Recombinant protein purification vectors and methods for their use are disclosed. The vectors contain a DNA sequence coding for a gelatin binding region of fibronectin. The vectors express a foreign DNA sequence of interest fused to the fibronectin portion. Secretion signals on the fused product assist the product in being secreted from a production cell. The product can then be purified on a gelatin containing affinity column and digested with a protease such as trypsin to cleave the desired protein from the gelatin binding region. The vectors can also be designed to code for factor XIIIa cross liking sites and to have a chemically reactive cysteine residue.

Fibronectins are disulfide-bonded dimers found in vertebrates (e.g. mammals, birds, amphibians, fish, reptiles) that have been implicated in cell adhesion, wound healing, and embryogenesis. See E. Ruoslahti, 57 Ann. Rev. Biochem. 375-413 (1988); J. Thiery et al., in Fibronectin 181-212 (Academic Press 1989); R. Colvin, in Fibronectin 213-254 (Academic Press 1989). K. Yamada, in Fibronectin 47-121 (Academic Press 1989).
The majority of fibronectin consists of three types of repeating homology units. T. Petersen et al., 80 P.N.A.S. U.S.A. 137-141 (1983); T. Petersen et al., in Fibronectin 163-179 (Academic Press 1989). Type I repeats contain two intrachain disulfide bonds, and are present in the amino and carboxy-terminal regions of the molecule. Type II repeats are found only in a gelatin binding region of fibronectin, and also contain two intrachain disulfide bonds. There are also 15-17 copies of type III repeats, which are located in the central portion of the molecule, and lack intramolecular disulfide bonds.
Recent studies have shown that fibronectin becomes insolubilized into fibrils following binding to specific sites on the cell surface, termed matrix assembly sites. This binding is mediated by an amino-terminal 70 kDa fragment of fibronectin. The 70 kDa fragment contains nine copies of the type I repeat and two copies of the type II repeat. While much is known about the structure of fibronectins, the possibility of using all or part of a gene coding for the fibronectin gelatin binding region in a purification vector has not previously been suggested.
In connection with recombinant DNA technology it is often desirable to amplify large quantities of a vector (e.g. plasmid; phage), express proteinaceous material in a cell using the vector, cause the proteinaceous material to be secreted from the production cell into the surrounding media, and then purify the protein from the surrounding media. However, this process had not previously been optimized for expression of certain proteins. For example, while vectors had been created that efficiently express proteins, these proteins were often folded incorrectly, secreted inefficiently, and/or were difficult to separate from the surrounding media once secreted. This caused reduced yield, impurities in the final product, and/or required the use of overly expensive and time consuming purification techniques.


An electrical connector assembly (1) for electrically connecting an electronic package (2) with a circuit substrate (4). The connector assembly includes a socket (11), and a fastening device (10) surrounding the socket. The fastening device includes an insulative frame (13), and a lever (12) and a metal clip (14) respectively pivotably mounted to a first side (131) and a second side (132) of the frame. The first side of the frame defines a pair of guiding grooves (161). Each guiding groove is bounded in part by a lower arcuate wall (162) and an upper arcuate wall (163). The lever includes a pair of acting portions (123) movably received in the guiding grooves. When the lever is rotated from a vertical position down toward the clip, the acting portions of the lever slide from the lower walls to the upper walls.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a central processing unit (CPU) with a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to a land grid array connector assembly having a fastening device for securely and reliably locating the CPU therein.
2. Description of Prior Art
An integrated circuit (IC) package having leads arranged in a land grid array (LGA) is known as an LGA package. LGA packages have relatively low height, which saves valuable space in electronic assemblies.
Connectors for removably mounting an LGA package on a PCB are known as LGA sockets. An LGA socket combined with ball grid array (BGA) technology typically comprises a thin and substantially flat insulative housing which is positioned between the LGA package and the PCB. The housing defines an array of passageways receiving electrical contacts therein. The contacts correspond with the array of leads of the LGA package. Each contact has a pair of opposite free ends that project beyond opposite top and bottom external surfaces of the housing. Prior to mounting of the LGA package on the PCB, the free ends are spaced apart a predetermined distance. The free ends are respectively engaged with corresponding contact pads on a bottom surface of the LGA package, and soldered to contact pads on a mounting surface of the PCB.
This kind of conventional LGA socket is detailed in xe2x80x9cNonlinear Analysis Helps Design LGA Connectorsxe2x80x9d (February 2001, Connector Specifier Journal). Similar kinds of LGA connectors are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,192,213, 5,199,889, 5,232,372, 5,320,559 and 5,362,241.
FIGS. 9 and 10 show a conventional land grid array connector assembly 6 comprising a fastening device 60, and a socket 61 received in the fastening device 60. The fastening device 60 comprises a generally rectangular frame 63, and a lever 62 and a metal clip 64 respectively mounted to opposite sides of the frame 63. The frame 63 defines a pair of locating slots 66 at one side thereof, and a pair of guiding grooves 65 at an opposite side thereof. Each guiding groove 65 is bounded by a first wall 651 and an opposite second wall 652. The lever 62 comprises a pair of locating portions 623 pivotally received in the locating slots 66 of the frame 63, a driving portion 621 disposed between and offset from the locating portions 623, and a handle portion 622 bent perpendicularly from a distal end of one of the locating portions 623. The clip 64 comprises a pair of acting portions 641 movably received in the guiding grooves 65 of the frame 63, and a driving hook 644 formed at a free end thereof.
In use, the clip 64 is firstly rotated to be perpendicular to the frame 63, with the acting portions 641 disposed in the guiding grooves 65 close to the first walls 651. The handle portion 622 of the lever 62 is horizontal, and the driving portion 621 is at a highest position. A central processing unit (CPU) 7 is attached on the socket 61, and a copper plate 8 which functions as a heat dissipation device is attached on the CPU 7. The clip 64 is rotated down to a horizontal position, with a pair of pressing arms 643 and a pair of pressing pads 645 of the clip 64 abutting against the copper plate 8. The handle portion 622 of the lever 62 is rotated upwardly to be perpendicular to the frame 63, and the driving portion 621 of the lever 62 is received in the driving hook 644 of the clip 64. The handle portion 622 of the lever 62 is rotated down toward the clip 64, and the driving hook 644 is driven downwardly until the clip 64 is in a final pressing position firmly pressing the copper plate 8 on the CPU 7. However, as best seen in FIG. 10, during rotation of the clip 64, the acting portions 641 may simultaneously move along the guiding grooves 65 toward the second walls 652. When this happens, the driving hook 644 moves beyond its correct position. As a result, when the handle portion 622 of the lever 62 is rotated, the driving portion 621 of the lever 62 cannot be accurately received in the driving hook 644 of the clip 64 to drive it. This leads to the clip 64 not reaching its correct final pressing position. Thus, the clip 64 fails to properly secure the copper plate 8 and the CPU 7 on the socket 61.
In view of the above, a new land grid array connector assembly that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly such as a land grid array (LGA) connector assembly for electrically connecting an electronic package such as a central processing unit (CPU) with a circuit substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB), whereby the LGA connector assembly has a fastening device for securely and reliably locating the CPU in the LGA connector assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening device for an electrical connector such as an LGA socket to securely and reliably locate an electronic package such as a CPU in the LGA socket.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, an LGA connector assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is for electrically connecting a CPU with a PCB. The LGA connector assembly comprises a socket and a fastening device surrounding the socket. The fastening device comprises an insulative frame having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, a lever pivotably assembled to the first side of the frame, and a metal clip pivotably mounted to the second side of the frame.
The frame forms a pair of guiding grooves at opposite ends of the first side. Each guiding groove is bounded in part by a lower wall and an upper wall. The lever comprises a pair of acting portions movably received in the guiding grooves, a driving portion disposed between and offset from the acting portions, and a handle portion bent perpendicularly from a distal end of one of the acting portions. The clip forms a driving hook at a free end thereof. The clip is rotated down from a perpendicular open position to a horizontal closed position. Then, the handle portion of the lever is rotated upwardly from a horizontal open position to a perpendicular position. The acting portions of the lever are rotated about the corresponding lower arcuate walls, and the driving portion is received in the driving hook of the metal clip. Then the handle portion of the lever is rotated down toward the metal clip, and the acting portions of the lever are driven to slide to reach the corresponding upper arcuate wall. The lever is at a final horizontal closed position, with the driving portion pressing the driving hook of the metal clip downwardly.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Land grid array connector assembly with sliding lever


