A bar code reader has a CCD for producing an image signal, an amplifier for amplifying the image signal from the CCD and a digitalizing circuit for changing the image signal to binary signal. The CCD operates with an operating voltage Vcc less than 8 V. The amplifier has first and second operational amplifiers each having one voltage source terminal connected to Vcc of 5 V and the other voltage source terminal connected to ground. Also, the digitalizing circuit has a third operational amplifier having one voltage source terminal connected to Vcc of 5 V and the other voltage source terminal connected to ground.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bar code reader using an image sensor such as a CCD.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In FIG. 7, a prior art bar code reader is shown which includes a power source PS for supplying 5 V, a DC--DC converter 21 for changing the voltage from 5 V to 12 V, an image sensor 5 such as a CCD having 2048 pixels and operates at 12 V, an operational amplifier 9 for amplifying the output from the CCD 5, a digitalizing circuit 10 formed by an operational amplifier for changing the amplified signal to a digital signal, a level down circuit for changing the signal in the system having the Vcc of 12 V to the system having the Vcc of 5 V, and a microcomputer 14 for processing the read bar code signal. The microcomputer 14 includes a counter 15 for counting the width of a bar, an I/O port 16, a serial port 17, a ROM 18 and a RAM 19. By a program previously installed in the ROM 18, microcomputer 14 processes the read data and the result is applied to a buffer 20 and further transmitted to another processing device (not show).
The bar code reader further includes a light source 2 formed by LEDs aligned in an array for emitting a ribbon of light having a wavelength of 660 run, an image sensor drive circuit 12 for driving the CCD 5, and an indicator 13 formed by a buzzer or a lamp for indicating that the reading is completed.
In the prior art bar code reader, the image sensor 5 and circuits 9, 10 and 11 operates with the operating voltage Vcc of 12 V, and the circuit 2, 12 and 13 operates with the operating voltage Vcc of 5 V. The former circuit is referred to as a 12 V circuit system, and the latter is referred to as a 5 V circuit system. Since the bar code reader has only one power source, it is necessary to prepare two voltages levels, 5 V and 12 V. To this end, DC--DC converter 21 is provided in the prior art bar code reader. Furthermore, to enable the use of the signal produced in the 12 V circuit system in the 5 V circuit system, a level down circuit 11 is necessary.
When such a DC--DC converter is employed, the bar code reader becomes bulky in size, and increases the manufacturing cost. Furthermore, when a battery is used for the power source, the battery does not last long due to the use of high voltage and the power consumed in the DC--DC converter 21 and the level down circuit 11.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A dispenser for liquid and pulverulent materials provides a cabinet with a pressurized chamber for electrical control equipment. Materials to be dispensed are controlled by a pilot valve and a dispense valve, for each different material to be dispensed. A dispense head is cantilevered from the cabinet, so as to overhang a container receiving the dispensed materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to apparatus for dispensing liquid and pulverulent materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
The assignee of the present invention has provided a number of commercially successful automatic dispensing machines. These machines have found ready acceptance in the paint and coatings art. Examples of these machines are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,813,785; 4,967,938; 5,078,302; and 3,851,798.
The machines referred to above are especially adapted for dispensing materials into containers which can be carried by hand, or which can also be delivered by conveyors to points remote from the dispensing station. For very high volume production runs, or when unusually large containers are to be filled, an unusually large source of material to be dispensed must be kept on hand at the dispensing station, and must be readily replenished, if necessary, during a work shift to keep the dispensing station fully operational with a maximum utilization. One example of such a situation is found in paint production facilities or where basic ingredients of a paint formulation are manufactured or otherwise produced. It has been found advantageous to provide what may be called "continuous" material supply, theoretically a supply of infinite size compared to the amount of material required during prolonged production runs. A typical situation may be visualized as a "tank farm" of containers coupled together through manifold arrangements to produce a source for a pipeline which runs through the production plant, with the pipeline being coupled to a dispensing apparatus. Special arrangements must be made to accommodate these so-called "infinite sources" of material and improvements in dispensing machinery for such installations have been sought.

Apparatus for metering and dispensing flowable materials to form a blended composition


A u-shaped timer housing body has a pair of elongated legs, a closed end, an open end, and a pair of open sides. There are a plurality of electrical switches, each switch including a pair of contacts, one of which comprises a terminal-switch blade combination passing through and secured to the closed end of the housing body. A cylindrical cam assembly, including a cam shaft, is rotatably supported by a pair of side panels, one end of the shaft mounted in a bearing in each of the panels. The panels and the housing body have a tongue and groove construction which permits the panels to be slid into the housing body along the legs, the panels closing the open sides and the cam assembly entering the housing through the open end, in a direction along a radius of the cam axis. A cover plate snaps onto the housing body, closing the open end and locking the panels and the cam assembly in place.

1. Field of the Invention.
The invention in general relates to appliance timers, and more particularly to a dryer timer with a cylindrical cam and having a housing structure which enables the cam to be inserted in the housing in a direction radial to the axis of the cam.
2. Description of the Related Art.
Electromechanical timers in which a mechanical cam activates electrical switches in a programmed cycle to control the functions of appliances are well known. Most recent designs have included elongated electrical switch blades responsive to a cylindrical cam. The blades and cam are held in a housing. The housing structure is important since the blades and cam must be held firmly and within close tolerances in order to provide the desired programmed timing functions. Further the structure must be such that the relative position of the blades and cam are held over long periods of time since appliance timers are expected to operate reliably for five to ten years or longer. In addition, the housing must insulate switch blades from one another, which in dryer timers is a demanding requirement since the blades carry high power loads. U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,243 issued to G. Obermann; U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,015 issued to Elmo W. Voland, Harold T. Simmons and Pauker Kurt; U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,159 issued to William Ray Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,028 issued to Garry A. Stout and Donald L. Ray; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,037 issued to Daniel K. Amonett show typical appliance timer housings in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,243 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,028 disclose housings in which the blades are held in a terminal block assembly and the terminal block assembly and the cam are held between two plates. In such assemblies, the cam is axially placed on one plate and the terminal block holding the blades is usually attached to one plate after the cam is attached. These housings require the blades to be held in a terminal block which is separately manufactured. U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,159 shows a modular construction in which individual cams are inserted axially into separate wafers and the wafers are stacked to form the complete timer housing. This requires many more manufacturing steps than other housings. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,727,015 and 4,538,037 show two different variations of a common timer housing which comprises a cup shaped portion in which the cam is inserted axially. The latter patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,037, represents the current state-of-the-art in dryer timer housings. Each of the above two housings require the blades to be held in special jigs while the cam is inserted.

Can operated timer with improved housing


The present invention includes an improved rear bumper assembly which is designed to help prevent exhaust gases from entering a vehicle. The bumper assembly can have a blocking structure sealed to the bumper cover and the rear of the vehicle. This blocking structure helps push the exhaust gases down and away from the rear of the vehicle which can help carry the exhaust gases away from the vehicle as it travels forward.

Modern vehicles are commonly powered by the use of an internal combustion engine. These engines typically burn gasoline, diesel fuel, or other hydrocarbon fuel sources to produce the energy required to power the vehicle's movement. However, in burning these fuels the engine produces exhaust gases which can be obnoxious in odor.
The exhaust gases are typically managed with an exhaust system that carries the exhaust from the engine and releases the exhaust gases out of an exhaust pipe at a rear of the vehicle where the gases ideally are left behind as the vehicle travels down the road.
However, as a vehicle is traveling, the vehicle displaces air during its forward motion. This displacement of air creates a low pressure zone behind the vehicle. The low pressure zone prohibits efficient flow of the exhaust gases which can remain in a stagnant area within the low pressure zone behind the vehicle. As these gases linger they may seep into the body of a vehicle ultimately traveling to a cabin space where vehicle occupants are seated.
As such, an improved device is desired for helping to prevent the exhaust gases of the vehicle from entering into the cabin area.

Exhaust gas odor foam blocking structure

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


This document relates to the use of jasmonate or related compounds in combination with crop input products (e.g., herbicides, pesticides, bioactives or biologicals, seed treatment components, semiochemicals, and the like) to induce biodefense activity in plants. Also provided are compositions comprising a jasmonate or related compound with one or more crop input product.

Jasmonic acid induces the production of plant defense proteins, such as proteinase inhibitors, and can promote insect, pathogen or viral resistance in plants by inducing the expression of plant defense genes. Jasmonic acid and methyl jasmonate, along with a number of other materials, are also discussed by Karban and Baldwin in Induced Responses to Herbivory 12-46 (The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1997).
Another material, cis-jasmone, is a volatile component of plants and its release can be induced by damage, for example during feeding on cotton by lepidopterous larvae (Loughrin et al. (1995) J. Chem. Ecol., 21, 1217-1227). Compositions of cis-jasmone were found to attract adult Lepidoptera to attracticidal baits and/or field traps (U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,344). Cis-jasmone was also found to attract beneficial insects and alter gene expression in plants (U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,525).
Pesticides typically (and deliberately) have defined activity, often with few active ingredients reliant on limited and highly targeted modes of action. Such reliance provides the potential for resistance build up against important pests with globally important pesticidal groups (e.g. neonicotinoids), where any resistance could quickly place the whole chemical activity group at risk, and jeopardize sustainability of global food/feed and plant output (e.g. oil, protein, fiber) production.

