A railway vehicle for inserting plates on rail ties that engage with rails includes a frame configured for movement relative to the track and a plate inserter workhead mounted to the frame. The plate inserter workhead is configured for pivoting the tie plate about a leading edge of the plate so that the trailing edge of the tie plate is lifted off the tie. The plate inserter workhead is configured to subsequently release the plate.

The present invention relates generally to railroad right-of-way installation or maintenance machines, and specifically to a railway plate inserter for applying rail plates to rail ties, and a method of inserting the plates.
Conventional railroad track consists of a plurality of spaced parallel wooden ties to which are attached a pair of spaced rail tie plates. Each tie plate is configured to rest on the upper surface of the tie and includes holes for receiving spikes or screws, as well as a canted seat or a cradle formation for receiving the bottom or base of the steel rail. Since two rails make up a railroad track, there are a pair of spaced tie plates on each tie. Some of the spikes are used to secure the tie plate on the tie and others are used to secure the base of the rail to the tie plate cradle.
When laying a new railroad track, replacing worn ties, or when laying new rails on a pre-existing railroad track, it is necessary to provide and position tie plates on the railroad ties. One plate is required for each side of each tie. The plates are initially placed adjacent the track, either by a crane or by a work gang. Then, the plates are placed onto the top surface of the tie. Subsequently, the plate must be positioned to the proper location on the tie to receive the rail.
Proper positioning of the plate on the tie requires the work gang to center the plate on the width direction of the tie, and position the plate under the rail to receive the bottom portion of the rail in the recess of the plate. In the past, the work gang has had to lift the rail or the tie in order to properly position the plate. It will be appreciated that the manual placement involves high labor costs, inconsistent accuracy of placement, and a time consuming process.
To avoid on the job injuries, especially those involved with handling tie plates, which typically weigh approximately 18-40 pounds and are awkward to manipulate, railways have attempted to mechanize the plate insertion process as much as possible. Such systems have not been widely accepted by the railroads because of the relatively complicated mechanisms involved in performing the insertion.
Additionally, there is inaccuracy in some of the insertion machines, particularly when there are irregularities in plate sizes and shapes. For example, the plates used on a curve in the track are larger than the plates used on a straight stretch of track. Deviations of as little as ⅜ of an inch in the plate is significant in terms of an insertion machine being able to properly place the plate. Due to these variations, frequent readjustment of settings is required to accommodate different sizes and shapes of plates.
Further, in many instances the insertion of the new plate is impeded by railway ballast. Conventional mechanisms have no way to remove unwanted ballast particles from the top surface of the tie.
Railroad installation and maintenance machines typically include a frame which is either self-propelled or towable along the track, and a plate inserter configured to perform the maintenance task. Such devices typically have a travel position, where the portion of the plate inserter is held sufficiently above the track to avoid damage by obstacles including the track itself, and a work position. During operation in the work position, the units typically move between a loading position for loading the part, and a track engaging position for applying the repair part. To avoid damage to the mechanisms, such units are designed for operation so that either travel is prohibited when these mechanisms are in the latter two positions, or the mechanisms automatically rise to the travel position when the unit begins to move to the next location.
While protecting the plate insertion mechanisms, these conventional operational precautions tend to take time and limit productivity of the plate insertion process. Further, in cases where the plate inserter is one of a chain of maintenance machines, the productivity of the overall maintenance of the railroad is limited as measured by the rate of the slowest unit.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved plate inserter which reduces the manual handling of plates during the plate insertion process.
There is also a need for an improved plate inserter which enables a high frequency of plate insertions while protecting the plate inserting mechanisms.
Further, there is a need for an improved plate inserter which is accurate despite variations in the track, and which does not require readjustment to accommodate the variations in the track.


A vacuum cleaner bag of porous material includes a substrate impregnated with anti-static and deodorizing agents. The substrate may also be impregnated with disinfecting agents. Preferably, the substrate is attached to the bag.

Vacuum cleaners that force air through a porous bag which forms a dust and dirt collecting enclosure have long been known in the art. While such devices are particularly adapted for and effective in collecting even fine particles of dust and dirt, a vacuum cleaner equipped with a bag alone does little to freshen and deodorize the air that passes from the bag. In fact, the exhausted air may even pick up undesirable odors from dirt already in the bag. These odors are then transferred to the room being vacuumed.
This unfortunate problem has been recognized in the art and various attempts have been made to fully address and solve the problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,698 to Renaker et al. discloses a vacuum cleaner equipped with a scent dispensing arrangement. More particularly, a portion of the air exhausted from the vacuum bag is directed through a scent dispenser including a fragrance tablet. The fragrance tablet readily volatilizes to mix with the air which is then exhausted into the room.
While this system does serve to provide some air freshening, it does suffer from several drawbacks. More specifically, the operator must remember to periodically add a new fragrance tablet to the scent dispenser, otherwise, the system is effectively rendered inoperative. Additionally, it should be appreciated that only some of the exhausted air is routed through the scent dispenser. The other portion remains untreated and is exhausted into the room. Hence, this system still serves to spread some odors from the vacuum bag into the room in this untreated air.
It should also be appreciated that vacuum cleaners of the upright type typically include rotating agitators that have brushes that scrub the carpet being cleaned. Under certain conditions, such as the cleaning of a wool carpet in dry winter air, electro-static charges are produced by the scrubbing action of the brushes of the rotating agitator against the carpet. These electro-static charges tend to build up in the vacuum cleaner and may actually be transferred to the operator manipulating the vacuum cleaner through a control handle. As a result, the operator may receive a sharp shock as, for example, when reaching for a door knob. While not a particularly dangerous problem, many find the resulting shock uncomfortable and even disconcerting. Accordingly, it would be preferred if the build-up of electro-static charges directly leading to the shock could be avoided.

Deodorizing vacuum bag with static protection


A device includes a storage unit configured to store programs; a start-up status storing unit; and a start-up management unit configured to perform a start-up process for each of the programs during start-up of the device, and record information indicating status of the start-up process in the start-up status storing unit in association with identification information of each of the programs. If information indicating that the start-up process has not been previously completed is present in the start-up status storing unit, the start-up management unit limits the programs to be started.

1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of this disclosure relates to a device, a program management method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-084304, for example, discloses an image forming apparatus including a platform (hereafter called an application platform) for executing application programs. The disclosed image forming apparatus allows the user to install application programs suitable for the user environment as plug-ins to add functions. Hereafter, such application programs may be called "plug-in applications".
Unlike the case of a personal computer (PC), it is generally not desirable to request the user of an image forming apparatus to manually start a plug-in application each time when using a function. Therefore, functions of an image forming apparatus need to be available immediately after its start-up. For this reason, typically, plug-in applications are automatically started by the application platform during the start-up of the image forming apparatus (i.e., when the power is turned on).
Meanwhile, compared with a PC, the amount of memory of an image forming apparatus is generally kept small to reduce the costs. Also in an image forming apparatus, "swapping" is normally not performed to improve the performance of plug-in applications. Accordingly, compared with a PC, an image forming apparatus is more likely to run out of memory.
Assuming that plug-in applications are newly installed in a normally-operating image forming apparatus and the image forming apparatus is restarted, the image forming apparatus may run out of memory during the start-up process of the plug-in applications, and the start-up of the application platform itself may fail. If the application platform is not running on an image forming apparatus, it is not possible to use (or execute) plug-in applications. Also, since the function to uninstall plug-in applications is implemented by the application platform, it may not be possible to uninstall the plug-in applications. In such a case, it is difficult to solve the problem by restarting the image forming apparatus because the out of memory condition described above may occur repeatedly.

Program management method for performing start-up process for programs during start-up of device based on the previous start-up status to prevent occurrence of an out of memory condition


A method for enhancing the carrying capacity of a network, comprising the steps of detecting the level of traffic incident on the network, and reserving, dynamically, wavelengths for a class of traffic according to the level of traffic incident on the network. The network can be a dense wavelength division multiplexing optical network.

Recent literature on dense wavelength division multiplexing ("DWDM") networking [1-5] has shown that as traffic traverses more number of hops, it suffers a higher blocking probability than traffic with less number of hops. This causes 'unfairness' among the different classes of service characterized by the number of hops between the source node and the destination node. In [5], the technique of protection threshold is used, where the single-hop traffic is assigned an idle wavelength only if the number of idle wavelengths on the link is at or above a given threshold. In [3], the Traffic Classification and Service method is introduced to optimize the fairness problem, where all the available wavelengths are divided into a number of wavebands, and preference is given to multi-hop traffic. Thus, the blocking probability of multi-hop traffic is lowered at the cost of an increase in the blocking probability of single-hop traffic, as well as a decrease in the traffic carrying capacity of the network. An alternative to the Traffic Classification and Service has been proposed in [6] that requires connection request to a waveband of a lower class should all the wavelengths reserved for its own class be fully occupied. Further, [7] has shown that bumping multi-hop traffic from its own class to a lower class will result in a precipitous drop in throughput under heavy load conditions. Reference [8] proposes an algorithm that solves the fairness problem under normal load condition by using downward overflow and switching to a fixed route, pre-assigned wavelengths for all source-destination pairs under heavy load conditions.
Under normal conditions, the carried traffic or the throughput of a network increases as the incident connection requests increase. However, if the network is congested, the carried traffic will remain constant or even decrease as the incident traffic increases [9].

