The video index information has a tree structure comprising frame information, sound information, segment information, and package information each as a structure element object. The segment information manages package information for managing a plurality of other segment information as a group, and in the tree structure, the package information is allocated in addition to the frame information and sound information under one segment information, and the video information is managed by using the tree structure of the video index information and structure element objects therein.

In recent years, in association with progress in the fields of computer-related technology or popularization of electronic networks such as the Internet, Intranet, Extranet or the like, all types of information used in daily life, business, and services are converted to electronic information. This information is then delivered to end users or accumulated in a computer-based database.
As described above, electronic information is used in various forms (including processing, retrieval, and delivery of information) irrespective of whether the information is digital one or analog one, and there have been proposed or actually put into use various types of technology for treating the electronic information itself with a format or a data structure enabling treatment thereof in an easier way.
For instance, text information, which is one type of electronic information, has a structure tag expressing a logic structure such as SGML, HTML, and XML to express the logic structure defined therein, and contents of information and a logic structure thereof can be expressed when the information is delivered. Therefore, when text information is to be used, processing for preparing and processing a summary enabling efficient retrieval of the text information can be executed at a higher speed.
In case of video information, which is another type of electronic information, there has been provided the video filing technology enabling efficient accumulation or retrieval of static images or movies.
Further as a conventional type of technology for retrieval of video-images, there have been disclosed the "Medium For Retrieving Animation Image Information And Device Therefor" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 6-83877, "Method And Device For Video Image Retrieval" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-163479, "Animation Retrieving System" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-221432, "Video/Audio Raw Material Managing/Retrieval System" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-18432, "Method And Device For Retrieving Video Image" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-50436, and "Video Retrieval Method" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 10-40260.
However, method of expressing a logic structure inside the video information for video information including sounds and animation is unknown. Therefore, there are problems such that the use of video information is not easy as compared to other types of information, or that there are several restrictions in reproducing the video information. In other words, there is the problem that there has not been provided the user interface technique enabling improvement in adaptability of video information to operation, application, and treatment.
More specifically, there have been such defects in the conventional technology as (1) retrieval can not be made with respect to the internal information in the video information, (2) jumping to a required section in order to identify a required scene can not be executed unless the entire video information is checked once and marks are put at required sections, and (3) a dedicated device or technology is required for preparing a digest of video information.
With the conventional technology for retrieving video-images as described above it is possible to retrieve video information including a desired scene from a plurality of video information (such as, for instance, a plurality of movie contents) or to identify a position at which a desired scene is included in one video information. However, the techniques can not always be applied to all types of video information because of the defects as described below.
With the "Medium For Retrieving Animation Image Information And Device Therefor" in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 6-83877, the operator is required to find out a desired scene, by looking at a movie index previously prepared by copying a sequence of moving pictures. In this case, there is the problem that a video-image obtained as a result of retrieval depends on subjectivity of the operator who searches visually by checking the moving picture index, and also that a large volume of moving pictures can not be treated.
With the "Method And Device For Video Image Retrieval" disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-163479, it is required to successively display a series of images each showing a scene in video-information so that an operator can find out a desired scene from the displayed images. In this case, there is the problem that a video-image obtained as a result of retrieval depends on subjectivity of an operator searches visually by checking the moving picture index, and also that a large volume of moving pictures can not be treated.
With the "Animation Retrieving System" disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-221432, a desired video is retrieved by using a menu in which videos as objects for retrieval are classified, so that a work for classifying the videos as objects for retrieval is required. Therefore, there is a problem that the precision in retrieval varies depending on how the videos are classified for preparing a menu.
The "Video/Audio Raw Material Managing/Retrieval System" according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-18432 is for a system used in a business organization or a public facility treating a large volume of video information such as a broadcasting station. Therefore, there is the problem that the information which can be treated with this system is limited to video information such as that for a news program for which a text expressing the content switch characters exists.
With the "Method And Device For Retrieving Video Image"disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-50436, a keyword for retrieval is assigned to each video information, so that by inputting a retrieval keyword indicating desired audio information, to retrieve video information with a keyword for retrieval identical to the retrieval keyword can be retrieved. However, it is necessary to assign a keyword for retrieval taking into considerations contents of the entire video information as an object for retrieval when assigning a keyword for retrieval to the video information, so that it is disadvantageously troublesome to select and assign a keyword for retrieval when there are may topics in one video information, or when a time of one video information is long.
The "Video Retrieval Method" disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 10-40260 requires that character information such as superimposition is included in the video information as an object for retrieval, and can not be applied to video information not including character information.
Similarly, with the conventional technology as described above, there has not been provided a method for expressing a logic structure inside an audio information. Therefore, there are the problems that it is not easy to use audio information as compared to other types of information, or that there are some restrictions in reproducing audio information. In other words, a user interface enabling sufficient improvement in operating, processing, and treating audio information is not known.
Further a video retrieval system making it possible to easily retrieve internal information inside video information has not been provided in the conventional technology.

Recording medium with video index information recorded therein video information management method which uses the video index information, recording medium with audio index information recorded therein, audio information management method which uses the audio index information, video retrieval method which uses video index information, audio retrieval method which uses the audio index information and a video retrieval system

Information Broadcasting Laboratories, Inc.


An energy absorbing and transmitting material comprising a framework of interconnected units comprising at least one unit having a base and a protrusion or cone extending from the base along an axis, and at least one connecting member or rod that connects the unit to at least one adjacent unit, the connecting members extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of the unit from the base, where the framework is comprised of a single elastic material throughout, or configured so that when the framework is perturbed by tilting the unit towards the adjacent unit, the adjacent unit is tilted towards the unit.

Various materials may be used to absorb or dissipate energy from an impact, vibration or load which would otherwise be transmitted to an underlying structure or body. Such materials are used in a wide variety of applications where such absorption or dissipation is desirable, for example, in sporting equipment for contact sports, building materials, sound proofing materials, seating cushions or automobiles.
A common impact absorption apparatus is a sheet of material having a uniform thickness made of an elastic foam or rubber. A sheet of plastic foam may act as a cushion, absorbing some energy from a load or impact by the compression of the material, so less energy is transmitted through the material to the underlying structure.
There are a number of drawbacks for these impact-absorbing devices. Specifically, these devices typically rely on compression as the most important mechanism for reducing the transmission of force from an impact or load to any underlying structure. Consequently, their effectiveness in absorbing energy from impacts or loads is largely dictated by the thickness of the impact-absorbing material and its elasticity and density.
The required thickness of the impact-absorbing material in a molded piece device gives rise to a number of undesirable properties. When wearing such a device, the wearer's range of motion may be restricted because the thickness of the material required for effective impact-absorption reduces the flexibility of the device. The materials typically used are also typically limited in elasticity, further reducing flexibility. In addition, the thickness and coverage of the molded piece device limits the airflow between molded piece device and the body, causing body heat to be undesirably retained. The ability to make such a device lightweight is also limited by the dependence on the thickness of the material.
Such devices are typically only suitable for a relatively small range of impact forces, as the material will not provide the appropriate resistance outside of that range. Thin low density material does not generally provide sufficient energy absorption in an application where high-energy impacts are expected.
On the other hand, dense materials must be used with caution because of the possibility of injury or damage to the underlying material if they are too dense or rigid. Thus, in many applications, these devices tend to be less flexible or heavier than desirable because of the thickness required for a low enough density material to provide sufficient resistance in the case of an impact.
There are devices that include structural features and the use of composites to absorb energy. For example, there are materials which comprise two impact absorbing materials of different densities that are layered and held together by physical means, adhesives or welds. A softer, lower density material layer may present a more forgiving surface for body contact, while a denser, harder material layer provides more resistance at a reduced thickness. There are also materials that comprise a composite structure having a plurality of cones affixed onto a semi-rigid or rigid substrate of a different material.
While these devices provide some advantages over sheets of plastic foam, these devices rely on compression as the most important mechanism for reducing the force from impacts. Consequently, the effectiveness of these devices is dictated primarily by the thickness of the materials. Since the effectiveness of the devices generally depends on the amount and density of material present in the device, the ability to achieve a lightweight and flexible device is limited.
There is a need for an impact-absorbing structure that is flexible, lightweight and not bulky, and that responds differently depending on the level of force applied.

