequencing-based HCV assays, so as to improve identification of HCV types and subtypes for purposes of clinical analysis and therapeutic intervention.


An aircraft passenger seat having a seat bottom movable between a stationary position for taxi, take-off and landing and a movable position during flight in which at least one of a leading edge and a trailing edge of the seat bottom deflects downward in response to a downward load applied thereto.

The present invention relates generally to an airliner passenger seat design, and more particularly, to a spring loaded seat bottom movable between a stationary position during taxi, take-off and landing and a freed position during flight where one or more of a leading edge and a trailing edge of the seat bottom can move up and down, deflecting to different levels according to the downward load applied thereto.
The design of the seat bottom, or seat pan, of an economy class airliner seat is heavily governed by the requirement to pass a series of dynamic tests that form part of the seat certification process. The structure of the seat has to withstand extremely high loads, limit deflection under load, and do so at the minimum weight. To provide comfort, the seat bottom can be formed of a movable structure that can change position and angle according to the reclined position of the seat back. To further enhance comfort, the seat bottom can be constructed from a flexible diaphragm that is securely fastened to the seat bottom structure and covered with foam cushioning.
Passengers are required to be in an upright sitting position during taxi, take-off and landing (TTOL). During flight the sitting position requirements are relaxed. As such, the seat back of most seats is able to recline to a degree to enhance comfort. In premium class seats, the seat back has a greater range of motion and the seat back and seat bottom can be linked such that reclining the seat back changes the angle and/or position of the seat bottom. In economy class seats, the seat bottom is usually fixed in one position regardless of the reclined position of the seat back.
With either seat type, a fixed sitting position becomes uncomfortable over time. Therefore, what is needed is a seat bottom compatible with a reclining seat back that can be held stationary during TTOL to achieve a fixed, upright sitting position, and released during flight to increase body movement, improve blood flow and enhance cushioning.

Spring loaded seat bottom which locks during taxi, take-off and landing


In a gas turbine installation having an enclosure for passing cooling air therethrough and around the gas turbine, provision is made for a mixing of the cooling air with the exhaust gases being emitted from the gas turbine to thereby reduce the temperature thereof prior to its passing into the exhaust stack, but only after the primary air has passed through a catalyst bed which is disposed in a position over the gas turbine exhaust opening. The shape of the catalyst bed is preferably A-shaped in cross-section to thereby increase the surface area thereof. In this way, the temperature at the catalyst bed is maintained at an elevated level to obtain superior performance while a subsequent mixing of the primary air with the cooling air results in lower temperatures of the gases passing through the exhaust stack.

This invention relates generally to gas turbines and, more particularly, to a catalyst bed which is placed in the exhaust stream of a gas turbine.
In an effort to reduce undesirable emissions such as carbon monoxide, it has become common to provide a catalyst bed at the exhaust to reduce the harmful emissions prior to the exhaust gases being passed through the exhaust stack and into the atmosphere.
It has also become customary to provide a flow of cooling air within the enclosure around a gas turbine and to mix the cooling air with the gas turbine exhaust gases so that the temperatures are reduced when passing through the exhaust silencers and the exhaust stack. It has been recognized that if a catalyst bed is introduced in such an arrangement, that both the turbine exhaust gases and the cooling air pass through the catalyst bed, then the pressure drop through the catalyst would cause excessive pressure rise in the enclosure and reduce the temperature at the catalyst, thereby rendering it less effective.
One conventional approach for solving this problem is to allow the cooling air to flow over the turbine only and not to mix the cooling air with the gas turbine primary air. While this approach reduces the pressure drop across the catalyst and makes it more effective, the benefits of reduced exhaust temperature which would otherwise occur from the mixing of the gases are lost.


