The disclosure relates to a cryogen-free cooling apparatus for cooling a sample, comprising a vacuum chamber, a first cooling device which is configured to generate a first temperature in the vacuum chamber to provide a main thermal bath, a second cooling device, which is in connection with a sample stage on which a sample is to be arranged, wherein the second cooling device is a solid state cooler which is configured to provide a second temperature to the sample stage, and wherein the second temperature is different from the first temperature, and a sample loading device which is configured to change the sample while operating the first cooling device and the second cooling device, wherein the sample stage is held in the vacuum chamber by a plurality of first fibers of low thermal conductivity such that the sample stage is thermally decoupled from the main thermal bath.

Devices for providing low temperatures are an essential part of fundamental and applied science. Most cooling devices use liquefied gases (so-called cryogens) for generating low temperatures, in particular Nitrogen and Helium. Using cryogens has several disadvantages, for example safety risks as well as considerable efforts for storing and handling the cryogens, and, most importantly, high technical complexity of operation and maintenance. In addition, the price for Helium has raised dramatically in the last years (so-called Helium crisis).
Mainly the latter disadvantage, the high Helium price, has promoted the development of so-called cryogen free cooling devices which do no longer require the addition of liquid cryogens. Though widely accepted the term "cryogen-free", in this context, is somewhat counterintuitive as the vast majority of these new cryogen-free devices still rely on cryogens. This accounts in particular for cooling devices that are used to provide very low temperatures in the range of several milli-Kelvin up to some Kelvin, so-called dilution refrigerators. Recently, dilution refrigerators have been turned cryogen-free by adding cryogen-free mechanical precooling units, e.g. pulse tube coolers or Gifford McMahon coolers. The cryogen-free precooling effectively reduces the working expenses as no more liquid Helium needs to be added upon operation of the device. However, albeit entitled "cryogen-free", these dilution refrigerators are still based on the same cooling technology as any other dilution refrigerator: cooling power is provided by the heat of mixing of 3-Helium and 4-Helium isotopes. These devices thus still rely on cryogens for providing cooling power and, in turn, still suffer from the above mentioned technical disadvantages which go along with the use of cryogens.
There exist some approaches for providing cooling devices which are based on alternative cooling technologies and which, therefore, do not rely on cryogens. Here, cooling technologies based on solid state refrigerants are particularly interesting as they can provide cooling power without the need of moving or circulating a refrigerant, e.g.                magnetic coolers which may be based, e.g., on the magnetocaloric or barocaloric effect of a solid, or        thermoelectric coolers which may be based, e.g., on the Peltier effect of a solid.
One alternative cooling technology which is based on the magnetocaloric effect is the so-called adiabatic demagnetization refrigeration (ADR). It exploits the magnetocaloric effect of a paramagnetic spin system. Despite being completely cryogen-free this technique so far is scarcely used for providing low temperatures in a laboratory environment. This is due to two limitations: (i) the ADR technique is commonly applied as a single-shot method, i. e. low temperatures may be generated only temporarily until the paramagnetic refrigerant needs to be regenerated for further use. This renders the ADR of limited use for many scientific applications where permanent cooling is essential. (ii) The cooling power which can be achieved by means of the ADR technique in a laboratory apparatus of viable size and costs is small as compared to the prevalent cooling technologies that are based on cryogens. This second limitation prohibits the use of time-saving sample loading devices as changing a sample within a cooling apparatus can only be done if the sample stage (where the sample is to be connected to) is strongly supported within the cooling apparatus. The requirement of a strong mechanical support usually results in large heat leaks which commonly exceed the cooling power of ADR coolers. In summary, rapid sample changing and small cooling powers as provided by the ADR technique have hitherto been mutually exclusive. Of course, this accounts to the same degree for any other cooling technique of small cooling power, e. g. low-temperature Peltier coolers.
Document US 2012/0102975 A1 discloses a cryogen-free cooling apparatus. The apparatus comprises a radiation shield surrounding a working region and is arranged in a vacuum chamber. A cryogen-free cooling stage is coupled to the radiation shield. A pre-cooling of a sample is also provided.
In P. J. Shirron et al., "A multi-stage continuous-duty adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator", 1999 Croygenic Engineering Conference, paper CCB-3, a multi-stage ADR device (ADR—adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator) for cooling a sensor is disclosed.
Document US 2015/0292782 A1 discloses a refrigeration pill for a solid-state refrigerator.


This invention provides a thin and discreet coolant device, and single and multiple unit dispenser containers containing the same. The coolant device comprises a first packet being comprised of a waterproof or water-resistant material containing water therewithin and further comprising a fold and further adapted to have a selectively permanent connection between external and internal layers of said fold, such that upon applying a force to laterally extend the ends of said packet, a rupture of said first packet occurs allowing for the leakage of the water contained therewithin. The coolant device further comprises a second packet which encases said first packet, comprising an exterior and interior layer, wherein said interior layer is comprised of an absorbent material and said exterior layer is comprised of a waterproof or water-resistant material and wherein an amount of powdered urea is located within an interior of said second packet. Upon lateral extension of the sides of the second packet, a rupture of said first packet occurs allowing for the leakage of the water contained therewithin and its exposure to said urea located within said second packet, which exposure results in an endothermic reaction resulting in an outer surface of said second packet becoming cooler to the touch than an outer surface temperature prior to said rupture. Use of the coolant devices to provide cooling to a skin surface on demand is described, as well.

This invention relates to a coolant device, dispenser apparatus and method for the application of the coolant device to appropriate skin surfaces of the human body to bring relief to the subject. More specifically, the invention relates to the application of cool or cold, discreet, thin tissue-like materials to the skin surface of a subject to alleviate symptoms and discomfort associated with heat, including in women experiencing hot flashes, individuals suffering from minor burns or fever, and other applications.
Hot flashes can occur at any time and at any place and are a source of considerable discomfort and consternation to many menopausal women. In the past, many women have resorted to using various forms of medication to lessen the effects of menopause and attendant hot flashes, yet these medications do not provide instant relief for the symptoms of hot flashes, nor do they mask the embarrassment of experiencing the same including experiencing a sudden onset in a public venue.
Women have found that applying cool or cold materials to the skin surface during the onset of a "hot flash" provides considerable and immediate relief to the discomfort of hot flashes.
Since hot flashes can occur at any time and at any place, including in very public venues, it therefore has been a challenge to find a socially acceptable means for reducing the awkward symptoms associated therewith.
While various types of cooling devices have been described previously for this purpose, such devices are quite bulky, and therefore do not provide effective cooling in a discrete manner.
There remains, therefore, a need for a means of alleviating the symptoms of hot flashes in a discreet and effective manner.


A polypeptide inhibiting binding between a vascular endothelial growth factor and a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, a fusion protein including the same, and a method of preparing the fusion protein are disclosed.

1. Field
The present disclosure related to polypeptides inhibiting binding between a vascular endothelial growth factor and a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, fusion proteins including the inhibiting polypeptides, and methods of preparing the fusion proteins.
2. Description of the Related Art
Angiogenesis is a process involving the growth of new blood vessels from existing vessels, which plays a vital role in formation of organs, normal biological growth, and wound healing. In addition, abnormal angiogenesis is known to be an important contributor to diseases such as development and metastasis of tumor cells, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic inflammation.
The development and metastasis of tumor cells depend on angiogenesis. Thus, since it has been suggested that a hypothesis in which anti-angiogenesis therapeutic drugs would become novel anti-cancer therapeutic drugs, research into the mechanism of angiogenesis has been conducted to develop a new anti-cancer therapeutic drug. Among various angiogenesis factors, research into the function of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been conducted most actively. When tumor tissues develop, the tumor tissues cause vessel regression and the tumor tissues are excessively grown to form a hypoxic environment therein. As a result, conditions where angiogenesis occurs are provided within the tumor tissue. Under the conditions, vascular endothelial cells increase expression of VEGF to form new vessels around tumor cells. Since the growth of the vascular endothelial cells and vascular formation are induced by expression of VEGF and reaction between VEGF and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), the reactions described above are a vital process in angiogenesis. Thus, angiogenesis in tumor tissues is suppressed by inhibiting binding between VEGF and VEGFR, and a compound that inhibits binding between VEGF and VEGFR may become an anti-cancer drug candidate or provide a target for developing anti-cancer therapies. In addition, VEGF may emerge as effective target for anti-cancer therapy in that VEGF is a ligand initiating transduction by VEGFR of intracellular signals for vascular formation.
A humanized antibody binding to human VEGF is approved for treating colon cancer and rectal cancer. However, targeting VEGF using currently available therapies is not effective for all patients or other kinds of cancers.