Methods and compositions containing jasmonates or related compounds for promoting biodefense activity in plants


A low pressure, high temperature composite bridge plug. The bridge plug comprises a mandrel with a plurality of slips disposed therearound. A wedge is initially attached to said mandrel and in planar contact with the slips for forcing the slips radially outwardly into gripping engagement with a wellbore. An elastomeric sealing element is disposed on the mandrel and compressed between the wedge and a shoulder on the mandrel to expand the packing element radially outward into sealing engagement with the wellbore. A plurality of ratchets retained in a ratchet body grippingly engage the mandrel to prevent the plug from unsetting. The mandrel, slips, wedge and ratchet body are preferably made of non-metallic, composite materials for easy drilling.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to downhole tools for use in high temperature wells, and more particularly, to a high temperature bridge plug made primarily of non-metallic composite materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the drilling or reworking of oil wells, a great variety of downhole tools are used. For example, but not by way of limitation, it is often desirable to seal tubing or other pipe in the casing of the well, such as when it is desired to pump cement or other slurry down tubing and force the slurry out into a formation. It then becomes necessary to seal the tubing with respect to the well casing and to prevent the fluid pressure of the slurry from lifting the tubing out of the well. Packers and bridge plugs designed for these general purposes are well known in the art.
When it is desired to remove such downhole tools from a wellbore, it is frequently simpler and less expensive to mill or drill them out rather than to implement a complex retrieving operation. In milling, a milling cutter is used to grind the packer or plug, for example, or at least the outer components thereof, out of the wellbore. Milling is a relatively slow process, but it can be used on packers or bridge plugs having relatively hard components such as erosion-resistant hard steel. One such packer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,875 to Sullaway, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and sold under the trademark EZ DISPOSAL packer. Other downhole tools in addition to packers and bridge plugs may also be drilled out.
In drilling, a drill bit is used to cut and grind up the components of the downhole tool to remove it from the wellbore. This is a much faster operation than milling, but requires the tool to be made of materials which can be accommodated by the drill bit. Soft and medium hardness cast iron have been used on the pressure-bearing components, along with some brass and aluminum items. Packers of this type include the Halliburton EZ DRILL.RTM. and EZ DRILL SV.RTM. squeeze packers.
The EZ DRILL.RTM. packer and bridge plug and the EZ DRILL SV.RTM. packer are designed for fast removal from the wellbore by either rotary or cable tool drilling methods. Many of the components in these drillable packing devices are locked together to prevent their spinning while being drilled, and the harder slips are grooved so that they can be broken up in small pieces. Typically, standard "tri-cone" rotary drill bits are used.
However, drilling out iron components requires certain techniques. Ideally, the operator employs variations in rotary speed and bit weight to help break up the metal parts and re-establish bit penetration should bit penetration cease while drilling. A phenomenon known as "bit tracking" can occur, wherein the drill bit stays on one path and no longer cuts into the downhole tool. When this happens, it is necessary to pick up the bit above the drilling surface and rapidly recontact the bit with the packer or plug and apply weight while continuing rotation. This aids in breaking up the established bit pattern and helps to re-establish bit penetration. If this procedure is used, there are rarely problems. However, operators may not apply these techniques or even recognize when bit tracking has occurred. The result is that drilling times are greatly increased because the bit merely wears into the surface of the downhole tool rather than cutting into it to break it up.
While cast iron components may be necessary for the high pressures and temperatures for which they are designed, it has been determined that many wells experience pressures less than 10,000 psi and temperatures less than 425.degree. F. Thus, the heavy-duty metal construction of some previous downhole tools, such as packers and bridge plugs described above, is not necessary for many applications.
For such well conditions, tools have been designed wherein at least some of the components, including slips and pressure-bearing components, are made at least partially of non-metallic materials, such as engineering-grade plastics. Such tools are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,271,468, 5,224,540, and 5,390,737, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. These tools are sold under the trademark FAS DRILL.RTM.. The plastic components in these tools are much more easily drilled than cast iron, and new drilling methods may be employed which use alternative drill bits such as polycrystalline diamond compact bits, or the like, rather than standard tri-cone bits.
These prior tools using non-metallic components utilize two sets of slips, one on each side of the packing elements to lock the tool in the wellbore and prevent it from unsetting. This is particularly helpful in high-pressure situations to keep the tool from being undesirably moved in the wellbore. However, not all well conditions have these pressure levels, and the present invention is designed to address such less severe well conditions. The present invention utilizes a single set of slips to hold the tool in the wellbore while a plurality of ratchets keep the tool from unsetting. This results in a cost reduction compared to current plugs and packers.

Low pressure, high temperature composite bridge plug


Provided is an antibody that selectively binds to an epitope formed by residues 1-11 of Aβ in an Aβ oligomer, a method comprising using the antibody to treat a disease characterized by such an Aβ amyloid deposit in a patient, and kits comprising same.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder and is the most common cause of dementia. The disease is characterized by two types of lesions in the brain, abnormal clumps of fibers, called amyloid plaques, and tangled bundles of fibers, called neurofibrillary tangles. Amyloid plaques (also called senile plaques) primarily comprise Aβ peptide. The Aβ peptide is released from the amyloid β protein precursor, APP, by the action of two secretases, and γ (reviewed in Haass, EMBO J. 23:483-488 (2004)). Depending on the γ secretase, Aβ is a 40 or 42 amino acid peptide. While APP is a membrane-spanning protein, Aβ is a soluble peptide. Aβ peptide, however, is highly hydrophobic and readily self-aggregates, forming oligomers. Aggregation of Aβ oligomers results in fiber formation, and the fibers eventually precipitate and develop into the amyloid plaques typical of Alzheimer's and other β amyloidogenic diseases.
Soluble oligomeric forms of Aβ have been postulated to contribute to the onset of AD, and it has been hypothesized that the Aβ peptide causes the pathologic and behavioral manifestations of Alzheimers's disease, including synaptic dysfunction and loss, neurofibrillary tangle formation, neuronal degeneration, and impaired memory (Lambert et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:6448-6453 (1998); Hartley et al., J. Neurosci. 19:8876-8884 (1999); Walsh et al., Science 416:535-539 (2002)). Soluble Aβ levels are increased in individuals with mild cognitive dysfunction in the absence of overt Aβ pathology, and the levels of soluble Aβ levels appear to correlate better with neurofibrillary degeneration and the loss of synaptic markers than do amyloid plaques in AD patients (McLean et al., Ann. Neurol. 46:860-86 (1999); Lue et al., Am. J. Pathol. 155:853-862 (1999); Naslund et al., JAMA 283:1571-1577 (2000)). Similarly, decreases in synaptophysin immunoreactivity and impairments in synaptic transmission in APP transgenic mice precede the onset of microscopic Aβ amyloid pathology (Hsia et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96:3228-3233 (1999); Mucke et al., J. Neurosci. 20:4050-4058 (2000)).
A variety of methods designed to inhibit the production or enhance the clearance of Aβ are being developed as potential AD therapies. Indeed, immunization of murine models of Aβ amyloidosis inhibits senile plaque formation, and ameliorates associated cognitive impairments (Schenk, Nature 200:173-177 (1999); Bard et al., Nat. Med. 6:916-919 (2000); Janus et al., Nature 408:979-982 (2000); Morgan et al., Nature 408:982-985 (2000); DeMattos et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:8850-8855 (2001); Hartman et al., Neurosci. 25:6213-6220 (2005)).
Despite the development of meningoencephalitis in 6% of individuals immunized with the Aβ42 peptide during a phase II clinical trial (Nicoll et al., Nat. Med. 9:448-452 (2003); Orgogozo et al., Neurology 61:46-54 (2003)), immunotherapy, especially passive immunization, remains a compelling potential treatment for AD. Interestingly, passive immunization of mouse models of AD-like Aβ plaques has been shown to rapidly reverse learning and memory deficits without affecting Aβ plaque pathology, indicating that neutralization of toxic Aβ species can quickly restore neuronal function in vivo (Dodart et al., Nat. Neurosci. 5:452-457 (2002); Kotilinek et al., J. Neurosci. 22:6331-6335 (2002)).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,745 discloses an antibody that selectively binds to an epitope of residues 1-5 of Aβ and its use in a passive immunization method for treating an Alzheimer's disease patient. Gong et al. (PNAS 100:10417-10422 (2003)) disclose polyclonal antibodies raised against oligomers of Aβ1-42. The predominant oligomer detected by the polyclonal antibody is a tetramer. Lambert et al. (J. Neurochem. 79:595-605 (2001)) disclose polyclonal antibodies raised against oligomers of Aβ1-42. The predominant oligomers detected by the polyclonal antibody are trimers and tetramers.
Prior to the present invention, there was an unmet need in the art for an antibody that selectively binds a conformation in toxic Aβ oligomers and does not cross-react with intact APP or C99 for use in passive immunization treatments of β-amyloidogenic diseases. The instant invention meets this need.

