To correctly splice two films to each other in the end-to-end relationship, a film splicer includes as essential components a base platform, a film guide mechanism arranged on the base platform, an arm member adapted to be turnably depressed against the upper surface of the film guide mechanism by actuating a handle for a cutter holder, an adhesive tape feeding mechanism, and a pair of tape cutters arranged on the lower surface of the arm member for cutting an adhesive tape in a film splicing operation region corresponding to the width of each film to be spliced. The adhesive tape feeding mechanism is composed of an adhesive tape unrolling member, a holding member for temporarily holding the foremost end part of the unrolled adhesive film, and an opposing pair of adhesive tape folding-back members for folding back the unrolled adhesive tape at a predetermined position in front of the film splicing operation region. A plurality of perforation punches are disposed on the lower surface of the arm member to form a plurality of perforations through films to be spliced to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a film splicer for splicing the foremost ends of two films, especially tape automatic bonding films (hereinafter referred to simply as TAB films to each other with the aid of an adhesive tape serving as bonding means. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvement of a tape splicer of the foregoing type which assures that each tape splicing operation can correctly be achieved not only at a high efficiency but also at a high accuracy.
2. Description of the Related Art
An information recording film splicer has been heretofore practically used for the purpose of cutting and splicing a picture film, an information tape or the like. Among a plurality of conventional film splicers, an information recording film splicer includes as essential components a base platform having a guide member and a roll mounted thereon and an arm member adapted to be turnably raised and lowered on the base platform with the base end of the arm member pivotally secured to the base platform, in order to assure that the foremost ends of information recording tapes are brought in contact with each other at a predetermined position with unnecessary parts of the information recording tapes preliminarily cut off from the latter, and moreover, an adhesive tape is adhesively secured to both the information recording tapes along the foremost cut ends of the latter, as disclosed in an official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication NO. 62-86592. As the adhesive tape is drawn from a roll of adhesive tape, it is located above the information recording tape, and thereafter, the arm member is turnably thrust against the upper surface of the base platform by actuating a handle with an operator's hand so as to allow the information recording tape on the guide member to be depressed by a depressing plate attached to the lower surface of the arm member. Subsequently, the adhesive tape is cut at a predetermined position by actuating adhesive tape cutters located at the fore and rear ends of the depressing plate, and thereafter, two information recording tapes cut in that way are spliced to each other using a thin adhesive tape interposed therebetween for the purpose of performing a so-called film editing operation.
In recent years, a tape automatic bonding technique (hereinafter referred to as a TAB technique) is widely employed in many industrial fields as a method of installing integrated circuits on a printed circuit board for producing electronic calculators, electronic watches or clocks, liquid crystal monitors, computers or the like. The TAB technique is typically exemplified by a method of sequentially forming a plurality of wiring patterns on a long film corresponding to integrated circuits and then bonding lead wires extending from the wiring patterns to the corresponding terminals of the integrated circuits. Before and after the integrated circuits are installed on the printed circuit board, a TAB film is visually inspected so that a part of the TAB film including wiring patterns each having incorrect wiring and incorrect bonding detected thereon is removed by actuating a cutter and the remaining acceptable part of the TAB film is spliced to the opponent one in the same manner as the information recording tape editing operation to provide a single long film. With the conventional film splicer constructed in the above-described manner, an adhesive tape is adhesively attached merely to one surface of each of two tapes along the contact line where the foremost ends of the two tapes come in contact with each other. Thus, there sometimes arises a malfunction that both the tapes are parted away from each other, i.e., away from the joint line therebetween depending on how a certain high intensity of pulling power is applied to the tapes.
In view of the foregoing malfunction, a proposal was made with respect to a method of allowing the contact part between two tapes to be clamped between two halves of a folded adhesive tape which in turn is adhesively secured to the two tapes, and thereafter, cutting off an extra part of the adhesive tape by actuating a cutter or the like wherein the foregoing method was practically employed in the past for splicing 16 mm picture films to each other. With the proposed method, a long film having a plurality of film segments sequentially spliced to each other exhibits a high strength because the adhesive tape is adhesively secured to both the surface of the tape. However, since the folded part of the adhesive tape is projected outside of the film on the one side of the latter, it is liable of becoming an obstacle in the course of each film handling operation. For this reason, practical employment of the proposed method is not acceptable when two TAB films are spliced to each other.
To solve the foregoing problem, it is thinkable that two conventional film splicer are employed for TAB films. In this case, a first film splicer serves to allow an adhesive tape to be adhesively secured to a joint part between two TAB films. Subsequently, the adhesive tape is cut away from the joint part, and thereafter, the TAB films are turned upside down so that the original lower surfaces of the same are oriented in the upward direction. Then, a second film splicer serves to allow another adhesive tape to be adhesively secured to the foregoing joint part in the same manner as the first film splicer. However, since it is practically difficult to turn the TAB tapes upside down while they are linearly delivered to both the film splicers, it is thinkable from the viewpoint of practical use that the TAB films are successively delivered to the first film splicer and the second film splicer while they are displaced along a S-shaped path. However, to prevent circuit components such as integrally circuits or the like installed on a printed circuit board from being damaged or injured, the TAB films should basically be bent only in one direction. For this reason, it is not acceptable that they are bidirectionally bent. In addition, when two adhesive tapes are separately adhesively secured to the TAB films with the aid of two film splicers and an extra part of each adhesive tape is then cut off, the outer cut ends of the upper and lower adhesive tapes are usually positionally offset from each other. Thus, a part of the adhesive surface of each adhesive tape appears on the outer surface of each TAB film. However, this is not acceptable.
To solve the foregoing problem, an applicant common to the present invention has proposed a film splicer as disclosed in an official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication NO. 4-5022. According to the prior invention, the film splicer includes a first splicer for bringing the foremost ends of films to be spliced to each other in contact with each other, adhesively securing an adhesive tape to the upper surfaces of the films along the contact line therebetween and then cutting the foremost end part of the adhesive tape and a second splicer for adhesively securing another adhesive tape to the lower surfaces of the films along the contact line therebetween and then cutting the foremost end part of the adhesive tape. The distance between two tape receiving portions for receiving an adhesive tape not only before a guide member of the first splicer but also after the guide member of the same and the distance between blades of two cutters for cutting the foremost end parts of the adhesive tapes are determined to be slightly smaller than a width of each film, while the distance between two tape receiving portions for receiving another adhesive tape not only before a guide member for the second splicer but also after the guide member of the same and the distance between blades of two cutters for cutting the foremost end parts of the adhesive tapes are determined to be approximately equalized to the width of each film.
However, since the film splicer proposed by the applicant as disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication NO. 4-5022 includes two splicers in the combined state, a wide space is required for installing the two splicers on the film splicer. This leads to the result that the film splicer should be improved in respect of reduction of the space required for installing the two splicers, and moreover, the film splicer should be improved in respect of a cost required for installing the film splicer.
In addition, since the adhesive tapes are adhesively secured not only to the upper surfaces of the two tapes but also to the lower surfaces of the same with the aid of the two splicers, an adhesive tape cutting operation should twice be performed for the adhesive tapes with the result that the film splicer should additionally be improved in respect of an operational efficiency.
When an adhesive tape is drawn in the second splicer while the adhesive surface of the same is oriented in the upward direction, there arises a necessity for taking care so as not to allow the adhesive tape to be erroneously adhesively secured to the film after completion of adhesive securing of another adhesive tape to one surface of the film.


A process and apparatus for low cracking or recracking of liquid hydrocarbons with FCC catalyst containing 0.2 to 1.5 wt % coke is disclosed. FCC naphtha, or a thermally or hydrocracked naphtha, contacts spent FCC catalyst in a naphtha recracking reactor for limited conversion to lighter products and an increase in octane number. Spent catalyst from the recracking reactor can be recycled to the FCC reactor without stripping or regeneration. Naphtha recracking products are preferably cooled, then used as an absorbent to recover gasoline boiling range products from the FCC main column overhead vapor. Use of spent catalyst and controlled conversion conditions minimizes overcracking of the light liquid and minimizes formation of heavy ends.