Maximization of throughput under a fairness constraint in DWDM-based optical networks

The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma


A secondary battery includes a case having an opening therein, a cap plate attached to the case, a plurality of electrode assemblies in the case, each electrode assembly including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, and uncoated edges of the positive and negative electrode plates extending out of each electrode assembly defining electrodes, an electrode terminal protruding outside the cap plate, a gasket covering the electrode terminal, an electrode current collector electrically connecting the electrode assemblies and the electrode terminal, a retainer between the electrode current collector and the case, the retainer being connected to the electrode assemblies, and a damper on a front side of the retainer that faces the electrode assemblies, the damper extending to be positioned between the electrodes of adjacent electrode assemblies.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to secondary batteries having improved insulating properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, secondary batteries refer to rechargeable batteries and are widely used in small-sized mobile devices, e.g., smart phones, ultra-slim notebook computers, tablet personal computers (PCs), portable information terminals, camcorders, and digital cameras, or medium or large-sized electronic devices, e.g., electric cars, hybrid electric cars, electric bicycles, uninterrupted power supplies (UPSs), and energy storage systems (ESSs). In the medium or large-sized electronic devices, dozens of secondary batteries are connected in series or in parallel. Since the secondary batteries are used over a long period of time by recharge, they need to have electrical and structural stability between their elements during the period of use.


Systems, methods, and software can be used to share content. In some aspect, a first user input for copying a content is received at a first application on a mobile device. A token that is associated with the content is generated. A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) is sent from the first application to a clipboard application. A second user input for pasting the content is received at a second application on the mobile device. The token is received at the second application from the clipboard application. A request for the content is received from the second application. The request includes the token. Whether the second application is authorized to receive the content is determined at the first application. In response to determining that the second application is authorized to receive the content, the content is provided to the second application.

The present disclosure relates to sharing content on a device. Many electronic devices, including mobile devices, or other computer systems, enable a user to share content across different applications. For example, content can be cut or copied in one application and pasted in a different application.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.


The system for decontaminating industrial output gases may process both particulate and gaseous emissions from industrial facilities. The system may be located with or adjacent to an industrial facility or at some distance from the facility. In one embodiment the system includes a subsystem of alternating active and inactive filters, and a wash subsystem cleaning the inactive filters during the cycle. The wash water is captured in a basin for further processing of the chemical particulates therein. Fans located downstream of the filters draw the gaseous industrial output through the filters. Remaining vapor passes to a classification plant where the gases are separated into their constituent elements or compounds. Gases that to are allowed to escape may be burned, and the resulting gases recirculated through the system. Another embodiment is adapted for processing steam, and cools the steam for use as liquid water, rather than allowing it to escape as vapor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to atmospheric emissions and pollution control systems, and particularly to a system for decontaminating industrial output gases produced by a factory or other industrial plant or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Factories and other industrial centers and operations typically produce various gaseous emissions as byproducts of their processes. As time has progressed it has become widely recognized that many, if not most, of these gases are harmful to the environment, and regulations have been implemented to require that such output be minimized or at least controlled.
As factories and industrial operations produce a wide variety of goods, the chemical compositions of their emissions vary widely as well. Nonetheless, it can be safely stated that the majority of such emissions comprise particulate matter mixed with other chemicals that remain in a gaseous state at ambient temperatures. Even operations that produce relatively "clean" atmospheric emissions will often produce excessive amounts of steam as a byproduct of their cooling needs. As a result, it has proven difficult to produce a system that is capable of decontaminating both particulate and gaseous output from various industrial facilities.
Thus, a system for decontaminating industrial output gases solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

System for decontaminating industrial output gases


Each entry of a set associative address translation cache (ATC) stores address translation data (ATD) used by processing circuitry when converting a virtual address into a corresponding physical address. The processing circuitry operates in multiple contexts, and each entry has an associated context identifier identifying the context to which the ATD therein applies. A masking structure comprises at least one mask storage and, for each mask storage, an associated context storage. Each mask storage provides a mask field for each set of the ATC. Control circuitry responds to a maintenance request, specifying a given context and requiring a maintenance operation to be performed in respect of each entry of the ATC that stores ATD applying to the given context, by setting each mask field in a selected mask storage, storing an indication of the given context in the associated context storage, and issuing a response to a request source.

The present technique relates to an apparatus and method for handling maintenance operations for an address translation cache.
It is known to provide data processing systems which incorporate an address translation cache, such as a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), to store address translation data relating to the translation of virtual addresses to physical addresses. The provision of an address translation cache is useful in improving performance by reducing the number of slow page table walks to memory required in order to obtain the required address translation data.
It is also known to provide the address translation cache as a set associative structure. When a new item of address translation data is to be allocated into a set associative address translation cache, a number of bits of an associated virtual address can be used to form an index to identify a particular set within the address translation cache, with the address translation data then being stored within one of the entries of that set.
The address translation cache will typically be associated with a processor that references the address translation cache in order to translate virtual addresses into physical addresses, and that processor may be arranged to operate in multiple different contexts. For example, different contexts may be associated with different processes executed by the processor and/or with different exception levels that the processor is operating at. The address translation cache may hold address translation data for multiple different contexts, and each entry may have an associated context identifier to identify the context to which the address translation data stored therein applies. Maintenance operations may need to performed within the address translation cache, and in some instances a maintenance request may target all entries within the address translation cache that store address translation data for a specified context. Within a set associative address translation cache, it can take a significant amount of time to process such a maintenance request. For example, in the worst case where each set contains at least one entry that does store address translation data for the specified context, the number of cycles taken to process the maintenance operations required to implement the maintenance request may be twice the number of sets in the address translation cache (where for each set there is a requirement to perform a read in one cycle, and then a write in a subsequent cycle in order to implement the maintenance operation (for example by invalidating the relevant entry)).
Often, a request source that issues such a maintenance request will implement a barrier operation such that it will only continue its operation once it receives a response identifying that the required maintenance operations have been performed, and accordingly the time taken to process a maintenance request that targets an entire context can have a significant performance impact on the processing performed by the request source. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved mechanism for handling such maintenance operations for an address translation cache.

Apparatus and method for handling maintenance operations for an address translation cache


Actuatable microstructures and methods of making the same are disclosed. An example a sheet includes a first side including an elastomeric material and a second side opposite the first side. The sheet defines sealed channels. In response to a pressure differential across the elastomeric material, the elastomeric material is to be in a deformed position relative to the sealed channels to define microstructures.

In some instances, microstructures may be applied to aerodynamic surfaces to reduce drag and fuel usage. In some examples, these microstructures are applied to different structures of an aircraft.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.


Techniques are disclosed relating to power management within an integrated circuit. In one embodiment, a display buffer receives image data through a data transfer interconnect. A data transfer interconnect is powered down based on the received image data being greater than a threshold amount of data. The display buffer transmits at least a portion of the image data to one or more outputs, and in response to the transmitting, the data transfer interconnect is powered up. In some embodiments, the display buffer includes a plurality of line buffers, each configured to store a respective image source line. In such an embodiment, a display pipe configured to render images to be displayed includes the display buffer, and the powering down is performed in response to the received image data including two or more image source lines.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to display pipelines, and, more specifically to power management associated with display pipelines.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the power and complexity of computer systems increase, graphics operations are increasingly being performed using dedicated graphics rendering hardware. Accordingly, a graphics processing unit (GPU) may include various built-in and configurable structures within a display pipe for rendering images of pixel data to be presented via a display. These structures may implement various pipeline stages corresponding to, for example, rasterisation, overlaying, blending, clipping, dithering, color space conversion, frame rotation, frame buffering, etc.
In some instances, a display pipeline may also include dedicated structures for scaling images, such as, to a native resolution of an output device. The structures may implement scaling operations that perform linear transformations to upscale or downscale image data. Such scaling may include horizontal and/or vertical scaling.

Power management for image scaling circuitry


A multiple ticket lottery system in which a player engages in one or more play actions on a first lottery ticket level in order to gain access to a second or higher ticket level in order to win a prize.