Antibody treatment of Alzheimer's and related diseases

The Trustees of The University of Pennsylvania


Pressurized fluidized furnace equipment includes a fluidized bed furnace (1) that pressurizes combustion air (B) and combusts a material to be treated (A) while fluidizing the same; an air preheater (3) that exchanges heat between a combustion exhaust gas (C) discharged from the fluidized bed furnace (1) and the combustion air (B); a dust collector (4) that removes dust from the combustion exhaust gas (C); and first and second superchargers (5, 6) to which the combustion exhaust gas (C), having undergone the heat exchange in the air preheater (3) and the dust removal in the dust collector (4), is supplied to generate compressed air (D, E). The first compressed air (D) generated in the first supercharger (5) is supplied as the combustion air (B) to the fluidized bed furnace (1) by way of the air preheater (3), and the second compressed air (E) generated in the second supercharger (6) is made to have a higher pressure than that of the first compressed air (D). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the equipment from having more superchargers than is necessary for normal use although a plurality of first and second superchargers are provided, and to efficiently use the surplus combustion exhaust gas.

As pressurized fluidized furnace equipment including such a supercharger, for example, Patent Document 1 describes pressurized fluidized furnace equipment including a plurality of first and second superchargers (turbochargers) that generate and blow compressed air to be supplied to a fluidized bed furnace, using combustion exhaust gas generated by a fluidized bed furnace (combustion furnace) that combusts a material to be treated (sludge). According to the pressurized fluidized furnace equipment described in Patent Document 1, these two superchargers are arranged in parallel. Thus, even in a case where the operation of one supercharger is stopped, the other supercharger is used. Accordingly, continuous treatment is possible without stopping the operation of the equipment.


Management data for managing an image sensing device can be read from the device even after the device has been mounted. To accomplish this, the management data is recorded in a non-effective imaging zone that surrounds an effective imaging area in the read-out area of the image sensing device. The non-effective imaging zone is a zone from which an output signal is not used in generating a sensed target image. The management data can be sensed from the signal output by the image sensing device. In another aspect, management data for managing an image sensing device can be read from the device even after the device has been mounted on a circuit board. To accomplish this, the management data is recorded on a protective glass, which covers the device, using an ink that reflects infrared radiation. A target image having a uniform pattern is sensed using a light source whose emission includes infrared radiation, and the image obtained by such sensing is displayed on a display. The portion of the obtained target image that is the management data appears darker than other portions. The management data is obtained by reading the darkened portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for recording data that is for the management of solid-state electronic image sensing devices, a system and method for sensing the management data of solid-state electronic image sensing devices, and a solid-state electronic image sensing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Formed on the front side of a solid-state electronic image sensing device is an imaging area on which the image of a subject is formed. The imaging area is covered with a transparent material such as glass.
Management data (product name, typical specifications, revision number, lot number, applied voltage, date of manufacture, etc.) is recorded on the solid-state electronic image sensing device. If such management data is recorded on the transparent material covering the imaging area, it has an effect upon the image sensing capability of the device. For this reason, the usual practice is to record the device management data on the back side of the solid-state electronic image sensing device.
When the management data is recorded on the back side of the solid-state electronic image sensing device, however, the data is difficult to read after the solid-state electronic image sensing device is mounted. This is because the device is mounted on a circuit board or heat sink with its back side in intimate contact with the board or heat sink. Since the management data is difficult to read, fault analysis of the solid-state electronic image sensing device and control of it, such as changing the applied voltage, also are difficult because the management data is used for such purposes.

System and method for recording management data for management of solid-state electronic image sensing device, and system and method for sensing management data


Methods for preventing, ameliorating, or reducing dermatological signs of aging are provided which employ active agents, other than a retinoid, that stimulate thymosin beta-4 expression in the skin. Also provided are methods for screening for substances which stimulate thymosin beta-4 expression levels and the methods of using active agents identified by the screening protocol in the treatment of skin.

Thymosins refer to a family of biochemically and functionally distinct proteins that were originally identified from the thymus, but which are now known to be present in many other tissues, and which have a variety of different physiological functions. More than 20 isoforms of beta-thymosin have been identified in different species, and among humans, three beta-thymosins have been identified, including thymosin beta-4, thymosin beta-10, and thymosin beta-15, all of which share significant amino acid sequence homology. Despite this homology, each of these thymosin beta proteins is a distinct gene product with different functions.
Thymosin beta-4, the most abundant of the beta-thymosins, is a highly conserved, water-soluble amino acid acidic polypeptide. The mammalian gene encoding thymosin beta-4 localizes to the X-chromosome. Human thymosin beta-4, X-linked, has 44 amino acids (msdkpdmaei ekfdksklkk tetqeknplp sketieqekq ages, SEQ ID NO:1), and escapes X-inactivation by being processed into a 43 amino acid peptide, with a molecular weight of 4.9 kDa, by removal of the first methionyl residue (Girardi, M., et al., Immunology, 2003, 109: 1-7). Thymosin beta-4 is localized to both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of cells. Thymosin beta-4 is present in many tissues, and has multiple biological functions. It potently regulates actin polymerization, stimulates tissue remodeling, cell differentiation, and cell and tissue healing after injury, and is also involved in the expression of a number of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines.
The inventors have examined the mode of operation of retinol in human skin, and have made the discovery that retinol is a potent upregulator of thymosin beta-4. This surprising result lead to the search for additional agents that upregulate thymosin beta-4, that could act as potential alternatives or replacements for retinol in the treatment of and in the improvement of the aesthetic appearance and health of human skin.
It is an object of the invention to provide compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating, inhibiting and/or preventing dermatological signs of aging. It is another object of the invention to provide methods for treating, ameliorating, inhibiting and/or preventing dermatological signs of aging by inducing the expression of thymosin beta-4 in skin cells to improve the appearance of skin. It is a further object of the invention to provide compounds, other than retinoids, that stimulate thymosin beta-4 expression, for a time sufficient to improve the aesthetic appearance of said human skin, and to provide methods for identifying compounds that are useful for treating, ameliorating, inhibiting and/or preventing dermatological signs of aging, by administering agents that stimulate or upregulate expression of thymosin beta-4 in skin cells.
The foregoing discussion is presented solely to provide a better understanding of nature of the problems confronting the art and should not be construed in any way as an admission as to prior art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


There is disclosed an inkjet recording apparatus which comprises a head having an actuator and at least one nozzle row each of which comprises a plurality of nozzles for ejecting an ink droplet therethrough onto a recording medium by driving of the actuator, a drive element which outputs to the actuator a drive signal for ejecting the ink droplet, an ink supply portion which is connected to the head so as to supply ink to the head, a heat radiating member which has a contact portion in contact with the drive element and an extending portion disposed alongside at least a part of the ink supply portion so as to release heat generated at the drive element, and a head holder which holds the head, the drive element, ink supply portion, and the heat radiating member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus in which an ink droplet is ejected from each of nozzles onto a recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
As this kind of inkjet recording apparatus, there is known an apparatus where an actuator unit, such as an electromechanical transducer, e.g., a piezoelectric element, and an electrothermal transducer, is driven to vary the pressure in a pressure chamber in communication with one of nozzles so as to eject ink in the pressure chamber through the nozzle onto a recording medium, thereby performing printing.
Conventional inkjet recording apparatuses of this kind are classified into two groups based on the relative size difference between the actuator unit and the recording medium. Namely, a fixed-head type in which the recording medium is moved relatively to the actuator unit when printing is performed, and a serial type in which the actuator unit is also moved relatively to the recording medium when printing is performed. FIG. 8 presents a part of an inkjet recording apparatus of the latter type as disclosed in JP-A-2003-80793 corresponding to U.S. patent application Publication No. 2003063449A1 where a head holder holding a recording head 80 is mounted on a carriage. In FIG. 8 is presented a positional relationship between the head 80 on the head holder and an IC chip 84, as seen from the side of a nozzle surface 81 in which a plurality of nozzles are formed.
More specifically, the head 80 has the nozzle surface 81 in which the nozzles are open. The head 80 is generally rectangular and the nozzles are arranged in a plurality of rows or groups each extending along a longitudinal direction of the head 80. The number of the nozzle rows corresponds to the number of inks of respective colors used, and the nozzle rows are aligned in a width direction of the head 80 which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In the head 80, there are formed ink supply ports 86a-86d at a position corresponding to ends of the respective nozzle rows on a same side in the direction of extension of each nozzle row. There is formed an ink supply passage which extends from an ink cartridge mounted on an upper, open side of the head holder, to the ink supply ports 86a-86d of the head 80, and includes an ink supply channel formed through the head holder.
At the side of the ones of the opposite ends of the respective nozzle rows which are remote from the ink supply ports 86a-86d, there is disposed an IC chip 84 having a drive circuit for outputting drive signals for driving an actuator unit disposed on a surface of the head opposite to the nozzle surface.
The IC chip 84 is long and disposed along the width direction of the head 80. On an upper surface of the IC chip 84, a heatsink 83 for releasing heat generated at the IC chip 84 is disposed. The heatsink 83 has a horizontally long, planar shape whose plane surface has an area larger than that of the upper surface of the IC chip 84, and is fixed to a wall surface of the head holder which is on a side opposite the ink supply ports of the head 80.
An ink ejection performance, including the speed at which ink droplets are ejected, varies with the viscosity of the ink, which in turn varies with the temperature of the ink. That is, a change in the ink temperature leads to a change in the ink ejection performance.
However, in the conventional inkjet recording apparatus as shown in FIG. 8, the heatsink 83 is disposed positionally correspondingly to the ends of the respective nozzle rows on the side remote from the ink supply ports 86a-86d. Hence, the temperature of the head body 80 is the highest at an area corresponding to the ends of the nozzle rows remote from the ink supply ports 86a-86d, and gradually decreases toward the ink supply ports 86a-86d. Since the temperature is decreased around the ink supply ports 86a-86d by the unwarmed ink flowing through the ink supply ports 86a-86d, the temperature at this place is further lowered.
Accordingly, in the nozzle surface 81, a variation in the temperature of the ink may occur, leading to a variation in the ink ejecting performance among nozzles depending upon their positions, namely, whether near the ink supply ports or the IC chip 84. This can cause deterioration in the quality of an image formed on the recording medium.
In particular, there has been recently a growing demand for an inkjet recording apparatus assuring a further enhanced recording quality and higher recording rate, resulting in the existing tendency of increasing the number of nozzles and shortening the interval of applications of the drive signals. This considerably raises the temperature of the IC chip 84, and an adverse influence of this rise in temperature on the recording quality has now become a matter of concern.