A process is provided for controlling the emission of nitrogen dioxide from, and the growth of living organisms in, steam condensate cooling towers and catch basins used in conjunction with steam and condensate of steam derived from ammonia and geothermal brine containing dissolved iron. The process comprises contacting the condensate, in a substantially continuous manner, with a small, substantially less-than-stoichiometric amount of an oxidizing biocide, such as trichloroisocyanuric acid or 1-bromo-3-chloro-5,5-dimethyl-hydantoin, which results in the oxidation of said nitrite formed by activity of bacterial in the condensate to a non-reactive nitrate, and which slows the growth of said bacteria in the cooling tower and catch basin. The process additionally includes periodically introducing into the condensate with amounts of a second biocide, such as dodecylguanidine hydrochloride or isothiazalone, which provides most of the control or organism growth in the cooling tower and catch basin. To prevent system corrosion, the process may include treating the condensate with a non-organic, phosphate-based corrosion inhibitor and scale dispersant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to processes for controlling the emission of nitrogen containing oxides from, and the growth of organisms, such as bacteria and algae, in, open cooling towers and the like in which ammonia and nitrite-containing waters are cooled.
2. Background Discussion
Subterranean reservoirs of aqueous geothermal fluids--steam, hot water, and hot brine--exist in many regions of the world. Such geothermal fluid reservoirs, many of which contain vast amounts of thermal energy, are most common where the near-surface temperature gradient of the earth is abnormally high, as is evidenced by unusually great volcanic, fumarole, and/or geyser activity. As an example, significant geothermal fluid sources are found along the Pacific Ocean Rim--a region long known for its high level of volcanic activity.
Aqueous geothermal fluids have, in some inhabited regions, been used for centuries for the therapeutic treatment of physical disorders. In these and/or in some other inhabited regions, such as Iceland and the Paris Basin of France, geothermal fluids have also long been used as heat sources for industrial processes and for heating dwellings and other buildings. Moreover, in some places, such as Italy and Northern California, geothermal steam has been successfully used for a number of years to generate commercially significant amounts of electric power. In the late 1970s, for example, about 2 percent of all the electric power used in the State of California was produced by geothermal steam at The Geysers in Northern California, and presently enough electric power is generated at The Geysers to satisfy the combined electricity needs of the cities of San Francisco and Oakland, Calif. More recently, moderate amounts of electric power have been generated, notably in the Imperial Valley of Southern California near the Salton Sea, by geothermal brine, which is much more difficult to use than geothermal steam.
Such factors as the steep increases, in the early 1970s, in the cost of petroleum products and natural gas and projected future shortages and high costs of such resources have led to the recently increased interest in further developing the use of geothermal fluids as alternative, and generally self-renewing, electric power plant "fuels." Much of this effort has been and is being directed toward developing more economically practical systems and processes for using geothermal brine to generate electric power because, although more difficult than geothermal steam to use, there are many more good sources of geothermal brine than there are good sources of geothermal steam.
General processes by which geothermal brine can be used to generate electric power have, of course, been known for some time. Geothermal brine, having a wellhead temperature of over about 400.degree. F. and a wellhead pressure of over about 400 psig, can, for example, be flashed to a reduced pressure to convert some of the water or brine into steam. Steam produced in this manner is then used in generally conventional steam turbine-type power generators to generate electricity. On the other hand, cooler, less pressurized, geothermal brine can be used in closed-loop, binary fluid systems in which a low-boiling point, secondary liquid is vaporized by the hot brine. The vapor produced from the secondary liquid is then used in a gas turbine-type power generator to generate electricity, the vapor being recondensed and reused. In both such cases, the "used" geothermal brine is most commonly reinjected into the ground to replenish the aquifer from which the liquid was produced and to prevent ground subsidence. Reinjection of geothermal brine is also often important to avoid problems typically associated with the disposal of the large amounts of saline and usually highly-contaminated liquid involved.
In spite of such general processes for using geothermal brine for producing electric power being known, difficult and costly problems are commonly encountered with the actual use of the heavily contaminated, saline, and corrosive brines. Moreover, these problems are frequently so costly to solve that the production of reasonable amounts of electric power at competitive rates by the use of geothermal brines has often been extremely difficult to achieve in many locations.
As mentioned above, many of these serious problems associated with the production and use of geothermal brines for the generating of electric power can be attributed to the usually complex chemical composition and extremely corrosive nature of many geothermal brines. At aquifer temperatures and pressures--which are often well in excess of 400.degree. F. and 400 psig--aqueous geothermal liquids leach large amounts of salts, minerals, and elements from the aquifer formations, the geothermal liquids (brines) presumably being in chemical equilibrium with their producing formations.
Thus, although their compositions may vary considerably from location to location, geothermal brines typically contain very high levels of dissolved salts and silica, and appreciable amounts of dissolved metals and such non-condensable gases as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. Geothermal brines are usually acidic, with typical wellhead pH's of between about 5 and about 5.5. As a combined result of their composition and high temperature, geothermal brines are not only frequently some of the most corrosive liquids known, but most tend, without appropriate treatment, to rapidly deposit a tough, tenacious, siliceous scale onto contacted surfaces of pipe, valves, vessels, and so forth, especially in regions of the brine handling system downstream of flashing vessels in which brine pressure is greatly reduced.
Adding greatly to the problems associated with producing and using geothermal brines for the generation of electric power is the need for very large, continuous flows of brine in order to generate even relatively moderate amounts of electric power. As an illustration, the production of only about 10 megawatts of electric power requires a continuous flow of over a million pounds per hour of high temperature and pressure geothermal brine. Consequently, even relatively low-capacity geothermal brine power plants ordinarily require several very costly brine production and reinjection wells, and large quantities of expensive, large size, corrosion-resistant pipe, fittings, pumps, valves, flashing and clarifying vessels, filters and so forth just for extracting, handling, and disposing of the huge flows of geothermal brine needed. In addition, an associated power generating facility is ordinarily required for each brine handling facility.
One of the many problems which has added to the overall cost of producing electric power by the use of geothermal brines, relates to the undesirable emission of nitrogen dioxide (NO.sub.2) from cooling tower waters used to extract waste heat from treated brine prior to its injection back into the earth. This is formed by the oxidation of ammonia in the brine by naturally occurring bacteria therein with the nitrites being formed therein by the reaction thereof in the cooling tower effluent with ferrous iron present in the brine. Nitrites can also produce acids which are quite corrosive to the cooling system and disposal piping.
Other difficult problems which, as is apparent from the discussion below, are related to the nitrogen dioxide emissions problem are the corrosion, by the steam condensate (which is used for cooling tower makeup), of metal parts of the condensate handling system and the rapid growth of organisms (including bacteria, fungi, and algae) in such parts of the condensate handling systems as open cooling towers and associated condensate catch basins. Unless controlled, these corrosion problems require the use of costly, corrosion-resistant materials or the frequent costly replacement of common steel components. In turn, the growth of organisms in the condensate cooling towers and catch basins usually not only adds substantially to condensate-handling system corrosion problems but also causes the fouling and loss of efficiency of cooling towers and other parts of the condensate handling system, the latter requiring frequent, costly system cleaning. It is, of course, to be appreciated that whenever system shutdown is required to replace corroded pipe or equipment or to clean the system of organism-caused contaminants, the resulting loss of electric power revenue during shutdown usually adds substantially to the overall cost associated with the servicing operations.
To overcome these and other corrosion problems in condensate-handling systems, corrosion inhibitors are commonly added to the condensate of steam derived from ammonia-containing brines. The use of heavy metal corrosion inhibitors has been effective in controlling the growth of organisms in open condensate cooling towers and catch basins since they are toxic to the organisms.
Such multi-function, heavy metal corrosion inhibitors would, therefore, seem to be ideal for use in systems which handle corrosive condensate of steam derived from ammonia-containing geothermal and other brines. However, a serious disadvantage is that the heavy metal sludges formed by the use of heavy metal corrosion inhibitors is now classified as a toxic or hazardous waste material in many localities. Consequently, the disposal of these sludges, which may, for example, be formed in a geothermal brine power plant, is difficult and expensive--and is destined to become even more difficult and expensive in the future, as more stringent controls are applied to the disposal of such materials and as hazardous waste disposal sites become scarcer, more remote, and more costly to use.
Thus, in spite of their effectiveness in inhibiting corrosion and also for controlling the growth of organisms, the continued use of heavy metal corrosion inhibitors in systems handling ammonia-containing condensate is becoming increasingly less practical.
Non-heavy metal corrosion inhibitors, which do not form hazardous waste materials in the presence of ammonia, carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide, have thus recently been used in some condensate handling systems of the type mentioned above. Representative of these non-heavy metal corrosion inhibitors are such inorganic, phosphate-based materials as Betz Dianodic II, available from Betz Laboratories, Inc., Trevose, Pa.
However, unlike their counterpart heavy metal corrosion inhibitors, phosphate-type corrosion inhibitors have not been effective in controlling either hydrogen sulfide and nitrogen dioxide emissions or the growth of organisms. The use of such alternative types of corrosion inhibitors has, as a result, created an important need for a compatible process (or processes) for controlling hydrogen sulfide and/or nitrogen dioxide emissions and organism growth in systems for handling steam and condensate derived from hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and ammonia-containing geothermal brines.
It is, however, important that any new process for controlling nitrogen dioxide emissions from, and the growth of organisms in, steam condensate handling portions of geothermal brine power plants not only be effective, for example, to avoid penalties for excessive NO.sub.2 emissions, but that it also be economical to use. If a process is effective for controlling NO.sub.2 emissions and organism growth but is uneconomical--for example, if it is more costly than the cost of disposing of the heavy metal sludges produced by the use of heavy metal corrosion inhibitors--the process is of little, if any, practical use in actual geothermal brine power plants.

Process for treating ammonia and nitrite containing waters to prevent nitric oxide emissions therefrom


A device for pumping a fluid of high viscosity containing a gas and a liquid phase which includes a pump connected to a lower end of a tubular string at the bottom of a well and a device for separating free gas from the liquid phase and for injecting a thinner into the fluid to reduce the viscosity. Injection of the thinner is effected at fluid inlet ports of an inlet device for separating the free gas via a pipe leading to the surface of a geological formation in which the well is positioned. Also, a pumping method using the device involves injecting the thinner into the fluid of high viscosity near an inlet of the pump.

