The invention is a gutter cap for ducting rainwater to a rainwater gutter, while simultaneously deflecting debris. The invention is particularly suitable for retrofitting pre-existing aluminum gutters. The gutter cap can be installed with minimum tools and with no disruption to the existing gutter. The gutter cap is comprised of a sloped cover, which uses the attraction of water to bend water around a hooked edge as it drains across the sloped cover and ducts it into the trough. The cover, which forms a roof over the gutter""s trough, is mounted with mounting blocks that snap on the cross-struts supporting the gutter, and these mounting blocks interlocks with the hooked edge of the cover. An opposing longitudinal edge on the cover is attached to the fascia board of the roof using a few screws or nails.

This invention relates generally to a rain gutter, and more particularly to a rain gutter cap for equipping a new rain gutter or an existing rain gutter with a cover, wherein the cover excludes debris from entering the tough of the rain gutter.
The literature is replete with various systems for keeping debris out of rain gutters, while allowing water to freely enter and be conveyed by the gutter.
Layton, U.S. Pat. No. 2,271,081, teaches a rain gutter comprising an xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped trough member supported by hangers, and a cover. The cover (a.k.a. cap) has staggered slots or elongate apertures. The cover is held in place by pins and by nesting with a comparably hooked frontal edge of the trough member.
Ealer, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,837, discloses a gutter screen for covering a gutter, where the gutter screen is a cover that prevents debris from falling into the gutter. The gutter screen has a frontal xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d shaped leading edge that attaches to the frontal edge of the trough, which has an inward turned lip, wherein the frontal xe2x80x9cVxe2x80x9d shaped leading edge receives and secures the inward turned lip. The rear edge of the gutter screen is disposed between a first course of shingles on the roof and the underlining structural roof. Rows of depressed channels are provided in the cover for directing rainwater through slots in the cover. Each channel and slot is sized so that water is directed into the channel through the slot and into the gutter, and such that debris is not trapped in the channel or the slot. There is no discussion of how the cover is supported across the width of a sectional length of cover.
Pietersen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,810, discloses a gutter cover for reducing the amount of debris entering a gutter. The cover is positioned over a gutter by having a rear fastenable edge that is secured between a first course of shingles and the underlining structural roof, and a frontal edge that rests upon the frontal edge of the gutter. The cover, which is comprised of an elastic material, has a thin portion, which acts as a living hinge, therein allowing the cover to pivot upwards away from the gutter frontal edge, for repair and cleaning. The cover is provided with a plurality of recessed perforations, which receive rainwater while debris washes over the cover.
Vahamaki, U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,191, teaches a gutter shield which covers and prevents debris from entering through the open top of a gutter. The gutter shield is attached to the gutter by a frontal edge, which is fastened by screws to the gutter and a rear edge flange secured between the first course of shingles and the underlining structural roof. The shield has a plurality of parallel vanes, of which each has a series of slots for receiving rainwater. The slots are sized so that debris will not pass into the gutter.
South, U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,381, teaches a perforated cover which attaches over the top of a rain gutter. The gutter is provided with frontal and rear edges (both upper and lower) having an xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped channel, and periodic vertical mounting brackets having an upper downward directed xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d and a lower upward directed xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d (i.e. like a curtain rod), wherein the bracket serves as an interlocking channel to secure the back wall of the gutter. The perforated cover has an xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped rear edge, and a flanged frontal edge, such that the frontal edge of the gutter receives the flange of the cover, and the upper rear edge of the gutter receives the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shaped rear edge of the cover, wherein the rear edge of the cover is also partially secured by the mounting bracket. There is no discussion of how the cover is supported across the width of a sectional length of cover.
Shouse, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,450, teaches a rain gutter having a gutter shield for preventing the ingress of particulates into the gutter. The gutter shield has a solid upper surface and a generally vertical frontal surface that has a first row of rain guiding apertures and a second row of rain receiving apertures inscribed therein.
Sullivan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,209,741, discloses a removable screen attached over a top portion of a gutter to prevent entrance of foreign material into the gutter.
Jacobs, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,464, discloses a gutter system having a strap for supporting a screen on the gutter. The screen allows the passage of rainwater there while preventing the entrance of foreign material into the gutter.
In general, all of the foregoing systems are designed to be installed as a complete unit, and are not suitable for retrofitting an existing rain gutter. Another characteristic is that the prior art does not disclose the use of supports across the width of a sectional length of cover. Supports add strength to long sections of cover, which can be subjected to substantial weight if debris collects on the cover. The majority of existing rain gutters are simple troughs, fabricated out of aluminum sheet metal. Each trough is reinforced with an xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shaped cross-strut, that simultaneously braces the front wall of the trough and affixes the back wall to the eave of the roof. What is desired is a gutter cap that can be easily affixed to a new rain gutter and/or retrofitted to an existing gutter. An additional need is a gutter cover or cap that provides support widthwise for the cover.
The present invention is a gutter cap that can be facilely retrofitted to an existing rain gutter as well as a new rain gutter. The present invention is particularly suited for an aluminum sheet metal rain gutter. The gutter cap comprises a cover, a mounting block and a fastening means. The process of mounting the cover requires very few tools and substantially employs interlocking portions on the mounting block for attaching the cover to existing components of the rain gutter. The typical aluminum rain gutter is comprised of a trough having an upwardly opening mouth, at least two mounting brackets, at least two end-capping pieces, at least one downspout stream-split piece with a down spout extension, and often at least one cornering piece. The mounting bracket of a rain gutter, which is attached to a fascia plank, generally is comprised of a cross-strut for supporting a front wall of the trough and a hanging strap for supporting the back wall. In some instances the bottom of the trough is also supported. The cover is supported across the width of the opening mouth of a sectional length of cover with at least one mounting block. The cover of the gutter cap is affixed to the rain gutter utilizing snap-on hardware to connect to the cross-strut of the installed rain gutter.
The mounting block has an overall shape that defines a volume that corresponds roughly to the shape of a block xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d or a block xe2x80x9cOxe2x80x9d. The mounting block is comprised of a tough elastic material, and has an upper section that is a cover-interlocking portion with a frontal protrusion; a sloped upper face for supporting the cover; a lower section that is a cross-strut interlocking portion; a rear face that preferably has a recessed region for receiving a fastening element, and optionally, an extending shingle; and an undercut front face for receiving the cover.
The undercut front face corresponds to the entrance opening of the block xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d. The undercut front face of the mounting block is recessed deeply enough to receive the longitudinal hooked frontal edge of the cover.
The fastening element is used to secure the mounting bracket attaching the trough to the fascia plank.
The upper horizontal surface of the cover-interlocking portion of the mounting block rests against and supports the cover. This upper horizontal surface has a downward slope coming from the rear toward the front, where the slope is substantially coextensive with the roofline. The cover-interlocking portion of the mounting block is sized such that the cover-interlocking portion can protrude into, and be received by an inner area defined by an inner surface of the longitudinal hooked frontal edge. The penetration creates a loose interlock between the longitudinal hooked frontal edge of the cover and the cover-interlocking portion of the mounting block.
The cross-strut interlocking portion of the mounting block is comprised of a tough elastic material, that has a lower section with a deformable horizontal rectangular slot for receiving and snapping onto the cross-strut, where said cross-strut spans the trough. The cross-strut, which is usually a flattened aluminum rod, has a diameter that is slightly larger than the opening of the slot, and when positioning the mounting block, the opening of the slot deforms sufficiently to enable the cross-strut to be pushed into the slot. The undeformed slot has a slightly closed opening. The slot clamps down on the cross-strut. Once positioned inside the slot, the shape of the cross-strut and the clamping slot locks the mounting block onto the cross-strut, which holds the mounting block upright. The clamping action securely fastens the mounting block to the cross-strut. The fastening element, once interposed in the recessed region, acts to support the vertical orientation of the mounting block after the block is snapped on the cross-strut. In the case where the roof shingles extend into the trough the rear face of the mounting block is recessed sufficiently to receive the extended shingles, such that after clamping the slot on the cross-strut a portion of the rear face can be in contact with a course of shingles.
The elastic material used to form the mounting block is preferably a polymeric material known to have good outside aging characteristics, such as PVC, certain grades of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, nylon and other polyamides, polyvinylidene chloride, polyester, blends of polyester, compounded natural rubber(s), synthetic rubber(s) and blends of rubber. The polymeric material can be thermoplastic, cured or uncured, and can contain fibers, fillers, microspheres, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, antimicrobial agents, and other compounding agents. Initial trials also demonstrated that cellular products including wood and foams are acceptable. The mounting block can contain voids so as to reduce material expense, as is commonly the case with extruded products.
A variation of a mounting block optimized to reduce material expense is substantially a truss shaped mounting block, wherein the truss shaped mounting block has the same functional components of a solid mounting block, albeit without the intervening material. The truss shaped mounting block has an upper section component that has a downwardly sloped upper surface that corresponds to a rafter. The rafter has a mid section, a rearward section and a forward section, wherein the forward section terminates in an inwardly curved end, which is sufficiently curved that it can be received by the longitudinal hooked frontal edge, An upper side of the rafter supports the cover. A lower section components is a cross-strut interlocking lower portion having a deformable horizontal rectangular slot, where the slot provides for receiving and snapping onto a cross-strut of the rain gutter. The lower section component corresponds to a joist. A rear face of the mounting block corresponds to a rear truss, where the rear truss emanates from the joist and supports a rearward section of the rafter, wherein the rear truss is sufficiently offset from a rear end of the joist to receive the fastening element of the mounting bracket and wherein said rear truss is appropriately angled to receive an extending shingle. A front face of the mounting block corresponds to a front truss that emanates from the joist and supports a forward end of the rafter, wherein the front truss is appropriately angled to receive the longitudinal hooked frontal edge of the cover.
The cover is substantially a flat sheet with a longitudinal hooked frontal edge, and, on the opposing edge, a longitudinal rear flange. The longitudinal hooked frontal edge curves inward and then downward, such that water flowing over the cover follows the curve of the longitudinal hooked frontal edge, and then drops off into the trough. The longitudinal hooked frontal edge can be extended to curve downward which increases drainage, thereby producing a fast flow cover. The cover has a width that is wider than the upwardly opening mouth of the trough and a length that is sufficient to provide coverage of the trough, such that when mounted over the rain gutter, the cover spans the mouth and length of the rain gutter. The longitudinal rear flange is attached to the fascia plank or secured between the first course of shingles and the underlining structural roof with the fastening means. The point of attachment is largely dependent on whether the roof shingles terminate above the mouth of the trough of the rain gutter, or the shingles extend into the trough. The length and angle of the longitudinal flange is sized appropriately for the point of attachment. When the mouth of the trough is located below the shingles, the longitudinal flange is preferably attached to the fascia plank, and the longitudinal rear flange of the cover is relatively short, 0.5 to 2.0 inches, and angled to be parallel to the fascia plank, wherein the angle of the longitudinal flange relative to the cover is 90 degrees plus the angle of slope of the cover. When the shingles extend into the mouth of the trough, the longitudinal flange is preferably attached between the course of shingles and the roof, and the longitudinal rear flange is much wider, 3.0 to 20 inches, and has a shallow angle, so as to be sloped comparably to the roofline.
The fastening means for connecting the longitudinal rear flange to the roof consists of nail(s), staple(s), screw(s), or similar fastening device(s). The cover is seated so that it slopes downward from the fascia plank or the roof toward the front wall of the trough. The longitudinal hooked frontal edge terminates inside the mouth of the trough.
The process for mounting the gutter cap is as follows. The mounting blocks are snapped-on the cross-struts by sliding the cross-strut into the slot. The slot holds the block vertically. The vertical orientation will be augmented by the interlock between the longitudinal hooked frontal edge of the cover and the cover-interlocking portion of the mounting block, where the cover-interlocking portion on the truss shaped block is the forward section terminating in an inwardly curved end. In the case of the truss mounting block, the rear end of the mounting block""s rafter is seated against the roof. The cover is then aligned over the trough on the mounting blocks, and the longitudinal rear flange is attached to the roof with the fastening means. There is usually at least one fastening means for every mounting block.
The invention deflects debris and collects rainwater as follows: Rainwater coming off the roof is ducted across and down the width of the flat sheet of the cover, and flows, circumferentially, around a curved path and downward the longitudinal hooked frontal edge, and drops off into the trough; the upper surface of the cover is coated so as to be easily wetted by water, such that surface tension is sufficient so that the rainwater adheres to the surface; the rainwater""s adhesion to the surface of the cover causes the water to track through an arc scribed by the longitudinal hooked frontal edge, without flying off tangentially; debris is deflected by the cover, and except for small detritus conveyed by the rainwater, debris is excluded. The surface of the cover does not have any projections onto which straw, leaves, etc; can hang up and collect and the surface does not become easily fouled.
An important feature of the invention is that if the trough needs to be cleaned, access to the trough can be gained by reversibly popping the mounting block off the cross-strut, thereby enabling the cover to be lifted.
The principal object of the invention is to provide a gutter cap that easily retrofits onto an existing gutter.
Another object of the invention is to provide a gutter cap that is easy to install on gutters where the shingles terminate in or above the mouth of the trough.
Another, more particular object of the invention, is to provide a gutter cap that excludes debris, while collecting rainwater, the gutter cap having a cover that is supported with cross-strut mounts and snap on mounting blocks.
Another object of the invention is to provide a gutter cap that is not easily subject to fouling.
A final object of the invention is to provide a gutter cap that can easily be partially detached allowing access to the trough for cleaning.