Processes for the cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks via contact at appropriate temperatures and pressures with fluidized catalytic particles are generically as "fluid catalytic cracking" (FCC). A heavy feed contacts not regenerated catalyst and is cracked to lighter products. Carbonaceous deposits form on the catalyst, thereby deactivating it. The deactivated (spent) catalyst is separated from cracked products, stripped of strippable hydrocarbons and conducted to a regenerator, where coke is burned off the catalyst with air, thereby regenerating the catalyst. The regenerated catalyst is then recycled to the reactor. The reactor-regenerator assembly are usually maintained in heat balance. Heat generated by burning the coke in the regenerator provides sufficient thermal energy for catalytic cracking in the reactor. Control of reactor conversion is usually achieved by controlling the flow of hot regenerated catalyst to the reactor to maintain the desired reactor temperature.
In most modern FCC units, the hot regenerated catalyst is added to the feed at the base of a riser reactor. The fluidization of the solid catalyst particles may be promoted with a lift gas. Mixing and atomization of the feedstock may be promoted with steam, equal to 1-5 wt % of the hydrocarbon feed. Hot catalyst (650.degree. C..sup.+) from the regenerator is mixed with preheated (150.degree.-375.degree. C.) charge stock. The catalyst vaporizes and superheats the feed to the desired cracking temperature usually 450.degree.-600.degree. C. During the upward passage of the catalyst and feed, the feed is cracked, and coke deposits on the catalyst. The coked catalyst and the cracked products exit the riser and enter a solid-gas separation system, e.g., a series of cyclones, at the top of the reactor vessel. The cracked products pass to product separation. Typically, the cracked hydrocarbon products are fractionated into a series of products, including gas, gasoline or naphtha, heavy gasoline or heavy naphtha, light gas oil, and heavy cycle gas oil. Some heavy cycle gas oil may be recycled to the reactor. The bottom's product, a "slurry oil", is conventionally allowed to settle. The catalyst rich solids portion of the settled product may be recycled to the reactor. The clarified slurry oil is a heavy product.
The "reactor vessel" into which the riser discharges primarily separates catalyst from cracked products and unreacted hydrocarbons and permits catalyst stripping.
Older FCC units use some or all dense bed cracking. Down flow operation is also possible, in which case catalyst and oil are added to the top of a vertical tube, or "downer," with cracked products removed from the bottom of the downer. Moving bed analogs of the FCC process, such as Thermofor Catalytic Cracking (TCC) are also known.
Further details of FCC processes can be found in: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,093,537, 4,118,337, 4,118,338, 4,218,306 (Gross et al.); 4,444,722 (Owen); 4,459,203 (Beech et al.); 4,639,308 (Lee); 4,675,099, 4,681,743 (Skraba) as well as in Venuto et al., Fluid Catalytic Cracking With Zeolite Catalysts, Marcel Dekker, Inc. (1979). These patents and publication are incorporated herein by reference.
Conventional FCC catalysts usually contain acidic zeolites such as Rare Earth Y (REY), Dealuminized Y (DAY), Ultrastable Y (USY), Rare Earth Containing Ultrastable Y (RE-USY), and Ultrahydrophobic Y (UHP-Y).
Typical FCC catalyst particle diameters range from 20 to 150 microns, with an average diameter of 60 to 80 microns.
Catalysts used in moving bed catalytic cracking units (e.g. TCC units) are in the form of spheres, pills, beads, or extrudates, and can have a diameter ranging from 1 to 6 mm.
Although many advances have been made in both the catalytic cracking process, and the process produces close to half of the gasoline consumed in the United State, some problem areas remain.
The FCC gasoline pool has a fairly high octane number, but there is an ever increasing demand for more octane. The FCC gasoline is of good quality, but the volatility is somewhat higher than desired. End point restrictions have become more stringent to meet demands for clean burning fuel.
FCC gasoline, unlike reformate, has relatively large amounts of sulfur and olefins. Any attempts to reduce gasoline sulfur content by hydrotreating would also reduce gasoline octane number. The FCC heavy naphtha is especially troublesome re. sulfur, because the sulfur content increases with boiling point.
An additional concern in many areas is that there is not enough gasoline. This will an even more serious problem as new environmental regulations come into force, which may restrict the gasoline 90% boiling point to about 300.degree. F. in some areas.
It would be beneficial if refiners had an efficient way to convert streams which are too heavy, or of poor quality, into products which could enter the refinery gasoline pool. FCC heavy naphtha is not as valuable as lighter naphtha.
Coker heavy gasoline is too heavy and too reactive to permit its inclusion in the gasoline pool.
Hydrocracked naphtha may not be suitable for blending in the gasoline pool, and may require further processing.
Virgin naphtha has a low octane number, and usually must be hydrotreated and reformed in a platinum reformer to permit addition to the refinery gasoline pool.
Refiners have used the FCC process as a way to upgrade to some extent one or more of these streams. Some methods of upgrading naphtha boiling range streams in FCC risers will be reviewed.
Coker naphtha has been added to an FCC riser, with much of it converted to coke.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,218,306, Gross et al., taught improving naphtha octane in a very bottom portion of a riser reactor, by contact with freshly regenerated catalyst.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,825 an FCC light naphtha was recycled to the base of an FCC riser, to contact hot regenerated catalyst. The naphtha recycle was reported to double the production of light olefins.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,793, Schwartz, which is incorporated herein by reference, C3 and C4 hydrocarbons, alone or in combination with a recycled gasoline fraction, were added to a dense bed reactor at the top of a riser reactor. This process is interesting because, although conducted in, or rather just downstream of, an FCC riser reactor, the conversion of C3/C4 and naphtha was apparently due solely to the action of ZSM-5 catalyst present in the inventory. The large pore cracking catalyst acted solely as a heat sink.
In the '793 process, the FCC catalyst inventory contained large amounts of ZSM-5, which retained activity during riser cracking. A heavy feed, such as a gas oil, was added to the base of a riser reactor and cracked. Resid, injected near the top of the riser, deactivated the large pore cracking catalyst. The riser discharged into a dense bed, where C3/C4, and optionally recycled gasoline, were added. The large pore catalyst provided a heat sink, while the ZSM-5 converted olefins and paraffins to lower boiling olefins and alkylbenzene and reduced the average weight of the alkylbenzene.
The '793 patent examples showed cracking of gasoline in a bench scale FCC unit at 960.degree. F., 5 C/O, 0.2 WHSV, with catalyst coked to contain 2.66 to 2.7 wt % coke. The catalyst contained relatively large amounts of ZSM-5, e.g., 5% ZSM-5, 15% REY, all in a matrix. Roughly 60% yields of gasoline were obtained, with conversion of roughly 10 wt % of the feed to (coke and 450.degree. F.+ material).
The '793 patent used the heat energy, but little or none of the catalytic activity, in "top of the riser" FCC catalyst. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,432, Owen, both the thermal energy and catalytic activity of this catalyst were used to oligomerize or cyclicize vapors from an FCC main column boiling below a C6+ gasoline stream. The catalyst specified was a mixture of large pore zeolite cracking catalyst and a smaller pore zeolite. In the process, a vapor fraction, having an average molecular weight of about 40, was heated, then charged to the base of a lift tube embedded in the reactor vessel containing the FCC spent catalyst stripper. The top of the lift tube discharged into a cyclone, having a vapor outlet isolated from the vapor products of the FCC reaction. The process reduced the requirements of the light ends recovery process by up to about 30%. The '432 patent thus showed a good way to convert light, normally vaporous hydrocarbons into heavier liquids, and to unload to some extent the light ends recovery facilities associated with FCC plants. The process did not act upon any normally liquid stream from the cracking unit.
Quenching of FCC risers with various liquid recycle streams is suggested in several patents. Light and heavy cycle oils, FCC naphtha, and water have all been proposed as quench liquids. Such quench fluids are considered relatively inert.
Processing of FCC heavy naphtha in a separate reactor, sharing a common regenerator with the FCC reactor, has been proposed.
We reviewed the problems of improving the quality of FCC gasoline, and trying to make more of it from various streams available in refineries, and found no completely satisfactory solution. The state of the art either did too much, or too little, to these streams.
Simply recycling naphtha to the base of an FCC riser, upstream of the point of fresh feed addition, or recracking the naphtha in a separate reactor with freshly regenerated cracking catalyst severely overcracks the naphtha. Large amounts of light olefins are produced, but gasoline boiling hydrocarbons are lost, a loss exceeding the potential yield of gasoline from alkylatable olefins produced during overcracking. The end point of gasoline can increase during recracking, due to thermal reactions. An additional problem is that the large amount of light ends produced will usually overwhelm the capacity of the FCC wet gas compressor and gas plant.
We wanted to recrack heavy naphtha, and similar refinery streams, without overcracking it. We wanted to decrease the FCC gasoline olefinicity and optionally the volatility of the gasoline. We wanted to decrease significantly the sulfur content and the 90% boiling point of heavy gasoline.
We also wanted a way to upgrade other relatively light streams, that is lighter than gas oil, without subjecting them to the severe FCC reaction conditions. We felt that something less severe than FCC processing was the optimum way to handle these relatively light liquids.
We discovered, in the FCC process, a catalyst with ideal properties for our purpose--FCC catalyst discharged from a riser reactor. This material is considered inactive or dead, but still retains considerable activity, and quite a lot of thermal energy. It has ideal properties for catalytic upgrading of FCC heavy naphtha, virgin naphtha and similar streams, but its potential has generally been ignored. Schwartz, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,793 realized some of the potential in FCC catalyst. He recognized its considerably residual activity and its value as a heat source. Schwartz, however, used it only for its heating value, preferring to eliminate its catalytic activity by adding a resid or equivalent heavy feed to essentially completely deactivate it with coke, while allowing the ZSM-5 present in the equilibrium catalyst to do its work.
We realized that spent FCC catalyst, because of its lower temperature, as compared to freshly regenerated FCC catalyst, does less thermal cracking. We believed that heavy naphtha could be converted by post-riser FCC catalyst, even using FCC catalyst which contained none, or only modest amounts of ZSM-5, and that coking of the FCC catalyst was neither essential nor beneficial. We believed that "top of the riser" FCC catalyst could crack heavy naphtha, without producing large amounts of light ends or high end point material.
We discovered a way to recrack light liquid hydrocarbon streams, using "top of the riser" cracking catalyst, without increasing catalyst traffic in the FCC reactor or catalyst stripper. In a preferred embodiment, our process and apparatus operates in unison with the FCC main column without significantly increasing vapor traffic in the column. We also discovered a way to continuously operate a separate fluidized bed reactor for naphtha recracking, without an additional catalyst regenerator, and/or a catalyst stripper. We were able to integrate an additional cracking process with the FCC process, but in a way which did not reduce the FCC unit's capacity nor impair its reliability.


