Copper powder is provided, which, while having fine granularity and resistance to oxidation, does not lose either resistance to oxidation or balance in conductivity, and furthermore, copper powder for conductive paste in which variations in shape and granularity are small and having a low concentration in oxygen content. The copper powder for conductive paste contains 0.05 to 10 atomic % Bi inside each particle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copper powder for a conductive paste and a conductive paste using the same, in particular, to a copper powder suitable for conducting materials, or the like, of conductive paste for use in forming conductor circuits by the additive method of screen printing, or for use in various electrical contact members such as for external electrode of multi layered ceramic capacitors (MLCC), and to conductive paste using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
From the ease of handling thereof, copper powder has been utilized widely in prior art as conducting materials of conductive paste for use in forming conductor circuits by the additive method of screen printing, or for use in various electrical contact members such as for an external electrode of multi layered ceramic capacitors (MLCC).
The above conductive paste can be obtained, for instance, by mixing copper powder with resin such as epoxy resin and various additives such as curing agents thereof, and kneading. The copper powder used in so doing can be fabricated by the wet reduction method (precipitated method), in which deposition is caused by reducing agents from solutions, or the like, containing copper salt, the gas phase reduction method, in which copper salt is thermally gasified and reduced in gas phase, the atomizing method, in which molten copper metal is rapidly cooled with coolant such as inert gas or water to be powderized, and the like.
Among the fabrication methods for copper powder such as those described above, the atomizing method, compared to the generally and widely used the wet reduction method, has the advantages of being capable of reducing the residual concentration of impurities in the obtained copper powder, at the same time as allowing less pores to be present in the obtained particle of copper powder throughout from the surface of to the interior.
Therefore, when used in conducting materials of conductive paste, copper powder fabricated by the atomizing method has the advantages of being capable of reducing the amount of gas generation during paste curing, at the same time as being capable of broadly suppressing the progression of oxidation.
However, while copper powder is suitable in conducting materials of conductive paste owing to high conductivity thereof, as the granularity becomes finer, resistance to oxidation becomes poorer, and in order to improve this, measures have been adopted such as coating the particle surface with silver (Patent Reference 1), which has resistance to oxidation, or coating with an inorganic oxide (Patent Reference 2).                [Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-152630        [Patent Reference 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid open No. 2005-129424
Recently, refinement has been sought in forming a circuit with a conductive paste, or the like, and inevitably, refinement has been also sought of the granularity of conducting powder used in conductive paste. Simultaneously, in maintaining stability and reliability of paste properties, variations in shape and granularity have to be small, and conductivity must not be lost. Then, if only an improvement of resistance to oxidation is to be taken, addressing the issue is possible with the technique of Patent Reference 1 or 2, or the like.
However, with the technique of Patent Reference 1 or 2, owing to a dependency on coating techniques, problems arise, not only of requiring large amounts of constituents other than copper that lose conductivity, but also of detachment from the core material copper powder particle. In addition, while it is desirable in reducing the variations in shape and granularity that the constitutive particles are uniformly homogeneous and, furthermore, have low concentration in oxygen content, none that provides satisfaction has been found for such copper powder.
It is an object of the present invention to provide copper powder which, while having fine granularity, does not lose either resistance to oxidation or balance in conductivity, and furthermore, copper powder for conductive paste in which variations in shape and granularity are small and having low concentration in oxygen content.
As a result of earnest studies in order to address the above issues, the present inventors have discovered that when a specific amount of Si was included in the particle of copper powder, the above problems were resolved, and completed the present invention.

Copper powder for conductive paste and conductive paste


An exposure condition processing method for an X-ray CT apparatus according to the embodiment includes: a step in which a first X-ray emitting condition and a second X-ray emitting condition for the X-ray CT apparatus are input to a processor; a step in which the processor, based on the first X-ray emitting condition and the second X-ray emitting condition, acquires interval times for switching the first X-ray scanning with the first X-ray emitting condition, and the second X-ray scanning with the second X-ray emitting condition; a step in which the processor, based on the rotation speed of a gantry in the X-ray CT apparatus that is previously stored in a memory and the interval times, calculates the frequency of intermittent emission of an X-ray, with respect to the rotation speed of the gantry.

An X-ray CT apparatus is a diagnostic imaging apparatus that emits X-rays, detects the X-rays which have penetrated through a subject, and reconstructs the image of the subject from the projection data showing the intensity of the detected X-rays.
As a scanning method using the X-ray CT apparatus, for example, dynamic volume scanning and helical scanning are well known.
Volume scanning refers to a method in which a plurality of detectors (for example, several hundred rows) are provided, and by rotating these detectors around a fixed subject, for an organ approximately the size of a heart, 3-dimensional data thereof can be acquired with one scan. Moreover, dynamic scanning refers to a method in which movement of the subject is photographed by performing X-ray scanning on the subject into which a contrast agent is injected. Dynamic volume scanning refers to the combination of these methods.
Moreover, helical scanning refers to a method in which while scanning is performed with detectors that are continuously rotated at a high speed, by simultaneously moving the bed on which the subject is placed at a constant speed, a plurality of cross-sectional scans are completed in a short period of time.
Moreover, a well-known method referred to as the dual energy method can be used in combination with these scanning methods.
This method sequentially performs, with respect to the same site of the subject, X-ray scanning with a high tube voltage and X-ray scanning with a low tube voltage, generating a difference image based on the two X-ray image data obtained using X-rays of different radiation quality.

Exposure condition processing method of X-ray CT apparatus and X-ray CT apparatus


The present invention provides a cell shaping device capable of making the appropriate shaping setting for each acquired rate of ADSL.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cell shaping device, a communication system having the device, and a shaping method, and more particularly to a cell shaping device for ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) cell in the ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), a communication system having the device, and a shaping method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ADSL involves a service of best effort type, and the rate that can be acquired may significantly vary each time of linking up. The service of best effort type represents the communication form in which a certain type of service (e.g., transmission band) is not guaranteed in a network. Notwithstanding the best efforts as the overall network, the service may not be guaranteed from an end-to-end viewpoint, and provided at all in the worst case. In the ADSL, as one example, the service having the down-stream maximum speed of 12 Mbps is allowed up to the speed of 12 Mbps at maximum, but may be performed at reduced speed due to effects of environment and the like, whereby the speed of 12 Mbps is not always guaranteed.
For example, in the ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) that has been widely introduced into Japan, the time division multiplexing is employed for the transmission system. The ADSL has a property that it is very prone to degrade by the noise produced from the ISDN due to the transmission characteristics. Therefore, the acquired rate may be enhanced or degraded under the noise condition depending on the service state of the ISDN. At present, there are various services of 12 Mbps, 8 Mbps and 1.5 Mbps in the ADSL in Japan, but the actual acquired rate greatly varies depending on the type of service, and the connection mode.
Though the ADSL equipment applied in this system has a function of converting the data format from the ATM cell to the ADSL superframe, some ATM cells maybe discarded if data is passed from the ATM cells beyond the acquired rate of the ADSL, because the ADSL layer does not have a permissible capacity for passing all the data. Since the data to be sent is divided into minute cells having a data length of 53 bytes in the ATM, if the intermediate cells are discarded, the original data may not be restored, and the discarded cells must be retransmitted. Hence, a phenomenon occurs that the acquired rate of the ADSL is high but the throughput of data is slower.
Hence, in the actual operation, it is required that the transfer interval of cell is adjusted so that the ATM cells may not be discarded or overflowed. To do this, a technique of the ATM cell shaping is used.
One example of the conventional cell shaping device employing this ATM cell shaping will be described below. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing one example of the conventional cell shaping device. Referring to FIG. 7, the cell shaping device is composed of a shaping portion 6 making up the ATM shaping device, an ADSL signal conversion portion 8 and a link information detecting portion 1 making up the ADSL communication device, and a setting portion 5.
For the sake of convenience, FIG. 7 includes an ADSL modem 9 provided in customer and an ATM network 7. The ATM network 7 is connected to the shaping portion 6, and the ADSL model 9 is connected to the ADSL signal conversion portion 8.
The setting portion 5 sets up a predetermined shaping value in the shaping portion 6. The link information detecting portion 1 detects the ink information, namely, acquired rate information, from the ADSL signal conversion portion 8.
In the conventional ATM shaping device, the shaping setting by the setting portion 5 and the detection of the link information by the link information detecting portion 1 are performed separately, as shown in FIG. 7. Accordingly, it is common that the setting portion 5 sets up a certain shaping value in the shaping portion 6 for each ADSL service.
At this time, if the setting portion 5 sets up the shaping value below the acquired rate of ADSL in the shaping portion 6, the total band of ADSL at the acquired rate can not be employed for the data transfer, so that the throughput of actual data is slower. In the inverse case, the throughput of actual data is also slower, because the cells are discarded as previously described.
On the other hand, one technique for controlling the shaping value has been disclosed. This technique decides the shaping band, based on the flow rate measurement result of ATM cells (refer to patent document 1).
However, in the technique as described in patent document 1, the shaping band is decided based on the flow rate of cell, but can not be decided when the flow rate is zero as one example.
On the contrary, in this invention, the shaping value is decided based on the acquired rate at the time of linking up, and can be decided, irrespective of the flow rate.
Accordingly, the technique as described in patent document 1 is totally different in the constitution, operation and effects from this invention, and it is difficult to arrive at the invention from the technique as described in patent document 1.
[Patent document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-8634 (paragraphs 0019, 0021 and FIG. 2)

Cell shaping device, communication system having the shaping device and shaping method

Abstract: A database stores the link information and the shaping setting data of ATM cell that are associated with each other. Based on the link information detected by a link information detecting portion, desired shaping setting data is selected from the information recorded in the database by a selecting portion. The shaping setting data is set up in a shaping portion by a setting portion. The shaping is performed by the shaping portion.