Gutter cap suitable for retrofitting existing gutters


A fixing device includes an endless, flexible fixing member, a metal member, a heater, a pressing member, a temperature detector, and a supporting member. The fixing member is rotatably provided in the fixing device to heat a toner image thereon. The metal member is fixedly mounted in the fixing device so as to be opposite an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, to maintain the fixing member in a substantially circularly loop shape. The heater is disposed near the metal member to heat the metal member. The pressing member is rotatably pressed against an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member. The temperature detector is disposed in contact with the metal member, to detect a temperature of the metal member. The supporting member is disposed between the heater and the temperature detector to support the temperature detector.

1. Field of the Disclosure
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device, and more specifically, to a fixing device that applies heat and pressure to a recording medium at a nip formed between a fixing member and a pressing member to fix an image on the recording medium, and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device.
2. Description of the Background
Related-art image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, or multifunction apparatuses having at least one of copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile functions, typically form an image on a recording medium according to image data. Thus, for example, a charger uniformly charges a surface of an image carrier; an optical writer emits a light beam onto the charged surface of the image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier according to the image data; a development device supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier to make the electrostatic latent image visible as a toner image; the toner image is directly transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium or is indirectly transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium via an intermediate transfer member; a cleaner then cleans the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred from the image carrier onto the recording medium; finally, a fixing device applies heat and pressure to the recording medium bearing the toner image to fix the toner image on the recording medium, thus forming the image on the recording medium.
Such fixing device may include a cylindrical metal member to heat the fixing device effectively to shorten a warm-up time or a time to first print (hereinafter also "first print time"). Specifically, the metal member provided inside a loop into which an endless fixing belt is formed, facing the inner circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The metal member is heated by a built-in or external heater so as to heat the fixing belt. A pressing roller presses against the outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt at a position corresponding to the location of the metal member inside the loop formed by the fixing belt to form a nip between the fixing belt and the pressing roller through which the recording medium bearing the toner image passes. As the recording medium bearing the toner image passes through the nip, the fixing belt and the pressing roller apply heat and pressure to the recording medium to fix the toner image on the recording medium.
To maintain a desired surface temperature (fixing temperature) of the fixing belt, a contact-type temperature sensor (temperature detector) is provided at the outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt. The heater is turned on and off in accordance with detection results of the temperature sensor.
For example, JP-2008-146010-A proposes a fixing device including a temperature sensor (temperature detector) to detect a temperature of the fixing belt. In this case, the temperature sensor is pressed against an inner circumferential surface of a metal member and a resistant heat generator serving as a heater.
Further, JP-2009-003410-A proposes a fixing device including a stationary member (contact member) against which the pressing roller is pressed to form a nip portion and a reinforcement member to reinforce the stationary member.
In the above-described fixing devices, because the contact-type temperature sensor (thermistor) is disposed in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt, the outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt gets worn and deteriorates, which might cause a degraded fixing image. In particular, if the fixing belt is not reliably maintained in a substantially circular loop, the contact-type temperature sensor needs to be pressed against the fixing belt with a relatively large pressing force to ensure reliable contact with the fixing belt, which may make the above-described challenge non-negligible.
To deal with such a challenge, it is conceivable to use a non-contact-type temperature sensor, such as a thermopile. However, such a non-contact-type temperature sensor may be quite expensive. Moreover, if the contact-type temperature sensor is disposed at a non-sheet-pass area of the fixing belt, that is, an area of the fixing belt over which a recording sheet is not usually conveyed in the course of normal image formation, then the size of the fixing device is enlarged laterally. A similar outcome occurs if the temperature sensor is disposed at the outer circumferential surface side of the fixing belt, in which case the fixing device is enlarged radially.
To deal with such challenges, it is conceivable to locate the temperature sensor inside the pipe-shaped metal member. In such a case, however, it is unclear whether the surface temperature of the fixing belt can be detected with high sensitivity and precision. Further, with such a configuration, the temperature sensor might be directly heated by the heater disposed inside the pipe-shaped metal member, damaging the temperature sensor.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus employing the fixing device


A wireless power transmitter for transmitting power to a wireless power receiver in a wireless scheme includes a transmitting coil configured to transmit power, which is supplied by a power source, to a receiving coil of the wireless power receiver using resonance; and a detecting unit configured to detect a coupling state between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil using an input impedance of the wireless power transmitter.