A device is provided for use in a carding machine having a roller with clothing, the device being for arranging opposite the clothing on the roller. The device has a flat bar, a clothing strip, and a rigid support element connected to the clothing strip and having fastening elements. The fastening elements engage the flat bar and exert pressure on the flat bar.

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102 14 391.9, filed Mar. 30, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to a device on, for example, a carding machine for cotton, synthetic fibers and the like. The device comprises at least one flat bar with flat bar clothing, where the flat bar clothing is attached to the flat bar and is positioned opposite clothing on, for example, a main carding cylinder of the carding machine. The clothing is attached to a support provided with fastening elements that engage the flat bar.
The flat bar of a known device has of a back part and a support body with an underside. A clothing strip (flexible clothing) is attached to the underside (the part that holds the clothing) and extends along the underside. The clothing strip comprises a support element having several textile layers in which a plurality of small wire hooks or clothing needle points are fastened. The clothing strip is attached with the aid of two clamps, straps, or clips along the longitudinal sides of the support body. With one end, the clamps encircle the longitudinal edge regions of the clothing strip and, with the other end, they engage recesses in the support body. In practical operations, the clamps consist of a sheet-metal strip, one longitudinal edge of which is punched into the textile material. During assembly, the textile material of the clothing strip is attached with considerable tension and is form fitting to the support body of the flat bar. In the process, the clamps exert tensile forces in such a way that the textile material is deformed spherically away from the underside. Thus, the clothing needle points are also arranged in an undesirable manner along a convex enveloping curve, pointing toward the outside.
A set of flat bars produced in this way has an accuracy of 0.05 mm in height and evenness when not in use. As a result of use, the height differences in the set will increase to approximately 0.2 mm. The accuracy is improved only insignificantly through a re-sharpening of the clothing on the machine. Following a fiber-material throughput of approximately 400 t, the flat bar clothing is worn to such a degree that it must be replaced. The flat bar is clamped down for dismantling the sheet metal straps and the form-fitting connection is reversed with the aid of a lever and pliers. The considerable forces required for the assembly and dismantling negatively effect the dimensional stability of the flat bar. Added to this are undesirable tolerances resulting from the production of the flat bar body. As a result of the aforementioned disadvantages, the clothing needle points of the clothed flat bar must be leveled by grinding.
According to a previous solution (shown in European Patent 0 887 445), the bottom surface is provided with two side walls that project in a downward direction. The base is not glued directly to the bottom surface, but to a flexible band, wherein this band has side parts that cooperate with the projections on the bottom surface in the manner of clip-on connections, thus fastening the clothing strips to the profile. The side walls are thus extended downward to protect the longitudinal edges of the base. The production of this type of flat bar is expensive with respect to production technology and assembly. In particular, it is problematic that the flexible band does not provide sufficient hold for the clothing strip during operation. The flexibility, which counteracts the important spacing stability between the clothing points of the flat bar clothing and the clothing points on the cylinder clothing, is a disadvantage that results in an uneven carding effect and can also cause operational malfunctions.
In contrast to the above, it is an object of the invention to create a device of the above-described type that avoids the aforementioned disadvantages. In particular, the invention makes it possible to produce a clothed flat bar with stable form and makes it easier to produce the flat bar and replace the clothing strip.
This and other objects are achieved by a device for use in a carding machine having a roller with clothing, the device being for arranging opposite the clothing on the roller. The device has a flat bar, a clothing strip, and a rigid support element connected to the clothing strip and having fastening elements. The fastening elements engage the flat bar and exert pressure on the flat bar.
Owing to the fact that the support connected to the clothing strip has a rigid design and the fastening elements are elastically connected to the support, an operationally safe embodiment is achieved which also permits easy replacement of worn clothing. If the clothing is worn, the complete unit, including the clothing strip with clothing and support with fastening elements, is removed with few manipulations from the support body and is discarded. Another advantage is that all production tolerances of the flat bar, the clothing as well as those resulting from the assembly (including the dismantling) are eliminated. With the flat bar clothed according to the invention, the addition of tolerances developing during the assembly and dismantling of the flat bar clothing, the technologically damaging leveling and the worsening of the accuracy during use are advantageously and effectively avoided.

Device for attaching clothing to a flat bar


After a digit line is charged to a power supply voltage by turn-on of a first switching element, the first switching element is turned off and a second switching element is turned on, whereby the digit line is connected to a ground voltage. Similarly, in order to feed data write current, a bit line is charged to a data voltage in accordance with write data through a third switching element. Then, the bit line is connected to a voltage different from the data voltage by a fourth switching element while the third switching element is turned off. Therefore, a load current from a power supply to an MRAM device is supplied during charging of a digit line capacitance and a bit line capacitance, without being consumed when the data write current flows. Consequently, a peak of the load current supplied from the power supply is suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film magnetic memory device, and more particularly, to a thin film magnetic memory device suitable for drive by a battery.
2. Description of the Background Art
Recently, a magnetic random access memory device (MRAM device) has attracted attention as a high-speed and highly integrated non-volatile memory. The MRAM device represents a memory device using a plurality of thin film magnetic elements formed on a semiconductor integrated circuit as a memory cell permitting random access thereto.
Particularly, it has been disclosed that a performance of the MRAM device is enhanced by employing a memory cell constituted of thin film magnetic elements utilizing magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) (hereinafter, also referred to as an "MTJ memory cell"). The MTJ memory cell stores data, by being magnetized in a direction in accordance with write data by a magnetic field produced by a data write current. Data reading from the MTJ memory cell is carried out by utilizing such a characteristic of the MTJ memory cell that an electric resistance of the MTJ memory cell is varied in accordance with the magnetic direction. Since the magnetic direction of the MTJ memory cell that has once stored data is held until another magnetic field is applied and the data is rewritten, the MRAM device is capable of non-volatile data storage (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,887; "A 10 ns Read and Write Non-Volatile Memory Array Using a Magnetic Tunnel Junction and FET Switch in each Cell," by Roy Scheuerlein et al., 2000 IEEE ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, TA7.2, "Nonvolatile RAM based on Magnetic Tunnel Junction Elements," by M. Durlam et al., 2000 IEEE ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, TA7.3; and "A 256 kb 3.0V 1T1MTJ Nonvolatile Magnetoresistive RAM," by Peter K. Naji et al., 2001 IEEE ISSCC Digest of Technical Papers, TA7.6).
In addition, a technology for achieving higher integration by covering a metal wire through which a data write current flows with a thin ferromagnetic material in an MRAM device has also been reported (for example, see "A 1-Mbit MRAM Based on 1T1MTJ Bit Cell Integrated With Copper Interconnects," by Mark Durlam et al., IEEE JOURNAL OF SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS, VOL. 38, NO. 5, MAY 2003, pp. 769-773).
As the MRAM device is excellent in terms of a degree of integration and the number of permitted times of rewriting, portable application of the same such as portable electronics including a portable phone and an IC card has been expected. With regard to portable use, as it is difficult to constantly supply electric power from an outside source, limited electric power supply from a battery or the like is performed.
As disclosed in the documents listed above, however, in the MRAM device, a pulse-like current (data write current) is consumed in order to produce a magnetic field for data write. Therefore, a load current to the MRAM device supplied from a power supply represents a high-frequency, pulse-like current. In general, such a load current pattern accelerates battery exhaustion. Therefore, if the MRAM device is applied to portable use, a period for electric power supply from the battery may be shortened.
In addition, it is difficult to ensure electric power capacity of the power supply in an application such as an IC card or the like. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a sufficient data write current level within the MRAM device serving as a load under such a condition that a peak value of the load current supplied by the power supply is restricted. Moreover, in a portable application, a smaller circuit area of the MRAM device is desirable.