An ESD protection device includes an insulating substrate, first and second discharge electrodes in contact with the insulating substrate, the first and second discharge electrodes separated from each other and opposing each other, first and second outer electrodes on an outside surface of the insulating substrate, the first outer electrode being electrically connected to the first discharge electrode and the second outer electrode being electrically connected to the second discharge electrode, and a discharge auxiliary electrode spanning the first discharge electrode and the second discharge electrode in a region where the discharge electrodes oppose each other. The discharge auxiliary electrode includes semiconductor particles and metal particles. An average particle diameter of the metal particles is about 0.3 μm to about 1.5 μm. A density of the metal particles is greater than or equal to about 20 particles/50 μm2 and the semiconductor particles include an oxygen-containing layer on surfaces of the semiconductor particles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic discharge protection device that protects an electronic device from damage caused by electrostatic discharge, and to a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrostatic discharge protection devices (ESD protection devices) are broadly used to prevent damage, erroneous operations, and the like in electronic devices caused by electrostatic discharge (ESD).
For example, International Publication WO 2008/146514 discloses an ESD protection device having a multilayer ceramic substrate, a hollow cavity portion formed within the multilayer ceramic substrate, at least one pair of discharge electrodes having opposing portions arranged so that tip portions thereof oppose each other with an interval within the hollow cavity portion, and an outer electrode that is formed on a surface of the multilayer ceramic substrate and is connected to the discharge electrodes. According to the ESD protection device disclosed in International Publication WO 2008/146514, the multilayer ceramic substrate includes a mixed portion containing a metal material and a ceramic material, the mixed portion being disposed near the surface where the discharge electrodes are provided and adjacent to at least an opposing portion and a part that is between the opposing portions of the discharge electrodes. The content of the metal material in the mixed portion is greater than or equal to 10 vol % and less than or equal to 50 vol %. By having the above-described configuration, the ESD protection device disclosed in International Publication WO 2008/146514 can accurately set a discharge start voltage.
International Publication WO 2013/011821 discloses an ESD protection device including first and second discharge electrodes opposing each other, a discharge auxiliary electrode extending across the first and second discharge electrodes, and an insulating substrate that holds the first and second discharge electrodes along with the discharge auxiliary electrode. In the ESD protection device disclosed in International Publication WO 2013/011821, the discharge auxiliary electrode includes a combination of a plurality of metal particles including a core-shell structure including a core portion that has a first metal as its primary component and a shell portion that has a metal oxide containing a second metal as its primary component. By having the above-described configuration, the ESD protection device disclosed in International Publication WO 2013/011821 provides high insulation reliability and favorable discharge characteristics.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-85284 discloses an overvoltage protection element including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a porous structure, connected between the first electrode and the second electrode, that is produced by carrying out a firing process using materials of the overvoltage protection element, which include a non-conductive powder, a metal conductive powder, and a bonding agent. Using the above-described materials of the overvoltage protection element when manufacturing the overvoltage protection element disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-85284 makes it possible to significantly reduce or prevent damage caused by discharged energy, which in turn makes it possible to extend the usage lifespan of the element.
Recently, as electronic devices continue to have higher levels of performance, there is demand for lower discharge start voltages in ESD protection devices for the purpose of more reliably preventing damage, erroneous operations, and the like in electronic devices caused by electrostatic discharge. On the other hand, there is also demand for ESD protection devices to have insulation properties (initial insulation properties) high enough to significantly reduce or prevent the occurrence of short-circuit in normal usage situations. There is also a demand for the development of ESD protection devices having superior repetition resistance, or in other words, that are capable of suppressing drops in insulation properties even under the repeated application of ESD.

Electrostatic discharge protection device and method of manufacturing the same


A diagnostic marker is composed of particles that have a diameter of from 1 nm to 100 μm, the particles possessing on their surfaces a site that has a high specific bonding ability to a specific antigen residing on the mucosa of digestive cancers and a site that has a low bonding ability to the mucosa of digestive organs, and further incorporating an identification material.

Malignant tumors developed in the food passing, digesting, and absorbing organs such as the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, and large intestine are classified into digestive cancers that are one of serious disorder groups, having a large number of patients along with lung cancer and breast cancer. Among them, large intestine cancer is ranked high in the number of occurrences and fatalities, regardless of the region of Japan, United States, or Europe, or the patient sex of male or female (the annual number of patients in each region: 100,000 or more). Stomach cancer has such a specificity that the occurrence frequency is high in Japan (the annual number of patients: about 100,000), but an annual number of patients as large as 10,000 is reported in United States or European countries. Esophagus cancer has a smaller number of incidence as compared with large intestine cancer and stomach cancer, but is ranked at 6th of the list for male Japanese (the occurrence ratio of male:female is 6:1), and over 10,000 of people suffer every year. Although the number of patients and fatalities of digestive cancer is large, but if the cancer is in an early stage in which the cancer remains in polyp and mucosa, the cancer can be cured by endoscopic mucosal resection.
However, when the lesion outstretches the large intestine wall, the intestine is surgically removed. Further, if the detection of the cancer is delayed and there is a distant metastasis, the cancer is treated by combining chemotherapy with surgical therapy. As a chemotherapy drug against large intestine cancer, promising new drugs such as Oxaliplatin, a platinum-based drug and Avastin, an antibody drug have been developed in recent years. However, these drugs do not provide a sufficient therapeutic outcome.
The best therapy for these digestive cancers is early detection and focal site resection. Cancer develops from the mucosal side. In the case of early cancer where the focal site remains in the mucosa, endoscopic mucosal resection is an adequate treatment. If the application of this treatment expands, a number of plus factors including reduction of patient burden, improvement of therapeutic outcome, and improvement of medical economics would be expected.
However, the present diagnosis with an endoscope still stays at the stage where only a tumor as large as 1 to 2 cm can be detected, with which a risk of metastasis to multiple organs increases abruptly.
In view of the circumstances as described above, a diagnostic marker that can stain specifically cancer cells or tissues has been attempted, and is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1.
However, this diagnostic marker is composed of a fluorescence compound bound to an antibody that specifically binds to cancer cells or tissues (or is composed of a fluorescent functional group incorporated into the antibody). The diagnostic marker certainly can stain cancer tissues or their peripheral mucosal tissues. But the diagnostic marker binds to normal tissues to some extent besides the cancer tissues, and also the amount of the fluorescence compound per antibody is small, so that the contrast between the cancer tissues and normal tissues is low, and that the marker does not provide a high diagnostic accuracy.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3669752


A microwave amplitude modulation system maintains constant amplitude attenuation at very high modulation rates over a broad range of microwave frequencies in response to voltage driving signals derived from modulation signals. In the system, the video input of a shunt-type PIN diode microwave amplitude modulation system is driven by a logarithmic voltage amplifier circuit which receives the modulation signals as an input.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to microwave amplitude modulation systems and, more particularly, to PIN diode modulation systems for modulating the amplitude of microwaves.
2. State of the Art
It is well-known to emploY PIN diode modulators for modulating the amplitude of microwave signals. One of the advantages of PIN diodes in such applications is that those devices, when forward-biased, provide resistance that varies inversely with diode current and, accordingly, provide a voltage-current relationship which is exponential. Another advantage of PIN diodes in microwave modulating applications is that the diodes have generally monotonic frequency response characteristics in the frequency range of microwaves.
For modulating microwaves, one widely used type of PIN diode modulator is the so-called "shunt" type. Typically, shunt-type PIN diode modulators comprise four PIN diodes connected in parallel between a microwave conductor and ground. The video inputs to such shunt-type PIN modulators usually are driven by current sources. Such current drive sources, although providing generally favorable operating characteristics, limit the modulating frequency (as indicated by the modulator's half-power frequency) to the range of about 200 to 500 kilohertz. That modulating range is too narrow for a number of applications in modern, high-speed telecommunications and radar.