The embodiment relates to a wireless power transmitter, a wireless power receiver, and a power transmission method of a wireless power transmission system.
A wireless power transmission or a wireless energy transfer refers to a technology of wirelessly transferring electric energy to desired devices. In the 1800's, an electric motor or a transformer employing the principle of electromagnetic induction has been extensively used and then a method for transmitting electrical energy by irradiating electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves or lasers, has been suggested. Actually, electrical toothbrushes or electrical razors, which are frequently used in daily life, are charged based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. Until now, the long-distance transmission using the magnetic induction, the resonance and the short-wavelength radio frequency has been used as the wireless energy transfer scheme.
Recently, among wireless power transmitting technologies, an energy transmitting scheme employing resonance has been widely used.
Since an electric signal generated between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver is wirelessly transferred through coils in a wireless power transmitting system using resonance, a user may easily charge electronic appliances such as a portable device.
An example of the wireless power transmitting technology is described in Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0031526, entitled "Bidirectional chargeable wireless charging pad and battery pack", which implements a separating type transformer having a simple structure and a high coupling coefficient to detect a portable device or the battery pack mounted on a top surface of the wireless charging pad, and to monitor and control a charged state based on the detection result.
However, since impedance of a load side connected to a receiver side or inductance of a coil of the receiver side is fixed, a coupling state between a transmitter side and the receiver side varies so that power transmission efficiency is degraded.

Wireless power transmitter, wireless power receiver, and power transmission method of wireless power transmitting system


A device for use with metered dose inhalers includes a housing configured with a void to receive a metered dose inhaler, an actuator assembly which is configured to selectively apply force to the metered dose inhaler to cause the metered dose inhaler to release medicament, and a cocking mechanism for placing the actuator assembly in an armed configuration. The device is configured to actuate the metered dose inhaler as the user inhales, thereby ensuring improved medicament delivery. Additionally, the device is configured to prevent the metered dose inhaler from remaining in a vented position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inhalation/breath actuated devices for use with metered dose inhalers (MDIs). Metered dose inhalers, as used herein and as commonly used in the art, are comprised of an aerosol canister which contains medicament for administration to the lungs, a metering valve which is disposed in the canister and which releases a predetermined amount of medicament from the canister when the canister is actuated, an actuator which holds the canister and includes a opening for oral inhalation, and an actuator stem which channels the medicament released by the metering valve out through the opening and toward the user. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device which receives a metered dose inhaler and which automatically actuates the metered dose inhaler responsive to inhalation by the user.
2. State of the Art
When an asthmatic or other person suffering from inhalation problems has difficulty breathing, it is typically desirable to introduce medicament into the person""s lungs to restore normal breathing patterns to the extent possible. For many years, this has been accomplished by the use of metered dose inhalers. The metered dose inhalers include a canister which contains medicament and a propellant, a metering valve which dispenses the medicament from the canister, an actuator body that receives the canister and which forms an opening for oral inhalation, and an actuator stem which receives medicament from the canister and directs it out the opening in the actuator body. Moving the medicament canister relative to the actuator body and actuator stem causes the metering valve to release the predetermined amount of medicament. Each metered dose inhalator is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and each of the components is specifically designed relative to the parameters of the other components.
When the user is having difficulty breathing, the opening of the actuator body is placed in the user""s mouth and then the canister is moved downwardly in the actuator so that the metering valve discharges the predetermined dose of medicament and propellant. The medicament passes through the actuator stem and then out the opening in the actuator body.
One problem which is recurrent in the use of metered dose inhalers is that the user often actuates the metered dose inhaler and then begins inhalation. Such an inhalation/medicating pattern limits the amount of medicament delivered to the lung and causes most of the medicament to impact the mouth and throat. Thus, the user obtains much less than an optimal dose of medicament.
In attempts to overcome the problems associated with manual actuation of the metered dose inhalers, several inhalation/breath actuated metered dose inhalers have been developed. Such devices are designed to provide proper coordination of dispensing a dose of medicament with the inhalation of the user, thus providing for the maximum proportion of the dose of medicament to be deposited in the lungs. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,404,871; 5,347,998; 5,284,133; 5,217,004; 5,119,806; 5,060,643; 4,664,107; 4,648,393; 3,789,843; 3,732,864; 3,636,949; 3,598,294; 3,565,070; 3,456,646; 3,456,645; 3,456,644; British Patent Specification Nos. 2,061,116; 1,392,192; 1,335,378; 1,269,554 and German Patent No. 3,040,641.
Existing breath-actuated inhalers are designed to accommodate available aerosol canisters separate from the receiving bodies or housings for which they were originally designed, marketed, and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Aerosol medications of the pressurized inhaler type are drug products approved and regulated by the FDA as the combination of the pressurized aerosol canister and the actuator used to atomize the canister metering valve contents. The actuator is regarded as an integral part of the aerosol drug delivery system, since the design of the housing greatly influences the nature of the aerosol spray generated for inhalation by the patient. The design of the actuator impacts not only the amount of medication released from the inhaler, but the amount of medication received by the patient due to the actuator""s influence on the particle size and velocity distribution of the emitted aerosol mist and the influence of the particle or droplet size distribution and velocity on impaction in the patient""s respiratory tract.
As a consequence, existing breath-actuated inhalers must be approved by the FDA in conjunction with a particular aerosol-based medication canister. As a result, these inhalers have not been generally available to the patient public for use with the full range of aerosol-based medications which are available for the treatment and management of disease. For example, a person must obtain a breath actuated device that has been approved by the FDA with the canister of medication recommended by the physician or the individual must obtain a metered dose inhaler of the desired medication, i.e., the combination of the medicament container and the actuator approved by the FDA.
A problem with many of the mechanical breath-activated inhalers is that the aerosol canister remains in the depressed position (after firing by the inhaler""s internal actuation mechanism) until the patient physically intervenes and relieves the mechanical load on the aerosol canister by moving a lever, strap, or some other mechanical means. Immediately after venting, the metering chamber (valve) of the aerosol canister becomes vulnerable to the intrusion of air and the extent of air intrusion increases with the length of time the canister remains in the depressed position. The intrusion of air in this fashion can result in xe2x80x9cvapor lockingxe2x80x9d of the metering valve, resulting in incomplete filling of the metering chamber of the valve when the canister is ultimately released from the depressed position. Incomplete filling of the metering chamber, in turn, results in incomplete dosing on the next actuation of the inhaler, due to the lower quantity of drug which has entered the metering chamber from the liquid contents of the canister.
Another problem associated with some mechanical breath-actuated inhalers is that the aerosol canister actuation mechanism must be in the xe2x80x9carmedxe2x80x9d, ready to fire, position in order to allow recovery of the aerosol canister from the depressed position under the action of it""s own internal valve spring. Two potential consequences may result from this condition. First, the actuation mechanism may be xe2x80x9carmedxe2x80x9d during the intervals between inhaler use or, second and of potentially more seriousness, the actuator mechanism may be xe2x80x9carmedxe2x80x9d during storage. This is particularly concerning when the device, as a consequence of its sale in combination with an aerosol canister as mandated by the FDA, is packaged with an aerosol canister in place. Thus, the actuator mechanism could be in the armed position for up to three years. In either event, the functional life and reliability of the device may be compromised by the long term stress effects of maintaining the actuation mechanism in the xe2x80x9carmedxe2x80x9d position for extended periods.
In addition to the above, the actuator mechanism may xe2x80x9crelaxxe2x80x9d or creep, in either a fluid or bulk mechanical sense, if the device is stored for prolonged periods in the xe2x80x9carmedxe2x80x9d position, resulting in a change in actuator functionality with effects that may range from xe2x80x9cprematurexe2x80x9d firing of the aerosol canister to delayed or extended firing time during the canister depression phase. In both cases the patient does not receive the prescribed dose of medication which the inhaler was designed to deliver.
Electro-mechanical inhalers are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,998 describes a breath-actuated inhaler with an electromechanical priming mechanism. It is the object of the invention described therein to provide an inhalation device for use with pressurized aerosol canisters which does not require manual priming for firing the valve contained within the aerosol canister. Further, the inhaler provides an electromechanical means for relieving the firing load imposed on the aerosol canister during actuation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,133 describes a dose timer, actuator mechanism, and patient compliance monitoring means. The invention relates to a dose or timing controlled actuator that operates in conjunction with an inhalation device to prevent both patient under-compliance with prescribed medication dosing and patient abuse of or dependence on prescribed medication. The invention contemplates the use of an actuator to prevent patient actuation of the inhalation device at non-prescribed intervals or at higher than prescribed doses, and the use of an alarm to notify the patient regarding undercompliance/underdosing situations and attempted abuse situations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,871 describes an apparatus and method for delivering an amount of aerosolized medicine for inspiration by a patient in response to the occurrence of an appropriate delivery point or points in the patient""s detected breath flow. Changes in a patient""s breath flow pattern during the course of an aerosolized medication inspiration therapy program may be detected and used to adjust the controlled amount of medication to be delivered in a given administration and/or to conform to the pattern of the patient""s condition or change in condition. The device may also contain a library of administration protocols or operating parameters for different medications and means for identifying, from the canister, the medicinal contents of the canister for customizing operation of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,764 describes a portable, battery powered, hand-held system for releasing a controlled dose of aerosol medication for inhalation by a patient including a durable body and an aerosol medication cassette inserted in the durable body. The durable body includes an actuator mechanism for engaging an inserted cassette and its canister, and an actuator release mechanism for controlling the actuator mechanism to depress the canister for a selected period of time to release the desired dose of medication and then release the canister. The actuator mechanism, includes a compression spring for depressing the canister and a torsion spring for reloading the compression spring. The torsion spring is reloaded by rotating the cassette from an open position for delivering aerosol to a closed position. The actuator release mechanism includes a motor and trigger in assembly that controls the release of the compression spring and the torsion spring, and, hence, the time that the canister is depressed.
An additional problem with the presently available breath/inhalation actuated metered dose inhalers is the risk which is posed by actuator failure. Because the devices replace the conventional actuator body, many of them have no mechanism which permits manual actuation of the canister in the event the breath/inhalation activated mechanism fails. If a spring or other component of the devices were to fail, the user may have no way to dispense the medicament contained within the canister. Thus, a user may be deprived of medicament while undergoing an asthma attack due to actuator failure.
Thus there is a need for an improved device for use with metered dose inhalers. Such a device should be easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Additionally, such a device should not require replacement if new medication is to be used, and should allow for conventional actuation of the metered dose inhaler when desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel inhalation device for use with metered dose inhalers (MDIs).
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for use with metered dose inhalers which dose not require replacement of the device when medicament is changed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an inhalation device for use with metered dose inhalers which includes a mechanical mechanism for applying the force required to actuate a metered dose inhaler at a preset patient inspiration flow rate.
It is still another object of the invention to provide such a device wherein the metered dose inhaler is physically incorporated into the device with the aerosol canister still housed in the actuator for which the medication has received FDA approval.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an auto-return mechanism for returning the aerosol canister of a metered dose inhaler to a xe2x80x9crestingxe2x80x9d position within a brief time following actuation to assure that the metered dose inhaler is properly xe2x80x9cprimedxe2x80x9d for administration of a subsequent dose.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide viscoelastic means for controlling the timing function of the auto-return mechanism.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide means for arming the mechanical metered dose inhaler actuation mechanism, just prior to use, by incorporating the arming function with opening of the device for use.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a mechanical override mechanism by which the metered dose inhaler may be actuated by the mechanical actuation mechanism without the necessity of the patient achieving the predetermined inspiration flow rate.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a dose-counting means associated with the metered dose inhaler actuation to count the number of medicament doses dispensed or available from the aerosol canister.
Still yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a blocking mechanism to prevent premature firing. Preferably, such a mechanism would prevent firing when the mouthpiece is closed and the manual actuation button depressed, or by accidental droppage of the unit with the mouthpiece closed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an adaption mechanism to facilitate use of different sizes and styles of FDA approved metered dose inhalers (aerosol canisters and the associated actuator).
The above and other objects of the invention not specifically recited are realized in specific illustrated embodiments of a breath/inhalation actuated device for use with metered dose inhalers including a housing having a cavity formed therein which is configured for receiving the aerosol canister and the actuator body of a metered dose inhaler and holding the metered dose inhaler in communication with an opening in the housing for dispensing medicament therethrough from the metered dose inhaler. The device also includes a mechanism for automatically activating the metered dose inhaler in response to inhalation of a user through the opening to vent the aerosol canister and provide medicament to the user.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the device also includes a return mechanism for automatically deactivating a vented metered dose inhaler to its unvented position where medicament is no longer dispensed therefrom. Preferably, the return mechanism acts in response to the activating means.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the housing comprises a cap covering the opening when the cap is in a closed position and exposing the opening when the cap is in an open position. The cap is moveable from its closed position to its opened position in such a manner as to arm the means for depressing the metered dose inhaler.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the device further includes a control mechanism for controlling the time of venting of a metered dose inhaler. In a preferred embodiment, the control mechanism includes a mechanism which returns the aerosol canister to the unvented position, and a deformable viscoelastic element which creates a delay for increasing the amount of time the aerosol canister is in the unvented position.