Thin film magnetic memory device suitable for drive by battery


A structure of exchangeable décor panel for portable cellular phone that is applied to the folding portable cellular phone having a continuing groove located on a proper position of flip cover and base portion thereof for accommodating a décor panel made of flexible material, wherein said flexible décor panel is installed in its inner side with two rigid plates whose outer rims conform exactly to the outer rims of said décor panel, moreover, there is at least one retainer extending outwards from the outer rim of said rigid plate for clipping on the corresponding retainer holes installed inside said continuing groove to form a compact structure, thus, said décor panel can be changed at will to enable said cellular phone to have different appearance.

(a). Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable cellular phone with exchangeable décor panel, more specifically to an exterior décor panel design for the folding portable cellular phone.
(b). Description of the Prior Arts
Today, telecommunication industry is becoming more and more important for human life. There are products from the early telephone, fax machine and intercom and so on, to the Global Positioning System (GPS), pager, wireless communication and fixed network etc. of the modem world. The advances in the telecommunication industry are making it possible to rapidly transmit the voice, image and graphic via a wireless means. The result is the fast development and prosperity of the global economy and industry. Consequently, the computer industry and the telecommunication industry are destined to become the two leading industry which can progress in the speed beyond human imagination and bring a vast change to human life.
Due to the development of GSM cellular phone, portable cellular phones have come into wide use in Taiwan for connecting friends, relatives and clients with great efficiency. Moreover, the global roaming capability of the GSM cellular phone enables the user to be able to use his portable cellular phone everywhere in the world that, in consequence, provides a favorable condition for the prevalence of cellular phone. Besides, in addition to the common answering incoming calls and issuing outgoing calls, modem cellular phones have many additional functions (such as recording, calendar, games, MP3, WAP, etc.). Please refer to FIG. 1, a schematic drawing is presented illustrating a structure of exchangeable décor panel for portable cellular phone. In order to pander to people's liking for novelty, some cellular phone manufacturers design a product with exchangeable décor panel that can be changed by consumers (e.g. Nokia 3310, 8810, etc.). The kind of cellular phone is composed of a body A2, a front cover A1 and a back cover A3. Through changing the front cover A1 and back cover A3 with different pattern and color, the consumer's craving for novelty can be fulfilled.
While changing the décor panel of the portable cellular phone using the aforementioned method, in order to prevent the décor panel from falling off by outside influences, the locking clasps between the front and back cover are designed to be rigidly precise. Therefore, the method for changing the décor panel of the portable cellular phone can still present a daunting task for many users. The method will require many practices to be able to master and is not acceptable for most consumers.
As to the folding portable cellular phone, it is common that no structure with exchangeable décor panel is installed. Therefore, the appearance of the kind of cellular phone is usually too stale to stir up the craving of young cellular phone consumers. In view of the above drawback, the present invention is related to a structure of exchangeable décor panel for the folding portable cellular phone.

Exchangeable decor panel for portable cellular phone


Method for making lithographic aluminum offset printing plates according to the DTR-process by photo-exposing a photosensitive monosheet layer assemblage comprising a hydrophilic aluminum foil, an intermediate layer comprising hydrophobic polymer beads prepared by polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomer(s) and having an average diameter not lower than 0.2 .mu.m, and a silver halide emulsion layer, applying an aqueous alkaline solution to the photo-exposed silver halide emulsion layer in the presence of a developing agent and a silver halide solvent to form a silver image and to allow unreduced silver halide or complexes formed thereof to diffuse image-wise from the developed silver halide emulsion layer to said aluminum foil to produce thereon a silver image, and separating said emulsion layer and said intermediate layer from the imaged aluminum foil. The invention also relates to the photosensitive monosheet layer assemblage used for making such printing plates.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for making improved lithographic aluminium offset printing plates according to the silver complex diffusion transfer reversal process and to the photosensitive monosheet layer assemblage used for making such printing plates.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The principles of the silver complex diffusion transfer reversal process, briefly called DTR-process herein, have been described in e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 2,352,014.
A lithographic printing plate can be made according to the DTR-process. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,656 a method has been described for making a printing plate by photo-exposing a material comprising in the given sequence a silver halide emulsion layer, a silver-receptive stratum containing nuclei for precipitation of silver from diffusing water-soluble silver complexes, and a base sheet e.g. an aluminium foil, and applying an aqueous alkaline solution of a developing agent and silver halide solvent to the photo-exposed silver halide emulsion layer, reducing the exposed silver halide, allowing the unreduced silver halide or complexes formed thereof to diffuse from the unexposed areas of the silver halide emulsion layer to the silver-receptive stratum to produce from the unreduced silver halide or complexes formed thereof in conjunction with the nuclei a visible silver image in the silver-receptive stratum, said image being oleophilic ink-receptive, and removing the photo-exposed silver halide emulsion layer from the surface of the silver-receptive stratum with warm water. Printing can be achieved by wetting the imaged silver-receptive stratum with aqueous dampening liquid to wet out the non-imaged areas, coating the silver-receptive stratum with an ink, which wets out the imaged areas, and pressing the inked surface onto copy sheets for the transfer of the ink image thereto. It is possible also to dispense with the silver-receptive stratum containing nuclei so that the oleophilic ink-receptive image is formed directly on the base sheet e.g. an aluminium foil, the surface of which has been rendered hydrophilic previously by brushing, silicating, anodizing, etching, or the like. By treatment with a lacquer the oleophilicity of the silver image can be increased, if desired.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,535 a light-sensitive lithographic printing plate material has been described, which material comprises a support e.g. a metal support, an optional subbing or antihalation layer or undercoat, a non-light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, and an image-receiving layer containing physical development nuclei. The material is exposed image-wise through the image-receiving layer and developed to form a diffusion transfer silver image in the image-receiving layer (not in the metal support). The imaged element thus obtained is used as such as a printing plate without separation of the now useless emulsion layers from the layer that contains the printing image.
According to EP-A 0,278,766 a lithographic printing plate precursor has been proposed, said precursor comprising a grained and anodized aluminium foil coated with a sol containing nuclei in a gelatin binder and--according to one embodiment--covered with a silver halide emulsion layer. Extensive experimentation with a said printing plate precursor has shown unfortunately that satisfactory printing results can only be obtained on the condition that after development of said precursor, the residual emulsion layer is removed by washing with hot water (50.degree. C.) and that the image plate is treated with a finisher comprising large amounts (20 g/l) of trypsin. The use of hot water has several disadvantages. The cost of hot water is high. Moreover, hot water dissolves the proteinic binder, usually gelatin, of the emulsion layer, thus causing decomposition of said layer so that a dirty black waste water comprising silver particles and dissolved silver salts is obtained, which upon cooling may clog filters and draining pipes. As for trypsin, this is a proteolytic enzyme that should be present in the finisher to degrade or decompose the proteinic binder that has adsorbed onto the silver grains precipitating on the aluminium foil during image formation. Substantial amounts of proteinic binder can indeed easily reach the silver grains owing to the fact that a silver-receptive stratum comprising gelatin and a gelatin silver halide emulsion layer have been coated directly on the aluminium foil. After oleophilization of said silver image the adsorbed gelatin, which is inherently hydrophilic, constitutes an undesired hydrophilic element in the master image so that prints having an insatisfactory quality are obtained. Moreover, said trypsin, which is essential to degrade the proteinic binder in the silver image, is extraordinarily expensive and is ecologically harmful as can be derived from i.a. Sigma Aldrich Library of Chemical Safety Data: MSD Book, 2,35553A,B,C and from Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances, YN507500.
In addition to the above disadvantages it has also been established that the gelatin present in substantial amounts in the nuclei-containing layer and in the emulsion of the lithographic printing plate precursor layer has a corrosive effect on the aluminium foil. The corrosive effect of gelatin on aluminium has indeed been described by J. H. Penn and G. A. W. Murray in Br. Corros. J., 1967, Vol .2, September, pages 193-4. Even though the corrosive influence of gelatin on the aluminium foil may be limited thanks to the presence of the anodization layer thereon, this protection is incomplete owing to random defects in the continuity of the anodization layer.
Furthermore, it is generally known that aluminium ions have a hardening influence on gelatin (see e.g. the paragraph bridging pages 78 and 79 of "The Theory of the Photographic Process" 4th Ed., edited by T. H. James). Aluminium ions of the foil can indeed cause a hardening reaction in the gelatin layers so that removal of the emulsion layer gradually becomes more difficult.
Finally, as a result of the corrosive effect of gelatin on aluminium and the hardening reaction caused by aluminium in the gelatin layers, the shelf-life of the lithographic printing plate precursor is limited substantially.
According to U.S. Ser. No. 07/552,945 these disadvantages have been circumvented for the major part by providing between the aluminium foil and the silver halide emulsion layer a thin water-swellable intermediate layer comprising for at least 70% of its total weight at least one non-proteinic hydrophilic film-forming polymer.
However, since on a microscopic scale the grained surface of an aluminium foil is very rugged with deep valleys and steep peaks, it is practically impossible to completely cover this rugged aluminium surface with just a thin water-swellable intermediate layer. It was, therefore, tried to fill up this ruggedness by enhancing the thickness of the water-swellable intermediate layer, but although a thicker intermediate layer offered a solution with respect to creating a more efficient barrier between the aluminium surface and the emulsion layer, it led to another disadvantage. During diffusion transfer the silver salts migrating from the emulsion layer to the aluminium surface through the thick water-swollen intermediate layer have to cover a longer diffusion path so that lateral diffusion becomes more substantial. As a consequence, the deposition of silver on the aluminium surface and the sharpness of the transferred silver image are reduced.