Lottery tickets are a very popular source of entertainment offering the possibility of winning a prize. Traditional scratch-off lottery tickets are played by removing a scratch-off layer from the lottery ticket to reveal a series of indicia wherein the presence of certain patterns or types of indicia can result in the winning of a prize. While such tickets remain popular, a recent development in the lottery industry is to provide a play action such as a game as part of a lottery ticket that provides an additional source of amusement.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multiple lottery ticket system in which valuable prizes may be won and which the player plays a multiple ticket lottery play action game which extends from one level of a lottery ticket to another level of a lottery ticket. Another object of the present invention is to proceed to as high a lottery ticket level as possible to increase the possibility of winning a valuable prize.


A method for reducing the amount of microfoam in a spray-applied clear waterborne polymeric composition is provided, wherein the clear composition contains certain emulsion-polymerized addition polymers or certain multi-staged emulsion-polymerized addition polymers is formed; is spray-applied to a substrate; and is dried. Also provided are substrates bearing such spray-applied clear compositions.

Waterborne polymeric compositions such as clear or pigmented coatings are frequently applied to substrates by spraying techniques. Some of the common spraying techniques used are, for example, air spray, airless spray, air-assisted airless spray, disc and bell spray, and high volume low pressure spray. In air spray compressed air is critical to atomize the waterborne polymeric composition and to assist in conveying the droplets to the substrate. In airless, disc, and bell spray techniques the waterborne polymeric composition is atomized by mechanical means and the droplets are suspended in air on formation. Air-assisted airless spray is a hybrid of the two spray methods described above wherein air is used to convey the droplets which are formed mechanically; and high volume low pressure spray is another commonly recognized variant of air spray.
Waterborne compositions containing water-soluble or water-insoluble polymers frequently contain microfoam after they are applied to substrates by various spraying techniques. Microfoam remaining in a dried film formed from the spray-applied aqueous composition may detract from the appearance of the film, particularly from the appearance of a clear, or unpigmented, film which film may appear to be hazy.

Method for reducing microfoam in a spray-applied waterborne composition


Disclosed is a method of controlling water and/or oxygenate concentrations of an olefin stream. The method includes contacting the olefin stream with a liquid absorbent. The liquid absorbent is selected from the group consisting of a polyol, amine, amide, nitrile, heterocyclic nitrogen containing compound, and mixtures thereof.

This invention relates to removing contaminants from an olefin stream. In particular, this invention is to a method of removing water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbons from an olefin stream.
Olefins, particularly C2 and C3 olefins, are desirable as a feed source for making derivative products such as oligomers, e.g., higher olefins, and polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Olefin feed sources have traditionally been produced by cracking petroleum feedstocks.
Oxygenates, however, are becoming an alternative feedstock for making olefins, particularly large quantities of ethylene and propylene for the production of higher olefins and plastic materials. In general, the olefins are formed by contacting the oxygenate components with a molecular sieve catalyst to catalytically convert the oxygenates to olefins.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,327, discloses a process for making olefins from methanol using any of a variety of silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO) molecular sieve catalysts. The process is carried out at a temperature between 300xc2x0 C. and 500xc2x0 C., a pressure between 0.1 atmosphere to 100 atmospheres, and a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of between 0.1 and 40 hrxe2x88x921. The process is highly selective for making ethylene and propylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,504 also discloses a method of making olefin product from oxygenate feed using molecular sieve catalysts. Water and other unwanted by-products are removed from the olefin product by contacting with a quench medium. After contacting with the quench medium, a light product fraction is obtained which comprises the desired olefins, but also includes dimethylether, methane, CO, CO2, ethane, propane, and other minor components such as water and unreacted oxygenate feedstock.
In order to further process olefins made from oxygenates, it is often necessary to reduce or remove the amount of oxygenated hydrocarbon by-products that are present in the recovered olefin product. This is because derivative manufacturing processes may use catalysts that are quite sensitive to the presence of oxygenated hydrocarbons. For example, oxygenated hydrocarbon components such as dimethylether and acetaldehyde have been found to act as poisons to certain higher olefin forming catalysts and polyolefin forming catalysts. Therefore, it is desirable to find efficient methods for removing oxygenated hydrocarbons from olefin streams which are predominantly comprised of ethylene and/or propylene.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,071 discloses a process for separating an unsaturated hydrocarbon from a gas mixture. The unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced by pyrolysis of saturated hydrocarbons such as petroleum fractions. The process includes contacting the gas mixture with a solid adsorbent made from a silver or copper halide and polystyrene.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,516 discloses a method for removing oxygenate impurities such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, and methyl formate from a propylene stream, which is a by-product stream of an alkylene oxide manufacturing process. The method of removing the impurities includes treating the propylene stream sequentially with aqueous sodium bisulfite and aqueous sodium hydroxide, accompanied by separation of the oxygenate impurity reaction products using coalescers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,517 discloses a method for purifying olefins produced by thermal cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks. The method uses heterogeneous adsorbents to remove acetylenic impurities and saturated hydrocarbon gases. The adsorbents comprise a metal supported on a high surface area carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,156 discloses a method of removing oxygenated hydrocarbons from olefinic feedstocks produced from Fischer-Tropsch conversion of synthesis gas. The method uses water as an adsorbent, and is particularly useful where the olefinic feed is rich in C3+ mono-olefins and contains a minor amount Of C2-C6 oxygenates, and the olefin feed is used for the manufacture of higher olefins.
Additional methods are sought for removing oxygenated hydrocarbon, as well as water, contaminants from olefin streams. In particular, more desirable methods are sought for removing water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbons from ethylene and/or propylene containing streams, particularly such streams made from an oxygenate to olefin reaction process.
This invention provides an effective method for removing oxygen containing compounds such as water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbons from olefin streams. The method is particularly effective in removing water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbons from olefin streams produced in oxygenate to olefin reaction processes.
In one embodiment, the method of removing water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbons from an olefin stream comprises contacting an oxygenate with an olefin forming catalyst to form an olefin stream, wherein the olefin stream comprises olefin and oxygenated hydrocarbon. The olefin stream is then contacted with an absorbent in an absorption system to absorb the water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbon from the olefin stream, wherein the absorbent is selected from the group consisting of a polyol, amine, amide, nitrile, heterocyclic nitrogen containing compound, and mixtures thereof.
In another embodiment, the method includes removing an olefin stream from the absorption system. In yet another embodiment, the olefin stream removed from the absorption system contains at least 50 wt % less water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbon than the olefin stream formed by contacting the oxygenate with the catalyst.
Additional water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbon is removed in embodiments of the invention which include an adsorbent system. In these embodiments, an olefin product stream is formed which contains not greater than 1 wppm water.
In another embodiment of the invention, water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbons are removed from an olefin stream containing at least 50 wt % ethylene and propylene, not greater than 20 wt % water, and not greater than 15 wt % oxygenated hydrocarbon. The water and/or oxygenated hydrocarbons are removed by contacting the olefin stream with an absorbent, wherein the absorbent is selected from the group consisting of a polyol, amine, amide, nitrile, heterocyclic nitrogen containing compound, and mixtures thereof.
Examples of polyol, amine, amide, nitrile, heterocyclic nitrogen containing compounds which can be used include ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethylamine, hindered cyclic amines, acetonitrile, n-methylpyrrolidone, and dimethyl formamide, as well as mixtures of any two or more of these compounds. Olefins treated in accordance with this invention are particularly suitable for use as feedstock for making polyolefins.