Polypeptide specifically binding to vascular endothelial growth factor, fusion protein including polypeptide, and methods therefor


A method of monitoring thermomechanical behavior of an undersea pipe (2) transporting fluid under pressure and made by assembling unit pipe elements (4), comprising determining a mechanical signature specific to each unit pipe element, using a measurement cable (16) having an optical fiber sensor using Brillouin backscattering to measure deformation of the pipe element while it is subjected on land to various mechanical stresses in predetermined directions and magnitudes, and establishing a stiffness matrix associated with the mechanical signature of each pipe element, a step of determining a thermal signature specific to each unit pipe element, which step consists in measuring the temperature changes of the unit pipe element while it is being subjected on land to various different electrical heating powers, and in establishing a thermal transfer function associated with the thermal signature of each pipe element, and a monitoring step consisting of recovering.

The present invention relates to the general field of undersea fluid transport pipes that rest on the sea bottom or that provide a bottom-to-surface connection for transporting hydrocarbons, e.g. oil and gas, from undersea production wells.
Undersea fluid transport pipes are commonly used in offshore hydrocarbon production. Thus, in an offshore production field, a plurality of wells are generally worked, which wells may be spaced apart from one another by several kilometers, or indeed tens of kilometers. The fluids coming from the various wells need to be collected by pipes that are laid on the sea bottom and transferred by bottom-to-surface connection pipes from an undersea pipe resting on the sea bottom to a surface installation that receives them, e.g. on board a ship or at a collection point situated onshore.
There exist various types of undersea pipes that are used for transporting fluids. The invention relates more particularly to coaxial pipes of the pipe in pipe (PIP) type, in which an inner steel tube transports the fluids and an outer steel tube coaxial with the internal tube, and also referred to as the "outer shell", is in contact with the surrounding medium, i.e. with the water.
In general, such coaxial pipes are assembled on land from unit lengths (referred to as double, triple, or quadruple "joints", with the term "quad-joints" being used herein for quadruple sections of tube), which unit lengths present a length lying in the range 10 meters (m) to 100 m, depending on the load-holding capacity of the laying system. Such quad-joints are then taken to sea on a laying ship.
During laying, the quad-joints are connected to one another on board the ship progressively as they are being laid at sea. This laying may be performed by using a J-lay tower positioned on the laying ship. With J-laying, the undersea pipe is typically lowered from the laying ship while it is practically vertical (at an angle in the range +30° to −10° relative to the vertical). J-laying is single-catenary laying in which the almost vertical angle of inclination of the pipe decreases progressively as it moves downwards until it takes on the slope of the sea bottom.
Given their specificity, undersea fluid transport pipes are designed to achieve a high level of thermal performance, and specific versions have been developed to be better adapted to great depths, i.e. to withstand pressure at the bottom of the sea. Specifically, since the pressure of water is substantially 0.1 megapascals (MPa), i.e. about 1 bar, for a depth of 10 m, the pressure that undersea pipes need to be able to withstand is then about 10 MPa, i.e. about 100 bar, for a depth of 1000 m, and about 30 MPa, i.e. about 300 bar, for a depth of 3000 m.
Furthermore, undersea pipes are subjected to high levels of mechanical stress, both while they are being laid on the bottom of the sea via a J-lay tower, which gives rise to high levels of deformation (in particular in bending) in each of the quad-joints of the pipe, and also during the production stage (internal thermal stresses and stresses due to external forces). Specifically, once the undersea pipe has been installed on the bottom of the sea and the network is in production, the inner tubes of the quad-joints of the pipe are subjected to the high pressure of the fluids they are transporting (which pressure can exceed 100 bar). Furthermore, it often happens that the sea bottom on which the pipe is resting moves, which gives rise to movements of the pipe, and thus to stresses in them.
However, the mechanical stresses to which undersea pipes are subjected, and more particularly the inner tubes of PIP pipes, and also the temperatures to which they are subjected (hydrocarbons coming from undersea production wells are at a temperature of about 70° C.), run the risk of leading to major damage or even breakage of the pipes.

Method for monitoring the thermomechanical behaviour of a subsea pipe for transporting pressurised fluids


A compressor diaphragm assembly for combustion turbines includes a plurality of vane airfoils, each of which is formed with an integral inner shroud and an integral outer shroud, joined together by connecting bars which transfer loads between the vane airfoils and the casing slots of the turbine within which the vane airfoils are suspended.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to combustion or gas turbines, and more particularly to the compressor diaphragm assemblies that are typically used in such turbines.
2. Statement of the Prior Art
Over two-thirds of large, industrial combustion turbines (which are also sometimes referred to as "gas turbines") are in electric-generating use. Since they are well suited for automation and remote control, combustion turbines are primarily used by electric utility companies for peak-load duty. Where additional capacity is needed quickly, where refined fuel is available at low cost, or where the turbine exhaust energy can be utilized, however, combustion turbines are also used for base-load electric generation.
In the electric-generating environment, a typical combustion turbine is comprised generally of four basic portions: (1) an inlet portion; (2) a compressor portion; (3) a combustor portion; and (4) an exhaust portion. Air entering the combustion turbine at its inlet portion is compressed adiabatically in the compressor portion, and is mixed with a fuel and heated at a constant pressure in the combustor portion, thereafter being discharged through the exhaust portion with a resulting adiabatic expansion of the gases completing the basic combustion turbine cycle which is generally referred to as the Brayton, or Joule, cycle.
As is well known, the net output of a conventional combustion turbine is the difference between the power it produces and the power absorbed by the compressor portion. Typically, about two-thirds of combustion turbine power is used to drive its compressor portion. Overall performance of the combustion turbine is, thus, very sensitive to the efficiency of its compressor portion. In order to ensure that a highly efficient, high pressure ratio is maintained, most compressor portions are of an axial flow configuration having a rotor with a plurality of rotating blades, axially disposed along a shaft, interspersed with a plurality of inner-shrouded stationary vanes providing a diaphragm assembly with stepped labyrinth interstage seals.
A significant problem of fatigue cracking in the airfoil portion of inner-shrouded vanes exists, however, due to conventionally used methods of manufacturing such vanes. For example, in either of the rolled or forged methods used by the manufacturers of most compressor diaphragm assemblies, a welding process is used to join the vane airfoils to their respective inner and outer shrouds, such process resulting in a "heat-affected zone" at each weld joint. Crack initiation due to fatigue, it has been found, more often than not occurs at such heat-affected zones. Therefore, it would be desirable not only to provide an improved compressor diaphragm assembly that would be resistant to fatigue cracking, but also to provide a method of fabricating such assemblies that would minimize processes which produce heat-affected zones.
The problems associated with fatigue cracking are not, however, resolved merely by eliminating those manufacturing processes that produce heat-affected zones. That is, it is well known that certain forged-manufactured vane airfoils, even after having been subjected to careful stress relief which reduces the effects of their heat-affected zones, can experience a fatigue cracking problem. It is, therefore, readily apparent that not only static, but also dynamic stimuli within the combustion turbine contribute to the problem of fatigue cracking.
Forces that act upon the inner shroud and seal of a compressor diaphragm assembly are due, primarily, to seal pressure drop. Those forces, as well as aerodynamic forces acting normally and tangentially upon, and distributed over the surfaces of the vane airfoil, each contribute to the generation of other forces and moments that are transferred to the outer shroud, and subsequently to the casing of the combustion turbine via the weld joints which attach the vane airfoil to the outer shroud.
It would appear that the simple alternative of using vane airfoils with integral outer and inner shrouds would quickly solve both causes of fatigue cracking. That is, the problem of heat-affected zones would appear to be eliminated entirely while the problems associated with instabilities due to static and dynamic stimuli within the combustion turbine would appear to be minimized. Such is not the case, however.
For example, under the influence of the static forces and moments described above, the outer shroud segment of this hypothetical vane airfoil would not be stably engaged with the casing of the combustion turbine until such time that a restraining moment could be generated by contact of the extremities of the outer shroud segment with the walls of the slot formed in the casing to receive the segment. The outer shroud segment would, thus, rotate within the clearance gap (provided in the casing slot to account for thermal expansion). As a result, use of the hypothetical vane airfoil in a combustion turbine would lead to a great deal of stress in the vicinity of the outer shroud segment and excessive translational and rotational displacements, each of which would be further exacerbated under dynamic stimuli. It would also be desirable, therefore, to provide an improved compressor diaphragm assembly that would avoid the above described instabilities of engagement.


The invention provides an ultra-sonic jet multi-photon resonance ionization type mass analyzing device.