Hydrocarbon production plants utilize, after wells have been drilled through producing reservoirs, pumping systems for bringing the hydrocarbon up to the surface. For this operation, a tubular string used as a pipe for producing the hydrocarbons, at the end of which a pump is arranged, is lowered into the well.
The pumps used may have various types: piston pumps, check valve pumps, centrifugal pumps, rotary positive-displacement pumps. These pumps may be driven from the surface through rods displaced in a reciprocating or rotating motion, over the total distance between the pump and the surface, or through underwater means such as a turbine or an electric motor, the primary energy coming from the surface.
Although such pumps work satisfactorily when the fluid pumped mainly consists of liquid, problems arise and grow when a volume of free gas is present in the production fluid. In fact, if the inlet pressure of a fluid fed to a pump is lower than the bubble-point pressure above which all of the gas dissolves in oil, free gas mixed with the production fluid is allowed to pass into the pumps.
Under such conditions, the pumping efficiency is low. This problem is solved by application EP-0,435,716 in which the pump is run into an inlet pipe provided with ports at its upper end and with a check valve system at its lower end. The gas separates from the oil at the level of the ports. The check valve system protects the pump from dry running risks if the level of the hydrocarbon liquids does not reach the ports.
But in case of a viscous production fluid, the pumping device described in document EP-0,435,716 has the following drawbacks.
The viscosity of the production fluid could lead to frequent cloggings of the check valve system which make the systems ineffective. Moreover, in most geologic formations producing viscous fluids, the process of entrainment of solid particles is common, notably because of the fluid consistency. The solid particles, for example sands and sediment, near to the lower end of the inlet pipe cause clogging of the check valves.
The viscosity of the production fluid is such that the pressure drops generated inside the inlet pipe, between the inlet ports and the pump inlet, can make pumping ineffective, notably because of the decrease in the pumping rate resulting therefrom.
Similarly, the pressure drops downstream from the pump increase with the viscosity and lead to a higher power consumption upon pumping.

Device and method for pumping a viscous liquid comprising injecting a thinning product, application to horizontal wells


A light coupling assembly that couples a light source to a light conducting system attached to a medical instrument so that light from the light source is transmitted to a surgical site. The light coupling assembly according to the present invention includes a member formed of a heat conducting material that receives and transfers heat from the light source to a light source housing. The light coupling assembly also includes an insulating member that receives a portion of the heat conducting member and prevents an attendant from being injured by the heat generated by the light source and carried by the heat conducting member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coupling assembly for a light transmission system, more specifically, the present invention relates to a light adapter assembly for coupling a light source to a medical instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lighting systems including high intensity light sources and systems for transmitting the light from these high intensity light sources to medical instruments are known. Typically, the light transmitting systems include light pathways formed by one or more fiber-optic cables. These fiber-optic cables are constructed from a light conducting material such as glass or plastic. Each medical instrument then directs and focuses the received light onto a particular area of a patient's anatomy in order to illuminate a portion of the patient's body where a medical procedure is being performed. Many types of coupling assemblies have been developed for delivering light from the high intensity light sources to the light transmitting systems coupled to the medical instruments.
Initially, traditional coupling assemblies position a proximal end of the fiber-optic light transmitting pathway approximately at a point inside the light source where the light is most concentrated. Although this positioning of the fiber-optic cables proximate the light source maximizes the collection of light energy, energy from the light source is absorbed and accumulated by the coupling assemblies and the fiber optic cables as heat energy. As a result, the traditional coupling assemblies often become very hot, which is a hazard to people working with the optical illumination systems. Additionally, the heating of the coupling assemblies also degrades the performance of the system by distorting the transmitted light energy and potentially damaging the fiber-optic light guide.
Contemporary coupling assemblies attempt to space the fiber-optic cable or bundle of fiber-optic cables away from the heat of the light source that can be four hundred degrees Celsius or greater. An example of a contemporary prior art coupling assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,399 to Miller et al. This coupling assembly includes an outer coupling member that extends away from a light source housing and that has a first end that receives a bundle of fiber optic cables. The bundle has a second end secured into a medical instrument. The outer coupling member is formed of a heat conducting material and includes a plurality of ventilation fins along its length for dissipating heat generated by the light source. However, the heat conducting coupling member can reach temperatures during a medical procedure that will cause injury to any person that touches it. The level of heat carried by the coupling member makes it unable to be touched during a medical procedure without causing the attendant to stop what she is doing and put on a thermally insulated glove. This extra step will increase the amount of time required to remove the coupling member. Additionally, if the attendant does not remember about the high temperature of the coupling member, she may grasp it without putting on the thermally insulated glove. This will result in her injury and possible need to leave the operation room, thereby reducing the number of attendants available during the procedure.
As a result, there exists a present need for a coupling assembly that effectively prevents the light transmitting pathways from being damaged by transferring heat generated by a light source away from the light transmitting pathways, and that isolates the heat transferred from the light source from an outer surface of the coupling assembly so that a person will not be injured if the coupling assembly is touched during the operation of the light source.


Use of a chatbot interface to display maps, representing geographic areas, according to user specifications. In some embodiments, a user can enter commands through the geospatial chatbot to specify what geographic area is displayed on a map display (for example, user commands successive maps that zoom in, or out, to specified geographic area). In some embodiments, the user can specify through the geospatial chatbot what map attributes are displayed on the map (for example, restaurants, fires, schools, homes for sale, roads, elevation indication lines, isotherms, etc.). In some embodiments the user can filter, through the geospatial chatbot, map attributes to be within a specified value range (for example, only restaurants that take credit cards).

The present invention relates generally to the field of computer display of maps, and more particularly to computer displays of maps having user specified map areas or map attributes.
It is known that computers can display maps. It is known that computers can display maps of various geographic areas (for example, map of the United States, map of the state of Texas, map of the city of Austin, Tex., map of downtown Austin, Tex.). It is known that maps displayed on computers can display selected attributes, such as streets, types of businesses/services (for example, restaurants, schools, banks), demographic attributes (for example, median income of residents, average age of residents, language most commonly spoken), isotherms, events (for example, fires, meteor strikes, places a given rock band has played).
The Wikipedia entry for chatbot, as of 6 Mar. 2019, states in part as follows: "A chatbot (also known as a smartbot, talkbot, chatterbot, Bot, IM [instant messaging] bot, interactive agent, conversational interface, Conversational AI [artificial intelligence], or artificial conversational entity) is a computer program or an artificial intelligence which conducts a conversation via auditory or textual methods. Such programs are often designed to convincingly simulate how a human would behave as a conversational partner, thereby passing the Turing test. Chatbots are typically used in dialog systems for various practical purposes including customer service or information acquisition. Some chatbots use sophisticated natural language processing systems, but many simpler ones scan for keywords within the input, then pull a reply with the most matching keywords, or the most similar wording pattern, from a database . . . . Today, most chatbots are accessed via virtual assistants such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, via messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger or WeChat, or via individual organizations' apps and websites. Chatbots can be classified into usage categories such as conversational commerce (e-commerce via chat), analytics, communication, customer support, design, developer tools, education, entertainment, finance, food, games, health, HR [human resources], marketing, news, personal, productivity, shopping, social, sports, travel and utilities."

