The embodiment of the present invention provides a switching method and device and a computer storage medium. The method is applied to a base station capable of supporting access to an LTE core network and a 5G core network; on the premise that the base station does not trigger switching, the method comprises: releasing a first context and a first connection configuration for user equipment (UE) with a network element of a source core network; establishing a second context and a second connection for the UE with a network element of a target core network after receiving a switching command sent from the network element of the target core network; and configuring a new radio bearer with the UE.

With development of the communication technology, research on the 5th Generation (5G) mobile communication technology had been started. Wireless access in the 5G is called New Radio and abbreviated as NR. During continuous evolution of the present Long Term Evolution (LTE) system into a 5G system, an evolved Node B (eNB) base station in the LTE system may be enhanced to have an ability of accessing a 5G core network, and therefore may be called a next generation eNB (ng-eNB).
For the ng-eNB, its protocol stack can use LTE-related protocols from the physical layer to the radio link control (RLC) layer from bottom to top, whereas the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer can use not only LTE-related evolved universal telecommunication radio access (E-UTRA) protocols but also 5G-related NR protocols.
As the ng-eNB supports connection to not only an LTE core network, (i.e, Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network) but also but also a 5G Core (5GC) network element, when a user equipment (UE) has accessed the ng-eNB and is performing handover, there is a possibility that the handover is merely performed between core networks. In this case, how to perform handover between core networks remains a problem to be solved.

Switching method and device and computer storage medium


A method for stereoscopic x-ray imaging by a stereoscopic x-ray tube and by an x-ray radiation detector is provided. The x-ray radiation detector has a buffer. The stereoscopic x-ray tube has two x-ray beam sources disposed a short distance from one another. 2D image datasets are acquired at relatively short intervals one after the other, which have good quality.

X-ray systems are frequently used for imaging for the purposes of diagnostic examination and for interventions, for example in the areas of cardiology, radiology and surgery. These x-ray systems generally comprise a C-arm, on which an x-ray tube and x-ray detector are disposed opposite one another, a patient couch and a system control and display unit. Systems with two planes, i.e. with two C-arms, are also used in interventional radiology.
Monoplane systems, i.e. x-ray systems with one tube and one detector, are used both for diagnostic purposes, e.g. during native vessel display using contrast agents, digital subtraction angiography DSA, and cone-beam computed tomography for generating volumetric datasets, and during interventions such as for example percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty PTCA, balloon dilation, coiling, embolization and ablation.
Biplane systems are used when it is necessary to display a vessel or aneurism for example from different angles virtually simultaneously, such as for an intervention, to give a better picture of actual spatial conditions. Fields of application include for example neuroradiology, cardiological electrophysiology and pediatric cardiology.
Displaying an organ from two projection directions using two detector planes, in other words a biplane system, however does not permit the generation of a spatial or 3D impression of different structures of an organ, for example the intersection of vessels or position of an aneurism, or other objects. Any perception of foreground and background is only possible to a limited degree.
One method of obtaining a spatial impression of an object is offered by what is known as stereoscopy. German Wikipedia describes stereoscopy by way of example as follows: "Stereoscopy (Greek stereos=space/spatial, firm/solid−skopeo=to look at) is the reproduction of images with a spatial impression of depth which is physically not present. Stereoscopy is also incorrectly referred to colloquially as "3D", even though it only involves two-dimensional images which convey a spatial impression" and also "The principle is based on the fact that, like all primates and most predators, people look at their surroundings simultaneously from two angles through their two eyes. This allows their brain to assign a distance efficiently to all viewed objects, giving a three-dimensional image of said surroundings, without having to keep moving the head. Stereoscopy simply deals with bringing different two-dimensional images from two slightly differing viewing angles to the left and right eyes. The methods used to do this however vary."
Stereoscopy can also be used in the field of x-ray imaging. One embodiment is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,701. Two x-ray focuses are used here, being positioned a certain distance from one another, their central beams intersecting in the recording plane. These generate radiation one after the other and this is registered on an x-ray detector. The images, each of which was recorded from a different perspective, are then supplied separately by a dedicated apparatus to the left and right eye respectively of a viewer. This produces the three-dimensional impression.
When using stereoscopy in medical x-ray imaging there are certain objects that have to be achieved. One object relates to the possible movement of an object or organ. During intervention-related and similarly diagnostic examinations there are for example organs which are non-moving, for example fixed craniums or extremities. Other organs exhibit only slight movement, for example the liver. Others are in constant motion, with sometimes significant amplitudes, for example the heart or aorta. Objects such as catheters, wires or coils, are moved during intervention-related examinations. And finally there is motion caused by a patient moving or a patient couch or the C-arm of the x-ray device being displaced. Possible applications are for example interventional cardioangiography or electrophysiology, e.g. when the endocardium is punctured using a transseptal needle. With moving objects however it should be ensured that imaging takes place virtually simultaneously from the two projection directions, so that a time correlation is ensured between the two projection images. If the differences between the two images are not only due to the different projection settings, but are also due to movement, an identical spatial assignment of the object in the stereo image is not possible. Simultaneous recording of the two images is not possible in principle due to the one x-ray detector, so there is always a certain time interval between the recording of the two images. This means that there is deterioration in image quality for moving objects.