Inhalation actuated device for use with metered dose inhalers (MDIs)


A security retaining member with a core having a central portion and a plurality of petal-like portions extending outwardly from the central portion and a material in which the core is embedded. Each of the petal-like portions comprises a hole through which the material in which the core is embedded is permitted to flow during the fabrication of the member for enhancing the adherence of the material to the core. The material typically comprises 60 durometer neoprene.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to security apparatus in general and in particular to a security retaining member which is used in conjunction with an adhesive for retaining equipment and/or parts in a security apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
To prevent theft or unauthorized removal of equipment, security apparatus using cables and/or various types of key-operated housings in conjunction with brackets, bolts, adhesive pads, rubberized retaining members with an adhesive and the like, is used for mounting or otherwise attaching equipment to an underlying surface. For example, in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,197, entitled Equipment Security Method and Apparatus, assigned to the assignee of the present application, there is provided a base member and a cover member. The base member is attached to a vertical or horizontal surface by means of bolts or adhesive pads, plates and/or brackets as required in a particular installation. The cover member is removably attached to the base member by means of a key operated lock. The equipment to be secured is attached to the cover member by means of U-shaped rod members, bracket members with inwardly directed fingers for engaging holes in the sides of the equipment or the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,637 entitled Locking Device for Portable Equipment, bolts are disclosed for use in mounting a typewriter or the like in a secure fashion to an underlying housing in a security apparatus.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,763 entitled Security Device for Office Machines, foot members comprising rubber-like disks are disclosed for use in conjunction with an adhesive for mounting the disks to the undersurface of an office machine or the like for subsequent attachment to a housing in an underlying security device.
In applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/844,795 entitled Equipment Security Apparatus, assigned to the assignee of the present application, retaining foot members comprising synthetic rubber coated perforated metallic washer-like members are disclosed for use in conjunction with an adhesive for mounting a computer or the like to a housing in an underlying security apparatus.
In still other prior known security systems, equipment is secured to a structure using an assembly of adhesive retaining members, such as those which use closed-cell foam pads, cables, padlocks and the like.
Rubber-like retaining and other types of adhesive members which have been used heretofore in security apparatus, such as described above, have typically comprised relatively large area closed-cell adhesive pads, solid rubber or synthetic rubber disks, rubber or synthetic rubber coated metallic disks, as well as rubber or synthetic rubber coated perforated metallic disks wherein the holes are provided for improving the adherence of the rubber or synthetic rubber coating to the disk, such as disclosed in applicant's above-identified U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/844,795.
It has been found that among the disadvantages of the prior known adhesive pads is the disadvantage that they can be easily cut using a garrote and that they typically require a large contact area in order to provide sufficient holding force.
Among the disadvantages of the prior known rubber-like disks is the disadvantage that, while they provide a substantial holding force for a relatively smaller contact area, e.g. 2 inches in diameter, the bond formed using customary adhesives for bonding the disks to a surface fail and/or the disk material is ruptured or torn apart when subjected to a relatively low magnitude of tensile force. For example, the adhesive bond using customary adhesives for even the strongest of the prior known rubber-like retaining members of the type which comprise a rubber-like coated metallic disk having holes for improving the adherence of the rubber-like material to the disk and having a diameter of approximately 2 inches has been found to fail and allow separation of the disk from a surface to which it is adhesively attached and/or for the rubber-like material to separate from the metallic disk under a relatively small tensile force of from 200 pounds to 400 pounds.


A seal assembly is provided for a rotary ball valve an eccentric cammed ball. The seal assembly may include a seal ring disposed within the valve interior and biased toward the ball element of the valve. A seal ring retainer may be threadedly secured to an interior of the valve body, thereby retaining the seal ring in the valve body.

