A method for making nickel silicide nano-wire, the method includes the following steps. Firstly, a silicon substrate and a growing device, and the growing device including a reacting room are provided. Secondly, a silicon dioxide layer is formed on a surface of the silicon substrate. Thirdly, a titanium layer is formed on the silicon dioxide layer. Fourthly, the silicon substrate is placed into the reacting room, and the reacting room is heated to a temperature of 500˜1000° C. Finally, a plurality of nickel cluster is formed onto the surface of the silicon substrate.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to methods for making nano materials and, particularly, to a method for making a nickel silicide (NiSi) nano-wires.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Nickel silicide is promising for use as a new interconnecting material due to its low electrical resistivity and high thermal stability. Therefore, achieving various shapes of nickel silicide nano materials is desirable.
A conventional method for making nickel silicide nano-wires includes the following steps. Firstly, providing a silicon wafer as growing substrate. Secondly, forming a layer of catalyst on the silicon wafer. Thirdly, putting the silicon wafer in to a furnace and introducing a silicon-containing gas therein. Fourthly, heating the furnace to a temperature of 500˜1100° C. to fabricate silicon nano-wires. Fifthly, depositing a layer of nickel on the silicon nano-wires. Finally, controlling the temperature of furnace to 550° C. to achieve nickel silicide nano-wires.
However, there are some drawbacks in using this method. Firstly, silicon-containing gas is harmful to the environment. Secondly, the method cannot control the diameter of the nickel silicide nano-wires. Thirdly, it is a time-consuming method.
What is needed, therefore, is an efficient method for making the nickel silicide nano-wire that is environmental friendly.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate at least one embodiment of the present method for making the nickel silicide nano-wire, in at least one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner.

Method for manufacturing nickel silicide nano-wires


A core barrel holder for supporting a core barrel during removal of a core sample from the core barrel. The core barrel holder includes a housing, an inner sleeve, a plurality of support elements extending radially inwardly within the inner sleeve, a spring, and a cap. Upon positioning of the core barrel holder in an operative position, the inner sleeve receives the core barrel. Upon advancement of the core barrel through the inner sleeve, the plurality of support elements frictionally engage the core barrel within the inner sleeve.

During a typical drilling operation, a drill string is advanced to a desired location within a surface formation, and core barrels within the drill string are used to collect core samples from within the surface formation. While containing a core sample, a core barrel often weights between 70 and 80 pounds. Conventionally, following the retrieval of core samples by a core barrel, workers are required to manually support the weight of the core barrel in an angular orientation (often at about 45 degrees) that permits extraction of the core sample. Frequently, to accomplish extraction of the core sample, workers are required to position a core barrel on a table, lift a portion of the core barrel from the table, and then hammer the core barrel until the core sample is recovered. These conventional procedures are inefficient and are often associated with injuries to workers and/or damage to equipment.
Accordingly, there is a need in the pertinent art for apparatus and methods for supporting a core sample in a manner that permits extraction of a core sample from a core barrel while reducing and/or eliminating the manual handling and space requirements of conventional techniques.

Core barrel holder and methods of using same


Formulations to treat skin discoloration via a multi-modal approach are provided in which select ingredients work together to effectively brighten skin and treat hyperpigmentation. An example formulation includes a first anti-melanin agent, a second anti-melanin agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, a sun protection agent, and an anti-oxidant. In one aspect, the first anti-melanin agent comprises a bidens pilosa extract, the second anti-melanin agent comprises a rheum rhaponticum extract, the anti-inflammatory agent comprises a Vitamin E compound, the sun protection agent comprises zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and the antioxidant comprises a thermus thermophilus ferment extract.

Primers, serums, lotions, and other cosmetic products are used on skin for various purposes. Cosmetic formulations can work like a moisturizer, or may absorb oil to create a matte appearance. Some can contain antioxidants, for example such as vitamin C and E or ingredients for moisturizing skin. For protection, some may even have a sun protection factor (SPF).

Formulations for lightening skin and treating hyperpigmentation


A surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, a flexible conduit, and at least one control member axially movable in the flexible conduit. The handle assembly includes a body member configured to be coupled to the flexible conduit. An actuator is movable on the body member. The actuator includes at least one projection member. The assembly further includes a reinforcement tube having an interior passage sized to accommodate the control member. The reinforcement tube includes a least one bend configured to engage the at least one projection member such that movement of the actuator with respect to the body member causes movement of the reinforcement tube. Methods of manufacturing the handle assembly are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a handle assembly for a surgical instrument having at least one axially movable control member. More particularly, this invention relates to a proximal handle assembly for an endoscopic biopsy instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
Endoscopic biopsy procedures are performed with an endoscope and an endoscopic biopsy instrument. An endoscopic biopsy instrument is a flexible medical device for insertion into a body passageway or cavity that enables a surgeon at a remote external location to remove and retrieve a tissue sample from a site internal to the patient""s body. The biopsy instrument typically includes an elongated flexible member having a tissue sampler at the distal end and a handle assembly with a manual actuator at the proximal end.
During a biopsy tissue sampling operation, a surgeon guides the endoscope to the biopsy site within the body of the patient. The biopsy instrument is then inserted through the endoscope until the tissue sampler is proximate to the tissue to be sampled. The surgeon manipulates the actuator so that the tissue sampler tears or cuts away a sample of tissue from the biopsy site and retains the tissue sample.
Most endoscopic biopsy instruments have one or more control members, such as wires, extending through a flexible conduit typically having a wire coil. A distal end of each control member is typically connected to a tissue sampler or some other form of end effector located at a distal end of the flexible conduit. A proximal end of each control member is connected to the actuator of the proximal handle assembly such that movement of the actuator causes axial movement of the control members and thereby actuates the tissue sampler. For example, distal movement of the control members causes opening of jaws of the tissue sampler and proximal movement of the control members causes closing of the jaws, or vice versa.
There are a variety of drawbacks and disadvantages associated with some conventional handle assemblies for surgical instruments including endoscopic biopsy instruments. For example, some of these assemblies have a number of separate components that must be assembled together in relatively costly and or complex manufacturing processes. In one conventional handle design, the control members are attached to the actuator of the handle assembly via an anti-kinking member, set screw, and a cross pin which is configured to be placed in the actuator. The control members are passed through the anti-kinking member and the set screw is tightened in the cross pin to attach both the control members and the anti-kinking member to the combination of the cross pin and the actuator. Although such a configuration provides an effective attachment of the control members to the actuator, it could be less expensive if the number of parts was reduced.
Attachment of the handle assembly to the flexible conduit is another aspect of surgical instruments that could be improved. Various apparatuses have been used to attach the flexible conduit to the handle assembly. Considerations include cost, ease of component manufacture, ease of assembly, expected life cycle of the biopsy instrument, operational loads, and acceptance by the operator. Surgeons would find unacceptable any attachment apparatus that permits the flexible conduit to move relative to the handle during manipulation of the end effectors.
One method of attaching the coil to the handle is bonding. This may be acceptable for disposable biopsy instruments, but not for instruments that are to be autoclaved. Repeated autoclaving may degrade the bondline. Furthermore, bonding raises OSHA/SHEA concerns regarding the exposure of assembly workers to solvent fumes.
In another example, a barbed crimp band is crimped onto the end of the flexible conduit and press fitted into an inner bore of the handle. Such an assembly could be improved if it was less expensive. Additionally, press fitting the barbed crimp band into the handle may also result in unacceptably large tensile hoop stresses in the handle that may ultimately lead to cracks. Furthermore, this design might create an undesirably large gap between the outer diameter of the flexible conduit and the inner bore of the handle, leaving the flexible conduit unsupported within the handle and prone to bending displacements.
The present invention is directed to structural arrangements and methods that optionally obviate one or more of the limitations of the related art. As embodied and broadly described herein, one aspect of the invention includes a handle assembly for a surgical instrument having a flexible conduit and at least one control member axially movable with respect to the flexible conduit. The handle assembly includes a body member configured to be coupled to the flexible conduit. An actuator is movable on the body member. The actuator includes at least one projection member. The assembly further includes a reinforcement tube having an interior passage sized to accommodate the control member. The reinforcement tube includes at least one bend configured to engage the at least one projection member such that movement of the actuator with respect to the body member causes movement of the reinforcement tube.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9csurgical instrumentxe2x80x9d is not limited to instruments used in what are sometimes considered to be surgical procedures. In particular, the term xe2x80x9csurgical instrumentxe2x80x9d relates to a variety of different forms of medical instruments used, for example, for a variety of differing bodily diagnoses and/or treatments.
In another aspect, the invention includes a handle assembly comprising a body member including portions configured to be connected together to retain the flexible conduit therebetween.
In yet another aspect, the invention includes a surgical instrument including the handle assembly, a flexible conduit coupled to the body member, and at least one control member axially movable in the flexible conduit. Preferably, at least one end effector is at a distal end of the flexible conduit. The end effector could be linked to the control member such that axial movement of the control member causes activation of the end effector.
In an even further aspect, the invention includes a method of making a handle assembly, the method includes placing at least one control member in a reinforcement tube, bending the reinforcement tube to form at least one bend in the reinforcement tube, the at least one bend reducing the interior cross-section of the tube and thereby retaining the control member in the reinforcement tube, and engaging the at least one bend with at least one projection member associated with an actuator movable on a body member such that movement of the actuator with respect to the body member causes movement of both the reinforcement tube and the control member.
In an additional aspect, the invention includes a method of connecting a handle assembly to a flexible conduit of a surgical instrument. The method includes providing a handle assembly including a body member and an actuator movable on the body member, wherein the body member includes portions configured to be connected together to retain the flexible conduit therebetween, placing the flexible conduit between the portions of the body member, and connecting the portions of the body member together to retain the flexible conduit therebetween.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention.