For these years, an analyzer based on supersonic jet resonance enhanced multi-photon ionization process (Jet-REMPI method) has been proposed which enables direct and on-line analysis of dioxins. In the process, carrier gas containing sample molecules such as dioxins is ejected in pulse mode from an ejecting device provided with a high speed short duration pulse valve into a vacuum vessel, laser beam is irradiated to the carrier gas flow for selective ionization of the sample molecules and ionized sample molecules are detected for analysis. In identification of sample molecules, mass to charge ratio (m/z) can be used for congeners and resonance wavelength can be used for isomers.
In the case of this system, the biggest technical problem is at what position of a distance from the nozzle of the high speed pulse valve the laser beam should be irradiated with the optimum effect to the carrier gas flow. JPOH 8-222181 discloses a view that the optimum position falls in the region where the carrier gas flow transitions from a continuous flow to a molecular flow. That is, the optimum position for laser beam irradiation, i.e. the ionization zone, is located near an interface between the continuous flow zone formed by expansion in vacuum of carrier gas and the molecular flow zone. From the viewpoint of gaseous molecule kinetics, the distance X of the ionization zone from the nozzle outlet opening is defined as follows;0.5XT<X<3XT wherein XT is a distance from the nozzle to the interface between the continuous flow zone and the molecular flow zone.
In order to perform detection and analysis by Jet-REMPI method of dioxins sample molecules higher than tetrachloride, it is necessary to irradiate laser beam of a pulse width of pico-second and femto-second. This is because dioxin type sample molecules have heavy atom effect by which their excitation lifetime becomes shorter in proportion to the number of chlorine atoms.
Although it has been possible to detect dioxins through irradiation of laser beam of the above-described pulse width to sample molecules, there has been no report of success in their quantification and identification.
Separately from such a process, there is a irradiation process in which sample molecules are irradiated with laser beam of a nano-second pulse width having a photon energy equal to or higher than a energy between ionization potential and excitation triplet state in order to ionize dioxins in a longer lifetime excitation triplet state which transitioned from short excitation lifetime singlet state. Even in the case of this system, however, there has been no report of success in identification and quantification.
The identification of sample isomer molecule by the system disclosed in JPOH 8-222181 is carried out with the resonance carrier gas wavelength intrinsic to the sample molecules. This process is based on a premise that vibration and rotation of sample molecules become discrete spectrum as a result of sufficient cooling of the carrier gas ejected from the high speed pulse valve in the ionization zone.
It is reported in Chem. Rev., 87, (1987) 745-760 by John M. Hayes that generation of characteristics equivalent to a non-pulsed constant irradiation within a prescribed period is indispensable for sufficient cooling of the carrier gas flow ejected from the high speed pulse valve. It is additionally reported that formation of the flat-top portion in the pressure-time distribution is also indispensable when the flow formed into the pressure-time distribution of pulsed gas is observed by fast ionization vacuum gauge.
Minimum retention period of the formed flat top portion is also predicated in the above-described report for various kinds of the carrier gas. When the prescribed period is longer than the minimum retention period, sufficiently cooled gas flow can be obtained.
No substantial means for formation of the flat top portion with sufficient retention period, i.e. the construction of the high speed pulse valve and process of travel of the gas flow ejected from the nozzle through vacuum are, however, reported in either said report nor J. Chem. Phys., 79(12), (1983) 6043-6045 by Katherine L. Saenger and John B. Fenn.
Dioxins are low in vapor pressure. In addition to dioxins, there are lots of gases of low vapor pressure such as organic compounds and their derivatives. These substances are in many cases hygroscopic. When these substances are used for the high speed pulse valve, there is a problem of adsorption to metallic walls. In order to prohibit such adsorption, it is indispensable to use the high speed pulse vale after heating to a high temperature. The heating temperature needs to be 200° C. or higher.
Atomic and Molecular Beam Methods, Oxford University Press, (1988) by Giacinto Scoles discloses high speed pulse valves able to generate pulse supersonic molecular beam. Only two real devices, i.e. "Series 9" by General Valve Corp. and "PSV" by R.M. Jordan Corp. are sold on market. The highest heating temperature is 150° C. for the former and 85° C. for the latter. It is not allowed to raise the temperature higher since the result does not suffice the flow condition of the gas ejected from the nozzle.
It is a choke flow condition of the carrier gas ejected into vacuum via the pulse valve (see the above-described earlier reports). According to the choke condition, a gas flow ejected through the nozzle into vacuum saturates at the maximum flow rate, thereby cooling the ejected carrier gas to an ultra-cold level. This condition is not sufficed since the vacuum sealing element of the pulse valve undergoes thermal expansion, the lift of the valve body of the electromagnetic valve is constant, no sufficient gap can be left between the sealing element and the valve body and, as a consequence, the amount of carrier gas flowing into the nozzle decreases.

Abstract: The laser beam ionization mass analyzing device includes a pulsed gas ejecting device 12 for ejecting in pulse mode carrier gas containing sample molecules into a vacuum vessel 17, a laser beam irradiation system for irradiating laser beam for selective photo-reaction of sample molecules in said pulsed gas, repeller and extraction electrodes 18 and 19 generating an electric field for extraction of sample molecular ions generated by the photo reaction and a mass analyzing device 26 for mass analysis of extracted sample molecular ions. The laser beam irradiation system is set to irradiate laser beam to sample molecules near a position whereat a pressure time distribution of pulsed gas translating in the vacuum vessel 17 transitions from a flat-top pressure distribution to a triangular pressure distribution.


In a test pressurizing system for a hose such as fire hose, a device is arranged for bearing of a pressurized hose in a way that it is surrounded by protective wall parts. Further, a mechanism is provided on the inside of the wall parts for marking of holes and/or other damages that can be maneuvered automatically or manually via the operator so that at least some protective wall part protects the operator under pressurization. The marking device may be combined with a device for automatic detection of holes and damages. This can for example admit marking of the hose with high precision, and/or be part of a fully automated solution for detection and marking of holes in the hose.

Hoses, like for example fire hoses, are usually controlled or inspected after usage to, among other things, control the tightness of the hose. This is normally done by connecting one end of the hose to a so-called air valve and the other end to a liquid pump (usually a water pump) that can fill the hose with pressurized fluid (e.g. water). The air inside the hose can then abscond through the air valve which lets air and gas through but not water.
The liquid-filled hose can then be inspected, usually wound up in screw line form on a drum with a preferably vertical oriented axle that allows winding-up of the hose within a relatively small space. There also exists other ways of winding-up a hose.
Another type of testing system is known from WO 2008/110150 A1.
The hose can burst during pressurization, at which the operator risks being injured during visual inspection. The liquid pressure can be very high, at which the operator can receive injury by leaking jets. It is well-known to encapsulate the pressurized winding-up of the hose with a screen or similar protection device which protects the operator at inspection/control of the hose.
The European patent EP 0 677 728 shows, for example, a solution where a transparent protective screen fully encapsulates the drum on which the hose is wound-up to ease visual inspection while providing a certain protection. The screen is further provided with openable hatches which makes it possible for the operator to get to the pressurized hose through the screen, for example to mark possible holes in the hose so that a later repairing can take place. In this known case, the drum is held still under pressurization due to the other end of the hose being connected to a stationary water supply connection. Thus the operator must move around the drum during visual inspection.
In other known cases, like for example in the Swedish patent SE 528 582, the pressurized and on the drum wound-up hose is connected to the water pump via a pipe swivel connection that allows a free rotation of the drum while the hose is maintained pressurized. In that manner, the operator can remain in a fixed operator position at the visual inspection, and the protective barrier between the operator and the drum can have a lesser extent in the drums circumference direction. According to the Swedish patent SE 528 582, the protective barrier can with benefit be designed like a transportable screen that can be removed if needed or set in an optional position relative to the construction.
When a hole or other damage is detected during inspection according to known technique, the hole or other damage on the hose should be marked. In the known cases, the operator opens one or more hatches in an encapsulated screen, alternatively removes a smaller screen or uses an opening at the side of such a screen, to get to the pressurized hose so that the damage can be marked.
It is well known that the hose can rift or burst under pressurization, and there is then a big risk that an operator who is controlling the hose's tightness can be seriously injured. The previously known solutions have tried to find solutions to this problem during the visual inspection. However the problem remains and as do the serious risks with the hose bursting during marking of damages on the hose when the operator opens hatches or in another way seek access to the pressurized hose to be able to mark where holes and similar damages are on the hose. In the light of the high pressure that is often used at pressurizing of e.g. a fire hose, there are big risks to open a hatch and insert in an arm at the marking of holes if the hose rifts. Furthermore the operator can also be injured by out leaking jets from the holes that shall be marked (without the hose for that sake has rifted) and the operator can of course also get wet.