Rotary ball valves are used in a wide number of process control system applications to control some parameters of a process fluid such as a liquid, gas, slurry, etc. While the process control system may use a control valve to ultimately control the pressure, level, pH, or other desired parameter of a fluid, the control valve basically controls the rate of fluid flow.
Typically, a rotary ball valve includes a valve body defining a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A ball element is mounted in the valve body and rotates about an axis into and out of abutment with a seal assembly, thereby controlling the amount of fluid flow through the valve.
Rotary ball valve components, including the valve body, the ball element, and the seal assembly, are typically constructed of metal. This stands especially true when used in high pressure and/or high temperature applications. However, the ball element and seal assembly can suffer wear due to the continuous engagement of the ball element and seal assembly during opening and closing of the valve. The problems resulting from the wear include, but are not limited to, diminished life span of the valve components, increased frictional forces between the ball element and the seal assembly, and undesirable leakage between the ball element and the seal assembly, as well as between the seal assembly and the valve body. Similarly, because the frictional forces tend to increase as the components become more worn, the dynamic performance and control characteristics within the valve are worsened, resulting in inefficiencies and inaccuracies in the valve. To alleviate some of these concerns, some seal assemblies are biased such as to provide a more reliable seal against the ball in the closed position.


An image scanning device has a sheet conveying roller conveying a sheet when a conveyed sheet scanning function is activated, a guide member defining a sheet feed path, a first gear transmitting a driving force to the sheet conveying roller, a first supporting shaft extending in a direction parallel with a width direction of the sheet feed path and supporting the first gear, a second gear engaging with the first gear, a second supporting shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the first supporting shaft and supporting the second gear, a holder unit holding the second supporting shaft, the holder unit arranged at one end of the sheet feed path in the width direction, a reinforce member made of metal and extending in the width direction, first and second fixing units fixing longitudinal ends of the reinforce member to the holder unit and the guide member, respectively.

1. Technical Field
Aspects of the invention relates to an image scanning device.
2. Related Art
Conventional image scanning device typically employs a gear mechanism having a plurality of spur gears to transmit a driving force to a sheet conveying roller. The sheet conveying roller is a rotating member which contacts an original sheet to be scanned and rotates to convey the original sheet when a conveyed sheet scanning function is activated.


Disclosed is a method for producing an absorbent creped cellulosic sheet having a high level of surface-perceived softness that comprises continuously forming a web of cellulosic papermaking fibers, adhering said web to a thermal drying means by means of an adhesive compositon that includes a non-self-crosslinkable polymer or oligomer having functional groups that can be crosslinked by ionic crosslinking, a metallic crosslinking agent having a valence of four or more, and a phosphate surfactant, and creping said treated web from said thermal drying means.

In the interest of editorial simplicity, this specification will focus on the production of "bathroom tissue". However, where the context allows, it should be understood that the technological principles of the present invention apply also to the manufacture of all lightweight absorbent grades of paper, including, for instance, facial tissue and paper toweling.
Paper is generally manufactured by suspending cellulosic fibers of appropriate length in an aqueous medium and then removing most of the water to form a web. The paper derives some of its structural integrity from the mechanical arrangement of the cellulosic fibers in the web, but most by far of the paper's strength is derived from hydrogen bonding which links the cellulosic fibers to one another. With paper intended for use as bathroom tissue, the degree of strength imparted by this interfiber bonding, while necessary to the utility of the product, results in a lack of perceived softness that is inimical to consumer acceptance. One common method of increasing the perceived softness of bathroom tissue is to crepe the paper. Creping is generally effected by fixing the cellulosic web to a Yankee drum thermal drying means with an adhesive/release agent combination and then scraping the web off of the Yankee by means of a doctor blade. Creping, by breaking a significant number of interfiber bonds, increases the perceived softness of resulting bathroom tissue product.
Obtaining and maintaining adhesion of tissue and towel products to Yankee dryers is an important factor in determing crepe quality. Inadequate adhesion results in poor or non-existing creping, whereas excessive adhesion may result in poor sheet quality and operational difficulties. Traditionally, creping adhesives alone or in combination with release agents have been applied either to the sheet or to the surface of the dryer in order to provide the approriate adhesion to produce the desired crepe. Various types of creping adhesives have been used to adhere fibrous webs to dryer surfaces such as Yankee dryers. Some examples of prior art creping adhesives rely upon combinations of self-crosslinkable soft polymers having a T.sub.g of less than 10.degree. C. with a non-film forming hard polymer emulsion having a T.sub.g of greater than 50.degree. C. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,579). Some others involve thermoset resins (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,528,316 and 4,501,640). The ability to control the mechanical properties of the polymers, as well as the adhesion and release of the fibrous web from the Yankee dryer, is limited when using these types of creping adhesives.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,544 describes an improved creping adhesive that provides the ability to readily control coating mechanical properties and adhesion, and which can be more easily removed from dryer surfaces. The adhesive system described in said patent provides high adhesion of a fibrous web to a dryer surface with low "friction" . Having low friction means that the fibrous web can easily be removed from the dryer surface. This can be accomplished while at the same time reducing or inhibiting corrosion of the dryer surface. This is accomplished because the adhesion properties of the types of polymers taught to be useful according to the patented invention can be systematically changed by varying the amount of crosslinking that may occur when the polymer is dried onto the surface of a Yankee dryer. Because crosslink density influences the mechanical properties (that is, modulus, tensile strength, elongation, brittleness, T.sub.g), this permits the adjustment of adhesion/release of the fibrous substrate onto the surface of the dryer. The nature of of the polymers and the types of crosslinker used according to the patent permits the incorporation of anti-corrosion components in the adhesive formulations.
Doctor blades are commonly used for effecting creping of paper in papermaking machines. Inasmuch as a doctor blade is normally in contacting relation with the surface of a rotating cylinder, the tip of the doctor blade is subject to wear. As wear progresses, the doctor blade's effectiveness tends to diminish. The doctor blades used for creping paper in a tissue papermaking machine precipitate progressively greater loss of machine-direction tensile strength of the paper as doctor blade wear progresses. This is particularly true in installations wherein the impact angle progressively changes as wear occurs. Commonly, in such machines, creping blades are changed (that is, replaced by new or newly sharpened blades) after a product property of particular importance (for instance, machine direction tensile strength) has been reduced to a predetermined minimum acceptable level by doctor blade wear, or after other observed deleterious ramifications of abnormal doctor blade performance. Changing creping blades requires considerable down-time and slows production greatly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a creping adhesive system that will decrease adhesive-system-related wear on the doctor blade in tissue creping operations. The use of creping adhesive formulations in accordance with the present invention extends effective blade life by decreasing the overall level of blade wear while increasing the length of time that the creping doctor blade retains its uniformity.


An inspection jig includes a rigid substrate, a flexible substrate connected to the rigid substrate, a support supporting a part of the flexible substrate in a state that the part of the flexible substrate is protruded with respect to the rigid substrate in a first direction, a biasing unit configured to bias the support in the first direction with respect to the rigid substrate, and a contactor provided on a protruding portion of the flexible substrate, the protruding portion being protruded with respect to the rigid substrate. The contactor includes a contact housing, and a probe supported on the contact housing. One end of the probe is in contact with a contact portion on the protruding portion.

The present invention relates to an inspection jig such as a probe card used for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor integrated circuit and the like.
In general, an inspection jig such as a probe card used for inspecting electrical characteristics of a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a rigid substrate and a flexible substrate connected to the rigid substrate. The flexible substrate includes contact portions that contact an electrode of an inspection object (for example, a wafer). The flexible substrate includes, on a back side of the contact portion, a block that presses the flexible substrate on the inspection object. The block is biased toward the inspection object by a biasing unit such as a spring and applies a contact force to the flexible substrate between the flexible substrate and the inspection object.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2017-58201


An apparatus includes a housing with an inlet for a pasty product to be aerated and an outlet for the aerated product. The apparatus includes at least a first set of a rotor and a stator and a second set of a rotor and a stator. The apparatus further includes a gas injector for injecting, upstream of the first set of the rotor and the stator, a gas into the pasty product to be aerated. The apparatus further includes an intermediate mixing chamber provided in the housing between the first and the second sets of the rotor and the stator . A secondary product introduction member protrudes into the intermediate mixing chamber so as to issue into the intermediate mixing chamber. A method for aerating a pasty product is also provided.