Voltage driven microwave amplitude modulation system


The apparatus of the present invention is provided with flashing device for effecting preliminary flashing and main flashing, a split photometry unit for metering reflected light from the area of the object field divided into a plurality of areas and outputting a photometric output for each of these areas, preliminary flashing control unit, a calculation unit and a main flashing control unit. The preliminary flashing control unit causes the flashing device to effect preliminary flashing prior to main flashing, and when in that case, at least one of the photometric outputs from the split photometry unit reaches a predetermined value, causes the flashing device to repeat the preliminary flashing while decreasing the quantity of emitted light thereof, and when the photometric outputs become null before the predetermined value is reached, causes the flashing device to stop the preliminary flashing. The calculation unit determines the divided areas which are not used for the flash limiting during the main flashing by the use of the photometric outputs and the quantity of emitted light during preliminary flashing at the last stage. The main flashing control unit controls the main flashing of the flashing device on the basis of the output of the calculation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic flash limiting apparatus in a camera for dividing the object field into a plurality of photometry areas and limiting flash on the basis of a photometric output from each area.
2. Related Background Art
Apparatuses of this kind according to the prior art include an apparatus as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 60-15626. This publication discloses an automatic flash control camera as will hereinafter be described.
The front face of a camera body is provided with a stroboscopic light emitting portion for main flashing, an infrared stroboscopic light emitting portion for preliminary flashing, and a photometry portion for receiving these stroboscopic lights. This photometry portion is formed so as to meter the reflected light from an object while dividing it into the central portion and the marginal portion of the picture plane.
First, in this camera, the infrared stroboscopic flash emitting portion is caused to emit light, and the infrared light is measured while the reflected light from an object is divided into the central portion and the marginal portion of the picture plane, and in which of the two areas the main object exists is judged from the difference therebetween. In conformity with this judgment, the photometric system of the photometry portion is changed over to one of central portion priority photometry, marginal portion priority photometry and average photometry.
Next, the stroboscopic light emitting portion for main flashing emits light in synchronism with a shutter operation. During this light emission, the reflected light from the object is divisionally metered by one of the above-mentioned photometric systems, and when the integrated value of this reflected light reaches a predetermined value, the stroboscopic light emitting portion stops emitting light.
However, in the prior art disclosed in this Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 60-15626, no countermeasure has been taken for the reflected light from an object of high reflectivity which generally adversely affects TTL flash control, such as a mirror or a gold-leafed folding screen which exists in the area to be photographed, and this has led to the problem that this object cannot be distinguished from the main object with a result that in some cases, substantial under-exposure is effected.
Also, as a technique of controlling stroboscopic photographing, there has heretofore been a technique as shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 56-89728 wherein preliminary flashing is effected prior to main flashing and the quantity of relfected light from an object by the preliminary flashing is measured and the quantity of main flash during stroboscopic photographing is corrected from the result of the measurement.
In the prior art, however, the quantity of reflected light from an object has been small and accurate photometry has been impossible when the reflectivity of the object is small or when the object is far away.
Also, the quantity of reflected light from an object may be excessive and lead to waste of energy when the reflectivity of the object is great or when the object is near.
Further, in the prior art, accurate measurement has been impossible unless the reflectivity of an object is uniform and the reflectivity is standard. For example, when there is a mirror in the photographing picture plane, the quantity of reflected light by preliminary flashing may be too great to accomplish photometry.
Also, in such an apparatus, the distance to an object must be measured, and this has led to the disadvantage that a camera system other than a camera system having an automatic focus apparauts cannot be used.

Automatic flash limiting apparatus in a camera


Provided is an alkoxysilyl-vinylene group-containing silicon compound represented by the following general formula (1):

Room temperature curable organopolysiloxanes have been widely used in, for example, the architecture field, the transportation field and the field of electrical and electronic parts, because they are safe and superior in durability and adhesion as rubbers.
Such room temperature curable organopolysiloxane is often required to have high adhesion for its intended purposes. Adhesion or adhesiveness of the room temperature curable organopolysiloxane to a base material has been improved by adding a carbon functional silane compound (so-called silane coupling agent) having an organic functional group(s) such as an amino group, an epoxy group, a methacryl group and a mercapto group.
As an amino group-containing alkoxysilane compound, there have been conventionally known, for example, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyl dimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, N-β-aminoethyl-γ-aminopropylmethyl dimethoxysilane, N-benzyl-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-phenyl-γ-aminopropylmethoxysilane, β-aminoethylaminomethyl phenethyl trimethoxysilane and N-[m-aminomethylphenylmethyl]-γ-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (Patent document 1). As an epoxy group-containing alkoxysilane compound, there have been known, for example, 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl) ethyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane and 3-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane (Patent document 2). As a methacryl group-containing alkoxysilane compound, there have been known, for example, 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane, 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane and 3-methacryloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane (Patent document 3). As a mercapto group-containing alkoxysilane compound, there have been known, for example, 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane and 3-mercaptopropylmethyldimethoxysilane (Patent document 4). As described above, although many alkoxysilane compounds have been used as adhesion aids, there has been an increasing need, year after year, for improvement of the adhesion or adhesiveness to a base material.

Alkoxysilyl-vinylene group-containing silicon compound

Abstract: wherein each of R1 and R2 independently represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; R represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group having an organic functional group(s) and 1 to 30 carbon atoms; and n represents an integer of 1 to 3.

Abstract: The alkoxy groups in the novel organic silicon compound of the invention have a dramatically improved hydrolyzability. Further, a high adhesion or adhesiveness; and a fast adhesiveness can be exhibited by adding the novel organic silicon compound to a room temperature curable organopolysiloxane.


The present invention relates to a structure with luminous and visual effects, a light transmissive sheet thereof, and a method for making the same. The light transmissive sheet includes a first layer, a light transmissive intermediate layer and a second layer. The material of the first layer, the light transmissive intermediate layer and the second layer is polyurethane resin. The light transmissive intermediate layer is disposed on the first layer, and the second layer is disposed on the light transmissive intermediate layer. At least one pattern is formed on the first layer or the second layer, and the pattern penetrates the first layer or the second layer. When light irradiates the light transmissive sheet, the pattern is shown, so the light transmissive sheet has luminous and visual effects.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure with luminous and visual effects, a light transmissive sheet thereof, and a method for making the same, and more particularly to a structure with luminous and visual effects that is capable of showing a particular pattern, a light transmissive sheet thereof, and a method for making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Housings of current commercially available 3C electronic products (such as notebooks, digital frames, MP3, and mobile phones) are mostly made of plastic by injection molding, and have numerous limitations in texture, color, tactile feeling, physical properties (such as scratch resistance) and the like, which results in disadvantages such as excessive surface hardness, poor physical properties (poor scratch resistance and poor wear resistance), limited surface colors and limited texture variations. Some other electronic products currently available on the market have housings wrapped with leather, but they are mostly flagship or high-price products. Although the market acceptance and market share of such products are expected to increase, such products are not in line with the current fashion trends due to lack of luminous and visual effects.
Therefore, it is necessary to provide an innovative and inventive structure with luminous and visual effects, a light transmissive sheet thereof, and a method for making the same to solve the above problems.

Structure with luminous and visual effects and light transmissive sheet thereof and method for making the same


A pneumatic detector, non-dispersive infrared analyzer employing detector cell chambers in optical series. The invention having an auxiliary chamber communicating with the front chamber to increase the rear chamber's signal so as to balance the signals from the front and rear chambers. The use of xenon as a diluent gas in the detector chambers in combination with a mass flow detector to improve the sensitivity. The use of an improved synchronous detection method employing a voltage-to-frequency circuit to convert the detector signal to a synchronous high resolution digital signal. The use of an improved source electrically pulsed having low thermal mass and a large radiating area.