An embodiment linear actuator for an electrically adjustable piece of furniture includes a brushless DC motor arranged to effect a linear movement of the linear actuator, as well as a control device for controlling the motor.

There is an increasing desire for electrically adjustable pieces of furniture. With many tables, in particular desks, the level of the table plate can be electrically adjusted by means of a specific drive system. Beds, for example, comfort beds or hospital beds, may also be adjusted in their height or angle of inclination through electrical drive systems.
In the electrically adjustable pieces of furniture, linear actuators are used for required linear movements, which usually comprise an AC motor or a brushed DC motor whose rotational movement is converted into the linear movement with the aid of mechanical converting means.
Brushed DC motors of this type have a large constructional height in order to be able to provide a sufficient amount of mechanical energy for the linear movement. The large constructional height, however, impedes the construction of linear actuators in compact designs.
On the other hand, an exact driving scheme which is required for linear actuators in the furnishing sector can only be achieved with large effort in the case of an AC motor. Moreover, a required AC voltage is usually not available in the furnishing sector or can only be provided with increased effort in terms of safety aspects.

Linear actuator with a rotating brushless DC motor

LOGICDATA Electronic & Software Entwicklungs GMBH


An embodiment of the present invention provides a phase shifter, comprising a substrate, resistive ink adjacent one surface of said substrate and separating a voltage tunable dielectric material from said surface of said substrate and a plurality of conductors adjacent said voltage tunable dielectric material separated so as to form a gap filled with resistive ink in said gap.

At frequencies such as Ka band frequencies, voltage tunable dielectric phase shifters are usually designed around the concept of a tunable transmission line section, where the propagation velocity of the dielectric material is tuned to create a variable propagation delay through the transmission line section. These designs typically have a wide bandwidth of operation (>20%). They also exhibit high power capabilities (>1 W) and very linear behavior (low intermodulation distortion), since the circuit has an electrically large area that can distribute RF thermal heating effects over a large area, and due to the lack of resonant structures, peak RF voltages and currents are reduced.
However, decreasing size and increasing performance and tunability are always important due to increasing demands of wireless communications. Thus, a strong need exists for improved phase shifters and methods of manufacture therefore.

Phase shifters having a tunable dielectric layer and a resistive ink layer and method of manufacture therefore


A method for the preparation of biaryl compounds is disclosed which comprises contacting an aryl halide with a tertiary-alkyl organometallic reagent (or the precursor components thereof) in the presence of a catalyst comprising a nickel compound and a coordinating ligand under conditions suitable for the formation of biaryl compound.. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, nickel(O) compounds are prepared from nickel(II) compounds by contacting a nickel(II) compound with a combination of an organophosphine and a bidentate nitrogen-containing coordinating ligand, and a tertiary-alkyl organometallic reagent (or the precursor components thereof) in an aprotic, non-polar, ether-containing solvent system for a time and under conditions suitable for the formation of nickel(0) compound.

It is known that biphenyl compounds can be produced by the reductive coupling of aryl halides. For example, Colon, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,466, disclose the use of a metallic reducing agent such as zinc, magnesium, or manganese in a dipolar, aprotic solvent such as dimethylformamide with a catalyst containing a nickel compound in combination with organophosphines and alkali metal halide promoters. The reducing metal converts the nickel salts into highly reactive zerovalent nickel compounds which promote the coupling of the aryl halides and regenerate the nickel salts which can be reduced again to the zerovalent state, thereby maintaining the catalytic cycle.
Chao, et al., Journal of Organic Chemistry, Volume 48 pages 4904-4907 (1983), disclose a similar approach wherein aryl halides are reacted with an equivalent amount of a highly activated metal such as nickel powder.
An alternative approach is to activate an aryl halide by a chemical transformation, and then allow the activated aryl halides to couple to form biaryls species. For example, Gilman, et al., in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Volume 61, pages 957-959 (1939), demonstrated this approach by the reaction of two equivalents of aryl Grignard reagents with one equivalent of nickel (II) salts to give biaryl compounds. This reaction is believed to proceed through the bis aryl nickel species which then decomposes to give the desired biaryl product.
More recently, Kumada, et al., in Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan, Volume 49, pages 1958-1969 (1976), have demonstrated that aryl halides can be reacted with a variety of aliphatic Grignard reagents to give alka-aryl products. In this example, the aliphatic radical reacts with the aryl moiety and becomes bonded thereto.
Since aryl halides are readily available compounds, and the resulting biaryl compounds which can be prepared therefrom find a variety of uses, it would be desirable to find alternate means to promote the coupling of aryl halides to produce high yields of biaryl compounds.

Catalyst for preparation of biaryl compounds


A modular multi-configurable system for displaying sheet-like flooring materials includes a number of discrete floor-supported uprights selectively arranged and interconnected in an arrangement conforming to a retail floor layout of any given design. The flooring materials are mounted in support trays mounted in channeled side panels secured to the uprights. Base and header panels complete the display.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a floormounted system for displaying retail merchandise, especially sheet-like flooring materials and, more particularly, to such a display system that can be arranged in any desired configuration that conforms to a retail floor layout of virtually any given design.
2. Description of Related Art
Sheet-like flooring materials, such as linoleum, tile and carpeting, are merchandised in a host of patterns and colors, and are typically displayed in retail stores in built-in permanent installations. Such installations are custom made for each retail floor layout. Depending on the size, number and location of outside and inside wall corners, as well as obstructions such as heating and cooling equipment, such custom-made installations can involve a considerable amount of carpentry and expense.
Due to their permanent nature, the known built-in installations represent substantial hindrances when a retailer wishes, for example, to move or alter existing displays. Rapidly and easily changing a floor layout to suit changing merchandising requirements is thus both physically and economically restrained.

Modular multi-configurable display system for retail merchandise


Systems and methods for efficient thread arbitration in a processor. A processor comprises a multi-threaded resource. The resource may include an array of entries which may be allocated by threads. A thread arbitration table corresponding to a given thread stores a high and a low threshold value in each table entry. A thread history shift register (HSR) indexes the table, wherein each bit of the HSR indicates whether the given thread is a thread hog. When the given thread has more allocated entries in the array than the high threshold of the table entry, the given thread is stalled from further allocating array entries. Similarly, when the given thread has fewer allocated entries in the array than the low threshold of the selected table entry, the given thread is permitted to allocate entries. In this manner, threads that hog dynamic resources can be mitigated such that more resources are available to other threads that are not thread hogs. This can result in a significant increase in overall processor performance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computing systems, and more particularly, to thread arbitration in a processor.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
The performance of computer systems is dependent on both hardware and software. In order to increase the throughput of computing systems, the parallelization of tasks is utilized as much as possible. To this end, compilers may extract parallelized tasks from program code and many modern processor core designs have deep pipelines configured to perform multi-threading.
In software-level multi-threading, an application program uses a process, or a software thread, to stream instructions to a processor for execution. A multi-threaded software application generates multiple software processes within the same application. A multi-threaded operating system manages the dispatch of these and other processes to a processor core. In hardware-level multi-threading, a multi-threaded processor core executes hardware instructions from different software processes at the same time. In contrast, single-threaded processors operate on a single thread at a time.
Often times, threads and/or processes share resources. Examples of resources that may be shared between threads include queues utilized in a fetch pipe stage, a load and store memory pipe stage, rename and issue pipe stages, a completion pipe stage, branch prediction schemes, and memory management control. These resources are generally shared between all active threads. For a particular pipe stage, each thread may utilize a separate queue. In some cases, resource allocation may be relatively inefficient. For example, one thread may not fully utilize its resources or may be inactive. Meanwhile, a second thread may fill its queue and its performance may decrease as younger instructions are forced to wait.
For a multi-threaded processor, dynamic resource allocation between threads may result in the best overall throughput performance on commercial workloads. In general, resources may be dynamically allocated within a resource structure such as a queue for storing instructions of multiple threads within a particular pipe stage. Therefore, the resources may be allocated based on the workload needs of each thread.
The amount of parallelism present in a microarchitecture places pressure on shared resources within a processor core. For example, as many as 8 threads may each simultaneously request an integer arithmetic functional unit. Also, these same 8 threads may be waiting to be allocated in entries of a storage queue within a pick unit prior to being issued to execution units. Such situations may lead to hazards that necessitate arbitration schemes for sharing resources, such as a round-robin or least-recently-used scheme.
Over time, shared resources can become biased to a particular thread, especially with respect to long latency operations such as loads that miss the L1 data cache. Other conditions that cause an instruction to not be available for execution may include interlocks, register dependencies, and retirement. A thread hog results when a thread accumulates a disproportionate share of a shared resource and the thread is slow to deallocate the resource. For certain workloads, thread hogs can cause dramatic throughput losses for not only the thread hog, but also for all other threads sharing the same resource.
In view of the above, efficient methods and mechanisms for thread arbitration in a threaded processor with dynamic resource allocation are desired.