Handle assembly for surgical instrument and method of making the assembly


A method for controlling at least one setting of a basic input output system (BIOS) of at least one automated transaction machine (ATM) can include provisioning features of an active management technology system of a first computing device associated with an ATM. The method can also include establishing an initial trust between the first computing device and a second computing device that is remote from the first computing device, over a serial-over-lan (SOL) connection that is a feature of the active management technology system. The method can also include configuring the setting of the BIOS of the first computing device and storing a schedule for changing the setting of the BIOS. The method can also include reconfiguring the setting of the BIOS in response to the schedule stored on the database over the SOL.

This relates in general to automated transaction machines (ATMs) used to conduct banking transactions.
An ATM is an electronic telecommunications and computing device that enables account holders of a financial institution to perform transactions, such as cash withdrawal, check deposit and account balance inquiries, without the need for a human bank teller. The ATM includes a processor and memory. The processor executes an operating system during operation. It has been estimated that there are over three million ATMs installed throughout the world. During a transaction, the account holder identifies himself/herself by first inserting a plastic card into the ATM of a financial institution. The card contains a magnetic stripe or a chip that contains account-identification information. Secondary or "personal" authentication is then provided by the account holder by entering a personal identification number (PIN) which must match the PIN stored in the financial institution's database.

Application interface and database structures to remotely manage bios settings of automated teller machines


A thread consistency support system 10 provides thread consistency from a Connector Application Program Interface 50 that creates multiple threads to a Thread-dependent Connector 40 that only allows a single thread to link to that connector for all operations on that connector. The system includes a Detection/Activation routine 20 that activates a Threading MetaConnector routine 30 in response to the Detection/Activation routine identifying a multi-threaded application 60 attempting to access a Thread-dependent Connector 40. The Threading MetaConnector routine 30 interfaces between the Connector Application Program Interface 50 and the Thread-dependent Connector 40. The Threading MetaConnector routine 30 establishes a connection handle for a single internal thread 80 with the Thread-dependent Connector 40 that is returned to the Connector Application Program Interface 50 of a calling multi-threaded application 60 in place of multiple requested thread connection handles. The connection handle is established in response to the Threading MetaConnector routine's receipt of multiple threads 70 from the Connector Application Program Interface 50. The thread consistency support system 10 ensures that the same thread that initializes a connection from the Thread-dependent Connector 40 is used for all subsequent operations attempted by the multiple threads 70 from the application 60 with that connector.

This invention relates generally to software thread management and, more particularly, to a thread connection enhancement to a connector application program interface that provides alternate thread support in the form of thread consistency to connectors.
In computer science terminology, a thread, sometimes shorthand for thread of control, generally represents an execution stream through a software process. Threads can only exist if a process exists. When the process starts, it does all of the required initialization, such as address spacing and the like, which requires use of system resources. Threads allow multiple processes to share the same address space, resources, and so on, while running concurrently. A thread often owns a small or minimal set of resources, including a machine state, a control stack, machine interface (MI) automatic storage, and anchors for thread local storage. Threads share other process resources, such as static and heap storage, program activations, etc., with other threads. A threaded application that makes use of, for example, static storage must synchronize access to that storage among its threads. Neither the programming language, such as C, nor the operating system provides implicit synchronization.
When an application uses more than one thread at a time, it is generally referred to as multi-threading. If an application is saturated, starting a new thread will often help. Starting a new thread is fast and economical, and it thus improves performance versus starting a new process to do the same job. Unlike processes, one advantage of multi-threading is that there are no resource sharing concerns. While applications vary, multi-threading can provide many benefits, such as improved application scalability due to reduced use of resources, superior response time in creating new threads as compared with new processes, and centralized management of client connections in a single server.
However, some back-end systems, that is, external systems like databases or messaging servers, which provide information access via a published interface, are more restrictive and confine operations to that of a single particular thread per connection, or execution instance which uses the published interface to access the back-end system—usually the thread to which the back end has granted a connection handle. This leads to incompatibility problems when a multi-threaded client application seeks to interface with this type of restrictive back end system. The restrictive back-end systems may require completely single threaded server applications that maintain thread consistency. In such systems, multiple threads could still exist in a thread consistent environment, provided that each connection is associated with only one thread. In contrast, a multi-threaded server application requires that the connectors support multi-threading, since the connector APIs of these multi-threaded server applications assume that connections may be used freely between threads, and that each connector supports thread execution without regard to thread consistency.
Thus, this type of restrictive back-end system simply will not support multiple threads from a multi-threaded server application. This is unfortunate since many server applications are multi-threaded, and it is desirable to be able to implement these applications without regard to the back-end system. Accordingly, there is a need for a system that allows a multi-threaded server application to interface with a restrictive back-end system that requires thread consistency. The present invention fulfills this and other needs.

Thread consistency support system and method

International Business Machines Corporation


A circuit and method for shortening the transition time of sharp color transitions in color television signals. The invention includes a pattern recognition circuit and method which directly and efficiently recognizes color transitions within a predetermined range. The disclosed embodiment of the invention utilizes a filter to output its step response to the pattern recognition circuit which outputs a control signal whenever the color signal rise or fall time does not fit a predetermined pattern. When the pattern recognition circuit recognizes the step response, it directs a hold circuit to output a previous color signal for a predetermined time period before allowing the transition to proceed, thus shortening the transition time.

A color television camera generates red (R), green (G), and blue (B) color signals, each having the full visual-signal bandwidth (about 4.2 MHz). These signals are not usually transmitted directly to the television receiver. Instead, a matrix circuit converts the original signal components into a luminance signal (Y) and two chrominance signals (R-Y, B-Y). Part of the reason these signals are used is to make color television signals compatible with monochrome receivers which are capable of responding only to "black and white" luminance signals.
The luminance signal includes the full visual-signal bandwidth and defines the image's brightness (white or gray levels). The chrominance (chroma) signals define the image's color hues (tint) and saturation (intensity) levels. It should be noted here that the terms chrominance or color may be used interchangeably to refer both baseband and modulated signals.
The chrominance signals do not have to include full visual-signal bandwidth. In fact, the bandwidths of the two chrominance signals can be reduced to about 1.6 and 0.6 MHz, respectively, by low-pass filters. Initially, it was hoped that any negative effects from the reduced chrominance bandwidth would be indistinguishable to the human eye.
It has turned out, however, that the smaller bandwidth limitation imposed on the two chrominance signals results in perceptible distortion of the color transitions (i.e., chroma transients) that are produced in the resultant color television display. In general, transient distortion results from a slower rise or fall time associated with chroma transients because of the narrower chroma bandwidths. When the transients are between regions of saturation colors, the distortions can be severe, and the effects can be observed in normal broadcasts.
There have been numerous attempts to improve transient distortion in television signals, examples of which are found in U.S Pat. Nos. 4,030,121; 4,181,917; 4,183,051; 4,245,239; 4,296,433; 4,316,215; 4,414,564; 4,729,014; 4,935,806; 4,979,228; 5,077,603; 5,124,786; and 5,146,319. The full disclosure of each of the above patents is incorporated herein by reference.
Many of the known approaches to controlling transient distortion concentrate on analog solutions, for example U.S Pat. Nos. 4,030,121; 4,181,917; 4,183,051; 4,245,239; 4,296,433; 4,316,215; 5,077,603; and 5,124,786. Although some of these techniques have made considerable advances, most analog circuitry in this area has proven to be rather complicated, costly to implement, and difficult to control.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,319 to Engel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,806 to Rabii, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,564 to Hitchcock are directed toward improvements in a standard signal processing technique known as peaking or aperture correction. Peaking is typically applied to luminance signals and involves generating a processed high frequency version of the original signal and adding this high frequency version back to the original signal to get an enhanced signal. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of Hitchcock, the problems associated with standard peaking techniques include excessive preshoot and overshoot (FIG. 3) and an emphasis on the high frequencies (FIG. 4) which can result in a noisy picture.
Rabii discloses a digital peaking method for processing chrominance signals and reducing noise. Rabii uses threshold decision circuitry and a digital comb filter structure to perform both transient improvement and noise reduction. Enhancement signals are calculated and output from a summation block 32 shown in FIG. 1. This enhancement output has the same basic form as the signal from a standard digital 2H comb filter that is commonly used for luminance enhancement, however, Rabii adds a limiter 54 to regulate the amount of preshoot and overshoot that is produced.
The enhancement equations required by peaking techniques are rather complicated, and accordingly, peaking techniques can be costly to implement. Also, the use of threshold decision circuitry makes it virtually impossible to respond to small amplitude chroma transients.
Additionally, preshoot and overshoot represent particularly difficult problems for chrominance signals because the lower frequency response of chroma causes any preshoots and overshoots to be even wider than with luminance. Accordingly, chrominance peaking is incorporated as a correction technique either very moderately or not at all in most television receivers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,228 to Rzeszewski discloses a digital subsystem for improving resolution by inserting additional digital samples into a digital television signal. The Rzeszewski disclosure is directed primarily toward luminance signals, and the additional digital samples are calculated and added according to rather specific and relatively complicated algorithms and circuitry.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,014 to Flamm discloses a digital circuit for correcting poor chroma transients. Flamm uses a complicated slope detection technique that responds to digital chrominance signals that exceeds an amplitude threshold and are less than a time threshold . Flamm applies correction to the chrominance signals through a complicated switch arrangement that switches between an unmodified signal (FIGS. 1 and 2) and at least one other signal that has been modified by repeating previous sample values using a common digital video signal processing technique.
Aside from being complicated and costly to implement, Flamm also suffers from the inability to respond to small color transients (FIG. 4b). Additionally, the complicated decision circuitry and switching arrangement increases the risk that the switch will be set incorrectly (FIG. 3).
The present invention overcomes the problems associated with known methods of correcting abnormally slow chroma transients. In particular, the present invention provides the advantages of simplicity, cost effectiveness, and economy in a digital circuit and method for providing direct positive control over the rise and fall times of chroma transients. The present invention provides the further advantages of reliability, efficiency, versatility, and effectiveness for both high and low level color signals.