Method of making lithographic aluminum offset printing plates


A low-cost, low-power infrared digital communications system. The system overcomes the problem of infrared noise from interior lighting without using either a high-power infrared source or upmodulation of the source. The system includes an infrared collector which uses a non-directional concentrator to concentrate the infrared radiation and a circuit which detects the digital infrared signal in the noise by detecting the edges of the digital infrared signal. Devices in the system need not be aimed at each other, but need only be in line of sight of each other. The preferred embodiment employs the digital infrared signals to communicate between a set of digital devices and a breaker box connected to the telephone network.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to digital communication generally and to digital communication using infrared radiation in particular.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Infrared radiation has long been used for portable communications sytems designed for interior use. A simple example is the portable control device used to control consumer electronic devices such as televisions or VCRs. Most such control devices use infrared light to carry control signals from the device to the television or VCR.
Use of infrared radiation for digital communications in the interiors of buildings is also attractive. The infrared radiation has no noxious side effects and systems in different rooms will not interfere with each other. A problem with the use of infrared radiation for digital communications is, however, the fact that the typical interior environment produces a great deal of infrared noise. All types of AC lighting produce infrared noise and fluorescent lighting fixtures are particularly noisy. Two techniques have been used in the past to overcome the noise:
in one approach, the power of the infrared transmitter has simply been increased as required to overcome the noise and PA1 in the other, the signal employed by the communicating devices has been modulated up so that its frequency is different from that of the noise.
Both of these approaches have disadvantages. The first approach requires high levels of power; the second approach requires extra circuitry to do the modulation and demodulation of the infrared signals and infrared light emitting diodes capable of operating at the rate required for the transmission frequency. These disadvantages are particularly important in the area of portable digital communications equipment. The need for high power in portable equipment means that the equipment must be expensive, heavy, or both; the need for extra circuitry and fast light-emitting diodes adds to the expense. What is provided by the present invention is a simple, low-cost, low-power technique for distinguishing an infrared signal from infrared noise.

Digital infrared communications system with edge detection


The systems and methods of the invention provide a workflow system for processing a financial application in an automated manner. The workflow system may include an interface portion, the interface portion inputting application information into the workflow system for processing by the workflow system and a workflow looping portion. The workflow looping portion may include performing underwriting processing to effect underwriting of the application based on the application information, performing issue processing to effect issue of the application, and performing settlement processing to effect settlement of the application. A rules logic portion may be provided to control the implementation of rules applied to the processing of the application as the application passes through the automated processing. The performing underwriting processing, performing issue processing and performing settlement processing are each performed in an automated manner to constitute automated processing of the application, such that the automated processing includes the performing underwriting processing, performing issue processing and performing settlement processing.

The systems and methods of the invention are directed to the processing of applications in the financial services industry.
In the financial services industry, applications for a financial product or service come into a firm or other company environment. These applications are obtained from any of a wide variety of sources and typically respectively pertain to a variety of products offered by the particular company. The effective and efficient processing of such applications are critical to the survival of a financial services entity. However, the processing of these applications is very complex due to various reasons, including the needed detail involved in such applications. Processing of the applications is further complicated by the mandates of state and federal regulations. These regulations are often situation dependent making processing of applications more complex. Adding further complexity is the fact that applicable regulations often vary between states. A further known complication is effectively accessing and using documents that are needed for processing of applications. As one can imagine, effective access to needed documents is critical to business success in a highly competitive market.
As is known, the processing of an application in the financial services industry, such as an insurance application, involves many phases. For an insurance application, these phases might include the initial processing of an application, interacting with the customer to secure needed items or information, and then underwriting of the application. However, various other phases may be involved in the processing of an insurance application, not to mention the processing of other financial products.
As might be expected, various approaches are known to effect the processing of such applications in the financial services industry. At the most basic level, such applications are processed by hand, moving from one person to another as the application process proceeds. However, known processes fail to provide the automation and functionality needed to process such applications in an efficient and effective manner.
The methods and systems of the invention address the above, as well as other problems and shortcomings of known techniques for processing applications.

Systems and methods for performing workflow


Methods, program products, and systems for baseband location monitoring and related functions are disclosed. A mobile device can monitor its own current location using its baseband subsystem and decide whether to selectively activate its application subsystem based on whether particular conditions are satisfied by the current location. The mobile device can also correlate location and cellular signal information using its baseband subsystem and provide the correlated location and cellular signal information to a server. The server can receive the correlated location and cellular signal information from the baseband subsystems of a large number of widely distributed mobile devices and generate respective profiles of cellular network base stations that transmitted the cellular signals to the mobile devices. The profiles of the cellular network base stations can be used by the server in fulfilling subsequent positioning requests from mobile devices that do not currently have the baseband location monitoring enabled.

A modern mobile device can incorporate functions of multiple conventional electronic devices, including a personal computer, a cellular phone, a radio transceiver, and/or a wireless (e.g., WiFi or GPS) transceiver. For example, a modern mobile phone or personal data assistant (PDA) can provide telephony services, as well as hosting user applications for organizing contacts, playing music, providing email communications, browsing the Internet, and so on. In some mobile devices, a positioning system integrated with, or coupled to, the mobile device also provides opportunities for applications to provide location-based services (e.g., map services, location-based search refinements).
A mobile device that provides both telephony services and application services typically includes a baseband subsystem and an application subsystem. The baseband subsystem includes one or more baseband processors and supports a baseband operating system that operates in a constant active mode. The baseband subsystem can generate real-time responses to external events, and is often reserved for the telephony functions of the mobile device. The application subsystem includes one or more application processors and an application operating system. User applications are typically installed and executed within the application subsystem of the mobile device. The application subsystem can switch between an active mode and a dormant mode. In general, the application subsystem consumes more power than the baseband subsystem when in its active mode. Switching the application subsystem into the dormant mode after an extended idle period can help conserve battery power of the mobile device.

Location monitoring feature of a mobile device for activating an application subsystem


A system for providing sensory effects according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an apparatus for providing vestibular rehabilitation videos configured to correct playback time of sensory effect metadata included in a plurality of integrated files based on start time of transport stream, and generate transport stream including the sensory effect metadata; and a gateway configured to receive the transport stream from the apparatus for providing vestibular rehabilitation videos, extract audio data, video data and the sensory effect metadata from the transport stream, transmit the audio data and the video data to a video player, and transmit the sensory effect metadata to an apparatus for providing sensory effects based on the corrected playback time.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to sensory effect technology and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing sensory effects for efficient vestibular rehabilitation therapy.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vestibular rehabilitation therapy is generally an exercise-based treatment to alleviate symptoms of patients' who experience dizziness and imbalance for quality of life. Most of vestibular rehabilitation treatments are administering sedatives or similar drugs thereof for dizziness. However, such treatments usually reduce moment dizziness rather than the underlying cause. The symptoms rather persist and balance ability becomes worse.
Thus, exercise-based vestibular rehabilitation treatments are receiving more attention.
Exercise-based vestibular rehabilitation methods can be divided into 2 categories. One is vestibular habituation exercise which is designed to repeat specific movements or positions that provoke the dizziness or vertigo and the other is designed to repeat eye and head movements. Conventionally, a patient who needs the vestibular rehabilitation therapy is asked to follow a pattern with his/her eyes for the treatment when videos of complicated glances or shaking videos are shown to the patient. Videos for the vestibular rehabilitation therapy taken by physicians or physical therapists are also shown to a patient to follow.

Apparatus and method for providing sensory effects for vestibular rehabilitation therapy

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


Methods and systems facilitating a preferred network scan in a 4G communications system are disclosed. A user device identifies a new search event when operating in connected state. The user device transitions to idle state, performs a preferred network scan, and returns to connected state.