Process of removing oxygenated contaminants from an olefin composition


A bone screw and its method of manufacturing provides a low modulus osteoinductive bone screw with a high resistance to insertion torquing. The method includes the steps of pre-torquing a plurality of reinforcing fibers, molding a polymer matrix to bond with the pre-torqued fibers, and wherein the screw apparatus is coated with an osteoinductive material such as BMP, growth factors, hydroxyapatite or calcium phosphate.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to surgical devices, namely orthopedic bone screws and more particularly to a high torque, low modulus, osteoinductive bone screw article and a method of making said bone screw wherein the screw is polymeric with an interval fiber reinforcement, the fibers being pre-torqued prior to and during a curing or molding with a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix is used to bond with the pre-torqued fibers in the shaft and head regions of the bone screw, and the outer surface of the pre-torqued fiber reinforced polymer screw can be coated with an osteoinductive material such as BMP, growth factors, hydroxyapatite or calcium-phosphate material.
2. General Background
Metal bone screws are routinely used to attach bone plates or to fix fractured bone fragments or tissue to bone. Most commonly used are bone screws made of 316L stainless steel. Stainless steel has an elastic modulus of about thirty (30) million p.s.i. significantly greater than that of cortical bone (about two (2) million p.s.i.). The presence of a hole in cortical bone acts as a stress concentrator and can weaken the bone. For example, Edgerton, et al. (J. Ortho. Res., 8,851-855, 1990) have shown that a hole size equal to twenty (20) percent of the bone diameter can reduce torsional strength by about thirty four percent (34% ).
When steel screws are removed from plated femurs or tibias after fracture healing, the bone often fractures at the open hole remaining upon removal of the screw. Although the tendency for bone fracture may be less with the steel screw in the bone (i.e. filling the hole) the mismatch in elastic modulus between the steel screw and bone can still produce a certain level of stress concentration. A low modulus screw could be left in place and not allow stress shielding of the bone from the presence of the bone plate. The plate (even metal) would maintain acceptable axial and torsional motion at the bone fracture for healing, but because the attachment screws are of low modulus, flexion of the screw can occur allowing load to transfer through the healed bone in a near-normal fashion. Thus a second surgery to remove the device and screws would not be necessary. A bone screw of low modulus poses a smaller stress concentrator in the bone, thus bone integrity would be similar to that of bone without the bone screws present.
To further assure a minimal or nonexistent reduction in bone strength from the presence of the low modulus screw, the screw or other type of anchoring device could be coated or bonded with BMP, growth factors, hydroxyapatite or another effective osteoinductive (osteogenic) material to fully integrate the surrounding bone with the low modulus screw, further reducing any remaining stress concentration effects.
Various patents have been issued which discuss self-reinforced, absorbable materials having reinforcing elements that are at least partially around some axis pertaining to the implant. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,317 describes a resorbable material in which the reinforcing elements are formed by fibrillating a sheet of the reinforcing material by drawing it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,257 describes a resorbable material in which the reinforcing elements are parallel threads of the same chemical composition as the rest the implant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,257 describes an osteosynthesis composite material which is at least partially absorbable in living tissue. This material comprises an absorbable polymer of copolymer matrix which is reinforced with absorbable polymeric reinforcement elements which have the same chemical element percentage composition as does the matrix. The reinforcing element is shown as parallel threads of polymer. International patent application 90/12550 describes a self-reinforced absorbable surgical material characterized in that the reinforcing elements are wound at least partially around some axis penetrating the implant. The spiral orientation of the reinforcing elements is claimed to allow the screws to resist higher torque forces than known parallel thread or non-reinforced screws.
In surgery it is known to use implants, or their parts or components, which are manufactured at least partially of an absorbable polymer and/or of a polymer composite containing reinforcing elements, for fixation of bone fractures, osteotomies or arthrodeses, joint damages, tendon and ligament damages etc. Such implants are e.g. rods, screws, plates, intramedullary nails and clamps, which have been described in the professional literatures of material technique and medicine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,218, entitled "Cylindrical Prosthetic Devices of Polyglycolic Acid" and U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,733 entitled "Polyglycolic Acid Prosthetic Devices", both issued to E. Schmitt and R. Polistina, describe implants like rods, screws, plates, and cylinders which have been manufactured of polyglycolic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,988 issued to N. Doddi, C. Versfelt and D. Wasserman, entitled "Synthetic Absorbable Surgical Devices of Polydioxanone" describes absorbable sutures and other surgical devices manufactured of polydioxanone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,249 issued to M. Vert, F. Chabot, J. Leray and P. Christel, entitled "New Prosthesis Parts, Their Preparation and Their Application" describes osteosynthesis devices which have been manufactured of polylactide or of copolymer containing plenty of lactide units, which matrix has been reinforced with reinforcing elements which have been manufactured of polyglycolide or of copolymer including mainly glycolic acid units.
DE 2947985 A 1, issued to S. Belych, A. Davydov, G. Chromov, A. Moscenskij, I. Movsovic, G. Rojtberg, G. Voskresenskij, G. Persin and V. Moskvitin, entitled "Biodestruktiver Stoff fur Verbindungselemente fur Knochengewebe" describes at least partially degradable composites which comprise a copolymer of methylmethacrylate and N-vinlpyrrolidone, which has been reinforced with polyamide fibers or with oxycellulose fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,775 issued to M. Rosensaft and R. Webb, entitled "Synthetic Polyester Surgical Articles" describes surgical products manufactured of copolymer of glycolic acid and trimethylene carbonate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,743, issued to H. Alexander, R. Parsons, I. Strauchler and A. Weiss, entitled "Bioabsorbable Composite Tissue Scaffold" describes a composite of a bio-absorbable polymer and carbon fibers, which composite is suitable for manufacturing surgical articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,931, issued to Barrows, entitled "Synthetic Absorbable Devices of Poly(esteramides)" describes absorbable polyesteramides, which are suitable for manufacturing of surgical implants.
Patent Application EPO 0,146,398, issued to R. Dunn and R. Casper entitled "Method of Producing Biodegradable Prosthesis and Products therefrom" describes a method for manufacturing of biodegradable prosthesis about biodegradable polymer matrix which is reinforced with biodegradable ceramic fibers.
WO 86/00533, issued to J. Leenslag, A. Pennings, R. Veth and H. Jansen entitled "Bone Implant" describes an implant material for reconstructive surgery of bone tissue, which material comprises a biodegradable porous polymer material and biodegradable or biostable fibers.
The publication of D. Tunc, "A High Strength Absorbable Polymer for Internal Bone Fixation" 9th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biomaterials, Birmingham, Alabama, Apr. 27-May 1, 1983, p. 17, describes a high strength absorbable polylactide, with an initial tensile strength about 50-60 MPa and which material retains a significant part of its initial strength 8-12 weeks after the implantation. This material can be considered suitable to be applied as basic material in manufacturing of internal bone fixation devices which are totally absorbable in living tissues.
The publication of D. Tunc, M. Rohovsky, W. Lehman, A. Strogwater and F. Kummer entitled "Evaluation of Body Absorbable Bone Fixation Devices" 31st Annual ORS, Las Vegas, Nevada, Jan. 21-24, 1985, p. 165, describes high strength, totally absorbable polylactide (initial strength 57,1 MPa), which was used as plates and screws for fixation of canine radial osteotomies.
The publication of D. Tunc, M. Rohovsky, J. Zadwadsky, J. Speiker and E. Strauss entitled "Evaluation of Body Absorbable Screw in Avulsion Type Fractures", the 12th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biomaterials, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., USA, May 29 to Jun. 1, 1986, p. 168, describes the application of high strength polylactide screws in fixation of avulsion-type fractures (fixation of canine calcaneus osteotomy).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,329 issued to R. Treharne entitled "Resorbable Compressing Screw and Method", describes a compression screw comprising a non-absorbable compression parts and a screw. At least the head of the screw comprises material, which is resorbable in contact with tissue fluids.
Self-reinforced absorbable fixation devices have significantly higher strength values than the non-reinforced absorbable fixation devices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,257 issued to P. Tormala, P. Rokkanen, J. Laiho, M. Tamminmaki and S. Vainionpaa entitled "Material for Osteosynthesis Devices" describes a self-reinforced surgical composite material, which comprises an absorbable polymer or copolymer, which has been reinforced with absorbable reinforcing elements, which have the same chemical element composition as the matrix.
FI Patent Application No. 87 0111, issued to P. Tormala, P. Rokkanen, S. Vainionpaa, J. Laiho, V.-P. Heponen and T. Pohjonen entitled "Surgical Materials and Devices" describes self-reinforced surgical bone fracture fixation devices which have been manufactured at least partially of fibrillated absorbable material(s).
According to the publication of T. Pohjonen, P. Tormala, J. Mikkola, J. Laiho, P. Helevirta, H. Lahde, S. Vainionpaa and P. Rokkanen entitled "Studies on Mechanical Properties of Totally Biodegradable Polymeric Rods for Fixation of Bone Fractures" VIth International Conference PIMS, Leeuwenhorst Congress Center, Holland, Apr. 12-14, 1989, p. 34/1-34/6, self-reinforced absorbable surgical materials have excellent strength properties, e.g. SR-polyglycolide had bending strength 415 MPa and SR-polylactide 300 MPa.
In the publication of D. Tunc and J. Jadhav entitled "Development of Absorbable Ultra High Strength Polylactide", Am. Chem, Soc., 196th ACS Meeting, Abstracts of Papers, L.A., Calif., Sep. 25-30, 1988, p. 383-387, a good tensile strength (300 MPa) for fibrillated SR-polylactide was measured.
The publication of E. Partio, O. Bostman, S. Vainionpaa, H. Patiala, E. Hirvensalo, K. Vihtonen, P. Tormala and P. Rokkanen entitled "The Treatment of Cancellous Bone Fractures with Biodegradable Screws", Acta Orthop. Scand., 59(5), 1988, p. 18, describes the fixation of cancellous bone fractures with self-reinforced absorbable screws, which have a flat head, which head can be located to a slot at the tip of the screwdriver in order to drive the screw into a channel made into the bone.
The following patents relate to absorbable (biodegradable or resorbable) polymers, copolymers, polymer mixtures, or composites: U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,033; U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,956,U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,988; U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,931; U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,152; U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,775; FI Patent Appln. No. 85 5079, FI Pat. Appln. No. 86 0366; FI Patent Appln. No. 86 0440 and FI Pat. Appln. No. 88 5164.