Dynamic mitigation of thread hogs on a threaded processor


A load control device 10 for assigning transaction processes to a plurality of computation resources has: a receiver 101 that receives a transaction process request; an assignment controller 102 that selects appropriate assignment destinations to which received transactions are assigned, and then stores the transactions in transmission queues 103 provided for the assignment destinations respectively; a transmitter 104 that transmits transaction data stored in the transmission queues 103 to the assignment destinations; an overflow detector 105 that monitors whether or not the number of transactions accumulated in each of the transmission queues 103 corresponding to the respective assignment destinations exceeds an upper limit; and a reassigning part 106 that, when the number of transactions exceeds the upper limit as a result of the monitoring by the overflow detector 105, reselects assignment destinations to which the transactions stored at the number of transactions exceeding the upper limit are assigned.

The present invention relates to a load control device.
A load distribution process needs to be executed among a plurality of computation resources in order to perform transaction processes using a system configured by the plurality of computation resources.
Patent Literature 1, for example, discloses a load distribution device that has, in a node group configuring a computer system, task transmission/reception means for transmitting/receiving a task or a result of executing the task, queuing means for queuing the task received by the task transmission/reception means (referred to as "local queuing means"), load information sharing means for sharing load information, load distribution means for determining which task to transfer to a node based on the load information of another node that is provided by the load information sharing means, and then requesting the task transmission/reception means to transfer the task, and task execution means for processing the task that is requested to be executed, and then returning a result of the execution of the task to the local queuing means, wherein the load distribution means includes balance level computing means for dynamically computing the amount of tasks to be executed by at least its own node, and node priority assignment means for assigning a priority order to the nodes.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 4265377
There are various granularities in tasks used in a business system. In online transaction processes, relatively granular tasks are used in each process, and each process can be managed based on a service level index such as a turnaround time. From the perspective of reducing costs and power consumption, it is desirable to maintain the service level index such as a turnaround time, while efficiently taking advantage of available computation resources and available power that keep changing every minute. In order to do so, it is necessary to dynamically assign tasks to appropriate computation resources so that processes do not concentrate on a specific computation resource to generate overflowing processes. In order to prevent the generation of overflowing processes, it is desired to adjust the number of tasks to provide an appropriate number of tasks prior to transmitting the tasks to the computation resources. However, such adjustment is not performed prior to transmitting the tasks to the computation resources, in the method described in Patent Literature 1. Moreover, in the existing load balancing methods, because the rules for assigning tasks are fixed rules, the tasks cannot be assigned dynamically. Furthermore, with the uniform computation resources being preconditioned, even in an environment where computation resources are not uniform, the tasks are assigned mechanically without taking the most appropriate computation resources into consideration. In addition, because the mechanism for maintaining the service level indices such as turnaround times is not adopted by the existing load balancing methods, the methods cannot be conformed to the ever-changing computation resources. This makes it impossible to take detailed steps.


A carriage assembly, 20h for a lift truck upright assembly, 12, has pivotally mounted forks, 30, controlled by hydraulic cylinders, 36, that are operated by side shifter circuit, 110, having a single operator control, 124, for manipulating the forks in unison, opening or closing the forks, or shifting them right or left in a coordinated fashion.

Certain applications of lift trucks require an upright construction that is capable of providing both positive and negative lift from a ground or support level position. For example, such a lift truck is particularly useful for handling boats in and around marinas. The market for such a lift truck has significantly increased in recent years with ever more and more people owning and operating pleasure boats.
In the marina setting, lift trucks may be utilized to both lower boats into and raise boat out of the water from an elevated dock or the like. Similarly, such lift trucks may be utilized to raise boats for positioning well above the ground in an overhead storage rack.
Heretofore, lift truck designs have been developed for this purpose. One such representative design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,442 to Erickson et al assigned to the Assignee of the present invention. The lift truck disclosed in the Erickson et al patent includes outer, intermediate and inner, telescoping mast sections with a load carriage elevatable on the inner mast section. The lift truck also includes a pair of actuator cylinders and cooperating chains. These cylinders and chains are connected to the mast sections so that one cylinder and chain set is adapted to elevate the load carriage and the inner mast section above ground level. The other cylinder and chain set is adapted to lower below ground level the load carriage and inner and intermediate mast sections together as a unit in the outer mast section.
Additionally, state-of-the-art marina lift trucks commonly utilize complicated fork structures and controls. Unfortunately, the fork structures typically require maintenance at relatively short intervals to insure reliable operation. Such maintenance is particularly required at ocean marinas due to the corrosive properties of saltwater environments. Additionally, the complicated controls require the individual to receive extensive training before the lift truck can be effectively operated. Even when fully familiar with the operation of the controls, the manipulation of multiple levers as now required on state of the art lift trucks requires additional time thereby reducing the productivity of even a skillful operator.
Another problem typical of prior art lift truck designs relates to the need for an improved fork. Forks presently in use are typically constructed of steel for strength and include a protective cover on the upper surface to cushion and protect a boat hull from direct contact with the steel fork. It has been found, however, that such covers when pinched between the boat hull and the steel fork wear quickly and must be replaced after only a relatively short service life. Additionally, as the covers become worn they have a tendency to retain more and more water when manipulated to lift a boat from the water. Subsequently, when the boat is then positioned in an upper berth of a rack, the water retained in the covers drips down onto underlying boats. This water often includes contaminants such as rust from the forks and grease or oil from the dock side water. These contaminants may stain the finish and/or furnishings of underlying boats to the dissatisfaction of the boat owners. As a result, customer relations of the marina operator may be adversely affected.
From reviewing the above it is clear that a need exists for an improved lift truck providing positive and negative lift capabilities that is particularly adapted for operation in both coastal and inland marinas.

Carriage assembly and side shift system for a lift truck


Apparatus for feeding infants especially adpated for use in vehicles such as automobiles, buses, airplanes or other conveyances. The apparatus comprises a container for a liquid food such as milk and a bracket adapted to hold the container. The bracket is equipped with suction cup and hanger means for securely supporting the bracket from the vehicle interior. A fitting, including a manual valve having an inlet and an outlet is positioned at the container outlet and adapted for leaktight communication with the container outlet for the dual purposes of making a connection to the container and for controlling flow from the container. A first short length of flexible tubing provides flow communication from the valve outlet. A nipple, adapted for insertion in the infant's mouth and having a flow passage, is provided. A second short length of flexible tubing is connected to the nipple for providing flow communication to the nipple. A substantially straight rigid conduit is connected to the first and second short lengths of flexible tubing for providing non-tangling flow communication between the milk container and the nipple.