In today's wireless communication networks, Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) have been established to provide land mobile telecommunications service to user devices such as electronic book readers, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable media players, tablet computers, netbooks, and the like. Generally, each service provider operates its own PLMN. A user device typically attempts to register with its own service provider's PLMN (the home PLMN) upon initial power up. If the user device is located outside of the area covered by the home PLMN, the user device attempts service acquisition on another PLMN, which is commonly known as roaming. Typically, a prioritized list of PLMNs that the user device is allowed to access is stored on a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. The entries and prioritization in the list are usually based on agreements contracted among the various service providers.
When a user device is camped on a PLMN that is not its home PLMN or the highest priority PLMN, the user device usually performs a PLMN scan trying to find its home PLMN or a higher priority PLMN. A PLMN scan is repeated at predetermined time intervals, as defined in a standard specification, such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) specification. For example, the 3GGP specification requires that a PLMN scan be performed every (6*n) minutes, where "n" is configurable by a service provider and is often set to 1, resulting in a PLMN scan being performed every 6 minutes.
The PLMN scan procedure requires a user device receiver to be programmed to different frequencies in order to perform power measurements on various frequencies. Hence, in current wireless technology standards supporting second generation (2G) communication systems (e.g., Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM)) and third generation (3G) communication systems (e.g., Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS)), periodic PLMN scans are not performed by a user device when the user device is in connected state (i.e., when the user device's receiver is always busy listening to a serving cell). Rather, periodic PLMN scans are performed only when the user device is in idle state (i.e., when the user device has no active radio bearer connection with the network). Often, when the user device is in idle state, the network configures the user device to a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode where the user device wakes up for decoding pages at fixed intervals specified by the network to save power consumption. The user device then usually performs periodic PLMN scans between these DRX wakeups.
In current 2G and 3G systems, user devices are left in idle state most of the time unless they have to send data or make a voice call. This approach provides battery saving benefits but results in longer connection times because a user device needs to establish a radio bearer every time it needs to move from idle to connected state. 3GPP Long Term Evaluation (LTE), the latest wireless technology standard developed to support fourth generation (4G) communication systems, addresses this problem by introducing the DRX concept in connected state and keeping user devices in connected state most of the time to shorten connection times. This, however, makes it difficult for a user device to perform a home or higher priority PLMN scan when the user device is connected to a roaming network.

Home or higher priority PLMN scan in 4G connected mode


A battery charging device provided with: a bridge-type controlled rectifier circuit having three-phase thyristors for rectifying the output of a three-phase AC generator and supplying a charging current to a battery; and a controller for controlling the supplying of a trigger signal to the thyristors in accordance with the terminal voltage of the battery; the controller being configured so that the trigger signal is supplied to the thyristors simultaneously when it is detected that the terminal voltage of the battery is equal to or lower than a set voltage, and supplying of the trigger signal is stopped when a certain period has elapsed after the terminal voltage exceeds the set voltage, in order to prevent commutation failure of the thyristors when charging of the battery is stopped, and prevent overcharging of the battery.

As described in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application No. 63-172241, open-type battery charging devices for supplying a charging current from a generator to a battery through a controlled rectifier circuit are widely used as devices for charging a battery by the output of a three-phase AC (alternating-current) generator driven by a motor such as an engine mounted in a vehicle or the like. The controlled rectifier circuit used is commonly a full-bridge controlled rectifier circuit configured from a hybrid bridge circuit provided with three-phase legs, in each of which either one of a top side and a bottom side comprises a thyrister and the other comprises a feedback diode. In an open-type battery charging device, the three-phase thyristors of the controlled rectifier circuit are turned on when the terminal voltage of the battery is equal to or lower than a set voltage, whereby a charging current is distributed from the generator to the battery through the controlled rectifier circuit, and when the terminal voltage of the battery exceeds the set voltage, the three-phase thyristors are turned off, and output terminals of the generator are placed in an open-circuit state, thereby stopping the supply of charging current to the battery.
As a method for controlling the on/off state of the thyristors of the controlled rectifier circuit in the open-type battery charging device, a trigger signal is applied to the thyristors of the three phases U, V, and W simultaneously when the terminal voltage of the battery is equal to or lower than the set voltage, and the trigger signals applied to the three-phase thyristors are simultaneously eliminated when the terminal voltage of the battery exceeds the set voltage, as described in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application No. 63-172241.
In the open-type battery charging device, when the trigger signal is applied to the three-phase thyristors simultaneously when the voltage of the battery becomes equal to or lower than the set voltage, each thyristor turns on when a forward voltage is applied across the anode and cathode thereof, and a charging current is supplied to the battery. As illustrated at the left end of FIG. 9, immediately after the charging current begins to flow to the battery, a transient state occurs in which the peak values of the positive and negative half waves of three-phase alternating-current output currents Iu, Iv, and Iw of the generator are unbalanced, but the transient state subsides as a time t elapses.
When the trigger signals applied to the three-phase thyristors are simultaneously eliminated when the voltage of the battery exceeds the set voltage, a thyristor that is off at the time the trigger signal is eliminated is no longer re-triggered, but a thyristor that is on at the time the trigger signal is eliminated is held in the on state and turned off once the anode current thereof is less than a holding current. The current of a phase in which the thyristor thereof is not re-triggered becomes zero at the time the negative half-wave current flowing through the feedback diode thereof becomes zero. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, when the trigger signals applied to the three-phase thyristors simultaneously are eliminated at a timing ta in a period in which the U-phase current Iu is a positive half wave, although the V-phase and W-phase thyristors are not re-triggered, the U-phase thyristor is held in the on state, and the positive half wave of the U-phase current Iu therefore continues to flow. The V-phase current Iv and the W-phase current Iw are extinguished at the time that the negative half-wave currents flowing through the V-phase and W-phase feedback diodes connected in series to the V-phase thyristor and W-phase thyristor, respectively, become zero.
The waveform of the positive half wave of the current Iu flowing through the U-phase thyristor after supplying of the trigger signal to the three-phase thyristors is stopped switches from a three-phase alternating-current waveform to a single-phase alternating-current waveform at the time that the negative half wave of the V-phase current Iv flowing through the V-phase feedback diode becomes zero. The single-phase alternating-current waveform current Iu continues to flow until the negative half wave of the current Iw flowing through the W-phase feedback diode becomes zero. If the waveform of the current Iu were to remain as a three-phase alternating-current waveform, the current Iu would vary along the trajectory indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 10 and become zero before the negative half wave of the W-phase current Iw becomes zero. However, the current Iu actually continues to flow after switching to the single-phase alternating-current waveform until the negative half wave of the current Iw flowing through the W-phase feedback diode becomes zero. Therefore, relative to a case in which the waveform of the current Iu remains as a three-phase alternating-current waveform, the timing at which the current Iu becomes zero is delayed by a certain delay time td, and the commutation margin time (time until a forward voltage is again applied to a thyristor after the current flowing through the thyristor becomes zero) of the thyristor thereof is reduced by an amount commensurate with the delay time td. In order to turn off a thyristor that is on when supplying of the trigger signal to the three-phase thyristors is stopped, and to stop the supply of charging current to the battery, the commutation margin time of the thyristor must be greater than the turn-off time (time needed for the thyristor to change from on to off) thereof.
As described above, when a thyristor (the U-phase thyristor in the example described above) that is on when the three-phase trigger signals are extinguished is turned off, the commutation margin time thereof decreases, but when a transient state in which the peak values of the positive and negative half waves of the three-phase alternating-current output current are unbalanced is not occurring in the generator, the thyristor can be turned off without hindrance. FIG. 11 illustrates the waveforms of the three-phase currents Iu, Iv, Iw in a case in which the U-phase thyristor, which is on when supplying of the trigger signal is stopped, is successfully turned off after supplying of the trigger signal to the three-phase thyristors is stopped at the timing ta. When it is detected that the battery voltage exceeds the set voltage, and supplying of the trigger signal to the three-phase thyristors is stopped, in a case in which a thyristor that was on can ultimately be turned off without hindrance, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the supply of charging current to the battery is then stopped until the terminal voltage of the battery is again equal to or lower than the set voltage, and the battery does not become overcharged.
However, when the battery voltage is detected to exceed the set voltage in a state in which the transient state of the generator has not subsided after supplying of the charging current to the battery is started, and supplying of the trigger signal to the three-phase thyristors is stopped, after supplying of the trigger signal is stopped at timing ta, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the thyristor that is to be finally turned off (the U-phase thyristor in this example) can no longer be turned off, the charging current continues to flow to the battery even after supplying of the trigger signal is stopped, and the battery may become overcharged. Such a state is prone to occur particularly when the generator is rotating at high speed.
In order to prevent such problems, a battery charging device has been proposed in which unbalancing of the three-phase output currents that occurs at the start of battery charging is suppressed by controlling the phase in which thyristors are triggered, as described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2007-60857. According to this battery charging device, it is possible to suppress unbalancing of the three-phase output currents of the generator at the start of battery charging, and it is therefore possible to prevent a failure to turn off the thyristors when the voltage of the battery exceeds the set voltage immediately after the start of battery charging, and to prevent overcharging of the battery.


An inflatable article such as a pneumatic tire provided with a puncture-resistant layer comprising, by way of a self-sealing composition, an elastomer composition comprising at least, as predominant elastomer, a thermoplastic styrene (TPS) elastomer, more than 200 phr of an extender oil and more than 20 phr of a hydrocarbon resin, the glass transition temperature of which is greater than 0° C. The puncture-resistant layer is advantageously combined with an airtight layer, for example based on butyl rubber, so as to form, in the pneumatic article, an airtight puncture-resistant laminate.

