An apparatus and method for monitoring and diagnosing the coil temperature of a magnetorheological (MR) clutch connected to a power steering pump of a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus includes a processing circuit, and a storage medium, readable by the processing circuit, for storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for receiving a plurality of input signals representative of dynamic operating conditions relating to the vehicle, using the input signals to generate an output signal representative of a temperature of the coil of the MR clutch, determining from the output signal whether the temperature of the coil exceeds a threshold limit, and in response to the temperature of the coil exceeding a threshold limit, triggering at least one of a remedial action and a data storage algorithm.

The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus, system and method for magnetorheological clutch diagnostics, and particularly to a controller for monitoring and diagnosing the coil temperature of a magnetorheological (MR) clutch connected to a power steering pump of a vehicle.
Power steering systems are used in vehicles such as motor vehicles to assist a driver in steering the vehicle. In power steering systems of a hydraulic type, an engine driven hydraulic power steering pump is used for generating pressurized fluid that is coupled to a hydraulic steering gear of the vehicle. Since the traditional power steering pump is driven directly by the engine, the engine-determines the speed of the pump, and the pump operates continuously as long as the engine is running, resulting in continuous losses due to constant circulation of the hydraulic fluid through the steering gear. Also, the pump needs to provide the required flow and pressure for the worst case engine speed, which could be near idle or under static steering conditions, which contributes to additional losses due to under-utilized pump energy, and at higher engine speeds a much higher pump flow results, which contributes to further losses due to the use of an overpowered pump.
In an effort to address these losses and provide for more efficiency in the operation of the vehicle, a MR clutch coupled to a hydraulic power steering pump has been considered, which would provide for different pump operating conditions as a function of the vehicle dynamics. However, to provide for a durable and reliable powering steering system utilizing a MR clutch, it is desirable to monitor and diagnose operating conditions at the MR clutch, such as the temperature of the MR clutch coil for example. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus and method for monitoring and diagnosing the coil temperature of a MR clutch coupled to a hydraulic power steering pump.

Apparatus, system and method for magnetorheological clutch diagnostics


A method for detecting wear of a cutting tool for cutting a workpiece measures the contact resistance between the cutting tool and the workpiece for detecting wear of the cutting tool from a change in the contact resistance, whereby such wear of the cutting tool can be reliably and accurately measured.

In a generally known method of measuring wear of a cutting tool during cutting work, acoustic emission (AE) is utilized as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 138558/1982, for example. This AE method is adapted to detect with an HE-Sensor acoustic emission generated during the cutting work when a cutting tool breaks thereby to measure wear thereof. However, it is impossible to accurately detect only such acoustic emission since various noises are made on the jobsite where the actual cutting work is performed. Thus, the AE method is insufficient in accuracy.
Another conventional method is adapted to measure wear by measuring the cutting force caused during cutting work, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 5252/1980 or 218053/1987, for example. However, such cutting force varies with the configurations of the cutting positions of the workpieces etc. Thus, this method is not usable unless all the workpieces are regularly cut to have the same configuration.
In still another conventional method, a cutting tool is formed of a material containing a radioactive isotope such as radioactive cobalt, and a reduction of the radioactive isotope is measured through change its radioactivity, thereby to detect wear of the cutting tool. However, it is clear that such a method is not desirable, because the radiation may be harmful to the work environment.

Method of detecting wear of cutting tool by ascertaining a tool workpiece contact resistance


The present invention relates to methods of using carpet scraps to improve paint coating durability. Waste carpeting may be collected that may be formed from one or more of the materials polyamides, polyesters, polyurethane's, nylon and the like. The face yarn and nap material may be removed from the backing material of the waste carpeting. The face yarn and nap material may be mixed in a paint at a ratio of 50% or less by volume and in a manner to produce a generally uniform distribution of the face yarn and nap material in the paint.

This invention relates to methods for improving paint coating durability, for example, latex exterior paint. The new method uses carpet scraps and more particularly the carpet face yarn or nap material in a mixture with the paint to then be applied as a surface coating.
Use of carpet scraps may be know wherein the carpet scrap material is processed in some manner, such as reducing the size by grinding, to then be added to other standard material to make products such as backing material for carpet manufacture. The carpet scraps may also be melted and palletized for use as a filler to make homogenous thermoplastic blends. Carpet waste may also be used in microwave heating processes to produce material such as carbon black to improve weathering of bituminous coatings. Waste carpeting may be ground or melted and palletized for use as filler for various extruded thermoplastic and thermoset materials that typically use calcium carbonate filler such as roofing materials, road paving materials, awnings and tarps.

Use of carpet scraps to improve paint coating durability


An apparatus and method for thermally compensating a voltage signal for a circuit protection device. The circuit protection device is coupled to a powered circuit and having current flowing through it. A bus carries the power therethrough. A sense resistor is electrically coupled to a bus for sensing the current flowing through the bus. A temperature sensitive circuit is coupled to the sense resistor for compensating ambient temperatures. The invention is useful for providing an accurate sense resistor that supplies a temperature independent current in a power line and the related voltage output of the sense resistor at varying ambient temperatures.

In general, several different types of sensing apparatus have been used to measure current in an electrical circuit. Such sensing apparatus may utilize sense resistors, current transformers, and Hall Effect sensors. These sensors are used to monitor and measure current as it is passes through the load of a circuit either for purposes of overcurrent protection or to control another circuit based on the measured current in the load.
Sensors are also used to detect wave forms and the shape of current which can indicate the presence of an arc fault. Arcing faults may be defined as the existence of a current path between two ends of a broken conductor located within an ionized gas, between two conductors supplying a load, or between a conductor and a ground. Arcing faults are characterized by low and erratic current flow. Arcing faults may be undetected by standard circuit breakers, because the current flow may be below the breaker's tripping threshold. Upon occurrence of an arcing fault, branch or load impedance may cause the current levels to be reduced to a level below the trip curve setting of the circuit breaker, causing the arcing fault condition to be undetected by a circuit breaker. In addition, an arcing fault which does not contact a grounded conductor or other grounded point will not trip a ground fault protected circuit.
During the current measurement, it is important to maintain galvanic isolation in order to assure that current does not flow directly between the load and the measuring circuit. Sense resistors, typically, are accurate, inexpensive, and provide a higher frequency response than the other two types of sensors mentioned above. However, a disadvantage of the sense resistors is that they provide no galvanic isolation. Another disadvantage is that the sensor output signal tends to vary with temperature variations. This is due to the composition of the sensing material used. Metals have an inherent property of changing resistance when ambient temperatures fluctuate. By way of example, the proportionality of a signal being converted at 25 degrees Celsius will be different from the same signal being converted at 66 degrees Celsius or −35 degrees Celsius. Similarly, the sensitivity of the circuit changes if there is a deviation from a nominal operational temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. Known sense resistor configurations do not compensate the current for this variance in ambient temperature. Therefore, a need exists to compensate for temperature induced signal drift.
On the other hand, both current transformers and Hall Effect sensors provide galvanic isolation. Current transformers also provide proportional signals with suitable accuracy at a wide operational temperature range. However, both current transformers and Hall Effect sensors are more expensive solutions. Further, the frequency content for current transformer and Hall Effect sensors will be lost or will be filtered out because they have a low pass filter type transfer function. A disadvantage of a low pass filter type transfer function is that the critical information of the frequency content provided at higher frequencies will be missed. A further disadvantage of current transformers is that they occupy a relatively large area of a printed circuit board.

AFCI temperature compensated current sensor


An analysis device includes a sample substance spectrum acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of sample substance spectra obtained a plurality of times for a sample substance; a storage unit that stores a plurality of reference spectra for a known substance; a first evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a first evaluation value for a combination of a sample substance spectrum and a reference spectrum extracted from the plurality of sample substance spectra and the plurality of reference spectra, the first evaluation value representing a similarity between a peak intensity ratio of the reference spectrum and a peak intensity ratio of a portion of the sample substance spectrum corresponding to a peak in the reference spectrum; and a second evaluation value calculation unit that calculates a second evaluation value representing a similarity between the sample substance and the known substance based on the first evaluation values for the combinations.

Mass spectrometers for detecting components of a sample substance are known. Various forms of research have been conducted with regard to methods for identifying a sample substance by analyzing a mass spectrum output by the mass spectrometer.
LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer) are generally used to separate a sample mixture into components through LC (liquid chromatography) or GC (gas chromatography) and obtain a mass spectrum of a single component through MS (mass spectrometry).
A mass spectrum of a single component may be compared with reference mass spectra that are pre-registered in a database, and by finding a matching spectrum from the database, a sample substance may be identified with relative ease.
Patent Document 1 discloses a chromatograph mass spectrometer that introduces a sample substance to a MS unit to acquire a mass spectrum and adjusts various types of parameters of the MS unit based on a target reference spectrum for the sample substance that is provided beforehand.
Non-Patent Literature Document 1 discloses a technique for identifying a sample substance by comparing a mass spectrum with reference spectra pre-registered in a database and finding a matching spectrum from the database.