Energy absorption and distribution material


A method for mounting a head slider of the type having terminal pads to a wireless disk drive head suspension flexure including a slider mounting region, lead contact pads, and a deflectable and resilient slider engagement member for releasably mounting a head slider to the slider mounting region. The method includes engaging and deflecting the slider engagement member and positioning the head slider onto the slider mounting region and between the lead contact pads and the slider engagement member while the slider engagement member is deflected. The method further includes disengaging the slider engagement member and causing the slider engagement member to force the head slider into frictional engagement with the lead contact pads and the slider engagement member with the lead contact pads in mechanical and electrical contact with the head slider terminal pads.

Wireless or integrated lead flexures for magnetic disk drive suspension assemblies are known. Conventional wireless flexures are mounted to a load beam and include a plurality of leads and a structure (e.g., a tongue having a slider receiving surface) to which a head slider is mounted. The head slider is an electronic component including a magnetic read/write transducer which can read and/or write data from/to the magnetic disk. In conventional flexures, the head slider is fixedly mechanically mounted to the flexure (e.g., by adhesive) and electrically connected to the leads (e.g., by solder or conductive gold ball bonding). Testing is typically performed on the assembled flexure and slider or suspension assembly before they are incorporated into a disk drive. Such testing may include, for example, dynamic electrical testing as is know in the art. Because the slider is fixedly mounted to the flexure of the suspension assembly, the entire suspension assembly must be discarded if the slider is rejected for failing one or more of these tests.
Accordingly, there is a need for a flexure and method for releasably mounting a head slider for testing the slider. In particular, there is a need for a wireless flexure that can serve as a tool or fixture for releasably mounting a head slider for testing the slider as well as a production flexure assembly to which the slider can be fixedly mounted.

Method for releasably mounting a head slider to a disk drive head suspension


There is provided a signal receiving apparatus including first to pth stage computers configured to apply, in a step-by-step manner, butterfly operations to 2N input values; and 2N registers configured to store values obtained by a p−1th stage computer wherein the pth stage computer includes (a) 2L butterfly operation circuits configured to transmit, from corresponding 2M output ports, values obtained by the butterfly operations based on values provided to 2M input ports and (b) 2L selecting circuits arranged corresponding to the butterfly operation circuits, each selecting circuit providing a value of a register corresponding to different one of 2L BFInOrder_i(j,t) (wherein, BFInOrder_i(j,t) denotes values obtained by converting BFOutOrder_i(j,t)=t+j*2(N−M)+i*2N−(M+L) or (2(N−(M+L))−1−t)+j*2(N−M)+i*2(N−(M+L)) expressed by base H to base 2M of (log2M 2N)−1 words, word-reversing the values converted to base 2M, and converting the word-reversed values to the base H).

There is a technique of changing an order of output data of a fast Fourier transform (FFT) unit to an order suitable for a latter circuit in order to reduce the power consumption of the latter circuit of the FFT unit. JP-A 11-298436 (Kokai) discloses a method of applying a de-interleaving process to output data of an FFT circuit to change the order of the output data to set an order suitable for a demodulating process by a latter stage. However, a large number of registers that hold values of the output data and selectors are necessary for a processing block that executes the de-interleaving process, and there is a problem that the circuit size increases.

Signal receiving apparatus and communication system


There is disclosed a reinforcement member with a carrier member and a reinforcement material disposed on the carrier member.

For many years, industry and particularly the transportation industry has been concerned with designing structural reinforcement members for articles of manufacture such as automotive vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,755,486; 4,901,500; and 4,751,249 describe prior art reinforcing devices. Design of such reinforcement members can involve a number of competing factors. For example, it can be difficult to provide adequate or desirable reinforcement while maintaining lower weights for the reinforcement members. In turn, it can become quite desirable to bolster or enhance the strength of such reinforcement members without significantly adding to the weight of such reinforcement members. Thus, the present invention seeks to provide an improved structural reinforcement member with added strength characteristics, relatively low weight and/or other desirable characteristics.

Structural reinforcement member and method of use therefor


A method for producing an electrophotographic toner including forming a toner base particle by emulsifying or dispersing a solution or dispersion of a toner material comprising a colorant, and any one of a binder resin and a binder resin precursor in an aqueous medium, and adding crystalline organic fine particles having an acid value of 20 mgKOH/g to 80 mgKOH/g into the aqueous medium, before, during or after the forming so as to attach the crystalline organic fine particles onto a surface of the toner base particle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing an electrophotographic toner, an electrophotographic toner, a full-color image forming method, and a full-color image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in the field of an image forming technology utilizing electrophotography, there is an ever-increasing competition in the development of an apparatus for color image formation that can realize high-speed image formation and, at the same time, can yield a color image having high image quality (technology for forming high grade color image). For this reason, in order to form a full color image at a high speed, the so-called tandem system has become extensively adopted in methods for image formation. In the tandem system, a plurality of electrophotographic photoconductors (otherwise referred to as photoconductor or photoconductors, simply) are tandemly arranged. Images for respective color components are formed in respective electrophotographic photoconductors. The formed images are superimposed on top of each other on an intermediate transfer medium, and the superimposed images are transferred at a time on a recording medium (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 07-209952 and 2000-075551).
The use of the intermediate transfer medium is effective in preventing the transfer of smear directly onto a recording medium such as paper when smear has occurred on the electrophotographic photoconductors during development. Since, however, in the system using the intermediate transfer medium, two transfer steps, that is, a step of transfer from the electrophotographic photoconductor to the intermediate transfer medium (primary transfer) and a step of transfer from the intermediate transfer medium to a recording medium to give a final image (secondary transfer), are performed, the transfer efficiency is lowered.
On the other hand, in addition to the above problem, there is a demand for the formation of a high-quality full color image. To meet this demand, a developer has been designed for improving an image quality. In order to cope with the demand for the improved image quality, particularly in a full color image, there is an increasing tendency toward the production of a toner having a smaller particle diameter, and studies have been made on faithful reproduction of a latent image to be formed on a photoconductor. Regarding the reduction in particle diameter, a process for producing a toner by a polymerization process has been proposed as a method that can regulate the toner so as to have a desired shape and surface structure (for example, Japanese Patent No. (JP-B) 3640918, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 06-250439). In the toner produced by the polymerization process, in addition to the control of the diameter of toner particles, the shape of toner particles can also be controlled. A combination of this technique with a particle size reduction can improve the reproducibility of dots and narrow lines, and can reduce pile height (image layer thickness), whereby an improvement in image quality can be expected.
When a toner having a small particle diameter is used, however, non-electrostatic adhesion between the toner particle and the electrophotographic photoconductor or between the toner particle and the intermediate transfer medium is increased. Accordingly, the transfer efficiency is likely to be further lowered. This leads to such an unfavorable phenomenon that, when the toner having a small particle diameter is used in a high-speed full-color image forming apparatus, the transfer efficiency, particularly in the secondary transfer is significantly lowered. The reason for this is that the degree of difficulty of transfer is increased because, due to the reduction in particle diameter of the toner, the non-electrostatic adhesion to the intermediate transfer medium per toner particle is increased, a plurality of color toners are present in a superimposed state in the secondary transfer, and, due to an increase in speed, the period of time, for which the toner particle undergoes a transfer electric field in a nip portion in the secondary transfer, is decreased.
Further increasing the transfer electric field in the secondary transfer is considered effective in overcoming the above problem. However, when the transfer electric field is excessively increased, the transfer efficiency disadvantageously decreases. Accordingly, there is a limitation on this technique.
Prolonging the period of time for which the toner particle undergoes the transfer electric field by increasing the width of the nip portion in the secondary transfer is also considered. In a contact-type voltage application system using a bias roller and the like, in order to increase the nip width, only any one of a method in which the contact pressure of the bias roller is increased, and a method in which the roller diameter of the bias roller is increased, can be adopted. Increasing the contact pressure has a limitation from the viewpoints of image quality, and increasing the roller diameter has a limitation from the viewpoint of a reduction in size of the apparatus. In a non-contact-type voltage application system using a charger or the like, the nip width in the secondary transfer should be increased, for example, by increasing the number of chargers. Accordingly, this also has a limitation. For the above reason, it can be said that, particularly in high-speed machines, it is practically impossible to increase the nip width so as to obtain transfer efficiency higher than that in the present stage.
On the other hand, a method has been proposed in which the type and addition amount of additives are regulated (particularly, additives having a large particle diameter is added) as a method that reduces the non-electrostatic adhesion between a toner particle and an electrophotographic photoconductor or between the toner particle and an intermediate transfer medium (for example, JP-A No. 2001-066820 and JP-B No. 3692829). According to this method, by virtue of the non-electrostatic adhesion reduction effect, the toner particle can realize improvement in transfer efficiency. Further, in this method, additional effects such as stability of development and improvement in cleaning effect can be attained.