Circuit and method for controlling abnormally slow transitions in color television signals

Matsushita Electric Corporation of America


A system for handling a lost item in an autonomous vehicle and a server. The vehicle includes a vision sensor configured to respectively capture a first vehicle interior image and a second vehicle interior image when a passenger boards and alights from the vehicle. The vehicle is configured to transmit the captured first vehicle interior image and second vehicle interior image to the server. The server is configured to compare the first vehicle interior image with the second vehicle interior image and transmit lost item information to the passenger when the lost item in the vehicle is sensed.

As an autonomous driving technology is developed, a shared mobility service such as a robot taxi and a purpose built vehicle (PBV) has emerged. Because the shared mobility service targets a large number of unspecified individuals, protection of personal information of a user has become an issue. During a service of a vehicle that may be used by a large number of unspecified individuals, such as the robot taxi or the PBV, the vehicle can be operated unmanned without a separate administrator, although management of a lost item of an occupant in the vehicle, hygiene of the vehicle, and the like is necessary.

System and method for handling lost item in autonomous vehicle


A method for implementing a front-end user sort request includes receiving a list request, decomposing the list request and creating a sort entry object using a list of column values initially retrieved from a data storage medium. A sort routine is performed on at least a first column of the list of column values in the sort entry object, wherein a compare function of the sort routine is dependent upon information obtained from decomposing the list request. The list request is rebuilt in accordance with the completion of the sort routine.

The present invention relates generally to database sorting methods and systems, and, more particularly, to a multi-column, multi-data type internationalized sort extension method for web applications.
Perhaps one of the most fundamental tasks to the operation of computers is sorting, which refers the process of arranging a set of similar information into a desired order. While employed in virtually all database programs, sorting routines are also extensively used in many other areas. Common examples include compilers, interpreters, and operating system software. In many instances, the quality and performance of such software is judged by the efficiency of its sorting techniques. Since sorting methodology plays such an important role in the operation of computers and other data processing systems, there has been much interest in seeking ways to improve existing systems and methods.
Historically, techniques for sorting information are divided into three general methods: exchange, selection, and insertion. To sort by exchange, a system swaps or "exchanges" out of order information until all data members are ordered. One well known example of exchange sorting is the "bubble sort," which implements repeated comparisons and attendant exchanges of adjacent members. The efficiency of a bubble sort is dependent upon the number of possible comparisons (which increases with a greater number of elements to be sorted) and the number of exchanges required by the sort (which increases the more the list to be sorted is out of order). The end result is that the execution time approaches a multiple of the square of the number of elements, making the bubble sort unusable for large sorts.
With a selection sort, a system continually chooses or "selects" a data member from one extreme of possible values (e.g., such as the lowest-value member) until all members have been selected. Because the system always selects the lowest-value member from those remaining, the set will be ordered from lowest to highest-value member when the process is completed. As is the case with a bubble sort, a selection sort is also too slow for processing a large number of items.
In a sort by insertion, the system examines a data member and places or inserts that member into a new set of members, always inserting each member in its correct position. The sort is completed once the last member has been inserted. Unlike the other two sorting techniques, the number of comparisons that occur with this technique depends on the initial order of the list. More particularly, the technique possesses "natural" behavior; that is, it works the least when the list is already sorted and vice versa, thus making it useful for lists which are almost in order. Also, the technique does not disturb the order of equal keys. If a list is sorted using two keys, the list will remain sorted for both keys after an insertion sort.
A particular concern for any sort method is its speed (i.e., how fast a particular sort completes its task). The speed with which an array of data members can be sorted is directly related to the number of comparisons and the number of exchanges that must be made. Related to the characteristic of speed is the notion of "best case" and "worst case" scenarios. For instance, a sort may have good speed given an average set of data, yet unacceptable speed given highly disordered data.
One technique for reducing the penalty incurred by exchanging full records is to employ a method that operates indirectly on a file, typically using an array of indices, with rearrangement done afterwards. In this manner, any of the above sorting methods may be adapted so that only n "exchanges" of full records are performed. One particular approach is to manipulate an index to the records, accessing the original array only for comparisons. In other words, it is more efficient to sort an index to the records than to incur the cost of moving large records around excessively.
Since all of the simple sorting techniques above execute in n2 time, their usefulness for sorting files with a large number of records is limited. In other words, as the amount of data to be sorted increases, the execution speed of the technique becomes exponentially slower and, at some point, too slow to use. Thus, there has been great interest in developing improved techniques for sorting information. One of the best known improved sorting techniques is referred to as "quicksort," invented in 1960. Quicksort's popularity is due in large part to its ease of implementation and general applicability to a variety of situations. Based on the notion of exchange sorting, it adds the additional feature of "partitions."
With quicksort, a value or "comparand" is selected for partitioning the array into two parts. Those elements having a value greater than or equal to the partition value are stored on one side, while those having a value less than the partition value are stored on the other side. The process is repeated for each remaining part until the array is sorted, thus the process is essentially recursive. On the other hand, a recursive technique such as quicksort usually requires that a significant amount of stack-based memory be reserved. Moreover, this technique, which is particularly sensitive to long common substrings, exhibits nonlinear behavior.
Notwithstanding the wide variety of sorting techniques available today, many existing web-based applications are dependent upon back-end systems to perform the actual sorting operations. Although such sorting operations may include sorting of multiple columns, sorting of multiple data types, and even sorting by national locale, there is currently no convenient way of performing front-end, multi-column sorting, multi-data type sorting and/or sorting based on user characteristics (i.e., by locale).

Multi-column multi-data type internationalized sort extension for web applications


An outside mirror apparatus for a vehicle includes an illuminating unit that includes a light source including a plurality of light emitting elements arranged on a flexible sheet member; a base including a mounting section for mounting the light source; and a lens that divides, with the base, a lamp chamber that contains the light source. The light source is mounted on the mounting section in a curved state or in a bent state.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outside mirror apparatus for a vehicle, and an illuminating unit for the outside mirror apparatus.
2) Description of the Related Art
An outside mirror apparatus for a vehicle and an illuminating unit for the outside mirror apparatus have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2002-79878. The illuminating unit described in the above literature is installed in a door mirror and includes a light source, a lens for widening the light, and a base on which the lens is installed.
To improve the visibility by the lighting unit, the outside mirror apparatus is structured such that the light from the light source is irradiated in a direction of width of a vehicle away from the vehicle and in a direction towards a rear side of the vehicle. Therefore, the outside mirror apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2002-79878 uses a plurality of light sources divided, for radiation of the light in two directions. The light sources are fixed to a terminal plate (mounting bracket) that is structured separately, making different angles. The terminal plate is fixed to the base.
However, the mounting structure of the light sources is complicated and includes a large number of components which makes the manufacturing process of the product complex.