Infants and seriously ill patients who must be fed with liquids have recourse to nursing apparatus common to infant feeding. In this specification the term infant, unless otherwise specified, will be used uniformly to refer to all manner of organisms to which my invention might be applied including but not limited to human infants, adults or aged who are paralyzed, injured or disabled from any or no cause or who are physically restrained, and non human animals. The term milk will be used throughout this specification, unless otherwise specified, to apply to any sort of liquid which may be required or desired to be delivered to an infant, including but not restricted to liquids such as milk, juice of fruits or vegetables, solutions or suspensions of nutrients or pharmaceuticals in aqueous or other media, water or any other material than can be delivered by force of gravity or externally applied pressure including atmospheric air pressure, to an infant.
Nursing apparatus, which is well known to parents and to others responsible for the feeding of infants, generally consists of a container for holding the milk and a cap for the container which includes a soft rubber protruding portion or nipple, fabricated with a hole in the end of the protruding portion, as an integral or separate part of the cap. The milk is fed from the container, through the nipple, into the mouth of the sucking infant.
Typically, a parent will hold the feeding infant and the container, actively positioning and repositioning the container and its attached nipple to keep the nipple inserted into the infant's mouth. Since the filled container is relatively heavy and difficult to support without the nipple slipping out of the infant's mouth, stratagems have been developed to allow the infant to be fed without holding either the infant or the container. One stratagem involves strapping the container to a sandbag structure heavy enough to keep the container in a relatively fixed position with respect to the crib in which the infant lays. Should the infant change position, the container with its rigidly attached nipple cannot follow and the nipple slips out of the infant's mouth, an event soon followed by its anguished screams of rage at its having lost contact with the nipple.
Other stratagems include remote feeders generated by fixing the position of the container with respect to the infant's crib or bed at about the same elevation as the infants's head or higher and connecting the container to a remote nipple by a flexible tube. The nipple, having only its own slight weight plus the slight weight of the adjacent connecting tube and its contents, could be retained by the infant in her mouth with ease, despite her own motion. The container has its position fixed by means of hooks or clamps or suction cups allowing it to be securely positioned with respect to a support structure such as a crib side or an auto window.
The presence of a long flexible tube has generated parents fears that the infant could become entangled with the tube causing it distress or harm. My invention is directed toward a non-tangling, non-strangling improvement in remote feeders.

Nursing apparatus with non-tangling tube


Methods, systems, and computer-readable and executable instructions are described herein. One method includes combining a plurality of images of a furnace into a composite image of the furnace, revising the composite image of the furnace to an intensity scaling, restoring a portion of the revised composite image of the furnace; and displaying a view of the restored revised composite image of the furnace to a user.

An operator of a furnace may learn the furnace internal conditions in order to control furnace settings and to achieve a threshold efficiency. An operator can learn this information by regular on-stream inspection of a furnace.
One on-stream inspection method is visual based inspection. Another method is based on thermal scanning of the furnace using a portable thermal camera. Both require manual operation by a trained operator. Many procedural missteps and/or variations can cause inaccurate or even erroneous analyses.
Additionally, an operator can observe the furnace using images taken from cameras installed at multiple locations of the furnace. The images can be provided to the operator in an orderly fashion on a single user interface or simultaneously on multiple user interfaces.
Interpreting the multiple images captured from different cameras to learn furnace internal conditions at a particular period of time has many unmet challenges. For example, one challenge is correct interpretation of each image. The order of the images can be based on a camera identification and/or camera location. In order to correctly interpret each image, the operator must be familiar with the furnace structure, the locations of the cameras, and the view aspects of the cameras to determine and interpret the content and context of each image.
For example, the multiple cameras can be placed at different elevations and angles to maximize the area of image coverage inside the furnace. An operator may need to know the geometry and camera placement to correctly interpret the images.
Further, each camera can have different parameter settings to achieve a particular contrast and maximize the dynamic range of intensity in each camera's field of view. The parameter settings can enable the capture of good images under diverse operating conditions. One such parameter setting for a static thermal camera is the temperature range. Parameter settings for a video camera can include aperture, shutter speed, and gain control. A furnace can operate at different temperatures in different portions of the furnace as required by various processes. Thus, a same intensity in two thermal images can have different thermal interpretations based on the parameter settings of the particular thermal cameras taking the thermal images. An operator may become confused when looking at the same area of a furnace with different intensities in different images and/or may take extra time to interpret the images.
Further, the plurality of cameras can have some common field of view coverage (e.g., image overlap). An operator may duplicate interpretation effort on the same area of the furnace multiple times in different images.


‘GrüNeu 21’ is a new variety of New Guinea Impatiens that exhibits rich purple colored flowers.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens hawkeri known by the varietal name 'GrüNeu 21'. The new variety was discovered in The Netherlands. The new variety is a result of cross breeding Seedling No.#2-28 (female parent) (unpatented) and Seedling No.#1-38 (male parent) (unpatented). The purpose of the breeding program was to develop a cultivar that had an improved growing habit over existing varieties. The new variety is similar in flower color to its parents, but differs in growth habit. The new variety was first asexually reproduced by vegetative propagation through cutting in The Netherlands. The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive asexual propagations. Characteristics that distinguish the new variety from others known to the breeder include:                Flower color; and        Growth habit.
The new variety was grown in a 11-13 cm container in The Netherlands. The new variety initiates roots in 8 days at 16° C. A rooted plant is produced in 21 days at average temperatures of 16-21° C. Its rooting habit is round and freely branching.

New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘GruNeu 21’


An electronic device attached to a vehicle and a control method therefor are disclosed. A control method for an electronic device attached to a vehicle according to the present invention comprises the steps of: acquiring driving information from a sensor included in a vehicle while the vehicle is running; determining a dangerous event having occurred while the vehicle is running, on the basis of the acquired driving information; and providing an image associated with the determined dangerous event, on the basis of information associated with the determined dangerous event from among the driving information. Accordingly, an electronic device attached to a vehicle provides an image relating to a situation in which a dangerous event is expected to occur, on the basis of detected driving information. Through the provided image, a vehicle driver can develop safe driving habits.

An electronic device installed inside a vehicle provides a moving path to a destination that a driver requested.
In addition, an electronic device installed inside a vehicle detects a driving situation while the vehicle is running, and predicts the possibility of occurrence of a dangerous event such as a traffic accident based on various kinds of sensing information detected.
Afterwards, the electronic device may provide information for prevention of an accident for a predicted dangerous event, or control the operation of the driver's vehicle for prevention of an accident with respect to the predicted dangerous event.
For example, in case a dangerous event like the driver's vehicle getting close to an adjacent vehicle, or moving out of the driving lane is detected, the electronic device provides an alarming message with respect to the dangerous event to the driver.
As another example, in case a dangerous event wherein the driver's vehicle gets close to the vehicle in front is detected, the electronic vehicle may control the speed of the driver's vehicle such that the vehicle can maintain a predetermined threshold distance from the vehicle in front.
That is, the electronic device monitors the current driving situation and predicts occurrence of a dangerous event, and provides an alarming message in accordance thereto or controls the vehicle.
However, for minimizing occurrence of a dangerous event as above, a driver's safe driving habit should take precedence. Accordingly, a method for developing a driver's safe driving habit should be pursued.

Electronic device attached to vehicle and control method therefor


A method including receiving a model of a composite structure having an inconsistency. The model includes a pre-calculated heating model that specifies areas of the inconsistency for which corresponding different amounts of heating are applied to an uncured composite material that is applied to the inconsistency. A design for heating elements of varying density across the areas is generated from the model. The design is configured to cause the heating elements in a first sub-area of a heat blanket system to generate a first amount of heat in a third area in the areas, and to cause the heating elements in a second sub-area of the heat blanket system to generate a second, different amount of heat in a fourth area of the areas. The heating elements are printed according to the design on a blanket to manufacture the heat blanket system.

Inconsistencies may sometimes form in composite material objects. An "inconsistency" is defined as any measurable feature of a composite material which lies outside a pre-determined normative engineering tolerance.
The composite material may be reworked in order to remove or mitigate the inconsistency. "Reworking" a composite material is defined as any procedure performed on the composite material to remove or mitigate the inconsistency. The term "mitigate the inconsistency" is defined as bringing the composite material object into pre-determined engineering tolerances.
Reworking a composite material may involve adding a liquid composite resin, a pre-preg tape (a "pre-preg" is pre-impregnated composite fibers where a thermoset polymer matrix material, such as epoxy, or a thermoplastic resin is already present), a composite patch, or some other pre-cured composite material to the area of the inconsistency. The pre-cured material is then bonded to the parent structure, mitigating the inconsistency using a film or paste adhesive. The pre-cured composite material and adhesive are heated as part of a curing process.
In some cases, heating may be accomplished using a heating blanket. However, when the pre-cured composite material has varying thickness, or is disposed over components in the object that act as heat sinks, then non-uniform heating may occur within the pre-cured composite material. The non-uniform heating may create inconsistencies during the cure process.