As is well-known, certain gases can be measured both qualitatively and quantitatively by means of infrared radiation absorption wherein a detector cell, typically containing a quantity of the same gas as that desired to be measured, utilizes a sensor to measure thermal expansion of the gas within the detector cell induced by the absorption of the infrared radiation. The gas to be analyzed is typically contained within a sample cell such that it attenuates the infrared radiation prior to the infrared radiation entering the detector cell. The particular wavelength and amount of infrared radiation absorbed by the gas within the detector cell provides an indication of the type of gas present in the sample cell and the quantity thereof, since such absorption is a function of the attenuation occurring in the sample cell.
Numerous prior art infrared gas detection devices have been developed which are generally known as pneumatic detector analyzers. Such prior art pneumatic analyzers have the ability to analyze a gas of interest in the presence of other interfering gases having overlapping infrared spectrums. In such pneumatic analyzers, the selectivity of the analyzer is attained by using the gas to be analyzed in the detector to make the detector sensitive to the same.
The vast majority of the early prior art non-dispersive infrared analyzer devices employing pneumatic detection techniques utilized two separate radiation beams wherein the unknown gas sample was passed through the first beam and a second beam as employed to produce a balancing effect. Examples of such dual-beam systems are found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,870, issued to Pfund and U.S. Pat. No. 2,698,390, issued to Liston, one of the co-inventors of the subject application.
Such dual-beam detection techniques possessed the advantage of reducing the adverse effects of encountering small changes in source emissions, detector sensitivity, and amplifier gain and produced a signal which had a larger effective change due to the presence of the gas desired to be analyzed- However, the compensation for source emission changes was not sufficient in such prior art devices due to the dual beams not having identical views of the radiation source. Further, changes in the optical transmission of the dual beams also produced an undesirable signal drift; for example, a very slight accumulation of dirt or debris in the sample cell of such prior art dual beam systems would produce a significant zero shift in the detector signal.
Subsequently, pneumatic detector infrared gas analyzers were developed employing a single radiation beam utilizing either dual detectors or dual radiation sources. Example of such single-beam pneumatic analyzers utilizing dual detectors are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,105,147, issued to Weilbach et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,302, issued to Liston et al, while an example of single-beam pneumatic analyzers utilizing dual radiation sources is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,873, additionally issued to Liston. Such prior art single-beam instruments had the advantage that the radiation source was viewed through an identical optical path by the detectors with the second detector of the dual detectors additionally affording a means to compensate for interference from other compounds found in the gas sample. The prior art single-beam dual detector instruments had the advantage that compensation for changes in the source radiation and/or sample cell was excellent. However, such prior art analyzers had the significant disadvantage that differences in temperature coefficients of the dual sensors produced a significant signal drift. Further, such dual sensor devices proved to be significantly expensive to produce.
Most recently, infrared gas analyzers employing a pneumatic detection technique have been developed employing a dual chamber formed in optical series with a single sensing element or detector. The use of such optical series detector chambers provide a common optical path which reduces the effects in transmission of the sample cell and source emission. It also reduces the effect of changes in the detector sensor sensitivity. However, this compensation is incomplete since the signal from the front detector chamber is always stronger. This difference in signal was due to the fact that the infrared radiation was substantially attenuated by the gas contained within the front detection cell and thus did not affect the rear detection cell to the same degree.
By balancing the signals from the front and rear detector chambers these adverse effects are eliminated since a change in the energy entering the detector does not change the signal output. The closer to balance the less the effect of these variables.
The adverse effect of signal strength difference in the front and rear chambers is of particular concern in prior art infrared analyzers utilizing the mass flow of gas as a means of measuring infrared radiation absorption. In such prior art infrared analyzers, gas flow through a conduit interconnecting the front and rear detection cells is measured to provide an indication of infrared absorption in the two detection cells. If the front detection cell's optical path is reduced in an effort to achieve balance, then the volume that is available for the gas flow from the second detection cell is restricted by the buildup of pressure in the first detection cell, thus reducing the signal from the second detection cell and defeating the attempt to balance the signals.
Thus, there exists a substantial need in the art to provide an optically seriesed detector infrared analyzer in which the signals from the front and rear detection cells are balanced and which does not suffer from restriction of gas flow due to the buildup of pressure in the first detection cell.
Additionally, N.sub.2 has been typically employed as a diluent gas in contemporary pneumatic detector infrared analyzers. The diluent gas is that gas which is mixed with the gas of interest and generally used to charge at least one of the two detector cells. Since it is the gas expansion or flow produced by the selective absorption of infrared radiation by the sensitizing gas which is measured by the sensor, it is thus desirable to minimize any counteracting effects of the diluent gas. The thermal conduction of the diluent gas determines the rate at which heat absorbed by the sensitizing gas is conducted to the walls of the cell. Thus, there exists a need in the art to use a diluent gas having minimal thermal conduction.
Furthermore, when employing a mass flow sensor, a diluent gas with low specific heat gives a much larger signal for the same amount of thermal energy. Therefore, it would similarly be desirable to utilize a diluent gas having the lowest specific heat.
In an analyzer where operation is near or at balance, synchronous detection of the detector signal is required to avoid confusion as to which side of balance the system is. High accuracy and resolution is required to prevent degrading the system. Previous analyzers have employed synchronous switching of the analog signal for this purpose. A high resolution analog-to-digital converter is required to convert this rectified signal for processing by modern microprocessors. In the invention a voltage-to-frequency converter circuit is employed using the counter in the microprocessor for this purpose. This voltage-to-frequency circuit is much cheaper and more accurate.


A method of controlling a first wireless station and a second wireless station is described, the wireless stations being connected with one another via at least one communication link and being controlled according to a communication protocol, the first wireless station communicating with at least one terminal according to a frame-structured wireless transmission protocol using packet transfer, with control messages being defined via an additional protocol layer using the communication protocol for controlling the at least one link and/or for managing the wireless stations.

Wireless networks in the form of LANs (Local Area Networks) may be implemented using an at least partially wireless LAN. Such a wireless LAN may be implemented, for example, as a cellular network, in which a central unit or a wireless station serves a wireless cell. A plurality of terminals may be located in this wireless cell. The wireless stations may be connected via a wire-bound network such as an IP network, for example. One example of such a wireless LAN may include the "Type 2 BRAN/HIPERLAN" standardization project of ETSI (European Telecommunication Standards Institute). Thus, a wireless LAN may contain a core network, which may be wire-bound, via which the wireless stations are connected to one another. The wireless stations may communicate with one another via the core network according to a common communication protocol such as IP (Internet Protocol), for example, using UDP (User Data Protocol), which may allow connectionless transmission of data packets via the IP network. In contrast with TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), in this case no functions may be provided for data security; therefore, there may be no security against duplication or loss, or against individual data packets overtaking one another on the IP network. UDP data packets may be transmitted at a high rate for this purpose. The communication protocol of the core network, i.e., the IP protocol, for example, may be used in the entire LAN; however, it may not be configured for specific signaling between the communication partners of the wireless portion of the LAN.


A method of making an electron emissive material using combinatorial chemistry techniques is provided. The method includes providing a plurality of pixels of the electron emissive material, each pixel having at least one different characteristic from any other one of the plurality of pixels, and measuring at least one property of each pixel. The measurement may include a measurement of the electron emissive material work function using a Kelvin probe or other work function measurement systems.

This invention generally relates to a method for preparing ceramics and more particularly to a combinatorial method for preparing electron emissive ceramic materials for lamp cathodes.
The standard emissive coating currently used on a majority of cathodes of commercial fluorescent lamps contains a mixture of barium, calcium, and strontium oxides (xe2x80x9cthe triple oxide emissive mixturexe2x80x9d). Because these oxides are highly sensitive to CO2 and water, they are placed on the lamp cathodes initially as a mixture of barium, calcium and strontium carbonates in a slurry suspension containing a binder and a solvent. The mixture of carbonates is then xe2x80x9cactivatedxe2x80x9d during the manufacturing process by resistively heating the cathodes until the carbonates decompose, releasing CO2 and some CO, and leaving behind the triple oxide emissive mixture on the lamp electrode. It is believed that barium in barium oxide, in some form, is primarily responsible for the electron emission. It is also known to add a small amount of Al, Hf, Zr, Ta, W and Th dopants to the triple oxide emissive mixture, as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,797 to Young, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The triple oxide emissive mixture suffers from several disadvantages. Lamps having cathodes coated with the triple oxide emissive mixture have a higher than desired work function, which leads to a higher than desirable cathode fall voltage.
Other emissive materials for fluorescent lamps are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,158 to Watanabe, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an emissive material which comprises yttrium oxide and lanthanum oxide. This emissive material may be used in combination with the triple oxide or barium tungstate emissive materials. Furthermore, it has been previously suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,426 to Kern, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, to substitute the triple oxide emissive mixture with barium tantalate emissive materials having various barium to tantalum ratios. While the materials of Watanabe and Kern have longer lifetimes than the triple oxide material, they have a lower efficacy than the triple oxide.
The work function of the emissive material depends on a variety of factors, such as activation schedule, morphology, composition and stoichiometry, among others. Therefore, a variety of various emissive materials have been prepared and screened in order to obtain an emissive material with a low work function. The prior art methods prepare and measure the emissive material of a given composition and stoichiometry one sample at a time. Therefore, these prior art methods are slow and inefficient. The present invention is directed to overcoming or at least reducing the effects of one or more problems set forth above.
In accordance with one preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making an electron emissive material, comprising providing a plurality of pixels of the electron emissive material, each pixel having at least one different characteristic from any other one of the plurality of pixels, and measuring at least one property of each pixel.
In accordance with another preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of determining a work function of a plurality of pixels of an electron emissive material, comprising providing an array of pixels of a first material on a first substrate, each pixel having at least one different characteristic from any other one of the plurality of pixels, and measuring the work function of each pixel on the first substrate using a work function measurement device.
In accordance with another preferred aspect of the present invention, there is provided a Kelvin probe combinatorial testing system, comprising a Kelvin probe apparatus, a first substrate adapted to support a plurality of pixels of a material to be tested, each pixel having at least one different characteristic from any other one of the plurality of pixels, and a computer electrically connected to the Kelvin probe apparatus containing software which analyzes a work function measured on the plurality of pixels and which provides a visual, electronic or printed output of the work function of each pixel.