Geospatial chat bot using natural language processing


A deflector for an equipment of electron beam lithography, the deflector including a plurality of control electrodes arranged symmetrically relative to the center axis of an irradiated electron beam, the electrodes configured to control the electron beam by applying voltages respectively, a plurality of molding substrates arranged symmetrically relative to the center axis of the electron beam configured to face outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of control electrodes and a plurality of earth electrodes arranged respectively at the plurality of molding substrates. The deflector can suppress generation of cross talks with an improved accuracy of controlling an electron beam.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a deflector to be used to control the electron beam typically for writing a pattern of semiconductor devices and also to an equipment of electron beam lithography including such a deflector.
2. Description of the Related Art
An elevated accuracy level is required for mask processing in response to shrinking of semiconductor devices in recent years. An equipment of electron beam lithography is currently available to be possible highly accurately masks processing. Such equipment of electron beam lithography are adapted to control an electron beam so as to make it accurately strike a desired spot. An electrostatic deflector is typically used for controlling an electron beam.
In the electrostatic deflector, a plurality of individually insulated trapezoidal bulk electrodes are arranged symmetrically relative to the center axis of the irradiated electron beam and the electron beam is controlled for its position and other factors by subjecting each of the electrodes to predetermined potential changes.
When a deflection potential is applied to a predetermined electrode, a micro potential is generated in the adjacent electrodes to which no deflection potential is applied to give rise to a problem of a cross talk. Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-198294 and other patent documents propose techniques of arranging an earth electrode between adjacent electrodes. However, the cross talk appears not only between electrodes but also in other areas and it is not satisfactory to control potential between adjacent electrodes.
On the other hand, a signal wire for supplying a deflection potential and an earth wire are connected to each electrode. Normally, the earth wire is drawing to the outer peripheral side of the electrode and the route of the earth wire is not particularly fixed. However, since the impedance of the electrode varies as a function of the route of the earth wire, the deflection potential can fluctuate to degrade the accuracy of controlling the electron beam.

Deflector for equipment of electron beam lithography and equipment of electron beam lithography


A voltage variable attenuator is described including a quadrature hybrid coupler having an input port, an output port, a first reflective port and a second reflective port. The voltage variable attenuator further includes a first and a second impedance network, the first impedance network connected to the first reflective port of the quadrature hybrid coupler, the second impedance network connected to the second reflective port of the quadrature hybrid coupler, each impedance network including a first RF propagation network having a first end connected to the respective reflective port of the quadrature hybrid coupler. Each impedance network further includes a second end of the first RF propagation network connected to a field effect transistor having a drain electrode, a source electrode and a gate electrode, the drain electrode connected to the second end of the first RF propagation network. Completing each impedance network is a second RF propagation network having a first end connected to the source electrode and a second electrode connected to a ground through a plated via hole.

This invention relates to voltage variable attenuators and more particularly to reflection type voltage variable attenuators used in microwave signal processing applications.
As is known in the art, a voltage variable attenuator is a device having an input port, an output port and a control port and provides a predetermined amount of attenuation to a signal propagating between the input port and the output port as determined by a control voltage fed to the control port. Typically, voltage variable attenuators are continuously variable over a predetermined attenuation range while providing a required operational bandwidth and impedance match. In microwave signal processing attenuator to operate from a single control voltage and to provide a linear voltage vs. attenuation response. It is also desirable to consume minimal direct current (DC) power when providing the control voltage signal. It is further desirable to provide attenuation to a signal with a minimum variation in signal phase shift.
Various types of voltage variable attenuators have been implemented using monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. For example, tee type, pi type and bridge tee type attenuators have been implemented using monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. One type of voltage variable attenuator implemented using MMIC technology includes a GaAs (gallium arsenide) MMIC attenuator such as a Triquint 9161 manufactured by Triquint Semiconductor, Inc. of Beaverton, Ore.
One type of a voltage variable attenuator (VVA) is known as a reflection VVA. A reflection VVA typically includes a quadrature coupler having an input port and an output port and a pair of coupled ports. A pair of matched variable termination devices are connected respectively to the pair of coupled ports. As signals are fed to the input port, the signals are attenuated by the amount of power absorbed by the pair of matched variable termination devices and the remaining signals are reflected toward the output port. An example of such a device is an attenuator having a part series no. D197 manufactured by General Microwave, Inc. of 5500 New Horizons Blvd., Amityville, N.Y. This attenuator is manufactured as a hybrid circuit on an alumina substrate requiring a plurality of PIN diodes and complex driver circuitry to provide the required current to drive the PIN diodes.
Unfortunately, known types of MMIC implemented voltage variable attenuators are non-linear and typically require two control voltages to provide a required impedance match. Furthermore, each device usually requires characterization testing to determine optimum control voltages for that device. Although various techniques for improving linearization and impedance matching have been utilized, such techniques are typically complex and require additional topography when implemented with MMIC technology. Furthermore, phase variation characteristics (i.e. at a fixed frequency, as the attenuation is varied, the amount of phase shift of a signal observed between the input port and the output port of the device) is often ignored with the above mentioned techniques.


A portable handheld apparatus such as a brushcutter, blower or the like has a drive motor and a throttle lever (2). The throttle lever (2) is pivotally journalled about a rotational axis (3). The throttle lever (2) acts on an actuating device for controlling the drive motor. In order to make possible a simple adjustment of the actuating device, it is provided that the throttle lever (2) has an operator-controlled lever (6) and an actuating lever (5). The operator-controlled lever (6) can be actuated by the operator. The actuating lever (5) acts on the actuating device. The relative position of the actuating lever (5) relative to the operator-controlled lever (6) is adjustable.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,149 discloses a brushcutter having an operator-controlled lever. The operator-controlled lever is pivotally journalled in a housing and a bowden cable is fixed to the operator-controlled lever. The throttle lever acts on the wire of the bowden cable. The outer tube of the bowden cable is adjustably fixed on the housing via a gnarled screw.
In work apparatus wherein the drive motor thereof is actuated via an actuating device such as a bowden cable, the length of the bowden cable must be so matched that the full-load position is obtained when the throttle lever is fully actuated and the idle position is reached when the throttle lever is not actuated. The throttle lever and the drive motor, especially in a brushcutter, are mounted at a distance from each other. For this reason, the adjustment is complex.


The present invention is related to a anticancer composition comprising full length GRS protein or a fragment thereof, a nucleic acid encoding the GRS protein or a fragment thereof. Since the GRS proteins or fragments thereof have activity to induce apoptosis of cancer cell specifically, a composition comprising the GRS proteins or fragments thereof or a nucleic acid encoding thereof may be useful to treatment of cancer.