Method and system unit for stereoscopic x-ray imaging


A pressure equalization element for a housing includes a water-impermeable membrane. The membrane is combined with either a pressure relief valve acting in two directions or with a corresponding combination of two pressure relief valves such that a volume of air exchange is reduced. An amount of moisture transported into the housing is thus also reduced.

In devices such as batteries, which have a housing with an enclosed air volume that is subject to temperature changes and hence to changes in volume, a pressure equalization element (PEE) is normally used. This is a microporous membrane, e.g. one made of polytetrafluoroethylene, such as a Gore-Tex membrane, which is permeable to air but watertight. This PEE ensures complete pressure equalization, that is to say the same air pressure is established inside and outside the housing with a short delay. This pressure equalization is necessary if the housing cannot withstand the possible difference between the internal and the external pressure. A pressure difference of up to 1 bar is possible due to changes in temperature and external pressure during transportation by aircraft, for example.
One problem with the use of such pressure equalization elements with water-impermeable membranes, such as a Gore-Tex® membrane, is that, although they are impermeable to water in the liquid state of aggregation, they are not permeable to water vapor. If the external atmosphere is humid, moist air can penetrate the housing. If there is a region within the device which is cooled to temperatures below the external temperature, there may be condensation of this atmospheric moisture on the cooled regions. This condensation can lead to failures of the device.

Pressure equalization element, housing comprising a pressure equalization element, lithium ion accumulator and motor vehicle