Method for producing electrophotographic toner, electrophotographic toner, full-color image forming method and full-color image forming apparatus


An architecture for facilitating wavelength-specific and packet-switched routing comprises a primary metropolitan fiber ring, a primary distribution/aggregation node in the primary metropolitan fiber ring and a local service domain further comprising a secondary aggregation node in communication with the primary distribution/aggregation node. A network to provide local metropolitan switching and routing and broadband local access distribution described in terms of its component layers comprises a distribution/aggregation routing layer that interfaces with a primary fiber metropolitan ring and a local customer primary distribution/aggregation node via transport branches of a mesh architecture, a local distribution and routing layer that routes specific wavelengths and newly assigned wavelengths to and from a customer's premises and a cross-connect layer that handles customer specific wavelength and packet routing via one of fiber, millimeter wave radio and free space optical communications.

Free Space Optical Communications (FSOC) and millimeter wave radio technologies are a relatively new but potentially critical access technologies for broadband last mile access for building-to-building, LAN, metropolitan and ultimately residential neighborhood distribution. Market estimates predict the FSOC industry alone will be a $3 billion market by 2005.
FSOC technologies have been utilized for stadium, campus and building-to-building and private network applications since the late 1980's. Only recently have technologies, market demand and broadband access issues converged to migrate this technology toward mainstream telecommunications and local access network distribution applications. AT&T and other vendors desiring to enter local access markets but with no heritage equipment or infrastructure to do so may take advantage of this technology.
The creation or re-creation of existing metallic access infrastructure across the country to support traditional "wired" broadband access services would prove both very expensive and limiting in the long term for service providers in their efforts to bring broadband services to the customer. Hence AT&T's ongoing efforts in the cable industry and legal challenges for access rights to the existing local exchange carrier (LEC) infrastructure. These traditional metallic and newer cable and DSL deployment strategies may gain moderate bandwidth to AT&T's customers near term, but the existing metallic infrastructure will ultimately not support the surge in consumer bandwidth demand expected over the next ten years. Clearly an alternative technology and infrastructure solution are needed that can be created and deployed in parallel to the existing infrastructure but capable of handling the bandwidth expectation of the near future access networks.
The obvious answer to the near future bandwidth demand challenge is the ubiquitous deployment of fiber optics access networks and fiber-to-the-curb/fiber-to-the-home (FTTC/FTTH). But like other cabled technologies, fiber must be physically laid or hung between connecting nodes, the issues of trenching, rights of way and costs of fiber deployment and vulnerability, itself have significantly delayed earlier optimistic plans for wide scale fiber deployment and are likely to slow deployment even more as increasing cost overheads erode the fiber access business plans and amortization over a customer base. This leaves no clear or easy fiber-to-customer based solution.
Point-to-point wireless is an attractive intermediate broadband alternative to widespread fiber based broadband deployment. Millimeter wave radio can provide moderate bandwidth (OC3-12) over short distances, is rapidly and easily deployed/installed, without the need for physical connectivity to the customer or other issues associated with rights of way. On the down side millimeter wave radio, is a shared medium and subject to regulatory and spectrum license control. Further, millimeter wave radio is a line-of-sight system and subject to weather related limitations. Channel reuse is limited thereby suppressing the scalability of a radio access deployment within a residential or metropolitan customer base.

Metropolitan networks based on fiber and free space access distribution system


The present invention relates generally to a detachable windshield for use primarily on motorcycles. In particular, it pertains to a windshield that may be quickly installed and removed from its place on the motorcycle without tools, and which requires no hardware to be permanently or semi-permanently attached to the vehicle. It further pertains to piecewise planar windshields that have been stiffened and strengthen by placing one or more vertical creases therein. It also pertains to detachable motorcycle windshields that are optically distortionless or nearly so.