Device for tightness control and marking of holes and/or other damages on hose, and optional automatic detection of holes


A sensory electronic game which includes a board having a number of defined positions each provided with an isotropic field sensor such as a reed switch which has open and closed positions depending upon the presence or absence of a magnetic field, and two sets of playing pieces. All pieces have a magnet with its N-S axis substantially upright to provide a magnetic field which will open or close the sensor when a piece is positioned on the associated board position. To avoid a lack of detection if one piece is quickly replaced by another piece, the pieces of one set have the N pole facing downwardly whilst the pieces of the other set have the S pole facing downwardly. Then, by detecting the opening and closing of the sensors including momentary open and closed positions during capture or replacement of a piece of one set by a piece of another set, movement of pieces can be determined.

Most chess computers with "presence sensor" systems use reed switches and magnets to track the moves of the chess pieces on the chessboard. These systems usually have one reed switch placed under each square of the chessboard (64 reed switches in total). A magnet is positioned in the base of each chess piece. When a piece is placed on a chess square, the reed switch is activated and remains closed until the piece is removed. Thus, the identities of the pieces on the game board may be tracked by the electronics if the pieces start from predefined positions, e.g. a new game or a set-up position defined.
The polarity of the magnets in the pieces is randomly oriented, i.e. some pieces have a south pole downwardly while others may have the north pole facing downwardly. Both will activate the reed switches in normal non-capturing moves where a piece is lifted up and placed onto the new destination square. The electronics can sense this open and close circuit of the reed switch with no problem.
The situation is different if it is a capturing move. On the square of the piece to be captured, the reed switch is closed because there is a piece on it. The piece is then lifted and removed, the reed switch becoming open circuit, and then the capturing piece is put onto the square whereupon the reed switch closes again. The close-open-close action of the reed switch informs the electronics of the capturing move.
If the capturing action is very fast, however, the reed switch may have no opportunity to open since the magnetic force of a capturing piece with the same polarity may overlap and mutually strengthen the magnetic field and so activate the reed switch before the captured piece is removed; thus the reed switch may never open and the electronics will then not register the final step of the move.
With chess, it is not unusual for many good chess players to capture a piece by seizing it between the thumb and index finger of a hand, replacing it by the capturing piece held between the index and middle finger of the same hand or vice versa. Therefore this problem is particularly acute with chess.
Thus, error may occur if the capturing action is fast and if the piece to be captured and the capturing piece have magnets of the same polarity. However, if according to the invention the polarities of the magnets are intentionally oriented so that all of black pieces, i.e. pieces of one set, have their magnets with the same polarity facing downwards and all of the white pieces, i.e. the pieces of the other set, have the opposite, then a close-open-close action on the reed switch of the respective square or board position can be guaranteed. Thus, if a reed switch is, for example, activated by a magnetic field of a north pole, replacing it with a magnetic field of the opposite polarity will cause the reed switch to open as the null-field zone approaches it. The reed switch will close again finally once the capturing piece controls the square.
From experimental results, the duration of opening of the reed switch in these circumstances is at least 4 milli-seconds even when the capturing action is reasonably fast, compared with a typical bounce time of a typical reed switch of 0.4 milli-second, i.e. an order of magnitude smaller. Thus, this is enough time for the electronics and/or the controlling software to distinguish capture from contact bounces of the reed switches.


Containers are provided with externally positioned interlock means to engage the corresponding interlock means of other identical containers. This causes the containers to be temporarily retained together without relative motion transverse to their axes except for possible rotational motion about their axes. Additionally, relative motion parallel to their axes can be prevented. Significant advantages are achieved by this when the containers are being processed along a conveyor system, and when they are stacked in large stacks.

Containers such as paint buckets, and many other containers of various types, are processed by automated means, being placed on a conveyor belt, and automatically filed and capped. Such a conveyor operation is relatively critical, requiring very fine adjustment of the various parameters of operation for efficient processing. For example, plastic containers such as paint buckets, when empty, can be easily thrown out of position as they move along a conveyor belt around curves and the like. Some of the paint buckets can ride up on a paint bucket next to it, assuming a tilted configuration which may prevent effective, automated filling of the container, with paint spilling over the edge of the tilted container.
Similarly, filled plastic or metal containers may be stored in warehouses in large stacks. Theoretically there should be no problem with this, even though the containers may be heavy. However, in actual fact, a container may tilt here as well, or the central portion of the stack of containers may sag slightly out of the plane of each level of containers in the stack, resulting in a focusing of the weight of the stack on one or more of the containers found therein. The result of this may be that such a container may rupture, ruining a substantial amount of the inventory and requiring disassembly of the stack of containers and a clean up operation.
In accordance with this invention, a container interlock system is provided to reduce or eliminate the problems described above. The containers of this invention may be carried in connected relation to each other on a conveyor belt, with their interlocking relationship preventing containers from tilting upwardly or downwardly, or slipping to the side as the conveyor belt proceeds around curves preventing effective processing by automated machinery in the conveyor line.
Similarly, when filled containers of this invention are stacked, their interlocking relationship can maintain them in a precise location without shifting of position, so that the stresses of the load imparted by the stack of containers will not be focused on a single, individual container, resulting in its damage.


A method of forming an optical component on a substrate structure includes forming a ridge in a light transmitting medium positioned on a base. The ridge includes a waveguide region configured to propagate light signals and a flange region extending across a longitudinal axis of the waveguide region. The method also includes removing at least a portion of the flange region so as to expose a facet aligned with the waveguide region such that light signals propagated along the waveguide region are transmitted through the facet.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to optical components, more particularly, to the arrangement and fabrication of waveguide facets on optical components.
2. Background of the Invention
A variety of electrical and optical components are formed on substrates such as silicon and silica. A typical component manufacturing process involves etching the various parts of the components and interconnects onto the surface of a wafer. Ingots can be grown and several disc-shaped wafers are sliced from the ingot. Due to cost and fabrication time efficiencies, several devices are formed on a single wafer. After several components are formed on a wafer the components are separated.
Conventional methods of separating the components include sawing, mechanically cutting, and using a laser or milling machine. Often the edges of the separated components are further finished by polishing. Conventional methods, however, have several disadvantages. For example, vibrational and thermal and other stresses caused by cutting and polishing fatigue the material and result in less than optimum performance of the components. Often the stresses of the separation process do not affect performance of the component until a period of time has passed and the stress fractures and fissures have propagating from the edge of the substrate to critical components.
Optical components using conventional separation techniques are particularly susceptible to the problems discussed above. Due to the small wavelength of light, the performance of optical components is significantly affected by imperfections such as fractures or fissures. Further, the interfaces of optical components such as facets are often formed by cutting and polishing. In addition to the problems discussed above, the cutting and polishing of an optical interface can result in an interface with poor transmission and reflective characteristics.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for separating components formed on a substrate.

Formation of facets on optical components


A jack apparatus for lifting an aircraft having landing gear including snow skis comprising a generally rectangular base having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and at least two lateral members extending between the ends. The base is sized and shaped for positioning between the snow skis. The apparatus further includes a lift having a base end pivotally connected to the base adjacent its second end and a lifting end opposite the base end. The apparatus also includes a slide slidably connected to the base and a brace having an upper pivot end pivotally connected to the lift and a lower pivot end pivotally connected to the slide. In addition, the apparatus includes an actuator connected between the base and the slide for sliding the slide along the base.

The present invention relates to a jack apparatus, and more particularly to a jack apparatus for lifting an aircraft having snow skis.
It is sometimes necessary to lift an aircraft off the ground during manufacture and/or the life of the aircraft. During manufacture, for example, an aircraft may need to be lifted for making final alterations to landing gear or an underside of the aircraft. One reason to lift an aircraft during its life is to make repairs, such as fixing a flat tire.
A common device used to lift aircraft is a tripod jack. Tripod jacks generally include a single aircraft interface point extending above a three legged base. Many aircraft require concurrent use of two or more tripod jacks to lift them. For example, to lift a fuselage of a helicopter, two tripods are usually used, where each tripod contacts one of two jack lifting points on the fuselage. In such applications, tripod jacks are positioned below the helicopter and between the landing gear so their bases do not interfere with each other and the landing gear.
Use of traditional tripod jacks for lifting aircraft has drawbacks. One drawback is the amount of time and energy required to lift the aircraft. For example, when two or more tripod jacks are used to lift the aircraft, an operator usually must incrementally raise each jack a small amount and repeat the incremental raising until the aircraft is lifted. This practice is time and energy intensive. Another drawback of using multiple tripod jacks to lift aircraft is the lack of space to position two tripod jacks as required to lift the aircraft when add-on items are attached. For instance, when snow skis are attached to the landing gear of some helicopters, the amount of space between the skis is insufficient to accommodate the bases of two adjacent traditional tripod jacks.