Method for rapid screening of emission-mix using a combinatorial chemistry approach


The present invention provides a modular advertising system. One object of the current invention may be to provide a modular advertising system that may be secured to a pole or other external surface and elevated by a user to a desired height without the need of a ladder or lift. Another object of the current invention may also be to provide a quick-release assembly that may be used to quickly couple and de-couple the assembly from a pole or other external surface/structure. Another object of the current invention may be to provide a modular assembly that can be adaptable to a number of surfaces, such as a pole surface, ground surface or horizontal surface. An additional object of the current invention may be to provide a modular advertising display having interchangeable modular structures that may be configured to vary the position and number of advertising displays presented to consumers.

Traditional marketing displays, such as flags, are often placed in elevated positions to both generate a clear line of sight to potential consumers, as well as to make use of generally empty space thus maximizing the display's commercial impact without impeding the flow of consumers. Such traditional marketing displays, such as signage, flags, balloons, and even artistic presentations are often secured in elevated positions through simple supports, or simply being manually secured to existing structures. However, such traditional displays require a ladder or lift to allow them to be positioned at the desired elevations. In addition, traditional displays employ static and/or rigid display components which may break or become impractical in high wind or other adverse conditions.
Moreover, traditional display systems are difficult to position at elevated positions, and often require components to be permanently affixed, or affixed through screws and other similar means. Naturally, placement of such permanent components can be impracticable for metal structures such as stationary poles and the like. In addition, non-permeant couplings may lose their ability to support the display over time and require additional tightening or other maintenance, again typically requiring a user to use a ladder or other lift to reach the elevated position. This situation is not only impractical but potentially dangerous.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a modular advertising system to address the comprehensive concerns outlined above. One object of the current invention may be to provide a modular advertising system that may be secured to a pole or other external surface and elevated by a user to a desired height without the need of a ladder or lift.
Another object of the current invention may also be to provide a quick-release assembly that may be used to quickly couple and de-couple the assembly from a pole or other external surface/structure. Another object of the current invention may be to provide a modular assembly that can be adaptable to a number of surfaces, such as a pole surface, ground surface or horizontal surface. An additional object of the current invention may be to provide a modular advertising display having interchangeable modular structures that may be configured to vary the position and number of advertising displays presented to consumers.
Additional aims may further include: A modular advertising flag display comprising: at least one modular bracket configured to be capable of being secured around a pole; at least one angled bracket having at least one display holder and further configured to be coupled with the modular bracket through a modular insert coupler; a modular flag display secured by said display holder; a flexible extension connector configured to be coupled with a rod coupler on the angled bracket and further coupled with at least one installation rod; and a rod base support configured to secured said at least one installation rod and further be secured to said pole through one or more band clamps.
Additional aims may further include: A modular advertising flag display as described in wherein said modular flag display comprises a modular flag display having: an upper bracket coupled to a lower bracket by at least one installation rod wherein said installation rod is positioned within a support sleeve on the vertical axis of a flag; a stem positioned within a support sleeve on the top horizontal edge of said flag and further coupled with said upper bracket; and a stem positioned within a support sleeve on the bottom horizontal edge of said flag and further coupled with said lower bracket.
Additional aims of the invention may further include: A modular multi-flag advertising display comprising: at least one modular bracket configured to be capable of being secured around a pole; a plurality of angled bracket each having at least one display holder and further configured to be coupled with the modular bracket through a modular insert coupler; at least one modular flag display secured by each of said display holders of said angled brackets; a flexible extension connector configured to be coupled with a rod coupler on at least one of the angled bracket and further coupled with at least one installation rod; and a rod base support configured to secured said at least one installation rod and further be secured to said pole through one or more band clamps.
Additional aims of the invention may further include: A modular advertising display comprising: at least one angled bracket having at least one display holder; a modular flag display secured by said display holder; and at least one band clamp securing said angled bracket to a pole.
Additional aims of the invention may further include: A multi-flag modular advertising display comprising: a plurality of angled brackets each having at least one display holder; at least one modular flag display secured by each of said display holders of said angled brackets; and at least one band clamp securing said plurality of angled brackets to a pole.
Additional aims of the invention may further include: A modular balloon display comprising: an upper bracket coupled to a lower bracket by at least one installation rod wherein said installation rod is positioned within a support sleeve on the vertical axis of a flag; a stem positioned within a support sleeve on the top horizontal edge of said flag and further coupled with said upper bracket; and a stem positioned within a support sleeve on the bottom horizontal edge of said flag and further coupled with said lower bracket; wherein said upper bracket comprises an upper bracket having one or more angled display holders configured to secure at least one helium-free balloon configured to be coupled with said one or more angled display holders.
Additional objects of the present invention will become apparent through the detailed explanation below.


A method for host vibration test is disclosed in the present invention. The method includes outputting an initial power spectrum density to a testing platform by a data acquisition device so as to vibrate the testing platform according to the initial power spectrum density. A host is disposed on a supporter, and the supporter is set on the testing platform. The method further includes installing a first accelerometer on the supporter, generating a first power spectrum density according to data detected by the first accelerometer, installing a second accelerometer on the testing platform, generating a second power spectrum density according to data detected by the second accelerometer, and the data acquisition device executing the vibration test of a host according to the first power spectrum density and the second power spectrum density.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for vibration test and a related method, and more particularly, to a detecting system for single host vibration test and a related method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional method of host vibration test is installing a plurality of hosts on a rack, and the rack is disposed on a testing platform via a supporter. Procedures of the conventional vibration test includes outputting an initial power spectrum density to the testing platform by a data acquisition device for vibrating the testing platform according to the initial power spectrum density, installing an accelerometer on the testing platform, outputting a parameter, such as acceleration, detected by the accelerometer to the data acquisition device, and then comparing the parameter with the initial power spectrum density from the data acquisition device by a processor. The data acquisition device can generate feedback according to difference between the parameter and the initial power spectrum density, so that vibration of the testing platform can conform to the initial power spectrum density for analyzing whether the host is under standard in a situation of the initial power spectrum density. However, the conventional vibration test is executed at the rack and the plurality of hosts simultaneously, so the measurement cost is expensive and the testing period is long. Therefore, design of a detecting system for vibration test and a related detecting method with greater efficiency, rapid testing period for decreasing the detecting cost is necessary.

Detecting system for host vibration test and related method


A progressive strap assembly includes an elongate, inelastic body having first and second ends, and an elastic body having first and second ends, the first end of the elastic body anchored to the second end of the inelastic body. The elastic body is arranged to stretch a plurality of lengths and has a maximum stretchable length. A tension limiter is connected to the first and second ends of the elastic body and is arranged to inhibit a predetermined stretchable length of the elastic body short of the maximum stretchable length.

Knee braces and supports are widely used to treat a variety of knee infirmities. Such braces may be configured to impart forces or leverage on the limbs surrounding the knee joint to relieve compressive forces within a portion of the knee joint or to reduce the load on that portion of the knee. If knee ligaments are weak and infirm, a knee brace may stabilize, protect, support, or rehabilitate the knee.
The knee is acknowledged as one of the weakest joints in the body and serves as the articulating joint between the thigh and calf muscle groups. The knee is held together primarily by small but powerful ligaments. Knee instability arising out of cartilage damage, ligament strain, and other causes is relatively commonplace since the knee joint is subjected to significant loads during the course of almost any kind of physical activity that requires using the legs.
A healthy knee has an even distribution of pressure in both the medial and lateral compartments of the knee. It is normal for a person with a healthy knee to place a varus moment on the knee when standing so the pressure between the medial and lateral compartments is uneven but still natural.
One type of knee infirmity that many individuals are prone to having is compartmental osteoarthritis. Compartmental osteoarthritis may arise when there is a persistent uneven distribution of pressure in one of the medial and lateral compartments of the knee. Compartmental osteoarthritis can be caused by injury, obesity, misalignment of the knee, or aging of the knee.
A major problem resulting from osteoarthritis of the knee is that the smooth cartilage lining the inside of the knee wears away. This leads to a narrowing of the joint space, and therefore the knee develops cysts and erosions in the bone ends. Because of the narrowing of the joint, bone comes directly in contact with bone, and an uneven distribution of pressure develops across the knee, which may cause the formation of bone spurs around the joint. All of these changes ultimately lead to increasing pain and stiffness of the joint.
While there are no cures to osteoarthritis, there are many treatments. Individuals who have a diagnosis of isolated medial compartmental osteoarthritis of the knee are confronted with a variety of treatment options such as medications, surgery, and nonsurgical interventions. Nonsurgical interventions include using canes, lateral shoe wedges, and knee braces.
Knee bracing is useful to provide compartment pain relief by reducing the load on the compartment through applying an opposing external valgus or varus moment about the knee joint. Unloading knee braces have been shown to significantly reduce osteoarthritis knee pain while improving knee function.
Straps used in an unloading knee brace are commonly referred to as dynamic force straps (DFS), and create unloading as the straps become taut, yet due to the mechanics of the brace, the straps only become taut when the knee is close to full extension. As shown in FIG. 1, the unloading is only achieved at low degrees of flexion. In referring to FIG. 2, during normal gait, loading of the knee only happens when flexion angles are less than 15-20 degrees.
During activities, such as walking up stairs and steep slopes, loading can occur at greater flexion angles than those required under normal walking circumstances. The knee angles during stair ascent can be seen in FIG. 3, which demonstrates that unloading should be provided for flexion at greater angles. Conventional dynamic force straps fall short of providing unloading at such greater angles.
Microfracture surgery can be an indication for unloading braces. Microfracture surgery is only indicated if the unloading type brace can provide unloading at the flexion at which the cartilage defect is part of the joint contact surface. Such unloading at the required degree of flexion is not typically obtainable with conventional dynamic force straps.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Progressive strap assembly for use with an orthopedic device