Analysis device, analysis method, and storage medium


A retrofittable towel warmer for use with a hot tub preferably comprises a flexible conduit portion which is attachable to one of the jets of the hot tub together with a rigid thermally conductive portion which is detachably mountable on an exterior mast support. There is also preferably provided an exterior housing surrounding the thermally conductive portion designed to provide maximum thermal contact with the cloth material to be heated. The entire unit may be immersed in the hot tub or pool water when not in use. In an alternate embodiment a container having a thermally absorptive medium is provided in a structure which is easily mounted on the mast. In an alternate embodiment a container having a thermally absorptive medium is provided in a structure which is easily mounted on a supporting mast.

Hot tubs have become more and more plentiful and have been added to existing home units as retrofit items themselves. Hot tubs are also frequently installed as options in new home construction as well. Their relaxing and therapeutic benefits are appreciated by a growing percentage of the population. They are being added along with the construction of exterior decks, sun porches, solariums and more. They can even be installed in their own separate housing units apart from one's main house structure.
In use, when a typical user leaves the hot tub, it is often desirable to wrap oneself as soon as is convenient, in a towel, bathrobe, garment or other material to be warmed. In colder climes, it is very desirable that the towel not be the same temperature as the air. However, many hot tubs, though not all, do not provide a mechanism for warming towels or other clothing material used to wrap around one's body. And even those hot tubs that do include such a facility may not include sufficient facilities for the desired number of towels or other garments. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide hot tubs with facilities and mechanisms for warming towels and other body coverings for use in conjunction with the use of the hot tub.
While one of the mechanisms for towel warming could be provided by an external electrical device, there are hazards associated with the use of electrical heating elements in conjunction with a human size container containing a potentially electrically conductive fluid. This is particularly true in the case of a towel heating mechanism that is provided in the form of a retrofitted device or kit, especially as opposed to a design that is already included by the manufacturer of the hot tub with the proper electrical connections and insulation in place as part of a "ground up" design. Furthermore, retrofittable towel warmers based on electrical resistance heating ignore the fact that there is already present a significant source of thermal energy, namely, the water in the hot tub itself.
Towel warmers per se are not new. They are often found provided in upscale hotels and resorts. Some hot tubs also already come equipped with towel warming mechanisms. For example, one such mechanism is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,970 issued to John Pinciaro on Jan. 23, 2001 and having a filing date of Sep. 13, 1999. Another such built-in design is shown in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0129514 published on Sep. 19, 2002 and having been filed on Mar. 13, 2001. However, neither of these designs represents or describes a mechanism which is easily retrofitted to an already existing hot tub which has not already incorporated such a feature.
Accordingly, it is seen that there is a need for a towel warming mechanism that may be used in conjunction with a hot tub and, more particularly, in the form of a device or system that can be retrofitted to existing hot tubs in a convenient and easy fashion without the need for an electrical connection.

Towel warmer for use in conjunction with a hot tub


A communication system (20) utilizing a constellation (22) of satellites (24) is presented. A source ground station (52) transmits an uplink signal (34) containing source payload data (32) to a primary satellite (26) located in an orbit (70) about the Earth (56). The primary satellite (26) conveys the source payload data (32) to a secondary satellite (28) located proximate the primary satellite (26) in the orbit (70), where the source payload data (32) is baseband processed to produce destination payload data (42), which is then conveyed back to the primary satellite (26). The primary satellite (26) transmits a downlink signal (50) containing the destination payload data (42) to a destination ground station (54). The primary satellite (26) and secondary satellites are configured to expend majorities of their energy budgets in downlink transmissions and payload data processing, respectively.

The present invention relates to the field of satellite communication. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of satellite communication utilizing on-satellite baseband processing.
High-frequency (e.g., microwave and millimeter-wave) communication typically requires a line-of-sight communication path. When a signal source and a signal destination are located on the surface of the Earth, the curvature of the Earth and other obstructions (terrain, etc.) impose a severe limitation on the line-of sight communication path.
The distance between the signal source and destination may be increased by incorporating one or more repeaters into the communication system. If the repeater is a satellite in orbit about the Earth, the potential distance between the signal source and the signal destination is significantly increased. If the satellite is located in a geosynchronous orbitxe2x80x94approximately 35,786 kilometers above the surface of the Earthxe2x80x94surface distances between signal source and signal destination in excess of forty-five percent of the circumference of the Earth (i.e., in excess of 18,000 kilometers) may be spanned. With the use of three geosynchronous equatorial satellites, therefore, any location on the surface of the Earth, other than in the extreme polar regions, may be reached.
A repeater satellite receives an uplink signal having a given payload data (intelligence), and transmits one or more downlink signals having substantially the same payload data. This is substantially a xe2x80x9cbent-pipexe2x80x9d function, i.e., an upward-propagating signal is bent into a downward-propagating signal by the satellite.
To fulfill a wide variety of customer needs, a satellite-based communication system should be able to effect both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint communication services. Desirably, such a system would also be able to provide signal routing. Under certain conditions, it may be desirable to process the payload data of a given signal within a satellite. An example of this may be when a single uplink signal is to be transmitted as a different downlink signal to each of a plurality of signal destinations. In such a case, the payload data (intelligence) of each downlink signal may be radically different than the payload data of the originating uplink signal. To fulfill this need, the satellite must be able to demodulate the uplink signal into a baseband signal, process the source payload data to produce each destination payload data at the baseband level, and modulate the resultant baseband signals into the requisite downlink signals. Effecting this conversion and processing requires a considerable expenditure of energy.
The energy budget of a satellite is finite. In a xe2x80x9cbent-pipexe2x80x9d operation, a significant portion of the energy budget is consumed in the transmission of the downlink signals, if the satellite is also to perform on-board baseband processing, then a significant portion of the energy budget is consumed effecting that processing. A compromise in the energy budget is therefore in order when a single satellite is to achieve both goals. Such a compromise satellite is exemplified by the NASA Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) experiment, wherein the satellite used effected both xe2x80x9cbent-pipexe2x80x9d and processing functions. While the ACTS satellite successfully demonstrated the technical viability of a satellite employing both bent pipe and baseband processing, it did not address the commercial viability of such a communication system.
Assuming for the sake of this discussion that a given satellite is placed in a geosynchronous orbit, then certain compromises on that satellite must be made. Ideally, the satellite will be optimized for each of three critical parameters: energy, mass, and cost.
Energy consumption generates heat. In space, this heat may be extracted only by radiation. For a given technology, as a satellite becomes more complex and performs more functions, the circuitry therein increases. The increased circuitry leads to an increase in the capacity and size of the power source to provide the additional energy. The increase in both the circuitry and the power source leads to an escalating increase in the overall mass of the satellite. Heat is a function of the energy consumption. Heat is therefore, indirectly, a function of the mass of the satellite. Since radiation is a function of surface area, a point is reached where an increase in satellite functionality (and mass) will exceed the satellite""s ability to dissipate the resultant heat.
Mass poses other problems as well. The more massive a satellite is, the greater the cost of orbital insertion. Also, once inserted, the satellite must be maintained in attitude and position. This requires onboard fuel, engines, and control circuitry. As the mass of the satellite increases, its inertia increases. The resultant fuel consumption for maintenance burns therefore increases. Assuming a given satellite life, the overall quantity of fuel also increases, which increases the mass, etc. Again, a practical limit is soon reached.
One solution to the mass problem would be to reduce functionality per satellite, i.e., to use two identical satellites to achieve a given throughput. Another complication with identical satellites is the independent frequency plans on the transmit side. This would require two insertions for a given amount of functionality, thereby significantly increasing the cost. What is most desirable, then, is to use satellites that are optimized for energy, mass, and cost.
What is needed, therefore, is a communication system that serves both bent-pipe and baseband processing functions in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

Communication system utilizing a constellation of satellites and method therefor


A space divider of a milking parlor arrangement for at least one milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, wherein the space divider is arranged approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the animal to be milked, has an arm device having a milking cluster, which can be adjusted from a parking position to a working position and back. The arm device is arranged with the milking cluster in the parking position in the space divider and can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof. The space divider is designed in such a way that no additional space is required between adjacent animals, so that many animals can be milked in a milking parlor arrangement while the smallest possible amount of space is required.