A serial SCSI (SAS) storage drive system includes a drive enclosure having a first interface card coupled to one storage controller over a single SAS path and a second interface card coupled to another storage controller over a different single SAS path. At least one disk drive within the enclosure is assigned to the first storage controller and interconnected to the storage controller through the first interface card. At least a second disk drive within the enclosure is assigned to the second storage controller and interconnected to the storage controller through the second interface card. The interface cards are selectively interconnected with each other through a crossover port. In the event of a failure in a storage controller or an interface card, the crossover port may be activated, thereby maintaining access to both sets of disk drives.

A relatively new generation of disk drive interface is the serial attached SCSI (SAS) architecture. The architecture is a point-to-point architecture using serial communication directly from the controller to a disk drive or through an expander switching matrix. Multiple devices can be connected at the same time. In contrast, conventional SCSI devices used a slower parallel communication using shared-access topologies in which only two devices are able to communicate at one time. However, SAS uses the conventional SCSI commands. Some additional benefits of the SAS architecture include convenient redundancy through the use of dual-ported disk drives, smaller form factor drives, thinner cables and smaller cable connectors.
One common configuration which addresses a need for high availability is illustrated in FIG. 1. A host device 102 is coupled to two storage controllers 104A, 104B, such as RAID controllers, which may also be known as initiators. The storage controllers 104A, 104B, in turn, are each coupled through SAS paths to both ports of a dual-port drive enclosure 110. Within the enclosure 110 are multiple disk drives 112 and two interface cards 116A, 116B, each of which includes an expander or switch module 118A, 118B. Each disk drive 112 is connected to one of the expanders 118A, 118B through one of two of the drive ports 114A, 114B. Connecting each controller 104A, 104B with each of the interface cards 116A, 116B permits maintenance of full operation of the drives 112 in the event that one of the storage controllers 104A, 104B or one of the interface cards 116A, 116B fails. An additional downstream enclosure 150 may be connected to the first enclosure 110 through additional dual SAS paths, with further downstream enclosures (not shown) connected in a trunk (daisy chain) topology. Alternatively, additional enclosures may each be connected to the first enclosure 110 in a star topology.
Despite the benefits of SAS technology, it remains desirable to further increase the density of disk drives relative to the volume of an enclosure while still maintaining full redundancy.

Internal failover path for SAS disk drive enclosure

International Business Machines Corporation


A handgrip assembly including a sound emitting assembly, the handgrip assembly adapted to be slid over and into a tube end at an end portion of a tubular handlebar.

A wide variety of warning devices is available in the marketplace for use on bicycles and tricycles. These include conventional bicycle bells and air horns with rubber bulbs. Also known are battery powered buzzers which attach to the handlebars in much the same way as a conventional bicycle bell, and which have a button on the casing of the buzzer which, when pressed, causes an appropriate noise to be emitted from the casing.
Existing warning devices protrude out substantially from the frame of the bicycle, are not well protected from the elements or from knocks, and detract from the clean lines of the machine.
An aim of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a sound emitting device which may be used as a warning device which overcomes the abovementioned difficulties on a tubular framed transport means such as a bicycle.
One particulary desirable device for this purpose is described in international patent publication no. WO 03/035191. It describes a sound emitting assembly where a package of electronic components including a sound generator and an electric power source are all located inside a tubular handlebar while the actuating switch is located outside the tubular handlebar distal of the tube end.
It has now been found that a different configuration of components provides a more robust assembly and makes it more convenient to allow for the over-moulding of a wide variety of soft resilient gripping portions using a common internal configuration.

Sound emitting handgrip for a tubular handlebar


A system dries water droplets within a person's outer and inner ear. The presence of the droplets is typically caused by swimming, showering, bathing, and other activities associated with water sports such as diving, water polo and the like. A hair dryer blows warm air at a distance into a handheld drying apparatus. One or more diffusion chambers containing a plurality of apertures deliver warm air from the hair dryer into the outer ear. An integral central tubular element forming part of the diffusion chamber delivers warm air from the hair dryer into the inner canal. The diffusion chamber has a handle to help position the central tubular element within the inner ear canal. The distance between the hair dryer and the handheld drying apparatus may be varied to select a comfortable warmth level and warm air velocity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for drying the outer and inner ear of a person, such as a swimmer or the like, to remove water that has entered the ear canal or has potential to enter the ear canal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many patents address issues related to drying water in a swimmer's ear, since water accumulation has the potential to upset balance and cause ear infections. Representative patents and patent publications that relate to drying of water in the ear canal are discussed hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,444 to Parker (hereinafter, the "'444 patent") discloses a hand-held apparatus for grooming animals. The hand-held animal grooming apparatus is configured as a currycomb with a sealed upper edge and serrated lower edge generally formed as a circular hoop, and further comprises a handle with an axial passage to a flexible conduit fed by a hot air blower. When the currycomb is in use against the body of the animal, the open face is effectively sealed by the animal's body, and warm air is blown along the serration to dry the animal during the combing operation. Alternative versions of the instrument include hollow-chamber brushes having similar handles and having a plurality of air passages for directing heated airflow into the handle and out of these passages, generally along the bristle directions. The apparatus disclosed by the '444 patent cannot be utilized for drying moisture from the outer and inner ear. The direct connection of heated air to the grooming device brings very hot air directed at a high velocity over a large area. This feature can result in damage to the delicate anatomical structure of inner ear.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,072 to Collins, II discloses an external auditory canal drying apparatus. The external ear canal drying apparatus comprises a housing unit, a forced air generating unit with an exhaust outlet, and a nozzle adapter unit that is removably received in the exhaust outlet of the forced air-generating unit. The forced air-generating unit includes an air inlet and exhaust conduit that is operatively associated with a blower motor and a heating element to deliver heated forced air through the exhaust port of the forced air-generating unit. The nozzle adapter unit includes a soft pliable tapered housing that is dimensioned to be partially received in a person's ear canal. In one version, the tapered housing is further provided with a suspended central conduit that delivers the heated air to the person's inner ear. Furthermore, the central conduit also defines a concentric return passageway arranged within the tapered housing to allow the heated air to be vented from the person's ear canal. In another version of the '072 patent device, the exterior of the tapered housing is provided with fluted recesses, through which the heated air escapes. Given the sensitive nature of the human ear, both the air speed generated by the blower motor and the air temperature generated by the heating element must be maintained at fairly low values such that the air flow capacity of the blower motor will not exceed 10 cc/sec and the temperature of the heating element will not exceed 39° C. The blower motor must also have a very low decibel rating given its use in close proximity to a user's ear. However, no means for obtaining these parameters are discussed, since the blower air output is directly exhausted into the inner ear. The airflow from the blower to the inner ear is fixed. Consequently, it cannot be adjusted according to the comfort level desired by the user. No means are provided for drying moisture or water droplets in the outer ear. Moreover, since the apparatus inserted into the ear is an electrical device, there are shock hazards associated with the '072 patent device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,771 to Curtin discloses a scent charged aeration capsule assembly for a hair blower. The scent charged aeration capsule assembly is adapted to be placed over the outlet end of a hair blower whereby, during the blower's operation, a selected fragrance may be directed into a subject's hair from a fragrance laden pad seated within a nozzle. The scented aeration capsule does not dry water in the ear canal. It instead blows aerated particles into the user's hair, and potentially onto the skin and even into the ear itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,803 to Spilman (hereinafter, the "'803 patent") discloses a portable hand held ear vacuum device. The portable hand held ear vacuum device has particular applications for removing fluid and debris from an ear canal. The ear vacuum device comprises a handle element with a motor linked to a fan and a control switch, and a collection chamber for collecting fluid and other debris from an ear canal. The collection chamber is secured to the handle element and has a reservoir therein for collecting and storing accumulated fluid and debris from the ear canal. An ear insertion element is secured to the collection chamber, and is provided with an aperture therein, the aperture being continuous with the reservoir in the collection chamber. The motor in the handle creates a vacuum within the collection chamber, enabling fluids and debris to be drawn from the ear canal into a detachable reservoir by suction. Suction is only possible, if and only if, the water droplets are free and are not wetted to the interior of the inner ear canal. The water droplets that enter the ear during swimming or surfing are forced, at high velocity, into the inner ear and are generally wetted. The '803 patent's ear vacuum apparatus does not evaporate the water droplets from a person's ear; rather the apparatus sucks the moisture and debris from the user's ear. Furthermore, there is also no means disclosed for drying the outer ear.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,297 to Carlsson, et al. (hereinafter, the "'297 patent") discloses a device for ventilating the middle ear. The middle ear ventilating device operates by means of a ventilation tube, which is made of a tissue-compatible material, preferably titanium. The ventilation tube has a through-channel for air communication between the cavity of the middle ear and the outside air. The device for ventilating the middle ear uses an implanted titanium ventilation tube, which connects the middle ear to the outside, thereby draining any fluids in the middle ear. The '297 patent's disclosure has nothing to do with removing moisture or water droplets from the inner ear canal and the outer ear due to water accumulation, primarily from showering, swimming, or water surfing, but instead discloses a drainage type apparatus to be utilized in connection with a medical condition for draining fluid out of the middle ear.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,568 to Gronka discloses an ear canal dryer and method of use thereof. The ear canal dryer comprises a bulb and a speculum, each having an air flow controller. The bulb has a ball check valve to force the air through the speculum, which also has a ball check valve. By inserting the speculum into the ear canal and squeezing the bulb, an air stream is injected into the ear canal causing evaporation of fluid and carrying the moisture out of the canal. The speculum has an external airflow director in the form of grooves for directing air inside the cavity and out along the outer surface of the speculum. The device pulls room air into the ear canal through a tapered speculum. The moist air is prevented from entering the bulb by use of ball check valves. External grooves on the tapered speculum allow moist air to escape to the ambient, thereby drying any moisture or water droplets in the ear canal. The squeezing of the bulb can produce very high velocity air through the ear canal, especially if the bulb is squeezed at a fast rate, risking injury to the delicate eardrum. Since the air delivered into the inner ear is ambient air, it is at room temperature and any drying action is slow. Drying of moisture in the inner ear is impossible when the room's humidity is high.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,071 to Andis, et al. (hereinafter, the "'071 patent") discloses a combined diffuser and concentrator for a hair dryer. The combined diffuser and concentrator includes a handle, a body connected to the handle portion, a barrel connected to the body portion having an inner member defining a first air passageway, an outer member slidably coupled to the inner member and defining a second air passageway that is substantially parallel to the first air passageway, and a shutter. The shutter is coupled to the inner member and is movable in response to sliding of the outer member with respect to the inner member to selectively direct air through the first air passageway and the second air passageway. The outer member is slidable with respect to the inner member from a first position wherein air flows through only the first passageway providing a concentrated airflow. In a second position air flows through the second air passageway, thereby providing a diffuse airflow. The hair dryer combines a diffuser and concentrator assembly. The '071 disclosure has nothing to do with drying moisture or water droplets in the inner ear or outer ear.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0083620 to McCambridge, et al. discloses an attachment for a handheld dryer. The disclosed attachment includes a shell and a dryer barrel-receiving portion. The barrel-receiving portion comprises a plurality of spaced apart elongated fins connected to a shell and configured for frictionally receiving a dryer barrel. The shell has a larger diameter compared to the barrel. A first passage is defined between the shell and the dryer and terminates in a shell inlet defined between the shell and the dryer barrel. The patent publication discloses an attachment to be utilized in conjunction with a handheld dryer. The barrel of the hair dryer is attached to a nozzle, thereby increasing the velocity of the airflow. A concentric annular shell with fins is attached to the barrel of the hair dryer, creating a mixing region between the nozzle flow air and the air sucked between the shell and the barrel by the Venturi effect. The increase volume of flow provides a higher flow capacity from the hair dryer without using a larger blower within the hair dryer. The patent application disclosure has nothing to do with drying moisture or water droplets within inner ear or outer ear. It merely increases the volumetric air output from a hair dryer, but drastically decreases the temperature and velocity of air delivered from the hair dryer; both factors decrease any moisture drying action.
There remains a need in the art for a drying system that effectively dries water in the inner ear canal caused by swimming and participation in water based sports including diving and water surfing. Not only does water present in the inner ear canal need to be removed, but water in the outer ear must also be removed since movement of the head may permit water droplets from the outer ear to enter the inner ear canal. The process of drying these water droplets requires delivery of warm air at a velocity and warmth sufficiently low that the sensitive anatomical structure of the ear is not affected.