A zoom lens includes, in order from object side, a positive first lens unit which does not move for varying magnification, a negative second lens unit which moves for varying magnification, a negative third lens unit which moves for varying magnification, and a positive fourth lens unit which does not move for varying magnification, wherein the first lens unit includes a positive lens which satisfies the following conditions: 70<νp<85; 2.31<Np+0.01×νp<2.58; and 1.6<Np<1.85, where Np is refractive index of the positive lens, and νp is Abbe constant of the positive lens, and 1.25<|fp/fna|<1.7 is satisfied, where fp is focal length of the positive lens, and fna is combined focal length of negative lenses in the first lens unit defined by the equation:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens which is suitable for use in a TV camera, a video camera, a still camera and a digital camera, in particular to a small, light-weighted zoom lens which has excellent performance with good chromatic aberration characteristics at the telephoto end, while having a high zoom ratio higher than 15. The present invention also relates to an image pickup apparatus having such a zoom lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there have been developed many zoom lenses composed of four lens units including in order from the object side a first lens unit having a positive refractive power which does not move for zooming, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power for varying magnification, a third lens unit having a negative refractive power for correcting image plane variation due to the varying of the magnification, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power which does not move for zooming.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2004-109993 and 2009-037036 disclose as numerical embodiments zoom lenses having a high zoom ratio as high as 18 to 21 and an angle of field not smaller than 55 degrees and smaller than 75 degrees at the wide angle end. However, in the zoom lenses disclosed as numerical embodiments in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2004-109993 and 2009-037036, the dispersion of the positive lenses in the first lens unit is not small and the refractive index thereof is not sufficiently high, resulting in insufficient correction of aberrations at the telephoto end and failing to achieve high performance and small size at the same time.

Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the same

Abstract: fna    =          1                        ∑                      i            =            1                    n                                  1                      fn            i                                ,where n is a number of the negative lenses in the first lens unit, and fni is focal length of the i-th negative lens.


The system for processing transportation information using a communication network comprises a customer communication means for performing a direct call connection to a transportation vehicle by the operation of a customer who wants to use a transportation service through the transportation vehicle; a plurality of communication means for transportation vehicles provided with the transportation vehicle for providing a transportation service for performing a direct call connection with the customer communication means; an information database means for storing subscriber information on the plurality of transportation vehicles and communication means of transportation vehicles, connection history information of the communication means of each transportation vehicle and information on a charge as a cost for service of the customer communication means; a host server means in which is operated such that the customer communication means makes a direct call connection to the communication means of the transportation vehicles sequentially according to the predetermined order based on the subscriber information and the connection history information in the information database means; and a data relay means for performing a direct call connection to the customer communication means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present Invention relates to a system for processing transportation information using a communication network and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a system for processing transportation information and a method thereof which can establish the connection of a customer with a transportation means rapidly and efficiently by using various communication networks, and which can deliver information about mass transportation routes rapidly and correctly through a network communication with passengers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually, as means for transporting a passenger located at an unspecified region to a destination, taxi services using passenger cars are generally in common use. In such taxi services, since they has no service form in which a predetermined route is regularly traveled, this causes a regular inconveniency of attracting passengers while irregularly traveling an unspecified region.
To solve this inconveniency, recently, taxi call services have been established which are operated in a closed manner in unit of a taxi company. When the position and destination of a customer are identified by a consultant through a wired or wireless call with the corresponding customer, the consultant attempts to make a wireless call to a predetermined one among taxis owned by the corresponding taxi company for establishing the connection of the customer with the taxi.
Meanwhile, in case of car rental services such as sightseeing buses or rent cars, a customer can establish a rental reservation of a desired car by making a call to a corresponding rental service company with one of the phone numbers in a telephone directory or an advertisement.
Additionally, in case of a repair company in charge of the repair and inspection of an accident-occurred car, the owner of the accident-occurred car can connect to the corresponding repair shop based on the phone number of the repair shop which is personally obtained by the customer regardless of the accident point of the car.
However, in case of a plan for a customer to use a taxi using the current taxi call service, since the customer can be connected to a taxi driver by the medium of a consultant, it becomes necessary to identify the current location of the customer by making another call to the taxi driver. Thus, there is a problem that the number of calls for containing the customer is unnecessarily increased, and that it takes a long time from the customer's request for calling a taxi until the point of time to ride the taxi.
In addition, in case of such a taxi call service, since this service is operated in a closed manner in unit of a taxi company, a number of taxis owned by the corresponding taxi company is limited, while the positions of customers requesting for the taxi call service are distributed extensively. Thus, there occurs a problem that the regions in which the taxi call service is available are restricted.
Moreover, in case of the current car rental service, the customer can contact to a rental service company through a phone number obtained from an advertisement or telephone directory regardless of the position of the customer, it is disadvantageous in that it takes a long time from the request for a car rental until the practical use of the car.
Furthermore, so that the customer can contact to a repair shop for repairing and inspecting an accident-occurred car, the repair shop of the phone number obtained personally by the corresponding customer is usually used regardless of the accident point of the corresponding car. Thus, there is a problem that it takes a long time until the repair service of the car by the repair shop, and that a traffic jam is caused by a long time negligence of the accident-occurred car.

Transportation information using communication network and method thereof


A header for a plant cutting machine uses a plurality of compact sickle drive mechanisms incorporated into or beneath a floor or pan of the header at a location between and spaced from the sides or ends of the header, each of which mechanisms can be configured for reciprocatingly driving two knife assemblies disposed in end to end relation, in opposite directions, such that potentially vibratory forces, including those generated by the moving masses of the knife assemblies, at least substantially cancel one another and thus are not transferred to structure of the header. As a result, the knife assemblies can each be relatively short, to lessen the mass thereof so as to be capable of being operated at higher speeds, to enable operation of the header at faster ground speeds.

Agricultural combines have increased in capacity to harvest large quantities of crop material to such a degree that it is becoming desirable to have the capability to increase the ground speed of the combine to match header productivity with the increased combine capacity. Generally, the maximum ground speed of a header is considered to be the greatest speed at which the cutting sickle of the header will not strip and leave crop on the field. This, in turn, is a function of the speed of reciprocating movement of the knife assembly or assemblies of the sickle, which is typically expressed in terms of strokes per minute of the knife assemblies. Generally in this regard, the more strokes per minute of the knife assembly of a sickle, the greater its crop cutting capacity, and thus the greater ground speed achievable using that sickle. However, the maximum achievable strokes per minute of a sickle has been found to be a function of the mass of the knife assembly being moved in the reciprocating manner. Presently, for grain headers having a width of about 40 feet, the sickle will include two knife assemblies having a width of about 20 feet each. For a header of 30 feet, two knife assemblies of about 15 feet each will typically be used. These knife assemblies are typically operated at maximum speeds of up to about 1300 strokes per minute. This translates to a maximum ground speed of about 7 miles per hour without stripping.
In contrast to the above-discussed sickles of grain headers, sickles of some known windrowers can be operated at maximum speeds of up to about 2000 strokes per minute. This provides a correspondingly higher ground speed capability, of approximately 11 miles per hour. However, the knife assemblies of these sickles are relatively short, having maximum widths of only about 9 feet. A windrow sickle utilizing dual knife assembly drives will be twice this length. As a result, these knife assemblies have a mass that is only a fraction of that of a knife assembly of a 30 foot wide grain header, and even less than that of a 40 foot wide header, hence the greater maximum speed achievable.
Presently, the knife assemblies of the known large headers of plant cutting machines are driven from the side or end of the header by an oscillating drive, which can include, but is not limited to, an eccentric shaft on a rotating hub, a wobble drive, or a similar well known commercially available device. This location is advantageous, as it does not obstruct or interfere with flow of cut crop material into the header. However, it also a disadvantage for wider headers, as it requires the knife assemblies to have a length of at least one half the width of the header, and thus a greater mass, which in turn, requires a lower operating speed.
Thus, what is sought is a header of an agricultural cutting machine, such as a combine or windrower, and particularly a wide header 30 feet or more wide, which has a sickle operable at a higher cutting speed of at least about 1600 strokes per minute, to allow harvesting at higher ground speeds, and which overcomes one or more of the shortcomings and disadvantages referenced above.