The most common industrially applied methods of aerating liquid and semi-liquid products are based on mechanical aeration. The commercially available machines vary somewhat in their design but the principles of their operation are generally similar. Moreover, examples of rotor stator mixers are described in EP 0210905 A2, GB 2105209 A and US 2017/101583 A1.
The mixing apparatus of most commercially available machines is of the rotor-and-stator type comprising a stainless steel rotor shaft covered with metal pegs which fit inside a housing that also has pegs inside it. When the mixing apparatus is assembled the pegs on the shaft and on the inside of the apparatus intermesh to provide shear force on the product flow. A liquid phase and a gas phase are combined before entering the mixing apparatus. The mixing apparatus mechanically disintegrates large gas bubbles into very small bubbles that are trapped within the food matrix. The bubble size is an essential factor that determines the product attributes.
Such machines are described for example in WO 91/07221 A1, GB 888 264 A and DE 31 27 684 A1.
WO 2013/068426 A1 discloses a device for the aeration of food products comprising a mixing head having at least one set of a rotor and a stator. Each set of a rotor and a stator comprises a rotor and a stator with complementary toothed rims which are oppositely orientated in the axial direction. An inlet cover is provided having a product inlet opening for receiving a product to be aerated and a gas injector arranged thereon and traversing the inlet cover such that the head of the gas injector is located in a headspace defined by the inlet cover and a first rotor-stator set. This device does not allow mixing and aerating of several compositions together.
DE 102015205597 B3 relates to a device for the production of a foamed first foodstuff mass, which contains a lumpy or liquid second foodstuff mass. The device comprises at one extremity a first stator housing and a first rotor. The first stator housing and first rotor are provided with radially-oriented and axially spaced-apart whipping elements. The first rotor rotates in the first stator housing. The rotor whipping elements meshes with the static whipping elements of the first stator housing. The first rotor is coupled with a first drive shaft. The device comprises at its other extremity a second stator housing and a second rotor which are constructed similarly to the first stator housing and the first rotor. The rotational speed of the first rotor for whipping can be set independently of the rotational speed of the second rotor for mixing.
DE 29709060 A1 relates to a construction kit for constructing a rotor/stator mixing device for the continuous dispersal and mixing of gases, fluids and/or solids in a fluid phase.
WO 99/08782 A1 relates to a process for the preparation of gas-containing vesicles wherein a mixture of gas, liquid and vesicle membrane forming material is passed through a zone in which it is subject to shear forces exerted by surfaces moving relative to each other at a speed of at least 20 m/s.
Disadvantages of the commercially available systems include limitations on the versatility of the apparatus, e.g. with respect to inlet of different fluids and/or the size of bubbles obtained amongst others.
This drawback may be partially overcome by providing an apparatus for aerating a pasty product (e.g. a food product) comprising a further inlet for injecting, at a position between an upstream set of a rotor and a stator and an adjacent downstream set of a rotor and a stator, a secondary product to be mixed with the food product.
However, such apparatuses are limited with respect to the homogeneous mixing and aeration of food products, in particular regarding the secondary product. The secondary product may be a liquid, a semi-liquid, a gas, or any combination thereof. The secondary product may also be or comprise solid pieces.
The apparatuses according to the prior art also do not make it possible to provide the requested characteristics to the output product (e.g. a cream having homogeneously distributed solid inclusions such as chocolate chunks) for all different types of secondary product that it may be desired to input.
Even the most technically advanced apparatuses cannot produce every kind of aerated pasty product, as their versatility in terms of whipping remains limited. Any given apparatus is designed for producing a specific product, but it cannot be adapted easily to the production of a wider range of products, e.g. to aerated base products having different properties (amount of gas, size of the bubbles, etc.) mixed with different kinds of secondary products (gas, liquid, semi-liquid, solid pieces, or combination thereof, which may be products whose properties change when they are introduced in the aerated base product).

Apparatus for aerating a pasty product and for mixing with another product


DY-Internet/SCHA system of using an interactive device such as an e-mail pager to obtain information from a publicly available source, such as the Internet. The e-mail pager may send information in its native format to a service that acts as an intermediary. That service takes the information and uses it to assemble a request to the actual information source, such as a Web page being accessed. If a web page is being accessed, the request is in HTML, and may include personal logon information. The response from the web page is also in HTML, and this information is received by the service, and salient information is taken from the HTML file. The information is reformatted, e.g. according to a template, into the e-mail pager's native format, and sent to the pager. Another embodiment describes opening multiple pages, and assembling their content into a single web page.

The Internet is a very powerful tool for transferring and obtaining information. Many new applications have become available since the Internet's advent. Just to name a few, these include electronic placement of bids over the Internet, electronic determination of the user's bank balance over the Internet, automatic registration for various services over the Internet, electronic shopping with an electronic shopping cart, and various, virtually uncountable numbers, of others.
For all of the power of the Internet, it also has significant limitations. The language of the Internet, HTML in its various flavors, can only be properly interpreted by a device which is capable of reading HTML. Many different plug-ins and additional programs can be used, and are basically used as HTML windows. For example, the various flavors of Java, can enhance the Internet environment. Many companies have produced streaming video applications, such as shockwave and/or animation applications. These are basically shown as an associated application to the HTML.
Much of the customization which has been done on the Internet is done for the purpose of enabling more complexity, and more items to be shown over the Internet. However, browsing from a hand-held device has become more popular. For example, the Internet can be browsed from a cellular phone, from a PDA such as a palm VII, or other thin clients. Typically the way in which this is done is by forming a special web page for those thin clients, which runs a scaled-down flavor of HTML that is optimized for such thin clients. Only those special web pages which are optimized in this way can be effectively viewed. For example, any attempt to use such a system to browse a normal, unoptimized web page, may cause an error, or may cause be information to be displayed in a way which makes it very difficult to effectively understand.
Other interactive hand-held devices, such as Blackberry devices and other devices which are optimized for e-mail and text messaging only, have no effective way to interact with the Internet. Therefore, while these devices are interactive in the sense that they can communicate and receive information via Internet-like channels, they can only receive information of a specified type.

Web based communication of information with reconfigurable format


A media storage container, particularly suitable for storing CD's and the like, comprises a generally flat, rectangular outer casing having an open front and enclosed top, bottom, sides and rear. The sides of the front casing are provided with mating dovetail edges for interconnecting various ones of the outer casings in a side-by-side relationship. Spaced pin extensions rise from predetermined locations on the top of the outer casing for receipt by correspondingly spaced recesses in the bottoms of the casings; so that the several casings may be stacked one upon the other. The locations of these pins and recesses is such that offset stacking of the outer casings also may be effected. A media record storage tray, having an open top, is slidably mounted through the open front of the outer casing, and is releaseably secured into place by a finger operated release lever. A wire spring is interconnected between the bottom of the tray and the inside of the bottom of the rectangular outer casing, and is located in the space between the tray and the bottom of the outer casing; so that the tray may be fully inserted into the outer casing. The front wall of the tray has an elongated magnifying lens on it for the purpose of enlarging the label of a record medium placed on the tray.