A motorcycle windshield, or windscreen as it is also called, is a piece of accessory equipment that may be found on many motorcycles, and occasionally on bicycles, a windshield being a generally transparent guard through which the motorcyclist looks to see the road ahead. Although they are otherwise usually fully equipped when sold, most motorcycles do not come from the factory with an installed windshield and, as such, windshields are a popular after-sale accessory purchase.
Motorcycle windshields are generally mounted either on the frame or on the handlebars (the later being alternatively called "fork mounted") of the vehicle out in front of the rider. A properly designed windshield deflects at least a portion of the onrushing force of the wind over and around the rider and may additionally act to intercept and deflect small debris such as sand, pebbles, and bugs away from the rider, even small debris such as these becoming painful projectiles at highway speeds.
Broadly speaking, motorcycle windshields are of two sorts: removable and permanent. A removable windshield is one that is designed to be taken off of the vehicle and reinstalled as needed, whereas a "permanent" windshield is expected to remain installed indefinitely. In some sense, of course, all windshields are removable eventually, but the preferred removable windshield for purposes of this application is one that can be easily attached and detached from the vehicle, preferably without tools.
Many motorcyclists prefer to use windshields when making longer trips at highway speeds, but find them unnecessary--or even an annoyance--for short trips around town. This sort of rider appreciates a windshield that can be removed from the motorcycle and reinstalled as needed. However, a typical mounting arrangement for a removable windshield may require wrench tightening of at least two bolts, a fact that brings about a certain reluctance to install or remove it. Additionally, when the rider is away from home, it may be necessary to carry the tools to temporarily remove the device for local travel at a remote destination. Thus, the preferred windshield for use in this sort of situation is one that can be completely removed and reinstalled again without tools.
Additionally, other things being equal, most owners would prefer a removable motorcycle windshield that can be installed without making a permanent modification to the vehicle. In particular, some removable windshields require the installer to drill one or more holes into the frame or handlebars of the vehicle so that mounting hardware may be installed. Many riders--and especially those that drive classic or collector motorcycles--might desire to add a windshield to his or her bike, but would not do so because of the decrease in value that such permanent modifications might bring.
Further, even when the windshield does not require permanent modification to the vehicle as part of its installation, it is often the case that an otherwise easily-removed windshield will still requires some semi-permanent mounting fixtures to be attached to the vehicle, semi-permanent meaning for purposes of this application a fixture that cannot be removed without tools. In these cases it may be relatively easy to remove the shield itself, but residual mounting hardware remains attached to the vehicle thereafter. This is not only unsightly, but can make it difficult to thoroughly clean the vehicle, as road dirt inevitably accumulates around the mounting hardware.
Safety should always be a concern with motorcycle equipment and, in fact, a windshield does generally increase the safety of the rider by intercepting some small projectiles that might otherwise strike him or her. However, the use of a windshield--either permanent or removable--raises the possibility of injuries to the rider of another sort, and the preferred windshield is one that is designed to minimize this risk. In particular, when a motorcyclist is involved in an accident, it is not uncommon for the rider to be thrown forward over the front of the vehicle. In that case, the rider may impact against the windshield, thereby injuring himself or herself more than he or she might otherwise. A windshield must be solidly mounted on the motorcycle so as to resist the force of the wind and road projectiles. On the other hand, a windshield that does not "give" when a rider is thrown against it from behind can cause serious injury over and above those injuries that the rider might otherwise experience. Thus, the ideal windshield, whether removable or permanent, is one that resists blows and forces coming from the front of the vehicle and yields to blows coming from the rear of the vehicle, thereby reducing the risk of injury to the rider in certain kinds of accidents.
Another safety concern related to motorcycle windshields is that they are sometimes made of cast acrylic materials, a relatively brittle material that can shatter into jagged pieces when stressed. As might be expected, these jagged edges can pose a safety hazard to the motorcyclist in some situations. An advantage of using cast acrylic materials is that they can be easily and cost-effectively molded into almost any conceivable shape by techniques such as hot forming or vacuum forming. However, this advantage comes at the expense of an increased risk of injury to the rider.
Finally, although it is often taken for granted that a windshield should be optically transparent (or nearly so) so that the road ahead can be clearly perceived, it is quite common--in fact it is virtually the rule--that the manufacturing process introduces mild to severe optical distortions into a modern motorcycle windshield. By way of example, consider the windshield illustrated in Willey, U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,973. This windshield is typical in that it has been formed into a contoured shape, with the various contours being arranged so as to avoid, among other things, the instruments and handlebar mounts. Additionally, contouring of the windshield shape can also be used to improve its aerodynamics. However, radially molded designs such as the one illustrated in Willey, although they might be cost effective to manufacture, inevitably distort, at least somewhat, images viewed therethrough. In particular, a curved section of a windshield tends to act like a lens, causing parallel "rays" of light to either converge (concave section) or diverge (convex section). In either case, this bending of light rays results in perceived distortion to objects seen through the windshield. Further, since the head and eyes of motorcycle rider are in near constant motion (due to road irregularities, if nothing else), objects in the road ahead will be viewed at different times through different sections of the windshield (each potentially having its own radius of curvature), which creates the possibility for eyestrain and inaccurate perception. On the other hand, a planar windshield contains no such variational sources of distortion and, to the extent that the materials it is made from are optically distortionless, it will offer relatively distortionless viewing.
In the past the motorcyclist has been faced with a dilemma: he or she must either choose a windshield that is easy to attach and detach but that requires some sort of permanent hardware mount to be affixed to the vehicle, or a windshield that does not require a permanent attachment to the vehicle but is more difficult to remove. For example, Armstrong U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,035 discloses a windshield that is easy to remove, as it requires little more than slipping the device onto preinstalled bushings. However, the bushings are installed by drilling holes into the motorcycle frame, a practice that permanently defaces the vehicle. On the other hand, inventors such as Comiskey, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,266, and Gager, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,445, teach windshields that do not require a permanent modification to the vehicle, but which cannot be completely removed without some effort and / or tools.
Similarly, many of the prior art windshields are molded into contoured shapes (e.g., Comiskey Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 2,675,266, and Saunders, U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,650), so the prospective windshield purchaser has often had little choice but to purchase a windshield that distorts at least a portion of his or her field of vision.
Thus, what is needed is a removable motorcycle windshield that can be completely installed onto and removed from the vehicle without tools. Additionally, this windshield should require no permanent or semi-permanent mounting hardware to be attached to the vehicle. Further, the windshield should be as optically distortionless as possible and made of a material that will not shatter upon impact. Finally, the windshield should be resistant to solid blows from the front but designed to separate easily and completely from the vehicle when struck from behind, thereby tending to protect the rider in the event of an accident.
Before proceeding to a description of the instant invention, however, it should be noted and remembered that the description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the examples (or preferred embodiments) shown and described. This is so because those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be able to devise other forms of this invention within the ambit of the appended claims.


A device for removing the hide from a carcass of an animal comprising a base plate including a clamping hole disposed thereon, means for securing a cable thereto, a notch disposed thereon for guiding the cable away from the securement means, and means for securing the hide to an externally positioned and prepared animal carcass through the clamping hole of the base plate, so that when the cable is pulled, the hide is torn away from the carcass.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for handling and preparing game animals and more particularly pertains to devices which may be used to remove the hide from game animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of devices for handling and preparing game animals is known in the prior art. More specifically, devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of handling and preparing game animals are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
For example, a sportsman's game and fish cleaning station illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,188 to Hyde includes an aluminum support bar for suspending game to be cleaned. A clamping system forcibly sandwiches at least a portion of a game animal to be cleaned or skinned to the bar.
A portable small game holder as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,790 to Horvath is a device having two flat rectangular plate arms joined by a hinge, the outer ends containing a slot into which the carcass of a game animal is fitted. A collapsible dressing hook for animals is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,357 to Morris.
Other relevant patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,502,41 to Runyan and 5,050,409 to Allamanche.
None of the devices, however, eliminate the strain of pulling and tugging to separate the hide from the carcass, the use of handling a sharp knife when separating the hide from the carcass, or the possibility of placing loose animal hair on the meat while removing the hide from the carcass, or cut skinning time by at least 75 percent.
In this respect, the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of removing the hide from a carcass of an animal.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved device which can be used to remove the hide from the carcass of an animal. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Device for handling and preparing game animals


A cryogenic fluid distribution device may include a fluid flow passage for distributing cryogenic fluid to an apparatus, an overflow passage positioned downstream of the apparatus, and a sensor coupled to the overflow passage, the sensor having an active component for determining if fluid is present in the overflow passage.