Cancer refers to a disease in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth and proliferation due to loss of the ability to differentiate. Most of cancers are explained by the multistep carcinogenesis theory describing that mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes lead to 58-steps mutations and finally generate cancer cells. It is known that activation of cancer-causing oncogenes induces abnormal proliferation of cells, and activation of tumor suppressor genes suppresses the abnormal proliferation of cells and interrupts carcinogenesis via apoptosis, kills specific cells and inhibits generation of cancer cells.
Apoptosis is a mechanism of cell death along with necrosis. In contrast to necrosis which is caused accidentally by physical trauma, toxic chemicals, etc., it can be defined as gene-directed cellular self-destruction or programmed cell death. Multicellular organisms maintain homeostasis of cell numbers through balancing of constant cell proliferation and death. Apoptosis is the process by which the cell dies under normal physiological conditions.
The process of apoptosis may be divided into three stages according to morphological and physiological changes. In the initial stage, the cell shrinks as a result of dehydration. Blebs are formed in the cell membrane, large DNAs of 50 kb or more start degradation, and intracellular calcium level increases. In the intermediate stage, DNAs are fragmented to about 180-200 bp, displaying DNA laddering on DNA electrophoresis. In the final stage, the cell membrane completely loses its functions, and the cell is engulfed by nearby cell. It is known that the number of sub-G1 hypodiploid cells is increasing as apoptosis proceeds (Nicoletti, I., Miglorati, G., Pagliacci, M. C., Grignani, F. and Riccardi, C., J. Immunol. Methods 139(2): 271-9, 1991; Steven W. Sherwood, James P. Sheridan and Robert T. Schimke, Experimental Cell Research 215: 373-379, 1994).
Apoptosis is involved in normal development and differentiation of organisms, such as the degeneration of the tadpole tail, and is frequently seen during differentiation of fingers and toes in an embryo, menstruation, and formation of synapses between neural cells in the brain. Also, it is related with the maintenance of homeostasis, and is involved in the removal of cells infected by viruses by cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
Recently, it was found out that the suppression of cancer cell proliferation is related to the induction of apoptosis. Currently employed radiotherapies and chemotherapies, e.g. 5FU, Adriamycin and taxol, induce apoptosis in human cancer cells in vitro (K. Sugamura et al., Cancer 79: 12, 1997; S. M. Tu et al., Cancer Lett. 93: 147, 1995; R. M. Gangemi et al., Science 784: 550, 1990).
Thus, researches on substances that can induce apoptosis in cancer cells for use as anticancer agent are actively carried out. For example, Korean Patent Publication No. 2004-59495 discloses a composition inducing apoptosis of cancer cells, which includes Agaricus extract, and Korean Patent Publication No. 2001-7007571 discloses 7-aryl-6(Z)-heptatrienoic acid retinamide as a compound inducing apoptosis of cancer cells. However, these anticancer agents are not widely used. In addition, they are known to kill not only the cancer cells but also normal cells.
Although the glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GRS) protein is known as a protein involved in the synthesis of aminoacyl tRNA, nothing is known about the anticancer activity of the protein.

Uses of GRS proteins or fragments thereof


A method of operating a memory system, including a memory device, includes managing program order information of the memory device based on a program order stamp (POS) indicating a relative temporal relationship between program operations of a plurality of memory groups that are included in the memory device. The method includes generating a first mapping table that stores a read voltage offset and an upper POS corresponding to the read voltage offset, by using a plurality of voltage levels that are sequentially decreased or reduced, and generating a second mapping table that stores the read voltage offset and a lower POS corresponding to the read voltage offset, by using a plurality of voltage levels that are sequentially increased. A read voltage for performing a read operation on the memory device is variably determined based on the first and second mapping tables and the program order information.

The inventive concept relates to a memory device, and more particularly, to a memory device, a memory system, a method of operating the memory device, and a method of operating the memory system.
Memory devices that are used to store data are classified into volatile memory devices and nonvolatile memory devices. Flash memory devices that are nonvolatile memory devices may be used in mobile phones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, fixed computers, and other devices. The nonvolatile memory devices may need to be controlled to operate adaptively in view of data retention characteristics to improve the reliability thereof.

Memory system and method including determining a read voltage based on program order information and a plurality of mapping tables


A connector has first and second housings (10, 30) that are connectable with each other. The second housing (30) has second terminal fittings (32), second detecting terminals (39) and short canceling members (37). The first housing (10) has shorting terminals (12) for shorting pairs of the first terminal fittings, a resilient arm (18) that deforms as the housings (10, 30) are connected, and first detecting terminals (11) that deform as the resilient arm (18) is deformed to touch the second detecting terminals (39) for detecting the connected state. The resilient arm (18) is held deformed and the first detecting terminals (11) are held in contact with the second detecting terminals (39) until a connecting operation is completed. The resilient arm (18) resiliently restores to separate the first detecting terminals (11) from the second detecting terminals (32) when the connection is completed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector and to a method of controlling the assembly thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-86301 discloses a connector provided with first and second housings. A lever is supported rotatably on the first housing, and has a cam groove. A cam pin is formed on the second housing and is engageable with the cam groove by lightly fitting the two housings together while the lever is at an initial position. The lever then is rotated to a connection position. As a result, a cam action between the cam groove and the cam pin pulls the two housings towards each other and into a completely connected state. The lever includes a detector that is displaceable from a standby position to a detecting position. The detector can be displaced from the standby position to the detecting position when the lever is at the proper connection position. However, the detector cannot be displaced to the detecting position when the lever is left at a partial connection position immediately before arriving the proper connection position.
The connected state of the two housings is detected mechanically based on the rotational position of the lever. However, there has also been a demand for electrically detecting the connected state of the two housings, and such a demand has needed to be met.
The invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to reliably electrically detect a connected state of two housings.

Connector and a method for controlling the assembly thereof


A fracture pattern characterization method, system, and computer program product, include classifying fracture patterns of reservoir layers using a correlation of reservoir information associated with target images and the target images extracted from a database and determining a fracture pattern characterization of a new reservoir layer input based on the classified fracture patterns.

The present invention relates generally to a fracture pattern characterization method, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a system, method, and computer program product for content-based image analytics and machine learning for fine-grained reservoir analysis, for better fracture characterization.
One of the necessary input data for reservoir/geomechanics simulation involves a complete fracture pattern characterization of each geological layer of the underlying reservoir. A fracture is a surface of discontinuity of mechanical origin. A fracture family is characterized by its attributes (e.g., dip angle, strike, length, aperture, morphology and origin). The fracture network involves the description of the fracture attributes and investigates the relationship between the different fracture families. The fracture network is characterized by the spatial properties of fractures, such as the number of fracture families, their relative fracture density, the fracture connectivity, etc.
Fracture characterization is conventionally based on experts' analysis and interpretation of results. Typically, the conventional techniques are proprietary and individual to corporations. The analysis is limited to the knowledge of a single expert, and there is no aggregation of cross-expert knowledge because of the proprietary nature of the information. Visual aspects of reservoir seismic data, such as ant-tracking results, are analyzed by human judgement only.

System, method and computer program product for fracture pattern characterization in naturally fractured reservoirs

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A system for coating a target surface employs a bottle for containing the texture material and a spray pump assembly. A resilient member is supported by a pump housing to define an outlet opening. A collar member is supported by the pump housing. The resilient member is normally in an undeformed configuration in which the outlet opening defines a first cross-sectional area. Moving the collar member relative to the pump housing causes the collar member to act on the resilient member to deform the resilient member from the undeformed configuration to a deformed configuration in which the outlet opening defines a second cross-sectional area, where the second cross-sectional area is greater than the first cross-sectional area.