A system, method, and apparatus for managing and monitoring productivity on subjects within one or more worksites is disclosed. The system includes a computing device, and in some embodiments a wearable device, configured to collect data associated with an employee on the one or more worksites in real-time in addition to verifying the identity of an employee based on images of the employee captured on the worksite within a geofence in order to prevent fraudulent clocking in/out. The collected data is utilized to track the productivity or lack thereof of the employee on the worksite.

Historically, detecting and monitoring the whereabouts and the productivity of employees and/or associates of an organization has been an arduous task in certain worksite environments. In particular, construction sites ordinarily cover a widespread area of ample employees and associates many of which have unique purposes on the worksite. However, a common issue for construction and development companies is the inability to verify an employee or associate authorized to be present on one of many worksites of said companies. A current approach is to task an individual with manually verifying the presence and identity of employees at the worksite; however, this approach is not feasible due to the fact that a particular employee may be authorized to be present on multiple worksites and the tasked individual can only account for one worksite at a particular time. In addition, manual verifying, tracking and cost coding of employee activities on the worksite using the aforementioned method not only requires additional overhead, such as manpower, but also falls victim to inefficient and inaccurate collection, managing, and reporting of data acquired on the worksite. This inefficient and inaccurate collection of data results in issues such as inaccurate client billings and erroneous payroll reports which requires a significant amount of time and resources to rectify.
Furthermore, day-to-day fraudulent representation of identity, presence, and productivity of employees on worksites is a common issue for construction and development companies. For example, employees fraudulently clocking in and out of the worksite, employees delegating the tasks to each other without employer authorization, and employees "riding the clock" are all common issues associated with construction worksites. In particular, verification of employees and tracking of employee productivity associated with labor and other applicable tasks performed on a construction worksite are inherently difficult to efficiently detect and analyze in real-time using the aforementioned manual approach. Currently systems exist to manage employee monitoring and productivity tracking; however, these systems not only fail to account for collection of data associated with the workplace in real-time much less accounting for data collected by components of the systems when offline, but also these systems require complex components such as reliable biometric information being collected from employees which results in a significant overhead.
In addition, a frequent tactic used by construction employees to deceive authenticity within the aforementioned existing systems is to provide an image of the construction employee for clocking-in and clocking-out purposes as opposed to live facial recognition of the construction employee at the worksite. Due to this system defect, a construction employee may have a co-worker clock-in on their behalf without the system being able to detect that the construction employee is not physically present on the worksite and/or performing their required task in an efficient manner on a daily basis.
Therefore, there exists a need for a system and method for managing and monitoring authenticity, time, and productivity of subjects on one or more worksites that do not fall victim to the aforementioned issues associated with the current existing systems.

Time and attendance system suitable for large or mobile work forces


A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to present a plurality of unassociated media programs from a single presentation device having overlapping presentation periods, and cause the single presentation device to present a user interface for one of the plurality of unassociated media programs responsive to detecting a request for the user interface. Each of the plurality of unassociated media programs can be viewable only with a viewing apparatus. The viewing apparatus can be configured for viewing one of the unassociated media programs at a time. Other embodiments are disclosed and contemplated.

Media consumption has become a multibillion dollar industry that continues to grow rapidly. Beginning with the advent of compact audio and video formats such as MPEG-3 and MPEG-4, these technologies have made it easy for users to port music and video into portable devices such as cellular phones, and media players in very small form factors. Because of the small file size produced by these media formats, Flash memory has in large part replaced compact hard drives previously used by these portable devices, thereby improving their durability and battery life.
High resolution displays such as high definition television (or HDTV) and high resolution computer monitors can now present two-dimensional (2D) movies and games with three-dimensional (3D) perspective with clarity never seen before. Consequently, home viewing of high resolution content has become very popular. Additionally, high resolution displays have helped to increase the popularity of gaming consoles among teenagers and adults. With high speed Internet access, gaming console manufacturers are now able to support multiuser games over broadband connections without trading off video resolution.
Movie producers are beginning to focus their efforts on producing 3D movies that require 3D viewing glasses. Some blockbuster 3D movies such as Avatar™ have motivated manufacturers to produce television sets that support 3D viewing with polarized glasses.
Collectively, improvements in viewing, audio, and communication technologies are causing rapid demand for consumption of all types of media content.

Method and apparatus for managing a presentation of media content


A biodegradable polymeric sheet may be configured to undergo biodegradation on the ground responsive to an exposure to free air and natural day light. The biodegradable polymeric sheet may include a first layer comprising polysaccharide at a weight % of between 15% to 50% and a polyester matrix, the first layer is configured to form a water barrier when in contact with water; a second layer comprising a polysaccharide at a weight % of at least 40% and a polyester matrix; and a third layer comprising polysaccharide at a weight % of between 15% to 50%, a polyester matrix and an additive configured to accelerate disintegration of the polymeric sheet when exposed to natural day light, the third layer is configured to form a water barrier when in contact with water.

There is a growing need for packages or plastic sheets made of biodegradable materials. Polymeric packages or plastic sheets, manufactured to be biodegradable are required to be consistent with a disposal method. Some known disposal methods are: disintegration of the polymeric material and composting, bury the used packages or plastic sheets underground or covering them with dirt.
Disintegration involves breaking of at least some of the bonds between the polymer chains due to the exposure of the polymer to UV light (e.g., UV light coming from the sun), thus causing disintegration of the polymeric package into small pieces. Such small pieces if not further decomposed may remain in garbage yards or containers for years. Composting or underground burial involves complete fragmentation of the polymer into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and biomass leaving no distinguishable or toxic residues.
Composting processes are conducted at closed containers, under controlled environment having controlled temperature and humidity levels, while underground burial requires the use of heavy machinery to cover the plastic residues. The composting process, or the underground degradation process, involves a digestion of the polymer by microorganisms into harmful compounds. Such polymers usually contain large amount of digestible material such as starch acting as the "substrate" for the microorganisms.
Full disintegration and fragmentation of a polymeric package or polymeric sheets into carbon dioxide, water and other harmless compounds in open air, on the ground is very desirable. Furthermore, when being burned either accidentally or on-purpose it may be desirable that that product of the burning of the polymeric package will not contain any harmful gases.