The invention relates to a divider of a milking parlor according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention is concerned with a milking parlor.
Such a milking parlor is used for the mechanical milking of milk-producing animals. Examples of milk-producing animals are cows, goats, sheep, etc. The milking parlor has milking stalls which are separated by dividers. The milking operation can be automated by means of so-called milking robots. Use is made, for example, of rotary milking parlors.
The expression milking parlor is to be understood as constituting arrangements of milking stalls, wherein an angled position of an animal which is to be milked, or an angled position of an imaginary longitudinal axis of an animal which is to be milked, in a milking stall in relation to a reference point or to a reference line may be between 0° and 90°. An example of a reference point used is a pit or a region accessible to staff (e.g. an aisle), which is the location where the milking staff are stationed. An example of a reference line used is the longitudinal side of a rectilinear pit or a tangent to a circular pit.
Milking parlors are, for example, mobile and fixed. Examples of mobile milking parlors are rotary milking parlors in the form of external milking parlors and internal milking parlors, both with any desired direction of rotation. So-called side-by-side milking parlors may also be designed in mobile form. There are also group milking parlors which are fixed, e.g. fishbone milking parlors and tandem milking parlors. This listing is given merely by way of example and is not limiting.
EP 1 084 611 B1 describes a robot-arm structure with a pivotable carrying unit for a milking cluster. The structure can be moved on one or more rails along one or more milking boxes.
The low throughput of milked cows/animals per hour means that the existing automation technology is suitable only to a limited extent, if at all, for large installations. The ever increasing requirements in particular for high throughput numbers and continuous operation require today's milking robots, which are complex and costly, to be used for a number of milking stalls together. This can have a disadvantageous effect, inter alia on account of high complexity levels, and the associated high probability of failure, discontinuous operation and regions barred to staff (safety in the robot area).

Space divider of a milking parlor arrangement, and milking parlor arrangement


An apparatus and method for plating a workpiece. The apparatus comprises, generally, an anode, a cathode, and a selective anode shield/material flow assembly. In use, both the anode and the cathode are immersed in a solution, and the cathode is used to support the workpiece. During an electroplating process, the anode and the cathode generate an electric field emanating from the anode towards the cathode, to generate a corresponding current to deposit an electroplating material on the workpiece. The selective shield/material flow assembly is located between the anode and the cathode, and forms a multitude of adjustable openings. These opening have sizes that are adjustable during the electroplating process for selectively and controllably adjusting the amount of electric flux passing through the selective shield/material flow assembly and the distribution of the electroplating material on the workpiece. The selective shield/material flow assembly can also be used with an electroless plating system. At least one selective shield material flow mechanism is used in a selective shield material flow assembly.

This invention generally relates to electroplating and electroless plating apparatus and methods.
Electroplating is a common process for depositing a thin film of metal or alloy on a substrate such as, for example, a variety of electronic components and semiconductor chips. In a typical electroplating apparatus or system, the substrate is placed in a suitable electrolyte bath containing ions of a metal to be deposited. The substrate is connected to the negative terminal of a power supply to form a cathode, and a suitable anode is connected to the positive terminal of the power supply. Electrical current flows between the anode and cathode through the electrolyte and metal is deposited on the substrate by an electrochemical reaction.
In many electronic components, it is desirable to deposit the metal film with a uniform thickness across the substrate and with uniformity of composition. However, the electroplating process is relatively complex, and various naturally occurring forces may adversely affect the electroplating process. Most significantly, the electrical current or flux path between the anode and the cathode may spread or curve, making it difficult to achieve uniform electrodeposition.

Selective shield/material flow mechanism

International Business Machines Corporation


A fastener for holding items to a perforated wall, including fasteners for consumer and commercial uses and in displaying collector items or goods for sale, or for supporting heavy items, or for supporting shelves, platforms, wire frames and similar items on a perforated wall, the item holder having a base member with a fastener insertable into the perforated wall. The fastener has a projection with an axis preferably, but not necessarily, perpendicular to the wall and an axially extending passageway, at least a portion of the projection being displaceable laterally of its axis. An elongated pin, plunger, or cam member is insertable into the passageway in an insertion direction and is effective to displace the projection portion laterally of the projection axis for mounting the item holder to the wall. The locking mechanism may be operated by movement of the pin, plunger, or cam member axially or radially of the fastener. No tools are needed to lock or release the item holder from the perforated wall.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fasteners, and more particularly to fasteners for holding items to a perforated wall, including, but not limited to, fasteners for consumer and commercial uses and in displaying collector items or goods for sale, or for supporting heavy items, or for supporting shelves, platforms, wire frames and similar items.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A wide variety of useful fasteners for holding items to walls is available to the public and has been for many years. When attaching items to a perforated wall, the available fasteners are much fewer in number, and those that are available have many severe drawbacks. One exception is the perfboard toolholder fastener made in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,160, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference (discussed in detail hereinafter).
For convenience, in this specification, the term "item holder" will be used to represent a type of implement that is attachable to a perforated wallboard by insertion of an element into at least one hole and used to hold hand tools, garden tools, instruments, wires, cables, display objects (such as packages, blister display packs, vacuum display packs, loose hardware or household items, grocery items, department or variety store items, and shelves), pictures, wire frames, and the like. The term "item holder" will generally be used in place of more common terms such as "hook" or "toolholder", since "item holder" is considered generic to both of the former two terms.
The terms "wall", "wallboard", "pegboard," and "perfboard" shall be used interchangeably to represent that type of wall-like structure in which at least one hole is made and which accommodates and supports an item holder by means of insertion of a part of the item holder into the hole. These structures include what is commonly referred to as pegboards or perfboards, as well as paneling or wallboard into which at least one hole is made or formed.
The typical item holder for commercial uses is a straight single or double bar, usually extending from about four inches to about fourteen inches from the perforated wallboard. An item holder of this type usually has a pair of bent rod-like offset hooked portions at its top which are inserted into horizontally adjacent holes by a pivoting action of the fastener to situate the top tip of the hooked portions behind the wallboard while allowing the lower part of the fastener to rest against the front surface of the wallboard.
While the use of a pair of hooked portions may inhibit rotation of the item holder, it does not avoid the frustration experienced when the item holder itself is pulled off the perfboard along with the item being removed from it. The consequences of such an event are numerous, the primary ones being the need for the store personnel to locate, rehang, or replace the fallen item holder, the obvious cleanup, restocking, and cost problems associated with damaged goods, and, most importantly, the loss of goodwill on the part of the customer who, in addition to being frustrated, may also be embarrassed by the experience. Those who encounter such fasteners or holders for hanging items experience frustration and irritation upon attempting to remove the item from the fastener, since the bottom portion of the fastener is easily pulled away from the wall surface, i.e., there is no provision for fixing it to the perfboard.
Those who use perforated boards (sometimes referred to as pegboards, a pressed board material with regularly spaced perforations into which hooks may be inserted for the storage or display of tools, instruments, and other articles) are familiar with the frustration and irritation involved with an insecure hook. In a commercial environment, not only do the fasteners pull off the wallboard and get lost or damaged, especially when only one or two items are left hanging from an item holder, but fragile items, such as tea or coffee cups, can easily be broken when a shopper inadvertently tugs too hard or bumps the item holder, and causes the item holder to be dislodged from the perfboard, which is very easy to do.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a fastener of the type described above which is devoid of the many faults associated with insecure wall fasteners. Another major problem with prior art item holders is that, because of the need to suspend the item holder from two horizontally adjacent holes, an expensive weld is needed in order to attach a central item holding rod or framework. The present invention provides a fastener for attachment to a perforated wall which overcomes all of the aforementioned deficiencies. The need for the invention is paramount in the commercial field, where items are supported on rigid, long, straight bars for convenient inspection and handling by consumers and for high visibility of displayed consumer items to be purchased.
With the problem of locking an item holder (or toolholder) to an apertured wall solved by the present invention, the design of the inserted hanger portion for the item holder can take on any number of forms, in addition to long rigid straight bars. Additionally, any wire rod or frame construction can be formed out of wire of an optimum diameter and not restricted to a wire size related to the hole size in the perfboard.
Accordingly, with the aforementioned problems solved, there will emerge a need for hangers or supports of varied configurations, including long vertically oriented hooks, large diameter horizontal loops, box-like attachments for containing small parts, U-shaped hangers for accommodating tools or other items between the legs of the U-shaped hinge having a bight portion extending outwardly from the board, and the inwardly directed end of the hanger being fixed to the wall fastener body. For even more specialized applications, for example in supporting carpenter's planes, sanders, routers, and other hand and power tools which have wide bases, a wire frame arrangement may be constructed to provide a secure, optionally railed, platform for maintaining the tool in place, with an extension from the hanger adapted to be attached to the body of a fastener locked to the wall of the board in accordance with the present invention. In this field of application, it would be clear to the person skilled in the art of wall fasteners that hanging tools and the like are simply examples of items that can be supported by or from such hangers, and in the latter example, model airplanes, cars, boats, etc. can be mounted for visual display with the wire frame supports being color coordinated with the item displayed. Panels, decals, or other enhancement features fixed to the wire frame will enhance the visual appearance thereof or give more significance to the displayed item. In the latter case, for example, a title for the item being displayed, a date, a creator's name, etc. can be beneficially employed in this aspect of the invention.
For the purposes of this description, the term "pin" is meant to include any elongated member made of any type of semi-rigid or rigid material, with or without threads, with or without a shaped contour, and with or without a head portion. In this description, the term "plunger" will include a pin and pin head combination. When used in describing certain aspects of the present invention, the term "plunger" may be used synonymously with the word "pin" and has the same meaning.