In recent years, in particular, tire manufacturers have made particularly strenuous efforts to develop novel ways of solving a problem dating back from the very start of the use of wheels fitted with inflated tires, namely how to allow a vehicle to continue to travel despite a substantial or total loss of pressure of one or more tires. For decades, the spare wheel was considered to be the only and universal solution. Then, more recently, the considerable advantages of possibly dispensing with the spare tire have appeared. The concept of "extended mobility" was developed. The associated techniques allow the vehicle to run with the same tire, dependent on certain limitations to be respected, after a puncture or a pressure drop. This makes it possible for example to get to a point of repair without having to stop, often in hazardous circumstances, to fit the spare wheel.
Self-sealing compositions that can achieve such an objective, which by definition are capable automatically, i.e. without any external intervention, of sealing a tire in the event of it being punctured by a foreign body, such as a nail, have been particularly difficult to develop.
To be able to be useful, a self-sealing layer must satisfy many conditions of a physical and chemical nature. It must in particular be effective over a very wide operating temperature range and over the entire lifetime of the tires. It must be capable of closing up the hole when the puncturing object remains in place and, when the latter is expelled, it must be able to fill the hole and seal the tire.
Many solutions have been conceived, but have not been able to be developed in vehicle tires, especially owing to the lack of stability over time or the lack of effectiveness under extreme operating temperature conditions.
To help to remain effective at high temperature, document U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,799 (or FR-A-2 318 042) has proposed as self-sealing layer a composition comprising a combination of partially crosslinked butyl rubbers of high and low molecular weights, possibly in the presence of a small portion of a thermoplastic styrene elastomer. For good sealing effectiveness, said composition contains 55% to 70% by weight of a tackifier.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,839 has proposed as self-sealing layer for a pneumatic tire a rubber compound containing a first polymer material that degrades when irradiated, such as polyisobutylene, and a second polymer material that crosslinks when irradiated, preferably a butyl rubber.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,468 has also proposed a self-sealing composition for a pneumatic tire based on crosslinked butyl rubber of very high molecular weight.
A known drawback of butyl rubbers is that they suffer large hysteretic losses (high level of tan δ) over a wide temperature range, which drawback has repercussions on the self-sealing compositions themselves, giving them a large increase in hysteresis and considerably degrading the rolling resistance of tires.
The Applicants have moreover found that these butyl-rubber-based compositions may also be insufficiently effective after the delayed expulsion or removal of a puncturing object that has remained in place for a long period of time in the pneumatic tire structure.
Document EP-B1-1 090 069 has proposed, for its part, self-sealing compositions containing no butyl rubber, the specific formulation of which comprises, per 100 parts by weight of a based styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, 80 to 140 parts of a liquid plasticizer, 110 to 190 parts of a tackifying resin and 2 to 20 parts of an additive.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pneumatic article provided with a self-sealing composition

Compagnie General des Etablissments Michelin


A front and rear disc brake system for a motorcycle utilizes a first large diameter disc for the front wheel and a second disc of reduced diameter for the rear wheel. The second disc has an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the first disc so that both discs may be stamped from the same sheet of material with a minimum amount of waste.

The present invention relates to disc brakes and more particularly to a front and rear disc brake system for a motorcycle.
Due to the short wheel bases and high centers of gravity associated with motorcycles, brake systems for motorcycles are uniquely designed to accomodate these considerations. More specifically, it is necessary to have significantly greater braking power on the front wheel than on the rear wheel. The rear brake is used more in slow speed stops and is also shielded from a cooling air flow and thus, although it does not need to have great power, it must be able to store or dissipate large amounts of heat.
High performance sport motorcycles typically utilize two front brake discs having an outside diameter between 10.50 and 12.50 inches and a thickness between 3/16 to 1/4 of an inch. The rear discs utilized in such a motorcycle are typically 8.50 to 10.50 inches in diameter and also have a thickness between 3/16 and 1/4 of an inch. A touring or more general use type of motorcycle will utilize a rear disc having a diameter between 10 and 12 inches and a thickness between 3/16 and 1/4 of an inch.
Discs of this type are manufactured from martensitic stainless steel or the more expensive stainless clad aluminum. The discs are stamped or blanked out of sheet stock and typically a disc having an 11.50 inch outer diameter and a 6 inch inner diameter requires a 12.25 inch square of 1/4 inch thick rolled material. When such a disc is stamped from the 12.25 inch square, there is approximately 75 square inches of waste material. Similarly, a disc having a 10 inch outer diameter and a 5 inch inner diameter wastes approximately 58 square inches of material when stamped from a 10.75 inch square. Therefore, the stamping of a dual front disc, single rear disc system, such as that discussed above, results in a material waste of approximately 208 square inches per brake system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a motorcycle disc brake system that will allow for the stamping of a front and rear disc from a single sheet of material stock and thus, greatly reduce the amount of material waste typically associated with the stamping of brake discs.

Motorcycle front and rear disc brake system


The present invention relates to a triple transgenic animal model for Alzheimer's disease as well as to methods for generating multi-transgenic animals. The present invention also relates to methods for screening biologically active agents potentially useful for treating and/or ameliorating Alzheimer's disease (AD) or AD-type pathologies, compositions useful for treating AD or AD-type pathologies, and methods of treating AD patients.

The neuropathology of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is characterized by two hallmark lesions: diffuse and neuritic plaques, which are predominantly composed of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide, and neurofibrillary tangles, which are composed of filamentous aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein (Selkoe, D. J. (2001) Alzheimer's disease: genes, proteins, and therapy, Phlysiol. Rev. 81, 741-66). Loss of neuronal synaptic density and synapse number represent another invariant feature of the disease that appears to precede overt neuronal degeneration (DeKosky, S. T. & Scheff, S. W. (1990) Synapse loss in frontal cortex biopsies in Alzheimer's disease: correlation with cognitive severity. Ann. Neurol. 27,457-64; Scheff, S. W., Scott, S. A. & DeKosky, S. T. (1991) Quantitation of synaptic density in the septal nuclei of young and aged Fischer 344 rats. Neurobiol. Aging 12, 3-12).
Notably, the memory and cognitive decline observed in AD patients correlates better with the synaptic pathology than either plaques or tangles (Terry, R. D. et al. (1991) Physical basis of cognitive alterations in Alzheimer's disease: synapse loss is the major correlate of cognitive impairment, Ann. Neurol. 30, 572-80; Dickson, D. W. et al. (1995) Correlations of synaptic and pathological markers with cognition of the elderly, Neurobiol. Aging 16, 285-98; Sze, C. I. et al. (1997) Loss of the presynaptic vesicle protein synaptophysin in hippocampus correlates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease, J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 56, 933-44; Masliah, E. et al. (2001) Altered expression of synaptic proteins occurs early during progression of Alzheimer's disease, Neurology 56, 127-9), and is likely the most significant factor contributing to the initial stages of memory loss (Selkoe, D. J. (2002) Alzheimer's disease is a synaptic failure, Science 298, 789-91).
Gene-targeted and transgenic mice have proven to be invaluable for addressing some of the mechanisms underlying the synaptic dysfunction (Larson, J., et al. (1999) Alterations in synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation in hippocampal slices from young and aged PDAPP mice, Brain Res. 840, 23-35; Hsia, A. Y. et al. (1999) Plaque-independent disruption of neural circuits in Alzheimer's disease mouse models, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 96, 3228-33; Chapman, P. F. et al. (1999) Impaired synaptic plasticity and learning in aged amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice, Nat. Neurosci. 2, 271-6; Fitzjohn, S. M. et al. (2001) Age-related impairment of synaptic transmission but normal long-term potentiation in transgenic mice that overexpress the human APP695SWE mutant form of amyloid precursor protein, J. Neurosci. 21, 4691-8), although none of these models recapitulate both hallmark pathological lesions (Wong, P. C., et al. (2002) Genetically engineered mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases, Nat. Neurosci. 5, 633-9). What is needed, therefore, is an animal model transgenic for multiple Alzheimer-related genes that produces multiple major features associated with this disease, including both hallmark pathological lesions.
In generating a transgenic animal such as a transgenic mouse, a human transgene is typically microinjected into fertilized eggs from a normal, nontransgenic mouse. Such transgenic mice have, in turn, been used to generate "double" transgenic mice by mating different strains of transgenic mice, each containing a different transgene, to produce a line containing both transgenes (i.e., a double transgenic mouse line)(See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,094). Similarly, a double transgenic mouse can be bred with a transgenic mouse containing a third transgene to generate a triple transgenic mouse.
The disadvantages of this process of breeding triple transgenic mice are several. First, it is exceedingly time consuming to produce a multiple transgenic mouse by a series of microinjection/breeding/screening/selection steps as described above. Second, this process is very costly as it requires extensive breeding, housing, screening, and personnel costs. Third, this process produces mice with a variable genetic background, which can be a major problem for therapeutic and behavioral investigations.
What is also needed, therefore, is a process for producing multiple transgenic mice that avoids one or more of the above-listed disadvantages.

Triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

The Regents of the University of California


A core prevents or reduces misalignment of a battery separator wound around the core. The core has one or more grooves in the outer peripheral surface thereof. The grooves extend substantially in the width direction of the core. The grooves have a depth of 30 μm or greater, and the following condition (1) is satisfied:N/D>0.0025  (1)where D is the outer circumference in mm of the core and N is the number of the grooves in the outer peripheral surface.

Inside a lithium-ion secondary battery, a cathode and anode are separated by a porous separator. The production of lithium-ion batteries utilizes a separator roll which includes the porous separator and a cylindrical core around which the separator is wound.
Patent Literature 1 discloses (i) a core that includes an electrically conductive component and (ii) a roll composed of a microporous film wound around such a core.


A novel class of cured products is derived from unsaturated polycylic ethers or esters comprising unsaturated ether or ester derivatives of a hydroxyaryl-substituted 1,6-diaza [4.4] spirodilactum having a hydroxyaryl substitute attached to each spiro ring nitrogen atom.

Unsaturated ether or ester derivatives of polyhydric phenols are well known as a class of compounds that can be cured or crosslinked to produce insoluble products which exhibit good solvent resistance and mechanical properties as well as high heat distortion temperatures. Such unsaturated ethers are crosslinked by reaction with catalytic or stoichiometric curing agents, i.e., polyfunctional curing agents, to produce tough, heat resistant products which are processed by conventional methods into sheets, laminates with fiber glass or other reinforcements, or shaped articles and the crosslinked products are also useful in adhesive formulations. Certain of the unsaturated ethers cure into such products merely upon the application of heat without the necessity of a curing agent. Such materials are termed self-curing.
As indicated, much of the technology is broadly conventional. The disclosure of Zahir et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,140, is illustrative. The compound 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenl)propane, also known as bisphenol A or BPA, is converted to the sodium salt and reacted with allyl chloride to produce the allyl ether of BPA, i.e., 2,2-bis(4-allyloxyphenyl)propane. The diallyl ether is converted to the diallyl-substituted BPA which is cured, but the diallyl ether is also curable without rearrangement. Curing takes place, for example, by reacting the diallyl ether with an imide-containing curing agent.
Other types of unsaturated derivatives of polyhydric phenols which are cured by such conventional techniques include unsaturated ester derivatives such as the acrylate and methacrylate esters of polyhydric phenols described by Zahir et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,524.
On some occasions, the cured products which provide the more desirable properties, particularly in high temperature applications, are produced from unsaturated derivatives of aromatic phenolic compounds wherein some or all of the rings share common atoms with other rings of a polycyclic structure. It would be of advantage to provide a novel class of unsaturated derivatives of phenolic compounds having a plurality of rings within the molecular structure. Such unsaturated derivatives cure, with or without added curing agents, upon application of heat.


A flashlight is provided that can be switched between a white light mode wherein it produces white light and a color mode wherein it produces primarily light of a particular color such as red, which can be easily operated with the same hand that holds the flashlight. A hood (34 of FIG. 2) of material that passes only red light is mounted on the lens (40) of the flashlight, and the periphery of the lens is mounted on a select member (46) that can be moved forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the rest of the flashlight. When the select member is moved to its rearward position, the hood intercepts substantially all of the light passing between a lamp (32) and the reflector (36) of the flashlight, so that primarily red light is produced by the flashlight. When the select member is moved to a forward position (46A), the hood lies forward of most of the light rays passing between the lamp and the reflector, so the flashlight produces primarily white light. A person holding a flashlight in the usual manner, can use fingers of the same hand holding the flashlight to move the select member.

Flashlights that produce red light are often used by pilots, military personnel, and other persons who must examine maps, instrument panels in case of a power failure in the cockpit, and the like without decreasing their night vision capacity. In fact, the U.S. Government (FAA) requires that a red flashlight be available to commercial pilots. However, it is desirable that these flashlights be capable of emitting white light when this is required. A common arrangement is to provide a color filter that can be snapped over the lens to produce red light or removed for white light. However, the snapped-on lenses become lost. It should be noted that some persons prefer a different color than red, such as green light.
Applicant has been manufacturing and selling a full size flashlight (that takes two D-size batteries, or cells) with a built-in mechanism that can switch between red light and white light modes. The flashlight includes a tube of material that transmits primarily red light and that is slideably mounted on the flashlight lens between rearward and forward positions wherein the tube respectively surrounds and does not surround the lamp of the flashlight. In the rearward position, the tube intercepts substantially all light passing between the lamp and the reflector so the flashlight produces red light. In a forward position, almost all light from the lamp can reach the reflector without passing through the tube, so the flashlight produces white light. Although this flashlight has been successful, there are some disadvantages in its operation. One disadvantage is that a person must grasp a small fastener knob lying at the middle of the lens to pull the tube forwardly. This requires a person holding the flashlight in one hand to use his other hand to pull the fastener. Thus, operation requires the use of two hands, with the hand pulling the fastener not being enclosed in a glove.
Applicant has attempted to design a miniature flashlight (taking two AA-size cells) similar to the above-described type that has a slideable hood. However, the difficulty in grasping the fastener become much more pronounced for a small size flashlight because the knob would lie in a small diameter (e.g. less than one inch) recess in which the lens lies. A flashlight that could be switched between color and white light modes, which could be easily operated by fingers of the same hand that normally grasps the flashlight, and in a simple manner, would be of considerable value.


A new and distinct early flowering Sanvitalia plant with intense yellow-orange colored flowers and vigorous, compact growth.

Varietal denomination: Sanvitalia speciosa.
Classification: xe2x80x98Wessastarxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Sanvitalia plant known by the varietal name xe2x80x98Wessastarxe2x80x99. The new variety was discovered in 1999 in a selected breeding program in Sxc3xcdlohn, Germany. The new variety is a selection from the cross of proprietary unpatented breeding plants named 98 Sa 17 (female) and 98 Sa 07 (male). The growth character, flower color, and foliage color of the new variety is similar to its parents but with smaller diameter flowers and shorter internodes. The new variety was first asexually reproduced in February 1999 by cuttings in Sxc3xcdlohn, Germany. The new variety has been trial and field tested at Sxc3xcdlohn and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive propagations.
The following traits in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Wessastarxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Large flower diameter.
2. Compact growth.
3. Many flowers.

Variety of Sanvitalia plant named xe2x80x98Wessastarxe2x80x99


An improved pressure relieving rupture disk assembly is provided which includes a rupture disk having at least one perforation therein. The perforation at least partially defines a blow-out part in the rupture disk which opens and relieves pressure therethrough when the perforation is sealed and a pressure differential of predetermined magnitude is exerted on the rupture disk. A sealing member is positioned over the perforation in the rupture disk for sealing the perforation when a pressure differential is exerted on the rupture disk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pressure relieving rupture disk assemblies, and more particularly, to an improved low pressure relieving rupture disk assembly wherein a blow-out part is at least partially defined by one or more perforations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many rupturable pressure relief devices have been developed and used heretofore. Generally, such devices have included a rupture disk supported between a pair of support members or flanges which are in turn connected to a relief passageway in a vessel or system containing fluids under pressure. When the fluid pressure within the vessel or system exceeds the predetermined rupture pressure of the disk, rupture occurs causing pressurized fluid to be relieved from the vessel or system.
Rupture disks of the reverse buckling type have heretofore been developed and used successfully. Reverse buckling rupture disks generally include a dome-shaped portion and the fluid pressure from the vessel or system being protected is exerted on the convex side of the disk. Upon failure, the dome-shaped portion reverses and then ruptures. Originally, all reverse buckling rupture disk assemblies included knife blades positioned adjacent the rupture disks thereof on the outlet sides of the disks. On reversal, the disks impaled on the knife blades causing them to open in a predetermined manner. More recently, reverse buckling rupture disks have included scores on a surface thereof which create lines of weakness therein so that upon reversal, the disks tear along the lines of weakness.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,277 issued Dec. 27, 1966 to Wood describes a reverse buckling rupture disk with knife blades. U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,817 issued Dec. 16, 1969 to Wood describes the construction and operation of scored reverse buckling rupture disks. A method of manufacturing scored reverse buckling rupture disks is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,556 issued Nov. 25, 1975 to Wood et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,337 issued Dec. 1, 1992 to Short et al. describes a C-scored reverse buckling rupture disk assembly for high pressure applications including means for catching and supporting the hinge area of the blow-out part formed by the C-shaped score.
While scored reverse buckling rupture disks have been used successfully and have obviated the need for knife blades in high pressure applications, scored reverse buckling rupture disks have only achieved varying degrees of success in low pressure applications. Consequently, knife blades have still had to be utilized with reverse buckling rupture disks utilized in such low pressure applications. The inclusion of the knife blades causes the resulting rupture disk assemblies to be relatively expensive.
Thus, there is a need for an improved rupture disk assembly which can be utilized in low pressure applications without the need for knife blades or the like.