Disclosed is a method for the formation of a thick silicon oxide film on the surface of a substrate. The method comprises forming a hydrogen silsesquioxane resin film on the surface of a substrate and converting the hydrogen silsesquioxane resin into silicon oxide ceramic by heating the resin film-bearing substrate in an inert gas atmosphere at 250.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. until the content of silicon-bonded hydrogen in the silicon oxide product has reached .ltoreq.80% of the content of silicon-bonded hydrogen in the hydrogen silsesquioxane.

The present invention relates to a method for the formation of a silicon oxide film on the surface of a substrate. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for the formation of a thick silicon oxide film that is free of cracks and pinholes and that is insoluble in organic solvents.
The formation of a protective film on the surface of a substrate is a technique in general use for the protection of the surface of a substrate. In the particular case of the electric/electronic industries, there has been a very substantial increase in the complexity of semiconductor devices and in topographical variations on the surface of semiconductor devices in association with recent increases in the degree of integration and layer count of such devices. An interlevel dielectric layer may be formed on the surface of a semiconductor device in order to planarize the topographical variations on the surface of the device, while a passivation coating can be laid down on the surface of a semiconductor device in order to protect it from mechanical damage, chemical damage, damage due to static, ionic contaminants, nonionic contaminants, radiation damage, and so forth.
Silicon oxide films are typically used for the interlevel dielectric layers and passivation coatings formed on semiconductor device surfaces. Chemical-vapor deposition (CVD) and spin-coating are examples of the methods used to form these silicon oxide films. In one such spin-coating method, a film of hydrogen silsesquioxane resin is formed on the surface of the substrate (e.g., the semiconductor device, etc. ), and the resin film-bearing substrate is then heated to 500.degree. C. to 1,000.degree. C. in an inert gas atmosphere in order to form a silicon oxide film (Japanese Patent Application Laid Open [Kokai or Unexamined] Number Hei 3-183675 [183,675/1991]).
However, the method proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Number Hei 3-183675 is not able to produce a silicon oxide film thicker than 0.6 micrometers (6,000 angstroms). As a result, this method cannot completely planarize the topographical variations encountered on the surfaces of semiconductor devices, i.e. , topographical variations or height differences in excess of 0.6 micrometers (6,000 angstroms). In addition, when the production of a thick silicon oxide film is attempted by this method, cracks and pinholes are produced in the silicon oxide film and the reliability of the semiconductor device is drastically reduced.
The inventors conducted extensive research into the cause of the inability of the method proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Number Hei 3-183675 to produce thick silicon oxide films. It was discovered that this inability is due to the excessively high-temperature heating (500.degree. C. to 1,000.degree. C.) that is used in order to give a 0% content of silicon-bonded hydrogen in the silicon oxide product. It was also discovered that the silicon oxide film could perform well as an interlevel dielectric layer or passivation coating on the surface of a semiconductor device when the Si-bonded hydrogen content in the silicon oxide film product did not exceed 80% of the Si-bonded hydrogen content in the starting hydrogen silsesquioxane resin. Accordingly, the present invention was achieved as a result of extensive research into a silicon oxide film formation method that would be capable of producing a crack-free and pinhole-free thick silicon oxide film that could function as an interlevel dielectric layer or passivation coating on tile surface of a semiconductor device and that would also be able to thoroughly planarize the topographical variations on the surfaces of semiconductor devices.
The present invention takes as its object the introduction of a method for the formation of an organic solvent-insoluble, crack-free and pinhole-free silicon oxide thick film by the formation of a hydrogen silsesquioxane resin film on the surface of a substrate and then heating this resin film-bearing substrate.

Method for the formation of silicon oxide films


The present invention relates to an antibacterial key for use in a keyboard of a musical instrument. The antibacterial key comprises a key stick and a key cover adhered on the upper surface of the key stick through an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer comprises an adhesive containing a volatile antibacterial agent and can readily add an antibacterial function to the key with an antibacterial effect of the antibacterial agent, which volatilizes from the adhesive layer, at a low cost irrespective of a material or a manufacturing method of the key cover.