Fastener for holding items to a perforated wall


A display state of input data and a setting dialog on a display screen is determined to display the setting dialog at an appropriate position based on a determination result. An information processing system includes a scanner apparatus for inputting data and a PC for displaying input data input by the scanner apparatus on a display screen of a large-sized display. The PC includes a display control portion for displaying the input data and the setting dialog for setting document reading conditions relating to the input data on the display screen, and a display state determining portion for determining a display state of the input data and the setting dialog. The display control portion controls a display position of the setting dialog based on a determination result by the display state determining portion.

In recent years, a conference system using a large-sized liquid crystal display has been proposed, and there has been increased such a case that documents provided by attendants are read by a scanner apparatus (an image reading apparatus) and a conference is progressed with the images read by the scanner displayed on the large-sized liquid crystal display. The scanner apparatus is connected to a PC, and a document reading conditions setting screen (a setting dialog) for setting reading conditions such as a color mode, a resolution, and a size in the scanner apparatus are provided in the PC side. When a user causes the scanner apparatus to read a document, the user operates the PC to display the setting dialog on the large-sized liquid crystal display so that various reading conditions can be set on the display.
In such a conference system, when a plurality of image data is displayed on the large-sized liquid crystal display at the same time, it is necessary to arrange the plurality of image data so as not to be overlapped with each other on a display screen as completely as possible and since one of the attendants is needed to perform such an operation alone, the attendant is bothered with the operation and cannot concentrate on the conference.
On the other hand, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-149440 describes a method for easily adjusting overlap conditions of image data when a plurality of image data is simultaneously displayed on a screen during a conference. According to the method, based on display constitution information of each window (an identifier, a position, a size and an overlap condition of each window) displayed on a shared display, the display constitution of each window can be changed.
However, in the conventional method described in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-149440, a display position of a setting dialog that is displayed at the time of reading by a scanner apparatus is not considered. Thus, for example, when the setting dialog is displayed on a display in order to read a new document during a conference, the setting dialog is displayed on the image data that is displayed on the display as a subject of discussion and the image data can not be seen, and this may raise a problem that the conference is interrupted.

Information processing system and information processing apparatus


A system for virtual learning of driving a vehicle is provided. The system includes a driving unit with a steering wheel, a brake pedal, and an accelerator pedal, wherein the driving unit is activated upon receiving an activation code from a user via a computing device. A head mount device, communicatively coupled to the driving unit, displays a simulated street view to the user via the computing device, thereby training the user to operate the vehicle. A haptic generation module monitors a plurality of real-time operative parameter values during operation of the vehicle by the user; compares the plurality of current operative parameter values with a plurality of pre-defined threshold parameter values respectively; and generate a haptic feedback alert for the user based on comparison of the current operative parameter values with the plurality of predefined threshold parameter values respectively.

In recent years, the automotive industry has been developing at a rapid rate and has become a big part of people's lives on a daily basis. Most people learn to drive by tutors from driving schools.
Conventionally driving schools take on a few people to train the people on how to drive a vehicle, such as, including but not limited to, a car. However, due to an increase in the popularity of owning a car, numerous people register themselves for driving lessons at the driving school, thereby not having enough time for the driving school to train a large set of people. Hence, the people either need to wait for months for the driving school to train them or might try to learn by themselves, which may be hazardous.
In another scenario, not all people have the capacity to learn driving in a limited time, even if taught by the driving school. This leaves people with a disadvantage where they cannot practice the skills learned in the driving school nor are the people confident enough to drive a car on roads for practice purposes.
In another scenario, most of the countries have different road and driving rules than the others, which puts people from foreign countries at a disadvantage for not knowing the road and driving rules of a particular country they would want to drive in. further, in order to learn the road and driving rules of a particular country, an individual may have to investee time in learning the same.
In another scenario, people may not know how to drive in a different weather conditions, which again put them at a disadvantage. Hence, if an individual, who is above average at driving on city roads may not be able to drive in a hilly region.
Therefore, there is a requirement for a system that can overcome the aforementioned issues.

System and a method for virtual learning of driving a vehicle


Provided is an electrochemical reaction method that includes: immersing an anode and a cathode into a solution that includes azide ion (N3−), an alkene, and a transition metal catalyst; passing a current through the anode; and forming a diazide from the alkene. Related systems are also provided.

Diamines, e.g., vicinal diamines or 1,2-diamines, are a structural motif of pivotal significance to modern synthetic chemists. They are frequently found in multifarious pharmaceuticals and medicinally relevant natural products as well as in molecular catalysts for stereoselective synthesis. Despite substantial advances, a unified methodological approach to the synthesis of diamines remains elusive. The direct addition of two nitrogen-based functional groups to alkenes, a family of abundant, readily accessible, and structurally diverse feedstocks, constitutes a particularly powerful approach to diamine synthesis. Existing methods frequently require stoichiometric heavy metals (e.g., osmium or palladium) or esoteric nitrogenous reagents (e.g., nitrogen oxides, diaziridinones, N-activated sulfamides) and generally exhibit limited substrate scope.
Alkene diazidation represents an attractive alternative route to diamine synthesis. Further, organic azides are versatile intermediates for synthetic, materials, and biological applications. One non-limiting reagent for alkene diazidation is sodium azide (NaN3). However, the nucleophilic nature of both alkenes and N3− (azide ion) necessitates the use of a highly reactive oxidant to invert the polarity of one of the two substrates and thus enable CN coupling. As such, existing protocols uniformly employ stoichiometric quantities of reagents including peroxydisulfates, high-valent metal salts, or hypervalent iodines. The employment of such strongly oxidizing agents limits functional group compatibility, generates environmentally deleterious byproducts, and presents an explosion hazard when used alongside NaN3.
Thus, a need exists for improved synthetic routes for obtaining diazides.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicant in no way disclaims these technical aspects, and it is contemplated that embodiments of the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.
In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was, at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge, or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.


The invention relates to a damper device for a piston pump. The device includes a partly air-filled, upright tube placed on the inlet conduit of the piston pump, and a partly air-filled, upright tube placed on the outlet conduit of the piston pump. The two upright tubes are interconnected with each other by means of a tube on which a shut-off valve is disposed. Each of the upright tubes is connected to a blower valve, respectively. Both of the blower valves are connected to a common compressed air source. The damper device may be adapted in a simple manner for aseptic operation and/or elevated product pressure.

A piston pump is a high pressure pump of the positive displacement variety which substantially consists of a powerful electric motor, transmission mechanism and crank mechanism, as well as a pump assembly with a pump block, valves and a number of plungers or pistons. The rotary movement from the electric motor is converted by means of the transmission mechanism into the reciprocating movement of the pistons.
One common field of practical application for a high pressure pump of the piston type is in a homogenizer. In those cases where the high pressure pump is employed as a homogenizer, the pump block is supplemented with one or more homogenization apparatuses or counter-pressure apparatuses in which the homogenization process takes place.
Homogenization is an often-employed industrial process, above all within the dairy industry, where homogenization is employed for splitting the fat globules in milk and thereby preventing cream setting. Almost all consumer milk is homogenized today. This employment within the food industry entails that extremely stringent demands on hygiene are placed on not only the homogenizers but also all ancillary equipment.
The movement of the piston pump implies that, on the suction side of the pump, a liquid column of product such as milk is to be accelerated on each stroke of the piston. This entails that the product flow will be greatly pulsating and, in order to avoid the risk that this damages the pump and ancillary equipment, it is necessary to provide the piston pump with dampers.
In its simplest form, a damper consists of a partly air-filled upright tube in direct connection to the piston pump. Many homogenizers available on the market feature as standard such dampers on both the suction side and the pressure side of the pump.
In most practical applications, the above-described type of damper is efficient from the point of view of damping, but cannot normally be cleaned in the CIP system of the dairy plant (Cleaning In Place). The upright tube section must be dismounted and washed manually. Nor is such a damper suitable for aseptic applications, since the upright tube is difficult to sterilize in connection with the sterilization of the remaining equipment.
Gradually as such a damper is in operation, the air entrapped in the upright tube will, in due course, be "consumed" by the product flow. It has hitherto not been possible to replenish air while the plant is in operation, but it has instead been necessary to stop production, which has entailed both time losses and losses of product.
Requirements on higher output capacities and longer running times, for example within the food industry, as well as the utilisation of higher pressure on the pressure side of the pump entail that the above-described dampers will attain far too short an operational running time. The air in the upright tubes is consumed rapidly and production stoppages become necessary.
There are also on the market a number of other types of dampers. Membrane dampers display a gas-filled space discrete from the product by the intermediary of a membrane. These dampers are expensive in operation, since the membrane often needs to be replaced. There are also specialist dampers which can be shut off and emptied of product, whereafter the air can once again be replenished. However, this entails not inconsiderable product losses.
Specialist inlet dampers provided with an external steam hat involve many parts which are difficult to clean and which may cause problems with regard to sterility in aseptic plants. Another type of damper is the resonator type which suffers from the drawback of being difficult to clean and thereby not suitable for food applications.