It is common practice to cool certain types of radiation detectors to cryogenic temperatures where high precision is required. Cooling of the detectors to a very low temperature reduces the effects of thermal noise on the detectors' output signals.
To maintain the detectors at both a relatively low and substantially constant temperature, the detectors are normally thermally isolated from the ambient environment by insulation. Moreover, a cooling agent, commonly liquid nitrogen, normally cools the detectors. However, other liquefied gasses may be used depending on the temperature at which the detectors should be maintained.
A known type of cryogenically cooled detector structure includes a Dewar in which inner and outer vessels forming the Dewar are cylindrical and are constructed of aluminum. The inner vessel is suspended from the top of the outer vessel by a short, thick, fiberglass-epoxy tube that is cemented at its junctions with the inner and outer vessels with epoxy resin. The tube provides thermal isolation between the inner and outer vessels, but permits liquid cooling agent to be manually poured into the inner vessel through a hole in the top of the outer vessel.
A detector may be mounted to the cylindrical outer surface of the inner vessel so that heat from the detector can be transferred directly to the relatively cool wall of the inner vessel. Radiation may be admitted to the detector through a window mounted in the cylindrical sidewall of the outer vessel. Typically, this window is held in place by a custom formed copper fitting and an elastomer o-ring engaged to the fitting to seal the space between the inner and outer vessels from the ambient atmosphere.
Cryogenically cooled detector structures that include Dewars that use liquid nitrogen or other cooling agents should be refilled with the cryogenic coolant on a periodic basis to replace liquid coolant that has evaporated over time. This is accomplished via a fill port integral with the detector structures. Conventionally, this refilling of the detector structures requires the manual intervention of an operator on a regular basis.

Automatic LN2 distribution system for high-purity germanium multi-detector facilities


A write driver circuit for a magnetic storage medium that communicates with a write head having first and second nodes comprises a first driver circuit having a first input, a first output that communicates with the first node, and a first feedback path between the first input and the first output. A second driver circuit has a second input, a second output that communicates with the second node, and a second feedback path between the second input and the second output. A first write current circuit selectively drives current through the write head in a first direction. A second write current circuit selectively drives current through the write head in a second direction. A first boost circuit decreases a first transition period between current flowing in the first direction and current flowing in the second direction.

Conventional data storage systems typically write information onto a recording surface of a magnetic storage medium. These systems typically include a write head and a write driver circuit. The magnetic storage medium may be a disk drive of a computer. The write head may be an inductive coil, although other types of write heads may be used.
Information is written to the magnetic storage medium by switching a direction of current flowing through the write head. A magnetic field that is produced by the write head is stored by the magnetic storage medium. One polarity represents one digital value and the opposite polarity represents the other digital value. Data storage rates of these systems are proportional to a rate that the write driver circuit can change the direction of the write current through the write head.

Write driver circuit for magnetic data storage systems


A spray arm assembly and a washing appliance having the same are disclosed. The spray arm assembly includes a spray arm, a spray arm seat, and balls. The spray arm is connected to the spray arm seat, and the spray arm is rotatable relative to the spray arm seat. The balls are provided at positions where the spray arm and the spray arm seat are connected and fitted.

At present, washing appliances, such as dishwashers, are getting popular among users thanks to the convenience provided by the appliances. Generally speaking, the cleaning performance of the washing appliances is the most prioritized by users. One factor that affects the cleaning performance of washing appliances is spray arms of the washing appliances. When washing appliances are working, spray arms rotate and spray washing liquid to dishes at a high speed to achieve the purpose of cleaning the dishes. In the related art, the main method to connect a spray arm and a spray arm seat is using a snap-fit connection with flanges, but this connection method may cause a large gap between the spray arm and the spray arm seat. When the spray arm is working, water in the spray arm can easily leak away through the gap, degrading the cleaning effect. In addition, when relative movement occurs between the spray arm and the spray arm seat, friction between the two is sliding friction, so the lost hydrodynamic power is relatively considerable. Moreover, the snap-fit connection directly leads to a large height size of the spray arm seat and the spray arm, which causes space-wasting in an inner container of the washing appliance and reduced space for placing parts to be cleaned inside the washing appliance.

Spray arm assembly and washing appliance having same

FOSHAN SHUNDE MIDEA WASHING APPLIANCESMANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


Various embodiments of semiconductor manufacturing methods include releasing a transparent carrier from a semiconductor wafer assembly that includes a semiconductor wafer in which a plurality of semiconductor devices are formed, an adhesive layer coupled to the semiconductor wafer, a carrier release layer coupled to the adhesive layer, and the transparent carrier coupled to the carrier release layer. The method further includes controlling a laser system to emit a first beam characterized by first laser parameters toward the adhesive layer, where the first laser parameters are selected so that the first beam will compromise a physical integrity of the adhesive layer. The method further includes, after controlling the laser system to emit the first beam toward the adhesive layer, removing the adhesive layer from the semiconductor wafer.

Prior to performing a backgrinding operation to thin a semiconductor wafer during manufacturing, the wafer is mounted to a glass carrier to provide mechanical stability to the wafer. More particularly, a conventional process includes applying a light to heat conversion (LTHC) release layer to the glass carrier, and then attaching the wafer to the LTHC release layer with an adhesive. After the backgrinding operation, a laser is used to compromise the LTHC release layer, and the glass substrate is removed. The adhesive is then peeled from the wafer. In some instances, particularly when irregular features are present along the edge of the wafer and/or in the saw streets, the adhesive may not peel easily from the wafer. In such cases, the adhesive may tear during removal, and/or undesirable adhesive residue may remain on the wafer after removal of the bulk of the adhesive.

Methods for removing adhesive layers from semiconductor wafers


A low-temperature corrosion inhibited deicing composition is disclosed which comprises a major portion of magnesium chloride and an effective amount of an inhibitor including a polyphosphate salt to reduce corrosion, or a solution thereof. The solution form is preferred. Additional preferred aspects are provided where the inhibitor also includes a zinc-containing salt, and where the deicing composition is free from (or at least substantially so) chloride ions other than those due to the magnesium chloride. A method for low-temperature deicing of bridgework is described which includes the use of the inhibited deicing composition.