An antibacterial bacterial key is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application NO. 7-107373. An antibacterial function is added to a keyboard because a musical instrument having a keyboard is often used commonly by a large number of persons, particularly, in school, so that there is a fear that bacteria attached on fingers of a person be transferred to fingers of another person who next plays the musical instrument through the keyboard. An antibacterial key comprises a key stick and a key cover adhered to the upper surface of the key stick. The key cover is made of synthetic resin containing an antibacterial agent. Specifically, calcium phosphate including metal silver is used as the antibacterial agent. A predetermined amount of the antibacterial agent is added to a palette of acrylic resin, uniformly distributed therein, and molded by injection molding. According to this structure, the antibacterial effect of the antibacterial agent included in the key cover prevents bacteria from proliferating on the key, thus maintaining the cleanliness on the key as well as preventing discoloration of the key.
However, with the conventional antibacterial key, since the key cover is formed by injection molding acrylic resin containing an antibacterial agent, the antibacterial agent acts as an impurity during the injection molding, thus disadvantageously causing difficulties in producing a uniform key cover, for example, moire patterns may appear on the surface of a molded key cover. Therefore, the yield of the molds is reduced, and this causes the cost to increase.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an antibacterial key which is capable of readily adding an antibacterial function at a low cost irrespective of a material or a manufacturing method of a key cover.


A method for providing air to a combustion chamber of an engine, the engine including a compressor and a boost tank selectably coupled to an intake manifold. The method comprises admitting air from the compressor to the intake manifold via a main throttle valve, storing some air from the compressor in a boost tank, and discharging some of the air stored in the boost tank to the intake manifold via an auxiliary throttle valve distinct from the main throttle valve.

A boosted engine may offer greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions than a naturally aspirated engine of similar power. During transient conditions, however, the power, fuel efficiency, and emissions-control performance of a boosted engine may suffer. Such transient conditions may include rapidly increasing or decreasing engine load, engine speed, or mass air flow. For example, when the engine load increases rapidly, a turbocharger compressor may require increased torque to deliver an increased air flow. Such torque may not be available, however, if the turbine that drives the compressor is not fully spun up. As a result, an undesirable power lag may occur before the intake air flow builds to the required level.
It has been recognized previously that a turbocharged engine system may be adapted to store compressed air and to use the stored, compressed air to supplement the air charge from the turbocharger compressor. Accordingly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,423 describes a system in which compressed air is stored in a boost tank and is dispensed when insufficient compressed air is available from the turbocharger compressor.
However, the inventors herein have recognized that other transient control issues may occur during decreasing engine load. For example, when a throttle valve in a boosted engine system closes, the compressed air charge upstream of the throttle valve is released to the atmosphere to avoid compressor surge. This may be done by opening a compressor by-pass valve, for example. Such actions erode fuel efficiency, however, as the mechanical energy used to compress the air charge is wasted when the air is released to the atmosphere. Moreover, in engine systems equipped with low-pressure (LP) exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR), merely opening the by-pass valve may not adequately prepare the engine for low-load operation. This is because the intake air charge will be diluted with exhaust gas during mid- to high-load operation. When the throttle valve closes, this exhaust gas remains trapped behind the throttle valve. During closed-throttle conditions, however, non-diluted, fresh air may be required for reliable combustion.
It will be noted that the engine system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,423 is unthrottled, and therefore does not address the particular transient-control issues noted above. Further, it does not contemplate the broad range of throttle-valve configurations that may be used to address them.
The inventors herein have further recognized that a properly configured compressed-air management system can be used to address the transient-control issues identified above. Therefore, one embodiment provides a method for providing air to a combustion chamber of an engine, the engine including a compressor and a boost tank selectably coupled to an intake manifold. The method comprises admitting air from the compressor to the intake manifold via a main throttle valve, storing some air from the compressor in a boost tank, and discharging some of the air stored in the boost tank to the intake manifold via an auxiliary throttle valve distinct from the main throttle valve. The dual-throttle, boost-tank approaches described here offer improved flexibility in purging exhaust-diluted air from the intake manifold during closed-throttle conditions. In some embodiments, these approaches amplify the effective amount of compressed that can be obtained from a boost tank of a given volume.
It will be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description, which follows. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined by the claims that follow the detailed description. Further, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted herein.

Stored compressed air management and flow control for improved engine performance


An in-vehicle charging apparatus (100) has: a charge control ECU (10), which operates with power supplied from a low-voltage battery (16), and which controls charging; an S2 switch, which is on/off controlled by means of the charge control ECU (10), and which reduces a voltage of the pulse signals when the switch is in the on-state; and a switch (SW1), which is controlled to be in an on-state by means of units other than the charge control ECU (10), and which reduces the voltage of the pulse signals when the switch is in the on-state. In the cases where the switch (SW1) is turned on, power from a charging cable (200) is supplied to the low-voltage battery (16) or the charge control ECU (10).

In recent years, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) are commonly used. In such vehicles, a high voltage battery, a low voltage battery, and an in-vehicle charging apparatus are mounted. The high voltage battery is a power source for driving a motor and the like of the vehicle, and the low voltage battery is a power source for operating an engine control unit (ECU) of the in-vehicle charging apparatus. The in-vehicle charging apparatus is connected with the external power source (hereinafter referred to as "external power source"), and controls charging of the high voltage battery and the low voltage battery from the external power source.
In such a configuration, in a case where the remaining capacity of the low voltage battery is insufficient (in a case of battery exhaustion), the operation of the ECU is stopped, and as a result charging of the batteries cannot be performed. In view of this, for example, PTL 1 discloses a technique in which charging from an external power source to an ECU is performed with use of a path other than a path connected to a high voltage battery and a path connected to a low voltage battery. In this manner, with the technique disclosed in PTL 1, even when the remaining capacity of the low voltage battery is insufficient, the ECU can operate, and therefore charging of batteries can be performed.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Disclosed herein is a positive resist composition comprising in admixture:. (a) 100 parts by weight of an alkali-soluble phenolic resin; PA1 (b) 1-100 parts by weight of a photosensitive agent formed of a quinonediazide sulfonic acid ester; PA1 (c) 1-100 parts by weight of a hydroxy compound having a structure that at least part of its hydroxyl group(s) (--OH) has been modified by at least one conversion reaction selected from the group consisting of esterification with sulfonic acid (--OSO.sub.2 R), esterification with carboxylic acid (--OCOR) and etherification (--O--R), in which R means an alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, aralkyl or substituted aralkyl group; and PA1 (d) sufficient solvent to dissolve the foregoing composition components.

Upon the fabrication of a semiconductor, a semiconductor device is formed by a lithography technique in which a resist is applied onto the surface of a silicon wafer to form a photosensitive film, the film is exposed to light so as to form a latent image and the latent image is then developed to form a negative or positive image. A negative resist composed of cyclized polyisoprene and a bisdiazide compound has heretofore been known as a resist composition for the fabrication of semiconductor devices. However, the negative resist involves a drawback that it cannot be accommodated to the fabrication of semiconductors integrated to high degrees because it is developed with an organic solvent, so that it swells to a significant extent and its resolving power is hence limited.
With the fabrication of highly integrated semiconductors, on the other hand, positive resists, which are developed with an alkali and composed of an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a quinonediazide compound, have come to be widely used because they do not swell and are excellent in resolving power in themselves. It is also possible to form minute patterns of 1 .mu.m or smaller in line width owing to the enhancement of resolution by the improved performance of positive resists and the development of a high-performance aligner.
Incidentally, it is necessary to more rigidly control the dimensions of a resist in the formation of a minute pattern of 1 .mu.m or smaller, particularly 0.8 .mu.m or smaller in line width. However, satisfactory results as to such a requirement are not necessarily obtained from the conventional positive resist compositions. There has been a strong demand for the development of a positive resist composition good in dimensional controllability.

Positive quinone diazide sulfonic acid ester resist composition containing select hydroxy compound additive


In an annularly corrugated flexible plastic protective tube or conduit for receiving lines the longitudinal slit thereof is so widened that it is readily possible to insert the lines without interference. Clamped in fitting manner on the tube is an outer tube which also has a wide longitudinal slot and which covers the longitudinal slot of the first tube. The locking engagement of inner and outer tubes can be improved by corresponding complementary formation of the ribs or corrugations of the tubes. Branch pieces can be clamped onto the inner and outer tubes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plastic protective tube or conduit arrangement for lines, preferably for cable harnesses in motor vehicles, comprising an annularly corrugated flexible plastic tube for receiving the lines, said tube having a longitudinal slit or slot for inserting the lines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such an arrangement is known from German OS No. 3,405,552 and comprises a corrugated flexible plastic tube which is longitudinally slit. In the region of the longitudinal slit the tube walls overlap each other and can be fastened together in press-stud manner by complementary interlockable means A cable harness or tree can be inserted into such a tube through the bent-open longitudinal slit; hereafter the longitudinal slit is closed and the cable harness is protected by the tube from mechanical and chemical influences.
However, on laying round tight curves when the closed longitudinal slot is in an unfavourable position it can spring open again; it is also possible for the cable tree or harness to be damaged on the sharp longitudinal edges when introduced through the narrow longitudinal slit.
In addition, the wall thickness of such a plastic tube is relatively small due to the production methods; it may therefore happen that the known plastic tube is crushed by projecting edges or the like.
The disadvantage mentioned at the beginning can admittedly be overcome by longitudinal division of the tube into two half tubes as is known from German OS No. 2,304,852 but this latter known arrangement has the disadvantage that the cable harness or tree after insertion into one of the tube halves does not stay in the latter but must be additionally fixed before the other tube half is fitted.
If several tube portions are to be attached to a cable tree or harness and lie one behind the other a special connecting sleeve is necessary to avoid the cable being worn through by the tubes at the joint between said two tubes.
An advantage of the known conduit arrangement resides in that it has a substantially circular outer contour so that commercially available connecting fittings, connecting sleeves and the like can be employed.
A further advantage of the known arrangement is that projecting nipples which can be cut open are provided on the tube and branches of the cable tree or harness can be inserted into said nipples and thus need not be passed through the longitudinal slit. These branch positions must however be sealed with insulating tape or the like to prevent water or other liquids from reaching the interior of the conduit or tube arrangement.