The surfaces of drywall materials defining wall and ceiling surfaces are commonly coated with texture materials. Texture materials are coatings that are deposited in discrete drops that dry to form a bumpy, irregular texture on the destination surface. Texture materials are commonly applied using a hopper gun connected to a source of pressurized air. However, when only a small area is to be coated or an existing textured surface is repaired, texture materials are typically applied using an aerosol dispensing system.
An aerosol dispensing system for dispensing texture material typically comprises a container assembly, a valve assembly, and an outlet assembly. The container assembly contains the texture material and a propellant material. The propellant material pressurizes the texture material within the container assembly. The valve assembly is mounted to the container assembly in a normally closed configuration but can be placed in an open configuration to define a dispensing path along which the pressurized texture material is forced out of the container assembly by the propellant material. Displacement of the outlet assembly places the valve assembly in the open configuration. The outlet assembly defines a portion of the outlet path and is configured such that the texture material is applied to the destination surface in an applied texture pattern.
The need exists for alternatives to aerosol systems for dispensing of texture materials.

Spray texture material compositions and dispensing systems and methods


A surgical device includes a device body defining a sealed fluid path having a first end and a second end, a refrigerant supply in communication with the first end of the sealed fluid path, and a vacuum source in communication with the second end of the sealed fluid path. Leak detection apparatus can be provided in communication with the sealed fluid path.

Not applicable.
The invention relates to medical devices, and more particularly to minimally invasive surgical systems.
Medical devices configured for minimally invasive surgery are rapidly becoming the tools of choice for many surgical procedures. Not only do these devices provide an alternative to more invasive surgical tools and procedures, but they have also fostered the development of entirely new procedures.
Devices including highly flexible catheters, as well as rigid and semi-flexible probes have received increased attention in recent years and continue to be refined for cardiovascular, pulmonary, urogenital, and other applications. Devices for each of these applications present different technology and material challenges. Angioplasty catheters, for example, can require fluid-tight passages or channels for circulating a cooling fluid (liquid or gas) through a catheter to cool an electro-surgical structure, such as radio frequency ablation electrode, to prevent overheating of the electrode or of surrounding tissue. Similarly, a cooling or cryogenic fluid can be reduce the temperature of a structure, such as an ablation surface, to a therapeutic temperature. Some cooling fluids, however, can be harmful or fatal to the patient if they unintentionally escape from the surgical device.
Although careful fabrication techniques, quality materials, and thorough testing can reduce the chances of cooing fluid leakage, it would be desirable to provide additional system features that further minimize the occurrence of leaks; and should a leak occur, provide features that detect cooling fluid loss or escape immediately so that use of the surgical device can be terminated and patient remediation efforts can be undertaken if required.
The present invention provides an improved surgical device including a device body defining a sealed fluid path having a first end and a second end, a refrigerant supply in communication with the first end of the sealed fluid path, and a vacuum source in communication with the second end of the sealed fluid path. Leak detection apparatus can be provided in communication with the sealed fluid path.
Exemplary leak detection apparatus include an impedance measurement circuit, an infrared sensor, and a pulsed ultrasonic device. A control unit that is in communication with the leak detection apparatus is responsive to output from the leak detection apparatus to control fluid flow through the sealed fluid flow path.


A shut off valve assembly for preventing overfilling of an underground fuel storage tank or other storage tanks where the incoming flow is not metered, utilizes a two stage valve closure, the first stage closure signaling the tank is nearly filled to capacity and the second stage closure subsequently completely stopping flow into the tank.

The present invention is directed to a float actuated shut off valve for terminating the flow of fluid into a storage tank to prevent overfilling of the tank. The valve disclosed, while useful in other applications, is particularly well adapted for controlling the filling of underground fuel storage tanks such as are employed in service stations.
Underground fuel storage tanks utilized by service stations are filled via a fill pipe which extends upwardly from the top of the tank to a supply coupling located in a relatively shallow manhole in the service station apron. A supply hose from a tank truck is coupled to the supply coupling at the upper end of the fill pipe and, upon opening-of a shut off valve on the supply truck, fuel flows by gravity from the truck through the supply hose and fill pipe into the underground storage tank. Typically, neither the tank truck nor the underground storage tank are metered to provide a running indication of how much fuel has been dispensed into the tank during the filling operation. In theory, the delivery man is required to determine how much fuel is in the tank by inserting a dip stick into the tank through the fill pipe before coupling the supply hose to the fill pipe and is prohibited from coupling the fill pipe to a storage compartment in his truck tank which contains more fuel than the underground tank has room for. In practice, this last prohibition is almost universally ignored, and in the past, it was not an unknown practice to continue filling the underground tank until fuel started flowing out of the underground tank vent.
To prevent overfilling, many present day underground storage tanks are provided with a float actuated shut off valve which closes when the level of fuel within the underground tank rises to a preselected level, as, for example, when the tank is 95% full. Closure of these valves stops the incoming flow of fuel, but traps a substantial quantity, typically 25 to 30 gallons of fuel, in the supply hose between the float actuated shut off valve at the fill pipe inlet and the shut off valve on the tank truck. One solution to this problem is to provide an overfill storage container at the upper end of the fill pipe--see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,387--into which the supply hose can be drained and the drained fuel subsequently drained from the overfill container into the underground tank when sufficient fuel has been withdrawn from the tank.
The basic problem with float actuated shut off valves is that while they prevent the filling of the underground storage tank beyond its capacity, they do not solve a main problem created by overfilling--namely the trapping of 25 or 30 gallons of fuel in the supply hose between the fill pipe and the shut off valve on the tank truck.
The present invention is directed to a solution to this last problem.


An improved method for producing a full face fabricated vehicle wheel is disclosed, wherein a full face disc is formed by combining stamping and flow spinning operations. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a generally circular rim defining an axis and including a generally axially extending well and a pair of opposed ends, one of the ends including an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange and an inboard tire bead seat, and the other end including an outboard tire bead seat; (b) providing a generally circular disc blank including an inner annular portion defining a wheel mounting surface; (c) stamping the disc blank to form an intermediate annular portion having a predetermined contour and an outer annular portion; (d) flow spinning the outer annular portion of the disc to form an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the full face wheel; (e) positioning the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the disc adjacent the outboard tire bead seat of the rim; and (f) securing the rim and disc together to produce the full face fabricated wheel.

This invention relates to an improved method for producing a full face fabricated vehicle wheel.
Full face fabricated wheels are becoming increasingly popular due to the enhanced styling they provide over conventional fabricated wheels. A full face fabricated wheel is distinguished from other types of fabricated wheels by having the appearance of a one-piece wheel disc construction.
A typical sequence of steps which can be used to produce a full face fabricated wheel includes the steps of: (a) providing a flat sheet of suitable material, such as aluminum or steel; (b) forming the sheet into a generally flat circular disc blank; (c) initially stamping the blank to form a partially-shaped disc; (d) progressively stamping the partially-shaped disc during a plurality of intermediate stamping operations to produce a disc having a predetermined shape; (e) final stamping an outer annular portion of the disc to form a bead seat retaining flange thereon which defines an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the finish full face wheel; (f) machining an outer edge of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the disc; (g) trimming an end of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange to provide a smooth tire side flange radius; and (h) securing the disc to a preformed rim to produce the finish full face fabricated wheel.
As a result of forming the full face wheel in this manner, the intermediate stamping operations produce a disc having a generally constant material thickness as the disc is progressively shaped. A slight thinning of the material occurs only at those portions of the disc where the curvature changes and forms a radius. Thus, the outer end of the outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the disc must be machined to remove excessive material therefrom, in order to provide an end which is thin enough to allow a wheel balancing weight to be secured thereon.
It is known that a flat or a preformed disc blank can be tapered by a flow spinning process to produce a disc for a conventional or a combination wheel as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,823,591 to Schroder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,191 to Albertson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,491 to Bulgrin et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,033 to Cox.