A desk structure with adjustable angles is provided, characterized in that: an angle-adjustment unit is coupled to a bottom of a desk which is space-demanding and falls into the category of OA office furniture such that folding the desk entails: performing positional release with the angle-adjustment unit disposed below a desk board, rotating the desk board by a predetermined inclination angle, and imposing a positional restriction on the angle-adjustment unit upon completion of the angular positioning of a rotation state. Accordingly, the desks can be folded up each by a predetermined adjustable inclination angle and stacked up in a non-space-demanding direction.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to desk structures with adjustable angles, and more particularly, to a desk structure with adjustable angles, characterized in that: the desk structure with adjustable angles is for use with bulky and heavy OA office furniture, such as a desk; an angle-adjustment unit is coupled to the bottom of the desk and disposed beneath a desk board; and folding the desk entails performing positional release with the angle-adjustment unit, rotating the desk board by a predetermined inclination angle, and imposing a positional restriction on the angle-adjustment unit upon completion of the rotation thereof. Accordingly, one or more desks can be folded up each by a predetermined adjustable inclination angle and stacked up in a non-space-demanding direction.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional desks manufactured by the industrial sector feature desk combinations (such as OA desks, wooden office desks, and desks made of metal) serving a variety of purposes. In this regard, most of the desk combinations must be horizontally mounted in order to work. When users want to stop using the desk combinations, the users have to fold and put the desk legs of one and/or more desks under the desks in a manner that the desks face the same direction in order to save space when stacked up (wherein the desks capable of folding the legs thereof are mostly equipped with a desk board made of lightweight plastics or are compact desks, such as dining tables, tables for use in outdoor worship, and kitchen tables). Alternatively, the desks are not stacked up but are placed at the corners of a room (wherein the aforesaid desk are bulky and heavy desks which fall into the category of OA office furniture). As a result, the prior art is confronted with problems arising from the situation where one and/or more desks have to be stacked up when not in use.
Accordingly, it is imperative to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art: OA office furniture, such as desks, poses problems arising from the situation where the desks have to be stacked up when not in use. The present invention aims to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art, by performing a simple operation to fold and stack the bulky and heavy desks without taking up much space.


A method for abating the incidence of cluster formation of reducible iron-containing material during the direct reduction of said material is disclosed. The method generally comprises contacting the reducible iron-containing material with a cluster-abating effective amount of a dispersion of a particulate material.

The current invention relates to a novel process for lowering the incidence of clustering or sticking of reducible iron-containing material during the direct reduction of said material. The process comprises contacting the reducible iron-containing material with a dispersion of certain particulate material(s).
It is a well known technical problem that particulate reducible iron-containing material tends to stick together, forming large clusters or agglomerates during their processing in a direct reduction furnace. These clusters tend to remain intact during treatment in a direct reduction furnace, impeding appropriate flow through the furnace. One possible though unacceptable solution to this problem is lowering the furnace temperature and through put. From the perspective of efficiency alone this solution is not appropriate.
other solutions have been suggested to decrease clustering in a direct reduction furnace while maintaining a high processing rate through the furnace. For example, European Patent Specification No. 207 779 teaches application of a cement coating to the surface of burned iron ore prior to direct reduction in order to prevent agglomeration in the direct reduction furnace. U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,639 discloses a process for treating reducible iron oxide by contacting the iron oxide with a solution comprising an element selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a metal of group V, a metal of group VIB, boron, and silicon. This is intended to prevent clustering in the furnace reduction zone.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,182, a method to produce iron oxide pellets which do not form clusters in a vertical shaft moving bed is disclosed. In that method, a surface coating of lime, limestone or dolomite is formed on iron oxide pellets. The lime-containing material is added in dry form in a balling machine with a spray of a little water to promote adhesion. The pellets are then fired to form a hard coating of calcium ferrite.
However, such above mentioned solutions are not adequate to overcome ore clustering in direct reduction furnaces at the processing rates and conditions currently required.
Accordingly, the development disclosed herein surprisingly lowers the occurrence of clustering of reducible iron-containing material in direct reduction furnaces.

Method for producing reducible iron-containing material having less clustering during direct reduction and products thereof


The present invention provides improved apparatus, methods, and systems for displaying and packaging financial presentation instruments, particularly stored value, gift, or other pre-paid debit cards. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for displaying a financial presentation instrument with an integrated holder is provided. The method comprises providing a data card having an information storage medium and an aperture therethrough. The data card is then suspended from a display hook through the at least one aperture. Hence, the present invention advantageously allows for convenient displaying and easy access to the data card for activation at the time the card is purchased by a consumer. Further, the integrated holder on the data card decreases the operating costs and increases the efficiency for selling such debit cards as no additional materials, packaging, or carriers other than the data card itself are needed for the presentation and display of such debit cards.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to financial presentation instruments. More particularly, the present invention relates to financial presentation instruments with an integrated holder as well as methods and systems for displaying and packaging such instruments, preferably stored value, gift, or other pre-paid debit cards.
Stored value, gift, or other pre-paid metered accounts associated with debits cards are well-known for providing access to goods and services. For example, stored value or gift cards may be purchased from various merchants such as Target®, Wal-Mart®, Starbucks®, Sears®, Blockbuster®, and the like. Pre-paid debit cards are also frequently purchased for telephone services. The purchase and usage of pre-paid debit cards has continued to increase in recent years to the point that the sale of pre-paid debit cards today is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Pre-paid debit cards are often printed and issued with a predetermined balance and typically then sold as a retail item. An example of such a card is a pre-paid gift card which provides an individual with a set dollar amount for the purchase of goods from a particular merchant. The account is accessed and debited by using an account number provided on the gift card. A problem experienced in the sale of such pre-paid debit cards is that merchants buying these cards are subsequently more exposed to loss through shrinkage and theft. As such, the merchant typically stores such pre-paid debit cards under lock and key until the moment the cards are purchased. This in turn prevents stocking of such cards on store shelves freely accessible by prospective purchasers and increases merchant handling time and expenses. In addition, the merchant must maintain inventory stock of different values of these pre-paid debit cards well in advance of when the debit cards are actually sold as a retail item, thus restricting working capitol.
With these problems in mind, merchants have begun to display non-activated (i.e., zero balance) debit cards. In this way, the merchant can readily provide unfettered access of such cards to prospective purchasers and reduce handling time and costs as theft is no longer a concern since the non-activated debit cards have no intrinsic value. Further, merchants no longer carry a large initial expenditure since the merchant activates the debit card with a balance representing an amount a consumer wishes to attribute to the debit card at the time the debit card is actually purchased by the consumer.
Typically, such zero balance debit cards are displayed and/or packaged for sale in a retail store by affixing the card to a card carrier. The card is typically affixed to the card carrier by adhesives or by inserting corners of the card into openings within the card carrier. Further, a hole may optionally be cut into the card carrier so that the card carrier may be hung on a display in a retail store. Such card packaging is often cumbersome in that the merchant has to first remove the card from the packaging in which the card is displayed in order to activate the card at the time the debit card is actually sold. Further, the card packaging increases the operating costs and reduces the efficiency for selling such debit cards and does not always provide for secure retention of the debit card.
For these and other reasons, there is a need in the art to provide improved apparatus, methods, and systems for displaying and packaging financial presentation instruments, particularly stored value, gift, or other pre-paid debit cards. In light of the fact that the consumer must have the card activated at the time the card is purchased, it is desirable to provide improved apparatus and methods in which the merchant is able to activate the card without having to first remove the card from packaging in which the card is displayed. It is further desirable to reduce the operating costs and increase the efficiency for displaying such zero balance debit cards. It is still further desirable to provide improved systems and methods for securely packaging the pre-paid debit card after it has been activated. These and other shortcomings in the prior art are addressed by the present invention.
2. Description of the Background Art
Card display packaging is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,720,158, 5,918,909, 5,921,584, and 6,543,809. Credit card like structures are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,829,168, 6,471,127, 6,588,658, D-396,882, D-429,733, D-436,991, and D-457,556; U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2002/0027837, 2002/0185543, and 2003/0010828; and Canadian Patent No. 2,300,241.
The full disclosures of the each of the above references are incorporated herein by reference.

Financial presentation instruments with integrated holder and methods for use


A system for monitoring and controlling a manufacturing environment is disclosed. Aspects discussed include beacons broadcasting identifying information for aspects of the manufacturing environment such as workstations, manufactured items, machines, equipment, and people. The identifying information may be used to generate reports about the operation of these and possibly other aspects, as well as provide control options for changing the manufacturing environment. Employees may move about the environment to visually monitor activities taking place, while the system may automatically query for additional information about the tools, equipment, people encountered in the environment. Control options for changing aspects of the manufacturing processes may also be automatically displayed as well.