A method of manufacturing a MEMS vibration element having a fixed electrode, a movable electrode, and an elastic supporting unit that elastically supports the movable electrode with respect to the fixed electrode includes: etching a base material having a first thickness to form the fixed electrode and the movable electrode; and etching the base material to form the elastic supporting unit having a second thickness, the second thickness being less than the first thickness.

As one of energy harvesting technologies for harvesting energy from environmental vibrations, an approach of generating electric power from environmental vibrations using a vibration-driven energy harvester, which is a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) vibration element, is known (for example, PTL1). An environmental vibration includes a variety of frequency bands. For the purpose of effectively performing vibration-driven energy harvesting, it is necessary to match a resonance frequency of the vibration-driven energy harvester with a predominant frequency.
In the vibration-driven energy harvester, a movable electrode is supported by an elastic supporting unit such as a cantilever. The movable electrode vibrates with respect to a fixed electrode to generate electric power. Since the resonance frequency of the vibration-driven energy harvester depends on a spring constant of the elastic supporting unit, it is necessary to adjust the thickness, length, and the like of the elastic supporting unit in order to match the resonance frequency with the predominant frequency.

Method of manufacturing MEMS vibration element and MEMS vibration element


A control valve has a housing, which has a first bore in which a control spool is accommodated in such a way as to be movable along a longitudinal axis. The control spool defines first and second orifices which are adjustable. First and second reference planes are each oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first reference plane is defined by a first control edge, more specifically in the position of the control spool in which the first orifice is just closed, wherein the second reference plane is defined by a second control edge, more specifically in the position of the control spool in which the second orifice is just closed. At least one radial recess different from the second bore is provided in the first bore between the first and the second reference plane in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

EP 1 409 873 B1 discloses a control valve by means of which a hydraulic machine is controlled. The hydraulic machine, which is embodied as an axial piston machine of bent-axis construction for example, has a single-acting actuating cylinder, by means of which the displacement volume of the hydraulic machine can be adjusted. The control valve has a first and a second orifice, which can be adjusted in opposite senses by means of a control spool, wherein said orifices are connected to the actuating cylinder. In this arrangement, the control spool is accommodated relative to a longitudinal axis in a first bore of the housing. It has a first and a second control edge, which each extend in the form of a circular ring around the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and the second control edge are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The first and the second control edge interact with a second bore, which traverses the first bore transversely to the longitudinal axis, in order to form the first and the second orifice. This very simple and low-cost configuration of a spool valve is used on both control spools of the known control valve, wherein the present disclosure can be used in both cases.
The disadvantage of the low-cost configuration explained above is that the opening behavior of the first and of the second orifice cannot be influenced by means of the fine control notches on the control spool which are known, for example, from DE 42 24 469 A1. First of all, there is not enough space for this purpose. Moreover, the rotational position of the control spool relative to the longitudinal axis would have to be fixed in order for a defined opening behavior to be ensured with the above non-rotationally symmetrical configuration. This would have a disadvantageous effect on the reliability of the control valve.

Control valve having a radial recess in the region of the first and the second orifice


A display accesses an external server via a browser installed on an image processing apparatus, and displays on itself via the browser, a job instruction screen of the external server, based on screen data of the job instruction screen. When a user specifies a job, a job issuance requester requests the external server to issue the job and accordingly the external server issues the job. And a receiver receives the issued job and a job executor executes the received job. And then, a display controller makes the display to display a screen that matches a result of the receiver's job receipt and/or a job execution status of the job executed by the job executor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a multifunctional digital image forming apparatus (MFP: Multi Function Peripheral) collectively having the copy function, the print function, the FAX function and other functions, a job execution method of the image processing apparatus, and a computer readable recording medium having a job execution program recorded therein to make a computer of the image processing apparatus execute processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
Among the image processing apparatuses such as the above-described multifunctional digital image forming apparatuses, there is an image processing apparatus having an installed browser that is application software to view Web pages. Installation of this browser provides the image forming apparatus, a function to display on an operation panel thereof, a job instruction screen of an external server (i.e. a job instruction screen set by an external server), and remotely instruct the external server to issue a job.
This image processing apparatus allows users to view document data recorded in the external server and gives a print instruction, via the browser installed thereon by operating the operation panel.
More concretely, via the browser, the image processing apparatus accesses the external server and requests the external server to provide screen data of a job instruction screen of the external server. And also via the browser, the image processing apparatus displays the job instruction screen on the operation panel, based on the screen data that is transmitted by the external server in response to the request.
Referring to the job instruction screen of the external server, which is displayed on the operation panel, a user specifies subject data to be processed and a subject job to be executed, for example a print job. And then, the image processing apparatus transmits to the external server, a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) request for issuance of the specified job. Receiving the job issuance request, the external server issues the job, and the job is executed by the image processing apparatus. Furthermore, the external server transmits to the image processing apparatus, a result of receipt of the CGI request, in other words, a notice telling that a job is properly issued in response to the job issuance request received from the image processing apparatus, and this notice is displayed on the operation panel of the image processing apparatus.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-034576, there is a technology intended to improve the operability by well coordinating contents stored inside and contents obtained from outside if those are displayed by different browsers.
A communication between the above-described browser installed on the image processing apparatus and the external apparatus is performed over HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), although subject data to be processed according to a job is transmitted over another protocol, for example LPR (Line PRinter daemon protocol). If HTRP is employed, a screen displayed on a display of the image processing apparatus only can be updated according to a request given via the browser, and never can be updated according to a screen update instruction given by the server.
In conventional practice, a notice telling that a job is properly issued by the external server, which is a result of receipt of a CGI request, is transmitted to the image processing apparatus, then displayed on the operation panel of the image processing apparatus, as described above. However, a screen displayed thereon never can be updated after that. Thus, a notice telling whether or not a job is successfully transmitted (received by the image processing apparatus) is not displayed thereon and there is no way for the user to know a result of job transmission.
And a job execution of the image processing apparatus is an operation that is performed inside of the image processing apparatus not depending on a protocol employed by the external server. Thus, information indicating whether or not the job is successfully executed and whether or not an error occurs and other information are not displayed on the operation panel of the image processing apparatus.
As described above, the conventional image processing apparatus that allows users to instruct an external server to issue a print job, via the browser by operating the operation panel, does not allow them to know a result of job receipt and/or a job execution status after the job is properly issued by the external server, which is not convenient.
And the technology disclosed in the publication above does not provide a complete solution against the problem.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.

Apparatus, method and recording medium for obtaining UI pages from server

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A stabilized platform for mounting a camera or other sensor is suspended from a support post by a universal or Cardan joint with two torque motors powering its axes. Below this universal joint is a rotational joint also powered by a torque motor. A gyro stabilizer assembly comprising three orthogonally arranged gyroscopes is mounted on the platform. Position sensors detect the precession angles of the three gyroscopes and provide inputs to servo control loops which deliver drive signals to the torque motors. The platform including the gyro stabilizer assembly and the payload of camera or other sensor is configured such that the center of gravity is precisely located at the intersection of the three motor driven axes so as to eliminate unwanted torquing moments as a result of vehicle accelerations.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of gyroscopically stabilized systems and, particularly, to a system for providing space stabilization of a sensor carried by an aircraft or other vehicle.
2. BACKGROUND ART
Cameras and other types of sensors require stabilization when mounted on vehicles that are subject to movement and vibration. Various systems for providing gyroscopic stabilization of cameras and other sensors are known in the art. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,502 issued to Leavitt et al. This patent describes a camera platform that is stabilized in part by means of a plurality of gyroscopes which provide an artificially amplified mass and in part by the mechanical movement of a system of real masses. In the system as disclosed, disturbances not compensated for by the action of the gyroscopes are removed by shifting the center of gravity of the system by means of a mass suspended at the end of a motor driven pendulum. The reaction time of such a motor driven system is necessarily limited such that the system is unable to compensate for sudden accelerations. This, in turn, results in lag and overshoot in a highly dynamic environment.
The system of Leavitt et al. places the center of gravity of the camera platform somewhat below a universal joint so that the system will tend to assume a level orientation. However, such an arrangement also induces undesirable torquing moments in the universal joint as the system encounters lateral accelerations. Consequently, stability of the system is further degraded.
In view of the inherent limitations of prior art gyroscopically stabilized camera systems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system wherein all axes of the system are directly driven by torque motors such that the system is highly responsive to destabilizing inputs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system wherein the center of gravity of the system is precisely located at the intersection of the rotational axes so as to minimize unwanted torquing moments.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a gyroscopically stabilized camera system incorporating automatic steering such that a fixed object may be automatically inertially tracked.