Outside mirror apparatus for vehicle and illuminating unit for outside mirror apparatus


A torque converter and torque divider includes a prime mover input and a torque converter. The torque converter and torque divider further includes a torque divider configured to receive the prime mover input and divide the prime mover input torque into at least a planetary system input torque and a second torque. A planetary gear system is configured to receive the planetary system input torque. The torque converter and torque divider further includes a lockup clutch configured to lock rotating components of at least one of the torque converter and the torque divider and further includes a torque output.

Many vehicles generally have a prime mover or internal combustion engine, a transmission to transmit drive power to move the vehicle, and a mechanism to selectively transfer rotational torque from the prime mover to the transmission. In some approaches, the mechanism to selectively transfer rotation from the prime mover to the transmission includes a manual clutch. A manual clutch is efficient. However, operation of the manual clutch requires extra effort and added operational oversight by the vehicle operator. Such extra effort and added operational oversight can be less desirable, for example as it can reduce the operator's efficiency. An alternative mechanism to transfer rotational torque from the prime mover to the transmission is a torque converter.
A torque converter is generally a hydrodynamic fluid coupling that typically transfers the rotational torque from a prime mover to a driven load such as a transmission. The torque converter multiplies the torque from the prime mover and transfers the torque to the transmission. United States patent application number 2011/0124456 to Sung discloses a launching device, transmission device and a torque combining device. The launching device, the transmission device, and the torque combining device are disposed on a first power delivery shaft directly connected to the engine. The launching device, the transmission device, and the torque combining device are disposed in a sequence of the launching device, the transmission device, and the torque combining device from the engine. The torque converter of the launching device includes a front cover connected to a crankshaft of the engine, an impeller connected to and rotating with the front cover, a turbine facing the impeller, and a stator disposed between the impeller and the turbine and delivering automatic transmission oil flowing out from the turbine to the impeller after changing flowing direction of the automatic transmission oil.
However, torque converters are typically less efficient, result in poor fuel economy, have hydraulic losses and the like in comparison to a mechanical clutch. Additionally, a torque converter in larger vehicle applications requires a great deal of torque transfer that can exasperate these problems. Moreover, due to the increased torque requirements of larger vehicles, a larger sized torque converter is typically required and this increases the cost of production and increases space requirements.
Accordingly, a torque converter that is more efficient, improves fuel economy, and reduces hydraulic losses is needed. Additionally, a torque converter having a reduced size and reduced cost of production is also desirable.

Torque divider and torque converter with lockup clutch


An apparatus for cooling of a substantially closed space, in particular a data center, where continuous or intermittent heat is produced by at least one heat source, with recirculation air, includes a heat exchanger with a first set of ducts and a second set of ducts, each set of ducts having an in- and outlet. The in- and outlet of the first set of ducts are connected to the space to form a first recirculation path, and the in- and outlet of the second set of ducts are connected to an environment of the space to form a second recirculation path. The heat exchanger is a plate heat exchanger.

When a substantially closed space is used for the placement of a relatively large amount of electronic devices such as computer hardware and/or equipment used for telecom applications, it is often referred to as a data centre.
Electronic devices usually comprise a heat source and are known to generate a relatively large amount of heat. If no appropriate measures are taken, the temperature in the space can rise to such a level that it may cause the devices to malfunction, to operate outside normal specifications, or reduce device lifetime. Thus measures need to be taken to keep at least the temperature in the space within a certain desired bandwidth, preferably at a constant level. Comparable requirements may apply for the air humidity.
Normally, the temperature inside the space is controlled by venting cool air into the space and extract the by the heat sources, e.g. electronic devices, heated air from the space for cooling, after which the cooled air is vented into the space again. The air inside the space is circulated in this manner along a first recirculation path.
The circulated air can be cooled by a relatively complex active cooling device like a compression based cooling device using a medium to transfer heat from one place to another. Such active cooling devices use a relatively large amount of energy. Further, these devices are generally not very efficient and possible leaks in the active cooling devices may cause environmental hazards depending on the medium that is used.
As an alternative, an air-to-air heat exchanger in the form of a thermal recovery wheel can be used, wherein heat is transferred from an air flow inside the space via the thermal recovery wheel to a second air flow outside the space. The use of the thermal recovery wheel is based on the insight that the temperature of the second air flow outside the space (an environment) is often low enough to cool the space to a desired temperature. In this manner, no active high-energy consuming cooling device is required for cooling.
The thermal recovery wheel is a slowly rotating wheel with an open structure that is placed partially in an air flow circulating in the space, and partially in an air flow circulating in the environment of the space. Heat is transferred from the air flow in the space to the thermal recovery wheel and subsequently to the air flow in the environment after rotation of the wheel.
The environment can be open air, but it can also be a space other than the space that has to be cooled. Preferably, the environment is a space that is substantially separated from the space that has to be cooled and is preferably large enough so that transferring a relatively large amount of heat to the environment will not cause the environment to change its temperature in such a way that the environment can not cool the space anymore.
However, a main disadvantage of the solution with the thermal recovery wheel is that air can leak through gaps between the thermal recovery wheel and the wall separating the two air flows and that the thermal recovery wheel by itself transports air from the environment to inside the space and vice versa. This makes the cooling process less effective.
The leakage and/or exchange of air in the heat exchanger may also have consequences for the fire safety installation. Normally a fire safety installation is used that reduces the oxygen level in the space to prevent a fire from starting or to extinguish the fire. When air leaks and/or is exchanged through the heat exchanger, this fire safety installation has to be bigger to compensate for the leakage and/or exchange of air or is not able to properly extinguish the fire.
The impact of wind on the façade where an air inlet and outlet to the environment are situated, may greatly increase the size of the mentioned negative effects. Similarly, these negative effects may increase during operation due to wear of the rotating thermal recovery wheel.

Apparatus and method for cooling of a substantially closed space with recirculation air


The composite pultruded products either in “I” profile or “Plate” profile of higher cross sectional area where said products consisting essentially synthetic polyester felts as core impregnated with a resin system comprises of at least one resin, curing system comprising a curing agent and an accelerator, a filler, a thinner, pigment or any other additives; encapsulated between bi-directionally and/or uni-directionally oriented synthetic fabric selected from polyester, carbon, aramid, glass, basalt and mixtures thereof impregnated with said resin system are provided. In another composite pultruded products either in “I” profile or “Plate” profile of higher cross sectional area where said products consisting of plank of short fibers bagasse premixed with the said resin system as core is enclosed between the synthetic polyester felts impregnated with the resin system which is further enclosed between bi-directionally and/or uni-directionally oriented synthetic fabric selected from polyester, carbon, aramid, glass, basalt and mixtures thereof impregnated with the resin system. The system and method for the preparation of said composite pultruded products are also illustrated herein. These products lead to a significant reduction in weight and reduction in density with higher stiffness and bending strength. The present composite products are encapsulated by fabrics in the peripheral area bringing more integrity uniformity of synthetic polyester felt materials. This leads to a significant cost reduction without sacrificing much tensile strength.