As tablets, smart phones, and other personal computing devices have become smaller and ever more powerful, their ability to interact wirelessly with other devices in the area has expanded significantly. With the early incorporation of Global Position Satellite (GPS), Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth® technology with cellular telephone capabilities, and the more recent addition of Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth® LE, mobile computing devices now have a growing range of wireless communication options. One aspect of receiving information relates to receiving information based on proximity to other mobile computing devices or proximity to a particular geographical location.
Proximity based computing has found uses in many fields such as in retail where specific advertisements or promotional events may be automatically sent to a smartphone as the user carries the phone near a specific location (e.g. walking past a store front). Proximity technology may also be used to aid a user in moving around a complex environment such as a convention center, museum, shopping mall, theme park, or cruise ship. The use of proximity based computing may mean the user can obtain the necessary information with little or no user input because the device automatically "knows" the information as the user moves around the environment.
A different example of a complex environment is a manufacturing facility. Production lines in such facilities may produce everything from microchips, aircraft, and automobiles, to hand bags, toys, and prepackaged food. Many such facilities cover thousands or millions of square feet, and may employ thousands of workers. Numerous separate work areas or workstations may be present each configured to perform one or more of the many steps that are often required to produce a finished product. The facilities are commonly enclosed in steel or other metals creating significant electromagnetic interference.
Manufacturers continually seek to find more efficient manufacturing processes to reduce costs and increase profits. Organizations often invest considerable money and effort into developing a large and complex corporate knowledge base containing large amounts of information about the efficiency and profitability of the organization's current and past production processes. Additional effort is often spent analyzing the data to determine what changes in the processes need to be made in order to lower costs and increase productivity.
However, maintaining these efficiency targets may require that supervisors have easy access to the corporate knowledge base as they monitor the activities occurring in the production environment. Also, if conditions change on the manufacturing floor, managers may need to make decisions quickly to avoid a wide array of negative outcomes such as additional expense, wasted materials and resources, production down time, unacceptably low quality in the final product, damage to equipment or facilities, or danger to employees. In many situations, making these decisions may be easier if the manager has access to the data, reports, etc. available in the corporate knowledge base. However, in many cases, access to this information may require leaving the production environment, returning to the manager's office (perhaps hundreds or thousands of feet away), obtaining the information, then returning to the location on the production line to analyze the information and make the decision. This may result in an unacceptable delay.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for monitoring and controlling a manufacturing environment


Described herein are technologies relating to generating search results responsive to receipt of a query. More specifically, the query is mapped to a topic in response to receipt of a query, and social media accounts that have been labeled as being knowledgeable on the topic are identified. Messages in a message feed of the social media account that are germane to the topic are retrieved, and documents referenced (linked) in the retrieved messages are identified. These documents are positioned in a ranked list based upon the documents being referenced in the messages.

Search engines are configured to generate a ranked list of search results responsive to receipt of a query, wherein the search results include links to web pages that are identified by the search engine as being relevant to the query. A conventional search engine ranks web pages as a function of features of the query (e.g., keywords in the query, length of the query, etc.) and features of web pages (a number of links to a web page from other web pages, text in metadata of the web page, text in a title of the web page, etc.). A conventional search engine also contemplates ranking web pages based upon, for instance, engagement signals that are a function of user interaction with search results generated by the search engine. Exemplary engagement signals include: 1) how often users of the search engine select a link to a web page in search results generated by the search engine; 2) likelihood that a first-time user of the search engine will click on a link to the web page when included in search results (which can be estimated based upon previous user behavior), amongst other engagement signals. Using engagement signals in connection with ranking web pages (such as the engagement signals mentioned above) tends to be effective for ranking web pages in response to receipt of popular queries (queries submitted relatively often to the search engine). Less popular queries, typically referred to as "tail queries", however, are often not associated with sufficient engagement signals. In other words, a ranker of the search engine may be optimized for popular queries, potentially resulting in suboptimal performance when ranking web pages in response to receipt of a tail query.

Search engine results for low-frequency queries


A brake rigging system which adequately distributes the braking force among all its components, said brake rigging system comprising: a driving beam having a first and a second end; two driving levers having a first and a second end, each driving lever rotary coupled by its first end to an end of the driving beam, and the second end of each driving lever coupled to a brake head; and linking means for linking said driving beam, to driving means which apply a force to said driving beam to push or pull said driving levers together with the brake heads.

A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a brake rigging system, and more particularly to a brake rigging system which achieves an adequate brake force distribution among all its elements including the brake heads.
B. Description of the Related Art
Most railroad freight cars, use what is known as foundation brake rigging. On the car body, there is an air brake system which provides air to the brake cylinder, which, in turn, supplies a mechanical force, through a system of rods and driving levers to a connection on the standard freight car trucks located at each end of the car. At this point, the force is applied to a truck driving lever system, usually consisting of two driving levers and a connecting rod. The driving levers move brake beams which apply force to the treads of the wheels through renewable friction blocks or brake shoes, retarding the rotation of the wheels.
The conventional brake rigging includes two brake beams, at least one brake cylinder assembly supported by one or both of the brake beams, and a driving lever or linkage assembly so connected between the brake beams and cylinder assembly that actuation of the cylinder assembly moves the brake beams away from one another and into braking engagement with treads of wheels of a railway vehicle truck. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,996,963 and 3,107,754 each describe an example of such a brake rigging. Commonly, however, a conventional brake rigging is relatively heavy and is therefore responsible for a significant fraction of the power required to move its vehicle truck along railway tracks.
The brake rigging may be xe2x80x9ctruck mountedxe2x80x9d i.e. every truck of the railway car has its own braking mechanism with independent driving means.
There are many brake beams configurations used with the above referred general type of brake rigging, but the most common type of brake beam which is the most commonly used, comprises a compression member, a generally xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d shaped tension member having its ends coupled to the ends of the compression member, a brake head linked to the each end of the compression member, two end extensions, each linked at each end of the tension and compression member, by which the brake beam is coupled to the bogie of a railway car and a fulcrum welded to the compression member and tension member, so that the fulcrum remains between the tension and compression members.
The main problem of the above described brake rigging systemxe2x80x94including the above referred brake beamxe2x80x94, is the inadequate distribution of the braking force among the two brake shoes due to the configuration of the brake beam, principally due to the inclination of the fulcrum of the brake beam, through which the driving lever passes.
During use, high torsional moments are induced over the brake beam by the brake rigging, and furthermore, the braking force applied to the fulcrum by the driving lever is not equally distributed along the whole beam, causing a great stress in certain parts and elements,of the brake beam when brakes are applied. These harmful forces are especially high at the ends of the brake beam which is the point where the brake beam is coupled to the bogie and where several components thereof are joined, such as the brake head, the tension member and compression member, therefore the ends of the brake beam become critical points where a lot of harmful forces converge.
This inadequate distribution of forces cause an inadequate distribution of the braking force among the brake shoes and thus different deceleration rates among the wheels of the freight car, making it necessary to apply more pressure to the brake shoes in order to compensate for the wheels having a deficient braking, causing overheating and thermal damage to those wheels.
Moreover, the inadequate orientation that the brake beam keeps with respect to an horizontal axis and consequently, the ineficient actuation of the brake beam over the wheels, produces a nonuniform and incomplete wear of the useful material of the brake shoes, which causes a waste of brake shoe material that could be properly used.
The above referred problem forces the maintenance team to frequently change the brake shoe material which is a waste of time and money.
Another important problem related to the inadequate force distribution among the brake shoes, is the misalignment caused to the wheels when the brakes are applied.
Considering the above referred problems, applicants developed a brake rigging system which adequately distributes the braking force among all its components, thus eliminating all the above related problems.
Applicants brake rigging system comprises: a driving beam having a first and a second end; two driving levers having a first and a second end, each driving lever rotary coupled by its first end to an end of the driving beam, and the second end of each driving lever coupled to a brake head; and linking means for linking said driving beam, to driving means which apply a force to said driving beam to push or pull said driving levers together with the brake heads.
The driving levers can be linked to the brake heads by means of two torsional elements, which can be rotary coupled to an end of a support beam and each linked at and end of one of the driving levers of the brake rigging system; two brake head levers tightly coupled to the torsional elements and each joining a brake head; and two pivot extensions to be coupled to the bogie of a railway car, each tightly coupled to each torsional bar in order to pivotally join the brake beam to the bogie of a railway car.
Also the brake heads may be directly coupled at a central portion of each driving lever, thus eliminating the torsional bars.
Applicants brake rigging system produces a pivotal movement of the brake beam, achieving an uniform force distribution among the whole brake beam and between each brake shoe, eliminating the non-uniform braking among the wheels and the resulting wheel damage.
Additionally, the new brake rigging of the present invention, allows a good adaptation of the brake shoes to the wheel contour, achieving a uniform contact between the brake shoe and the wheels, by which all the useful material in the brake shoe is totally used, eliminating points in the brake shoe where the material is so worn that the metal of the brake shoe head comes in direct contact with the wheel.
Due to the adequate use of all the material of the brake shoe, and to the elimination of the wheel damage, the need for frequent change of the brake shoes and wheels avoided, which helps to achieve great money saving in view of the high maintenance costs caused by said frequent changes, and avoids the waste of useful brake shoe material that still could be used if the thickness of the remaining material were uniform.
And last but not least, the brake rigging system extends the brake beam operative life due to the adequate distributions of force to all the elements of the brake beam, which eliminates stress points which could cause the brake beam to break or collapse.
It is therefore a main object of the present invention, to provide a brake rigging system which adequately distributes the braking force among the whole brake beam
It is also a main object of the present invention to provide a brake rigging system, by which uniform wear of the useful material of the brake shoes achieved.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a brake rigging system by which damage to the wheels of the railway car, produced by an inadequate distribution of the braking force applied to the wheels by the brake shoes through the brake beam is reduced.
It is also a main object of the present invention to provide a brake rigging system which extends the brake beam operative life due to the adequate distribution of force to all the elements of the brake beam, which eliminates stress points which could cause the brake beam to break or collapse.
It is also another object of the present invention to provide a brake rigging system which helps to achieve great money saving in view of the high maintenance costs caused by the frequent changes of the brake shoe material.
These and other object and advantages of the brake rigging system of the present invention will become apparent to those persons having an ordinary skill in the art, from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention which will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Provided are an imaging lens and an Imaging apparatus which includes this imaging lens. The imaging lens consists of, in order from an object side: a front group GF; a diaphragm St; and a rear group GR. The front group GF consists of, in order from the object side: a first lens L1 that is convex toward the object side and has a negative refractive power; a second lens L2 that has a negative refractive power; and a third lens L3 that has a positive refractive power. The rear group GR consists of, in order from the object side: a fourth lens L4 that has a positive refractive power; a fifth lens L5 that has a positive refractive power; a sixth lens L6 that has a negative refractive power; a seventh lens L7 that has a positive refractive power; and an eighth lens L8 that has a negative refractive power.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging lens, which is appropriate for an on-board camera, a surveillance camera, or the like, and an imaging apparatus which comprises the imaging lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP3491578B describes known imaging lenses used in on-board cameras, surveillance cameras, and the like. JP3491578B discloses imaging lenses each including, in order from the object side, a front group, a diaphragm, and a rear group, which are totally formed of seven lenses.