Gyroscopically stabilized sensor positioning system


According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes first and second stacked structural bodies, first and second semiconductor pillars, a memory unit connection portion, a selection unit stacked structural body, first and second selection unit semiconductor pillars, a selection unit connection portion, and first to fifth interconnections. The semiconductor pillars pierce the stacked structural bodies. The first and second interconnections are connected to the first and second semiconductor pillars, respectively. The memory unit connection portion connects the first and second semiconductor pillars. The selection unit semiconductor pillars pierce the selection unit stacked structural body. The third and fourth interconnections are connected to the first and second selection unit semiconductor pillars, respectively. The selection unit connection portion connects the first and second selection unit semiconductor pillars. The fifth interconnection is connected to the third interconnection on a side opposite to the selection unit stacked structural body.

In conventional nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices (memory), elements have been integrated in a two-dimensional plane on a silicon substrate. Although the dimensions of one element have been reduced (downscaled) to increase the storage capacity of memory, such downscaling in recent years has become difficult in regard to both cost and technology.
Conversely, collectively patterned three-dimensionally stacked memory has been proposed. Such a collectively patterned three-dimensionally stacked memory includes a stacked body having insulating films alternately stacked with electrode films, silicon pillars piercing the stacked body, and charge storage layers (memory layers) between the silicon pillars and the electrode films. Thereby, memory cells are provided at the intersections between the silicon pillars and each of the electrode films.
Further, JP-A 2009-146954 (Kokai) discloses a configuration using a memory string having a U-shaped configuration made by connecting two silicon pillars on the substrate side. By using such a U-shaped memory string, for example, the degrees of freedom of the material used in the charge storage layer can be increased.
However, there is room for improvement to further increase productivity and operational stability.


A system for gyroscope dynamic motor amplitude compensation during startup comprises various program modules, including an a-priori motor amplitude module configured to generate an a-priori motor amplitude signal based on a model of gyroscope motor amplitude growth during startup; a steady state scale factor module configured to generate a steady state scale factor signal; and a dynamic motor amplitude compensation module configured to receive the a-priori motor amplitude signal, and the steady state scale factor signal. During startup, rate motion is sensed by the gyroscope and a sensed rate signal is output by the gyroscope. The dynamic motor amplitude compensation module receives a measured motor amplitude signal from the gyroscope, the a-priori motor amplitude signal, or a combination thereof, and outputs a time varying scale factor that is applied to the sensed rate signal to produce an accurate sensed rate from the gyroscope during the startup phase.

During a gyroscope startup, the gyroscope motor takes a finite time to reach full steady state amplitude. During this time, rate estimates (if needed) are generally not accurate. Rate sensing with gyroscopes, such as a tuning fork gyroscope, have been largely avoided with current methods until the gyroscope motor is up and running in a steady state fashion.
In a tuning fork gyroscope, the sensed rate is proportional to the peak-to-peak amplitude of the oscillating proof-mass. Since this amplitude starts at zero (prior to power being applied) and then grows to final steady state amplitude over a period of time during startup, sensing rate during this time has not been feasible. Rather, sensing rate has been limited to periods after steady state motor amplitude is achieved.
Delays in achievable rate sensing from time of power application can be significant, depending upon how long it takes for the gyroscope motor to achieve full amplitude. Some gyroscope applications call for accurate performance very shortly after activation. For example, current tuning fork gyroscope devices such as those used in inertial measurement units (IMUs) and rate sensors can take approximately 0.4 to 3 seconds to reach accurate rate sensing operation. This delay can be intolerable for highly accurate guidance applications that require rate sensing information at the earliest possible point after power application.

Gyroscope dynamic motor amplitude compensation for enhanced rate estimation during startup


Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with processing a read signal from a storage medium that includes continuous embedded position information are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes read logic configured to control a storage device to generate the read signal by reading a first layer and a second layer of the storage medium. The first layer defines data and the second layer defines embedded position information. The apparatus includes data detection logic configured to process the read signal to recover the embedded position information. The read logic is configured to control the storage device based, at least in part, on the embedded position information.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor(s), to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Magnetic disks are one example of a storage medium that is used in computer systems to store data. In general, magnetic disks are part of disk drives (i.e., hard disk drive (HDD)), which are often used as primary storage devices in computer systems. Typically, a disk drive includes one or more magnetic disks mounted on a spindle for rotation at high speeds by a servo motor. Additionally, a set of read-write heads are provided proximate to the magnetic disks to transfer data between the magnetic disks and the computer system. In general, the read-write heads are controllably positioned in relation to the magnetic disks in order to read and/or write data at different tracks of a magnetic disk. The tracks are, for example, concentric rings within the magnetic disk where data is stored.
Furthermore, each of the magnetic disks includes a single layer of information that includes the concentric rings. In general, the single layer comprises both stored data and position information that are interspersed with each other. The position information (e.g., position error signal (PES)) is information within the single layer that is used to position a read-write head over a desired track. The position information is provided in wedges (also referred to as Servo wedges) within the single layer that interrupt the tracks within which the data is stored. That is, the position information consumes space on the magnetic disks and is provided in a wedge shape that spans the magnetic disk. In general, each magnetic disk has a plurality of wedges spanning across and interrupting the tracks so that neither data nor the position information is continuously stored around the entire circumference of a track.
However, because the position information is not continuous throughout the single layer of the magnetic disk and occurs only at the wedges which are interspersed among the tracks, a location of a read-write head cannot be exactly known when the read-write head is not over a wedge. That is, the position of the read-write head can only be precisely known when the read-write head passes over a wedge that includes the position information. When the read-write head is over areas between wedges, the system cannot obtain position information for the head. Therefore, the head is subject to positioning error that results from external disturbances and random noise. The disturbances and random noise cause the head to move from a desired position. Thus, when the head moves into the next Servo wedge, the positioning error will be detected and corrected. Accordingly, spacing between tracks must account for inaccuracies because of the intermittent position information. Thus, not only do the wedges consume storage space within the single layer of the magnetic disk, but the wedges affect data density since inter-track spacing is generally increased to tolerate these errors.

Processing a data signal with an embedded position signal


The invention relates to a process for producing hybrid carbon black particles (12), which comprises the steps: a) production of first carbon black starting particles (16); b) production of second carbon black starting particles (22); c) milling of the second carbon black starting particles (22); d) mixing of the second carbon black starting particles (22) into a particle stream (48) of the first carbon black starting particles (16); and d) pelletization of the first and second carbon black starting particles (16, 22) to form hybrid carbon black particles (12). The invention further relates to an apparatus (10) for producing hybrid carbon black particles (12) and to hybrid carbon black particles (12) produced by means of the process or the apparatus (10).

The invention relates to a process and to an apparatus for production of carbon black particles.
A known process for producing carbon black or industrial black is called the furnace process, in which a hot gas is first generated in a combustion chamber with controlled supply of air, and then a carbon base material, usually aromatic carbo- or petrochemical oils, is burnt therein at high temperatures, in order thus to generate free carbon, i.e. carbon black. This reaction is stopped abruptly by means of addition of water in the last step of the furnace process, the quenching, at the point when the carbon black particles formed have the desired size and properties.
The carbon black particles produced in this way have a size and structure in the nanometer range and, because of their low density, form a high level of dust and are transportable only with difficulty, and for that reason the quenching is followed directly by a compaction plant in which the carbon black particles are pelletized directly. This exploits the character of the gas/air stream used at the start, since this gas/air stream gives rise to a particle stream of carbon black particles which can be blown directly into the pelletizing system without needing to transport the carbon black particles. In the form of the pellets generated in the pelletizing system, the carbon black produced can then be transported without any problem.
By virtue of recent developments in carbon black production by pyrolysis from used tires, described, for example, in WO 2011/035812 A1, it is possible to obtain relatively pure carbon black in a recycling process as well. This recycled carbon black is less expensive than the standard carbon black produced in the furnace process described above. Therefore, it is desirable to add recycled carbon black to standard carbon black in order thus to be able to provide less expensive starting materials, for example for the tire industry.
Because of the process regime in the pyrolysis, recycled carbon black has different particle sizes. It is therefore ground in order to obtain a defined maximum particle size. Like standard carbon black, the ground recycled carbon black has a very low density and hence a very high volume, and so it has poor storability, conveyability and transportability. For this reason, recycled carbon black can also be pelletized in order that it has better storability, conveyability and transportability.
Simple mixing of different carbon black pellets prior to transport leads to undesirable bursting-open of the pellets as a result of shear forces that act during the mixing. Therefore, the carbon black species are converted back to their original undesirable form with low density and high volume, which is in turn unfavorable for storage, conveying or transport.
It is therefore an object of the invention to propose a process and an apparatus which enable mixing of different carbon black species without the abovementioned disadvantages.
This object is achieved by a process for producing hybrid carbon black particles as claimed in claim 1.
An apparatus for production of hybrid carbon black particles and a hybrid carbon black particle produced by the process are provided by the further independent claims.
Advantageous configurations of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Apparatus for producing hybrid carbon black particles


A thermal management system provides a heat dissipating component using a high thermal conductivity insert. The heat dissipating component may be a spreader or heat sink, and includes a planar graphite member having high thermal conductivity along the plane of the member and having a relatively low thermal conductivity through the thickness of the member. A cavity is formed through the thickness of the member and the high conductivity insert is received in the cavity. The insert may be an isotropic high thermal conductivity material such as copper or an anisotropic material such as graphite oriented to have high conductivity in the direction of the thickness of the planar element.