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have surpassed their initial target applications in the aerospace industry to become a viable material alternative in sporting goods, automotive, and construction industries. High performance FRP composites made with synthetic fibers such as carbon, glass or aramid embedded in polymeric matrices provide the advantages of high stiffness and strength to weight ratio and increased chemical inertness compared to conventional construction materials, i.e., wood, clay, concrete and steel. In spite of these advantages, the widespread use of synthetic FRP composites has been limited, among several factors, due to their higher initial material costs, their use in non-efficient structural forms and their environmental impact.
Increased environmental awareness and the interest in long-term sustainability of construction materials have thus challenged the development of environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic oil-based FRP composites (Mohanty et al. Macromol Mater Eng, Vol. 276/277, 1-24 (2000)). Natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites, or bio-composites, have emerged in the past decade as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective option to synthetic FRP composites. Despite the interest and environmental appeal of bio-composites, their use has been limited to non-primary, or non-load-bearing applications due to their lower strength and stiffness compared with synthetic FRP composites (Biswas et al., "Development of Natural Fiber Composites in India", Proceedings of the Composites Fabricators Association's Composites, Tampa, Fla. (2001)). Recent developments, however, have shown that the properties of "engineered" bio-composites (Mohanty et al., "Surface modifications of Natural Fibers and performance of the Resulting Bio-composites: An Overview," Composite Interfaces, 8, 313-343, (2001); and Mishra, S., et al., Composite Science and Technology 63, 1377-1385, (2003)) are a technical, economical, and environmentally conscious alternative to E-glass fiber reinforced composites (the most common synthetic fiber composite) without sacrificing performance. While bio-composite materials with specific properties equivalent to entry-level structural materials are feasible, this performance level is still not enough to make them able to compete with existing construction materials. However, the structural performance of a component depends on both its material and structural properties. The lower material stiffness of bio-composites can thus be overcome by using efficient structural configurations that place the material in specific locations for highest structural efficiency. Natural fibers embedded in a natural or synthetic polymeric matrix, known as bio-composites, have gained recent interest because of their low material and manufacturing costs, light weight, high specific modulus (elastic modulus over density), and environmentally friendly appeal (Mohanty et al., Macromol Mater Eng, Vol. 276/277, 1-24 (2000)). Natural fibers are categorized depending on their source as either leaf or bast fibers. Bast fibers have the highest mechanical properties and thus are ones typically considered for structural applications. The most common bast fibers are flax, hemp, jute, and kenaf. Typical mechanical properties of these fibers together with E-glass fibers are given in Table 1. All natural fibers are lingo-cellulosic in nature with the basic components being cellulose and lignin. The density of natural fibers is about half that of E-glass (Table 1), which makes their specific strength quite comparable, while the elastic modulus and specific modulus is comparable or even superior to E-glass fibers. Hybrid bio-composite cellular structures can be used in multi applications (e.g., building walls, floors and roofs, bridge and ship decks, aircraft floors) with tailorable integrated multi-functions (i.e., stiffness, strength, thermal insulation, fire protection, and user friendliness). The sustainability and social acceptance of the proposed components, stemming from its large constituency on rapidly renewable resources, will pioneer the use of agricultural commodities in markets aimed at load-bearing materials and structures.
TABLE 1Mechanical Properties for Selected Natural Fibers and E-Glass FiberElasticTensileSpecificSpecificFiberDensityModulusStrengthModulusStrengthType(g/cm3)(GPa)(MPa)(GPa/g/cm3)(MPa/g/cm3)E-glass2.55732000-350029 780-1370Hemp1.487069047466Flax1.460-80 345-110043-57250-785Jute1.4610-30400-750 7-21275-510Sisal1.3338450-64029340-480
Pultrusion is a process of continuously forming reinforced plastic materials having a uniform cross-sectional profile. The word "pultrusion" is a hybrid which combines the words "pull" and "extrusion". The product is literally pulled through a forming die. In its most usual form, pultrusion involves feeding a multiplicity of fiberglass roving strands, with or without additional plies of glass mat of appropriate width, into a pultrusion die. A resin, normally a thermosetting material such as polyester, is injected into the die where it is uniformly distributed among the reinforcing materials. Alternatively, the reinforcing material may be drawn through a resin bath prior to entry into the die. The die itself is heated. As the product is drawn from the die, the resin is either cured, or very nearly cured. The endless product so formed is then cut to appropriate length. Many variations of this general process have been developed as the technology has matured. Pultruded products are used in a great variety of applications. In many places they have replaced metallic construction materials, particularly those used in highly corrosive environments. Structural beams, floor gratings, handrails, ladders, and many similar products are now made by pultrusion process. A general background on pultrusion is found in an article by Martin, Modern Plastics Encyclopedia, pp. 40 317-318, McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York (1986).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,696 describes polyester resin compositions containing 4-10 parts of particular cellulose acetate butyrate resins per 100 parts of particular polyester resins which can be pultruded at greater speeds to give products having diminished surface roughness and internal and/or external cracking. These compositions have been found to give bulk or sheet molding compositions capable of producing thick moldings that are crack-free.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,884 describes pulling a continuous tow or roving of fibers through a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a volatile plasticizer. The plasticizer reduces the melt viscosity to achieve uniform impregnation of the reinforcing fibers. After forming the product, the plasticizer is volatilized. However, the reinforcing must have sufficient longitudinal strength to enable it to be drawn through the viscous impregnation bath. In this invention, at least 50% by volume of the fibers must be aligned in the direction of draw.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,477 describe a method for producing a pultruded product first by taking an open cell foamed core material and impregnating it with a thermosetting resin. The impregnated foam core is faced on one or both sides with a resin free fibrous reinforcing layer. The assembly is then molded in a pultrusion die where the resin flows from the foam into the reinforcement. The foam core is ultimately totally collapsed in the process. Cellulosic paper, cotton fabric, asbestos, nylon, and glass are disclosed as reinforcing materials.
Cellulosic materials have found very little use in any capacity in reinforced plastic materials based on polyester resins. They have had a long standing reputation, not without some justification, for causing soft cures and tacky surfaces. This has been particularly true for products based on wood fiber which have not been chemically modified. U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,690, describes the use of Douglassfirbark fiber as a reinforcing material for polyester-based bulk molding compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,467 describes the use of Douglassfirbark fiber as a reinforcing material in melamine overlaid reinforced plastic moldings. However, the bark fiber products appear to be an exception to the problems encountered with other cellulose based materials.
Purified cellulose has found widespread use in thermosetting resins such as impregnated phenolic and melamine laminates and molding compounds. However, it has not been generally regarded as useful in pultruded products. A few applications using helical wound paper have appeared in the patent literature. Japanese 'patent application No. 56-17245 describes the use of a low density (ca. 0.7 g/cc or lower) paper tube which serves as a permanent mandrel for a pultruded cylindrical shape. The resin and glass composite surrounding the tube is bonded only to the surface and the tube itself is not impregnated with resin. It's apparent that the process is not simple in commercial scale and not cost effective.
Fr 2,391,067 teaches the use of a plurality of reinforcing fiber bundles, each of which is wrapped with a barrier material of paper. These may then be used in pultruded or extruded products. The barrier material serves to prevent passage of resin into the reinforcing fiber bundles. It is important to impregnate the barrier layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,051 describes reinforced plastic rods either as hollow tubes or solid tubes which includes an outer layer of longitudinally extending, exactly parallel, reinforcing glass fibers roving, impregnated with a resin-emulsion. The outer layer may be formed on a core and the layer may be produced simultaneously. A relatively complex helically wound preformed and then used it as a core for pultruded products such as arrow shafts. The preform has a double layer of paper, then a layer of glass, and finally another layer of paper. This is then coated with resin and molded into a rod before use in the pultrusion process. But it has been found critical to make higher width, high thick profile product.
An early article describing the pultrusion process (Machine Design. 43, Dec. 26, 1971, pp. 45-49) speculates that any material that can be fed from a coil is a "possibility" for use in the pultrusion process. Paper products, along with a host of other materials, are suggested as being potentially useful.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,453 describe a composite pultruded product and the method for its manufacture. The product is made with a plurality of longitudinal glass roving strands. In addition, a cellulosic mat is used in association with the roving. The mat serves as a filler, or reinforcing filler. In the method, cellulose-based material is completely resin saturated and then co-pultruded with a reinforcing glass rovings. It has been found critical to have desire strength with paper products. The process of making product by using only cellulose material and even in combination with glass rovings leads to non-uniformity in physical properties.
In none of these cases is synthetic non-woven fabrics encapsulated resin impregnated synthetic polyester felts has been used for making continuous high thickness profiles and plates.
Despite the enormous versatility of the pultrusion method and many variations which have been developed around it, it still has limitations. In many cases it is necessary to overdesign products in order to ensure uniform distribution of the glass reinforcement within the resin matrix. Products with low glass content tend to show areas of resin separation in which the reinforcing material may be completely absent. This resin separation is apt to occur even when high concentrations of mineral fillers are used with the resin. Pultruded products also tend to have relatively high density in comparison to many other plastic composites. This results in a relatively high cost per unit volume of the finished product. Further, because of the problem of resin separation at low reinforcing fiber contents, it is very difficult to make products less than about three millimeters in thickness, even though they may not be required to have high strengths. While some attempts have been made in the prior art to address these deficiencies, none have been particularly successful to the present time. Again product with high cellulosic fiber has limitation of pull strength and moisture content.
Accordingly, there is a long felt need to develop a simple yet technically improved and economically significant process of preparing composites, which is fast and simple, and yields improved products having uniform mechanical property, light weight still enhanced tensile and bending strength and high endurance subject to dynamic application.

Composites product; a pultrusion continuous method for manufacturing thereof

SP ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS PVT. LTD.


An object is to provide a technology for enabling prevention of deterioration of characteristics of an oxide semiconductor device. The oxide semiconductor device includes an n-type gallium oxide epitaxial layer, a p-type oxide semiconductor layer, and an oxide layer. The p-type oxide semiconductor layer is disposed above the n-type gallium oxide epitaxial layer, contains an element different from gallium as a main component, and has p-type conductivity. The oxide layer is disposed between the n-type gallium oxide epitaxial layer and the p-type oxide semiconductor layer, and is made of a material different from gallium oxide and different at least partly from a material of the p-type oxide semiconductor layer.