The present invention relates generally to methods and compositions for melting snow and/or ice covered surfaces. In particular, this invention relates to a corrosion inhibited deicing composition and the methods for its use in melting snow and ice from roadway surfaces.
As a part of some state and local highway departments' "dry pavement" policies designed to minimize ice and snow related traffic accidents, melting agents for removing hazardous ice and snow are routinely applied to roadway surfaces. For some time, sodium chloride has been the most widely used melting agent. However, sodium chloride is strongly corrosive of many structural metals. Consequently, the current use of sodium chloride to melt snow and ice on roadways has resulted in serious corrosion to the metal parts of highway structures and to the vehicles that travel the treated surfaces. The worst damage from corrosion occurs on bridges. Since bridges are one of the most expensive structures in a highway system, considerable effort and expense are put forth annually to preserve and repair them.
Magnesium chloride is also known to effectively melt ice and snow and because it melts ice at a much lower temperature than sodium chloride, it is often a preferred melting agent. Magnesium chloride is especially preferred in areas where seasonal temperatures often fall well below the freezing point of sodium chloride solutions, rendering the sodium salt useless as a melting agent until the ambient temperature increases sufficiently. Many highway departments, therefore, use solutions of magnesium chloride to melt ice. Even though magnesium chloride is a better low temperature melting agent than sodium chloride, magnesium chloride is similarly corrosive to highway structures and vehicles.
In addition, magnesium chloride has been used as an additive in sodium chloride based melting agents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,234, issued to Pinckernelle in 1970, teaches that magnesium chloride (or calcium chloride) and an alkali salt of an iron cyanide, when added to a major portion of sodium chloride, prevent caking and freezing of the resulting deicing composition. The magnesium chloride may be in an aqueous solution (brine) which is added to the rock salt sodium chloride or it may be added dry.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,202 issued to Neitzel in 1973 describes that magnesium chloride-containing brine solutions entrained in a solid sodium chloride phase results in a road salt composition which remains moist and spreadable at very low temperatures. The road salt composition is saturated in sodium chloride, the major component thereof. Ferrocyanides are an optional anti-caking ingredient. U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,504, also to Neitzel and issued in 1974, discloses a method for making these entrained brine compositions.
Efforts have been directed to minimizing the corrosive effects of road salt compositions. Such efforts mainly include the addition of corrosion inhibiting agents which apparently act to neutralize the tendency of the salt to corrode. It is known to use divalent metal ion salts and suitable counterions including chlorides in addition to polyphosphate salts to inhibit the corrosivity of sodium chloride. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,007 issued to Garber in 1989 discloses an inhibited deicing composition which includes a major amount of sodium chloride and also a corrosion inhibitor. The corrosion inhibitor is preferably either a zinc halide, acetate, nitrate, oxide or sulfate or a divalent magnesium source. It is interesting to note that the divalent magnesium source disclosed in the patent may be corrosive magnesium chloride salt. In addition to the zinc and magnesium source, the inhibitor includes a polyphosphate salt which is tripolyphosphate, hexametaphosphate or a mixture thereof.
In combination with other materials, polyphosphates have proven useful in preventing oxidative corrosion in recirculating cooling water systems which also contain chlorine as an antibacterial agent. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,790 to Foroulis issued in 1978 describes the use of polyphosphates, including alkali metal polyphosphates such as sodium hexametaphosphate. Foroulis teaches that the polyphosphate, to be effective, must be used along with a gluconate or else rapid conversion to insoluble orthophosphates occurs which adds to the formation of undesirable scale in the water system. The combination of gluconate and polyphosphate is taught to produce a synergistic effect which is not achieved by using either ingredient alone.
Spent sulfite liquor has been used to reduce the corrosivity of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chloride salts, including sodium and magnesium chloride salts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,416 issued to Neal in 1987 describes a process for making a deicing or dust control agent with reduced corrosivity which includes a spent sulfite liquor and a chloride salt in a proportion so that the lignosulfonates are present from about 1:25 to 15:1 of the metal chloride.
In contrast, the applicant has surprisingly discovered that polyphosphate salts may be used alone to effectively inhibit corrosion caused by magnesium chloride. The applicant is unaware of any use of polyphosphate salts to prevent corrosion caused by magnesium chloride. The inhibition is enhanced when zinc salts are added. Moreover, the applicant has discovered that if excess chloride ion (i.e. above that present as a counterion to magnesium) is kept to a minimum, the inhibitor is surprisingly more effective. The present invention thus limits the corrosiveness of ice and snow melting magnesium chloride salt, extending the life of highway structures and reducing maintenance thereon.

Corrosion inhibited deicing composition and method of its use


A method of making a tire includes making a carcass structure; applying a belt structure, tread band, and at least one pair of sidewalls; and vulcanizing the tire. Making the carcass structure involves formation of at least one first carcass ply, including preparing and depositing at least one continuous strip element onto a toroidal support in alternating deposition sections. Each deposition section extends in a substantially U-shaped conformation against a profile in transverse section of the toroidal support or a previously deposited deposition section, substantially over an entire length of the section, to define two side portions, a crown portion, and two transition regions defined between the side and crown portions. The crown portions of the deposition sections are arranged consecutively in side-by-side relationship along a circumferential extension of the toroidal support. Edges of circumferentially consecutive deposition sections abut evenly along their entire crown portions extending between the transition regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of making tires for vehicle wheels, comprising the steps of: manufacturing a carcass structure; applying a belt structure to the carcass structure at a circumferentially external position thereof; applying a tread band to the belt structure at a circumferentially external position thereof; applying at least one pair of sidewalls to the carcass structure at laterally opposite positions; vulcanizing the obtained tire.
2. Description of Related Art
Manufacture of tires for vehicle wheels involves formation of a carcass structure essentially consisting of one or more carcass plies substantially having a toroidal conformation and the axially opposite side edges of which engage respective circumferentially inextensible annular reinforcing elements called "bead cores".
Applied to the carcass structure, at a circumferentially external position thereof, is a belt structure comprising one or more belt strips in the form of a closed ring, essentially consisting of textile or metal cords suitably oriented relative to each other and to the cords belonging to the underlying carcass plies.
A tread band currently consisting of a strip of elastomer material of appropriate thickness is applied to the belt structure, at a circumferentially external position thereof. It is to point out that, to the aims of the present invention, by the term "elastomer material" it is intended a rubber blend in its entirety, that is the assembly made up of a base polymer suitably amalgamated with mineral fillers and/or additives of any other type.
Finally, to the opposite sides of the tire being manufactured a pair of sidewalls are applied, each of them covering a side portion of the tire included between a so-called shoulder region, located close to the corresponding side edge of the tread band, and a so-called bead located at the corresponding bead core.
In accordance with traditional production methods, essentially the above-listed tire components are first made separately from each other to be then assembled during a tire-manufacturing step.
For instance, for making the carcass ply or plies to be associated with the bead cores to form the carcass structure, production of a rubberized fabric comprising longitudinally-disposed continuous textile or metallic cords, through an extrusion and/or calendering process, is first required. This rubberized fabric is submitted to a transverse-cutting operation to produce lengths of predetermined sizes that are subsequently joined together so as to give rise to a continuous ribbon-like semifinished product having transversely-disposed parallel cords.
Then this article of manufacture is to be cut into pieces the length of which is correlated with the circumferential extension of the carcass to be made.
Production methods have been recently proposed which, instead of resorting to the production of semifinished products, make the carcass structure directly during the tire-manufacturing step.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,140, herein quoted as an example of the pertinent art, discloses a method and an apparatus according to which the carcass structure is formed by laying down a single continuous thread according to alternating deposition paths placed consecutively in side-by-side relationship in a circumferential direction, onto a toroidal support having a shape corresponding to the inner shape of the tire to be made.
In more detail, the toroidal support is previously coated with a raw-rubber layer having a dual function, i.e., that of conveniently adhering to the deposited thread so as to hold the individual deposition sections thereof at a fixed positioning, and that of forming an air-proof inner liner in the finished tire.
The individual thread, directly drawn from a reel, is engaged by sliding members leading it to a movable guide member operating at the toroidal support. The movable guide member moves in a sliding path of travel having an advance section and a return section mutually interconnected to form an endless line lying in a plane radial to the toroidal support. Each of the advance and return sections extends in a substantially C-shaped configuration around the profile in transverse section of the toroidal support.
In this way, each time the guide element covers one of the advance or return sections of the sliding path of travel, deposition of the thread onto the toroidal support is caused, thereby forming a deposition section extending in a U-shaped conformation around the profile in transverse section of the toroidal support itself.
At the instant intervening between formation of a deposition section and formation of the subsequent deposition section, the toroidal support is rotated through a predetermined angular pitch, making the apparatus ready for formation of a new deposition section disposed circumferentially in side-by-side relationship with the previously deposited section.
Pick-up devices making use of fork-shaped elements engage the thread at the end region of the just-formed deposition section, to prevent dragging along of the latter by the guide member during the initial formation step of the subsequent deposition section. Retention devices making use of presser elements conveniently act at the transition region between two deposition sections in succession to cause the end flaps thereof to adhere to the side surface of the toroidal support.
Tires obtained by this production method have a carcass structure in which the cords forming the carcass ply or plies consist of a single thread-like element forming a plurality of consecutive sections transverse to the tire, disposed parallel in side-by-side relationship in a circumferential direction and deposited in respectively opposite directions so as to define an alternated course.
Within the scope of the carcass structure manufacture, as can be learned from Patents EP 0,664,231, and EP 0,664,232, the deposition sections formed by the individual thread-like element are also provided to be placed in an alternated sequence at axially opposite positions relative to one or more annular anchoring elements constituting said bead cores.
In accordance with the present invention, within the tire-manufacturing scope, different advantages have been found to be achieved if the carcass ply or plies are made by depositing at least one strip-like element essentially comprising a layer of raw elastomer material incorporating two or more parallel thread-like elements disposed longitudinally, in alternated consecutive sections transverse to the tire.