A belt skew correcting device corrects a deviation of an endless belt which is supported by a plurality of rollers and which is driven to rotate around the plurality of rollers. An inclined sectional surface of a dislocating member is guided by an inclined sectional surface of a guide member in accordance with a following movement of a following member, so that a rotational shaft of one roller is given a tilt corresponding to an amount of the movement of the endless belt along the rotational shaft, and thereby the one roller can be tiled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt skew correcting device used for a belt carrying device including an endless belt, a belt device including the belt skew correcting device, and an image forming apparatus including these devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus incorporates various types of endless-shaped belts (hereinafter, referred to as endless belts) as a latent image carrying body, an intermediate transfer body, a recording medium conveying member, an image fixing member, and the like. Such a kind of belt is configured to move in a constant direction while being stretched across at least supporting two rollers.
There is a problem generally called "belt skew" in that an endless belt skews or deviates in a direction orthogonal to the conveyed direction of the endless belt. Such a belt skew is caused for example by a problem in materials of the endless belt or components related thereto, processing accuracy for the endless belt and the components, or aging degradation of the components, and the like. If the belt skew occurs, for example, a positional deviation occurs in an image transferred onto a recording medium such as a recording sheet, or the endless belt comes off from a supporting roller and is broken. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress an occurrence of belt skew and to correct the belt skew if it occurs.
Conventionally, various methods have been proposed in order to suppress or correct, if occurred, the belt skew. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-162659 discloses a configuration of a belt skew correcting mechanism. In this configuration, an endless belt is supported by a plurality of rollers, and one of the rollers (supporting roller) is arranged to be tiltable. For this purpose, a shaft of this supporting roller, which rotatably supports the same, has one end which is tiltably supported with respect to the other end thereof serving as a pivotal point. Between the tiltable end of the roller shaft and the supporting roller, the shaft of the supporting roller (roller shaft) is provided with a following member that follows a movement of the endless belt along the shaft due to the belt skew. Between the tiltable end and the following member, there is provided a displacement member which is configured separately from the following member and which tilts the one end of the roller shaft in accordance with the following movement of the following member along the roller shaft. The following member is a pulley member which engages a bead arranged at one end of the endless belt. And, the following member is rotatable around the roller shaft, and is movable along the roller shaft following to the skew of the endless belt. The dislocating member, to which the shaft of the supporting roller (roller shaft) is inserted, is provided with a plate portion which has an elongate hole for regulating the movement of the inserted roller shaft only in the tilting direction, a projecting portion along which the following member slides, and an engaging portion which engages a pivotal shaft arranged fixedly at the device body. The pivotal shaft arranged fixedly is spaced from the shaft of the supporting roller with a predetermined angle with respect to the shaft of the supporting roller, so that the displacement member can rotate around the pivotal shaft. If the endless belt skews or deviates toward the tiltable end of the roller shaft, the projecting portion of the displacement member is pressed by the following member, and the portion of the roller shaft which is supported by the elongate hole rotates around the pivotal shaft so as to move substantially upward. On the other hand, if the endless belt skews or deviates toward the other end of the roller shaft (the pivotal end of the roller shaft), the portion of the roller shaft which is supported by the elongate hole presses the following member because of the own weight of the supporting roller, and rotates around the pivotal shaft so as to move substantially downward. Since the displacement member rotates (moves pivotally) in accordance with the skew of the endless belt, the roller shaft tilts by an angle in accordance with the skew of the endless belt with respect to the pivotal end thereof. While the endless belt rotates, a force is generated from a friction among the endless belt, the supporting roller and the following member. Due to this force from the friction, the angle of the roller shaft is converged to an angle when the belt skew does not occur, so that the belt skew is corrected. This convergence makes it possible to suppress and correct, if occurs, the belt skew.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-186910 discloses a configuration of a belt skew correcting mechanism. In this configuration, an endless belt is supported by a plurality of rollers, and one of the rollers (supporting roller) is arranged to be tiltable. For this purpose, a shaft of this supporting roller, which rotatably supports the same, has one end which is tiltably supported with respect to the other end thereof serving as a pivotal point. Between the tiltable end of the roller shaft and the supporting roller, the shaft of the supporting roller (roller shaft) is provided with a following member that follows a movement of the endless belt along the shaft due to the belt skew. At an end of the following member which is an end not facing the supporting roller, there is provided a displacement member which is configured integrally with the following member and which tilts the one end of the roller shaft in accordance with the following movement of the following member along the roller shaft. The following member is a member provided with a cylinder-shaped portion onto which one end of the endless belt is mounted, and a flange portion which abuts on the one end of the endless belt. The following member rotates in accordance with the rotation of the endless belt, and can moves along the roller shaft following to the skew of the endless belt. The displacing member is configured integrally with the following member via a bearing, and is supported movably with respect to the roller shaft along the same. A part of the displacing member is formed to be conical shape having a smaller diameter at the following member side thereof. The displacing member is disposed at a position far from the endless belt than the following member, and is always pressed toward the endless belt by a pressing member. A guide member having a cylindrical shape substantially vertical with respect to the roller shaft and having a substantially horizontal central axis abuts on the conical part of the displacing member from the lower side.
If the endless belt skews or deviates toward the vertically movable end of the roller shaft, the conical part of the displacing member which is integrally with the following member is guided in such a manner that the conical part slides down from the guide member due to the own weight of the supporting roller and the like. Thus, the conical part moves toward vertically movable end of the roller shaft. Since the conical part moves as described above, a vertical position of the roller shaft where the guide member supports the shaft is lowered, so that the supporting roller tilts downward. On the other hand, if the endless belt skews or deviates toward the pivotal end of the roller shaft, the conical part of the displacing member which is integrally with the following member is pressed by the pressing member and guided by the guide member in such a manner that the conical part slides up from the guide member. Thus, the conical part moves toward the pivotal end of the roller shaft. Since the conical part moves as described above, the vertical position of the roller shaft where the guide member supports the shaft is raised, so that the supporting roller tilts upward. Thus, since the displacing member is guided by the guide member in accordance with the skew of the endless belt, the roller shaft tilts with respect to the other end serving as the pivotal point with an angle corresponding to the skew of the endless belt. While the endless belt rotates, a force is generated from a friction among the endless belt, the supporting roller and the following member. Due to this force from the friction, the angle of the roller shaft is converged to an angle when the belt skew does not occur, so that the belt skew is corrected. This convergence makes it possible to suppress and correct, if occurs, the belt skew.
In the configuration disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-162659, however, a backlash may occur because of uneven abrasion between the roller shaft and an inner peripheral surface of the displacing member which engages the roller shaft, or between the elongate hole which supports the roller shaft and the roller shaft which slidably moves along the elongate hole. If the backlash occurs at these parts, the conversion may become stepwise when the roller shaft converges to a status with no belt skew, or the conversion itself may become impossible. Furthermore, if the status that the roller shaft cannot converge to a status with no belt skew continues for a long time, a positional deviation of a transfer image on a recording medium such as recording paper or the like may occur, or the endless belt may be damaged because of the detachment of the belt from the supporting roller. If the abrasion is advanced at these parts, the normal skew correction is likely to be impossible, and the durability as the belt skew correcting mechanism becomes unsure. Thus, the configuration disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-162659 still has a problem in the stable belt skew correction and the durability thereof.
On the other hand, in the configuration disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-186910, the cylinder shaped guide member, of which central axis is substantially horizontal and which is disposed substantially vertical to the roller shaft, abuts on the conical part of the displacing member. Thereby, the abutting position is a point, and the backlash may occur because of uneven abrasion. Therefore, the configuration disclosed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-186910 still has a problem in the stable belt skew correction and the durability thereof, similarly to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-162659.

Belt skew correcting device, belt device, and image forming apparatus


A yarn package changing method and an apparatus for carrying out the same, for use in combination with a loom which receives the weft yarn from a yarn package. The yarn package changing method carries out automatic yarn package changing operation through steps of removing an empty bobbin set in a yarn package changing position on a yarn package stand, by a yarn package transporting device, supplying a new yarn package to the yarn package stand by the yarn package transporting device, holding the leading end of the new yarn package at a predetermined position by a leading end positioning device; and setting the new yarn package in a feeding position on the yarn package stand. The apparatus includes a yarn package stand capable of holding a yarn package in a feeding position to feed the weft yarn to an automatic weft yarn threading device, a yarn package transporting device capable of automatically mounting a new yarn package on and removing a used yarn package from the yarn package stand, and a leading in positioning device for holding the leading end of a new yarn package mounted on the yarn package stand at a predetermined position, disposed opposite the automatic weft yarn threading device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yarn package changing apparatus and a yarn package changing method for supplying a yarn package of weft yarn to a loom.
2. Discussion of the Background
The applicant for patent on the present invention has previously proposed an automatic weft yarn threading apparatus in J. P. Provisional Pub. (Kokai) No. 61-47849 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,866). This previously proposed automatic weft yarn threading apparatus is capable of automatically restarting the loom by finding the leading end of the weft yarn of a new yarn package, unwinding the weft yarn from the new yarn package and threading the weft yarn on the loom when the loom is stopped due to the exhaustion of a yarn package presently supplying a weft yarn or upon the breakage of a weft yarn while the loom is in operation.
This known technique enables a smooth and automatic supply package changing operation for changing the supply of a weft yarn from a yarn package supported on a yarn package stand for the supply of a weft yarn from a new package supported on the yarn package stand. However, the previously proposed yarn package changing apparatus is unable to automatically change a used yarn package for a new package and hence unable to achieve fully automated weft yarn supply operation. In this specification, "used yarn package" is the general designation of exhausted yarn packages, i.e., empty bobbins, and half used yarn packages having some amount of yarn and yet to be replaced with a new yarn package.
In replenishing the loom with a new yarn package, it is essential to ensure finding the leading end of the weft yarn wound on the new yarn package and to introduce the leading end into the automatic weft yarn threading apparatus. To secure the precise weft yarn threading operation of the automatic weft yarn threading apparatus, one method employs a yarn transfer device disposed opposite to the automatic weft yarn threading apparatus, for positioning the leading end of the weft yarn near the automatic weft yarn threading apparatus in a predetermined shape to enable the automatic weft yarn threading apparatus to pull in the weft yarn. Another method employs a suction pipe having a flared inlet end which sucks the leading end of the weft yarn lying in a natural position on the circumference of the yarn package and introduces the leading end to the automatic weft yarn threading apparatus. The reliability of the former method in threading a weft yarn is higher than that of the latter method, because the former method grips the leading end of the weft yarn mechanically for positive introduction of the leading end to the automatic weft yarn threading apparatus.

Automatic weft yarn package changing system


An apparatus and methods for a wireless device to monitor a local vicinity of the wireless device is provided. The wireless device may monitor for an environmental parameter in the local vicinity of the wireless device. In response to an indication that the monitored for environmental parameter is detected, the wireless s device may provide notification of the detection.

The present disclosure relates generally to wireless devices, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for monitoring a local vicinity to the wireless device.
Wireless devices are in widespread use. Modern wireless devices may include a number of components, functionalities, and/or technologies such as, for example, a memory, a controller, a speaker, a microphone, a graphics display, and a camera. The various components, functionalities, and technologies of the wireless device may operate to provide a device having interactive multimedia capabilities. Wireless devices that utilize the multimedia capabilities thereof provide various services and features. A continuing challenge of wireless device designers is how to effectively use the multimedia capabilities of the wireless device to address an increasing array of needs and problems of the wireless device user.
One particular challenge facing designers of wireless devices is provision of a method and apparatus that utilizes the convergence of functions and technologies of the wireless device to address problems and/or applications previously addressed by, for example, multiple, discrete devices.
One area of wireless device design in which improvement would be especially desirable relates to the monitoring of environmental parameters in a local vicinity of the wireless device. Accordingly, there exists a need to provide methods and apparatus for monitoring environmental parameters in the local vicinity of the wireless device.