Typically, media records, such as video discs, compact discs (CD's) and cassette recordings, are sold and stored in lightweight clear plastic containers. Usually, these containers are made of two parts, a base member which is used to hold the CD or tape, and a hinged cover, which encloses the container during transport and storage. When removal of the tape or CD from the container is desired, the cover is pivoted to its open position to provide access to the interior of the container. The hinges for the covers of these typical containers are in the form of pin-like projections on one of the two parts, which fit into mating holes or receptacles on the other of the parts. When the containers are closed, it requires two hands to open them. If a person is not familiar with the operation of the covers, frequently an attempt is made to pry apart the two portions of the container, resulting in breaking of the hinge members; so that the packages subsequently do not function properly.
In the case of a standard CD package, the CD itself is pressed onto a central hub, which has resilient fingers compressed by the circular hole in the center of the CD. This hub then grips the CD and holds it in place against falling out of the container when the container is opened. It then is necessary to remove the CD from the hub. This is difficult to do with one hand. CD's are subject to damage from fingers touching the recording surfaces of such CD's, resulting in the attraction of dirt or corrosion onto the CD's surface, causing a degradation of its subsequent performance.
Another problem which readily becomes apparent to persons desiring to store more than a small number of cassette tapes or CD's is that the housing containers for these devices cannot be stacked in secure stacks. In addition, if CD's are stacked one on top of another, removal of a CD from the middle of the stack disturbs all of the remaining CD's above that one in the stack. In addition, if a person is attempting to keep some type of preestablished order for the CD's in the stack, removal of one from the stack requires the person removing that CD to remember the location in the stack for its subsequent return. Over a period of time, the original order generally is lost, and a random arrangement of the CD's takes place. If only a small number of CD packages are present, this is not a significant problem; but whenever greater numbers of CD packages exist, it becomes increasingly difficult to locate the desired CD when the packages, through carelessness or lack of knowledge, are not always returned to their proper order after use.
Another problem which exists, particularly for CD's, is that if the CD packages are stacked one upon the other, or if they are arranged side-by-side on edge on a shelf, the thickness of the package is such that the end label, which appears through the package, is difficult to read. This is caused by the limited vertical space available for the letters of the label of the CD.
In an effort to provide an enlargement of graphical subject matter on a cassette or CD package, a sophisticated optical package, disclosed in the U.S. Pat. to Perkowski No. 4,863,026, was developed. The package disclosed in the Perkowski patent has at least one optically transparent panel on it, with a Fresnel lens structure formed in it. When graphical subject matter of a display within the storage case is viewed through the Fresnel lens, the subject matter is magnified to permit easier reading of the graphical subject matter. In all other respects, the structure of the storage case, disclosed in the Perkowski patent, is substantially the same as the two-piece hinged lid structure which is commonly used for the storage and display of CD's and cassette tapes.
Three patents, which are directed to separate containers for storing flat records such as phonograph records, video discs or CD's, are the U.S. Pat. to Seifert No. 4,702,533; Ackeret No. 4,705,166; and Ackeret No. 4,807,749. The devices disclosed in each of these patents include a housing container designed to hold a pre-established number of records, video discs or CD's. The containers have trays or drawers placed in them for holding the different records or discs to be stored in the containers. Latches and ejection mechanisms are provided in each of these devices for extending a selected drawer or tray outwardly from the storage container; so that withdrawal and replacement of a media record from or onto that tray may be effected. These patents all disclose containers having a finite capacity; and no modular structure is disclosed. Once the containers are full of the number of record media which they are designed to hold, another, separate storage container for additional media records needs to be provided.
Three patents, which disclose modified packages for media. records such as video discs, CD's or cassettes, capable of modular interconnection to form a storage system, are the U.S. Pat. to Gelardi No. 4,275,943; Kamperman No. 4,519,655 and Philosophe No. 4,702,369.
The cassette container disclosed in the Gelardi patent has elongated tongue and groove ribs on the edges, and upper and lower surfaces of the container, to permit several containers to be slidably interconnected on top of one another, as well as in a side-by-side relationship. The containers themselves then have an open front on them, into which a cassette holding drawer is inserted. A coil spring ejector is placed between the rear of the drawer and the rear wall of the outer housing of the container. A selectively releasable locking mechanism is used for retaining the drawers in place; and a selected drawer may be released by finger contact on a depression formed in the front edge of the drawer. When a number of these containers are stacked on top of one another, the depression for finger contact of a drawer, which is below another drawer in the stack, is made somewhat difficult because of the location of the finger contact indentation.
The container disclosed in the Kamperman patent also is directed to a modular dovetail stacking container. This container has a full width door in it, with a pull-down lever interconnected with a slide, which is moved out of the container to present the cassette or CD when removal of the cassette or CD from the storage container is desired. Space is required within the container for this mechanism; and the latch extends across the entire width of the opening from which the cassette or CD is to be inserted or withdrawn.
The Philosphe patent also is directed to a record storage container. This storage container consists of three parts, and comprises, essentially, an outer shell which has a rib and groove arrangement on the top and bottom to permit modular container storage stacking. There is no spring or ejection mechanism in this device; but an inside drawer has grips on each side of it, extending beyond the edges of the sides of the outer shell. To remove a drawer, the grips on the sides are pulled outwardly to provide access to the CD or video disc stored within the container. Because it is necessary to have access to the sides of each of the drawers, no side-by-side placement of stacks of these containers is feasible.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a storage container for media records which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art noted above, which is compact, easy to use, and effective in operation.


Methods for identifying compounds useful for treating diseases or conditions of the oral cavity are described herein.

Periodontal disease is characterized, in part, by abnormal and excessive degradation of the periodontal organic matrix. This matrix includes the gingiva, periodontal ligament, cementum and alveolar bone. These events result in the clinical manifestation of periodontitis, including gingival recession, pocket formation, loss of attachment, and eventual tooth loss. Many different inflammatory mediators are produced by periodontal tissues affected by periodontal disease. Some of these mediators appear to play a central role in the destructive processes observed in cases of periodontal diseases, which has led some investigators to examine the possibility of using certain inflammatory mediators as biomarkers for progressive lesions (Sorsa, T. et al. Arch. Oral. Biol. 35: 193S-196S, 1990: Page, R. C., J. Periodont. Res. 26: 230-242, 1991).

Protein biomarkers for soft tissue disease diagnosis and as therapeutic targets for oral care intervention


Disclosed is a method of collapsing a derivative version of a primary storage volume into the primary storage volume. The method comprises generating the derivative version of the primary storage volume that contains a plurality of data items stored in a secondary storage volume, wherein the derivation version comprises a plurality of blocks, identifying changed blocks of the plurality of blocks that changed as a result of modifying at least one of the data items, identifying which of the changed blocks of the plurality of blocks that changed remain allocated, and collapsing the derivative version of the primary storage volume into the primary storage volume by copying those blocks identified as changed and allocated to the primary storage volume.

In the field of computer hardware and software technology, a virtual machine is a software implementation of a machine (computer) that executes program instructions like a real machine. Virtual machine technology allows for the sharing of, between multiple virtual machines, the physical resources underlying the virtual machines.
A technique known as copy-on-write allows multiple applications or processes to request access to the same resource. Once one of the processes attempts to modify the resource, a duplicate resource is created.
In virtual machine environments, storage volumes within the virtual machines contain data items that need to be accessed. Further complicating matters, a virtual machine environment utilizing copy-on-write may require access to the one or more duplicate storage volume.
Unfortunately, accessing the underlying contents of a storage volume and/or a duplicate storage volume can be very resource intensive, reducing the performance of a virtual machine and other operations within a virtual machine environment.

Systems and methods for collapsing a derivative version of a primary storage volume


The present invention provides an apparatus and method for estimating the realtime position of a clutch piston during the fill cycle using noisy pressure measurements which ensures proper and desired clutch operation. Pressures on both sides of a flow controlling orifice, at the fluid control actuator and the clutch cylinder are measured and these measurements in conjunction with other system parameters such as orifice size, clutch volume and return spring characteristics are used to solve nonlinear dynamic equations (algorithms) which reside in a microprocessor. The microprocessor provides outputs corresponding to an estimate of the current position of the clutch piston, an estimate of the current speed of the piston and an estimate of the current hydraulic pressure. The method can also be utilized to detect clutch wear.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
There are numerous ways to classify or categorize automatic transmissions for motor vehicles. Perhaps the most popular and practical way relates to the overall speed ratio change structure. Given this criterion, planetary gear, continuously variable and dual clutch transmissions constitute the three currently most popular types.
Another way to classify automatic transmissions relates to their speed ratio shift configuration. Certain transmissions are classified as clutch-to-clutch transmissions meaning that each shift is accomplished by the release or disengagement of at least one clutch and the activation or engagement of at least one other clutch. This class of automatic transmissions includes most multiple planetary gear and all dual clutch transmissions.
In clutch-to-clutch transmissions, the manner of clutch engagement and disengagement, that is, how quickly engagement (or disengagement) begins after a command, the rate of engagement dE/dt (or disengagement dD/dt), and the time to full engagement (or disengagement), for example, are critical to the overall satisfactory transmission operation and performance which demands consistent and smooth shifts.
In clutch-to-clutch transmissions, to engage a clutch controllably, the piston actuating the clutch is moved to a point at which the full stroke of the clutch is completed. Thus, the clutch volume is completely filled with transmission or hydraulic fluid. After this "fill phase," the torque transmitted by the clutch is then controlled by controlling the clutch fluid pressure.
Prior art clutch control systems rely on collecting indirect information and utilizing it after a shift has been completed to determine the required fill time and time to begin full clutch engagement. This approach is limited by the numerous calibrations that must be utilized to relate the available data to the fill volume and the slow convergence rate of this limited data which delays and adds uncertainty to the computation of the clutch fill time.
As the sophistication of clutch-to-clutch and other transmissions increases and their performance and fuel efficiency goals become even more demanding, controlled, that is, proper and desired engagement and disengagement of clutches in clutch-to-clutch and other transmissions is of increasing importance. The present invention is directed to this goal.

Realtime estimation of clutch piston position


Hierarchical layout versus schematic comparison with extraneous device elimination is provided. This includes obtaining a hierarchical layout netlist for a circuit design, the hierarchical layout netlist grouping arrayed devices of the circuit design into blocks repeated at a top level of a hierarchy of the hierarchical layout netlist. A modified hierarchical layout netlist defining active devices and connections thereof to top level pads of the circuit design is generated, in which extraneous devices are selectively removed from the obtained hierarchical layout netlist. The modified hierarchical layout netlist is verified against an input schematic netlist defining active devices of the circuit design and connections thereof to pads of the circuit design.

In the fabrication of an integrated circuit, physical verification of the circuit layout is an important process, and is particularly vital during the early stages of technology development in which circuits intended for technology ramp-up and device modeling are produced. Layout versus schematic (LVS) comparison is a well-known computerized verification method for determining whether a netlist generated from a circuit layout corresponds to an input schematic diagram/design for the intended circuit. However, LVS techniques are not always efficient, especially when dealing with circuit layouts with large arrays of devices. In those cases, manual processes can be performed to verify a circuit layout, but manual verification introduces its own disadvantages. What is needed is an efficient automated verification technique for verifying circuit layouts having arrays of potentially millions of devices.