The present invention relates to a heat dissipating component capable of managing the heat from a heat source such as an electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heat dissipating component effective for dissipating the heat generated by an electronic device, wherein the heat dissipating component is constructed by assembling together an anisotropic graphite planar element with a high thermal conductivity core element.
With the development of more and more sophisticated electronic devices, including those capable of increasing processing speeds and higher frequencies, having smaller size and more complicated power requirements, and exhibiting other technological advances, such as microprocessors and integrated circuits in electronic and electrical components and systems as well as in other devices such as high power optical devices, relatively extreme temperatures can be generated. However, microprocessors, integrated circuits and other sophisticated electronic components typically operate efficiently only under a certain range of threshold temperatures. The excessive heat generated during operation of these components can not only harm their own performance, but can also degrade the performance and reliability of the overall system and can even cause system failure. The increasingly wide range of environmental conditions, including temperature extremes, in which electronic systems are expected to operate, exacerbates the negative effects of excessive heat.
With the increased need for heat dissipation from microelectronic devices, thermal management becomes an increasingly important element of the design of electronic products. Both performance reliability and life expectancy of electronic equipment are inversely related to the component temperature of the equipment. For instance, a reduction in the operating temperature of a device such as a typical silicon semiconductor can correspond to an exponential increase in the reliability and life expectancy of the device. Therefore, to maximize the life-span and reliability of a component, controlling the device operating temperature within the limits set by the designers is of paramount importance.
Several types of heat dissipating components are utilized to facilitate heat dissipation from electronic devices. The present invention is directly applicable to several of these heat dissipating components, including those generally referred to as heat spreaders, those generally referred to as cold plates, and those generally referred to as heat sinks, among others.
These heat dissipating components facilitate heat dissipation from the surface of a heat source, such as a heat-generating electronic device, to a cooler environment, usually air. In many typical situations, heat transfer between the solid surface of the electronic device and the air is the least efficient within the system, and the solid-air interface thus represents the greatest barrier for heat dissipation. The heat dissipating components seek to increase the heat transfer efficiency between the electronic device and the ambient air primarily by increasing the surface area that is in direct contact with the air or other heat transfer media. This allows more heat to be dissipated and thus lowers the electronic device operating temperature. The primary purpose of a heat dissipating component is to help maintain the device temperature below the maximum allowable temperature specified by its designer/manufacturer.
Typically, the heat dissipating components are formed of a metal, especially copper or aluminum, due to the ability of metals like copper to readily absorb heat and transfer it about its entire structure. In the case of heat sinks, copper heat sinks are often formed with fins or other structures to increase the surface area of the heat sink, with air being forced across or through the fins (such as by a fan) to effect heat dissipation from the electronic component, through the copper heat sink and then to the air.
Limitations exist, however, with the use of metallic heat dissipating components. One limitation relates to the relative isotropy of a metal that is, the tendency of a metallic structure to distribute heat relatively evenly about the structure. The isotropy of a metal means that heat transmitted to a metallic heat dissipating component becomes distributed about the structure rather than being preferentially directed to a desired location.
In addition, the use of copper or aluminum heat dissipating elements can present a problem because of the weight of the metal, particularly when the heat transmitting area of the heat dissipating component is significantly larger than that of the electronic device. For instance, pure copper weighs 8.96 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) and pure aluminum weighs 2.70 g/cm3 (compare with graphite articles, which typically weigh less than about 1.8 g/cm3).
For example, in many applications, several heat sinks need to be arrayed on, e.g., a circuit board to dissipate heat from a variety of components on the board. If metallic heat sinks are employed, the sheer weight of the metal on the board can increase the chances of the board cracking or of other equally undesirable effects, and increases the weight of the component itself.
In the case of larger heat dissipating components such as for example that class of components known as heat spreaders, the weight of a pure copper heat spreader requires special mechanical features and designs to hold the heat spreader.
What is desired, therefore, is a heat dissipating component effective for dissipating heat from a heat source such as an electronic device. The heat dissipating component should advantageously be relatively anisotropic, as compared to a metal like copper or aluminum and exhibit a relatively high ratio of thermal conductivity to weight. One group of materials suitable for use in heat sinks are those materials generally known as graphites, but in particular anisotropic graphites such as those based on natural graphites and flexible graphite as described below.
Graphites are made up of layer planes of hexagonal arrays or networks of carbon atoms. These layer planes of hexagonally arranged carbon atoms are substantially flat and are oriented or ordered so as to be substantially parallel and equidistant to one another. The substantially flat, parallel equidistant sheets or layers of carbon atoms, usually referred to as graphene layers or basal planes, are linked or bonded together and groups thereof are arranged in crystallites. Highly ordered graphites consist of crystallites of considerable size: the crystallites being highly aligned or oriented with respect to each other and having well ordered carbon layers. In other words, highly ordered graphites have a high degree of preferred crystallite orientation. It should be noted that graphites possess anisotropic structures and thus exhibit or possess many properties that are highly directional e.g. thermal and electrical conductivity and fluid diffusion.
Briefly, graphites may be characterized as laminated structures of carbon, that is, structures consisting of superposed layers or laminae of carbon atoms joined together by weak van der Waals forces. In considering the graphite structure, two axes or directions are usually noted, to wit, the xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d axis or direction and the xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d axes or directions. For simplicity, the xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d axis or direction may be considered as the direction perpendicular to the carbon layers. The xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d axes or directions may be considered as the directions parallel to the carbon layers or the directions perpendicular to the xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction. The graphites suitable for manufacturing flexible graphite sheets possess a very high degree of orientation.
As noted above, the bonding forces holding the parallel layers of carbon atoms together are only weak van der Waals forces. Natural graphites can be treated so that the spacing between the superposed carbon layers or laminae can be appreciably opened up so as to provide a marked expansion in the direction perpendicular to the layers, that is, in the xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction, and thus form an expanded or intumesced graphite structure in which the laminar character of the carbon layers is substantially retained.
Graphite flake which has been greatly expanded and more particularly expanded so as to have a final thickness or xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction dimension which is as much as about 80 or more times the original xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction dimension can be formed without the use of a binder into cohesive or integrated sheets of expanded graphite, e.g. webs, papers, strips, tapes, foils, mats or the like (typically referred to as xe2x80x9cflexible graphitexe2x80x9d). The formation of graphite particles which have been expanded to have a final thickness or xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d dimension which is as much as about 80 times or more the original xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction dimension into integrated flexible sheets by compression, without the use of any binding material, is believed to be possible due to the mechanical interlocking, or cohesion, which is achieved between the voluminously expanded graphite particles.
In addition to flexibility, the sheet material, as noted above, has also been found to possess a high degree of anisotropy with respect to thermal and electrical conductivity and fluid diffusion, comparable to the natural graphite starting material due to orientation of the expanded graphite particles and graphite layers substantially parallel to the opposed faces of the sheet resulting from very high compression, e.g. roll pressing. Sheet material thus produced has excellent flexibility, good strength and a very high degree of orientation.
Briefly, the process of producing flexible, binderless anisotropic graphite sheet material, e.g. web, paper, strip, tape, foil, mat, or the like, comprises compressing or compacting under a predetermined load and in the absence of a binder, expanded graphite particles which have a xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction dimension which is as much as about 80 or more times that of the original particles so as to form a substantially flat, flexible, integrated graphite sheet. The expanded graphite particles that generally are worm-like or vermiform in appearance, once compressed, will maintain the compression set and alignment with the opposed major surfaces of the sheet. The density and thickness of the sheet material can be varied by controlling the degree of compression. The density of the sheet material can be within the range of from about 0.04 g/cm3 to about 2.0 g/cm3. The flexible graphite sheet material exhibits an appreciable degree of anisotropy due to the alignment of graphite particles parallel to the major opposed, parallel surfaces of the sheet, with the degree of anisotropy increasing upon roll pressing of the sheet material to increase orientation. In roll pressed anisotropic sheet material, the thickness, i.e. the direction perpendicular to the opposed, parallel sheet surfaces comprises the xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction and the directions ranging along the length and width, i.e. along or parallel to the opposed, major surfaces comprises the xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d directions and the thermal, electrical and fluid diffusion properties of the sheet are very different, by orders of magnitude, for the xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d directions.
The present invention provides a thermal management system which includes an anisotropic planar element having a relatively high thermal conductivity in the plane of the planar element and having a relatively low thermal conductivity across a thickness of the planar element in a direction normal to the plane of the planar element. The planar element has a cavity therein, and a core or insert is closely received in the cavity. The core in this embodiment is constructed of an isotropic core material so that heat from a heat source can be conducted via the core into the thickness of the planar element and then out across the plane of the planar element
In another embodiment the present invention provides a thermal management system which includes a heat source having a heat transmitting surface, an anisotropic graphic planar element, and an insert. The planar element has x and y dimensions defining a generally planar extent of the planar element and has a z dimension defining a thickness of the planar element. The planar element has a relatively high thermal conductivity in the x and y directions and a relatively low thermal conductivity in the z direction. Thus the x and y directions as used in this disclosure correspond to what are conventionally referred to as the xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d axes for anisotropic graphite, and the z direction as used herein corresponds to the xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d direction or axis of anisotropic graphite. The planar element has a cavity defined therein extending at least partially through the thickness of the planar element. The insert is received in the cavity in heat conducting engagement with the planar element. The insert has a heat receiving surface engaging the heat conducting surface of the heat source, so that heat from the heat source flows across the heat transmitting surface and the heat receiving surface into the insert in the z direction and then out through the planar element in the x and y directions.
In another embodiment of the invention a method is provided for dissipating heat from the heat source. The method includes steps of:
(a) providing an anisotropic heat dissipating element capable of relatively high conductivity in the x and y directions, and having relatively low thermal conductivity in a z direction perpendicular to the x and y directions, the heat dissipating element having a cavity defined therethrough in the z direction and having an isotropic heat conducting insert disposed in the cavity;
(b) placing the insert in heat conducting engagement with a heat source;
(c) conducting heat from the heat source through the insert and into the anisotropic heat dissipating element; and
(d) conducting heat through the heat dissipating element in the x and y directions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved designs for heat dissipating components including anisotropic graphite planar members.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a heat dissipating component including a high thermal conductivity core for conducting heat from a heat source to an anisotropic graphite heat dissipating element.
And another object of the present invention is the provision of heat dissipating components of relatively light weight such as provided by graphite, but having a high thermal conductivity at the interface of the heat dissipating component with the heat source.
And another object of the present invention is the provision of composite heat dissipating components utilizing anisotropic graphite material to conduct heat across the major surface areas of the component, while using isotropic high thermal conductivity materials such as copper for conducting heat from the heat source into the body of the anisotropic materials.
And another object of the present invention is the provision of economical constructions for heat dissipating components.
Other and further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Heat dissipating component using high conducting inserts


