A method of producing stable, non-fogging fragrances for automobiles and other vehicular environments. A non-fogging fragrance constructed by combining ingredients individually passing a standard fogging test. Non-fogging solvents identified to maintain a liquid fragrance and prevent freezing at low temperatures. The fragrance chemically stabilized by storage in a tightly sealed container covered with an inert gas. The sealed container also eliminates unwanted vapor emissions in the vehicle. The fragrance is provided on demand as a spray, ensuring delivery with uniform odor integrity over the lifetime of the product.

The field of the invention is a process for providing an acceptable fragrance into automobiles and other vehicles, both ground and air. The process provides stable odor over time in a uniform formulation that does not deposit on the surface of glass or plastic, causing unacceptable fogging.
The use of fragrant materials in environmental areas has a long history. Many patents exist for devices for applying fragrance to the air of buildings and vehicles. They primarily deal with mechanisms of application rather than the chemical and physical properties of the aromas themselves. Specifically, no prior patent concerns the creation of aromas satisfying all the requirements of the automotive industry.
Fragrances are complicated mixtures of chemicals that if exposed to air for extended periods of time undergoes significant alteration in odor. There are two major reasons for this change. The first is the fact that the so-called top note of the fragrance is composed of compounds that volatilize rapidly, and become depleted from the fragrance composition. The second is the fact that many fragrance compounds undergo oxidation when exposed to air. This oxidation results in a state sometimes referred to as rancidity. These two pathways result in an unacceptable change in the fragrance over time.
The methods of dispensing odors often involve evaporation from a substrate such as a paper blotter or plastic film. Such methods result in the release of selective components over time, continually changing the odor character. Spraying the aroma by pump or aerosol delivers a fragrance of uniform quality over time, and this is the preferred method of this invention.
The area in which there is a long felt need for improved fragrance delivery is within the automobile. The automobile offers a number of challenges to applying fragrance over an extended time. The first is the fact that fragrance compositions exposed to the air will undergo loss of top note and be susceptible to rancidity. The second is the fact that fragrance compounds will condense on the glass in an automobile, giving a phenomenon known as fog.
The Society of Automotive Engineers has advanced a test method (SAE J1756) which is applied to all materials used in the automobile. This method, entitled xe2x80x9cTest procedure to determine the fogging characteristics of interior automotive materialsxe2x80x9d, is used on all products that are used inside automobiles. Standard fragrances contain many compounds that do not pass this test either alone or in combination with others.
SAE J1756 tests the tendency of interior materials used in automobiles and other vehicles to produce a light-scattering film (fog) on a glass surface or to produce a measurable deposit on aluminum foil. Fog is defined as the deposit of an undesirable light-scattering film on the interior glass surface of a vehicle. Fog Number, determined by a photometric method, is the quotient, expressed as the 60 degree reflectance value of a glass plate with fogging deposits and the 60 degree reflectance of the same glass plate without fogging deposits, multiplied by 100. The basic components of the fog test unit are a chamber that can be heated, and a glass plate that can be cooled.
The need for a fragrance delivery system and compositions for such delivery that is (a) chemically uniform with time, (b) is resistant to oxidation and rancidity, and (c) will pass the SAE J1756 test, has not been recognized by the fragrance industry. It was not until the process of the present invention that compositions passing the SAE J1756 test as well as methods for their delivery were attained.
Fragrances are not one component systems: rather they are typically complex mixtures of ingredients that interact with each other to produce an appealing odor. It is possible that a material that causes fogging when tested alone will not have an adverse effect when a small amount is in a blend. Since single materials do not allow the diversity of aromas characteristic of commercial fragrances, the examples show simple blends that allow the creation of a variety of odors. The examples are constructed totally of nonfogging materials. The solvents allow cost reduction, dilution of strong odorants, and prevention of freezing in frigid climates.
Objective of the Invention
It is the objective of the present invention to provide fragrance compositions and a method of delivering them that are chemically uniform, oxidatively stable, and are non-fogging on automotive glass.
Summary of the Invention
Fragrances consist of a diverse mixture of chemical types, including hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, aldehydes and ketones, heterocyclics, Schiff bases, and phenols. Natural products consisting of complex mixtures are used, such as citrus and flower oils. In addition to aroma chemicals, solvents and surfactants are often included in fragrance compositions to reduce cost, dissolve solid materials, or modify the solubility characteristics: examples are dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, benzyl benzoate, polysorbate 20 and nonoxynol 9.
To satisfy this invention, aroma materials must be selected either individually or in combination which produce pleasant scents or which can help mask unpleasant odors such as smoke and decaying food. In addition, fragrances having desired properties as determined by studies in aromachology will have special value.
Studies have proven that fragrances can effect mood and alertness, based on the transmission of olfactory information to the limbic system of the brain. In particular, research has shown that aromas can increase driver awareness and thus enhance safety. This invention includes specific materials of functional as well as aesthetic value.
The fragrance compositions useful in the practice of the present invention are composed of (a) solvents, (b) aroma chemicals and (c) surfactants. In order to be useful in the practice of the present invention, each component must pass SAE-J1756 having a minimum fog number of 60. Within the broad guidelines of SAE-J1756, individual vehicle manufacturers have specified exact criteria.
Several series of fogging tests on aroma chemicals and solvents have been performed (Reliable Analysis, Troy, Mich.). To conform as closely as possible to automotive requirements, General Motors test procedure GM9305P was employed. Samples were subjected to 95xc2x0 C. for 6 hours in a Hart Fog Chamber (Model 0011, S/N 125) and a 38xc2x0 C. cooling plate. The samples were conditioned for 16 hours in the laboratory environment. Gloss measurements were made (BYK-Gardner Micro TRI Gloss Meter), and microscopic examination (40xc3x97 magnification) performed. A minimum fogging number of 60 was required. Test materials can fail for a high fog number, the presence of droplets, or crystal formation

Method of supplying stable, non-fogging fragrances to vehicles


A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor has an exchange-coupled side shield structure on each of two side regions of the sensor and an exchange-coupled top shield structure on the sensor and the two exchange-coupled side shield structures. Each exchange-coupled structure comprises an antiferromagnetic layer and a shield of soft magnetically permeable material exchange-coupled with the antiferromagnetic layer. Each side shield and the top shield has its magnetization oriented generally parallel to the sensor front edge and generally parallel to the plane of the sensor's free ferromagnetic layer. The shields in each exchange-coupled side shield structure and the exchange-coupled top shield structure may be an antiparallel coupled structure of two magnetically permeable films separated by a nonmagnetic coupling film.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor that operates with the sense current directed perpendicularly to the planes of the layers making up the sensor stack, and more particularly to a CPP-MR sensor with side shields.
2. Background of the Invention
One type of conventional magnetoresistive (MR) sensor used as the read head in magnetic recording disk drives is a "spin-valve" sensor based on the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect. A GMR spin-valve sensor has a stack of layers that includes two ferromagnetic layers separated by a nonmagnetic electrically conductive spacer layer, which is typically copper (Cu). One ferromagnetic layer adjacent the spacer layer has its magnetization direction fixed, such as by being pinned by exchange coupling with an adjacent antiferromagnetic layer, and is referred to as the reference layer. The other ferromagnetic layer adjacent the spacer layer has its magnetization direction free to rotate in the presence of an external magnetic field and is referred to as the free layer. With a sense current applied to the sensor, the rotation of the free-layer magnetization relative to the reference-layer magnetization due to the presence of an external magnetic field is detectable as a change in electrical resistance. If the sense current is directed perpendicularly through the planes of the layers in the sensor stack, the sensor is referred to as a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) sensor.
In addition to CPP-GMR read heads, another type of CPP-MR sensor is a magnetic tunnel junction sensor, also called a tunneling MR or TMR sensor, in which the nonmagnetic spacer layer is a very thin nonmagnetic tunnel barrier layer. In a CPP-TMR sensor the tunneling current perpendicularly through the layers depends on the relative orientation of the magnetizations in the two ferromagnetic layers. In a CPP-GMR read head the nonmagnetic spacer layer is formed of an electrically conductive material, typically a metal such as Cu. In a CPP-TMR read head the nonmagnetic spacer layer is formed of an electrically insulating material, such as TiO2, MgO, or Al2O3.
The sensor stack in a CPP-MR read head is located between two along-the-track shields of soft magnetically permeable material that shield the read head from recorded data bits in the track that are neighboring the data bit being read. The sensor stack has an edge that faces the disk with a width referred to as the track width (TW). The sensor stack has a back edge recessed from the edge that faces the disk, with the dimension from the disk-facing edge to the back edge referred to as the stripe height (SH). The sensor stack is generally surrounded at the TW edges and back edge by insulating material. A layer of hard magnetic material is used to bias or stabilize the magnetization of the free layer and is deposited on both sides of the sensor onto insulating material on each side of the TW edges. As the data density increases in magnetic recording disk drives, there is a requirement for a decrease in the read head dimensions, more particularly the TW. However, the effective or "magnetic" TW does not decrease linearly with a decrease in the physical TW because of side reading of data bits from adjacent tracks. To overcome this problem, side shields of soft magnetically permeable material located on the sides of the sensor have been proposed to absorb magnetic flux from data bits in adjacent tracks. The side shields require that the soft magnetic material be located on the sides of the free layer at the TW edges, which means that the hard magnetic biasing material must be removed. This requires the use of an alternative technique to maintain magnetic stabilization of the free layer.
What is needed is a CPP-MR sensor with a side shield structure that also maintains magnetic stabilization of the free layer.

Current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor with exchange-coupled side shield structure


A mobile magnetometry processing system which scans an area in order to mure the magnetic field strength over the area, comprising:. a plurality of N sensors for sensing the magnetic field of the area being scanned, each sensor generating an output signal, for example, a voltage, which is a function of the magnetic field it scans, the sensor being aligned in the general direction of the motion of the system; PA0 a plurality of N sets of means for weighting, for receiving and weighting the N signals from the means for sensing, each of the N sets comprising M weighting means; PA0 a plurality of M summers, each have N inputs, one from each of the N sets of means for weighting, for summing its N input weighted signals; PA0 a plurality of M filters each having an input which is connected to the output of a summer, for delaying the exit of an input signal by an amount of time equal to the time required for a sensor to advance the distance to the nearest adjacent sensor, the filtering process comprising a convolution; PA0 means, associated with the M filters, for measuring the velocity of the magnetometry processing system and thereby determining the delay of the M filters; and PA0 an output summer, whose M inputs are connected to the outputs of the M filters, the output signal being a measure of the strength of the magnetic field of the area being traversed by the sensors.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mobile magnetometry processing system which improves the performance of mobile magnetometers through improved signal processing techniques which provide better separation of the spatial and temporal portions of ambient fields. A high degree of control over the spatial response function is provided. Responses corresponding to an aperture greater than that implied by the length of the sensor's string can be obtained. The magnetic field in the vicinity of the surface of the Earth is divided into two major components. These are:
(1) A time-varying component due to magnetic storms, lightning, circulating currents in the ionosphere, etc. This component will be referred to herein as the temporal component.
(2) A relatively steady component whose value depends on the location at which it is measured. This component is due to mineral deposits, large magnetic objects, etc. This component will be referred to herein as the spatial component.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Measurements of the spatial component of the magnetic field are of interest for applications including mineral prospecting and locating ferrous objects. Such measurements are made from a mobile platform such as an aircraft to permit the magnetic sensor to scan a significant geographic region. Since the output of a sensor moving through a spatially patterned field will be a time-varying signal, it is difficult to separate these spatially related components from the temporally induced components which would cause a time-varying signal even if the sensor were stationary. Separating these components is a major problem in mobile magnetometry. In addition, it is generally desired to examine the detailed local structures of the spatial component with minimal interference from its gross variation over large distances.
Prior art attempts to solve these problems have generally involved differencing the outputs of a pair of magnetometers to measure the gradient of the field. This provides good rejection of temporal components but greatly constrains the spatial response function of the instrument. It is also possible to compare the outputs of fixed and moving magnetometers. This, however, restricts the search area to the vicinity of the fixed magnetometer. A slow search with a single magnetometer will provide time averaging over the temporal component. It is also possible to average over successive passes, or scans, through the same search area. Both of these approaches result in greatly increased search time.

Multiple sensor magnetometer with temporal noise rejection and controllable spatial response on a moving platform

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


An investment casting pattern component has a spine and a number of tines extending from the spine.

The invention relates to investment casting. More particularly, the invention relates to the forming of core-containing patterns for investment forming investment casting molds.
Investment casting is a commonly used technique for forming metallic components having complex geometries, especially hollow components, and is used in the fabrication of superalloy gas turbine engine components.
Gas turbine engines are widely used in aircraft propulsion, electric power generation, ship propulsion, and pumps. In gas turbine engine applications, efficiency is a prime objective. Improved gas turbine engine efficiency can be obtained by operating at higher temperatures, however current operating temperatures in the turbine section exceed the melting points of the superalloy materials used in turbine components. Consequently, it is a general practice to provide air cooling. Cooling is typically provided by flowing relatively cool air from the compressor section of the engine through passages in the turbine components to be cooled. Such cooling comes with an associated cost in engine efficiency. Consequently, there is a strong desire to provide enhanced specific cooling, maximizing the amount of cooling benefit obtained from a given amount of cooling air. This may be obtained by the use of fine, precisely located, cooling passageway sections.
A well developed field exists regarding the investment casting of internally-cooled turbine engine parts such as blades, vanes, seals, combustors, and other components. In an exemplary process, a mold is prepared having one or more mold cavities, each having a shape generally corresponding to the part to be cast. An exemplary process for preparing the mold involves the use of one or more wax patterns of the part. The patterns are formed by molding wax over ceramic cores generally corresponding to positives of the cooling passages within the parts. In a shelling process, a ceramic shell is formed around one or more such patterns in a well known fashion. The wax may be removed such as by melting, e.g., in an autoclave. The shell may be fired to harden the shell. This leaves a mold comprising the shell having one or more part-defining compartments which, in turn, contain the ceramic core(s) defining the cooling passages. Molten alloy may then be introduced to the mold to cast the part(s). Upon cooling and solidifying of the alloy, the shell and core may be mechanically and/or chemically removed from the molded part(s). The part(s) can then be machined and/or treated in one or more stages.
The ceramic cores themselves may be formed by molding a mixture of ceramic powder and binder material by injecting the mixture into hardened metal dies. After removal from the dies, the green cores may then be thermally post-processed to remove the binder and fired to sinter the ceramic powder together. The trend toward finer cooling features has taxed ceramic core manufacturing techniques. The cores defining fine features may be difficult to manufacture and/or, once manufactured, may prove fragile.
A variety of post-casting techniques were traditionally used to form the fine features. A most basic technique is conventional drilling. Laser drilling is another. Electrical discharge machining or electro-discharge machining (EDM) has also been applied. For example, in machining a row of cooling holes, it is known to use an EDM electrode of a comb-like shape with teeth having complementary shape to the holes to be formed. Various EDM techniques, electrodes, and hole shapes are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,884 of Olsson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,443 of Sidenstick, U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,325 of Cross et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,076 of Cross et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,133 of Moore et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,639 of Banks et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,239 of Adamski et al. The hole shapes produced by such EDM techniques are limited by electrode insertion constraints.
Commonly-assigned co-pending U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,500 of Shah et al. discloses exemplary use of a ceramic and refractory metal core combination. With such combinations, generally, the ceramic core(s) provide the large internal features such as trunk passageways while the refractory metal core(s) provide finer features such as outlet passageways. As is the case with the use of multiple ceramic cores, assembling the ceramic and refractory metal cores and maintaining their spatial relationship during wax overmolding presents numerous difficulties. A failure to maintain such relationship can produce potentially unsatisfactory part internal features. It may be difficult to assemble fine refractory metal cores to ceramic cores. Once assembled, it may be difficult to maintain alignment. The refractory metal cores may become damaged during handling or during assembly of the overmolding die. Assuring proper die assembly and release of the injected pattern may require die complexity (e.g., a large number of separate die parts and separate pull directions to accommodate the various RMCs).
Separately from the development of RMCs, various techniques for positioning the ceramic cores in the pattern molds and resulting shells have been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,308 of Caccavale et al. discloses use of small projections unitarily formed with the feed portions of the ceramic core to position a ceramic core in the die for overmolding the pattern wax. Such projections may then tend to maintain alignment of the core within the shell after shelling and dewaxing.
Nevertheless, there remains room for further improvement in core assembly techniques.


A printer comprises a cutter; a non-volatile storage module; a command receiving module configured to receive a command for instructing a cutting method of a continuous paper from an information processing apparatus connected to the printer; a first cutting control module configured to control an operation of the cutter to cut the continuous paper in the cutting method instructed by the command; a recording module configured to record information indicating the cutting method in the storage module at the time of paper cutting based on the command; and a second cutting control module configured to cut the continuous paper in a cutting method indicated by the information stored in the storage module at the time of paper cutting without the command.

A printer for printing a receipt or a coupon is connected to or mounted on a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal, a self-service checkout apparatus or a checkout apparatus of a semi-self-service checkout system. A cutting method of a continuous paper used in such a printer includes a full cutting in which the continuous paper is completely separated after printing, and a partial cutting in which the continuous paper is not completely cut and a part of the paper such as a center or an edge (side edge) of the paper is kept uncut. In a case in which a plurality of receipts or coupons is issued to be handed over in a lump to a customer, a mixed cutting method is adopted. In the mixed cutting method, the partial cutting is performed between printed matters (receipts or coupons) on the continuous paper and the full cutting is performed on two positions of one set, i.e., a leading end and a trailing end of one set of printed matters.
Such cutting methods are selected according to a type of business of a retail store and an operation method of a checkout apparatus. For example, in a POS terminal that is operated by a cashier (store clerk) and mainly issues a single receipt, it is preferable to apply the full cutting through which a cutting end of the receipt is clear and the time taken for the store clerk to tear the continuous paper is not necessary. On the other hand, the self-service checkout apparatus or the checkout apparatus of the semi-self-service system is generally operated by a customer. Therefore, it is preferable to apply the partial cutting in which the receipt is maintained to be appeared at a receipt issuing port after issuance of the receipt. The receipt stands out to attract customer's attention to prevent the receipt from being left, and also prevent the receipt from falling to the outside.
For these reasons, in a host apparatus for the printer of the POS terminal or the like, the cutting method is preset according to an operation of the host apparatus, and a command for instructing the cutting method is output together with the printing data. The printer cuts the continuous paper according to the command received together with the printing data.
On the other hand, the printer does not receive printing data from the host apparatus in an automatic feed operation and an automatic cutting operation for aligning and cutting a leading end of the continuous paper at the time of closing a cover of the printer after replacing the paper or after resolving an error, and thus the printer does not also receive the command for instructing the cutting method. A conventional printer automatically cuts the continuous paper by applying a default value of the cutting method that is preset before shipment. Therefore, if the preset cutting method is a general method different from the cutting method instructed from the host apparatus, there is a problem in which the continuous paper is automatically cut by the cutting method, as described above, with which an operator is not generally familiar, resulting in lacking of convenience.

Printer and method for cutting continuous paper by the same


An apparatus for the automatic dispensing of beverages by the glass is provided with space-saving container adapted to be installed and implemented so as to allow an optimized occupation of the available spaces.

Devices and apparatuses are known from the prior art which are adapted to automatically dispense beverages from containers such as bottles and the like. Some of these devices and apparatuses are such whereby the bottles or the similar vessels are kept in upside down position and dispense the beverage contained therein by means of conveniently opening a valve which allows the falling by gravity of the beverage into a container conveniently positioned at the mouth of the vessel.
Others provide the bottles, or the similar vessels, to be kept in vertical position, resting on the bottom thereof, and dispensing the beverage by means of two tubes introduced into the bottle through the bottle cap. An inert gas is blown into the bottle through one of the aforesaid tubes, thus keeping the beverage pressurized. When the dispensing tap associated with a tube is opened, the pressurized gas allows dispensing the beverage through the other tube. Devices and apparatuses of this second type are particularly suitable in all those cases, such as e.g. in the case of wine, in which the beverage contained in the bottle would suffer a decline of its organoleptic quality due to the upside down position of the bottle.
Said devices and apparatuses adapted to automatically dispense beverages from containers such as bottles and the like generally comprise a container adapted to contain the bottles and vessels from which the liquid is to be drawn, said container being provided with a resting base, preferably placed on the lower side of the container and associated with mobile lifting means possibly provided with manually, mechanically, electrically or pneumatically activated actuators, and a tap block, adapted to engage the opening of a bottle or similar vessel for beverages and to adjust the release of the beverage contained therein.
The implementation of these apparatuses for dispensing beverages by the glass provides arranging and connecting the hook up to the electric network, the inert gas distribution network or to an external cylinder containing said inert gas, and possibly to the Internet or local data network, in the place where the apparatus will operate.
Dispensing apparatuses of this type are especially used in wine shops, restaurants, coffee shops, and may be adapted to contain a number of bottles which typically goes from 2 or 3 to 6 or 8. Often, especially in wine shops, wine bars, sampling rooms and the like, a plurality of apparatuses of this type is used. Given the significant volume characterizing the containers of the dispensing apparatuses involved, it is apparent that using a plurality of them may result in the problem of occupying significant space in areas which have limited spaces. Moreover, the shape of the containers of the dispensing apparatuses of beverages by the glass of the prior art does not allow any flexibility of use when installation spaces have an irregular development or particular needs for adaptation to structures or parts of pre-existing furnishings.
The present invention allows the aforesaid drawbacks to be overcome by introducing an apparatus for the automatic dispensing of beverages by the glass comprising a space-saving container adapted to be installed and implemented, especially together with other apparatuses provided with containers of the same type, so as to allow an optimized occupation of the available spaces.

Apparatus for dispensing beverages by the glass provided with space-saving container


A common mode filter includes a drum core that includes a first flange, a second flange and a winding core; a first winding wire wound around the winding core from a first winding start position to a first winding end position; and a second winding wire wound around the winding core from a second winding start position to a second winding end position. The first winding start position and the second winding start position are arranged at an equal distance from the first flange and arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to a center of the winding core. The first winding end position and the second winding end position are arranged at an equal distance from the second flange and arranged symmetrically to each other with respect to the center of the winding core.

Common mode filters have been known as one of electronic components used for high-frequency circuits. There are mainly two types of common mode filters, one is a winding type and the other is a thin film type. For high frequency circuits, winding-type common mode filters are often used.
A winding-type common mode filter includes a drum core, two winding wires wound around the drum core, and a plurality of terminal electrodes that are each electrically connected to ends of the two windings. The drum core has a pair of flanges and a winding core that connects the pair of flanges. Each of the two windings has a winding portion wound around an outer peripheral surface of the winding core and a lead portion that extends from each end of the winding portion to a tip of the winding.
Each of the two windings is electrically connected with a corresponding terminal electrode at its lead portion. The winding portion is wound around the winding core such that it contacts the outer peripheral surface of the winding core. The winding portion has more than one turn. In order to match a characteristic impedance of the winding, it is desirable that a capacitances generated between two adjacent turns in the winding portion be constant by arranging the turns at a regular interval in the winding portion.
Conventional winding-type common mode filters are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-56934 ("the '934 Publication"), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-29210 ("the '210 Publication"), Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-008931 ("the '931 Publication"), and International Publication WO 2008/096487 ("the '487 Publication"). In these conventional common mode filters, terminal electrodes are provided on a lower surface or an upper surface of the flange, and the lead portion of the winding is coupled to a junction portion of a terminal electrode.
It is desirable that the two windings of the common mode filter are formed to have the same length. This is because it is difficult to match the characteristic impedance if the two windings have different lengths.
However, in conventional common mode filters in which the terminal electrodes are provided on one of the lower surface or the upper surface of the flange, the geometrical arrangement of the two windings, in particular, the geometrical arrangement of the lead portions becomes asymmetric with respect to each other, and therefore it is difficult to make the lengths of the two windings equal to each other.
When a general-purpose drum core is used, it is particularly difficult to make the length of the lead portion of one of the two windings equal to the length of the lead portion of the other winding. For example, when a general-purpose drum core is used, to obtain a small inductance design, the number of turns of the winding around the winding core is decreased. Accordingly, referring to FIG. 3 of the '487 Publication, the windings are disproportionally arranged toward one of the flanges.
As described in the '210 Publication, when two windings are bifilar-wound, if a distance between adjacent turns of the two windings is made constant, the two windings can be each formed symmetrically with respect to the center of the winding core of the drum core in the length direction of the winding core. However, as pointed out in paragraph [0006] of the '210 Publication, it is difficult to bifilar-wind the two wires such that the interval between the two windings becomes constant.
FIG. 5 of the '931 Publication discloses a common mode filter in which a concave portion is formed on each end surface of each flange and a terminal electrode is provided in each of the concave portions. In such a configuration, it is possible to arrange the two windings geometrically symmetrical by providing the terminal electrodes on the two opposing side surfaces of each flange.
However, in the common mode filter described in the '931 Publication, the lead portion of each winding is connected to the terminal electrode in a slack state. More specifically, the lead portion of each winding extends in a slight arc from the boundary with the winding portion to the junction portion (the conductive connecting portion E) with the terminal electrode. Therefore, the length of the lead portion changes depending on the looseness of the lead portion. Moreover, when the lead portion is slack, it may lead to variation in the intervals between adjacent turns of the winding portion. In the common mode filter described in the '931 Publication, since the end portions of the windings are bonded to the flat electrode layer by welding or the like, it is difficult to keep the windings tensioned when the windings are bonded to the electrode layer. When the windings are not tensioned at the time of bonding, the windings are jointed to the terminal electrodes such that they remain in a slack state. As described above, in the common mode filter of the '931 Publication, it is difficult to bond the lead and end portions of the winding to the terminal electrodes without any slack.


An easily opened package is provided, formed of a substantially rigid, foldable sheet, such as cardboard, and having an opening on one side of the sheet. A plastic film is sealed about the opening and is stretchable to form a pouch for receiving an item to be stored in the package. To form the package, the plastic film is heated and stretched about the item and the cardboard sheet is folded over and sealed together. Prior to forming the package, a pair of opposing cuts are formed in the edges of the film, the cuts facilitating tearing of the film when it is desired to open the package. To further facilitate opening, indicia can be placed on the edges of the cardboard sheet to indicate the point at which tearing is easiest, or notches can be cut in one side of the sheet.

Conventional blister packs are commonly used in the packaging of various products. Such packages are desirable in that the product or item is visible to the consumer and are substantially air- and moisture-tight due to the sealing of the plastic film which is used to form the blister to the package base or backing. The problem with this type of packaging is that the blister pack is difficult to open when it is desired to remove the product or item from the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,105,367 discloses a flexible wrapper including preformed weakened zones to facilitate opening the package. The weakened zones comprise notches and a tab to pull a portion of the wrapper in a fixed direction to tear open the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,078,986 describes a blister having a polyethylene cover sheet secured to the blister with a corner cut away to facilitate grasping and removal of the lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,634 employs slits or cuts as indicia to direct the user to the proper position for opening of the package for removal of individual units.
U. S Pat. No. 4,781,294 describes a tear-oriented package formed of a pair of wall members sealed together, at least one of the wall members being formed of foamed polypropylene material to facilitate the tearing of the one wall member to open the package in a pre-determined direction while resisting the opening of the package in other directions. An H-shaped die cut is formed in the foamed polypropylene member over which a tab is placed to facilitate opening of the package.
While these designs facilitate opening of blister-type packages, there is a need for an improved opening feature which is a simple to use and economical to manufacture.

Package having an improved opening feature


A device capable of storing beverages is provided with a base and a lid. The base includes a central cavity capable of retaining beverage containers and a cooling component. The bottoms of beverage containers may rest in container-retaining pockets molded into the bottom of the base and the tops of beverage containers may rest in one or more pockets protruding from the lid. One advantage is that the beverage containers may come into direct contact with the cooling component located in the central cavity of the base of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to beverage containers and more particularly to containers configured for storing both beverages and cooling component(s).
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable cooling containers are useful for transporting food and beverages for consumption, particularly for consumption during outdoor activities. Such portable containers for cooling food and beverages often include layers of insulating material, a central storage area suitable for storing food or beverages and a cooling component such as ice cubes and/or an ice pack.
Many portable cooling containers are constructed of a combination of water-tight plastic outer layers coupled with insulating central layers. Given the cost of construction, such containers are typically too expensive for disposable use. Due to their complex construction, such containers are also often bulky and relatively heavy.
Disposable portable cooling containers are frequently composed of an insulating material such as polystyrene alone—without an outer plastic layer. Due to the lack of a protective plastic layer, these containers break easily. Such polystyrene containers are also bulky, prone to leaking, and make squeaking noises when transported. Further, polystyrene is non-biodegradable and not accepted in many recycling programs.
In both reusable and disposable portable cooling containers, the central storage area of portable cooling containers typically has a generally rectangular shape. Over time, food or beverages stored in the space may slide around within the storage area, making a particular item difficult to locate and retrieve when desired. Food and beverages may also contact each other within the storage area. This may be problematic when the cooling container is being used to store glass bottles or other frangible containers, which may chip or break when they contact each other in the course of ordinary use and transport of the cooling container.
Both reusable and disposable portable cooling containers typically are opaque due to the opaque nature of common insulating materials such as polystyrene. Thus, they are not ideal for displaying food or beverages for display and sale. In addition, the materials are frequently too expensive to allow for disposable use, making them impractical for containing beverages for retail sale.


A method for exchanging information with an Optical Network Unit (ONU), the method comprising: receiving, by the ONU, downstream signals that comprise a pilot signal and downstream information signals; wherein the downstream information signals embed first polarization modulated information and second polarization modulated information; wherein the pilot signal is received at a pilot frequency slot and the downstream information signals are received at a downstream information frequency slot that differs from the pilot frequency slot; splitting the downstream signals to first, second, third and fourth sets of signals; wherein the splitting comprises performing a polarization based splitting to provide first and second intermediate sets of signals; wherein the first and second sets of signals originate from the first intermediate set of signals and the third and fourth sets of signals originate from the second intermediate set of signals; generating a fifth set of signals by providing the second and fourth sets of signals to a polarization changing circuit, wherein a polarization direction of the fifth set of signals differs from a polarization direction of the first and second intermediate sets of signals; generating first, second and third sets of detection signals, in response to the first, third and fifth sets of signals; and reconstructing the first polarization modulated information and the second polarization modulated information in response to the first, second and third sets of detection signals.

Unlike coherent (COH) detection, direct-detection (DD) does not straightforwardly support polarization multiplexing (POL-MUX) transmission of advanced modulation (ADV-MOD) formats (amplitude & phase or IQ). Multiple solutions have been proposed to nevertheless enable DD to support POL-MUX ADV-DD in order to attain substantially higher spectral efficiency (SE), which would be a laudable goal for applications wherein COH detection would be prohibitively expensive, such as in short-reach access and metro networks.
DD systems which detects signal phase in addition to its amplitude, akin to COH transmission, albeit without a local oscillator (LO) in the receiver (Rx), may be referred to as self-coherent (SCOH). There have been multiple approaches to attain SCOH [, . . . ].
One popular class of SCOH systems is based on remote (or self) heterodyne (HET), whereby the LO is effectively sent all the way from the transmitter (Tx) to the Rx, in the form of a pilot tone (p) offset by W from the transmitted data spectrum, where W is the bandwidth of the data (d). The spectral offset is required to accommodate the d×d term, whereas the desired COH-like p×d term in the photo-current is generated offset by W in the electrical domain. Such self-HET method has been proposed for DD OFDM transmission, but we mention here that it is also applicable to single-carrier rather than OFDM transmission. It may be used to detect ADV-MOD formats if the electrical signal is IQ demodulated. Unfortunately, just a single polarization may be effectively used for self-HET transmission due to a fundamental "remote LO-fading" limitation outlined below.

Optical network unit, optical access network and a method for exchanging information

Technion Research and Development Foundation LTD.


A joining device for producing an exhaust gas system for an internal combustion engine comprises a device base, a frame, and at least two joining units that can be operated simultaneously are fastened to the frame. The frame extends essentially vertically starting from the device base. In a method for producing the exhaust gas system, at least one joining unit of a joining device is oriented to a geometry of the exhaust gas system that is to be produced, at least three components or assemblies of the exhaust gas system are positioned in the joining device, and the components or assemblies are simultaneously connected.

It is known from the prior art to use joining methods in the production of exhaust gas systems. In particular, the components of an exhaust gas system are arranged in a joining device and connected to one another.
The common joining methods are welding and soldering. In this context, by way of example DE 10 2011 106 801 A1, DE 10 2004 038 099 A1 and DE 10 2012 000 439 A1 disclose induction soldering devices that make it possible to join components of an exhaust gas system.
Altogether, in light of the high cost pressure in the production of exhaust gas systems, the requirement is to provide the joining devices and also the methods for producing exhaust gas systems as efficiently as possible. This applies on the one hand with regards to the time that is required in order to produce an exhaust gas system, more precisely, in order to join the components of an exhaust gas system. This time is to be as short as possible. On the other hand, the devices and methods are to involve investment costs and operating costs that are as low as possible. In this context, joining devices are to be constructed in a simple manner but they are simultaneously to be suitable for producing as many variants of an exhaust gas system as possible.
There is therefore a need to further improve known joining devices and methods for producing exhaust gas systems. In particular, a joining device and a method are to be provided that are improved with regards to the above-mentioned efficiency criteria.

Joining device and method for producing an exhaust gas system

Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, Germany GmbH


A method of calibrating transmit and/or receive paths of an antenna comprising at least two antenna columns, each of which comprising two co-located sub-arrays of antenna elements. The method includes the steps of transmitting a measurement signal on at least one of the antenna elements, and receiving a representation of the measurement signal on at least one other of the antenna elements, the representation comprising at least a mutual coupling component dependent on the mutual coupling between the at least one antenna element and the at least one other antenna element. Further, the method includes the steps of repeating the transmitting and receiving step for at least a subset of all combinations of antenna elements of the antenna, wherein each combination of antenna elements comprises antenna elements having a same or different polarization, and subsequently comparing the received representations of the measurement signal between different combinations of antenna elements, and estimating at least a respective phase difference between antenna elements with the same polarization based on the comparison. Finally, the method includes the step of calibrating transmit and/or receive paths of antenna elements with the same polarization based on the estimated phase difference.

Within the field of cellular communications, the increasing demand for capacity has resulted in increased use of more advanced antenna technologies. In particular, the use of so-called antenna arrays or array antennas has received increasing research activity. An antenna array is typically a group of similar antenna, elements, or antenna sections, that are arranged in various configurations with proper amplitude and phase relations in order to give certain desired radiation capabilities. The direction and shape of the antenna beam is determined by weighting each column signal with appropriate phase and amplitude factors. A receiving and transmitting antenna array comprises a number of receiving and transmitting antenna sections, and each transmitting or receiving path includes components e.g. feeder cables, beam formers, filters, radio units etc. that can distort the phase and amplitude of received and/or transmitted signals. In order to accurately shape and direct the antenna beams, these receiving and transmitting antenna arrays need to be accurately calibrated, such that any distortion of phase and amplitude, or time delay, of signals are corrected before transmission and after reception of the signals.
If several antennas with a same polarization are used, usually the antenna signals have to have a well-defined phase relationship. In order to ensure this, each radio path must be calibrated against the other paths with respect to phase. Different antenna branches can e.g. have slightly different feeder lengths, which affect the phase of the antenna branch. The internal analog filters might also be different. The differences can be temperature dependent and will change over time. This makes continuous calibration of the transmitter and in some cases receiver paths necessary. The characteristics will change slowly, so the calibration can be done with a low repetition rate.
Typically, the calibration procedure will calibrate a combination of a radio and the connected antenna (and the connecting feeder cable or network) and consists of several steps.                Measurement and calculation of relative transfer function between branches.        Calculation of compensation coefficients.        Applying coefficients and performing the compensation.
One known manner in which to calibrate the phase of the antenna elements in an antenna array is to include a dedicated calibration coupler unit (CCU) which is built into the antenna, see FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a base band processing unit is connected to a radio unit via the CPRI interface. In the example four antennas (A0, . . . , A3) are connected to the radio, and the CCU is connected to each antenna. The CCU provides a calibration input/output for calibration measurements. When performing measurements on the downlink (DL), the CCU is used to provide a phase accreted connection to all antennas. The signals from all antennas are added and sent into a calibration receiver. The CCU itself is calibrated in advance. In addition, the radio e.g. transceiver units, may contain special hardware (HW) dedicated to support calibration measurements.
In other antennas, e.g. most four-antenna systems, no CCU is available. One possible solution would be to connect an external CCU unit to the antenna. Another possibility would be to include the CCU into a TMA. A further possibility would be to incorporate the CCU into the radio transceiver. However, in this case the feeders connecting the transceiver and the antennas would need to be matched and very phase stable. Since the feeder cables are not part of the calibration loop, the phase error would be large. As an example, for a 2 mm difference in feeder length, the phase error would typically be 10 degrees for a GHz system.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved method of phase calibrating the respective transmit and/or receive paths of antenna elements of an antenna array without necessitating a CCU in the system.

Method and arrangement for phase calibration of transmit and/or receive paths of an antenna array


The present invention provides polymer compositions containing a block copolymer having a formula A-B-A, wherein the block A is a vinyl aromatic block and the block B is a hydrogenated conjugated diene block, and compounds made from the polymer compositions. The block copolymer exhibits excellent flow characteristics, which allow it to be molded or extruded to isotropic articles. The present invention also provides films and molded articles therefrom.

Hydrogenated block copolymers are highly valued for applications in films/fibers or molded articles by way of forming processes such as injection molding, blow molding, film extrusion, fiber extrusion, film blowing and others. Hydrogenated block copolymers have the advantage of allowing complete recyclability of scrap and used articles. The applications come from a variety of polymer compositions containing hydrogenated block copolymer and other materials. Unfortunately, the conventional polymer compositions often are difficult to be processed due to the significant difference of the rheology and tensile properties in different orientations. This results in highly oriented articles which may warp or exhibit properties difficult to predict. It also makes the injection molding of thin walled parts, films and fibers difficult or impossible. Prior art documents, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,556, U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,138, U.S. Pat. No. 7,439,301, US 2011/0262686, U.S. Pat. No. 7,268,184, etc., mainly disclose such conventional polymer compositions, which all lack the study of required rheology and tensile properties, and thus fail to provide solutions for the high orientation problems. Therefore, there is a need for providing a polymer composition containing hydrogenated block copolymer and having good performance characteristics to solve the problems in the prior art.

Polymer composition and compound therefrom for isotropic film, extruded and molded article


Novel substituted dibenzofuran compounds are disclosed. The compounds exhibit activity in antagonizing the effects of leukotriene B.sub.4 (LTB.sub.4). Pharmaceutical compositions containing the novel compounds and methods of treatment employing the same are also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to 2,8-disubstituted dibenzofurans, compositions containing the same and methods of using the same to antagonize the effects of leukotriene B.sub.4.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Leukotriene B.sub.4 (LTB.sub.4) is a product of the metabolism of arachidonic acid via the lipoxygenase pathway. It is produced by a number of inflammatory cell types including neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells and epithelial cells. The structure of LTB.sub.4 is as follows: ##STR1##
At the cellular level, release of LTB.sub.4 causes the aggregation and movement (chemokinesis and chemotaxis) of leukocytes, in particular neutrophils. Other biological actions of LTB.sub.4 on leukocyte function include release of lysozymal enzymes, expression of surface C3b receptors and enhancement of intraleukocyte cGMP levels. Further, it has been suggested that LTB.sub.4 may regulate lymphocytic elements of the immune response in vitro. Evidence for this is demonstrated by the respective inhibitory and stimulatory effects of LTB.sub.4 on the proliferation of helper-inducer and suppressor-cytotoxic T lymphocytes as well as by the modulation of monokine and lymphokine production.
The actions of LTB.sub.4 are mediated through the interaction of this molecule with specific receptors on the membranes of affected cells.
Systemically, LTB.sub.4 causes neutropenic effects when administered intravenously. At the cellular level, neutrophil accumulation is observed when LTB.sub.4 is infused intraocularly; neutrophil accumulation accompanied by plasma exudation is seen when injected intradermally in rabbits and man.
Due to its activity as a potent chemoattractant for leukocytes, LTB.sub.4 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory conditions including psoriasis, arthritis, gout, cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease and pulmonary microembolization syndromes. Indeed, it is possible to speculate upon the importance of LTB.sub.4 as a mediator in any condition characterized by an infiltration of white blood cells.
Antagonists of the interaction of LTB.sub.4 with its receptor would be used in the treatment of any of the previously mentioned inflammatory conditions as well as immune system disorders.

Substituted dibenzofurans and methods of using same


A handheld computing device includes a notification lamp, a melody circuit coupled to the notification lamp for providing a first type notification, an electronic switch coupled to the notification lamp for providing a second type notification, and a notification controller coupled to the melody circuit and the electronic switch for selecting between the notification types. The power consumption of the second type notification is less than that of the first type notification.

The conventional handheld computing device, such as a PDA, or a wireless telephone, may include an electronic calendar and/or task manager through which the user can keep track of appointments and/or to-do items. The handheld computing device may also include a monochrome notification LED which flashes when the date/time of one of the appointments and/or to-do items is imminent. Further, the notification LED may be used to signify that the handheld computing device is being charged.
More recent handheld computing devices may include a melody integrated circuit. The melody integrated circuit is user-programmable, and plays a user-selected melody when the date/time of one of the appointments and/or to-do items is imminent. If the handheld computing device is wireless-enabled, the melody integrated circuit may also play a user-selected melody when the handheld computing device receives an e-mail or a telephone call.
The melody integrated circuit is advantageous, since it allows the user to define a distinct notification (melody) for each notification event (eg. appointment, to-do item, e-mail, telephone call). However, the power consumption of the melody integrated circuit is significantly greater than the monochrome notification LED.
Therefore, there is a need for a lower power notification circuit for a handheld computing device that allows the user to define a distinct notification for each notification event.

Handheld computing device with power-saving notification


A power supply circuit receives power from a power supply and supplies the power to loads including a main controller and a first sub-controller performing response action through a network when the supply of power to the main controller is blocked and the image forming apparatus is connected to the network. A second sub-controller controls the blocking of the supply of power to the main controller. The sub-controller determines whether to block the supply of power to the main controller, determines a connection state of the image forming apparatus to the network when the first determination unit determines to block the supply of power, blocks the supply of power to the first sub-control unit according to the determination result, and detects a factor for resuming the supply of power to the main controller and a factor for blocking the supply of power to all or a part of the loads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device, an image forming apparatus, and a control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In image forming apparatuses such as a multifunction printer (MFP) and a laser printer (LP), the supply of power to respective loads, which are units included in the image forming apparatus, is controlled to thereby control driving of the respective units. Among such image forming apparatuses, there is an image forming apparatus in which when a power saving mode in which power consumption is suppressed is set, the supply of power to a main central processing unit (CPU) which controls the entire image forming apparatus is stopped in order to suppress power consumption while the power is supplied only to a unit for detecting a specific factor (referred to as a return factor) that the image forming apparatus uses to return a different operation mode from the power saving mode. Then, when the return factor is detected, the image forming apparatus returns to a normal mode from the power saving mode so that the supply of power to the respective units is initiated. However, in many cases, image forming apparatuses are under a network environment in which the image forming apparatuses are connected to a network. Among such image forming apparatuses, there is an image forming apparatus which includes a sub-CPU that consumes less power than a main CPU. In that image forming apparatus, the sub-CPU performs response actions under the network environment in place of the main CPU even when a power saving mode is set, and when the supply of power to the main CPU is stopped. In recent years, techniques have been developed which decrease unnecessary power consumption in regard to response actions under the network environment when an operation mode of an image forming apparatus located under a network environment is set to a power saving mode (for example, see Japanese Patent No. 4440326).
However, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4440326, when an operation mode of an image forming apparatus which is in a stand-alone state in which the image forming apparatus is not connected to a network is set to a power saving mode, power is supplied to a unit that performs response actions even if the unit does not need to perform response actions which are necessary under the network environment. As a result, power is consumed unnecessarily.
There is a need to reduce power consumption of an image forming apparatus more effectively.

Control device, image forming apparatus, and control method


A method and apparatus for determining petrophysical parameters within a geologic formation pressurizes a geologic sample through a set of predetermined effective pressures, energizes the sample at each predetermined effective pressure with an electric current and/or sonic energy, and measures a conductivity value (electrical conductivity and/or sonic velocity). Permeability and/or porosity are also measured at each pressure through a traditional method and the functions are compared so that permeability and/or porosity can be subsequently derived from a sonic or electrical measurement of a comparable sample under a effective pressure. An apparatus is also described for acquiring the measurements under tri-axial compression, with a computerized interface in one embodiment.

Oil and gas recovery from wells is a key technology in providing for modern energy needs. As an oil pool is depleted, the characteristics of the fluids and rock formation being accessed by the well modify with commensurate impact on the efficiency of oil harvesting. Various systems have been created to manage issues in this concern. Some systems for use in this regard are described U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,817; U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,058; and also US Patent Application 2006/0213652. All of these patents and patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The patents bring forth various interrelated issues in management of pressure, oil field reservoir characterization, entrained gas, entrained water, augmented pumping, and the like respective to the interface between the bottom hole of an oil well and the pumping system used to remove the oil.
In determining oil field reservoir status, various methods for determining petrophysical parameters (e.g., porosity) of rocks have been previously described. One traditional method tests a geologic sample of rock under atmospheric pressure to derive a porosity value. One drawback to this traditional method is that the porosity in the actual pressurized rock (under geologic pressure forces) is different than the porosity at atmospheric pressure. A further method is described by Chernikov K. A., Slavin V. I., Aristarov M. G., etc. in the Dictionary On Geology Of Oil And Gas (Bowels, 1988, 679 p.). In this second method for defining porosity, an acoustic impulse seismic evaluation of a wellbore uses the time interval between an acoustic impulse and its reflected acoustic wave to derive a porosity value for comparison with a traditionally-determined porosity value from the measured geophysical parameters for different types of rocks.
In yet another method (M. D. Belonin, V. I. Slavin, D. V. Chilingar; Abnormal Pressures. Origins, Prediction, Problems Of Development Of Hydrocarbon Fields; St. Petersburg, Nedra, 2005, 324 pp.), the depth of a deposit is factored into the porosity determination. This article brings forward the issue of effective pressure (respective to the depth of a rock formation) and its impact on the petrophysical parameter measurements respective to either irreversible deformation behaviour (at a depth effectively below a critical elastic deformation depth value) in the rock or elastic deformation (at a depth effectively shallower than the critical elastic deformation depth value).
A triaxial compression method is discussed by Sitnikov M. F., Volik A. L., and Kuksov A. K., in The Results Of The Research Of Rock Samples Deformation At Secondary Consolidation (Journal of "Drilling", 1971. Number 9, pages 33-36). Triaxial pressure gradually compresses a sample, and a functional relationship between sample length and compression time is derived. The measured parameters are converted into, for example, permeability according to the Darcy equation. Empirical results have show an inflection point in an otherwise linear functional relationship where the rock presumably undergoes a clear structural aspect shift in density—presumably a compromise in rigidity of the supporting walls of microcavities (pores) in the rock.
One drawback of independently-administered methods is that interdependences respective to permeability, porosity, and fluid flow are not defined during the method implementation and thereby do not provide a comprehensive predictor of fluid flow characteristics. Existing methods also tend to achieve the best results for simple carbonate and clastic rocks, which are insignificantly fractured. What is needed is a method and system for fully defining petrophysical parameters (permeability, porosity and the like) of a broad spectrum of rocks (simple carbonate and clastic rocks and complex fractured carbonate and clastic rocks) under influence of effective pressure at both irreversible and elastic deformation depths. Another need is for rapid determination of permeability status of geological structure samples in an operating oil well.

Petrophysical fluid flow property determination


A surgical instrument assembly is provided. In some embodiments, an example surgical instrument assembly includes a surgical instrument configured to pass through a guide tube having a proximal end and a distal end. The surgical instrument can include one or more arms configured to extend from the intermediate position, each arm having one or more joints positioned along the arm and an end effector attached at the distal end of each arm. The surgical instrument assembly can include a control assembly positioned at the proximal end and configured to control the movement of the joints and the end effectors.

Minimally invasive surgery can include a variety of procedure types and approaches including endoscopy, laparoscopy, arthroscopy, endovascular, etc. Minimally invasive surgeries can include the use of both hand-held and teleoperated, telemanipulated, telepresence (robot assisted/telerobotics) equipment. Instruments can be inserted into a patient percutaneously via surgical incision or via natural orifice and are guided to a surgical site.

Minimally invasive surgical devices, systems, and methods


The invention relates to a process for the solubilzation of forskolin, to the pharmaceutical compositions based on such solubilized forskolin and to the use of these in the treatment of various diseases and disorders and maladies in mammals, including human. Forskolin is 7-beta-acetoxy-8,13-epoxy-1-alpha,6-beta,9-alpha-trihydroxylabd-14-en-11-o ne.

The invention relates to solubilized forskolin (hereafter CHRL-1 being forskolin in solubilized form as described herein), and to its preparation. It further relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing such solubilized forskolin ingredient (i.e. CHRL-1).
Forskolin is a labdane diterpenoid, obtainable from natural sources by methanol extraction of the roots of coleus forskoli. The chemical name of forskolin is 7-beta-acetoxy-8,13-epoxy-1-alpha,6-beta,9-alpha-trihydroxylabd-14-en-11-o ne. The synthesis of forskolin is reported by S. D. Baltt, B. S., Bhawa, H. Dornauer, N. J. de Souza, and H. W. Fehlhaber, Tetrahedron Letters (1977); and by N. J. de Souza, A. N. Dohadwalla, and J. Reden Med. Revs., vol. 3 (1983) pp. 201-219 and references cited therein. One commercial source of forskolin is Sigma Pharmaceutical Co., St. Louis, Mo. I believe that forskolin has not previously been used in vivo in the solubilized form described hereinafter.


A roller carriage for the reception of a sliding door includes a roller module for the displaceable affixing at a roller running path and a basic body for the attachment to the sliding door. The basic body is supported at the roller module to be displaceable along a direction of gravity (SKR) for a fine-tuning movement, wherein a first adjusting component for an adjusting movement is supported at the basic body to be movable. For a movement of the basic body along a direction of gravity in relation to the roller module when performing the adjusting movement, the first adjusting component is in operative connection with a second adjusting component of the roller module.

For conventional sliding doors, sliding door installations are used, which are equipped with a roller running path. Said roller running path is usually affixed to the ceiling or the wall above the door opening. One or more roller carriages, which is/are able to perform a linear motion in a rolling or sliding manner on the roller running path, are placed on the roller running path, respectively in the roller running path. Sliding doors in the shape of sliding door bodies are affixed respectively attached to the roller carriages. Such sliding doors may be manufactured from many various materials. For example lumber sliding doors or glass sliding doors may be employed. Depending on the employed material and the type of the site, in this case, many different weight classes are possible for the sliding doors. In particular with glass sliding doors also high weights of up to 150 kg and more per each sliding door are conceivable.
In conventional roller carriages and sliding door installations, it is disadvantageous that the exact adjustment of the vertical positioning of the sliding door required a lot of effort. Thus, for acoustic sealing and thermal isolation, it is necessary to set a well-defined and possibly small gap at the underside between a floor and the sliding door itself. A fine-tuning of the height of the sliding door at the roller module, respectively in the roller carriage is necessary for this purpose. Usually, this procedure is realized by opening the associated clamps at the sliding door and by a corresponding displacement of the sliding door. This procedure required high effort, because either two people are necessary for the displacement with the roller carriage being suspended, or otherwise the roller carriage needs to be removed from the roller running path each time, in order to be able to subsequently perform the fine-tuning step in the upright or recumbent condition. In addition to inaccuracies during the adjustment of the described gap, this results in increased mounting expense and considerably longer mounting times.
Therefore, the present disclosure overcomes the above-described disadvantages. Specifically, the present disclosure provides a roller carriage for performing the most precise possible fine-tuning with regard to the height adjustment of the sliding door in an inexpensive and simple manner.

Roller carriage for the reception of a sliding door with a height adjusting device


A wireless communication system includes a first wireless communication device installed on an installation surface of a vehicle and a second wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device includes an antenna and a sensor. The antenna includes a first conductor, a second conductor, one or more third conductors, a fourth conductor, and a feeding line. The first wireless communication device transmits a signal from the antenna to the second wireless communication device, based on information detected by the sensor.

Conventionally, wireless communication techniques using an antenna installed on a conductive body such as metal are known. Wireless communication techniques using an antenna installed on a conductive body such as metal or a human body and the like are also known. The human body has a water content of about 60% and thus can be considered as a conductive body and a dielectric body.
Electromagnetic waves emitted from an antenna are reflected by a conductive body or a dielectric body. The electromagnetic wave reflected by the conductive body or the dielectric body is phase-shifted by 180°. The reflected electromagnetic wave is synthesized with the electromagnetic wave emitted from the antenna. The electromagnetic wave reflected by the antenna may have the amplitude reduced due to the synthesis with the phase-shifted electromagnetic wave. Consequently, the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave emitted from the antenna becomes smaller. The distance between the antenna and the conductive body or the dielectric body is set to ¼ of the wavelength λ of the emitted electromagnetic wave, whereby the effect by the reflected wave is reduced.
In comparison, a technique that reduces the effect by the reflected wave using an artificial magnetic conductor has been proposed. This technique is described in, for example, Non Patent Literatures 1 and 2.

Antenna, wireless communication device, wireless communication system, vehicle, motorcycle, and movable body


This invention relates to novel aryl ureido benzoic acid derivatives useful as selective and non-competitive antagonists of the ionotropic GluR5 receptor. Due to their biological activity, the aryl ureido derivatives of the invention are considered useful for treating diseases that are responsive to modulation of an aspartate or a glutamate receptor. Moreover the invention provides chemical compounds for use according to the invention, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the chemical compounds, and methods of treating diseases or disorders or conditions responsive to modulation of an aspartate or a glutamate receptor.

Excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is primarily mediated by the amino acid, L-glutamate, acting on ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. The ionotropic receptors, which respond to this amino acid, have been divided into the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, the alfa-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, and the kainic acid (KA) receptors. Moreover molecular biological studies have established that these receptors are composed of subunits that can assemble to form functional channels, and a number of such subunits have been identified.
This way it has been established that the AMPA receptors are assembled from four protein subunits known as GluR1 to GluR4, while the KA receptors are assembled from subunits known as GluR5 to GluR7, KA-1 and KA-2.
Due to their distribution in different mammalian tissues, the GluR5 receptors and the substances acting thereon have drawn particular attention.
WO 94/22807 describes urea and amide derivatives useful as potassium channel openers.
WO 97/45400, WO 97/45111, WO 98/47879 and WO 00/24707 describe diphenyl urea derivatives containing an acidic group and their use as chloride channel blockers.
WO 02/039987 describes the use of diphenyl urea derivatives as malaria anion channel blockers for treating malaria.
WO 02/064128 describes the use of diphenyl urea derivatives for modulation of the association of caspase-9 to Apaf-1 for the treatment of diseases characterised by excessive or insufficient cell death.
WO 02/070467 describes diphenyl urea derivatives useful as inhibitors of intracellular protein-degradation pathways.
However, use of diphenyl urea derivatives as ionotropic GluR5 receptor modulators have never been described.

Aryl ureido benzoic acid derivatives and their use


A calibration apparatus includes a microcomputer-based calibrator unit, functioning separately from a measuring device to be calibrated, and a coupling coil, through which calibration information generated by the calibrator unit is electromagnetically transmitted to the measuring device to which the coil is strapped or otherwise connected. This permits the measuring device to be calibrated without the measuring device being removed from the environment in which it is to make measurements. The methodology of the apparatus permits the measuring device to be calibrated either with standard calibration data, such as whereby the measuring device is calibrated to a factory standard calibration, or with variable calibration data, such as whereby a then-current calibration of the measuring device is "tweaked".

This invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for calibrating measuring devices and particularly, but not by way of limitation, to apparatus and methods for calibrating a flowmeter which includes a body and an electromagnetic member disposed in the body.
To measure a parameter with a measuring device, the parameter causes the measuring device to generate a measurement signal which is used to drive a display of the measuring device whereby the measure of the parameter is made known to an observer. By way of example, consider a fluid flowing through a pipe. The operator who is flowing the fluid commonly desires to measure how much of the fluid is flowing or has flowed. To make such a measurement, a flowmeter can be inserted in line with the pipe so that the flowing fluid impinges on a rotor of the flowmeter, thereby rotating the rotor and causing electrical pulses to be generated in a known manner within the flowmeter. Using an internal calibration factor, the flowmeter converts the number of pulses into the corresponding quantity of fluid and displays that quantity through the display.
As is readily apparent, the accuracy of the displayed value depends, at least in part, on the correctness of the calibration factor. The accuracy also depends on the stability of the electrical and mechanical operation of the flowmeter. Thus, if the electrical or mechanical operation changes, the calibration factor must also be changed to compensate for these other changes. Furthermore, for the specific example of a flowmeter, the correctness of the calibration factor can vary depending upon the type of fluid to be measured, or the plumbing configuration of the fluid circuit into which the flowmeter is connected, or the turbulence of the flow, or the presence of air in the fluid. Whatever the reason, however, it is apparent that to maintain an accurately operating measuring device, such as a flowmeter, one must be able to calibrate the device as needed. That is, one must be able to reset or adjust the calibration factor by which the measuring device correlates the measurement signal it generates to the actual parameter.
With respect to the example of a flowmeter, there is at least one type of flowmeter which can be internally calibrated by flowing a known quantity of fluid through the flowmeter. This type of calibration can, however, be an undesirable technique when, for example, the fluid is expensive or hazardous whereby one does not want to use the fluid merely for calibrating.
Again with respect to the example of a flowmeter, there is at least one type of flowmeter which has an ability to internally calibrate itself within certain preset data or controls contained in the flowmeter. Such preset data, however, do not encompass all the various changes to be calibration factor which a user of the flowmeter may wish to make. For example, the preset data may pertain only to a factory standard calibration which is optimum for only one type of fluid, whereas the flowmeter itself could be used to measure other types of fluids if the flowmeter could be optimally calibrated to such other types. Although such a flowmeter could be removed from the fluid circuit and rebuilt or reprogrammed or otherwise modified as needed to input the desired calibration factor, such removal may be impractical or otherwise undesirable for a specific application of the flowmeter (e.g., if the flowmeter has been permanently plumbed into the fluid circuit).
To overcome these specific exemplary shortcomings, there is the need for an apparatus and a method for calibrating such a flowmeter without having to create an actual flow of the fluid for which the calibration is to be made and without having to remove the flowmeter from the fluid circuit. It is comtemplated that other types of measuring devices can be calibrated by a comparable apparatus and method; therefore, more broadly, there is the need for an improved apparatus and method for calibrating measuring devices whereby the actual parameter to be measured need not be used and whereby the measuring device can be calibrated in situ (i.e., at the location where it is to do its measuring).

Apparatus and method for calibrating a measuring device


A catalytic converter for use in motor vehicle exhaust systems includes a housing and a catalytic substrate disposed in the housing. The housing includes a central shell fixed to an inlet end cone and an outlet end cone. The catalytic substrate includes a primary body section is disposed in an internal chamber and has a plurality of skewed flow channels through which the hot exhaust gas flows. The skewed flow channels create turbulent flow to assist in improved light-off and improved purification efficiency.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Catalytic converters are used in motor vehicles to react with and purify the hot exhaust gases discharged from an internal combustion engine. The catalytic converter typically includes a substrate, often constructed of an extruded ceramic material, having flow channels or other flow conduits, such as honeycombs, for the passage of the hot exhaust gases. The ceramic substrate can be loaded with a catalyst which functions to purify the hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide (NOx) in the exhaust gases through a catalytic reaction process.
The catalytic converter can also include a housing having a central chamber, an inlet for receiving the hot exhaust gases, and an outlet for exhausting the purified gases. In most applications, the catalytic substrate is positioned within the control chamber for performing the gas purifying function. A support member, such as a mat or wire mesh, is often wrapped around the substrate for supporting the catalytic substrate with respect to the housing. The support member can be placed between the catalytic substrate and the housing and exert a radially-directed load to inhibit movement of the catalytic substrate and absorb shock. In some catalytic converters, laterally-spaced seal members can be disposed at opposite ends of the catalytic substrate, adjacent to the inlet and outlet ends of the control chamber, to reduce leakage of untreated exhaust gases and compensate for surface irregularities on or between the catalytic substrate and/or the chamber caused by flexibility of the support member.
Typical catalytic converters include one or more "bricks" of a catalytic substrate having planar front and rear face surfaces with a plurality of straight exhaust flow channels extending therebetween. Such straight exhaust flow channels tend to result in laminar flow conditions which can detrimentally impact the mass transfer characteristic and ultimately the overall efficiency of the catalytic converter. Thus, it is understood that increased turbulence generated in the exhaust gases flowing through the flow channels can be effective in increasing the mass transfer rate and the overall efficiency of the catalytic converter.
A significant portion of the undesirable emissions exhausted from a vehicle's internal combustion engine occurs during the first few minutes of engine operation following a cold start. This is due to the fact that the catalytic converter is not optimally functional until the catalytic substrate reaches its working temperature, commonly referred to as achieving "light-off" In view of stricter emissions regulations, it is critical to reduce the time it takes the catalytic converter to reach its working temperature.
Accordingly, a need exists for development of catalytic converters having quicker light-off characteristics and enhanced flow patterns through the catalytic substrate.