Intelligent interactive baby calmer using modern phone technology


Body coupled communication device (200; 201) arranged to receive signals via a body transmission channel (260), the device (200) comprising —two couplers (202, 204) arranged to receive a body-coupled signal from the body transmission channel (260), the body transmission channel (260) being formed by a body of a user (150) when the body is in the direct vicinity of the couplers (202, 204), —a receiver amplifier (206) coupled to at least one of the two couplers, —an inductance (220) for matching the impedance of the receiver amplifier, the inductance being arranged in parallel to the couplers.

Body-coupled communications (BCC) or body-based communication has been proposed as a promising alternative to radio frequency (RF) communication for instance as a basis for body area networks (BANs); An example is the standard by the 802.15.6 Task Group of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). BCC allows exchange of information between a plurality of devices which are at or in close proximity of a body of a human or an animal. This can be achieved by capacitive or galvanic coupling of low-energy electric fields onto the body surface.
In capacitive body coupled communication (BCC) systems information is transmitted from a transmission device to a receiver device via capacitive coupled signals over the user body. Body coupled communication utilizes an electric field rather than an electromagnetic field to transmit information. Capacitive coupling the signal from a small body-worn tag into your body, it generates a minute yet detectable electric field that extends outwardly a couple of centimeters from the entire surface of your skin.
Body coupled communication (BCC) uses the human body as communication channel. It enables wireless communication over a human body between devices that are in contact with that human body. Signals are conveyed over the body instead of through the air. As such, the communication is confined to an area close to the body in contrast to RF communications, where a much larger area is covered. Therefore, communication is possible between devices situated on, connected to, or placed close to the body. Moreover, since lower frequencies can be applied then is typical in RF-based low range communications, it opens the door to low-cost and low-power implementations of BANs or personal area networks (PANs). Hence, the human body is exploited as a communication channel, so that communication can take place with much lower power consumption than in standard radio systems commonly used for BANs (e.g. ZigBee or Bluetooth systems). Since BCC is usually applied in close proximity to the body, it can be used to realize new and intuitive body-device interfaces based on contact or proximity. This creates possibilities for many applications in the field of identification and security.
BCC can be technically realized by electric fields that are generated by a small body-worn tag, e.g., being integrated to a credit card or another suitable device attached to or worn in close proximity to the body. This tag capacitively or galvanically couples a low-power signal to the body. Sometimes this body-coupled communication is referred to as "near-field intra-body communication". BCC is a wireless technology that allows electronic devices on and near the human body to exchange digital information through capacitive or galvanic coupling via the human body itself. Information is transmitted by modulating electric fields and either capacitively or galvanically coupling tiny currents onto the body. The body conducts the tiny signal to body mounted receivers. The environment (the air and/or earth ground) provides a return path for the transmitted signal.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary body communication system structure, where data signals are transmitted via couplers placed near or on the body. These couplers transfer the data signal, either galvanically or capacitively, to the body. In the example of FIG. 1, one coupler or electrode provides ground potential GND and the other coupler or electrode is used for transmitting/receiving a signal S. More specifically, transmission from a transmitter (TX) 100 to a receiver (RX) 200 over a human arm is depicted. Generally, every node can in principle act both as transmitter and receiver, i.e., as a transceiver (TRX), and communication can take place from everywhere on the body.
This capacitive nature of body coupled communication systems make is different from conventional radio communication systems. In the latter systems, the antenna has a real-value resistive impedance of 50, 75 ohms or similar, instead of the very high-ohmic capacitive load of the couplers used in body coupled communication. Solutions that improve communication specifically for BCC have been sought for example in the paper "An Energy-Efficient Body Channel Communication based on Maxwell's Equations Analysis of On-Body Transmission Mechanism", by Joonsung Bae et al., which discloses a transceiver architecture. The transceiver architecture places an inductor in series with a capacitive coupler.


Low cost components of a circuit board are calibrated in a test fixture to the same accuracy as a single high precision resistor, thereby eliminating the need for high precision, high cost components. The current through the resistor on the circuit board under test is ascertained by determining the current through the resistor by measuring the voltage of the high precision resistor. The voltage across the resistor under test is measured by a controller on the circuit board, thereby being able to calculate a high accuracy value for the resistor. The digital to analog converter (DAC) on the circuit board is calibrated by placing digital load values, or inputs, to the DAC and measuring the voltage across the corresponding calibrated resistors. Two values of inputs are used which define a line thereby calibrating the DAC.

The present invention relates to a calibration technique, and more particularly, to a method for calibrating components on a circuit board which permits the use of low cost components.
A process control system (which controls a process by opening/closing valves, increasing/decreasing temperature to a vat containing a mixture, and similar types of control actions), controls an output from the process. More specifically, the control is via control signals from input/output circuit boards, including such types having an analog output current between 4 to 20 milliamps (ma) which has been established by industry standards. In order to insure some reasonable accuracy of the output current of the analog output circuit board, precision components need to be used, thus resulting in an increased cost of the analog output circuit board.
In order to reduce the requirement and dependency on high cost components in an attempt to reduce the cost of the analog output circuit board (referred to herein as circuit board), low precision components are utilized on a new analog output circuit board (referred to herein as new circuit board). The low precision components have a greater tolerance and are the low cost components.
In order for the new circuit board to have the same accuracy as the circuit board,the low cost components need to be calibrated. Thus there is a need to have a method in which the low cost components of the new circuit board can be calibrated.

Method for calibrating components permitting the use of low cost components


The fact that a movable object exits a specific area is judged with high accuracy. A first movement sensor detects the movement of the movable object in a first area. A second movement sensor detects the movement of the movable object in a second area including the first area. A time judgment unit judges whether or not a time difference from a time point when a measurement value obtained by the first movement sensor becomes a predetermined value or less to a time point when a measurement value obtained by the second movement sensor becomes the predetermined value or less is a first threshold value or more. An existence judgment unit judges that the movable object does not exist in the first area in the case where the time judgment unit has judged that the time difference is the first threshold value or more.

There have been proposed several apparatuses for deciding the presence of a mobile object in a specific area using a motion detection sensor such as a pyroelectric sensor.
For example, PTL 1 discloses an apparatus for deciding the intrusion and leaving of a mobile object by providing different detection areas with respective corresponding detector elements, and deciding the intrusion and leaving from the temporal relations of detected signals output by the detector elements. PTL 2 discloses an apparatus that starts a timer counter when motion is no longer detected by a human body sensor, and turns off an electric device after a certain period of time has passed.

Presence deciding apparatus, system, method and program


A self-wringing ratchet mop including an elongated handle, a mop head having mop strands supported on the handle, and a wringing mechanism for wringing the mop strands. The wringing mechanism includes a sleeve attached to the mop strands and supported for longitudinal and rotational movement relative to the handle. The handle includes a first ratchet portion formed by teeth and the sleeve includes a second ratchet portion formed by pawl members for engaging the first ratchet portion to permit the sleeve to rotate in a first direction and prevent rotation in a second, opposite direction. The pawl members are supported on a deformable resilient ring wherein deformation of the ring causes the pawl members to disengage from the first ratchet portion and permit rotation of the sleeve in the second direction.