The present invention provides a method for recovering polymer agglomerates in the form of dry powders or granules comprising steps of:. (A) coagulating a polymer latex obtained by emulsion polymerization or suspension polymerization to thereby form hydrous agglomerates in which latex particles are not fused together, PA1 (B) immersing the hydrous agglomerates in an organic liquid insoluble or hardly soluble in water which wets but does not dissolve or swell said agglomerates at a temperature lower than the temperature at which the latex particles constituting the agglomerates are fused together, to thereby substitute said organic liquid for the water contained in the agglomerates with the organic liquid, PA1 (C) thereby forming two phases; a water phase expelled from the agglomerates and an organic liquid phase in which the agglomerates are immersed, PA1 (D) separating the agglomerates from the organic liquid phase, and PA1 (E) removing by evaporation the organic liquid attached to the agglomerates, whereby the agglomerates are recovered as dry particles. Further, this invention provides a method of recovering polymer agglomerates having additional impurities removed therefrom by immersing the aforementioned agglomerates, after having been separated from the organic liquid phase, in a second organic liquid which effects dissolution and extraction of impurities from the aforementioned agglomerates. According to this invention, the drying energy may be greatly cut back, and high purity polymer agglomerates are obtained in the form of dry powders or granules.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for recovering powdery or granular dry polymer agglomerates from a polymer latex obtained by emulsion or suspension polymerization. More particularly, it pertains to a method to enable drying of the polymer to be done with a small amount of drying energy whereby to be able to recover highly pure powdery or granular polymer agglomerates at low cost by substituting for the water contained in agglomerates of polymer latex particles, organic liquid, or dissolving and extracting the emulsifier or impurities remaining in the agglomerates into the organic liquid.
2. Description of the prior art:
Heretofore, emulsion or suspension polymerization, as a method for obtaining polymers by polymerizing monomers, has found wide industrial uses as an excellent polymerizing method, because of its features including ease of control of the polymerization system, realization of high yield of polymerization, and producing a high degree of polymerization, etc. In these methods, first, the latex obtained by emulsion or suspension polymerization is turned into polymer agglomerates by bringing it into contact with a material (coagulant) having coagulating power like salt or acid, etc. The agglomerates are aggregates of latex particles; if the agglomeration is accomplished at a temperature lower than the polymers' softening points, some gaps will be left between latex particles, producing a porous structure containing water in these interstices. If the agglomeration is made at a temperature higher than their softening points, the latex particles will be fused together simultaneously with their agglomeration, enabling closely packed particles to be formed. Even from porous agglomerated particles which have been agglomerated at a temperature lower than their softening points, similar particles may be obtained, if they are heated above their softening points after agglomerization. Porous particles obtained at temperatures lower than their softening points are so weak as to be liable to disintegration into basic particles of latex, with a result that such operations as dehydration, cleaning, drying, etc., will become very difficult to perform on them for this reason, generally the operations of dehydration, cleaning, drying, etc., are performed after the agglomerated particles have been fused into a slurry by heating them above their softening points. When particles are obtained in this way, materials remaining inside these particles are difficult to get out, as a matter of course, so that high purity polymer powders or granules cannot be recovered, however finely are these particles are comminuted. On one hand, this method is disadvantageous in that a large amount of energy is required for evaporating water when drying after dehydration and cleaning, resulting in high cost. On the other hand, materials retained in the interstices of porous agglomerated particles which have been agglomerated at below their softening points, can be more easily removed if sufficient dehydration and cleaning is possible. However, actually, even after conventional dehydration, a large amount of water is still left, which requires consumption of enormous drying energy.
In such a method, because the polymers are recovered as agglomerates of latex particles and are further thermally fused into powders and granules; the emulsifiers (surfactants) and oil soluble materials used for polymerization and impurities formed as by-products during polymerization are brought into a state of being embedded inside the polymer aggregates, so that their removal is very difficult. Thus the admixture of impurities, including emulsifiers, will induce degradation in quality, as evidenced by coloration, reduction in heat resistance, development of burning, etc., in molded products. This is the largest drawback of this method.
In removing impurities, including the above-mentioned emulsifiers, generally, they are extracted from the recovered polymers after they have been dried and pulverized using an organic solvent. However, even when practicing this method, however finely are the polymers pulverized, only the impurities existing on the surface are usually removed. Too fine pulverization will result in difficulty in recovery after extraction, and so forth. Thus the removal is made only imperfectly and in addition, because the extraction operation is performed after the polymers once have been turned into a dry product, a double operation is required after the drying process, which increases the complexity of the process and increases the cost. Thus this method can not, of necessity, be said to be industrially advantageous.