Method of making a tire for a vehicle wheel


Microarrays are imaged by an illumination and detection system that supplies excitation light through one or more optical fibers, each fiber transmitting excitation light from an excitation light source to a single spot in the microarray. Emission light from each spot is then collected by a collimating lens and converted to a signal that is compiled by conventional software into an image of the entire microarray. The optical fiber(s) and the collimating lens are arranged such that the direction of travel of the excitation light and the direction along which the emission light is collected are not coaxial, and preferably both are at an acute angle to the axis normal to the plane of the microarray.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention resides in the field of imaging of microarrays by optical excitation of materials in the arrays and detection of the emissions resulting from the excitation, and particularly in systems for conveying excitation light to microarrays.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous devices are commercially available for reading DNA microarrays as well as microarrays of other materials. Examples of these devices are the Chip Scanner technologies of Affymetrix, Inc., Santa Clara, Calif., USA, confocal laser scanners of Agilent Technologies, Palo Alto, Calif., USA, the GenePix microarray scanners of Axon Instruments, Inc., Union City, Calif., USA, the DNAscope(trademark) confocal scanners of GeneFocus, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, the GeneTAC(trademark) microarray analyzers of Genomic Solutions, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., USA, the ScanArray(trademark) Microarray Analysis Systems of Packard BioScience Company, Meriden, Conn., USA, and laser scanning systems of Virtek Vision Corporation, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
These devices utilize a lens and mirror system that focuses excitation light from one or more lasers onto individual spots in an array of spots. The emission light from each spot is collected by a lens system with optical bandpass emission filters and one or more photomultiplier tube (PMT) detectors. An image of the array is formed by scanning the narrow excitation source beam and the emission collection optics over the sample. This is achieved by moving either the optics or the sample. This mechanism suffers limitations in sensitivity and in the level of detection and resolution of the resulting image. Systems with a common laser path generally suffer from dichroic optical filter efficiency problems, since rejection of the very strong excitation light is accompanied by rejection of a substantial portion of the much weaker emission light. Further inefficiencies arise from the laser scanning systems in these devices which use confocal pinholes to remove undesirable background, including crosstalk from neighboring array spots, since this reduces the signal light as well.
Devices are also available that deliver broadband white light onto a large area of the sample, and utilize a lens system with optical bandpass emission filters and a CCD detector to collect and quantify the emission light. In one such device, which is available from Applied Precision, Inc. of Issaquah, Wash., USA, and is described in International Patent Publication No. WO 00/62549, international publication date Oct. 19, 2000, a small area (a few square millimeters) is illuminated by a fiber optic ring illuminator. The illuminator is a multiple optical fiber bundle with a working distance ranging from several tenths of an inch to several inches to flood a large number of microarray spots with uniform illumination. Images are formed in panels, each containing all of the microarray spots that were simultaneously illuminated by the fiber bundle. Different image panels representing different portions of the sample are obtained by moving the sample relative to the optical system, and a sufficient number of image panels are collected in this manner to encompass the entire sample. Adjacent panels are then joined or xe2x80x9cstitchedxe2x80x9d together to form a complete image of the sample. Formation of the complete image in this manner requires an expensive precision motion stage, and the stitching is a complicated and laborious process, limiting the quality of the data that this device can generate. A similar device, available from Alpha Innotech Corporation of San Leandro, Calif., USA, floods the entire sample with light and uses a CCD camera to obtain an image of the entire microarray. Current commercially available CCD detectors are of limited resolution, however. In both the Applied Precision and Alpha Innotech devices, crosstalk occurs between array spots.
The present invention resides in illumination and detection systems for microarrays, the systems supplying excitation light through one or more optical fibers, each transmitting excitation light from one or more excitation light sources to a single spot in the array. Emission light generated by each spot is collected, preferably without the use of an optical fiber, by a collimating lens and converted by a detector to a signal that can be processed by conventional imaging software. The collimating lens is preferably used in conjunction with an optical filter. Further signals are obtained by rastering either the microarray or the optical system, and the various signals are compiled by imaging software to form an image of the entire microarray. This system is applicable to any microarrays that utilize labels that emit a signal upon optical excitation. Preferred labels are fluorophores and fluorescent emissions, but the invention extends as well to phosphors and other types of optically excitable labels known to those familiar with biochemical assays.
The optical system is arranged such that the direction of travel of the excitation light differs from the direction along which the emission light is collected, i.e., the two paths do not have a common axis. The optical fiber is configured to illuminate the spot directly, preferably at an acute angle relative to the axis normal to the microarray. The angle of incidence of the excitation light is preferably an acute angle as well. The illumination fiber is configured such that the beam emerging from the fiber is either non-diverging or only minimally diverging.
Preferred light sources are those supplying ultraviolet, visible, or near-infrared light, optically coupled with the optical fiber so that substantially all of the light from the light source enters the fiber for transmission to the spot to be illuminated. The result is substantially no loss of intensity between the light source and the spot. The optical fiber may be a simple fiber or one that includes a collimator, an optical filter, or a collimator-filter-collimator assembly, or any other optical elements or components that process the light in various ways that will enhance its use for particular applications and assays. The output tip of the fiber is preferably shaped to reduce the divergence of the emerging light beam.
Systems in accordance with this invention offer numerous advantages over the prior art. By illuminating only the test area of interest, these systems eliminate crosstalk and maximize the signal of interest. Furthermore, by separating the excitation and emission light paths, systems in accordance with this invention limit the excitation and emission optics to a single function each, thereby permitting individual optimization of these two optical systems. This leads to maximal signal collection and superior performance for any given level of detection and sensitivity. In systems in which the illumination fiber and the emission collection optics are at different angles relative to the normal axis, very little of the excitation light is detected in the emission light path, and a maximal signal-to-noise ratio is achieved. Systems in accordance with this invention thus provide a means of directing excitation light to each individual spot of a microarray in a highly efficient manner while minimizing crosstalk and optimizing the collection of emission light with the highest sensitivity and resolution. Furthermore, excitation systems of this invention require no additional lenses or other optical elements between the excitation fiber and the microarray, and can thus avoid the losses in light intensity that are often caused by these additional elements. In aspects of this invention that are directed to an optical fiber optically coupled directly to an LED or SLD light source, the coupled product is inexpensive, durable, and compact, and delivers bright light while generating minimal heat. This simplified yet highly efficient design presents advantages for packaging, cost and size reduction.

Imaging of microarrays using fiber optic exciter


An armored resistor (1) comprising a tubular casing (2) in which a metallic heating element (3) immersed in an electrically insulating material (4) is arranged. Furthermore, a first closing element (5) and a second closing element (6) of the tubular casing (2) are provided, in which the first closing element (5) is fluid-tightly fixed to the respective first end (7) of the tubular casing (2), and the second closing element (6) is provided with at least one at least one radial protrusion (15) which abuts on the second end (8) of the tubular casing (2), and which delimits at least one passage (16) communicating with the inside of the tubular casing (2), adapted to allow the passage of the electrically insulating material during the manufacturing of the armored resistor.