A valve assembly having a first valve defining an inlet connected to the inlet supply and an outlet connected to the concentrate chamber, a second valve defining an inlet connected to the permeate chamber and an outlet connected to the faucet, and a third valve defining an outlet connected to drain, a port connected to the concentrate chamber, and an inlet connected to the inlet supply. The port is selectively in fluid communication with the third valve outlet and inlet. When the faucet opens, the first valve opens, the second valve has permeate flowing, and the third valve opens a flowpath between the third valve port and the inlet due to pressure dropping in the second valve. When the faucet closes, the first valve closes and the third valve opens another flowpath between the third valve port and outlet due to pressure created in the second valve.

As is known, a reverse osmosis (RO) water filtering process uses a semi-permeable membrane that has the ability to remove and reject a wide spectrum of impurities and contaminants from water using only water pressure. These contaminants are automatically rinsed down the drain. The purified water is then stored in a tank for dispensing through an auxiliary faucet.
A typical residential RO water filtering system is installed under a kitchen sink and includes a filter assembly, a reverse osmosis membrane, a storage tank, and an auxiliary faucet attached to the sink. The filter assembly includes a sediment filter and a carbon filter. Intake water enters the system from a cold-water source and is routed through the filter system. The sediment filter removes sediment such as sand and dirt and the like from the intake water, while the carbon filter removes chlorine and other contaminants. The filtered water is then routed to the RO membrane.
The RO membrane includes three ports: an intake port, a permeate outlet port, and a concentrate outlet port. The intake port receives filtered intake water from the filter assembly, and permeate passes through the membrane to the permeate outlet port, while the concentrate water does not pass through the membrane but is directed to the concentrate outlet port. Concentrate water is routed from the concentrate outlet port through a flow restrictor for disposal down a drain.
Most plumbing codes specify that an anti-siphon or air gap must be located between the concentrate outlet port and the drain. This prevents development of a vacuum in the system that could cause drain or wastewater to be siphoned back into the RO system and contaminate the water supply connected to the RO system. The auxiliary faucet, normally also includes an air gap connecting the concentrate outlet port and the drain.
The permeate is routed from the permeate outlet port to the tank to be stored under pressure. An automatic shut-off valve stops the flow of water to the membrane, drain and to the tank when the tank is full. When the auxiliary faucet is opened by a user, permeate is forced from the tank, through a carbon filter, and out the faucet.
In a typical RO system, especially in the type of RO system used in homes, the rate at which treated water or "permeate" is produced by the system can be very low. As a result, the storage tank is used to store permeate, so that relatively large quantities can be made available when the consumer opens the tap or faucet. In the past, "pre-charged" storage tanks were used. In this type of storage tank, a bladder is used to define a pressurized chamber, usually filled with a compressible gas, such as ambient air. The bladder isolates the gas from the permeate received by the tank. As the permeate is received by the tank, the permeate gradually compresses the gas in the pressurized chamber. As a result, the permeate is stored under pressure, such that when the tank is opened, the pressure in the storage tank exerted by the compressed gas, forces permeate out of the tank to the faucet.
Although these storage tanks are widely used and provide a suitable means for storing permeate, the storage tanks do have a significant drawback. As more and more permeate is received by the tank, the pressure needed to effect flow of permeate into the tank increases because as the gas chamber is compressed, forces on the bladder increase and the backpressure in the system increases. Accordingly, in order to completely fill the storage tank, a significant amount of time and concentrate water are consumed as the capacity of the tank is reached. This pressure increase reduces the efficiency and effectiveness of the RO membrane.
This resistance to flow exerted by the storage tank decreases the production rate of the RO system, since the RO system relies on differential pressures between the source and the output to effect flow across the membrane. In addition, as permeate is discharged by the storage tank, the permeate delivery pressure is gradually reduced as the pressurized gas chamber expands. This reduced delivery pressure is observable at the auxiliary faucet. Further examples of prior art systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,764,595; 6,110,360; 5,132,017; 4,853,117; and 4,705,625, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
What is still desired is a new and improved RO water filtering system. Preferably, the RO water filtering system will include an improved permeate storage arrangement that reduces backpressure within the system and/or provides a steadier pressure at the faucet.


The invention relates to a device for covering lumpy products, especially pills, pellets or tablets, with a coating material, comprising a rotatable drum, a device designed for feeding air into the drum, a device designed for releasing the air from the drum, including at least one releasing air channel provided with at least one air passage opening directed to the interior space of the drum, and further comprising a device designed for spraying the product located in the drum with a coating material. In order to provide a coating device which is easy to operate, especially easy to clean, and the stop periods of which are substantially reduced, the at least one releasing air channel extends along at least one part of the inside wall of the drum and is detachably connected thereto. Thus, the releasing air channels are easy to detach from the drum and may be cleaned outside therefrom.

The invention relates to a device for covering lumpy products, especially pills, pellets or tablets, with a coating material, comprising a rotatable drum, a device designed for feeding air into the drum, a device designed for releasing the air from the drum, said device including at least one releasing air channel provided with at least one opening for the air directed to the interior space of the drum, and further comprising a device designed for spraying the products in said drum with a coating material.

Device for covering lumpy products, especially pills, pellets or tablets, with a coating material


A message brokering mechanism for a transaction processing system may include first and second stages operable to exchange message requests and responses. The first stage may be operable to receive a message request from a message source and to check whether there is an existing first stage response to the message request. In some embodiments, if there is an existing first stage response, the first stage may dispatch the existing first stage response to the message source.

The present invention relates to message brokering. Illustrative embodiments relate to, but not exclusively to, message brokering in electronic transaction processing systems.
Transaction processing systems are used to manage transactions in which an instructing party desires that an action be performed, often remotely, by at least one further party. In order for a transaction to take place between the parties, the instructing party provides a message to the further party requesting that the desired action be performed. In addition to the further party receiving the request to perform a desired action, the transaction process usually also entails a response message being sent from the further party to the instructing party either to confirm that the action has been, or will be, completed, or to state that the transaction request has failed and/or why the desired action has failed.
An example of an action that might be performed as part of a transaction includes the case where a first party instructs a second party to request authorisation of a payment from a third party. In recent years both the number and the importance of such transactions involving third parties, particularly in respect of those involving financial or commercial transactions, have increased enormously due to the advent of inexpensive and readily-available networked electronic systems. In particular, growth in the use of such transactions is in large part attributable to the growth in Internet use for electronic commerce, where a user will typically buy a product on-line from a retailer by providing personal details to the retailer who will subsequently use the services of another party, such as a bank or credit card company, to authorise a payment for the product before it can be shipped to the user.
Where financial transactions are processed using the Internet, certain disadvantages may manifest themselves. In certain systems in which transactions are received from the Internet and then processed by a banking system, the danger exists of the banking system receiving repeat identical requests to process the same transaction. This may happen if a response to a message request indicating that the message request has been dealt with is delayed or lost in transmission from the banking system to the instructing party, subsequently causing the instructing party to issue repeat requests. An added danger also exists that the banking system may perform a transaction, such as, for example, crediting a retailer account and debiting a user account, more than once under the instruction of one or more repeat requests. However, even if the banking system is configured to ignore repeat requests, handling them consumes valuable processing time and slows down the processing of valid transactions. As a result of this such systems are open to denial of service attacks during which they are bombarded with repeat invalid transaction requests in order to prevent the processing of legitimate requests. Furthermore, the delay caused by having to handle repeat requests is often compounded by the fact that the banking system will often comprise older, and slower, legacy computer systems for performing transactions.

Systems and methods for transaction messaging brokering


An ultrahigh-strength welded joint with superior strength and toughness, and a method for producing the ultrahigh-strength welded joint by means of single-pass welding by using laser hybrid welding, are provided, wherein the welded joint comprising a steel plate having a plate thickness of 4 mm to 12 mm and including weld metal of almost full martensite structure, wherein, in a cross-section of the welded joint in a direction perpendicular to a welding direction, a cross-sectional shape of the weld metal has a width W1 of 2.0 to 7.0 mm at a surface of the steel plate and a width W2 of 0.5 to 2.4 mm at a position where is separated from the surface by three-quarters of the plate thickness, wherein the weld metal comprises, by mass %, C: over 0.09% to 0.24%; Si: 0.2% to 1.0%; Mn: 0.5% to 2.5%; P: 0.02% or less; S: 0.02% or less; Al: 0.004% to 0.08%; Ti: 0.005% to 0.15%; O: 0.005% to 0.05%; and Ni: 1.0% to 9%, and wherein a carbon equivalent (Ceq) is 0.40% to 1.00%, a value Y as defined by equation (([Si]+[Mn])/40+[Al]+[Ti]) is 0.07% to 0.20%.

In recent years, there is an increasing need for large and high-rise buildings, and a construction machine or industrial machine, such as a crane used for construction, must be large and have high-performance, in order to shorten construction time and reduce construction cost. Therefore, the strength of a steel plate used for the construction machine or the industrial machine has been increased, and, an ultrahigh-strength steel plate, having the tensile strength more than 1100 MPa, is currently being.
In the prior art, when welding a steel plate, manual metal arc welding, gas shielded arc welding or submerged arc welding, etc., has been used. However, in recent years, in order to improve the efficiency of the welding of the steel plate, the use of laser hybrid welding, wherein a laser beam and gas shielded arc welding are combined, has been considered.
As a method for the laser hybrid welding, a method wherein a pool is formed by the gas shielded arc welding and the laser is irradiated on the pool, or, a method wherein the laser is irradiated on the steel plate so that the steel plate is melted by high-density heat input and the gas shielded arc welding is performed thereon, may be possible.
When the laser hybrid welding is used to weld the steel plate, a deeper weld penetration is obtained in comparison to the conventional welding. Therefore, in the laser hybrid welding, the single pass welding can be performed when the thickness of the steel plate is not more than 12 mm, whereby the steel plate may be welded effectively.
As a method for welding the steel plate by using the laser hybrid welding, techniques of Patent Literatures 1 and 2 have been proposed.
PLT 1 discloses a method for producing an ultrahigh-strength welded steel pipe including the steps of: providing a steel plate having a tensile strength over 800 MPa, which has a microstructure corresponding to a mixed structure of ferrite, plus tempered martensite and lower bainite; forming the steel plate into a piped-shape; and welding butted parts by laser hybrid welding.
Further, PLT 2 discloses a method for producing an ultrahigh-strength and highly-deformable welded steel pipe including the steps of: providing a steel plate having a tensile strength over 900 MPa, which has (ferrite plus bainite), (ferrite plus martensite) and (ferrite plus bainite plus martensite), one of which having an area fraction equal to or more than 90%; forming the steel plate into a pipe-shape; and welding butted parts by laser hybrid welding.

Ultrahigh-strength welded joint and production method thereof

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation


A product packaging system includes an upper package shell formed around a product. Underneath the package shell is a product accessory pack. Beneath the upper package shell is a lower package shell for around the product accessory pack.

Numerous packaging concepts are known in the prior art for displaying a wide variety of products in many different ways. The choice of a packaging concept depends greatly upon the way the packaged product is to be presented to the consumer in retail stores. Accordingly, many consumer articles are conventionally packaged and sold in packages known as "blister packs." Blister packs allow the consumer to visually examine a packaged product before making a purchase.
Conventionally, a blister pack includes a card, usually formed of medium to heavy gauge cardboard. The card is secured to a piece of clear plastic which is formed to include a pocket or blister which projects outwardly from the plane of the card on one side of the card. Generally, the card from which the blister projects extends beyond the edge of the blister in length, width, or both, to provide space on which appropriate graphics and text can be printed. The graphics or text are used to draw a consumer's attention to the product in addition to describing the use of the product and its special features.
The blister portion of the blister pack can contain a single product item, such as a single cosmetic item, or the blister portion can contain multiple spaces for a plurality of items, such as screws, nails, thumbtacks, and other such items conventionally sold in bulk quantities.
While blister pack packaging provides a convenient method of displaying a product in a retail store, blister packs present difficulties involved in either storing or shipping packaged products. These difficulties result from the uneven geometric configuration and the uneven weight distribution in blister packs. The uneven geometric configuration and the uneven weight distribution prevent convenient stacking of blister packs. In addition, large volumes of blister packs in a carton can lead to difficulties in accurately counting the number of blister packs. If the blister packs are packed loosely in a carton for shipment, there is oftentimes damage to both the card portion and the blister portion of the blister pack. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a packaging system which provides an orderly arrangement of packaged products during storage, shipment, and retail presentation so as to avoid the problems associated with blister packs.
Prior-art approaches to providing an orderly arrangement of blister packs have included the use of a rack for hanging blister packs and a shelf for supporting freestanding packages. While, in some types of packages, vertical support of the freestanding package may be provided by folded panels of paperboard or external structures, in certain other types of packages the support is provided by the blister material, either by itself or in cooperation with the paperboard to which the blister is attached.
Certain prior-art vertically self-supporting blister pack display packages have been provided with a supporting structure integrally formed at the bottom of the blister pack. These supporting structures may include one or more bottom, flat surface(s) formed into the clear plastic blister material, wherein the surface or surfaces are sufficiently large to maintain the entire package in a vertical orientation. In packages of this type, the vertical orientation of the package is maintained independently of the paperboard back panel to which the clear plastic blister material is secured.
Supporting structures may take the form of one or more foot-type protrusion(s) of the blister material. This construction provides vertical support through cooperative action between the protrusion(s) and other parts of the package. Both the surface-support and foot-support type packages require additional blister material to form the necessary structure. This construction generally increases the complexity and cost of the packages.
Even in the relatively simple foot-support type packages, the supporting foot and the blister material connected to the body of the package must be relatively thick to be strong enough to support the weight of certain products. For products above a certain weight, foot-support type packages have proven to be unsatisfactory. Additionally, because of the inherent downwardly directed angle of the foot relative to the base of the blister pack in some packages, some blister packs do not easily lend themselves to automated display package assembly. Additionally, if the vertical orientation is to be maintained by the cooperative action of the foot and the paperboard back, slight displacements in the positioning of the blister on the paperboard will result in non-vertical packages.
Accordingly, a problem remains in the art for a system that arranges product packages in an orderly manner for storage, shipment, and retail presentation.

High-visibility product and package system