Hierarchical layout versus schematic (LVS) comparison with extraneous device elimination


Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. The method includes forming an isolation region in a substrate to define active regions extending in a single direction and being spaced apart from each other by the isolation region, forming a conductive layer in the isolation region and the active regions, etching the conductive layer to form bit line trenches extending in a first direction that is non-perpendicular to the single direction, forming bit line patterns in respective ones of the bit line trenches, etching the conductive layer to form a plurality of plug trenches two dimensionally arrayed along the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and filling the plug trenches with an insulation material to define conductive plug patterns in portions of the active regions. Related semiconductor devices are also provided.

Example embodiments of the present disclosure relate to semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same and, more particularly, to semiconductor devices including conductive plugs and methods of manufacturing the same.
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices well known in the semiconductor industry may include a plurality of transistors and a plurality of capacitors. In general, the transistors may be formed in and on a substrate, and the capacitors may be formed over the transistors. Conductive plugs may be formed on source regions of the transistors to electrically connect the transistors to the capacitors. The conductive plugs may electrically connect the source regions of the transistors to storage node electrodes of the capacitors. Further, other conductive plugs, for example, bit line contact plugs may be formed on drain regions of the transistors to electrically connect the transistors to bit lines.
As semiconductor devices become more highly integrated, critical dimensions (CDs) of line widths of the semiconductor devices have been continuously reduced. Accordingly, it may be difficult to increase a process margin in the fabrication of the conductive plugs. For example, when the critical dimensions (CDs) of the line widths of the semiconductor devices are reduced, there may be some limitations in obtaining sufficient overlay margins between the conductive plugs and the underlying layers (e.g., the active regions) during a photolithography process for forming contact holes to be filled with the conductive plugs.

Semiconductor devices including conductive plugs and methods of manufacturing the same


Implementations of the present disclosure include providing a state graph representative of a set of action states within a network, each action state representing an attack that can be performed by an adversary within the network, determining a path stealthiness value for each attack path of a set of attack paths within the network, path stealthiness values being determined based on a mapping that maps each action state to one or more technique-tactic pairs and one or more security controls, determining a path hardness value for each attack path of the set of attack paths within the network, path hardness values being determined based on a state correlation matrix that correlates action states relative to each other, and a decay factor that represents a reduction in effort required to repeatedly perform an action of an action state, and selectively generating one or more alerts based on one or more of path stealthiness values and path hardness values.

Computer networks are susceptible to attack by malicious users (e.g., hackers). For example, hackers can infiltrate computer networks in an effort to obtain sensitive information (e.g., user credentials, payment information, address information, social security numbers) and/or to take over control of one or more systems. To defend against such attacks, enterprises use security systems to monitor occurrences of potentially adverse events occurring within a network, and alert security personnel to such occurrences. For example, one or more dashboards can be provided, which provide lists of alerts that are to be addressed by the security personnel.
Modern computer networks are largely segregated and often deployed with diverse cyber defense mechanisms, which makes it challenging for an attacker (hacker) to gain direct access to a target (e.g., administrator credentials). This pattern is commonly seen in industrial control systems (ICSs) where a layered architecture ensures that targets are not in close proximity to the perimeter. Despite the presence of a layered architecture, the spate of attacks is increasing rapidly and span from large enterprises to critical infrastructure (CINF) networks. Due to the potential severe damage and cost experienced by a victim, CINFs have been intentionally targeted and have suffered from significant losses when successfully exploited.
In general, attacks on CINFs occur in multiple stages. Consequently, detecting a single intrusion does not necessarily indicate the end of the attack as the attack could have progressed far deeper into the network. Accordingly, individual attack footprints are insignificant in an isolated manner, because each is usually part of a more complex multi-step attack. That is, it takes a sequence of steps to form an attack path towards a target in the network. Researchers have investigated several attack path analysis methods for identifying attacker's required effort (e.g., number of paths to a target and the cost and time required to compromise each path) to diligently estimate risk levels. However, traditional techniques fail to consider important features and provide incomplete solutions for addressing real-world attack scenarios.

Generating attack graphs in agile security platforms


A friction driven printing device capable of delivering high-resolution images on the vertical surface of corrugated boxes, shipping cases, chip board, and the like, has a print cylinder assembly that is housed in a print carriage that is mountable on a conveyor line. The print cylinder has a wall that is perforated and includes a stencil and a screen mounted on the print cylinder. Ink from an ink cartridge is pumped into the print cylinder via an ink feed tube and deposited in the print cylinder. A roller squeegee is used to meter the ink uniformly across the print area of the print cylinder and ultimately onto the printer substrate.

1. Field of Invention
This invention is directed to a printing system for delivering high-resolution images on vertical surfaces of recording media having a non-negligible third dimension.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of printing methods are familiar to most people, including offset, letter press and gravure lithography, inkjet printing, laser printing, and impact printing. A technique that has nearly vanished over the past 20 years is mimeography.
Mimeography was widely used in the 1940s and 1950s in schools, hospitals and the military as an alternative to commercial printing. Traditional mimeography is inexpensive and can be accomplished "in house" with little capital investment and a high level of flexibility. A user needs only a typewriter or an impact printer, a mimeograph printer, which is about the size of a small photocopier, stencils, ink and paper. The heart of the traditional mimeograph system is the stencil, which is traditionally made of a natural fiber tissue and coated to block the flow of ink. To create an image, the stencil is placed in a typewriter. The typing keys remove the coating on impact. The stencil is then mounted on the mimeograph print cylinder. Ink, flowing from inside the cylinder through a porous metal cylinder surface and then through the voids created in the stencil by the typewriter, transfers the image to the paper substrate. Print quality is not comparable to typed memos or letters. As a result, use of the traditional mimeograph process was limited in commercial offices. Schools, hospitals and the military used this traditional mimeograph process because the copy is legible, but more importantly, inexpensive.
Mimeography in its original form has virtually disappeared in the industrial world. It has been largely replaced by photocopier equipment. However, recently mimeography was reborn when a "digital stencil" was developed. Digital stencils are made of a non-woven backing of natural and polyester fibers laminated to a polyester thin film of about 6-8 gauges. The digital stencil is imaged by using thermal printheads such as those used in facsimile machines and a wide variety of label printers. Such thermal printheads have a resolution of about 200 to 600 dots per inch. The digital stencil system, also known commercially as a digital duplication system, offers vastly improved print quality over traditional mimeograph equipment.
Thermal printheads accept digital data. As a result, stenciled images may be created in computers or digital scanners, as opposed to old-fashioned typewriters and impact printers. From the standpoint of print quality, digital duplicator systems are not comparable with photocopying. However, the improved print quality and low operating cost is useful in many traditional office settings.
The typical digital duplicator looks and performs very much like a small photocopier. An original image is placed on the machine's plate scanner, which scans and digitizes the image and downloads a copy to a thermal imager. The thermal imager burns holes in a plastic stencil at 300 or 400 dots per inch. The stencil is automatically loaded onto the print cylinder and paper is automatically fed into the printer, printed and discharged. The operator need only enter the quantity of copies desired and select the print speed. In some machines, a computer can be used for the digitizing process where an original does not exist. Thus, the operator can create an image having text, graphics, and the like on a personal computer and download the image directly to the thermal imager to start the automatic printing process.

Methods and system for inline digital printing


Apparatus and associated methods relate to forming images for a terminal-imaging seeker using software defined optics. An optically-neutral lens with a ballistic-ogive-shaped front surface receives light from a scene aligned along an optical axis. The optically-neutral lens transmits the light received at the ballistic-ogive-shaped front surface to a planar rear surface, which is then transmitted to a coded-aperture plate aligned with the optical axis. The coded-aperture plate includes a plurality of pinhole-like apertures, each of which is configured to perform pinhole-like lensing of the scene. The plurality of pinhole-like apertures form a multiplex of overlapping images on a focal plane array aligned with the optical axis. An image processor reconstructs, based on a configuration of the plurality of pinhole-like apertures and the multiplex of overlapping images, a single image of the scene.

Precision guided munitions can use terminal-imaging seekers to improve weapon effectiveness. Munitions manufacturers are ever developing smaller and higher-shock-tolerant munitions. Therefore, smaller and higher-shock-tolerant terminal-imaging seekers are being sought. Many munitions have tapered nose cones so as to have a high ballistic coefficient. Terminal-imaging seekers are often located in these tapered nose cones. The terminal-imaging seekers must be able to survive the launch shocks of the munitions in which they are located. Terminal-imaging seekers include cameras that traditionally have a lens stack, which can be relatively heavy and big, thereby adding weight and size to the munitions for which they are designed. What are needed are systems and methods that reduce the size and/or weight of a terminal-imaging seeker.

Terminal-imaging seeker with software defined optics