Armored electrical resistors are generally used in household appliances which are in contact with water, such as washing machines, dishwashers, boilers or the like. Typically, these resistors are formed by a resistance wire coaxially inserted in a tubular metal casing, which is filled with electrically insulating powder, e.g. magnesium oxide, which is then consolidated. The resistance wire is connected with pins which protrude from the ends of the casing and which have the function of connecting to the electrical power supply system.
Closing elements which are sealed to the casing are present at each end of the casing.
Disadvantageously, the sealing is generally performed by means of resins, e.g. epoxy or polyurethane. This implies the need to implement particularly complex polymerization processes by means of specific apparatuses, requiring a high degree of accuracy.
Furthermore, the armored resistors are disadvantageously formed by a relatively high number of parts, of which also several parts forming the casing, which are mutually joined, in general by brazing.
The armored resistors may envisage safety devices, typically a thermal fuse, which has the function of interrupting the electrical current in case of unexpected overheating of the heating element. In particular, the thermal fuse is usually arranged outside the tubular casing and electrically connected to the resistance wire by means of brackets, thus making the entire armored resistor bulkier and of more complex construction.
Disadvantageously, an armored resistor of this type has some drawbacks, in particular due to the length of the armored resistor itself. For example, for some applications it is desirable to have an armored resistor which does not exceed a given length. One of the reasons for reducing the size of the armored resistor is that the space available for housing it, is rather small. Another reason is related to excessive resistance, due to the excessive total length of its components, which implies a slower heat transmission from the heating element to the thermal fuse and a lower operating sensitivity of the latter, due to the longer distance between fuse and heating element, with consequent larger dimensions and longer reaction times of the thermal fuse. Less reliability and a shorter working life thus derive.
Although an armored resistor in which the thermal fuse is housed in a closing element has been suggested, such a solution is not free from drawbacks. A disadvantage is that the casing must be pressed in order to provide a better heat exchange between resistance wire and its casing. Such an operation is performed by making the entire armored resistor pass through a roller mill. This implies that the part in which the thermal fuse is housed is also subjected to the rolling pressure with the consequent risk of damaging the thermal fuse, which is a particularly delicate component. Disadvantages also appear when a thermal fuse is not envisaged; indeed, a roller mill cannot be used for compacting armored resistors shorter than a given length.
It is thus felt the need to make an armored resistor which allows to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks.

Armored resistor and manufacturing process thereof

I.R.C.A. S.P.A. INDUSTRIA RESISTENZE CORAZZATE E AFFINI


Described herein are systems and methods for identifying the similarity between language characters. As described herein, a pair of language characters is received at a language character match engine. The language character match engine is adapted to receive encoding configuration information from each of a plurality of encoding components, and is adapted to encode the pair of language characters based on the unique structure of each language character to generate a pair of string identification characters for each encoding component. Thereafter, each pair of string identification characters is compared to one another to generate a similarity score, and the similarity score for each pair of string identification characters is combined to create a composite similarity score. The composite similarity score represents a similarity between the pair of language characters, and is used to identify the similarity between the pair of language characters.

Traditionally, Chinese character data entry into a computer has been accomplished by: (1) using a phonetic encoding method, and (2) using a structure-based encoding method. Under phonetic encoding, such as PinYin, a person types the Roman characters that represent the sound of a Chinese character, and a list of Chinese characters that have that sound is presented. The person then selects the appropriate Chinese character from the list of Chinese characters that are presented.
Under structure-based encoding, such as Wubi, Cangjie, and Four-Corner, each Chinese character is encoded into a string of Roman characters based on the Chinese characters' structure. The encoded string of characters contains the structural information of the Chinese character, and can be used to determine the structural similarity of the Chinese character to other Chinese characters. This is because if two Chinese characters look similar, then their encoded strings are similar, and if two Chinese characters' encoded strings are similar, then the corresponding Chinese characters look similar.
However, because many Chinese characters are either similarly pronounced and/or similar in appearance, mistakes can be made during data entry. For example, mistakes can be made due to the structural similarity of the Chinese characters, where a Chinese character is read/interpreted incorrectly by the data entry clerk because the data entry clerk wrongly identified the Chinese character for a different (but similar looking) Chinese character. Mistakes can also be made when using a phonetic input method, where a different character that has the same (or similar) pronunciation is selected during data entry. Mistakes can further be made due to using an inappropriate structure-based input method, where a different character that has a similar encoding is entered.
These are the areas that embodiments of the invention are intended to address.

System and method for utilizing multiple encodings to identify similar language characters


A display device includes a pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels. Each of the plurality of sub-pixels includes: a light-emission region; and a non-light-emission region other than the light-emission region. The light-emission region includes one or more effective light-emitting parts in which a first electrode, a light emitting layer, and a second electrode are stacked in order, and a light guide provided on side of the one or more effective light-emitting parts on which light is extracted.

The disclosure relates to a display device suitable for, for example, an organic EL (electroluminescence) display device, and an electronic apparatus including the display device.
An organic EL display device is utilized in various electronic apparatuses such as a television device, an electronic viewfinder, and a mobile terminal. Moreover, utilization of the organic EL display device makes it possible to constitute a transmission, i.e., see-through display device. The see-through display device has background transparency, and is able to display an image in a superimposed or merged relation to the background. The background transparency refers to a state in which a background of an image is seen through the image. In the see-through display device, generally, transparent conductive films are used for its electrodes, to obtain the background transparency. Meanwhile, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-14859 describes a see-through display device in which a non-translucent electrode is disposed in a partial region of a pixel, to allow light to pass through a region devoid of the non-translucent electrode.


In one embodiment, a charge-pump controller is formed to control a value of current supplied to a load.

The present invention relates, in general, to electronics, and more particularly, to methods of forming semiconductor devices and structure.
In the past, the semiconductor industry utilized various methods and structures to form switched capacitor step-up voltage circuits. One example of such a step-up voltage circuit was a charge-pump circuit such as a voltage doubler circuit. The voltage doubler generally used a capacitor that was alternately charged to a voltage and then coupled in series with the input voltage to power a load. In most applications, the voltage doubler used four transistors configured as two transistor pairs that were alternately switched to provide the desired charging of the capacitor. In some cases, the voltage doubler included a feedback loop that was used to set the value of the output voltage formed by the voltage doubler.
In some cases when the voltage doubler was used to regulate current, it was difficult to obtain good regulation, low pin count, and low cost with one single circuit charge-pump circuit. These three parameters generally were traded off against one another in order to achieve either low-cost, accurate regulation, or low pin count.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a charge-pump circuit that has low pin count, that has a low cost, and that provides accurate regulation.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements. Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description. As used herein current carrying electrode means an element of a device that carries current through the device such as a source or a drain of an MOS transistor or an emitter or a collector of a bipolar transistor or a cathode or anode of a diode, and a control electrode means an element of the device that controls current through the device such as a gate of an MOS transistor or a base of a bipolar transistor. Although the devices are explained herein as certain N-channel or P-Channel devices, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that complementary devices are also possible in accordance with the present invention. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the words during, while, and when as used herein are not exact terms that mean an action takes place instantly upon an initiating action but that there may be some small but reasonable delay, such as a propagation delay, between the reaction that is initiated by the initial action.

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