Method of recovering polymer agglomerates as dry powders or granules

Kanegafuchi Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha


An apparatus for exercising the upper and/or the lower joint of an ankle has a frame which can be placed on the floor or can be mounted on or in a bed and supports an adjustable first support of the lower leg of a patient. The first support movably carries a second support for the foot, and the second support can be moved relative to the first support by two discrete prime movers defining pivot axes one of which can be caused to coincide with the axis of the upper joint and the other of which can be caused to coincide with the axis of the lower joint of the ankle between the lower leg on the first support and the foot on the second support. The operation of each prime mover can be programmed, one of these prime movers can be mounted directly on the first support, and the other prime mover can be mounted on a yoke which is carried by the first support. The other prime mover is adjustable relative to or with the yoke in order to ensure that the apparatus can be used to exercise the ankle for the left foot or the ankle for the right foot.

The invention relates to exercising apparatus in general, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for exercising the ankles between the lower legs and feet of patients or other persons who desire to or must exercise one or both ankles, e.g., following an operation.
The ankle between the lower leg and the foot of a person is actually a dual joint. The ankle joint proper (namely the upper or first joint) is disposed between the lower end of the tibia and fibula or calf bone. This joint permits backward and forward or extension and flection movements. A second or lower joint of the ankle is disposed between the astragalus or anklebone and the underlying os calcis or heel bone. This joint permits a movement which can be termed side tipping and involves the so-called pronation and supination of the foot. The first joint defines an axis which extends transversely of the respective lower extremity and permits dorsal extension (lifting of the foot) as well as a plantar flexion (lowering of the foot). The second joint defines an axis extending from the front side of the ankle downwardly and rearwardly to the heel of the foot.
Heretofore known proposals to exercise the ankle involve holding the foot by hands and manually causing the foot to perform the desired movements about the one and/or the other axis. This is a tiresome procedure which must be carried out by a highly skilled person, i.e., such manual exercising is expensive irrespective of whether it is offered to a patient as a postoperative or other treatment in a hospital, sanitarium or a like establishment, or at a patient's home (e.g., by a visiting nurse). Another problem which arises when the exercises are to be performed by hands is that the cost of treatment is greatly increased due to the fact that the exercise must be repeated many times and is likely to stretch out for many weeks or even longer. Still further, relatively small hospitals, sanitaria, nursing homes and like establishments often cannot afford to maintain on the payroll a highly skilled person who specializes in the exercising of ankle joints, especially if such treatments are infrequent. The same holds true for specialists who are to visit a patient's home in order to exercise one or both ankles of such person for required periods at a time as well as to render a requisite number of treatments over a span of one, two or more weeks or months.


An electronic device, a method and computer readable medium for widget modification are disclosed. The method includes receiving a first input to modify a widget that includes at least two modules, the widget accesses resources of the electronic device. The method also includes in response to receiving the first input, separating the widget into the at least two modules. The method further includes receiving a second input to move one of the modules to a new location on a display of the electronic device. The method additionally includes in response to the second input, moving the one module to the new location on the display.

Electronic devices with a graphical user interface (GUI) such as personal digital assistants (PDA), smart phones, personal computers, wearable devices, virtual reality headsets, and the like, have increased in years, due to user demand and recent technological developments. One result of the recent technological developments is that electronic devices are becoming more compact, while the number of functions performed by a given device increases. With the rise of mobile computing technology, many program applications designed specifically for use on a mobile device are being developed. Many of the applications include widgets that can be located on the display and provide information to a user or allow a user to user interact with a particular application without requiring the user to open or access the respective application.