Plastic protective tube arrangement for lines

Frankische Rohrwerk Gebr. Kirchner GmbH & Co.


A communication cable suitable for Power over Ethernet (“PoE”) applications may include one or more twisted pairs of individually insulated conductors that are insulated with a material that includes fluorinated ethylene propylene. Additionally, a jacket that includes foamed polyvinylidene fluoride may be formed around the one or more twisted pairs. The PoE cable may have a higher maximum temperature rating and be capable of transmitting higher amperage signals than conventional PoE cables while satisfying applicable electrical performance criteria.

Twisted pair communication cables are commonly utilized to transmit Ethernet and other data signals. In certain applications, twisted pair cables are utilized to provide both data signals and electrical power to a wide variety of devices, such as lighting devices, wireless access points, etc. Typically, electrical power is provided over twisted pairs in accordance with a Power over Ethernet ("PoE") standard. Conventional PoE cables typically include outer jackets formed from polyvinyl chloride ("PVC") materials. However, PVC materials have a maximum temperature rating of 105° C., which limits an amount of power that can be transmitted via a PoE cable. Current PoE cables with a PVC jacket are typically rated transmit a 0.7 ampere signal at up to a 90° C. operating temperature. Further, PVC materials will often degrade over time at sustained higher temperatures near their rated temperature.
As electrical power requirements increase, it is desirable to transmit higher current and/or higher power signals via PoE cables. Additionally, twisted pair cables are often required to satisfy ever increasing bandwidth requirements. Potential jacket materials having higher temperature ratings that may be utilized to enhance the power transmission capabilities of twisted pair cables, such as polyvinylidene fluoride ("PVDF"), negatively impact the electrical performance of twisted pair conductors. The dielectric constant and dissipation factors of PVDF and similar materials adversely affect the electrical performance of the cable. Accordingly, there is an opportunity for improved twisted pair PoE cables that include foamed PVDF jackets and that satisfy desired electrical performance criteria. There is also an opportunity for improved twisted pair PoE cables having higher temperature ratings, such as a temperature rating of 125° C. or higher. There is further an opportunity for improved twisted pair PoE cables that are suitable for transmission of higher amperage and/or power signals than conventional PoE cables.

Twisted pair communication cables with foamed PVDF jackets


A multi-purpose electronic switch is disclosed herein. The multi-purpose electronic switch includes a housing having a front and a back and defining an internal volume, a switch having a default position and movable to a first position and a second position from the default position. The switch can receive a press-button input by moving from the default position to one of the first and second positions. The multi-purpose electronic switch can include a display located on the switch, and a plurality of sensors located within the internal volume of the housing. The plurality of sensors can detect a swipe input across the front of the housing. The multi-purpose electronic switch can include a processor that can control the display to generate images representing a plurality of menu items and settings within the menu items and receive inputs selecting menu items.

Prior art for light switches and dimmers have commonly controlled "ON/OFF" control and dimming control for light fixtures through line voltage, low voltage, and wireless connections. Thermostats commonly display indoor conditions and provide control of heating and cooling systems through wired connections to the building systems. Several variations of lighting, water heating, and HVAC controls have been developed and marketed to offer control and monitoring of building systems with backlit touch activated LED screens, press button switches, and sliders. Thermostats and humidistats commonly have multi-purposed touch screen displays and controls as well and press-button and slide controls.


A method and apparatus for configuring a server in a distributed data processing system is provided. The server receives a request for a function that specifies a first server name and a second server name. The server responds to requests directed to a set of server names that includes the first server name. The function executes on the server specified by the first server name, wherein the function dynamically modifies a membership of the second server name in the set of server names. The server names for the server are added or removed dynamically without halting or restarting the server.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and, in particular, to a method and system for using server names in a distributed data processing environment.
2. Description of Related Art
As electronic commerce becomes more prevalent, business relationships between vendors and between a vendor and its customers becomes more valuable. Businesses are more willing to protect those relationships by spending more money on information technology that protects the integrity of their electronic commerce connections. In so doing, businesses protect not only their data and cash flow but also intangibles such as reputations and goodwill. In addition, the complexity of information technology, the pressure of global competition, and the demands of universal access and round-the-clock availability of electronic systems greatly increases the need to minimize disruptions in electronic commerce operations.
A corporation""s information technology infrastructure may fail at various pressure points, such as telecommunication links, software application errors, and computer hardware failures. The complexity of distributed data processing systems places greater reliability demands on all of these factors. One method of increasing the reliability of a system is building redundancy into a system.
When a server fails in a network that contains more than one server, another server can assume the responsibilities of the failed server. In order for a recovery server to assume the role of a failed server, the recovery server needs to be able to respond to requests to the failed server on the network.
Typically, a cluster of servers are configured to respond to a shared cluster name, and each of the servers in the cluster assumes a portion of the duties related to the total demand placed on the cluster by clients. If a server fails, the set of servers in the cluster was already configured to share the processing duties among the other servers in the set, and the failure of a single server merely places a slightly larger processing load on the remaining servers in the cluster.
However, configuring a cluster for fail-over can be rather cumbersome. In one method, in order to set up a cluster of servers that can fail over to each other, all of the existing server names must be assembled and placed into a fail-over group of names. The individual servers are then given other new names.
In addition to fail-over, there are other scenarios for networked servers in which a server is either brought on-line or taken off-line in an effort to improve the reliability of the system. The addition of new hardware, the maintenance of previously installed hardware, and the migration of servers are merely a few examples.
Usually a server is brought off-line to be reconfigured during these various scenarios. Clients that rely on a server taken off-line are inconvenienced while the server is off-line, which creates indirect costs associated with the problem originally being resolved during the reconfiguration.
It would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus for configuring servers so that a server may easily assume the responsibilities of another server in a fail-over situation. It would be particularly advantageous if the same method and apparatus may be used to facilitate the migration and maintenance of servers in such a way that the clients on a network experience a minimum of inconvenience during a reconfiguration of a server.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for configuring a server in a distributed data processing system. The server receives a request for a function that specifies a first server name and a second server name. The server responds to requests directed to a set of server names that includes the first server name. The function executes on the server specified by the first server name, wherein the function dynamically modifies a membership of the second server name in the set of server names. The server names for the server are added or removed dynamically without halting or restarting the server.

Method and system for dynamic addition and removal of multiple network names on a single server

International Business Machines Corporation


A radio communication system includes a transmitting station, and at least one receiving apparatus. The transmitting station includes a plurality of modulation units configured to modulate a plurality of input data to generate first data signals in units of blocks having a predetermined data length, a subtraction unit configured to calculate, by using information acquired in advance and indicating a communication path response between the transmitting station and the receiving apparatus, information indicating directivity upon transmission of the first data signals of each of the plurality of modulation units, and predetermined information included in an additional signal to be added to a data signal, a delay wave component of the additional signal and subtract the delay wave component calculated, from each of the first data signals of the plurality of modulation units, to generate a plurality of second data signals, a beam forming unit configured to adjust, by using the information indicating directivity, power and a phase upon transmission of each of the plurality of second data signals to generate a plurality of third data signals, a plurality of adding units configured to add the additional signal to each of the plurality of third data signals to generate a plurality of fourth data signals, and a plurality of communication units configured to transmit the plurality of fourth data signals to the receiving apparatus.

Due to diversification of radio communication services, the number of mobile communication terminals such as smartphones, base stations, and the like that perform radio communication increase, and the amount of data transmitted increases. To transmit a large amount of data, for example, techniques for radio communication systems using single carrier block multi-user Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) transmissions have been proposed (see NPL 1).

Radio communication system, communication method, and transmitting station device

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION