A system for treating a bifurcated vessel that includes a first delivery catheter and a second delivery catheter. The first delivery catheter carries a proximal first stent and a distal second stent. The first delivery catheter also has a first elongate shaft, a proximal first expandable member with the proximal first stent disposed thereover, and a distal second expandable member with the distal second stent disposed thereover. The proximal first expandable member and distal second expandable member are independently expandable of one another. The second delivery catheter carries a third stent. The second delivery catheter also has a second elongate shaft, and a third expandable member with the third stent disposed thereover. The third expandable member is independently expandable of the proximal first expandable member and the distal second expandable member.

Angioplasty and stenting of blood vessels or other body lumens are commonly performed today. Angioplasty is often performed by expanding a balloon in a vessel in order to reduce or eliminate plaque or other blockages. In many cases, a stent is also implanted in the vessel in order to further ensure a positive clinical result. A stent is an implantable scaffold that is typically delivered percutaneously and deployed in a vein, artery, or other tubular body organ for treating an occlusion, stenosis, aneurysm, collapse, dissection, or weakened, diseased, or abnormally dilated vessel or vessel wall. The stent is radially expanded in situ, thereby expanding and/or supporting the vessel wall or body organ wall. In particular, stents are quite commonly implanted in the coronary, cardiac, pulmonary, neurovascular, peripheral vascular, renal, gastrointestinal and reproductive systems. Stents have also been successfully used to reinforce other body parts, such as the urinary tract, the bile duct, the esophagus, the tracheo-bronchial tree and the brain.
Stents may improve angioplasty results by preventing elastic recoil and remodeling of the vessel wall. Stents also can be used to treat dissections in blood vessel walls that are caused by balloon angioplasty. In this situation, the stent is used to appose dissected intimal flaps of tissue which otherwise would extend into and block a vessel.
Conventional stents have also been used to treat more complex vascular problems, such as lesions at or near bifurcation points in the vascular system. A bifurcation is where a secondary artery (sometimes referred to as a side branch or daughter vessel) branches out of a typically larger vessel (sometimes referred to as the main branch or mother vessel). Stenting of bifurcations can present may challenges. For example, a stent that traverses the ostium of the side branch may obstruct blood flow into the side branch. Moreover, the struts in a stent may also block the side branch, limiting or preventing access to the side branch by another diagnostic or therapeutic device such as another catheter. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as "stent jailing." In still other situations, inflation of balloons and expansion of stents in a bifurcation can result in undesirable plaque shifting, which is sometimes referred to as "snow plowing." Other challenges with treatment of a bifurcated vessel can be the result of vessel spasm, dissection, thrombosis, etc.
More recently stents and balloons have also been used to elute drugs locally to the treatment site. Drugs such as rapamycin, everolimus, biolimus A9 and other analogs of rapamycin, as well as paclitaxel are promising in reducing restenosis rates, yet many of the aforementioned challenges of treating a bifurcation still exist.
It would therefore be desirable to provide improved medical devices and methods for treating bifurcated vessels. It would also be desirable to provide improved medical devices and methods that are easier to use, safer, more reliable, and that provide a better clinical outcome compared with currently available medical devices.
Therefore, given the challenges of current stent technology, a need exists for improved stent delivery systems and methods, particularly for treating bifurcated vessels. At least some of these objectives will be met by the present invention.

Multi-stent and multi-balloon apparatus for treating bifurcations and methods of use


Requests for data can be distributed among servers based on indicators of intent to access the data. For example, a kernel of a client device can receive a message from a software application. The message can indicate that the software application intends to access data at a future point in time. The kernel can transmit an electronic communication associated with the message to multiple servers. The kernel can receive a response to the electronic communication from a server of the multiple servers. Based on the response and prior to receiving a future request for the data from the software application, the kernel can select the server from among the multiple servers as a destination for the future request for the data.

A network can include client devices in communication with servers. A client device can be a computing device that accesses information or a service made available by a server. One example of a client device can include a laptop computer or desktop computer used to access webpage content over the Internet. A server can be a computing device that provides the information or service to a client device. One example of a server can include a webserver that provides webpage content to client devices.
The flow of data between the client devices and servers can be controlled so that the servers do not become overloaded. For example, if all of the client devices in the network only communicate with a single server, that server can become overloaded. This may result in high latency or server failure. One way to control the flow of data between client devices and servers is using a round-robin scheme, in which communications from client devices are distributed among the servers in a circular order.

Distributing requests for data among servers based on indicators of intent to access the data


A sulfur concentration detection system for detecting a sulfur concentration in a liquid includes a sensor having a conductive metal substrate and zinc oxide microstructures deposited on and protruding from the conductive metal substrate, a current source, and a voltage detector. An electrical resistivity of the zinc oxide microstructures is configured to change as a function of an amount of sulfur in the liquid available to react with zinc in the zinc oxide microstructures. The current source and the voltage detector are connected to the conductive metal substrate and configured to detect a change in the electrical resistivity of the zinc oxide microstructures.

It is important to be able to accurately and reliably measure the concentration of sulfur in liquids, as various chemical reactions may take place that would release sulfur compounds into the atmosphere or onto physical structures around the sulfur-containing liquid. For example, the combustion of diesel fuel typically generates sulfur oxides (SO2, SO3) and sulfuric acid (condensate H2SO4), both of which are components of acid rain. Further, these sulfur compounds have been linked to catalyst poisoning in diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and sulfuric acid condensation and corrosion of engine components, such as the cooler and piston ring liner components. Such phenomena are found when using both high sulfur (>350 ppm) and low sulfur (10-350 ppm) fuels.
For various reasons, including the sensitivity of aftertreatment components to sulfur compounds, many modern diesel engines are now being designed to use Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel (<15 ppm S). Accordingly, the sulfur level of the fuel source is of utmost importance for optimum machine performance. While sulfur detection in liquids at levels below 15 ppm is attainable in a laboratory or other test setting, such detection is not feasible in the field with an accurate, portable, reliable, quick, and inexpensive sensor. Examples of known means of detecting sulfur at ultra-low levels include Flame Photometry Detection (FPD) and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) devices, but both are more appropriately used in the laboratory setting because of their size and duration of test cycles. Accordingly, a desire for a fast and inexpensive detection of sulfur level in diesel fuels, or possibly an on-board diagnostic tool for determining the same, persists.


An improved lock used with a recessed lighting fixture is the present subject matter. The fixture is adapted for installation in a mounting aperture in a ceiling. The fixture includes a frame which has a retainer ring for connection to the outside or bottom of the ceiling. A unitary resilient lock is pivotly mounted in the frame and is also movably mounted in the frame. The lock includes a head engageable with the interior or upper surface of the ceiling to hold the frame in the mounting aperture. The head includes a curl having a lip extending outwardly from the frame. The lock includes a latch which releasably engages the frame to hold the lock in one position relative to the frame and thereby hold the frame in the mounting aperture. The lock includes an ear engageable with the frame to retain the lock in the frame during shipment of the frame to a site for installation in a ceiling.

Recessed electric lighting fixtures typically are installed during the construction or remodeling of a building. In some instances, it is found to be desirable to install recessed lighting in an existing structure. It is necessary to support a recessed lighting fixture on an interior structural surface, such as, a ceiling in some installations. An aperture or mounting opening is cut in the ceiling in certain installations. The aperture is of a size just large enough to receive the electric lighting fixture. A frame for the electric lighting fixture is positioned in the aperture. Locks are connected to the frame and those locks are moved into position to engage the interior of the ceiling to prevent the lighting fixture from falling out through the aperture.
The locks that have been heretofore used in such installations are of a variety of types. One type of such a lock is a lock made of a spring steel. The spring steel lock is inserted through an opening in the frame, and a resilient arm of the lock engages the upper side of the ceiling to hold the frame in the ceiling aperture. One of the problems which has been encountered with such locks is that vibration of the structure often causes the locks to release and allow the fixture to fall out of the ceiling. One solution to overcome the problem of vibration of the structure is to drive a screw through the spring lock after it is placed into engagement with the interior of the ceiling to secure the lock to the frame. Another problem encountered with such locks is that when the locks are shipped from the manufacturer to the site, locks often become loose enough to disengage the frame and become lost during transit or unpacking of the fixture. It is desirable to provide a lock for a recessed lighting fixture which lock is held securely in the frame during shipment and initial installation, and the lock securely holds the frame in position in a ceiling aperture.


Provided herein, in some embodiments, are cytosine analogs, compositions comprising cytosine analogs, and methods of use for inhibiting a Ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzyme.

DNA methylation is a dynamic process in which the methylation state of the genome changes during cellular transitions, such as differentiation and altered neuronal plasticity, and becomes dysregulated in disease states, such as cancer. Ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase (TET) enzymes catalyze the reverse process of DNA demethylation by recognizing 5-methylcytosine and oxidizing the methyl group via an Fe(II)/alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent mechanism.


Disclosed herein are a method for manufacturing a graphene transparent electrode and a graphene transparent electrode manufactured by the method. The method includes: providing a graphene oxide solution: forming a metal thin film on a glass substrate; coating the graphene oxide solution on the metal thin film, followed by drying; primarily reducing the thus obtained graphene oxide by using a reducing agent, to obtain reduced graphene oxide; secondarily reducing the reduced graphene oxide by heat treatment under the inert atmosphere, to form a reduced layer; compressing a transparent film on the reduced layer; and etching the metal film by an etching solution. The method enables a graphene transparent electrode having economical feasibility and excellent electric conductivity to be manufactured.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a graphene transparent electrode and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, graphite has a structure in which flat second dimensional graphene sheets each composed of carbon atoms linked in hexagonal shapes are stacked. Recently, it was found that one or several layers of graphene sheets peeled off from the graphite have very useful properties different from those of the existing materials, as the result of researching characteristics of the sheets.
The most notable property is that electrons flow in the graphene sheet as if the mass of the electron is zero, and this means that the electrons flow at a speed at which light moves in a vacuum, that is, at the speed of light. In addition, the graphene sheet exhibits an abnormal half-integer quantum hall effect with respect to electrons and holes.
Meanwhile, the existing silicon based semiconductor process techniques make it impossible to manufacture semiconductor devices having high integration density of 30 nm or less. The reason is that, in a case where a metal atom layer of gold or aluminum deposited on a substrate has a thickness of 30 nm or less, metal atoms are not thermodynamically stable, so that they adhere and stick together, thereby failing to obtain a uniform thin film, and the concentration of impurities doped in silicon is not uniform in the nano-sized thin film. However, the graphene has a chance to overcome the limitation in the integration degree of this silicon-based semiconductor device technique.
The graphene has metallic properties and the thickness thereof is very small, which has several nanometers or less corresponding to a screening length. Therefore, in the graphene, a charge density is changed depending on gate voltage, resulting in changing electric resistance. Accordingly, a metal transistor may be embodied by using the above properties, and a high-speed electronic device may be embodied by using high mobility of a charge transporter. Further, the graphene is expected to be applied in various fields because charges of the charge transporter are changeable from electrons to holes depending on the polarity of the gate voltage.
A plurality of methods or processes for producing the graphene having these performances per se have been disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0819458 and the like. In addition, Korean Laid-Open No. 10-2011-0016287 discloses a coating method of graphene oxide, according to which a colloidal graphene oxide solution is coated on a surface of a substrate, followed by drying and then heat treatment, and thus, the graphene oxide is converted to a graphene thin film, and this method has an effect that the graphene is directly coated on the surface of the substrate.
However, the graphene thin films disclosed in the patents are formed by complicated processes, and they are economically disadvantageous and exhibit low electric conductivity.

Graphene transparent electrode and method for manufacturing the same


A system includes one or more processors configured to obtain operating parameters of a subsystem of a vehicle that is configured to travel along a route during a trip. The one or more processors are configured to generate a digital twin of the subsystem based on the operating parameters, and to receive simulated performance data generated by execution of the digital twin with a designated model of the subsystem. The one or more processors are further configured to obtain field performance data of the subsystem monitored by sensors onboard the vehicle during the trip, and to determine a performance composite index of the subsystem of the vehicle based on a variance between the simulated performance data and the field performance data. The one or more processors are also configured to control the vehicle during the trip or a subsequent trip based on the performance composite index.

Vehicles may include various subsystems that provide designated functions for the vehicle, such as a propulsion subsystem to generate tractive effort for moving the vehicle and a cooling system to maintain temperatures of components of the vehicle at safe levels to prevent damage to the components and maintain operability of the components. Other subsystems may include an electrical subsystem that provides current to power lights, batteries, displays, communication devices, and computing devices of the vehicle, and a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) subsystem that maintains temperatures of designated spaces of the vehicle, such as passenger compartments or refrigerated cargo compartments.
Over time, the various subsystems may become damaged and/or fail. Unexpected damage and/or failure of some subsystems may cause the vehicle to be non-operational for a downtime period until the subsystem is repaired. Such downtime periods can result in significant delays and financial losses. Furthermore, the failures of some subsystems, such as a propulsion subsystem or a cooling subsystem, can leave a vehicle debilitated on a route. The debilitated vehicle can block movement of other vehicles along the route, increasing the extent of the delays and financial losses attributable to the failed subsystem.
One way to reduce the occurrence of damage and/or failure to the subsystems of a vehicle is to increase the frequency at which the subsystems are inspected, repaired, and/or replaced, but such actions can be time consuming and expensive. The time spent to inspect the vehicles reduces the time that the vehicles are in operation, therefore reducing the productivity and financial gain of the vehicles. Furthermore, even routine inspections may not reduce damage and/or failure of the subsystems. For example, the root cause of damage to a subsystem may occur after one inspection and cause the subsystem to fail before a subsequent inspection. Additionally, it may be difficult to identify and diagnose a root cause of damage to a subsystem during an inspection.


Systems and methods for Radio Access Network dynamic functional splits are de-scribed. In one embodiment, a method may be disclosed for Radio Access Network dynamic functional splits, comprising: determining, by a user for a RAN, a first split of different functionalities between a central Unit (CU) and a Distributed Unit (DU), the functionalities including a Radio Resource Controller (RRC), a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), a Radio Link Control (RLC); a Medium Access control (MAC), a Physical Layer (PHY), and a Radio Frequency Unit (RF); and wherein the system is able to provide different splits of the functionalities based on factors such as user count, fronthaul capacity, fronthaul usage, required baseband processing capacity, and latency.

Centralized baseband processing was introduced several years ago to ease installation of wireless base stations in large buildings and on campuses. This was enabled by digital radio interfaces and remote radio heads (RRHs) which allowed the connection between RRHs and digital baseband units (BBUs) to be carried over fiber. The concept has subsequently been generalized to span larger areas involving many radio sites and still using a central BBU. In increasing the deployment footprint, fiber and availability of required fronthauls (FHs) became a major problem.
In recent years, 3GPP and other standards bodies started different activities to address this issue. By distributing protocol stacks between different components (different splits), solution providers focus to address the tight requirements for a near perfect FH between RRHs and BBUs. However, the approach of the standards bodies has been to provide multiple potential options, leaving network operators at the mercy of equipment vendors' assessment of their likely fronthaul needs.

Radio access network dynamic functional splits


A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a stage, and an exhaust duct having an annular passage surrounding a processing space over the stage, an annular slit through which a gas supplied to the processing space is led into the annular passage, and an exhaust port through which the gas in the annular passage is discharged to the outside, wherein the opening-area percentage of the slit is increased with increase in distance from the exhaust port.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that subjects a substrate to gas-based processing.
Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,921,556B2 discloses an exhaust duct through which a gas spent for film forming is discharged to the outside.
For example, on a film forming apparatus or an etcher, an exhaust duct is provided so as to surround a stage. A gas supplied onto the stage is radially diffused and taken in the exhaust duct. Preferably, the gas supplied onto the stage enters the exhaust duct radially and uniformly. In other words, for uniformly performing processing on a substrate on the stage with no location dependence, it is desirable that the gas flow rate at the edge of the stage is uniform.
However, the gas flow rate is increased in some location on the stage edge and is reduced in another location on the stage edge. Thus, there is a problem of the gas flow rate at the stage edge being not uniform. The seriousness of this problem is increased particularly when the pressure in the chamber is reduced to about 200 Pa while the amount of exhaust in the chamber is comparatively large.


Support members for office furniture. The present disclosure provides structural panels having smooth interior surfaces and support ribs affixed to their exterior surfaces. A decorative panel having a smooth exterior surfaces is mounted over the structural panel to cover the support ribs and provide a smooth exterior surface to the support members. In one embodiment, the decorative panels slide over the structural panel. In a second embodiment, the decorative panels engage the upper surface of the structural panels and pivot downward over the structural panels. The decorative panels are easily replaceable and can be painted in a variety of colors and patterns. Wood grain steel vinyl laminate can also be applied to the decorative panels.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to the field of office furniture construction, particularly to vertical support panels for office furniture.
2. Statement of the Problem
Typical office furniture construction is of three types: solid wood, particle board construction, and metal frame construction. Solid wood construction furniture is very expensive and is quite heavy. Also, this type of furniture is very difficult to move, due to size and weight considerations. Damage to this type of furniture is also difficult to repair.
Particle board construction, although less expensive and easier to assemble, is easily damaged. This type of furniture must meet high standards for burn resistance, particularly in government offices.
Metal frame construction furniture is widely used in large offices and in government offices. Typically, in metal frame construction furniture, the vertical support members, such as the sides and fronts, are formed from sheet metal with support ribs affixed to the sheet metal to stiffen the members. Without these support ribs, the furniture is flimsy. These support ribs can either be affixed to the exterior of the furniture, but are more typically affixed to the interior of the furniture. Even though the support ribs may be affixed to the interior of the furniture, the ribs are still visible on the furniture. The prior art metal construction furniture typically had visible imperfections due to welding, bonding, riveting, etc. Fasteners were also normally visible in the prior art furniture. Also, this type of furniture is typically available in a limited choice of color and designs, normally grey or black.
All of these types of office furniture construction are normally available in limited colors and designs. It is usually impossible to change color and design schemes without replacing the furniture. Damage to the prior art furniture is also difficult to repair without leaving visible marks.
Therefore, a need exists for attractive durable office furniture construction that is easy to ship, assembly and alter.
3. Solution to the Problem
The present invention provides furniture construction that is attractive as well as highly durable.
The present invention provides furniture construction that has clean, attractive lines without visible support members.
The present invention provides furniture that can be designed in a various colors and patterns.
The present invention provides furniture that is easily altered according to different color needs.
The present invention provides furniture that is easily repairable.
The present invention provides furniture that can be shipped flat and assembled on site.
These and other features will be evident from the ensuing description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings.

Decorative panel construction for office furniture


A drive mechanism of an engine ignition system has a housing fixed to an engine and a driven shaft of the engine ignition system rotatably supported by the housing. An engine provides a driving force for rotating a drive shaft, the rotation of which is transmitted to the driven shaft through screw gears having axes crossing each other. A screw gear provided on the driven shaft includes a main gear fixed to the driven shaft and an auxiliary gear opposed to an end face of the housing and rotatably and axially movably mounted on the driven shaft. The respective teeth of the main gear and auxiliary gear is staggered from each other when the main gear and auxiliary gear come in contact with each other. A resilient member is provided between the end face of the housing and the auxiliary gear. The screw gear on the drive shaft is adapted to push the auxiliary gear against the resilient force of the resilient member toward the end face of the housing so that the screw gears on the drive and driven shafts are engaged with each other. A sliding member may be provided between the end face of the housing and the auxiliary gear to be biased by the resilient member to come in direct or indirect contact with the end face of the housing, thereby causing sliding resistance of rotation.

The present invention relates to a drive mechanism for an ignition distributor, a crank angle sensor, etc. used in the ignition system of an engine. In particular, the present invention relates to a drive mechanism using a screw gear as a power transmission system.
In the ignition distributor, the crank angle sensor, etc., the rotation of a crank shaft of the engine is transmitted to a rotating shaft of each of the ignition distributor and the crank angle sensor through a screw gear. A backlash of the screw gear of this kind tends to be structurally increased for reasons of manufacture of the screw gear.
An angular acceleration of a crank shaft or a drive shaft of the engine is generated by fluctuations of rotation caused by an explosion in cylinders, etc. The rotating shaft which is a driven shaft has a rotational inertia. Therefore, tooth faces of the drive and driven shafts come into collision with each other by the above backlash, so that an ignition timing becomes unstable and noises, abrasion and damages are involved with respect to the screw gears.
For example, Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 51-27814 and Japanese Patent unexamined Publication No. 3-290059 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,459) disclose techniques for solving these problems. In these documents, a screw gear on a driven shaft comprises a main gear fixed to the driven shaft and an auxiliary gear rotatably and slidably fitted on the driven shaft. While the main and auxiliary gears are staggered from each other by an amount corresponding to backlash, a resilient spring force is applied to the auxiliary gear in a rotational direction thereof. Thus, teeth of a screw gear on the side of a drive shaft are caught by teeth of the main and auxiliary gears therebetween to remove the backlash.
In Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 60-24311 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 59-63367, a sliding plate adapted to rotate with a driven shaft is biassed against an end face of a housing, by resilient spring force which housing supports this driven shaft. Thus, rotational friction force is produced on the driven shaft to increase rotational torque of the driven shaft, so that self-propelling of a driven shaft system caused by its rotational moment is restrained.
Between the above measures to counter backlash, the former one is disadvantageous in that contact pressure between screw gears becomes great since a spring force (a spring force for biasing an auxiliary gear in a direction of rotation) required for removing backlash must be made great as an angular acceleration of a drive shaft and a rotational inertia of a driven shaft become great.
The latter one naturally has a limit because a spring force is made great to increase surface pressures (friction force of rotator) on contact faces, thus involving a problem such as abrasion of screw gears and parts which generate friction forces.

Drive mechanism of engine ignition system


Systems and methods of registration system control are provided that compensate for differences in physical properties of various substrates being transported through the system that impact velocity of the substrate. Exemplary systems of the Invention include at least one roll pair formed by a first, driven roll and a second roll defining a nip therebetween that is part of the transport path through which a substrate is passed. A prestored lookup table includes empirically-derived compensation factors for plural different kinds of substrates, with each compensation factor being based on physical characteristics of the substrate that impact displacement and velocity of the substrate along the transport path, such as the substrate""s mass per unit area, which has been found to have a strong correlation with detected deviations in linear travel displacement and velocity. Upon input or determination of the substrate being registered, the system adjusts the drive profile of the drive roll by the compensation factor. This is preferably by substituting a derived effective drive roll radius value for the actual drive roll radius value in the drive control profile to correspond to the substrate being transported. A suitable compensation factor compensates for both the angular velocity of the drive roll and the amount of angular rotation so that the linear velocity of the substrate and the travel path length of the substrate are appropriated compensated.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to systems and methods for providing a compensation factor for a registration system that takes into account differing physical characteristics of. various substrates used in the system. In particular, a compensation factor, such as an empirically or theoretically derived effective drive roll radius, is stored for various substrates and used in drive roll control profile computations to provide process direction registration and velocity control of the substrates passing through the system.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a variety of transport and registration systems in use that transport and register various substrates, such as copy sheets. In many registration systems, such as those often found in copiers, facsimiles, and printers, drive mechanisms often include at least one driven elastomer-covered roll backed by a hard idler roll to form a roll pair defining a nip region therebetween. A substrate, such as copy paper, provided to the nip region is advanced by rotation of the roll pair, specifically rotation of the driven roll, which causes corresponding linear movement of the substrate, such as paper.
High quality documents require registration of sheets to a photoreceptive surface for image transfer. In order to achieve this, accurate registration control is needed to locate the sheet with respect to the image. Conventional machines use various types of sheet registration devices. Some sense the position of the sheet at a first location and use this sensed information to generate a set of control signals to cause the sheet to arrive at a second location in proper registry. Other systems compute or approximate sheet position indirectly based on known parameters of the registration system and sensed values of various drive elements.
In most conventional registration systems used for printers, copiers and facsimile machines, the types of substrates being transported usually do not vary much. That is. many systems typically encounter only a limited number of different substrate types, such as basic draft sheet stock of a certain weight in basic sizes such as A4 or 8.5xc3x9711 inches. A typical registration system is designed to transport, for example, 20 lb. bond sheet stock (roughly 75 grams/m2 or GSM). Occasionally, higher quality bond paper of a slightly higher weight, such as 24 lb. bond (roughly 90 GSM) or 28 lb. bond (roughly 105 GSM) sheet stock is used. In conventional registration systems, these sheets are transported using the same drive profiles. That is, the drive control parameters are fixed (i.e., set irregardless of the weight of the sheet being used).
In conventional drive roll systems, angular velocity and degrees of rotation of the driven roll can be readily determined from conventional measurement systems, such as rotary encoders, or can be assumed to be known from the control parameters sent to the motor (as in stepper motor drive systems). From this information and knowledge of the roll radius of the drive roll, the system can, through equations, approximate the linear movement of the substrate passing through the nip region. This linear movement, including travel velocity, is relevant because various timing and other position control factors are based on the determined linear velocity of the substrate. For example, if it is desired that a substrate reach a desired position such as a leading edge transfer position 1000 mm from the drive roll at a given time t, through computation knowing both the distance (1000 mm) and the determined linear velocity (X mm/sec), the time to start the transport can be calculated. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, a desired velocity can be set to match other system components so that the substrate is desired at a select location at a desired speed and at a desired time based on the determined linear velocity.
In the United States, paperweight is expressed as pounds per 500 sheet ream of uncut C-size paper (4xc3x97 letters size). As such, a cut ream of 20 pound letter paper (500 sheets of 8.5xc3x9711) would weigh 5 pounds. Because each type of paper has a different basis size, it is often confusing to talk in terms of the U.S. pound weight system. Instead, it is much more convenient to express paper xe2x80x9cweightxe2x80x9d as mass per unit area as in the ISO (metric) system In which the weight of paper Is given in grams per square meter (GSM). For example, 20 pound bond letter stock corresponds to roughly 75 GSM, 24 pound bond letter stock corresponds to roughly 90 GSM, and 28 pound bond letter stock corresponds to roughly 105 GSM. 20 pound Bristol board on the other hand, which has a different basis size, corresponds to roughly 44 GSM. Other known substrates can have substantially higher GSM, some over 300 GSM.
While prior printers, copiers and facsimile machines typically encountered only a handful of different types of substrates, such as A4 or 8.5xc3x9711xe2x80x3 papers in only a small range of paper weights or densities, today there is a trend toward using more and more diverse varieties of substrates in such systems. Registration systems today thus may be required to accommodate delivery of a wide variety of substrates, each having diverse physical properties.
An exemplary system according to the invention is expected to support substrates between about 49 to 280 GSM (grams/m2). However, the physics involved in transporting such substrates through a nip region results in slightly differing linear movement of the substrate given the same drive control profile for the drive roll that is driving the substrate. That is, it has been found that differing physical properties, such as, for example, substrate thickness, substrate stiffness, substrate mass per unit area, substrate coefficient of friction to the driven roll, and the like cause a variance in actual linear transport displacement and speed with a given fixed drive roll displacement and speed profile. Because the assumed linear speed of the substrate is used to control the registration system, Applicant has found that if there is no compensation for the variations in actual travel displacement and speed due to the physical differences in substrates being transported, the final registration and velocity of the substrate will vary correspondingly as the assumed displacement and velocity deviates from actual linear displacement and velocity.
Moreover, such variances in velocity may cause speed mismatches with other system components, causing undesirable effects on the substrate such as image quality defects, jams, or the like. As printing resolutions are becoming increasingly smaller, system tolerances have become similarly increasingly small. Accordingly, even seemingly small deviations may have intolerable effects on the resultant print system registration.
Because of this, there is a need for a method and system that can compensate the drive profile of the registration system to account for such deviations due to delivery of different substrates.
There also is a need to compensate for arrival time differences and/or substrate speed differences due to the use of substrates with different physical properties.
Exemplary systems and methods of the invention achieve this by providing a lookup table or other predefined compensation factor that accounts for differences in one or more physical properties of substrates being transported and registered so that the registration system will reliably register substrates, regardless of such differences in physical properties.
Exemplary systems of the invention may include at least one roll pair formed by a first, driven roll and a second roll defining a nip therebetween that is part of the transport path through which a substrate is passed. A lookup table including a compensation factor for plural different kinds of substrates is prestored, with each compensation factor being based on physical characteristics of the substrate that impact velocity of the substrate along the transport path. A particularly relevant compensation factor is an effective drive roll radius. A substrate determination device, such as an input from the operator of the system or an automatic detection system, determines the substrate being transported. A registration controller operably connected to the first roll controls a drive profile of the first roll. The drive profile is compensated by the compensation factor to adjust the drive profile to correspond to the specific substrate being transported.
Exemplary methods according to the invention may include: receiving an input selecting one of a variety of different substrate types to be registered by a registration system; accessing a prestored compensation factor corresponding to the selected substrate type that includes at least an effective drive roll radius based on at least the mass per unit area of the selected substrate type; adjusting the drive profile of the roll pair based on the obtained compensation factor; and driving the roll pair using the compensated drive profile.

Registration system effective drive roll radius compensation


A patient support device includes a sheet configured to be placed beneath the patient in use and a plurality of straps connected to the sheet and configured for use in moving, lifting, turning, and/or positioning the patient. The straps may include one or more retractable straps that each have a stretchable retraction strap connected thereto and configured for retracting the retractable strap. The straps may also include one or more central support straps connected to the sheet in an area positioned between the legs of the patient. The sheet may also include a head support for supporting the patient's head, which head support may also include one or more straps. The straps may be connected to a hoist, which is then used to lift the patient.

Nurses and other caregivers at hospitals, assisted living facilities, and other locations often care for patients with limited or no mobility, many of whom are critically ill or injured and are bedridden. These patients are dependent upon nurses/caregivers to move and are at risk for forming pressure ulcers (bed sores) due to their inability to move. Pressure ulcers develop due to pressure on a patient's skin for prolonged periods of time, particularly over areas where bone or cartilage protrudes close to the surface of the skin because such pressure reduces blood flow to the area, eventually resulting in tissue death. The risk of forming a pressure ulcer is exacerbated by skin surface damage caused by frictional forces and shearing forces resulting from the patient's skin rubbing or pulling against a surface and excessive heat and moisture, which causes the skin to be more fragile and therefore more susceptible to damage.
One area in which pressure ulcers frequently form in an immobile patient lying on his/her back is over the sacral bone (the "sacrum") because the sacrum and supporting mattress surface exert constant and opposing pressure on the skin, resulting in the aforementioned reduction in blood flow. Furthermore, skin in the sacral region is often more susceptible to damage due to shear and friction resulting from the patient being pushed or pulled over the surface of the mattress to reposition him/her, or from sliding down over the surface of the bed when positioned with his/her upper body in an inclined position. Existing devices and methods often do not adequately protect against pressure ulcers in bedridden patients, particularly pressure ulcers in the sacral region.
One effective way to prevent sacral pressure ulcers is frequent turning of the patient, so that the patient is alternately resting on one side or the other, thus avoiding prolonged pressure in the sacral region. A protocol is often used for scheduled turning of a bedridden patient and dictates that a patient should be turned Q2, or every two hours, either from resting at a 30° angle on one side to a 30° angle on the other side, or from 30° on one side to 0°/supine (lying on his/her back) to 30° on the other side. There are, however, several barriers to compliance with this type of protocol, resulting in the patient not being turned as often as necessary, or positioning properly at a side-lying angle, to prevent pressure ulcers. First, turning, positioning, and/or moving patients is difficult and time consuming, typically requiring two or more caregivers. Second, pillows are often stuffed partially under the patient to support the patient's body in resting on his/her left or right side. Pillows, however, are non-uniform and can pose difficulties in achieving consistent turning angles, as well as occasionally slipping out from underneath the patient. Third, patients who are positioned in an inclined position on the bed often slide downward toward the foot of the bed over time, which can cause them to slip off of any structures that may be supporting them. Last, many patient positioning devices cannot be left under a patient for long periods of time because they do not have sufficient breathability and/or compatibility with certain bed functions such as low-air loss (LAL) technology and can be easily stained when soiled.
In addition to being difficult and time-consuming, turning, positioning, and/or transferring patients, and other types of "patient handling" activities, can result in injury to healthcare workers who push, pull, or lift the patient's weight. For healthcare workers, the most prevalent cause of injuries resulting in days away from work is overexertion or bodily reaction, which includes motions such as lifting, bending, or reaching and is often related to patient handling. These injuries can be sudden and traumatic, but are more often cumulative in nature, resulting in gradually increasing symptoms and disability in the healthcare worker.
In recognition of the risk and frequency of healthcare worker injuries associated with patient handling, protocols and/or procedures are often implemented in the healthcare setting. These protocols stress that methods for moving patients should incorporate a form of assistive device to reduce the effort required to handle the patient, thus minimizing the potential for injury to healthcare workers. Such assistance may be accomplished, for example, with the use of low friction sheets or patient hoists or lifts that use pneumatic and/or electrical power to lift the patient partially or entirely off the surface or exert the necessary force to position, turn, or move the patient. Such assistive devices reduce the physical exertion needed from healthcare workers to accomplish the task of moving the patient.
The present disclosure seeks to overcome certain of these limitations and other drawbacks of existing devices, systems, and methods, and to provide new features not heretofore available.

Apparatus and system for lifting, moving, turning, and positioning a patient


An improved process for enhancing the plant nutrient value of relatively low analysis organic waste material (e.g., sewage sludge) involves treating the waste material with an acid and base in a pipe-cross reactor. The process more particularly involves mixing the waste material with water to form a slurry (or initially taking the waste material as a slurry); pumping the slurry to a pipe-cross reactor for reaction with a base, acid, and water to form a melt; spraying the melt onto a recycling bed of fines in a granulator, and flashing off the water contained in the melt as steam; rolling the melt onto recycled fine particles in a granulator to form granulated particles; and drying these granulated particles to form an enhanced plant nutrient value composition (e.g., a fertilizer or soil conditioner having a greater xe2x80x9cNPKxe2x80x9d value than the original relatively low analysis organic waste material). The invention also includes fertilizers produced according to the improved process, which fertilizers are of the same size and shape and density of commonly used fertilizers. The method advantageously utilizes the heat generated by the exothermic acid-base reaction in the pipe-cross reactor to remove the approximately 80% water from sludge, thus saving large amounts of energy normally used in conventional drying or burning methods, while, at the same time, conserving the intrinsic values of the nutrients and humates contained in the sludge. In one embodiment, the process includes a method of disposing of spent acid from a hot dip galvanizing process or a steel pickling process involving incorporating the spent acid to maintain the low pH of a venturi scrubber used in the improved process.

This invention relates generally to a method of treating organic material to create a fertilizer. More specifically, the invention relates to the treatment of organic material, such as sewage sludge, with an acid and base in a pipe-cross reactor.
The disposal of sewage sludge is a problem. Current methods of disposing of sewage sludge include incineration, direct land or ocean application, heating and drying the sludge for sterilization and then applying it to the land, depositing it in a landfill, or granulating it with a standard rotary granulator, with heating and drying being provided by exogenous heat sources (e.g. by burning purchased fuel). While some of these methods result in what is termed a xe2x80x9cfertilizerxe2x80x9d, such fertilizer is of relatively low analysis with regard to its xe2x80x9cplant nutrient valuexe2x80x9d.
Methods of expressing a fertilizer""s xe2x80x9cplant nutrient valuexe2x80x9d involve identifying the fertilizer""s xe2x80x9cNPKxe2x80x9d value, wherein N relates to the amount of nitrogen, P relates to the amount of phosphorus (expressed as P2O5), and K relates to the amount of potassium (expressed as K2O). Thus, as reported by Wilson in U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,383 (Aug. 21, 1962), sewage sludge with a 2.5-2.5-0value contains two and a half percent nitrogen, two and a half percent phosphorous as P2O5, and zero percent potassium as K20. Except as otherwise indicated by usage, all percentage values used herein are weight-based percentages (i.e., w/w).
Fortunately, methods exist for enhancing the nutrient value of relatively low analysis organic waste material. For instance, in the aforementioned Wilson patent (the contents of the entirety of which are incorporated by this reference), a method is disclosed for treating dried animal manure and sewage sludge with controlled amounts of an acid, such as sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid (or an equivalent phosphorous compound, the strength of which is expressed as phosphoric acid), or mixtures thereof, and an aqueous ammoniacal solution, such as aqueous ammonia or ammoniacal nitrogen salt-containing solutions and tumbling the resulting reaction mass to form fertilizer granules having an xe2x80x9cupgradedxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cenhancedxe2x80x9d plant nutrient value.
Other methods of enhancing the plant nutrient value of relatively low analysis organic waste material with acids, bases, or mixtures thereof have also been described. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,287 (May 10, 1988) to Robinson, U.S. Defensive Publication T955,002 (Feb. 1, 1977) to Norton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,273 (Nov. 14, 1995) to Connell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,951 (June 30, 1992) to Lahoda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,337 (Jun. 2, 1992) to Bleeker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,317 (Feb. 28, 1995) to Robinson, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,422,015 (Jun. 6, 1995) to Angell et al.
A further drawback of sludges treated in conventional manners (e.g., by drying and screening) is that they are usually of insufficient size and shape to be spread by commonly used agricultural fertilizer spreaders, and cannot be used in the newer pneumatic spreaders.
It would be an improvement in the art if a relatively simple process existed for processing relatively low analysis organic waste material to an enhanced plant nutrient value composition, especially if such a process yielded a product which was sized and shaped to be spread by presently commercially available spreaders.
The invention includes an improved process for enhancing the plant nutrient value of relatively low analysis organic waste material, such as sewage sludge. The improvement involves exothermically treating the relatively low analysis organic waste material with an acid and a base in a pipe-cross reactor.
More particularly, the improved process involves mixing the relatively low analysis organic waste material with water to form a slurry (or taking the waste material as a slurry); pumping the slurry to a pipe-cross reactor for reaction with a base, acid, and water to form a melt; spraying the melt onto a recycling bed of fines, and flashing off the water contained in the melt as steam. The melt is then rolled onto a substrate such as recycled fine particles in a granulator to form granulated particles, causing the granulated particles to grow in size (e.g., to form granules). These granulated particles are then dried (e.g., with a rotary dryer) to reduce their moisture content, and form an enhanced plant nutrient value composition (e.g., a fertilizer or soil conditioner having a greater NPK value than the original relatively low analysis organic waste material).
Generally, the process will also include passing the dried granulated particles to a separation apparatus and separating the dried granulated material into fines, product, and oversized material, and further includes grinding the oversized material and returning the fines and oversized material to the granulator for use as a granular substrate. Potash and other micronutrient materials may be added as dry material to the returning fines for further enhancement of the product.
The invention also includes fertilizer produced according to the improved process. Fertilizers produced by the instant invention are of the same size and shape and density of commonly used fertilizers.
An advantage of the method is that it uses the heat generated by the exothermic acid-base reaction in the pipe-cross reactor to remove the approximately 80% water from sludge, thus saving large amounts of energy normally used in conventional drying or burning methods, while, at the same time, conserving the intrinsic values of the nutrients and humates contained in the sludge. The method also handles the processed material as a slurry, thus avoiding the nuisance of conveying and handling dry or solid materials. The method also achieves high temperatures which aids in the destruction of pathogens.
In one embodiment, the process includes a method of disposing of spent acid from a hot dip galvanizing process or a steel pickling process comprising incorporating the spent acid to maintain the low pH of a venturi scrubber used in the improved process thus producing a micronutrient enriched fertilizer.

Sewage sludge recycling with a pipe cross-reactor


A lens apparatus is switchable between first and second modes. A control master determination unit a lens apparatus as one of a master and a slave when the lens apparatus is operated in the second mode. A command value transmit-receive unit transmits/receives a command value of a target of the lens apparatus to/from another lens apparatus in the second mode, wherein the lens apparatus drives the target according to a command value from a controller for the lens apparatus for the target for which the lens apparatus is the master, and drives the target according to a command value received through the command value transmit-receive unit for the target for which the lens apparatus is set as the slave.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens apparatus, in particular, a lens apparatus to be used for a stereoscopic camera which uses multiple lens apparatuses and camera apparatuses to take a parallax image in an image-taking system for stereoscopic camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stereoscopic image taking system which uses multiple image-pickup apparatuses, each being usable alone, to perform stereoscopic image taking is conventionally known. Two image-pickup apparatuses used for the stereoscopic image taking as described above are required to be driven simultaneously so that optical conditions of the two image-pickup apparatuses, which change depending on a state (position) of a target to be controlled such as a focus, a zoom and a stop, are always identical with each other.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 3,278,667 discloses a technology for synchronizing two lenses with each other by controlling a position signal of one of the lenses functioning as a master as a position command signal for the other lens corresponding to a slave-side lens. Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-77090 discloses a camera, including a connector for connecting another camera, and a technology for performing control to perform stereoscopic image taking when the two cameras are connected to each other.
According to the related art disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3,278,667, however, it is necessary to provide a circuit for synchronizing an operation of the slave lens with an operation of the master lens in each of the lens apparatuses or the controller. Moreover, according to the related art disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-77090, a dedicated connector for connection of cameras is required to be provided to connect the two cameras to each other.
Therefore, the image-pickup apparatuses, each being usable alone, and the controller cannot be directly used for the stereoscopic image taking. Specifically, the circuit for synchronization control or the connection member is disadvantageously required to be additionally provided.


A subgrade vault system and method of forming the same is provided. Specifically, a subgrade vault suitable for housing utility and similar equipment is provided, the vault comprising a main body portion, a cap, and a lid that may be selectively secured to prevent or deter unauthorized access to vault contents.

Subgrade vaults are widely used to provide internal enclosed regions where connections can be made and housed. Classic examples of such connections are the joinder of electrical cables used in street lighting, in telephone and communication systems, and water valves for residential communities and golf courses. Such vaults are generally placed below grade of ground level with their upper surfaces at grade where loads from pedestrians and vehicles, as well as environmental factors such as the presence of precipitation and animals are anticipated. Generally they will be used by and allow access to municipalities, utilities, and other installations where longevity of the vaults, and affordability are important. Although subgrade vaults are typically comprised of precast or poured-in-place concrete, alternative materials such as fiberglass, plastic, and other materials may be used and the present invention is not limited to any given material.
Vault systems and devices are intended for access and interaction with trained professionals who, for example, need to service complex, dangerous, and/or valuable subgrade systems to maintain vital infrastructure. Accordingly, in addition for these devices and systems to withstand various forces and abuse due to environmental conditions, it is desirable to provide systems that allow for general ease of access to the appropriate individuals, while simultaneously preventing unauthorized access. A lid for providing access to an enclosed subgrade region must not only be structurally sound, but must be simple to remove and replace, while reliably holding the lid onto the body when access is not needed.
Subgrade storage systems generally contain and/or provide access to valuable components necessary in performing critical functions and/or with respect to monetary value. In part due to the high commodity prices of metals and other internal components, theft is an increasing problem which is not only expensive but extremely disruptive when communication, electrical or water service is discontinued. Furthermore, improperly secured or physically damaged subgrade systems may present hazardous conditions to passer-bys and professionals alike. Currently known systems fail to provide adequate safety and security measures for preventing and/or deterring unauthorized access to subgrade storage areas.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The subject invention provides a heat sink for cooling electronic devices. The heat sink includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber separated by a baffle therebetween. The lower chamber includes a base having a central axis and a plurality of curvilinear fins disposed radially about the central axis of the base. The upper chamber includes a lid defining an inlet and an inlet tube interconnecting the upper chamber and the lower chamber for directing a fluid through the upper chamber and impinging the fluid on the base in the lower chamber. A sidewall extends between the base and the lid and is disposed about the fins. The sidewall includes a peripheral inlet for directing the fluid perpendicular to the central axis and at the fins.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention provides a heat sink assembly for removing heat from an electronic device such as a microprocessor or a computer chip
2. Description of the Prior Art
These electronic devices generate a high concentration of heat, typically a power density in the range of 5 to 35 W/cm2. Accordingly, research activities have focused on developing more efficient cooling assemblies capable of efficiently dissipating the heat generated from such electronic devices, while occupying a minimum of space.
A forced air cooling assembly typically includes a heat exchanger and a heat sink, and cools the electronic device by natural or forced convection cooling methods. The electronic device is attached to the heat sink and transfers heat thereto. The heat exchanger typically uses air to directly remove the heat from the heat sink. However, air has a relatively low heat capacity. Such forced air cooling assemblies are suitable for removing heat from relatively low power heat sources with a power density in the range of 5 to 15 W/cm2. However, the increased computing speeds have resulted in a corresponding increase in the power density of the electronic devices in the order of 20 to 35 W/cm2, thus requiring more effective cooling assemblies.
In response to the increased heat produced by the electronic devices, liquid-cooled cooling assemblies, commonly referred to as liquid cooled units ("LCUs") were developed. The LCUs employ a heat sink in conjunction with a high heat capacity cooling fluid, like water or water-glycol solutions, to remove heat from these types of higher power density heat sources. One type of LCU circulates the cooling fluid through the heat sink to remove the heat absorbed from the heat source affixed thereto. The cooling fluid is then transferred to a remote location where the heat is easily dissipated into a flowing air stream with the use of a liquid-to-air heat exchanger and an air moving device such as a fan or a blower. These types of LCUs are characterized as indirect cooling units since they remove heat from the heat source indirectly by a secondary working fluid. Generally, a single-phase liquid first removes heat from the heat sink and then dissipates it into the air stream flowing through the remotely located liquid-to-air heat exchanger. Such LCUs are satisfactory for a moderate heat flux less than 35 to 45 W/cm2.
The amount of heat transferred between the heat sink and the cooling fluid is dependent upon a heat transfer coefficient therebetween. The heat transfer coefficient is dependent upon a temperature gradient between the heat sink and the cooing fluid, with the higher heat transfer coefficient corresponding to higher temperature gradients, i.e., the higher the temperature gradient between the heat sink and the cooling fluid, the more heat the cooling fluid will remove. The amount of heat stored in the heat sink varies according to the distance from the heat source, with the highest concentration of heat occurring directly above the heat source in the base plate.


A method of printing at a dot density exceeding a nozzle density in a stationary pagewidth printhead. The method includes the steps of: (i) advancing a print medium transversely past the stationary printhead at a rate of one line per one line-time; and (ii) firing droplets of ink from predetermined nozzles in a nozzle row to create successive lines of print. Some or all of the predetermined nozzles fire droplets of ink at a plurality of predetermined different dot positions along a longitudinal axis of the printhead during one line-time, such that the printed dot density in each line of print exceeds the nozzle density.

Many different types of printing have been invented, a large number of which are presently in use. The known forms of print have a variety of methods for marking the print media with a relevant marking media. Commonly used forms of printing include offset printing, laser printing and copying devices, dot matrix type impact printers, thermal paper printers, film recorders, thermal wax printers, dye sublimation printers and ink jet printers both of the drop on demand and continuous flow type. Each type of printer has its own advantages and problems when considering cost, speed, quality, reliability, simplicity of construction and operation etc.
In recent years, the field of ink jet printing, wherein each individual pixel of ink is derived from one or more ink nozzles has become increasingly popular primarily due to its inexpensive and versatile nature.
Many different techniques on ink jet printing have been invented. For a survey of the field, reference is made to an article by J Moore, "Non-Impact Printing: Introduction and Historical Perspective", Output Hard Copy Devices, Editors R Dubeck and S Sherr, pages 207-220 (1988).
Ink Jet printers themselves come in many different types. The utilization of a continuous stream of ink in ink jet printing appears to date back to at least 1929 wherein U.S. Pat. No. 1,941,001 by Hansell discloses a simple form of continuous stream electro-static ink jet printing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,275 by Sweet also discloses a process of a continuous ink jet printing including the step wherein the ink jet stream is modulated by a high frequency electro-static field so as to cause drop separation. This technique is still utilized by several manufacturers including Elmjet and Scitex (see also U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,437 by Sweet et al)
Piezoelectric ink jet printers are also one form of commonly utilized ink jet printing device. Piezoelectric systems are disclosed by Kyser et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398 (1970) which utilizes a diaphragm mode of operation, by Zolten in U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,212 (1970) which discloses a squeeze mode of operation of a piezoelectric crystal, Stemme in U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,120 (1972) discloses a bend mode of piezoelectric operation, Howkins in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,601 discloses a piezoelectric push mode actuation of the ink jet stream and Fischbeck in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,590 which discloses a shear mode type of piezoelectric transducer element.
Recently, thermal ink jet printing has become an extremely popular form of ink jet printing. The ink jet printing techniques include those disclosed by Endo et al in GB 2007162 (1979) and Vaught et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,728. Both the aforementioned references disclosed ink jet printing techniques that rely upon the activation of an electrothermal actuator which results in the creation of a bubble in a constricted space, such as a nozzle, which thereby causes the ejection of ink from an aperture connected to the confined space onto a relevant print media. Printing devices utilizing the electro-thermal actuator are manufactured by manufacturers such as Canon and Hewlett Packard.
As can be seen from the foregoing, many different types of printing technologies are available. Ideally, a printing technology should have a number of desirable attributes. These include inexpensive construction and operation, high speed operation, safe and continuous long term operation etc. Each technology may have its own advantages and disadvantages in the areas of cost, speed, quality, reliability, power usage, simplicity of construction operation, durability and consumables.
The present Applicant has disclosed a plethora of pagewidth printhead designs. Stationary pagewith printheads, which extend across a width of a page, present a number of unique design challenges when compared with more conventional traversing inkjet printheads. For example, pagewidth printheads are typically built up from a plurality of individual printhead integrated circuits (ICs), which must be joined seamlessly to provide high print quality. The present Applicant has hitherto described printheads having a displaced section of nozzles, which enables nozzle rows to print seamlessly between abutting printhead integrated circuits spanning across a pagewidth (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,390,071 and 7,290,852, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference). Other approaches to pagewidth printing (e.g. HP Edgeline™ Technology) employ staggered printhead modules, which inevitably increase the size of the print zone and place additional demands on media feed mechanisms in order to maintain proper alignment with the print zone. It would be desirable to provide an alternative nozzle design, which enables a new approach to the construction of pagewidth printheads.
Typically, pagewidth printheads include 'redundant' nozzle rows, which may be used for dead nozzle compensation or for modulating a peak power requirement of the printhead (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,465,017 and 7,252,353, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference). Dead nozzle compensation is a particular problem in stationary pagewidth printheads, in contrast with traversing printheads, because the media substrate only makes a single pass of each nozzle in the printhead during printing. Redundancy inevitably increases the cost and complexity of pagewidth printheads, and it would be desirable to minimize redundant nozzle row(s) whilst still providing adequate mechanisms for dead nozzle compensation.
It would be further desirable to provide more versatile pagewidth printheads, which are able to control, for example, drop placement and/or dot resolution.
It would be further desirable to provide printheads with alternative integration of MEMS and CMOS layers. It would be especially desirable to minimize the undesirable phenomenon of 'ground bounce' and thereby improve the overall electrical efficiency of printheads.

Method of printing at dot density exceeding nozzle density in stationary pagewidth printhead


The present disclosure is directed to an agitating system having a sub-hopper configured to receive particulate material, an agitator disposed within the sub-hopper and configured to promote movement of the particulate material through the sub-hopper, and a deflector configured to block a portion of the particulate material from exerting a force onto the agitator as the particulate material flows through the sub-hopper. The deflector is positioned such that the agitator extends beyond a first distal edge and a second distal edge of the deflector along a lateral axis.

The disclosure relates generally to an agitating system for an agricultural system.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Generally, agricultural seeding implements are towed behind a work vehicle, such as a tractor. These implements may contain a particulate material, such as seeds, fertilizer, and/or other agricultural product, which is distributed on or in the ground using various methods. Certain implementations include a storage tank in which the particulate material is stored and a metering system configured to meter the particulate material from the storage tank. The particulate material is distributed from the metering system to row units, which are configured to distribute the particulate material on or in the ground. As the amount of particulate material increases in the storage tank, the weight of the particulate material may exert a force onto parts of the agricultural seeding implement that may affect a performance of the agricultural seeding implement.

Deflector of an agricultural agitation system


In apparatus and method for controlling a driving force for an automotive vehicle, a manipulated variable of an accelerator is detected, a vehicular velocity is detected, a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force is calculated from an absolute value of the manipulated variable of the accelerator and the vehicular velocity, an acceleration control purpose target driving force is calculated from either at least one of an absolute value of the accelerator manipulated variable and a variation velocity of the manipulated variable of the accelerator or from at least one of an absolute value of a result of calculation of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and a variation velocity of the result of calculation of the same, and both of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and the acceleration control purpose target driving force are synthesized to achieve a target driving force of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to driving force control apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle in which a vehicular target driving force which is in accordance with a vehicle driver""s demand is derived and the derived target driving force is realized by controlling an actual driving force in a vehicular drive system from an engine to driven wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 11-78620 published on Mar. 23, 1999 (which corresponds to a U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,257 issued on Nov. 14, 2000) exemplifies a previously proposed driving force control apparatus. In the above-described Japanese Patent Application First Publication, such a technique that a target driving force is derived according to a map retrieval based on an accelerator manipulated variable and a vehicular velocity.
However, as will be described later, in the above-described vehicular driving force control apparatus disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application First Publication Heisei 11-78620, it is impossible to establish a compatibility between a vehicular acceleration performance from a standstill and overtake acceleration performance.
First, suppose a relationship between an accelerator manipulation method of a vehicle driver (in other words, a model pattern in which the vehicle driver depresses an accelerator pedal during an acceleration start of the vehicle) and the target driving force. In an acceleration scene (when the driver has decided that the vehicle should be accelerated), the driver manipulates the accelerator depression (depresses deeply the accelerator pedal), and, thereafter, maintains a position of accelerator pedal so that an accelerator manipulation variable is constant. Then, when the vehicular velocity reaches to a certain value, the driver satisfies the acceleration and carries out an accelerator pedal release operation (to zero the manipulated variable of the accelerator). A locus of the target driving force in this acceleration scene is such that the target driving force is once increased substantially vertically in response to the first accelerator pedal deep depression. Then, when the subsequent accelerator manipulated variable is maintained constant, the target driving force is gradually decreased along with an increase in a vehicular velocity due to the acceleration. Thereafter, an accelerator return (or accelerator pedal release) operation is carried out so that a vehicular state is converged into a vicinity to a certain vehicular velocity.
Next, suppose that the overtake acceleration is carried out with accelerator manipulated variable equal to the acceleration start described above. In this case, since the target driving force characteristic is prepared so as to be converged to a certain vehicle velocity, an extra accelerator manipulated variable is less, the vehicle state is resulted in the convergence into a certain vehicular velocity without accelerator return (accelerator pedal release) operation.
In this case, it cannot be thought that a sufficient degree of acceleration is carried out, with a fact that the driver generally depresses more deeply the accelerator pedal than usual and, thereafter, carries out the return operation for the accelerator pedal during the vehicular acceleration taken into consideration. To obtain the sufficient overtake acceleration, the driver depresses the accelerator pedal more deeply than the case of the acceleration start (the accelerator manipulated variable is increased). Then, an additional driving force is added to the target driving force and an accelerator feeling becomes satisfactory.
However, to achieve this addition of the target driving force, the target driving force characteristic with respect to accelerator manipulated variable is not present so as to substantially be translate to an adjacent target driving force line the cannot be prepared due to an overshooting feeling during the acceleration start. Because it is necessary to create the target driving force characteristic with respect to the accelerator manipulated variable in such a way that the target driving force characteristic converges into a driving force corresponding to a running resistance at a certain vehicular velocity.
If not so, the target driving force characteristic would not be competed with the running resistance and a vehicular characteristic is indicated such that the acceleration is increased continuously without stop for a long period of tine if the return manipulation of the accelerator is carried out. Hence, a control easiness to maintain the vehicular velocity and a cruise-speed running characteristic are worsened. In addition, in terms of the acceleration feeling, the driver expects that the vehicle acceleration becomes soon settled. Hence, such an evaluation is not always carried out that the acceleration feeling is preferable.
To solve the above-described inconsistency, such many discussion as, in an overtake acceleration region, the cruise speed running state and the acceleration state are divided according to a detection of the vehicle driver""s acceleration demand and an appropriate driving force characteristic is given to the divided cruise run state and acceleration state have been made. In this method, it is necessary to grasp strictly the vehicle driver""s acceleration demand. However, this is very difficult. With a risk considered when an erroneous determination is made, a sufficient correction cannot be made. Hence, if possible, it is desirable to provide no system in which a switching occurs in response to some trigger.
A plurality of proposals have been made in which the same driving force control is achieved through a gear shift diagram control of a transmission. However, many problems are provided in points listed below to perform the conformity to the acceleration feeling. 1) With a multiple-ratio geared transmission as a prerequisite, a driving force step difference is always present as a result of control and a smoothness becomes sacrificed. 2) Even if a continuously variable transmission is used, a revolution change is always necessary. In a case where the acceleration is not varied for the variation in revolution, it is difficult to make conformity when the acceleration feeling is spoiled. 3) For example, a method of control cannot help being largely varied according to a mechanism such as the multiple-ratio geared transmission and a continuously variable transmission. In addition, it is difficult to apply the driving force control to a manual transmission mounted vehicle, an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle.
It is, hence, an object of the present invention to provide driving force controlling apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle which can achieve compatibility between a large acceleration demand immediately after the acceleration start from the standstill and a vehicular velocity controllability in the vicinity to the target vehicular velocity after the target acceleration from the standstill and a vehicular velocity after the end of acceleration end and can achieve the compatibility between the large acceleration demand immediately after the overtake start at a time of the overtake acceleration and vehicular velocity controllability in the vicinity to the end of acceleration.
The above-described object can be achieved by providing an apparatus for controlling a driving force for an automotive vehicle, comprising: an accelerator manipulated variable detecting section that detects a manipulated variable of an accelerator; a vehicular velocity detecting section that detects a vehicular velocity; and a target driving force calculating section that derives a vehicular target driving force in accordance with a vehicle driver""s demand, the apparatus achieving the derived target driving force and the target driving force calculating section comprising: a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force calculating section that calculates a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force from an absolute value of the manipulated variable of the accelerator and the vehicular velocity; an acceleration control purpose target driving force calculating section that generates an acceleration control purpose target driving force from at least one of an absolute value of the accelerator manipulated variable and a variation speed of the manipulated variable of the accelerator; and a target driving force synthesizing section that synthesizes both of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and the acceleration control purpose target driving force.
The above-described object can also be achieved by providing an apparatus for controlling a driving force for an automotive vehicle, comprising: an accelerator manipulated variable detecting section that detects a manipulated variable of an accelerator; a vehicular velocity detecting section that detects a vehicular velocity; and a target driving force calculating section that derives a vehicular target driving force in accordance with a vehicle driver""s demand, the apparatus achieving the derived target driving force and the target driving force calculating section comprising: a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force calculating section that calculates a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force from an absolute value of the manipulated variable of the accelerator and the vehicular velocity; an acceleration control purpose target driving force calculating section that generates an acceleration control purpose target driving force from at least one of an absolute value of a result of calculation by the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force calculating section and a variation speed of the result of calculation by the same; and a target driving force synthesizing section that synthesizes both of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and the acceleration control purpose target driving force.
The above-described object can also be achieved by providing a method for controlling a driving force for an automotive vehicle, the method comprising: detecting a manipulated variable of an accelerator; detecting a vehicular velocity; and deriving a vehicular target driving force in accordance with a vehicle driver""s demand, the method achieving the derived target driving force and driving the vehicular target driving force comprising: calculating a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force from an absolute value of the manipulated variable of the accelerator and the vehicular velocity; generating an acceleration control purpose target driving force from at least one of an absolute value of the accelerator manipulated variable and a variation velocity of the manipulated variable of the accelerator; and synthesizing both of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and the acceleration control purpose target driving force to achieve a target driving force of the vehicle.
The above-described object can also be achieved by providing a method for controlling a driving force for an automotive vehicle, the method comprising: detecting a manipulated variable of an accelerator; detecting a vehicular velocity; and deriving a vehicular target driving force in accordance with a vehicle driver""s demand, the method achieving the derived target driving force and deriving the target driving force comprising: calculating a vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force from an absolute value of the manipulated variable of the accelerator and the vehicular velocity; generating an acceleration control purpose target driving force from at least one of an absolute value of a result of calculation of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and a variation velocity of the result of calculation of the same; and synthesizing both of the vehicular velocity control purpose target driving force and the acceleration control purpose target driving force.
This summary of the invention does not necessarily describe all necessary features so that the invention may also be a sub-combination of these described features.

Driving force control apparatus and method for automotive vehicle


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body including a first upper surface with a first side surface extending downwardly therefrom, a second upper surface with a second side surface extending downwardly therefrom, and a bottom surface interfacing first and second side surfaces. The first and second side surfaces and the bottom surface together define a groove. A conductive film partially fills the groove with an intervention of an insulating film therebetween so the conductive film terminates at a first intermediate portion of the first side surface between the first upper surface and the bottom surface and at a second intermediate portion of the second side surface between the second upper surface and the bottom surface. A distance between the first intermediate portion of the first side surface and the first upper surface exceeds a distance between the second intermediate portion of the second side surface and the second upper surface.

JP-A 2011-129566 (Patent Literature 1) discloses a structure of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells having field effect transistors as selection transistors each having a buried gate electrode structure.
In this technology, a bottom portion of each of grooves formed in a silicon substrate (semiconductor substrate) is filled with a conductive film while an insulation film is interposed between the conductive film and inner surfaces of the groove. In this manner, a metal insulator semiconductor (MIS) structure is formed at the bottom portion of each of the grooves. Source/drain (S/D) regions are drawn from an upper surface of the silicon substrate.
One of the S/D regions is connected to a bit line, and the other S/D region is connected to a capacitor. Thus, a DRAM cell is formed.
Meanwhile, in a buried gate type MIS transistor disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a gate electrode (buried gate electrode) is arranged at the bottom of a groove formed in an active region while a gate insulation film is interposed between the gate electrode and inner surfaces of the groove.
Therefore, when an ON-state voltage is applied to a buried gate electrode, an inversion layer (channel) is formed at a deep location from the same level as an upper surface of the buried gate electrode as seen in the depth direction of the silicon substrate.
Specifically, when a buried gate type MIS transistor is turned on, carriers drift in a semiconductor region from an S/D contact portion on a surface of a silicon substrate (a contact portion between a contact plug and an S/D region) to an upper surface of the buried gate electrode in which a channel is formed.
Therefore, the depth of the gate electrode being buried affects the device characteristics. In this regard, there is a room for improving a structure of a buried gate type MIS transistor.


The present Invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions of (3S,11aR)—N-[(2,4-difluorophenyhmethyl]-2,3,5,7,11,11a-hexahydro-6-hydroxy-3-methyl-5,7-dioxo-oxazolo[3,2-a]pyrido[1,2-d]pyrazine-8-carboxamide, useful in the treatment or prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections.

WO 2006/116764 discloses a class of compounds useful in the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS. There is a continuing need for pharmaceutical compositions suitable for treatment over a long period of time. We have discovered pharmaceutical compositions of (3S,11aR)—N-[(2,4-difluorophenyl)methyl]-2,3,5,7,11,11a-hexahydro-6-hydroxy-3-methyl-5,7-dioxo-oxazolo[3,2-a]pyrido[1,2-d]pyrazine-8-carboxamide that are long-acting and therefore suitable for administration to patients in the treatment of HIV infections.
Patient non-compliance is a well known problem accompanying the complex HIV treatment regimens. Patient non-compliance is a critical problem in the treatment of HIV because such non-compliance may lead to the emergence of multiple-drug resistant strains of HIV.
The present invention addresses the issue of non-compliance by formulating (3S,11aR)—N-[(2,4-difluorophenyl)methyl]-2,3,5,7,11,11a-hexahydro-6-hydroxy-3-methyl-5,7-dioxo-oxazolo[3,2-a]pyrido[1,2-d]pyrazine-8-carboxamide as a long-acting parenteral composition suitable for administration, for example, once per month, once every 2 months, once every 3 months, once every 6 months or once every 12 months.
The compositions of the present invention provide for once monthly dosing or longer, thereby addressing the problem of patient non-compliance and pill burden.