Power electronics (abbreviated as PE) is a technology for promptly and efficiently converting electricity such as direct current, alternating current, and frequencies. Power electronics is a combined technology of the conventional power engineering, and electronic engineering and control engineering which are based on recent semiconductors. Today, power electronics is almost always applied wherever electricity is used, for example, for power, industry, transportation, and households.
Recent years have seen an increasing upward trend in a ratio of electric energy to the total energy consumption, i.e., a rate of electrification not only in Japan but also worldwide. As a background to this trend, convenient and energy-saving appliances in terms of electricity usage have been developed in recent years. This increases the utilization ratio of electricity. The PE technology is the base technology for these appliances.
Put it differently, the PE technology is a technology for converting an input into electricity suitable for an appliance to be used, whatever conditions of electricity before conversion are (e.g., the magnitude of a frequency, a current, or a voltage). The base elements in the PE technology are rectifiers and inverters. Furthermore, the rectifiers and the inverters are based on semiconductors and semiconductor elements such as diodes or transistors which are applications of the semiconductors.
In today's PE fields, diodes serving as semiconductor rectifiers are used for various purposes including electrical appliances. The diodes are applied in wide frequency bands.
In recent years, switching elements capable of operating with low losses and at high frequencies in applications that require a high breakdown voltage and a high capacitance have been developed and put to practical use. Also, materials contained in the switching elements have shifted to wide-gap materials to increase the breakdown voltages of the elements. The representative elements designed to increase the breakdown voltages include Schottky barrier diodes (i.e., SBDs) and p-n diodes (PNDs). These diodes are widely used in various applications.
As exemplified in Patent Document 1, a trench MOS-type SBD has been developed as an element including a semiconductor layer containing gallium oxide. When a reverse voltage is applied to an SBD containing a semiconductor material with high breakdown strength, a leakage current between an anode electrode and a semiconductor material layer typically increases. In contrast, in the trench MOS-type SBD of Patent Document 1, the electric field applied to an edge portion of the anode electrode can be dispersed and reduced. This can increase the reverse breakdown voltage of the element.
Moreover, according to the technology exemplified in Patent Document 2, concentration of the electric field is reduced by a depletion layer formed by a p-n junction portion that is an interface between a termination structure and a drift layer. This can reduce a forward voltage and a reverse leakage current of a semiconductor device, and simplify rectification operations.

Oxide semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same


A composite support pad for supporting heavy equipment such as a transformer or air conditioner unit is provided. The pad includes a cellular core member having a network of contiguous cells laminated between a top facing sheet and a bottom facing sheet to enclose the ends of the cells, The cellular core member is set or otherwise embedded in a cementitious shell material or outer covering, The cellular core member may be formed of paper or fibrous material and the cellular structure offers a relatively high degree of rigidity and structural support without adding unnecessary weight to the support pad, The flexibility of the core material also enables the pad to conform to a degree to surfaces on which the pad is placed.

The present invention relates generally to an equipment support pad, and in particular to a lightweight equipment support pad having a generally hollow interior.
The high cost of concrete bases or pads poured on-site for various types of air conditioning, heating, and electrical equipment has given rise to a growing market for pre-cast concrete pads. Even though such pre-cast pads are usually less expensive than on-site poured pads, they are generally very heavy and require heavy equipment or several laborers to set in place. Furthermore, such pads are expensive to ship and are prone to breakage.
Certain composite pads have been suggested for replacing the pre-cast concrete pads. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,536 shows a pad having a foam core encapsulated in reinforced cementitious material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,251 to Dixon et al. discloses a lightweight plastic transformer pad formed of plastic or other synthetic material having an upper surface and lower surface defining an internal cavity. A heat expansible foam material is poured into the cavity.
A more recent patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,449, issued Mar. 19, 1985, to Turner et al. suggests a composite base comprising an expanded foam core such as a polystyrene foam board which is carried on only its sides and tops with a fiberglass reinforced cement material to form a solid base. Heavy steel coils are embedded in the composite material for reinforcing steel posts or the like which serve to mount air conditioners or other heavy equipment. The pads and bases illustrated in the prior art noted above failed to completely satisfy the load and cost limitations and considerations of pre-cast concrete pads.


A catalytic material includes a microporous zeolite supported on a mesoporous inorganic oxide support. The microporous zeolite can include zeolite beta, zeolite Y or ZSM-5. The mesoporous inorganic oxide can be, e.g., silica or alumina, and can optionally include other metals. Methods for making and using the catalytic material are described herein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure is related to catalyst material containing zeolite embedded in a catalyst support, and particularly to a microporous zeolite embedded in a mesoporous support.
2. Background of the Art
Most of today""s hydrocarbon processing technologies is based on zeolite catalysts. Zeolite catalysts are well known in the art and possess well-arranged pore systems with uniform pore sizes. However, these materials tend to possess either only micropores or only mesopores. Micropores are defined as pores having a diameter of less than about 2 nm. Mesopores are defined as pores having a diameter ranging from about 2 nm to about 50 nm.
Because such hydrocarbon processing reactions are mass-transfer limited, a catalyst with ideal pore size will facilitate transport of the reactants to active catalyst sites and transport of the products out of the catalyst.
A material useful in catalytic processing of hydrocarbons is provided herein. The material comprises a zeolite, and a porous inorganic oxide which includes at least 97 volume percent mesopores based on the micropores and mesopores of the inorganic oxide. The zeolite is preferably a microporous zeolite such as for example, zeolite beta, zeolite Y, or ZSM-5. A method for making and method for using the material are described herein.
The catalytic material described herein advantageously facilitates the transport of reactants to active catalyst sites and is about 5 times more active than the zeolite used alone.

Catalyst containing microporous zeolite in mesoporous support


A camera module including a main body having a spherical shape and including a camera; a first arm connected to the main body and including a first motor configured to rotate the main body; a second arm connected to the first arm and including a second motor configured to rotate the first arm; a fixing member connected to the second arm and including a third motor for rotating the second arm; and a controller configured to independently rotate the main body, the first arm and the second arm to allow omnidirectional capturing in a three-dimensional space where the camera is placed.

1. Field of the Invention
This specification relates to a camera module having various capturing directions.
2. Background of the Invention
Terminals may be divided into mobile/portable terminals and stationary terminals. Also, the mobile terminals may be classified into handheld terminals and vehicle mount terminals.
Mobile terminals have become increasingly more functional. Examples of such functions include data and voice communications, capturing images and video via a camera, recording audio, playing music files via a speaker system, and displaying images and video on a display. Some mobile terminals include additional functionality which supports game playing, while other terminals are configured as multimedia players. More recently, mobile terminals have been configured to receive broadcast and multicast signals which permit viewing of content such as videos and television programs.
As it becomes multifunctional, a mobile terminal can capture still images or moving images, play music or video files, play games, receive broadcast and the like, so as to be implemented as an integrated multimedia player. To support or enhance various functions of such mobile terminals, many efforts are made. Such many efforts include not only changes and improvement of structural components implementing a mobile terminal but also software or hardware improvement.
In recent time, developments of a camera which can be used by being detached from or operably attached to a terminal body and a gimbal supporting the camera are actively conducted. The related art camera gimbal has problems that different arms for rotating a mounted camera interfere with a viewing angle of the camera while they are rotated and sometimes collide with each other. Also, due to an installation space of such different anus of the gimbal, an entire volume of the camera module disadvantageously increases.


A merry-go-round having seats for both riders and children who want to propel the merry-go-round with a pair of crank mechanism that are offset to ensure that their is no "dead spot" to make start up of the merry-go-round difficult with the merry-go-round including a pair of pivoting handles for children to propel the merry-go-round with octagonal shaped circumferential seating and foot support areas to support the children's feet above the ground and a pair of safety hand rails for riding children to hold onto and to prevent the riding children from coming in contact with the pivoting handles.

The concept of merry-go-rounds is old in the art and generally involves a pedestal base with a revolving seating area. The riders, who sit on the seating area, propel the merry-go-round by pumping back and forth on pedals or handles. The handles connect to a central post having a crank that permits the seating area to revolve around the central post.


A combined water purification and power generating plant is disclosed having special features designed to maximize the cycle thermal efficiency and salt recovery, with little or no concentrated brine produced therefrom. Using the plant, a volume of salt water is delivered to a plurality of indirect and direct contact feed heaters. Within the direct contact heaters, the salt water is heated and diluted by condensation therein by super-heated steam delivered thereto. Any alkaline salts having reverse solubility characteristics particulate and are filtered therefrom. From the last direct contact feed heater, the diluted salt water is delivered to a plurality of high pressure, high temperature evaporators arranged in a series which are used to further heat, evaporate and filter the salt water in multiple stages thereby improving the plant's efficiency. A steam heater is used to super-heat a steam which delivered to various areas of the plant to heat and evaporate the salt water. High and low pressure steam turbines are also provide which utilize the steam to generate electrical power. The turbines are also arranged so that the exhaust steam therefrom may be used to heat the salt water in the feed heaters and then condensed into fresh water. An optional expansion tank is also provided for additional evaporation of the concentrated brine from the last evaporator.