Method for producing a full face fabricated vehicle wheel


Disclosed are an angle modulator, a transmission apparatus, and a radio communication apparatus that can compensate phase discontinuity when an operational mode of a voltage controlled oscillator is switched. Angle modulator (100) includes phase difference detection section (150) that detects a difference of phases between an input signal of subtractor (141) and an angle modulated signal, using the result of subtraction by subtractor (141) of frequency locked loop circuit (140); correction control section (160) that generates a control signal for compensating that difference of phases based on that difference of phases; correction section (120) that corrects the phase of the angle modulated signal by adding the control signal to an input signal of angle modulator (100), an input signal of loop filter (142), or an input signal of VCO (143) during a predetermined period after VCO (143) switches the operational mode (from time t3 to time t4).

A conventional angle modulator is described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the conventional angle modulator described in Patent Literature 1.
In angle modulator 10 of FIG. 1, a frequency signal input from input terminal 11 is a signal that will be frequency modulated in angle modulator 10. The frequency signal is input to adder 12, where a constant, representing information about the frequency corresponding to the center frequency of a modulated signal after modulation, is added to the frequency signal. The result of the addition in adder 12 is input to subtractor 13 and the result of frequency detection in frequency detection section 16 is subtracted from the addition result in adder 12. The result of the subtraction in subtractor 13 is input to loop filter 14, where an unnecessary signal is removed. Output of loop filter 14 is input to voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 15, where a frequency corresponding to voltage is generated and is output from output terminal 17. Output of VCO 15 is converted into a frequency signal in frequency detection section 16.
Generally, VCO 15 can realize lower noise as current consumption is greater. Further, low noise is demanded only when output power of a transmission apparatus using angle modulator 10 of FIG. 1 is large, and therefore, low current consumption is desired when output power of the transmission apparatus is small. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 1, a configuration of switching VCO 15 to a low noise mode or a low current mode using a mode switching signal corresponding to output power of a transmission apparatus, is possible.

Angle modulator, transmission device, and wireless communication device


A system includes an agricultural metering system with a meter roller configured to meter product from an agricultural product storage compartment to a product distribution system via rotation of the meter roller. The meter roller includes a first meter roller segment having a first plurality of flutes and corresponding recesses, and a second meter roller segment having a second plurality of flutes and a corresponding second plurality of recesses. The flutes of the first meter roller segment are axially separated from the flutes of the second meter roller segment by a gap. The meter roller also includes a dividing ring disposed about the shaft and axially positioned between the first meter roller segment and the second meter roller segment. A width of the dividing ring is substantially equal to the gap.

The present disclosure relates generally to agricultural implements, and more specifically, to ringed meter rollers and a slide cutoff system.
A range of agricultural implements have been developed and are presently in use for tilling, planting, harvesting, and so forth. Seeders, for example, are commonly towed behind tractors and may cover wide swaths of ground which may be tilled or untilled. Such devices typically open the soil, dispense granular product in the soil opening, and re-close the soil in a single operation. In agricultural implements such as seeders or spreaders, granular products are commonly dispensed from bulk product tanks and distributed to row units by a distribution system. In certain configurations, air carts are towed with the implements to deliver a desired flow of granular products to the row units.
Air carts generally include a seed storage tank, an air source (e.g., a blower) and a metering assembly. The granular products are typically gravity fed from the storage tank to the metering assembly that distributes a desired volume of granular products into an air flow generated by the air source. The air flow then carries the granular products to the row units via conduits extending between the air cart and the agricultural implements. The metering assembly typically includes meter rollers or other metering devices that regulate the flow of granular products based on meter roller geometry and rotation rate. However, some granular products differ in size or desired rate of application, and, thus, different meter rollers may be used for the different products. Replacing meter rollers may be time consuming and inconvenient.

Ringed meter roller and slide cutoff system


A metal-based/diamond laser composite coating preparation method includes: first selecting high-hardness metal powder and diamond powder of a proper grain size and shape; then uniformly mixing the high-hardness metal powder and diamond powder via a ball-milling method; and finally preparing a composite coating on a substrate by synchronously combining laser texturing technology, laser thermal treatment technology and cold spraying technology. The thickness of the composite coating is greater than 1 mm, and the volume content of diamond in the coating is greater than 45%. A metal-based/diamond laser composite coating is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a field of material surface property modification, in particular, to a high-hardness metal-based/diamond composite coating and a high efficient preparation method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A metal ceramic takes advantages of both of a metal and a ceramic, it has low density, high hardness, high abrasion resistance, great thermal conductivity, and does not crack due to rapid temperature decrease or increase. The metal ceramic not only has metallic properties of robustness, high thermal conductivity and great thermal stability of the metal, but also has ceramic properties of high resistance to high temperature, corrosion and abrasion. The metal ceramic mainly includes a sintered aluminium (aluminium-aluminum oxide), a sintered beryllium (beryllium-beryllium oxide), a thoria dispersion (TD) nickel (nickel-thorium oxide) and so forth. A composite material is composed of one or several ceramic phases and metal phases or metal alloys, a generalized metal ceramic further comprises an alloy of a refractory composition, a rigid alloy or a diamond tool material that is bonded to a metal.
Preparation methods of a metal ceramic composite coating often being used include methods of thermal spraying, composite plating, laser in-situ synthesis, self-propagation combustion synthesis, spray welding, plasma transferred welding and so forth. For example, metal ceramic composite coatings of tungsten carbide (WC) base and chromium carbide (Cr3C2) base are successfully prepared by using a supersonic flame spraying, and have been applied in numbers of industrial fields.
Diamond serves as a highest-hardness natural material, a metal ceramic composite coating applying diamond as a strengthening phase has been widely studied both domestically and abroad, researchers in various countries have launched a large number of exploring researches on an aspect of preparing a metal-based/diamond composite coating.
When preparing the metal-based/diamond composite coating by utilizing methods of thermal spraying, spray welding, plasma transferred welding, laser cladding, self-propagation combustion synthesis and so forth, solid phase diamond particles react with a high temperature molten metal bonding phase, by which a thermal decomposition and dissolution are induced, so that the diamond particles are difficult to be maintained in the coating. Thus, the metal-based/diamond composite coating is not able to be prepared efficiently.
Although the chemical reaction at high temperature occurred in the above-mentioned method are avoided by methods of electroplating and electroless plating, which can maintain the diamond particles in the coating, and a volume content of diamond in the coating can reach 45%. However, a bonding at an interface between diamond and the binding phase is significantly deteriorated while the volume content of diamond in the coating is over 25%. A property of abrasion resistance of the coating is difficult to be improved, while the metal-based/diamond composite coating with thickness over 200 μm is difficult to be prepared by these methods, and a preparation efficiency thereof is low, technics thereof is complicated, and it may cause environment pollution, which make it difficult to be realized in industry.
A method of cold spraying, which has been developed in recent decades, is a new spraying technology realized by a collision between a substrate and low temperature solid particles at high speed that a severe plastic deformation is then occurred, so that a coating is deposited and formed. It avoids from changes of composition, texture and structure that may occur during high temperature deposition of thermal spraying, so that it is suitable for preparing coatings of temperature-sensitive materials (e.g. a nano-material, an amorphous material, and so forth), materials susceptible to oxidation (e.g. aluminum, copper, titanium and so forth) and materials susceptible to phase change (e.g. carbon-based composite materials). Although the metal-based/diamond composite coating can be prepared by the method of cold spraying, the composite coating is prepared mainly by a method of adding diamond to a metal substrate (e.g. aluminum) with relatively low hardness, that a high-hardness metal-based/diamond composite coating is difficult to be prepared, and a bonding between the diamond particles and the metal substrate is relatively weak, which easily results in detachment. In addition, a bonding mechanism between the cold-sprayed coating and the substrate is mainly a mechanical lock that a bonding strength between the coating and the substrate is relatively weak, which easily results in delamination of the coating.
As above, all of the current preparation methods of the metal-based/diamond composite coating have one or several problems as follows: (1) a thickness of the coating is low; (2) a content of diamond in the coating is low; (3) a bonding between diamond and the metallic phase in the coating is weak, which easily results in detachment; (4) the diamond particles in the coating are easily decomposed while being heated; (5) the bonding strength between the coating and the substrate is weak; (6) the metal-based/diamond composite coating is difficult to be prepared.