The present invention relates generally to mops and, more particularly, to the field of self-wringing ratchet mops.
Self-wringing mops are well known and have been the subject of numerous improvements over the years. These mops generally are used to clean the floor surfaces in households, businesses, institutions, etc. Each mop typically includes a handle for supporting a mop head at one end thereof and a means for removing liquid therefrom.
One known disadvantage of early self-wringing mops was the lack of a mechanism to prevent the mop head from unwinding under the increasing tension during the wringing operation. If the mop handle or sleeve of the mop either accidentally slipped or was released from the user""s hands before the mop head was wrung sufficiently dry, tension on the mop head tended to cause movement of the sleeve or mop handle relative to each other thereby returning the mop head to its unwound condition.
Attempts have been made to improve the utility of wringable mops by incorporating a ratchet mechanism to hold the mop head in place as the user increases the tension on the mop head during the wringing operation and to allow the user the ability to release the tension after the mop head has been wrung.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,163 to Morad discloses a self-wringing mop comprising an outer tubular sleeve which is movable longitudinally and rotatably over an inner shaft and further includes a one-way spring-and-ratchet mechanism. The spring and ratchet mechanism comprises a spring-biased pawl located on the outer tubular sleeve. The pawl is engageable with longitudinal ribs provided on the inner shaft to permit rotation of the outer sleeve in only one direction to wring the mop head. To allow counter rotation of the outer sleeve, the pawl is urged radially outward against the spring until it is disengaged from the ribs, permitting the outer sleeve to rotate freely about an inner shaft so that the mop head can be returned to its initial position. Notably, the mop in Morad requires the use of costly additional parts, such as a separate spring and pawl.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need to provide an improved means for wringing a mop head that is simple in construction, inexpensive and durable. There is also a continuing need to provide a self-wringing ratchet mop which is capable of efficiently manipulating a mop head during wringing operation to dispense liquid therefrom.
The present invention provides a self-wringing ratchet mop comprising an elongated handle including first and second ends and defining a longitudinal axis. The handle further includes a first ratchet portion having first and second ends and teeth positioned circumferentially around the longitudinal axis. The first end of the first ratchet portion may comprise an enlarged area extending circumferentially around the first ratchet portion and having a top and bottom surface, and a raised portion situated in close proximity to the bottom surface of the enlarged area.
A sleeve is provided defining opposing first and second ends and comprising a tubular shell having an inner diameter wherein the sleeve is positioned over the handle in sliding engagement between the first end of the first ratchet portion and the second end of the handle. The sleeve further includes at least one aperture, preferably a pair of diametrically opposed apertures, located intermediate the first and second ends of the sleeve. The apertures may be situated in a recessed area extending circumferentially around the sleeve.
The mop further comprises a mop head having a plurality of mop strands defining a mop body wherein the mop body is attached to and extends between the second end of the handle and the second end of the sleeve.
A resilient ring is supported around the sleeve and includes at least one pawl member defining a second ratchet portion for receipt within a corresponding aperture and for engagement with the teeth of the first ratchet portion.
The engagement of the first and second ratchet portions allows rotation of the sleeve relative to the handle in a first direction to wring the mop head, and prevent rotation of the sleeve in a second, opposite direction. The resilient ring then can be deformed by a mop user by pressing disengagement areas on the ring such that the second ratchet portion moves radially outwardly from engagement with the teeth to allow the sleeve to rotate in the second direction to unwring the mop head.
In one embodiment, the resilient ring is supported on the sleeve and held in place by a retaining element. The ring includes a pair of diametrically opposed disengagement areas located in spaced relation, preferably 90 degrees, to a pair of diametrically opposed pawl members received within corresponding apertures in the sleeve. After the sleeve has been positioned over the teeth of the first ratchet portion and ratcheted around to wring the mop strands, application of a force to the disengagement area causes the ring to deform to move the pawl member out of engagement with the teeth to unwring the mop.
In another embodiment, the mop further includes a disengagement mechanism comprising a pair of diametrically opposed levers extending radially outwardly from the sleeve wherein application of a force to the lever causes application of a force to corresponding disengagement areas of the resilient ring causing the ring to deform inwardly to move a pair of diametrically opposed pawl members out of engagement with the teeth.
In yet another embodiment, the ring is retained in a recessed area around the sleeve and includes a pair of diametrically opposed disengagement areas located adjacent to a pair of diametrically opposed pawl members. A disengagement mechanism including a pair of diametrically opposed levers extends radially outwardly from the ring and cooperates with the disengagement areas wherein application of a force to the levers causes application of a force to the corresponding disengagement areas causing the ring to deform outwardly to move the pawl members out of engagement with the teeth to unwring a wrung mop head.
The invention will be further described in conjunction with the appended drawings and following detailed description.


A junction box is provided which allows serial connection of the individual conductors of at least one high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire bundle. The junction box includes an electrical interface device disposed within a junction box housing. The interface device is configured receive both ends of each conductor of each HTS wire bundle, and to provide a superconductive electrical connection between respective first ends of conductors to respective second ends of other wire bundle conductors to form at least one superconductive multi-turn electromagnetic winding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical interface device for a degaussing system junction box.
2. Description of the Background Art
Lightweight conductors that can transmit large amounts of electric current without significant loss have numerous applications. For example, in electro-refining applications such as aluminum production processes, high amounts of current are required. Other applications requiring light-weight, high-current conductors are naval ships. Naval ships, typically formed of ferromagnetic materials and thus having a substantive magnetic field, are outfitted with complex degaussing systems which serve to reduce the magnetic field of the ship. This permits the naval ships to evade magnetic sensitive ordnances or devices such as mines that are triggered by the ship's large magnetic field.
In a degaussing system, a system of electromagnetic windings ("degaussing coils") are provided within the ships hull. For example, multi-turn wire windings are installed to surround the ship hull in each of three orthogonal directions. By controlling the electric current flowing through the degaussing coils, the magnetic field generated by the ship's hull can be controlled and even "canceled". This, in turn, reduces the possibility of detection of the ship by magnetic sensitive ordnance or devices.
To accommodate the high-current requirements in the exemplary applications described above, conventional wire cables, including degaussing coils, are formed of large diameter conductive wires, typically made of copper or aluminum wire. However, this leads to undesirably heavy, bulky, and inflexible cables.
Recently, it has been proposed to replace the large diameter conventional cables with conductors formed of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) materials. As used herein, a high temperature superconductor (HTS) material refers to a material that can maintain superconducting behavior at temperatures of 20 K and higher (i.e., critical temperature, Tc≧20 K). HTS wire bundles are disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/880,567, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. Accordingly, the HTS wire bundles afford greater flexibility, reduced weight, and high current carrying capacity, thereby having significant advantages over the conventional cables.
For both conventional cables and HTS wire bundles, in order to obtain a large wire winding using one or more multi-conductor cables/bundles, individual conductors within the multi-conductor cables or bundles must be serially joined. That is, an electromagnetic winding is formed from a multi-conductor cable or bundle by joining a first end of one conductor to the second end of another conductor, for each conductor until a single, multi-turn winding is obtained. For both conventional cables and HTS wire bundles, this is accomplished by manually soldering each connection, a process that is time consuming and highly labor intensive. Such soldering is prone to errors, including bad solder joints and improper connections, due to the difficulties associated with performing this work within the hull of a ship. Moreover, such errors are difficult to locate and repair.

Interface device for a high temperature superconductor degaussing system junction box


Aromatic conversion processes employing zeolite Y, zeolite omega and zeolite beta molecular sieve catalyst. A feed stock containing at least one aromatic compound and having water entrained therein is passed to a dehydration zone. In the dehydration zone, water is removed to provide a dehydrated feed stock of a water content no more than 100 ppm, preferably 50 ppm or less. The dehydrated feed stock is then supplied to the reaction zone containing the molecular sieve catalyst selected from the group consisting of zeolite Y, zeolite omega, and zeolite beta. The reaction zone is operated at temperature and pressure conditions to maintain the reactor contents in the liquid phase and also sufficient to cause the conversion reaction to proceed in the presence of the catalyst. Specific conversion processes include the ethylation of benzene under liquid-phase conditions to produce ethylbenzene and the transalkylation of a feed stock containing a mixture of a polyalkylbenzene component and a benzene component to produce a disproportionation product comprising a monoalkylbenzene.

The use of molecular sieves as catalysts in aromatic conversion processes are well known in the chemical processing and refining industry. Aromatic conversion reactions of considerable commercial importance include the alkylation of aromatic compounds such as in the production of ethyltoluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, cumene or higher alkyl aromatics and in disproportionation reactions such as toluene disproportionation, xylene isomerization, or the transalkylation of polyalkylbenzenes to monoalkylbenzenes.
Various aromatic conversion processes may be carried out either in the liquid phase, the vapor phase or under conditions under which both liquid and vapor phases exist. At the relatively high temperatures involved in vapor phase reactions, it is generally accepted that water present in the feed stream is detrimental to the reaction process, while various reasons are advanced for the adverse impact of water, the most widely observed detrimental effect is probably catalyst deactivation due to dealumination. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,214 to Chen et al. discloses a process for modifying various crystalline zeolite molecular sieves such as ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-12, ZSM-35, ZSM-38, faujasite, mordenite, and erionite by the inclusion of metallic ions such as zinc. Chen et al. states that high temperature steam functions by way of a hydrolysis reaction to cause loss of framework aluminum which is accompanied by the loss of the associated protons, leading to a reduction in catalytic activity. The hydrolysis reaction is said to be quite slow at temperatures below about 800.degree. F. However, at higher temperatures above 900.degree. F., the reaction rate is sufficiently fast to affect long-term stability of the zeolite catalyst.
In some cases, water can be tolerated under the high temperature conditions involved in vapor phase reactions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,224 to Dwyer discloses the vapor phase ethylation of benzene over zeolite catalysts characterized in terms of those having a constraint index within the approximate range of 1-12. Suitable zeolites disclosed in Dwyer include ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-12, ZSM-35 and ZSM-38. The Dwyer process involves the interstate injection of ethylene and benzene to offset some of the temperature rise due to the exothermic alkylation reaction. Dwyer states that water and hydrogen sulfide are tolerable if more rapid aging of the catalyst is acceptable, but are moderately detrimental in the process.
Steam stabilized zeolites are disclosed as useful in aromatic conversion processes involving alkylation such as in the production of ethylbenzene or cumene. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,040 to Ward et al. discloses the alkylation of benzene to produce ethylbenzene or cumene employing zeolites such as molecular sieves of the X, Y, L, B, ZSM-5 and Omega crystal types, with steam stabilized hydrogen Y zeolite being disclosed as the preferred catalyst. In the Ward process, temperature and pressure conditions are employed so that at least some liquid phase is present until substantially all of the alkylating agent is consumed. Ward states that rapid catalyst deactivation occurs under most operating conditions when no liquid phase is present.
The use of steam stabilized zeolites in the production of high molecular weight alkyl benzenes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,316 to Young. Here relatively high molecular weight alkylating agents having one or more reactive alkyl groups of at least 5 carbon atoms are employed. The reactants may be in either the vapor phase or the liquid phase. The zeolite catalyst may be subjected to modifying treatments involving steaming for periods ranging from about one quarter to about 100 hours in an atmosphere containing from about 5 to about 100% steam.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,377 to Barger et al. discloses an aromatic conversion process involving alkylation over a catalyst comprising a solid phosphoric acid component followed by transalkylation aluminosilicate molecular sieve transalkylation catalysts including X-type, Y-type ulstrastable Y, L type, Omega type and mordenite zeolites. Aluminosilicate alkylation catalysts may also be employed. Water in an amount from about 0.01 to 6% by volume of the organic material charged to the alkylation reaction zone may be added. The water is typically removed with the light by-product stream recovered in the first separation zone.
In hydrocarbon conversion processes involving olefin conversion, water may or may not be tolerated in the feed stream depending on the nature of the molecular sieve employed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,438 to Miller discloses the oligomerization of olefins over molecular sieves, characterized as intermediate pore size, having an effective pore aperture in the range of about 5 to 6.5 angstroms, such as ZSM-5, ZSM-11 and silicalite, Miller discloses that the feed should be contain less than 100 ppm and preferably less than 10 ppm water as well as being low in sulfur and nitrogen. On the other hand, when employing a somewhat larger pore size molecular sieve, specifically steam stabilized zeolite Y, in the conversion of C.sub.2 -C.sub.12 olefins to motor fuels, water is described as an effective cofeed which stabilizes the catalyst and reduces the deactivation rate. Thus, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,648 to Rabo et al., co-fed water is described as a particularly desirable diluent which tends to aid in resistance of zeolite Y catalyst to coking and aging.