1. Field Of the Invention:
This invention relates generally to a combined sea water desalinization and electrical power generation system and, more particularly, such a system which operates with greater efficiency and high salts recovery, with little or no discharge of concentrated brine material.
2. Description of the Related Art:
The need for economical desalination plant has grown as reliable supplies of fresh water have diminished in traditionally water-short areas of the world and in semi-arid regions experiencing rapid population growth. The major desalination processes use in such plants today can be broadly classified as either thermal or membrane processes.
Thermal processes are based on the distillation of salt water wherein salt water is boiled, and the steam evolved therefrom is collected and condensed into desalinated water. The most widely used thermal process uses multistage flash distillation, also known as MSF, which is based on the principle that water will boil at lower temperatures when it is subjected to lower pressures. Using MSF, heated salt water is fed into a flash chamber in which the pressure is gradually lowered which allows the salt water to boil at lower temperatures. The vapor produced is condensed on tubes that carry fresh, cool salt water into the plant. In the heat-exchange process, steam heats the cooler salt water, while the vapor condenses into desalinated water. The higher concentrated, unevaporated sea water is then delivered to a second chamber maintained at a lower pressure, where the process is repeated. For large desalination plants, a large number of flash chambers may be used.
Most membrane plants are based on reverse osmosis processes wherein saline water is pumped to a pressure above its osmotic pressure. The compressed saline water is ultra-filtered by a semi-permeable membrane which allows water molecules to pass through while preventing passage of salt molecules. Fresh water is then collected from the other side of the membrane.
One major constraint in all desalination plants is undesirable salt formation on various surfaces on the machinery. For example, calcium sulphate salts precipitation, which can not be prevented by pH control, will limit the maximum boiling temperature of sea water to 120 degrees C. This is mainly due to the salt material being deposited on heat transfer surfaces located in the evaporators which increases the resistance for heat transfer. This, in turn, increases the energy requirement for the plant.
Combined desalination and power generation plants, also known as dual purpose plants, are commercially used today. In general, these plants utilize the expanded steam from the power plants' turbines to supply thermal energy used in the desalination process. Currently, research is directed towards improving the temperature limitations of the plants by chemical pre-treatment of the salt water. One alternative approach has been to use direct contact heat transfer equipment which eliminates the need for heat transfer surfaces. With direct contact heat transfer processes, a heat transfer medium, such as hydrocarbon oils, is used to transfer heat to the salt water. Unfortunately, problems with emulsion formation, oil-water separation, and oil degradation have limited the development of these processes.
Another approach to resolving the temperature limitations of these plants was described by Blaskowski in U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,107. In Blaskowski, superheated steam is used as a heat transfer medium in a combined power generating-desalination plant. Unfortunately, the system was not commercially developed due to important thermodynamic and design considerations.
Another desirable goal for most desalination plants is the total recovery of various salts from the sea water. Unfortunately, due to inherent thermal inefficiencies in the plant's designs, recovery of salts from current desalination plants have not be commercially developed.
More efficient dual purpose plants are needed today. In addition, such plants which allow for greater salt recovery and that substantially reduce or eliminate the concentrated brine therefrom, would be highly desirable.

Combined water purification and power of generating plant


There is provided a blade assembly having a stationary comb or blade and a recepricating cutter. The blade Assembly permits for adjustment over a range of cut lengths and detachability/convertability to a range of hair clippers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hair clipper. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hair clipper having an improved blade assembly. The blade assembly provides for adjustability over a range of cut lengths and detachability over a range of hair clippers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hair clippers with the ability to vary cut length capability have been known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,589 provides a hair clipper having a movable blade that is moved relatively to an adjuster handle mounted on the housing of the clipper. The movable blade can be moved in the rearward direction along the longitudinal axis to reduce the cut length when the adjuster handle is moved in the forward direction along the longitudinal axis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,772 provides an adjuster handle that is slidably fitted on an outer round surface of the housing and linked to the movable blade through a linkage member. The movable blade is shifted in the edgewise direction to increase and reduce the cut length by rotating the adjuster handle about a longitudinal axis of the housing.
It is also known to provide a hair clipper having a blade assembly that can be detachably mounted to the clipper. Two examples of detachable blade assemblies for a hair clipper are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,182,597 and 2,928,171. These patents illustrate blade assemblies that include a tongue-receiving socket for mounting the assembly on an associated support tongue. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,048 provides means for allowing the tongue-receiving socket to be detachably connected with various support tongues having different configurations to enable assorted blade assemblies to be combined and used with a single clipper.
None of the above provide for a blade assembly that is both adjustable over a range of cutting lengths and interchangeable between different hair clippers. For example, specific blades, given their relative size and physical characteristics, are required to obtain a specific desired cut. None of the above-identified clippers provide an operator with the needed versatility associated with a uniform blade assembly having both adjustable and detachable qualities.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hair clipper that has an adjustable blade assembly.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a hair clipper in which the adjustable blade assembly can be used interchangeably with any clipper having a similar engagement configuration.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a hair clipper in which the blade assembly has greater flexibility and versatility in the type and size of blades that can be used in conjunction with the hair clipper.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are covered by a blade assembly for a hair clipper that has a pocket type structure, and a blade assembly that includes a stationary comb blade and a cutter blade. The blade assembly is adapted to be secured to the pocket type structure. The pocket type structure or pocket includes a bracket for detachably securing the blade assembly to the clipper. In a preferred embodiment, the cutter blade is connected to a mounting plate along through holes therein. The comb blade has through holes therein, which are adapted to receive blade screws. The blade screws extend through the holes and are threadably engaged with the pocket through the holes in the mounting plate. The mounting plate permits the cutting blade to reciprocate, and biases the cutting blade towards the comb blade by a set of coil springs positioned between the mounting plate and the pocket.
The blade assembly is adjusted by positioning the front edge of the comb blade closer or farther from the front edge of the cutter blade. A control lever is secured to an end of an actuator that extends through the pocket. Thus, rotation of the actuator, via the control lever, causes the mounting plate and/or a guide disposed on the cutter blade to urge the front edges of the cutter blade and the comb blade toward and/or away from each other.
Thus, the present invention to provide an improved hair clipper that is capable of facilitating hair shearing to a desired length in a convenient and versatile manner, while at the same time ensuring ease of use.

Detachable and adjustable blade assembly


A method for making a silk protein film includes providing an aqueous solution of a silk protein, and annealing a mixture including the aqueous solution of the silk protein and a water-soluble polyhydroxy compound that is present in an amount ranging from 20 wt % to 60 wt % based on a total amount of the silk protein and the water-soluble polyhydroxy compound at an annealing temperature that is higher than 50° C. and lower than 180° C. and under a relative humidity of not higher than 30%, so as to form the silk protein film.

Plastic products such as plastic wrap, plastic tableware, plastic bag, plastic tube, etc. are widely used due to convenience. However, excessive use of plastic products without restriction causes serious problems regarding disposal thereof, particularly for plastic products that are non-combustible and non-biodegradable, and burning of plastic products might even produce toxic substances such as dioxin, which results in considerable environmental damage.
With increasing environmental awareness, various natural polymer films such as silk protein films that has superior physical properties and is easily biodegradable, have been utilized to replace plastic products so as to solve the abovementioned problems.
A conventional method for preparing a silk protein film includes the following steps (A) to (C). In step (A), silkworm cocoons were sequentially subjected to sericin removal treatment, dissolution treatment, and dialysis treatment so as to obtain an aqueous solution of a silk protein. In step (B), the aqueous solution of the silk protein was coated or casted on a carrier and then was allowed to dry naturally for 12 hours to 16 hours through evaporation of water contained therein, so as to form a coating film on the carrier that contains water-soluble silk protein with dominated random coil conformation. In step (C), the coating film was subjected to a transformation treatment to induce crystallinization, which can be conducted in two ways, either by water annealing or by immersion in an organic solvent such as methanol or ethanol. Water annealing is a process in which the coating film is incubated in a humid environment for several hours. To be specific, the coating film was placed in a vacuum desiccator that is connected to an air extractor and that includes a water-filled tray, and then the air extractor is operated to generate water vapor inside the vacuum desiccator, such that the coating film was allowed to water anneal (i.e., moistened with the water vapor) in a humid environment for one day, such that the structural configuration of the silk protein in the water-soluble silk protein film can be transformed from random coil conformation to stable silk I structure that contains a mixture of α-helix, β-sheet and random coil conformations, thereby obtaining the water-insoluble silk protein film. Alternatively, immersion of the water-soluble silk protein film in alcoholic solution for one day, in which the alcohol is present in an amount that is greater than 95 wt %, can also transform the structural configuration of the silk protein to achieve high β-sheet crystallinity.
However, regardless of whether the abovementioned transformation treatment is conducted or not, the conventional method for making the silk protein film requires more than 12 hours, which leads to poor production efficiency. In addition, after the transformation treatment, the thus obtained water-insoluble silk protein film has various problems such as forming wrinkles, high surface hardness, poor flexibility and ductility, and easily breaks when stretched. Moreover, the water-insoluble silk protein film requires storage in water which confers flexibility thereto, but may harden after drying. Therefore, when the water-insoluble silk protein film is used as a wrapper such as a cling wrap, it not only has poor flexibility and ductility, but also has poor adhesion to the surface of an object (e.g., dishes and other tableware) to be wrapped.

Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology


A panel having an array of backlighted windows for displaying a change in a process variable from a nominal condition to a changed condition comprising a thin, sealed frame and a circuit board with an array of LEDs interconnected for each window and a binary switch coupled to the LED array that energizes the LEDs on receipt of a binary logic signal. The panel can be operated in a stand-alone unit or be backfitted to an existing data recorder, tapping into the incoming or internal logic variable signals and power supply without disturbing the underlying function of the recorder.

The present invention relates generally to lighted window alarms and annunciators and graphic panels.
Many industrial process variables are monitored electronically using thermocouples, transducers and other types of sensors that convert the value of the physical variable being sensed into a logic signal. The temperature and humidity of a computer room are physical variables, for example, and are vital to the proper functioning of computers in those rooms and must be closely monitored. In industry, variables may also include the status of equipment and its physical condition: turbine speed and eccentricity, acidity, pumps being turned on or off, production rates, pressure, etc. Natural conditions such as seismic events are monitored to gather data for the study of earthquakes. Lie detectors monitor the conductivity of the skin as an indirect measure of tension and stress during questioning. Building security systems sense the opening of doors and windows and the presence of excessive heat or smoke in a room or hallway. In these and many other examples, physical measurements are made and conveyed electronically to a receiver, which may passively record the measured data or may actively sound an alarm or light a light to alert the individuals responsible for monitoring the process, condition or event. The receivers of the measured data can be multipoint recorders, automatic controls, data loggers, scanners, controllers and so forth. Many of these devices use microprocessors for receiving and processing the data measurements.
While often physical variables can vary within a normal range without causing concern, it is important to know when a variable goes beyond this nominal range or when the status of equipment changes. Many systems now exist, such as annunciators, for providing this sort of information. However, many are based on relays, configured separately from the receivers and having substantial dimensions even when compactly designed. Many still use incandescent lights for illuminating warning signs, or, if LEDs are used for illumination, they only dimly light the signs. Incandescent lights have a relatively short operating life and are susceptible to failure in an environment where there are vibrations. Many of these units require separate power sources.


In a system for automatic meter reading of utility meters, a utility supply measuring system may include one or more collector units, wherein each one of the collector units accesses a supply of a utility, wherein the accessing occurs in addition to receiving meter reading data from a telemetry device, such as a telemetry device coupled to a utility. In accessing the supply of the utility, the collector unit component may itself be at least loosely coupled to a utility supply, or may communicate with a device that monitors quality, such as an outage detector. A method for transmitting utility supply data for such communications may include continuously transmitting a PN sequence code over a single channel.

Utility companies (e.g., electrical, gas, and water utilities) are chartered with delivering a high quality of service to their customers. For example, in the case of an electrical utility, quality of power can refer to power delivered within a certain voltage range. In addition, it can refer to the number of interruptions and transient disturbances that take place over a given time period, which are ideally minimized. In some areas, local codes or ordinances mandate the quality of the power supply.
Some of the factors that may affect the quality of power delivered to customers include local voltage reductions and noise from switching circuits. In addition, defective or worn equipment can also cause problems, along with tree limbs growing through power lines and countless other power line disturbances. Problems with power line quality can lead to customer complaints and, in some cases the customer can lose all service (e.g., during failure of a defective transformer).
Typically, electric utility, companies use a grid of power lines and control transformers in an attempt to achieve a high quality supply of power. Utility companies may also measure power quality at major substations. However, attempts to solve monitoring quality at a high level are often not effective because loss of power and poor power quality is typically a local phenomenon that usually only affects a small number of customers connected to a local feeder line.
In some cases, lower level monitoring (e.g., at the neighborhood level) is done on a case-by-case basis. However, local monitoring on an ongoing and distributed basis may be considered not feasible because of the high cost involved in implementing an infrastructure for performing such monitoring.
In the drawings, the same reference numbers identify identical or substantially similar elements or acts. To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced (e.g., element 204 is first introduced and discussed with respect to FIG. 2).

Distributed utility monitoring, such as for monitoring the quality or existence of a electrical, gas, or water utility


Provided are a complex optical film and a light source assembly including the same. The complex optical film includes a first substrate, a light shielding layer formed on a bottom surface of the first substrate, an optical pattern layer formed on a top surface of the first substrate and including concavo-convex portions, a second substrate disposed on the first substrate, and a first adhesive layer disposed under the second substrate, wherein the light shielding layer includes a binder and organic particles and inorganic particles dispersed in the binder, the convex portions of the optical pattern layer at least partially penetrate into the first adhesive layer to be combined with the first adhesive layer, and a low-refraction area having a lower refractive index than the optical pattern layer and the first adhesive layer is defined between the first adhesive layer and the optical pattern layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a complex optical film, and more particularly to a complex optical film adopted to a display and a light source assembly including the same
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes two panels having a plurality of electrodes and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two panels. a LCD device displays images by adjusting the amount of light transmitted therethrough by applying a voltage to the plurality of electrodes so that liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer can be rearranged.
A LCD device is not a self light-emitting device, and thus, it needs a light source assembly. Light source assemblies used in the LCD are largely classified into two types: an edge type light source assembly and a direct type light source assembly. In some edge type light source assemblies, a light guide plate is provided to make the light emitted from a light source to be upwardly irradiated, and at least one optical sheet is provided above the light guide plate to adjust optical properties of the light having passed the light guide plate. In some direct type light source assemblies, a diffusion plate is provided to reduce a bright line of the light emitted from a light source, and at least one optical sheet is provided to adjust optical properties of the light having passed the diffusion plate.
In the direct type light source assembly, a diffusion plate and a plurality of optical sheets are required to shield light and accurately control optical properties, which increases a thickness of the light source assembly and makes the manufacturing process complicated, resulting in an increase in the manufacturing cost.

Complex optical film and light source assembly including the same


A developer and a color image forming apparatus are provided. The color image forming apparatus includes a development cartridge including a photosensitive drum and a container which stores toner. A toner cartridge is configured to attach to and detach from the development cartridge which contains the toner. A toner transfer unit rotates to agitate the toner stored in the development cartridge so as to move the toner when the toner cartridge attaches to and detaches from the development cartridge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer and an image forming apparatus using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a developer including a toner transfer unit to prevent a toner from leaking when a toner cartridge is attached to and detached from a development cartridge and a color image forming apparatus using the developer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in image forming apparatuses, a digital image signal corresponding to a desired image is received to form an electrostatic latent image onto a photosensitive medium using an exposure unit such as a laser scanning unit (LSU). Then, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by using a toner. The toner image is transferred onto a recording medium and the toner image is fused and fixed to the recording medium by applying heat and pressure to the toner image. Consequently, a desired image is formed on the recording medium.
According to the type of toners and carriers used therein, the image forming apparatuses can be classified into dry types and wet types. The dry type image forming apparatuses can be classified into an image forming apparatus including a one-component developer and an image forming apparatus including a two-component developer. The one-component developer forms an image by using only toners. The two-component developer forms an image by using toners and carriers. The toner particles are attached to the carriers.
A single pass type color image forming apparatus generally includes four photosensitive drums, four exposure units for forming electrostatic latent images onto the four photosensitive drums, and four developers for developing the electrostatic latent images formed on the four photosensitive drums by supplying toners of black K, cyan C, magenta M, and yellow Y to the electrostatic latent images, respectively. The four photosensitive drums come into contact with an intermediate transfer belt. Toner images of black K, cyan C, magenta M, and yellow Y are developed on the four photosensitive drums and are superpositionally transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt to form a color toner image. The color toner image is transferred and fixed to a sheet of paper to form a color image.
A built-in type developer includes a container for storing a toner so that the developer refilled with the toner can be used. Alternatively, the developer can be replaced with a split-type developer in which a toner can be supplied from a toner cartridge which is detachable from a development cartridge.
In the built-in type, in order to refill the developer with the toner when the toner is used up, the developer is detached from a main frame. The toner is refilled in the developer and then the developer is attached to the main frame again. Accordingly, there is a relatively small possibility that the toner filled in the developer leaks, which leads to contamination of peripheral devices.
In the split type, in order to refill the developer with the toner again, the toner cartridge for storing the toner is detached from the development cartridge and a new toner cartridge is refilled with toner and attached to the development cartridge. Accordingly, in the way of detaching the toner cartridge from the development cartridge or attaching the new toner cartridge to the development cartridge, the toner remaining in the toner cartridge may leak or a part of the toner filled in the development cartridge may leak out of the development cartridge. This may lead to contamination of the peripheral devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved image forming apparatus to prevent toner from leaking by flattening the toner contained in a development cartridge when a toner cartridge is attached to and detached from the development cartridge.

Developer and color image forming apparatus using the same