The present invention relates to human PGF polypeptides and DNA (RNA) encoding such polypeptides. Also provided is a procedure for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques, and antibodies and antagonist/inhibitors against such polypeptides. Also provided are methods of using such polypeptides therapeutically for treating prostate cancer, to promote tissue regeneration and to facilitate wound healing. Also provided is a diagnostic assay to detect prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded by such polynucleotides, the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides, as well as the production of such polynucleotides and polypeptides. More particularly, the polypeptide of the present invention is a prostatic growth factor which is sometimes hereinafter referred to as "PGF".
This invention relates to a polynucleotide and polypeptide molecules which are structurally and functionally related to TGF-β. The transforming growth factor-beta family of peptide growth factors includes five members, termed TGF-β1 through TGF-β5, all of which form homo-dimers of approximately 25 kd. The TGF-β family belongs to a larger, extended super family of peptide signaling molecules that includes the Muellerian inhibiting substance (Cate, R. L. et al., Cell, 45:685–698 (1986)), decapentaplegic (Padgett, R. W. et al., Nature, 325:81–84 (1987)), bone morphogenic factors (Wozney, J. M. et al., Science, 242:1528–1534 (1988)), vg1 (Weeks, D. L., and Melton, D. A., Cell, 51:861867 (1987)), activins (Vale, W. et al., Nature, 321:776–779 (1986)), and inhibins (Mason, A. J. et al., Nature, 318:659–663 (1985)). These factors are similar to TGF-β in overall structure, but share only approximately 25% amino acid identity with the TGF-β proteins and with each other. All of these molecules are thought to play an important roles in modulating growth, development and differentiation. The protein of the present invention, PGF, retains the seven cysteine residues conserved in the C-terminal, active domain of TGF-β.
TGF-β was originally described as a factor that induced normal rat kidney fibroblasts to proliferate in soft agar in the presence of epidermal growth factor (Roberts, A. B. et al., PNAS USA, 78:5339–5343 (1981)). TGF-β has subsequently been shown to exert a number of different effects in a variety of cells. For example, TGF-β can inhibit the differentiation of certain cells of mesodermal origin (Florini, J. R. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 261:1659–16513 (1986)), induced the differentiation of others (Seyedine, S. M. et al., PNAS USA, 82:2267–2271 (1985)), and potently inhibit proliferation of various types of epithelial cells, (Tucker, R. F., Science, 226:705–707 (1984)). This last activity has lead to the speculation that one important physiologic role for TGF-β is to maintain the repressed growth state of many types of cells. Accordingly, cells that lose the ability to respond to TGF-β are more likely to exhibit uncontrolled growth and to become tumorigenic. Indeed, the cells lack certain tumors such as retinoblastomas lack detectable TGF-β receptors at their cell surface and fail to respond to TGF-β, while their normal counterparts express self-surface receptors in their growth is potently inhibited by TGF-β (Kim Chi, A. et al., Science, 240:196–198 (1988)).
More specifically, TGF-β1 stimulates the anchorage-independent growth of normal rat kidney fibroblasts (Robert etal., PNAS USA, 78:5339–5343 (1981)). Since then it has been shown to be a multi-functional regulator of cell growth and differentiation (Sporn et al., Science, 233:532–534 (1986)) being capable of such diverse effects of inhibiting the growth of several human cancer cell lines (Roberts et al., PNAS-USA, 82:119–123 (1985)), mouse keratinocytes, (Coffey et al., Cancer RES., 48:1596–1602 (1988)), and T and B lymphocytes (Kehrl et al., J. Exp. Med., 163:1037–1050 (1986)). It also inhibits early hematopoietic progenitor cell proliferation (Goey et al., J. Immunol., 143:877–880 (1989)), stimulates the induction of differentiation of rat muscle mesenchymal cells and subsequent production of cartilage-specific macro molecules (Seyedine etal., J. Biol. Chem., 262:1946–1949 (1986)), causes increased synthesis and secretion of collagen (Ignotz et al., J. Biol. Chem., 261:4337–4345 (1986)), stimulates bone formation (Noda et al., Endocrinology, 124:2991–2995 (1989)), and accelerates the healing of incision wounds (Mustoe et al., Science, 237:1333–1335 (1987)).
Further, TGF-β1 stimulates formation of extracellular matrix molecules in the liver and lung. When levels of TGF-β1 are higher than normal, formation of fiber occurs in the extracellular matrix of the liver and lung which can be fatal. High levels of TGF-β1 occur due to chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant as an attempt to treat cancers, eg. breast cancer.
A second protein termed TGF-β2 was isolated from several sources including demineralized bone, a human prostatic adenocarcinoma cell line (Ikeda et al., Bio. Chem., 26:2406–2410 (1987)). TGF-β2 shared several functional similarities with TGF-β1. These proteins are now known to be members of a family of related growth modulatory proteins including TGF-β63 (Ten-Dijke et al., PNAS-USA, 85:471–4719 (1988)), Muellerian inhibitory substance and the inhibins. Due to amino acid sequence homology, it is thought that the PGF polypeptide of the present invention is also a member of this family of related growth modulatory proteins. However, to date, this polypeptide has only been found by the inventors to be present in the prostate.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided is a control method of a control apparatus for a multi-cell communication system including a plurality of cells, the method including determining a cell edge terminal or an inner cell terminal from each of terminals included in each of the cells, and selecting, from base stations included in the plurality of cells, a first base station and a second base station. The first base station may serve all of a corresponding cell edge terminal and a corresponding inner cell terminal, and the second base station may serve only the corresponding inner cell terminal between the corresponding cell edge terminal and the corresponding inner cell terminal.

1. Field
The following description relates to a multi-cell multi-user multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system, and more particularly, to technology for enhancing an overall throughput of a communication system when inter-cell interference exists.
2. Description of Related Art
A multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system may enhance an overall throughput by effectively using spatial resources. The MIMO communication system may achieve a high throughput through spatial multiplexing.
The MIMO communication system may be classified into a single-user MIMO communication system and a multi-user MIMO communication system, based on a number of terminals being served. The MIMO communication system may also be classified into a single-cell MIMO communication system and a multi-cell MIMO communication system, based on a number of cells.
The following embodiments relate to a multi-cell multi-user MIMO communication system.

Clustered multi-cell multi-user multiple input multiple output communication system using cell-edge user selection scheme


The disclosure relates to a drape with an opening and an attachment device on the first opening to affix the drape on a surgical microscope. The drape can include a second attachment device arranged on the opening to affix the drape on the surgical microscope.

US 2007/0064309 A1 discloses a drape with a first opening and a first attachment device. In order to attach the drape to a surgical microscope, the opening in the drape is guided under an objective of the surgical microscope via an adapter and the drape is affixed on the adapter by means adhesive strip. Subsequently, the drape can be put over the whole surgical microscope and attached to a support arm by a sterile tape. Hence the adapter is situated outside of the drape during surgery and can subsequently be adjusted. The adhesive strip, by which the drape is attached to the adapter, keeps the drape in its position during the surgery and ensure that the view of the operator is not impeded by the drape. A potential disadvantage of the drape disclosed in US 2007/0064309 A1 is that there cannot be much movement of the adapter and an examination device connected thereto. By way of example, it is difficult, if even possible, to pivot the adapter with the associated examination device out of the beam path of the surgical microscope because a correct positioning of the drape is then no longer ensured.


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body disposed in a first tier, the stacked body including a plurality of conductive layers stacked via an insulating layer; a first pillar that extends in the stacked body in a stacking direction of the stacked body; a first upper structure disposed in a second tier upper than the first tier; and a misalignment mark for inspecting misalignment between the first tier and the second tier, wherein the misalignment mark includes a second pillar that extends the first tier of the misalignment inspection region in the stacking direction, and a second upper structure disposed in the second tier of the misalignment inspection region and superposed on the second pillar in a top view.