Header with high speed sickle drives for a plant cutting machine


Diverse requirements of fluidic applications for very different communication environments are satisfied with a control unit for fluidic systems, which can be configured in an extremely flexible manner. A universal computing module is used as a unitary stock item, which includes a programmable logic module, a clock generator, a volatile fast working memory, and a persistent memory, and which is constructed with few peripheral components on a circuit board. The unitary computing module is equipped with all of the required hardware components for the respective application by configuration file, including the functionality for the respective communication environment. Moreover, a dynamic configuration by identification of communication modules connected to the circuit board is also possible. Similarly, reconfiguration in adaptation to a varied environment can be effected.

The designation "fluidic systems" refers to a large spread of technical devices and device combinations, which are concerned with the control, metering or measurement/analysis of fluids (liquids and gases), from simple valves or valve groups via metering or analyzing devices through to complex devices such as mass flow measuring devices. Typically, for these applications, control units require a controller, a communication interface to a superordinate control as well as interfaces for actuators and/or sensors according to application. According to communication environment, different communication interfaces are required, e.g. bus interfaces. These control units are equipped with the standard components such as micro-controllers and interfaces suitable for each application, wherein the respective application presets the selection of the used components according to capability, communication environment and costs. The variety of the control units employed in fluidic systems is correspondingly large.


A composite membrane and process utilizing the membrane which is capable of selectively removing particles such as viral particles from a solution such as a protein solution is provided. The membrane comprises a porous membrane substrate, a surface skin having ultrafiltration separation properties and an intermediate porous zone between the substrate and the skin which intermediate zone has an average pore size smaller than that of the substrate. The intermediate zone is free of voids which break the skin and which directly fluid communicate with the substrate. The composite is capable of a log reduction value of at least 3 (99.9% removal) of particles selectively from solution.

This invention relates to a membrane, process and system for removing particles such as virus particles from solutions such as aqueous protein solutions effectively, selectively and reproducibly. More specifically, this invention relates to a composite asymmetric membrane having a specific microstructure which is useful in a process or system for removing virus at a log retention value of between about 3 and 8, i.e., about 99.9 to 99.999999% removal of particles from solution.
Virus represent a potential contaminant in parenteral and other solutions containing a protein which are derived from either whole organisms or mammalian cell culture sources. Currently several chemical and physical methods exist to inactivate virus. These methods are not generic to all virus equally and some operate at the expense of protein activity. For example, heat pasteurization is used in solutions where protein denaturization can be minimized through the addition of stabilizers. In the biotechnology industry, strategies have been adopted that combine several inactivation or removal steps in the downstream process to maximize virus removal capability and protein recovery. The operations used are generally those operations optimized to purify the parenteral product and are validated for their virus removal capability. Thus, virus removal is a by-product of normal operation. Finally, at the end of the process, steps such as chromatography, filtration or heat may be added to increase overall virus clearance. This strategy has two shortcomings; (1) the virus clearance of these operations may not apply to putative virus that cannot be assayed; and (2) the virus clearance of the process needs to be monitored continually.
Ultrafiltration membranes have been proposed to separate virus from protein in solution. The ideal membrane would retain virus on the basis of its size and allow smaller proteins to pass. Indeed, ultrafiltration membranes are used in the biotechnology industry for this purpose. However, present asymmetric ultrafiltration membranes lack the resolution and reproducibility to perform an optimized virus-protein separation. Typically, asymmetric ultrafiltration membranes that are porous enough to pass economically useful percentages of protein, lack the consistency and high level of virus retention to obtain optimum performance that does not require continuous monitoring and revalidation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,315 describes a hollow fiber membrane with a unique pore structure that is useful in the removal of virus from protein solutions. The membrane is not an asymmetric skinned ultrafilter possessing a surface retention mechanism. Rather it retains virus particles within its structure. It is described as a novel porous hollow fiber membrane which is characterized by such a unique porous structure that the inner and outer membrane surfaces have an in-a-plane average pore diameter of 0.01 to 10 microns and the porous membrane wall has an in-a-plane porosity of not less than 10% measured in every plane perpendicular to a radial direction of the annular cross-section of the hollow fiber membrane, wherein the in-a-plane porosity exhibits at least one minimum value between the inner and outer membrane surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,568 discloses a process for forming an asymmetric skinned membrane on a porous support. The patent does not disclose whether the membrane is useful for the selective removal of virus from a protein-containing solution, nor does it disclose what modifications would be required to obtain a microstructure useful for reproducibly and selectively removing virus particles from protein-containing solutions.
An asymmetric ultrafiltration membrane system that can recover more than 95% of commercially significant proteins and can be validated having a log reduction value of at least about 3 logs of virus particles on the basis of size (retention increasing monotonically as a function of virus particle size) would offer a significant improvement over those available commercially today. This membrane and the system utilizing the membrane could then be used confidently to remove putative virus of any size reproducibly and conveniently without the need for costly monitoring and revalidation.
In addition, such a membrane could be utilized in other applications where it is desired to remove small particles from solution such as in the electronics industry.

Membrane, process and system for isolating virus from solution


A computerized method of location-based automatic wireless distribution includes receiving a claim from a selected pharmacy associated with a drug benefit plan. The claim indicates a first prescription drug to be administered by the selected pharmacy to a member. The method includes determining a current geographic location of the member, accessing previously adjudicated claim data of the member that is indicative of locations of a plurality of pharmacies where the member previously obtained prescription drug fills, and selecting a drug benefit plan action based on a determination of whether the current geographic location of the member satisfies a pharmacy location criterion associated with the location of at least one other pharmacy of the plurality of pharmacies that is not the selected pharmacy. The method further includes automatically transmitting a drug benefit notification to a mobile electronic device of the member via at least one wireless network.

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) offer different provider network or pharmacy networks as part of a benefit plan design that includes a prescription drug benefit. These pharmacy or provider networks include the locations at which a member of a benefit plan may have a prescription for a drug filled. These locations may include retail locations, mail order locations, or both retail and mail order locations. The amount of money a member may pay at retail for the drug may depend upon on the pharmacy provider network associated with the retail location and/or the reimbursement rate paid by the PBM to the retail location.

Location-based automatic wireless data distribution

Express Scripts Strategic Development, Inc.


An assembly method suitable for assembling a portable electronic device having a housing with an undercut portion is disclosed. The method includes aligning a non-display portion of a display assembly with the undercut portion of the housing, the display assembly comprising a display, a protective top layer covering a top side of the display portion and the non-display portion and a battery module attached to an underside of the display assembly, electrically connecting the battery to a circuit previously installed in the housing, angling the display assembly in relation to a front opening of the housing in a tilted configuration such that the non-display portion is partially inserted into the undercut portion of the housing, and in the tilted configuration, performing a pre-install functional test on the display and fully inserting the display assembly into the housing only when the pre-install functional test is successfully completed.

Portable computing devices have grown in popularity and capability. Early uses for portable computing devices were often limited to simple computing tasks such as number manipulation and word processing. Present applications can include advanced graphical rendering, musical composition, movie and music presentation and more.
In order to support the ever expanding list of applications desired by users, portable computing devices are including more sophisticated components into the space defined by the enclosure of the device. While users expect more performance and features from their portable computing devices, users also want a compact unit; that is, users want the enclosure to be as compact as feasible.
The components within the enclosure can include a flat-panel display visible through glass that is situated in an opening in the enclosure, a touch panel, a circuit board, a battery, speakers, microphones, and others. The components can be connected together to form modules, such as a display module formed by attaching the touch panel to the display and the glass to the touch panel, and the modules can be placed in the enclosure when the device is assembled.
The display can have a border area that does not have pixels and therefore does not display an image. Display drivers occupy the space in the border area, particularly along one side of the display, which can have a larger border than the other three sides. The larger border results in an asymmetry in the display, but the larger border can be covered by extending the glass to the appropriate size.