Liquid phase aromatic conversion process


A carotenogenic biosynthetic gene cluster has been isolated from Panteoa stewartii strain DC413, wherein the genetic organization of the cluster is crtE-idi-crtX-crtY-crtI-crtB-crtZ. The genes contained within this cluster encode geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) synthetase (CrtE), isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase (Idi), zeaxanthin glucosyl transferase (CrtX), lycopene cyclase (CrtY), phytoene desaturase (CrtI), phytoene synthase (CrtB), and β-carotene hydroxylase (CrtZ). The gene cluster, genes and their products are useful for the conversion of farnesyl pyrophosphate to carotenoids. Vectors containing those DNA segments, host cells containing the vectors and methods for producing those enzymes by recombinant DNA technology in transformed host organisms are disclosed.

Carotenoids represent one of the most widely distributed and structurally diverse classes of natural pigments, producing pigment colors of light yellow to orange to deep red. Eye-catching examples of carotenogenic tissues include carrots, tomatoes, red peppers, and the petals of daffodils and marigolds. Carotenoids are synthesized by all photosynthetic organisms, as well as some bacteria and fungi. These pigments have important functions in photosynthesis, nutrition, and protection against photooxidative damage. For example, animals do not have the ability to synthesize carotenoids but must obtain these nutritionally important compounds through their dietary sources.
Industrially, only a few carotenoids are used for food colors, animal feeds, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, despite the existence of more than 600 different carotenoids identified in nature. This is largely due to difficulties in production. Presently, most of the carotenoids used for industrial purposes are produced by chemical synthesis; however, these compounds are very difficult to make chemically (Nelis and Leenheer, Appl. Bacteriol. 70:181-191 (1991)). Natural carotenoids can either be obtained by extraction of plant material or by microbial synthesis; but, only a few plants are widely used for commercial carotenoid production and the productivity of carotenoid synthesis in these plants is relatively low. As a result, carotenoids produced from these plants are very expensive. One way to increase the productive capacity of biosynthesis would be to apply recombinant DNA technology (reviewed in Misawa and Shimada, J. Biotech. 59:169-181 (1998)). Thus, it would be desirable to produce carotenoids in non-carotenogenic bacteria and yeasts, thereby permitting control over quality, quantity and selection of the most suitable and efficient producer organisms. The latter is especially important for commercial production economics (and therefore availability) to consumers.
Structurally, the most common carotenoids are 40-carbon (C40) terpenoids; however, carotenoids with only 30 carbon atoms (C30; diapocarotenoids) are detected in some species. Biosynthesis of each of these types of carotenoids is derived from the isoprene biosynthetic pathway and its five-carbon universal isoprene building block, isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). This biosynthetic pathway can be divided into two portions: 1) the upper isoprene pathway, which leads to the formation of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP); and 2) the lower carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, comprising various crt genes which convert FPP into long C30 and C40 carotenogenic compounds. Both portions of this pathway are shown in FIG. 1.
Typically, the formation of phytoene represents the first step unique to biosynthesis of C40 carotenoids (FIGS. 1 and 2). Phytoene itself is a colorless carotenoid and occurs via isomerization of IPP to dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) by isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase (encoded by the gene idi). The reaction is followed by a sequence of 3 prenyltransferase reactions in which geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP), farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) are formed. The gene crtE, encoding GGPP synthetase, is responsible for this latter reaction. Finally, two molecules of GGPP condense to form phytoene (PPPP). This reaction is catalyzed by phytoene synthase (encoded by the gene crtB).
Lycopene is a "colored" carotenoid produced from phytoene. Lycopene imparts the characteristic red color of ripe tomatoes and has great utility as a food colorant. It is also an intermediate in the biosynthesis of other carotenoids in some bacteria, fungi and green plants. Lycopene is prepared biosynthetically from phytoene through four sequential dehydrogenation reactions by the removal of eight atoms of hydrogen, catalyzed by the gene crtI (encoding phytoene desaturase). Intermediaries in this reaction are phytofluene, ζ-carotene, and neurosporene.
Lycopene cyclase (CrtY) converts lycopene to β-carotene. β-carotene is a typical carotene with a color spectrum ranging from yellow to orange. Its utility is as a colorant for margarine and butter, as a source for vitamin A production, and recently as a compound with potential preventative effects against certain kinds of cancers. β-carotene is converted to zeaxanthin via a hydroxylation reaction resulting from the activity of β-carotene hydroxylase (encoded by the crtZ gene). For example, it is the yellow pigment that is present in the seeds of maize. Zeaxanthin is contained in feeds for hen or colored carp and is an important pigment source for their coloration. Finally, zeaxanthin can be converted to zeaxanthin-β-monoglucoside and zeaxanthin-β-diglucoside. This reaction is catalyzed by zeaxanthin glucosyl transferase (encoded by the crtX gene).
In addition to the carotenoid biosynthetic genes and enzymes responsible for creation of phytoene, lycopene, β-carotene, zeaxanthin, and zeaxanthin-β-glucosides, various other crt genes are known which enable the intramolecular conversion of C40 compounds to produce numerous other functionalized carotenoid compounds by: (i) hydrogenation, (ii) dehydrogenation, (iii) cyclization, (iv) oxidation, (v) esterification/glycosylation, or any combination of these processes.
Many of the bacteria within the family Enterobacteriaceae are naturally pigmented, thus indicating the ability of these organisms to produce carotenoids. Furthermore, C40 carotenoid biosynthesis has been particularly well-studied within the genus Pantoea, a small group of organisms previously classified within a broad group of bacteria all formerly known within the genus Erwinia [see Hauben et al., Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 21(3):384-397 (August 1998), for details concerning the reclassification of the large former genus Erwinia into four phylogenetic groups comprised of Erwinia, Pectobacterium, Brenneria gen. nov., and Pantoea]. For example, several reviews discuss the genetics of carotenoid pigment biosynthesis, such as those of G. Armstrong (J. Bact. 176: 4795-4802 (1994); Annu. Rev. Microbiol. 51:629-659 (1997)). Gene sequences encoding crtEXYIBZ are available for Pantoea agglomerans (formerly known as E. herbicola EHO-10 (ATCC #39368)), P. ananatis (formerly known as E. uredovora 20D3 (ATCC #19321)), P. stewartii (formerly known as E. stewartii (ATCC #8200)), and P. agglomerans pv. milletiae (U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,472; U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,816; U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,189; U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,188; U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,939; WO 02/079395 A2; see also GenBank® Accession No.'s M87280, D90087, AY166713, and AB076662, respectively). However, the existing literature provides limited information concerning diversity of gene sequences encoding crtEXYIBZ and the genetic organization of these sequences in organisms that are related to these well-characterized Pantoea species.
The problem to be solved, therefore, is to identify more nucleic acid sequences encoding all or a portion of the carotenoid biosynthetic enzymes from organisms that are related to Pantoea agglomerans, P. ananatis, P. stewartii, and P. agglomerans pv. milletiae, to facilitate studies to better understand carotenoid biosynthetic pathways, provide genetic tools for the manipulation of those pathways, and provide a means to synthesize carotenoids in large amounts by introducing and expressing the appropriate gene(s) in an appropriate host. This will lead to carotenoid production superior to synthetic methods.
Applicants have solved the stated problem by isolating seven unique open reading frames (ORFs) in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway encoding CrtE, Idi, CrtX, CrtY, CrtI, CrtB and CrtZ enzymes from a yellow-pigmented bacterium designated as Pantoea stewartii strain DC413. The gene sequences and the genetic organization of the gene cluster in P. stewartii DC413 are different from those of the P. stewartii ATCC 8200.

Genes of strain DC413 encoding enzymes involved in biosynthesis of carotenoid compounds