Method and system for modular widgets in smart devices


A method for producing a graft-modified copolymer comprising the step of subjecting 100 parts by weight of an unsaturated copolymer comprising an .alpha.-olefin of 3 to 12 carbon atoms and a cyclic olefin represented by the following formula (I), and 0.1 to 300 parts by weight of a radically polymerizable monomer to the radical polymerization conditions: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a C.sub.2-5 alkylidene group or a C.sub.2-5 alkenyl group, R.sup.2 is a C.sub.1-5 hydrocarbon radical or H, and n is 0, 1 or 2.. The graft-modified copolymer is imparted with various properties which are attributed to the polymer chain formed from the radically polymerizable monomer, without the excellent properties inherent in an .alpha.-olefin polymer being impaired. The copolymer is excellent in compatibility with other resins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for producing graft-modified copolymers which are obtainable by subjecting an unsaturated copolymer comprising an .alpha.-olefin and a specific cyclic olefin and a radically polymerizable monomer to the radical polymerization conditions, and which are excellent in adhesion, printability, hydrophilicity, and compatibility in a polymer blend.
2. Related Art
Homopolymers of an .alpha.-olefin, which herein includes ethylene, and copolymers thereof are not only inexpensive but also excellent in mechanical strength, gloss, transparency, moldability, resistance to humidity, and resistance to chemicals, so that they are widely used either singly or as a component of a polymer blend. However, since the .alpha.-olefinic polymers have a non-polar molecular structure, they are poor in affinity for other materials and extremely inferior in adhesion, printability, and compatibility in a polymer blend.
In order to improve the above properties, a method in which a modified polymer is prepared by graft-polymerizing a radically polymerizable monomer to an .alpha.-olefinic polymer has long been attempted repeatedly.
However, such a radical grafting method still has a lot of problems. For example, this method cannot give a sufficiently high graft ratio or graft efficiency. Further, in most cases, a radical polymerization initiator such as an organic or inorganic peroxide is used in this method, so that a backbone polymer to which a monomer is grafted readily undergoes a molecular cleavage or a crosslinking reaction.
In order to solve the above problems, a variety of inventions have been proposed. Of these, those inventions which are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 98508/1982 and 269110/1990 are considered to be particularly related to the present invention. In these inventions, the graft ratio of a monomer is increased by restraining a backbone polymer from a molecular cleavage or crosslinking by making use of the reactivity of unsaturated bonds contained in an unsaturated copolymeric resin composed of an .alpha.-olefin and an unconjugated diene monomer.
However, the unsaturated copolymers for use in these inventions are prepared by using an unconjugated diene monomer which is not always highly copolymerizable. Further, from the viewpoints of the graft ratio of a monomer, the graft efficiency, a molecular cleavage of a backbone polymer, formation of gel in a radical graft reaction product and the like, it cannot be said that the radical graft reaction in which a monomer is grafted to such an unsaturated copolymeric resin has been practically perfected.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Publication No. 19854/1971, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 241907/1987 and 87610/1989 disclose copolymers of an .alpha.-olefin, particularly propylene, with divinylbenzene. It is, however, afraid that the copolymers may contain a gel fraction formed during copolymerization and that the copolymers may not produce, upon modification, graft-derivatives endowed with desirable properties.
The foregoing prior art is useful in its own way. However, it is unsatisfactory in the graft efficiency and the like.

Method for producing graft-modified copolymers

Mitsubishi Petrochemical Company Limited


An image reading apparatus includes a main body, a document pressing plate, and a light shielding portion. The main body has an image obtaining portion which irradiates illumination light on a document placed on a contact glass and captures an image formed on the document. The document pressing plate is attached to the main body in such a way as to pivot around a pivot shaft that is provided on a rear side above an upper surface of the main body. The pivot shaft moves in an up-down direction with respect to the main body. The light shielding portion, when the document pressing plate presses downward the document, extends downward from the document pressing plate with increase of an interval between the document pressing plate and the upper surface on the rear side in the up-down direction, so as to shield the illumination light not to leak outside.