A coating composition for the enteric coating of capsule halves made of water-soluble or water-swellable polymer material in a dipping process is provided. The composition is an aqueous dispersion or solution, containing a polymer mixture of at least one first (meth)acrylate copolymer, which is enteric, and at least one further (meth)acrylate copolymer, which is enteric or water-insoluble, and also auxiliaries which influence the viscosity of the dispersion and the elasticity of the dried polymer film. The solids content of the dispersion or solution is more than 25% by weight and the viscosity is 150 to 1500 mPa·s and a dried film produced from the dispersion or solution has an elongation at break of at least 200%. Also provided is a capsule composed of two capsule halves coated with the dispersion or solution in a dipping process does. The enteric capsule does not dissolve in 0.1 N HCl at pH 1.2 after two hours, but completely dissolves in buffer at pH 6.8 in less than 30 minutes. A method to prepare enteric coated capsule halves is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a coating composition for the enteric coating of capsule halves made of water-soluble or water-swellable polymer material in the dipping process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Huyghebaert et al., European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 21 (2004) 617-623, describe an alternative method for the enteric coating of capsules made of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) in which ready-to-use enteric capsule parts are obtained.
In the introductory section, it is reported that enteric coated HPMC capsules have for a long time been used in the dietetic food supplement industry as vegetarian alternatives to gelatine. It is also mentioned that although the enteric coating of hard gelatine capsules made of organic solutions is possible, it is difficult to execute and may lead to embrittlement of the capsules, which can result in poor adhesion of the coating. This can be overcome by applying an intermediate layer, although this is lengthy and complicated. Moreover, coating processes from aqueous preparations have the advantage over conventional coating processes in that gelatine capsules from organic solutions may be of concern on account of the toxicological and safety aspects. The coating of gelatine capsules from aqueous preparations, however, is very demanding and requires long processing times because of the solubility of the gelatine in water, which overall leads to high costs.
It is furthermore reported that, in contrast to gelatine capsules, HPMC capsules can be enteric coated relatively easily from aqueous preparations. However, it is necessary to additionally apply a sealing between the capsule halves, e.g. through a gelatine solution to be applied manually, in order to avoid an untightness of the capsule and an uncontrolled escape of the contents in the stomach. Another technique is to apply water/ethanol mixtures between the capsule halves and to weld the parts together at 40-60° C.
Using aqueous preparations (EUDRAGIT® FS 30 D, EUDRAGIT® L 30 D-55, Aquoat® AS-HF or Sureteric®) based on (meth)acrylate copolymers or polyvinyl acetate phthalate, plasticizers such as triethyl citrate and further auxiliaries, such as, for example, talc, it is possible to provide HPMC capsules with an enteric film. A separate sealing step can be dispensed with in the case of this coating technology. In particular, HPMC capsules which have been coated with (meth)acrylate copolymers are depicted as particularly advantageous am the sum of their properties.
It is furthermore mentioned that the dipping process for the enteric coating of capsules is very time-consuming and can bring with it a multitude of practical problems. In particular, the problems consist in an uneven coating and unsatisfactory enteric properties.
Problem and Solution
Capsules filled with active ingredients or food constituents, in particular made of gelatine or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, have been used for a long time in the fields of pharmacy, food supplements and cosmetics. Active ingredients are to be understood as meaning in particular pharmaceutical active ingredients, food supplements or active ingredients with an assumed cosmetic effect, so-called cosmecuticals. Enteric coatings which are intended to prevent the capsule contents from being released in the stomach have likewise been known for a long time. Whereas capsule halves e.g. made of gelatine are produced with high precision in the dipping process, the enteric coatings for such capsules are produced almost exclusively in the spraying process. Attempts to apply enteric coatings in the dipping process have hitherto proven unsatisfactory.

Coating composition for the dip coating of capsule halves


A laser optical fiber storage device (10,100) for temporarily storing a free end (12a) of an elongated flexible laser optical fiber (12). A storage housing (14,114) with an open end (116) has an elongated flexible tube (28,128) disposed therein to receive the elongated flexible laser optical fiber so as to prevent laser light from escaping the storage housing. A restrictor (32, 117a, 117b) within the storage housing reduces the inner diameter of the elongated flexible tube. Further, a laser optical fiber storage device (40,100) for temporarily storing a free end (12a) of an elongated flexible laser optical fiber (12) is provided with a clamp (42,123). The storage housing (41,114) has an open end (41a, 116) and an elongated flexible tube (28,128) disposed within the storage housing to receive the elongated flexible laser optical fiber so as to prevent laser light from escaping the storage housing. A laser fiber clamp (42,123) is mounted to the open end to secure the laser optical fiber.

Surgical laser devices or systems supply energy from a laser source, through such energy delivery systems as laser optical fiber delivery systems or waveguides like articulated arms, to the tissue of a patient. In a number of cases, a probe is connected to the distal end of the energy delivery system to facilitate the delivery of concentrated therapeutic energy to the tissue being treated.
Storage devices to house and dispense surgical catheters are well known in the art. These devices generally provide a protective covering for fragile and expensive surgical catheters. Some such devices highlight a storage function; others are specialized to dispense the encased catheter during an operation; still others are designed to perform both functions. Moreover, such devices can be designed to house a variety of different catheter types.
Laser devices or systems that have been designed for use in contact with tissue generally include a fiber optical cable affixed to a laser energy delivery system. Such devices offer a number of advantages over free-beam energy delivery systems: they significantly reduce the waste arising from the backscatter of laser energy from the tissue; they define a clear and precise area of irradiation; they protect the laser optical fiber or other energy delivery system from fouling; and they provide tactile feedback to the surgeon. Perhaps most importantly, the probe may be treated to absorb or scatter laser energy, or both, such that both radiated photonic energy and conducted thermal energy can be delivered to the tissue.
Surgical laser devices or systems supply energy from a laser source, through such energy delivery systems as fiber optical delivery systems or waveguides like articulated arms, to the tissue of a patient. In a number of cases, a probe is connected to the distal end of the energy delivery system to facilitate the delivery of concentrated therapeutic energy to the tissue being treated. From a general perspective, surgical laser devices or systems may be divided into two categories: those that are designed for use in contact with tissue, and those that are designed for use without contact with tissue.