Metal-based/diamond laser composite coating and preparation method thereof

HANGZHOU BOHUA LASER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD


In some embodiments, a cutting system including a movable blade operably coupled to a motor is disclosed, wherein the cutting system comprises a diverting feature. In some embodiments, a diverter proximity relative to the movable blade is selected to facilitate diversion of a material during cutting. In at least one embodiment, the movable blade may be a circular blade or a reciprocating blade with a thickness of less than 3/32 of an inch. A cutting system according to the present invention may be coupled to a container, for example, a residential trash container or a residential recycling container.

With an increasing dependence on e-commerce, families and individuals are receiving an increasing amount of packaging (e.g., cardboard and other packaging), disposal of which may be difficult and time consuming.
Conventional cutting systems (e.g., saws, razor knives, etc.) generally relate to construction type tools, hand tools, and hobby-related devices. Such conventional devices all have certain disadvantages when employed to reduce the size of materials formed from sheets, such as, for example, cardboard boxes. Accordingly, there exists a need for improved cutting systems.


The present invention provides a new and distinct variety of hemp designated as ‘3 Crop’, wherein ‘3 Crop’ comprises improved resilience to high salinity soil.

Cannabis is the genus of a variety of species—Cannabis sativa, Cannabis ruderalis, and Cannabis indica—which is often used as an umbrella term to refer to them all. This misclassification of the different species has made it difficult to properly distinguish between and understand the best ways to utilize the different varieties of these plants.
According to the 2018 Farm Bill, Hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa that is distinguished by its low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels of less than 0.3%. THC is the only currently known psychoactive compound found in Cannabis, however there are many additional cannabinoid compounds that can be utilized in a variety of ways. The exact concentration results based on lab testing of dried flowers will vary depending on growing conditions of the plant, and sampling, preparation, and testing methods used. THC production, for example, is a natural defense mechanism for the plant, meaning in high stress or threatening environments the specific plant will produce higher levels of THC. Because of this inconsistency, many state labs are allowing slightly higher levels of THC in the tests as anything under 1% THC has not been proven to have psychoactive effects.
For the purpose of this study on '3 Crop', the cannabinoid percentages are recorded based on a plant grown in a high-stress environment to determine the maximum concentration of THC that will be produced by this specific strain. The results conclude that the '3 Crop' is a type-III hemp cultivar meaning it does not possess the allele to ever make more than 0.5% THC (and thus is not suitable for marijuana use). Additionally, '3 Crop' is a new, unique variety because of its potential to be utilized as a tricrop, meaning its stalks can be used to create fiber. As a mother it produces many strong, viable seeds and maintains elevated cannabinoid levels.
Before medicinal hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) became popularized, industrial hemp was prominently grown for fiber to make paper, fabric, rope, or other materials. The stalks were the part of the plant that were needed for fiber, so there wasn't a focus on the flower or increasing cannabinoid levels. At the time that industrial hemp was prominent, the abundance of cannabinoids were produced in marijuana cultivars which were criminalized due to the presence of the psychoactive cannabinoid, THC. With the recent discovery of the medicinal properties of other cannabinoids, such as CBD, cannabichromene (CBC), and cannabigerol (CBG), the hemp industry shifted towards a hybrid of the industrial hemp with marijuana to isolate plants with high levels of CBD but low levels of THC. This shift in the market made it so hemp was grown to produce large, robust flowers with high cannabinoid concentration instead of stalks for fiber.
The industry shift to cannabinoids also pulled the focus away from the other beneficial qualities of hemp, including its nutritious seeds. Not only do the seeds have a significant amount of nutrients and protein, but they can be pressed for oil that can be used to produce paints, soaps, and even biofuel. As CBD floods the market, it will become more apparent that the best way to have success with growing hemp is to not focus exclusively on the flowers and cannabinoids, but rather look at the other aspects of the plant. For a farmer to select three different strains that each have one of the qualities listed above, it will be more effort to manage three different crops and the different maintenance and supplements needed for them to individually thrive. A tricrop cultivar will allow farmers to have all three things without having to adjust for different strains. It grows dense, aromatic flowers with vast cannabinoid concentrations and terpene profiles on tall, thick stalks with large, fibrous internodes. When allowed to fertilize, the stalks are sturdy enough to hold up the flowers that are heavy with large yields of seeds without breaking. Additionally, the seeds harden and reach maturity after one month post-pollination which is much faster than other plants that often take two months to develop fully matured and hardened seeds.
'3 Crop' is a new and distinct variety of hemp plant exhibiting a CBD:CBG:THC ratio of 22:2:1, and improved resilience to high salinity soils. '3 Crop' was developed in a selective breeding program by performing controlled fertilization of known, high-performing hemp varieties. The purpose of the research was to determine which cultivars would not only produce high levels of CBD while maintaining the legal limit of THC, but also could be used to produce fiber and seeds. The research also was striving to isolate varieties of plants with high concentrations of novel cannabinoids that have not been isolated in mass. The father, W, was selected because of its characteristically high levels of CBG at maturity and was crossed with 27 different females to determine which would pass the CBG trait. One hundred of each of the newly produced seeds were germinated and grown indoors to identify the best new phenotype. Of them, many had the potential to be a tricrop and used for fiber and seed in addition to cannabinoids. '3 Crop' was the best-performing individual selected from nearly 3,000 plants due to its vigor, large yield of large seed, large stalks with fibrous qualities, high cannabinoid content and unique terpene profile.