A three-dimensional nonvolatile memory has a pillar in which a plurality of memory cells are arranged in a height direction. In the process for manufacturing the three-dimensional nonvolatile memory, when forming upper-layer wiring or the like after forming the pillar, a misalignment mark for inspecting misalignment between the pillar and the upper-layer wiring is employed.
Nevertheless, even if the misalignment inspection is passed, misalignment between the pillar and the upper-layer wiring sometimes occurs in an actual pattern.

Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing semiconductor memory device


In a cathode-ray tube apparatus, a deflection yoke is provided on a funnel of a tube and a pair of closed loop coils are provided on a panel and the funnel of the tube at upper and lower sides, respectively. The deflection yoke generates effective magnetic fluxes in the tube and also generates ineffective magnetic fluxes as leakage magnetic fluxes outside of the tube. Some of the leakage magnetic fluxes pass through the coils so that currents are induced in the coils and the resulting induced magnetic fluxes compensate for the leakage magnetic fluxes. Thus, the leakage magnetic fluxes passing through a space in front of the tube are reduced by the compensating magnetic fluxes from the coils.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cathode-ray tube apparatus wherein leakage magnetic fluxes extending from a deflection yoke can be reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Unnecessary radiation, such as electronic waves, is controlled in accordance with the regulations such as VDE (Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker). Generally, the leakage magnetic field of cathode-ray tubes are also controlled in accordance with VDE.
The recent trend is to limit leakage magnetic fields harmful to human being, particularly in Northern European countries, in accordance with MPR (SSI) regulations. Subjected to these regulations are magnetic fields of frequencies ranging from 1 KHz to 400 KHz. In the case of cathode-ray tubes, it is required to reduce, to a considerably low level, the intensity of leakage magnetic fluxes which are some of the magnetic fluxes generated by the horizontal deflection coil of the deflection yoke; and which do not serve to deflect the electron beams emitted from the electron gun assembly.
To control the leakage magnetic fluxes emanating from cathode-ray tube apparatuses, it is necessary to attenuate these fluxes in a predetermined manner. However, the leakage magnetic fluxes must not be attenuated in a manner that the effective magnetic fluxes are influenced to degrade the deflection characteristics of the deflection yoke, such as beam convergence and beam landing.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a deflection yoke of popular type for use in a cathode-ray tube, such as a color cathode-ray tube. The deflection yoke comprises a molded member 1 and a pair of saddle-type main horizontal deflection coils 2 positioned in the member 1, symmetrically to each other with respect to the horizontal axis (i.e., X axis). Most of the magnetic fluxes generated by the coils 2, generally known as "effective magnetic fluxes," are confined in the deflection yoke, or within a hollow cylindrical core 3 which surrounds the molded member 1, and effectively serve to deflect electron beams in horizontal direction. The remaining magnetic fluxes, generally known as "leakage magnetic fluxes," radiate from the deflection yoke.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the distribution of the effective magnetic fluxes 6 and that of the leakage magnetic fluxes 7 and 10. As FIG. 2 shows, two reference leakage magnetic fluxes 8a and 8b emanate from the horizontal deflection coils 2 along lines defining an angle of 30.degree. to 40.degree.. As is evident from FIG. 2, the leakage magnetic fluxes 7, which extend from a flange portions 9 of the coils 2 substantially in parallel to the effective magnetic fluxes 6, exist in the region between the reference leakage magnetic fluxes 8a and 8b, whereas the leakage magnetic fluxes 10, which extends in the direction opposite to that of the effective magnetic fluxes 6, exit outside the region.
Various methods of controlling the leakage magnetic fluxes emanating from the outer periphery of the cathode-ray tube have been devised, one of which is to enclose the entire deflection yoke within a metal case. This method does not suffices to reduce the leakage magnetic fluxes to a desirable level. Further it is disadvantageous in two respects because of the use of the metal case covering the whole deflection yoke. First, a sufficient heat radiation is impossible. Secondly, the metal case is rather an expensive member and inevitably increases the manufacturing cost of the cathode-ray tube apparatus.
Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 62-64024 discloses a cathode-ray tube apparatus, in which as is shown in FIG. 3, a pair of auxiliary coils 11 having substantially the same shape as saddle-type main horizontal deflection coils 2 are located symmetrically to each other with respect to a core 3, opposing the main horizontal deflection coils, respectively. Part of the current flowing in either main horizontal deflection coil 2 is supplied to the corresponding auxiliary coil 11 in opposite phase, such that the auxiliary coils 11 generate magnetic fluxes (hereinafter referred to as "auxiliary magnetic fluxes") which extend opposite to the main magnetic fluxes emanating from the main coils 2 and which reduce the leakage magnetic fluxes also emanating from the main coils 2.
It is difficult, however, to control the auxiliary coils 11 accurately enough to reduce the leakage magnetic fluxes which exist in particular positions. Further, since the auxiliary coils 11 are located at the places where less leakage magnetic fluxes exist than other places, the leakage magnetic fluxes are reduced excessively at the rear of the deflection yoke, inevitably generating reverse leakage magnetic fluxes. The reverse leakage magnetic fluxes, thus generated in the vicinity of the yoke, are liable to influence the deflection characteristics of the deflection yoke.
As has been pointed out, the use of a metal case to reduce the leakage magnetic fluxes results in an inadequate heat radiation from the deflection yoke and also in an increase in the manufacturing cost of the cathode-ray tube apparatus, and the provision of auxiliary coils adversely influences the deflection characteristics of the cathode-ray tube apparatus.

Cathode-ray tube apparatus having a reduced leak of magnetic fluxes


A semiconductor device includes at least two transistors and a charge-trapping structure. The charge-trapping structure traps charges, which are moved from a selected transistor toward a non-selected transistor, adjacent to the selected transistor among the transistors, thereby preventing a threshold voltage of the non-selected transistor from being increased. Thus, the charge-trapping structure traps the charges so that an increase of the threshold voltage of the non-selected voltage is suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and to methods of manufacturing the semiconductor device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-volatile memory device that is capable of being programmed once, and to methods of manufacturing the non-volatile memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the demand for liquid crystal display (LCD) driver integrated circuit (IC) (hereinafter referred to as an LDI) mobile devices has greatly increased. To reduce manufacturing costs, the LDI, a COM and SEG driver circuit and a power circuit have been integrated into a single chip. Also, two CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) structures including a high voltage transistor and a low voltage transistor, respectively, are installed in the LDI. Further, to operate the LDI in accordance with requirements of prospective users, a small one-time-programmable (OTP) cell is provided to the LDI.
The OTP cell includes an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) that is programmed one time and is also erased using an ultraviolet ray. Particularly, the OTP cell includes a cell having a single-poly EEPROM structure. The cell having the single-poly EEPROM structure has good operational characteristics and is also manufactured by simple processes. On the contrary, a unit cell of the cell having the single-poly EEPROM structure occupies a large area compared to a stack type structure. However, since the OTP cell includes between several to literally hundreds of bits of a plurality of cells, the area of the unit cell is of lesser importance.
Hereinafter, operations of the single-poly EEPROM structure are illustrated.
In a method of erasing data in the cell, a wafer is irradiated with an ultraviolet ray on which unit cells have the single-poly EEPROM structure to neutralize charges in a floating gate. The neutralized charges are moved toward the wafer to erase the data in the cell. Here, a transistor of the cell in which the data is erased has a threshold voltage lower than an operation voltage Vcc. This state is referred to as an "on-state". Also, the threshold voltage is about 1V to about 2V.
On the contrary, in a method of programming data in the cell, hot electrons are injected into the cell through a gate oxide layer to charge charges in the floating gate electrode, thereby programming the cell. The transistor of the programmed cell has a threshold voltage higher than an operation voltage. This state is referred to as an "off-state". Also, the threshold voltage is about 6V to about 8V.
However, when the unit cells having the single-poly EEPROM structure are arrayed, the hot electrons excessively generated in programming the cell are moved into an adjacent cell so that they become trapped in an adjacent floating gate electrode. When the hot electrons are trapped in the adjacent floating gate electrode, a threshold voltage of the adjacent floating gate electrode is increased. This phenomenon is referred to as a gate disturbance.
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating the phenomenon of gate disturbance.
A voltage of about 15V was applied to a control gate of the cell. Also, an operation voltage of about 5V was applied to the cell to program the cell. Variances of threshold voltages of the programmed cell and an adjacent cell were measured. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 represents the threshold voltage of the programmed cell, reference numeral 12 indicates the threshold voltage of the adjacent cell, and reference numeral 14 represents the threshold voltage of a cell that is not adjacent to the programmed cell.
As shown in FIG. 1, when the time for programming the cell is increased, the threshold voltage 12 of the adjacent cell is proportionally increased. On the contrary, the threshold voltages 10 and 14 of the programmed cell and the cell that is not adjacent to the programmed cell are virtually unchanged.
That is, when the gate disturbance of the cell is deteriorated, an undesired cell as well as a desired cell are programmed.