Multiple skewed channel bricks mounted in opposing clocking directions


A chip package structure including a leadframe, a chip, bonding wires and an encapsulant is provided. The leadframe includes a die pad, leads and an insulating layer. The die pad includes a chip mounting portion and a periphery portion. At the periphery portion, the die pad has a second upper surface lying between a first upper surface and a lower surface of the die pad. Each lead includes a suspending portion and a terminal portion. The suspending portion connects to the terminal portion and extends from the terminal portion towards the die pad. The insulating layer is disposed on the second upper surface of the periphery portion and connects the suspending portions to the die pad. The chip is disposed on the chip mounting portion. The bonding wires electrically connect the chip to the suspending portions. The encapsulant covers the chip, the bonding wires, the insulating layer, and the leadframe.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor package technique and more particularly to a chip package structure and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor package technique includes various package types. With the trend of miniaturization and thinning of chip package structures, the quad flat no-lead (QFN) package of the flat package type is developed. In the manufacturing process of the QFN package, a chip is first disposed on a die pad of a leadframe. A wire bonding process is then performed to electrically connect the chip to a plurality of leads of the leadframe through a plurality of bonding wires. Afterwards, the QFN package is completed by encapsulating the chip, the bonding wires, and the leadframe with an encapsulant.
Generally, each of the leads includes a suspending portion and the encapsulant fills the space underneath the suspending portions to establish a mold lock between the encapsulant and the leads, thereby preventing the encapsulant from peeling off from the leadframe. However, in the wire bonding process aforementioned, the suspending portions of the leads may sway or deform due to the downward force. As a consequence, the bonding wires cannot be firmly bonded to the leads effectively and are prone to peeling off from the leads, thereby leading to poor electrical connection or electrical failure. Moreover, in the encapsulating process, the suspending portions of the leads may shift easily due to the molding flow, which leads to bridging of the leads, and therefore an electrical short.

Chip package structure and manufacturing method thereof


There is provided a radar apparatus. A first determining section is configured to determine whether there exists a continuing stationary target at a side of a lane in which a vehicle is traveling. A second determining section is configured to determine whether there exists a moving target in a specific range which is in front of the vehicle and on an opposite side of the stationary target with respect to a position of the vehicle. A changing section is configured to change position information of the moving target to a position obtained by folding back a specific position which is the position of the moving target in the specific range with the stationary target therebetween in a case where the stationary target exists and the moving target exists in the specific range. The changed position is used for deriving the position information of the target.

According to the related art, a radar apparatus of a vehicle outputs a transmission wave from the antenna of the radar apparatus. If the output transmission wave is reflected from a target and the reflected wave is received by the antenna, the radar apparatus derives the position of the target relative to the vehicle (the radar apparatus). The detailed process is as follows. In the radar apparatus, a signal processing unit mixes a transmission signal which corresponds to the transmission wave and whose frequency varies with a predetermined period, and a reception signal which corresponds to the reflected wave, thereby generating a beat signal. Specifically, the predetermined period of the transmission signal includes an UP section where the frequency increases and a DOWN section where the frequency decreases, and the signal processing unit generates a signal (hereinafter, referred to as a "beat signal") based on the frequency difference between the reception signal and the transmission signal (which is a beat frequency) in each of the UP section and the DOWN section.
Next, the signal processing unit takes the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of each beat signal, thereby generating signals of different frequencies (hereinafter, referred to as "transformed signals"), and detects signals exceeding a predetermined signal level threshold as peak signals from the transformed signals. Then, on the basis of information such as the signal levels and frequencies of the peak signals, the signal processing unit pairs a peak signal of the UP section corresponding to one target, and a peak signal of the DOWN section corresponding to the same target, thereby deriving pair data.
Next, on the basis of the pair data, the signal processing unit derives a distance until the reflected wave reflected from the target arrives a receiving antenna 14 of a radar apparatus 1 (hereinafter, referred to as a "longitudinal distance"). Also, the signal processing unit derives the distance between the vehicle and the target in a lateral direction relative to the traveling direction of the vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as a "lateral distance"). In other words, on the basis of the pair data, the signal processing unit derives information on the position of the target as seen from the vehicle. Further, the signal processing unit derives a relative speed which is the speed of the target relative to the running vehicle. As target categories based on relative speeds, for example, there are stationary targets having almost the same relative speed as the speed of the vehicle and moving targets having relative speeds different from the speed of the vehicle. Next, the radar apparatus outputs the derived information such as the position of a moving target to a vehicle control unit for controlling the operation of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle control unit performs necessary control on the vehicle according to the position of the moving target and the like output from the radar apparatus. Also, as a reference for explaining a technology related to the present invention, there is Patent Document 1.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-133761
However, for example, in a case where the vehicle is traveling at a place where stationary targets are derived in relatively large numbers, like in a tunnel, the signal processing unit of the radar apparatus cannot derive information such as the origin positions of the targets. In other words, in a frequency band where there are a number of peak signals corresponding to a continuing stationary target like in a tunnel, pairing of peak signals (hereinafter, referred to as "movement peak signals") corresponding to a moving target may not be appropriately performed. Specifically, without paring the movement peak signal of the UP section and the movement peak signal of the DOWN section, the movement peak signal of the UP section and a stationary peak signal of the DOWN section may be paired, or a stationary peak signal of the UP section and the movement peak signal of the DOWN section may be paired. As a result, pair data based on the movement peak signals may not be derived and thus information such as the position of the moving target may not be derived.
Also, in a case where the signal level of a stationary peak signal existing in the vicinity of the frequency of a movement peak signal is higher than the signal level of the movement peak signal, the movement peak signal may be included in the stationary peak signal, and thus pairing of the movement peak signal of the UP section and the movement peak signal of the DOWN section may not be performed. As a result, pair data based on the movement peak signals may not be derived and thus information such as the position of the moving target may not be derived. As a result, sometimes the vehicle control unit cannot perform necessary control on the vehicle on the basis of information such as the position of the moving target output from the radar apparatus.

Radar apparatus and signal processing method


An anti-shake system includes a movable portion to which an optical element is mounted; a support member which holds the movable portion in a manner to allow the movable portion to move freely in directions orthogonal to an optical axis; and a drive system which drives the movable portion in the directions orthogonal to the optical axis. A natural frequency of the movable portion that originates from the movable portion and the support member is set within the range of frequencies of shaking of an apparatus equipped with the anti-shake system which is caused by hand shake.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-shake system which moves a movable member holding a correction lens or an image pickup device in directions orthogonal to an optical axis to counteract the effects of shaking of an apparatus (e.g., camera) equipped with the anti-shake system which is caused by hand shake.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of digital cameras including an anti-shake system have been developed in recent years. An anti-shake system moves a correction optical system (e.g., a correction lens), which is positioned at some midpoint in a photographing optical system, or an image pickup device in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the photographing optical system to offset image shake caused by hand shake. The correction optical system or the image pickup device has its own natural frequency (natural vibration frequency) at which the correction optical system or the image pickup device resonates with vibrations of an apparatus equipped with the anti-shake system. Accordingly, anti-shake systems which set the natural frequency within a range of frequencies above the frequency of camera shake (caused by hand shake) have been developed to prevent the natural frequency from resonating with the frequency of camera shake in the case where the correction optical system or the image pickup device is driven under a closed-loop control and an open-loop control. Such inventions are disclosed in the following publications: Japanese unexamined patent publications H07-098470, 2003-344889, 2002-139759, H11-109435, H09-230408, H09-080549 and H08-184870.
However, in the anti-shake systems proposed in these patent publications, in order to set the natural frequency within a range of frequencies above the frequency of camera shake, the driving force required for driving the correction optical system or the image pickup device becomes great, to thereby increase the power consumption of the anti-shake system because it is necessary to increase the spring rate of a spring member (or spring members) which holds the correction optical system or the image pickup device.