Method for assembling a portable electronic device


Cathode plate edge protector systems formed by secondary and tertiary molding processes, in which fluid plastic is molded around and/or introduced into previously manufactured plastic edge protectors. A U-shaped edge protector system is formed by bevel-cutting abutting ends of edge protector strips, securing the strips in the desired configuration a molding jig, and molding corner pieces around the abutting ends. The system is then removed from the jig and slip-installed over the two sides and the bottom edge of a cathode plate. In an optional tertiary molding process, fluid plastic may be introduced into the remaining void between the edge protector system and the cathode plate. Another edge protector system is formed by mounting edge protector strips on opposing side edges of a cathode plate, damming the open ends, and introducing fluid plastic in the contained voids between the strips and the cathode plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to non-metallic protective coverings for the edges of cathode plates used in electrowinning processes. More specifically, the invention pertains to cathode plate edge protector systems formed by secondary and tertiary molding processes, in which fluid plastic is molded around and/or injected into previously molded plastic edge protectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The two processing methods used for producing copper are: pyrometallurgy, or smelting, and hydrometallurical leaching. The present invention pertains to the latter method, in which copper bearing ore is pulverized and placed on a leach pad. A weak solution of sulfuric acid is sprayed onto the upper surface of the pulverized ore. The acid solution percolates through the ore, dissolving the acid-soluble copper. The solution is collected in a pond beneath the leach pad.
In the next step, the copper-bearing solution is pumped from the pond to a solvent extraction facility. At this facility, organic chemicals are mixed with the solution, separating the copper into a more concentrated solution. This concentrate is then mixed with sulfuric acid, forming an electrolyte solution.
The final step is the electrowinning process, an electrolytic method used to remove heavy metal ions from concentrated solutions. The copper electrolyte is pumped from the extraction facility into a steel tank at the electrowinning facility. Rows containing alternating cathode and anode plates extend throughout the volume of the tank. The cathode plates are made from stainless steel and the anode plates are made from lead. The plates are vertically suspended, so as to be substantially immersed in the copper electrolyte. The upper ends of the cathodes and the anodes are welded to horizontal hanger bars, which overlay respective electrical buss lines. The buss lines are interconnected to a source of low voltage, high current, DC. The copper ions are reduced through the electolytic process, and deposited as a layers of copper covering the cathode plates. After a week, or so, the cathode plates are removed from the electrolyte and an electroplated copper sheet is stripped from each side of the stainless steel cathode plates.
During this electrowinning process, the copper deposits along the edges of the cathode grow faster and sometimes in a more irregular fashion, that on the planar portions. This causes problems in removal of the copper sheets, as the edge deposited copper is thicker and of varying shape. The prior art teaches the use of non-conductive edge protectors, which extend along the side edges and the bottom edge of the cathode. The edge protectors cover the edges and a small adjacent strip of the planar portion of the cathode. In this way, no copper is deposited onto the edges of the cathode, and a clean line is presented by the inner edge of the edge protector for easy removal of the copper sheet.
Many different designs for these edge protectors have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,798, granted to Alexander et al., shows a corner protector for an electrowinning electrode. In this arrangement, a corner protector is located at each corner of the electrode, covering the region where each side edge strip and the bottom edge strip meet in abutting relation. Each corner protector has a vertical channel for receiving the lower end of a side edge strip, a horizontal channel for receiving the end of the bottom edge strip, and a cutout for receiving the corner of the cathode element.
However, the electrolytic process produces heat and expansive forces which compromise the integrity and useful life of prior art edge protectors. Adhesives fail, leaks develop, and deposits eventually form inside the cracks and the cavities of the prior art edge protector systems. When the deposits form in these regions, the edge protectors bulge outwardly and allow further intrusions of the electrolyte. Then, the sheets of deposited copper are difficult to remove, or are damaged during removal, and the cathode plate requires servicing before it can be used again.
Therefore, the need exists for a cathode edge protector system which does not rely upon adhesives, retainer strips, or other mechanical connectors, for attachment to the cathode.
The need exists for a cathode edge protector system incorporating a corner protector molded in situ on the end of one or more edge strips.
The need also exists for a cathode edge protector system which contains no external cracks or defects, or any internal voids, into which electrolyte can seep or intrude.
The need further exists for a cathode plate edge protector system in which edge strips can be preliminarily molded into any desired shape, mounted onto an edge of a cathode plate, and subsequently filled with fluid plastic for structural integration with the cathode plate.
The cathode plate edge protector systems of the present invention are formed by carrying out secondary and tertiary molding processes in conjunction with previously molded or extruded plastic edge protector strips. The first embodiment, a U-shaped edge protector system, is formed by first bevel-cutting the four abutting ends of three edge strips. The strips are then installed into a molding jig to form a U-shaped assembly. The molding jig includes right-angle cavities surrounding the two corners of the assembly. Lastly, fluid plastic is introduced into the cavities, molding plastic corner pieces around the abutting ends of the edge strips, and forming a unitary structure.
The edge protector system is removed from the jig and prepared for installation over the two side edges and the bottom edge of a cathode plate. The cathode plate includes a plurality of plate apertures arranged in spaced relation along its opposing first and second side edges. First and second plastic retainer strips, including a plurality of liked-spaced registration pins on their undersides, are installed along the side edges with the pins fitted into respective apertures.
A second edge protector system is formed by mounting an edge protector strip on the side edge a cathode plate, without a retainer strip. After damming the open ends, a fluid curable into a hardened body is introduced into the contained void between the edge strip and the side edge of the cathode plate. The process is repeated for the opposing edge.
A third edge protector system incorporates aspects of the first system and adds a tertiary molding process. The U-shaped edge protector system of the first system is formed, but it is merely slip-installed onto the cathode plate without using the retainer strips. Then, in a third tertiary molding process, fluid plastic is introduced into the contained void between the edge protector system and the cathode plate, filling the void within the edge protector system and the apertures in the cathode plate. A permanent and integrated structure between the edge protector system and the cathode plate is thereby formed.

Edge protector systems for cathode plates and methods of making same


A cover for a musical instrument, especially but not exclusively a drum, includes a portion formed by inner and outer sheets fastened together to define a pocket that is padded with a desiccating material. Preferably, the inner and outer sheets are quilted to define a plurality of pockets, each of which is tightly stuffed with a granular form of desiccating material. In this way, the cover provides protection for the instrument and also assists in keeping the instrument in tune by removing moisture from air trapped between the instrument and the portion defining the pockets.

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The present invention relates to a cover for a musical instrument, especially but not exclusively a drum.
One problem encountered with skinned musical percussion instruments such as drums is that, after a period of time, the skin of the drum becomes baggy, altering the musical tone of the instrument by giving it a flatter sound. This occurs because the skin takes up moisture from the air, allowing it to stretch.
Conventionally, the drum is then tuned by tensioning the skin, usually back to the tension it had when it was first manufactured. On animal skin drums, this is usually done by increasing the tension of a rope that secures the skin to the main body of the drum by weaving the rope in and out around the circumference of the drum and hammering down two metal rings to which the rope is fastened. There are, however, several problems with this method of tuning, as follows.
1. It is a job that requires a great deal of human strength and is very time consuming.
2. If the skin is nicked while hammering down the metal rings, it can easily split which requires the drum to be re-skinned.
3. Weaving of the fastening rope can only extend so far up the side of the drum, usually no more than three or four revolutions around the drum, thus preventing further tuning.
4. As the skin is likely to contain excessive moisture, it tends to tear more easily during the tensioning process because the structure of the skin is weakened by the dampness.
The object of the present invention is to provide a cover for a musical instrument which overcomes or substantially mitigates the aforementioned problem.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a cover for a musical instrument comprising a portion formed by inner and outer sheets fastened together to define a pocket that is padded with a desiccating material.
Hence, such a cover provides protection for the instrument and also assists in keeping the instrument in tune by removing moisture from air trapped between the instrument and the portion defining the pocket.
Preferably, the inner and outer sheets are quilted to define a plurality of pockets.
Preferably also, the desiccating material has a granular form.
Preferably also, each of the pockets is tightly stuffed with the desiccating material. Advantageously, the granules of desiccating material are packed so that they lie at least two deep substantially throughout each of the pockets.
Preferably also, at least one of the inner and the outer sheets is stretchable. This enables the sheet to accommodate slight relative movement of the desiccating granules to absorb impacts and therefore protect the underlying instrument.
Preferably also, the inner sheet, which is intended to lie directly adjacent the musical instrument, comprises a porous layer.
Preferably also, the outer sheet comprises a moisture resistant material.
Preferably also, the inner sheet has a black exposed surface.
Advantageously, the desiccating material comprises a granular silica gel.
Preferably also, the cover is shaped to fit over the musical instrument so that the pocket can lie directly adjacent that portion of the instrument which must be tuned.
Advantageously, the cover comprises a closable bag in which a musical instrument can be located for transportation.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a cover for a drum comprising a circular portion adapted to lie adjacent a skin of the drum and formed by inner and outer sheets fastened together to define a pocket that is padded with a desiccating material.
Preferably, the circular portion is provided with a peripheral skirt which fits around the cylindrical sides of the drum.

Ease Trading, Higher Birks, Crossley New Road