Semiconductor device and methods of manufacturing the same


The present invention provides a process for the preparation of high molecular weight crystalline Polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) using up to 50% of Post consumer recycled PET flakes along with Pure Terephthalic Acid (PTA), Isophthalic Acid (IPA) and Mono Ethylene Glycol (MEG) as a virgin raw material, in the presence of a combination of catalysts and additives to obtain an intermediate prepolymer heel having a low degree of polymerization further subjecting to autoclaving to yield an amorphous melt and followed by solid state polymerization.

Prior work regarding glycolysis of PET and PET bottle flakes to BHET/Oligomers are disclosed in a number of Patents viz., EP 0926178, EP 1153070, EP 0966344, U.S. Pat. No. 646,322, U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,584 etc. However most of these relate to separation of BHET, its purification and repolymerization to PET or direct extrusion.
JP 2001-316327 describes a process for producing oligomers by subjecting PET and MEG to a depolymerization reaction in the presence of depolymerization catalysts. This patent claims a method to produce ester oligomer from PET using a depolymerization catalyst. Whereas in the present invention, complete depolymerization of the flakes by glycolysis/depolymerization are not carried out.
N.Z. Patent 0517832 discloses a process for preparing food contact PET resin from waste PET containers. The process comprises producing clean flakes by washing, rinsing and drying the flakes and subsequently melting the flakes and extruding it to form strands which are cut into granules. Unless carefully controlled this process has the disadvantage of degradation of PET while extruding a high molecular weight PET. In addition, in the instant process foreign impurities are not removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,657 describes a process for recycling PCR. However the method is for mixed PCR containing polymers from which PET is selectively dissolved and separated by a solvent. From this solution PET is separated, cleaned, combined with virgin PET and further processed by polymerization to the required high molecular weight polymer. In this process the quality of the products is not to the desired standards.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,851 deals with producing high purity BHET from PET flakes by a glycolysis procedure. The purified BHET is then polymerized by using Sb2O3 and GeO2 as combination catalysts. It is obvious that this process is for 100% recycle of PCR and that too by separating the BHET and subsequently polymerizing which involves more steps. In this work the depolymerized material consisting of MEG+BHET was decolorized with activated carbon. This solution was subsequently deionized with anion-cation exchange resin. The deionized solution was then charged into an autoclave for polymerization. So it is obvious at each stage the BHET is separated and processed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,263,294, 5,539,078, 5,594,092, 5,612,423, 5,895,807, 4,609,680 and 4,020,049 all deal with prepolymer heel in the process of making PET. However these disclosures mainly deal with virgin PET or PEN polymers and not with recycle of PCR.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,644 deals with a process of directly extruding PRC flakes to a low molecular weight melt and blending this melt with a melt of virgin polyester prepolymer to get a blended prepolymer which is subsequently solid state polymerized. In this process there is no glycolysis of the flakes. The flakes are melted as such in an extruder to a slightly lower molecular weight material. This material is then blended with virgin melt and polymerized further. This process is a direct extrusion of flakes wherein the flakes are not reacted with any chemical.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,410,607, 6,162,837, 5,223,544, 4,368,274 and 4,118,187 disclose PET scrap utilization to produce PET. These disclosures do not deal with the simultaneous process of recycling PCR flakes along with virgin RM viz. PTA, IPA and MEG.

Process for controlled polymerization of a mixed polymer


An improved lip geometry for slide-bead coating includes a lip surface which is of a sufficient length to provide preferential pinning at a land edge. Slide-bead coating is employed in the manufacture of single- and multi-layered elements such as photographic film.

Slide-bead coating is a process well known in the art. It entails flowing a liquid layer or layers down an inclined slide surface to an efflux end, or lip, positioned a short distance from a moving substrate. The liquid forms a bridge, or bead, in the gap between the lip and the moving substrate. The moving substrate carries away liquid from the liquid inventory in the bead in the same layered structure established on the slide. See, for example, Russell, et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,761,791 and 2,761,419.
For a given coater arrangement, coating liquid, and flow conditions, the range of applied differential pressures giving a satisfactory coating is a function of substrate velocity and is limited by the onset of bead instabilities and/or other practical considerations. As described by Saito, et al, in "Instability of the Slide Coating Flow" 1982 Winter National AIChE Meeting, Orlando, Fla., the coating bead becomes unstable giving rise to evenly-spaced disturbances in the subsequent coating when the substrate surface velocity and/or differential pressure are too high. On the other hand, if the differential pressure is too low, the width of the bead decreases undesirably and/or the bead becomes unstable thereby creating a coating which is too narrow and/or is disturbed. The unsatisfactory results from a differential pressure that is too high or too low define an operating window which is herein called a useful differential pressure range for producing coatings of satisfactory quality and width.
Unfortunately, operation within the useful differential pressure range alone does not guarantee a satisfactory coating. Surface and fluid dynamic forces, particularly at the lip surface, also affect the coating quality. In the lip region of a conventional coater, as shown in FIG. 2, the lip surface, 17, is typically longer than 0.5 mm. Immediately after coating is started, a static contact line, 18, of the bead forms at some location along this lip surface, 17. The location of the static contact line, 18, is typically from 0.05 to 0.50 mm below the lip tip, 16, and is determined for a given lip geometry by a balance of forces that can be resolved into fluid dynamics, applied differential pressure, and local surface forces acting along the lip surface, 17.
The effect of applied differential pressure on the static contact line position, 18, and the dynamic contact line position, 19, can be observed, correlated and predicted. Increasing the differential pressure will result in static contact line movement to say position 18'. Decreasing the applied differential pressure will result in static contact line movement to say position 18".
The effect of the surface and fluid dynamic forces on static contact line position 18 is more complex and difficult to predict. In the vicinity of the static contact line, these forces tend to be weak and therefor do not dictate a strongly preferred location for the static contact line under a given set of operating conditions. Consequently, when establishing a new static contact line, any nonuniformity in either the surface or in the transient flow can result in an irregularity in the contact line straightness across the transverse extent of lip 17. Such static contact line irregularity interferes with the uniformity of the bead and can generate an undesirable variation in the thickness of the coating across the substrate. These thickness defects, often called streaks in the coating art, may render the resulting material unusable for the intended application. Surface nonuniformities leading to static contact line irregularities include local deposits from the coating solution, substrate-, liquid- or gas-borne foreign matter, lip surface contaminations and physical damage.
Various lip surface modifications have been proposed to avoid the occurrence of the streak defects. In Kitaka and Takemasa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,811, the coater lip region is modified to include a notch whereby the bead contact line is preferentially located along the notch tip. However, the proposed configuration is expensive to fabricate to the precision required and, in practice, the notch is difficult to clean and promotes deposits and settling from the flowing material. In addition, most configurations incorporating the notch produce lip tip-to-substrate gaps that are larger than the narrowest mechanical gap by a length equal to the extent of the notch. This arrangement undesirably results in a reduced maximum useful differential pressure. The decrease in operational latitude translates into a decrease in the absolute range of differential pressure within which bead uniformity is maintained and may also reduce the achievable coating speed which decreases overall productivity of the coating apparatus.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-4371 discloses use of a land inclined with respect to the substrate tangent so as to locate the wetting line at the sharp coating lip. The sharp lip region is excessively vulnerable to mechanical damage such as a crack or scratch that would cause streaks in the coating. To avoid this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,678 discloses rounding or bevelling the lip tip to increase mechanical strength of the lip tip and move the bead static contact line away from the lip tip. But, no dimensions or orientations are disclosed for maintaining the bead static contact line at a preferred or advantageous position. As stated by Hitaka et.al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,811 in reference to using such a bevel: " . . . it was difficult to hold the end of the beads at a fixed place or to restore the said end to the original state." Furthermore, the bevel depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,678 results in a larger lip tip-to-substrate gap than the narrowest mechanical gap with the attendant loss in maximum useful differential pressure.

Coating lip geometry for slide bead coating


Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a roofing system. In some embodiments, the roofing system includes a first roofing material, wherein the first roofing material comprises a top surface and a bottom surface. In some embodiments, the top surface of the first roofing material comprises a nail zone with a plurality of fines. In some embodiments, the roofing system includes a second roofing material, wherein the second roofing material comprises a top surface and a bottom surface. In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the second roofing material comprises a plurality of fines. In some embodiments, the roofing system comprises and a patterned adhesive, which directly contacts at least a portion of the plurality of fines in the nail zone and at least a portion of the plurality of fines on the bottom surface of the second roofing material.

Traditional roofing materials have adhesives for attaching the roofing materials to other roofing materials and/or roofing substrates. Adhesives are typically applied to a roofing material in a two-step process. First, the roofing material may be manufactured in a factory. Then an adhesive may be applied to the back of the roofing membrane. After the adhesive cures, the roofing material may be adhered to another roofing material and/or to a roofing substrate.

Roofing material with patterned adhesive


A shellfish claw cutter for precisionally cutting the claws of shellfish. The shellfish claw cutter includes a first cutting member having a first cutting portion and a first handle portion; and also includes a second cutting member being pivotally attached to the first cutting member and having a second cutting portion and a second handle portion; and further includes biased members being attached to the first and second cutting members for biasing the first and second cutting portions away from one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to claw cutters and more particularly pertains to a new shellfish claw cutter for precisionally cutting the claws of shellfish.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of claw cutters is known in the prior art. More specifically, claw cutters heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The prior art includes cutters which essentially crack or smash the claw of the shellfish. None of the cutters in the prior art is structured to effectively cut only the claw and not the meat in the claw.


A gaming system, game controller and method of gaming implementing a game wherein one or more symbols are selected to be retained from a previous game outcome based on symbols which contribute to a winning symbol combination in the game outcome. One or more subsequent game outcomes can be generated including the retained symbols. The retained symbols from a previous game outcome can be selected from symbols which contribute to a winning symbols combination in the previous game outcome. In the subsequent game outcome, the retained symbols can contribute to further winning symbol combinations.

The present invention relates to a method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller.
It is known to provide a gaming system including a gaming controller arranged to generate a random result and apply game rules to the result to determine a game outcome for which a player may be awarded a prize if a predetermined winning outcome occurs.
While such gaming systems provide users with enjoyment, a need exists for alternative gaming systems in order to maintain or increase player enjoyment.

Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller

Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited


An improved method and apparatus for producing flexible fibers (30) of superconducting material includes a crucible (12) for containing a charge of the superconducting material. The material is melted in the crucible (12) and falls in a stream (18) through a bottom hole (16) in the crucible (12). The stream (18) falls through a protecting collar (22) which maintains the stream (18) at high temperatures. The stream (18) is then supplied through a downwardly directed nozzle (26) where it is subjected to a high velocity of a heated gas (36') which breaks the melted superconducting material into ligaments which solidify into the flexible fibers (30). The fibers (30) are collected by directing them against a collection filter (32).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to superconducting material, and in particular to a new and improved method and apparatus of producing elongated flexible fibers from such material.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,299,861 and 4,078,747 produce flexible superconductor fibers by providing a superconducting layer on a carbon fiber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,751 is similar in that the superconductor is formed as a sheath of superconducting oxide exterior to a core of amorphous metal alloy. U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,870 also relates to preparing a flexible superconductor fiber by the chemical conversion of a precursor carbon fiber by the high temperature reaction of a carbon yarn with a transition metal such as NbCl.sub.5, H.sub.2, N.sub.2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,330 discloses a process for preparing a composite superconducting wire to form a plurality of very fine ductile superconductors in a ductile copper matrix. U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,308 discloses an electrodeposition method for forming a superconducting ceramic. U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,031 discloses a process for making 90.degree. K superconductors from acetate precursor solutions.
None of these references, however, addresses the problem of fiber brittleness where the fiber is of superconducting material only.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,469, which is owned by the assignee of the present application, discloses an improved nozzle for the production of alumina-silica ceramic fibers. The fibers from superconducting material produced with this nozzle are extremely brittle.
Also, see the article entitled "Preparation of Superconducting Bi--Sr--Ca--Cu--O Fibers" by LeBeau, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 55 (3) Jul. 17, 1989, which discloses long slender fibers of superconducting Bi compounds but which lacks the specific disclosure of the present application for creating these fibers.
Major advances have been made in the development of high-temperature superconductor (HTSC) materials based on copper-bearing oxides such as Y.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 and Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.1 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.x. These and other raw materials have been processed using a wide variety of techniques in an attempt to produce useful engineering devices. Some of the processing techniques used include plasma spraying, sputtering, sol-gel, laser pedestal growth, wire and strip manufacturing and fiberization. In the plasma spraying and sputtering methods, the HTSC material is deposited on a substrate to produce a thin film. In the laser-heated pedestal growth method, the HTSC powder is pressed into pellets and sintered and small rods are cut from the pellets. A laser is used to melt the top of the rod and a seed crystal is placed in the melt. The wire is grown by withdrawing the seed at a controlled rate between 1.5 and 50 mm/hr. This method is extremely slow and therefore does not lend itself to becoming a good technique for mass production.
In the fiberization method, Bismuth based compounds were melted and fiberized using a gas jet. Fibers typically 100 .mu.m to 200 .mu.m in diameter and 5 mm to 10 mm in length were produced using the nozzle from U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,469. The fibers were very brittle and did not have a large length-to-diameter ratio, however. Small pieces of thin film, strip, tape and wire have been produced from the superconducting materials.
With the development of gas fiberization techniques by The Babcock & Wilcox Company, the preparation of the high temperature superconductor Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.1 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.8 from the melt became possible. The advantage of such an approach over commonly utilized powder sintering processes is that the material produced is (for practical purposes) amorphous with excellent ductility. Transformation of the amorphous product by crystallization via thermal treatment can be achieved reliably. Also, much higher densities than can be achieved from conventional processing are observed for the fiber material. A higher integrity structure with better current transport properties can be manufactured from such a starting stock material.
It is desirable with such a gas fiberization technique to complete the transformation of the molten droplet to a completely full length fiber by allowing the feeder ball droplet to stay molten until complete fiber transformation is completed.

Superconductor fiber elongation with a heated injected gas


A thin cassette provided with a plurality of passages separated by partitions and open outwards at the front orifices, and at a rear side. On the rear side, each passage is equipped with a driver resting against the staples contained therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a staple cassette adaptable in particular to an automatic frame assembling machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that staples which are intended for fixing, between themselves, the parts of a frame must have a profile and dimension adapted to the mouldings used. For each of the categories or sizes of staples, the latter are, as they are manufactured, placed against each other inside a loader which is in the form of an elongated receptacle. The role of this loader is thus not only to package a pack of staples and make it easier to handle them, but also to serve as a dispenser in frame stapling machines. But, in high-speed automatic machines, these loaders are clearly inadequate. Efforts are therefore being made to produce dispensing magazines with a greater capacity, making it possible to package a large number of staples and allowing them to be automatically dispensed at a machine""s stapling station.
The invention advantageously solves this problem by proposing a staple cassette serving as a packaging and dispensing means for an automatic stapling machine.
The object of the invention is thus a staple cassette for packaging and dispensing staples, in particular in an automatic frame assembling machine, which is thin and has a plurality of passages separated by partitions, and open towards the outside at the front by means of orifices, as well as at the rear where each passage is provided with a driver resting against the staples contained therein.
Advantageously, grooves in the shape of the arc of a circle are formed by each orifice in the upper and lower curved panels of the cassette.

Stapler cassette for packaging and dispensing staples in particular in an automatic frame assembling machine


A ski slope snow grooming method, whereby a ski slope grooming implement is moved in a travelling direction along the snow covering; and coherent-energy beams are projected onto the snow covering to form furrows in the snow covering.

Certain known methods of grooming the snow covering of ski slopes is to flatten any mounds of snow using a blade fitted to the front of a crawler groomer; compact the snow covering using the groomer tracks; till a surface layer of the snow covering using a rotary tiller fitted to the rear of the groomer; and smooth the tilled snow covering using a mat mounted downstream from the rotary tiller, and which forms longitudinal furrows parallel to the travelling direction of the groomer.
The above steps can often be performed in different sequences, depending on the type of snow, temperature, ski slope gradient, etc., to achieve a snow covering of a given or designated particle size and density. One example of a groomer of the above type is described in European Patent No. 1,995,159.
The most energy-intensive grooming step is tilling the snow covering, especially when this is hard and icy.
As described in PCT Patent Application No. WO 2009/034184, PCT Patent Application No. WO 2009/034185, PCT Patent Application No. WO 2009/056576 and PCT Patent Application No. WO 2009/056578, the rotary tiller comprises a shaft rotated by a hydraulic or electric motor; and a number of teeth projecting from the shaft. The tiller is confined between the snow covering and a hood and, in use, the teeth on the tiller penetrate the snow covering and hurl clumps of snow against the hood to break up the clumps and form a hard surface layer on the snow covering of a given or designated particle size.
This known grooming method gives good results in terms of quality, but is highly energy-intensive.

Ski slope snow grooming method and relative implement