The present disclosure relates to an image reading apparatus for optically reading an image from a document.
In an image reading apparatus that obtains image data by optically reading an image from a document on which the image is formed, the document is placed on transparent contact glass that is provided on an upper surface of the apparatus, in such a manner that a surface of the document from which the image is read from downward. Illumination light is then irradiated from downward on the surface via the transparent contact glass, and the image is read from downward by an imaging element. For the image to be read appropriately, it is necessary to maintain a state where the document is in close contact with the contact glass. For this purpose, a document pressing plate is used to press, from upward, the document placed on the contact glass.
In some of such image reading apparatuses, a document feeding device may be provided to feed a plurality of document sheets one by one so that images can be read from the document sheets. In that case, since the document feeding device is located above the placed document sheet, the document feeding device is configured to serve as the document pressing plate. Here, since each of the plurality of document sheets is considerably thinner than 1 mm, an interval between the document feeding device (the document pressing plate) and the contact glass is narrow.
On the other hand, for example, when one page of a booklet literature is read, the document feeding device cannot be used. The user needs to place the booklet literature on the contact glass so that a reading-target page faces downward, and cause the reading operation to be performed in that state. In this case, since the booklet literature has a certain thickness, the interval between the document pressing plate and the contact glass is as wide as the thickness of the booklet literature, and the thickness may be equal to or larger than 1 cm.
Ordinarily, the document feeding device (the document pressing plate) is attached to the image reading apparatus such that it can pivot in the vertical direction with respect to the main body of the image reading apparatus that has the contact glass on its upper surface. For this case, there are known some structures that allow documents of various thicknesses to be in close contact with the contact glass. FIG. 5a, FIG. 5b, and FIG. 5c show examples of such structures in three typical states. In a conventional image reading apparatus 2, on an upper surface 90A of a main body 90 of the image reading apparatus 2, a contact glass 91 having a surface that is wide in a horizontal plane is provided, and a document pressing plate 92 is provided above the contact glass 91. The document pressing plate 92 is configured to pivot in the vertical direction around a pivot shaft 92A that is provided on the rear side (the right side in the drawing) thereof and elongates along a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. Since the pivot shaft 92A is located above the upper surface 90A, the pivot shaft 92A is provided in a support portion 93. The support portion 93 is attached to the main body 90 so as to protrude upward from the main body 90. The document pressing plate 92 is attached to the main body 90 via the support portion 93. The support portion 93 is configured to move in the up-down direction with respect to the main body 90 (the upper surface 90A).
FIG. 5a shows a state where the document pressing plate 92 has been pivoted upward (opened). In the state shown in FIG. 5a, the user, in front of the apparatus (on the left side in the drawing), can place a document on the exposed contact glass 91 and then close the document pressing plate 92 by pivoting the document pressing plate 92 counterclockwise in the drawing. FIG. 5b shows a state where a thin document P1 (for example, a sheet of paper) has been placed and the document pressing plate 92 has been closed. When the above-described document feeding device is used, this state is realized automatically. With this configuration, the document P1 is uniformly pressed downward by the document pressing plate 92. In this state, an image obtaining portion 95 provided inside the main body 90 irradiates illumination light L from downward on the document P1 via the contact glass 91, captures an image of the document P1 from downward, and obtains image data.
On the other hand, FIG. 5c shows a state where a thick document P2 (for example, a booklet literature) has been placed in a similar manner, and the document pressing plate 92 has been closed. In this case, the support portion 93 is positioned higher than in the case of FIG. 5b, allowing the pivot shaft 92A to be positioned higher than in the case of FIG. 5b. From the state shown in FIG. 5b, the document pressing plate 92 has moved upward in parallel. As a result, in the state shown in FIG. 5c, as in the case of FIG. 5b, the whole surface of the thick document P2 is uniformly pressed downward by the document pressing plate 92. With this configuration, as in the case shown in FIG. 5b, the image obtaining portion 95 can read the image of the document P2 by irradiating the illumination light L on the document P2 from downward. In this case, different from the case where the document feeding device is used, the user, in front of the apparatus, can place the document P2 on the contact glass 91 and cause the apparatus to perform the reading while pressing the document pressing plate 92 from upward. That is, with this configuration, it is possible to make the document pressing plate 92 press the document so that the whole surface of the document is uniformly in contact with the contact glass 91, and the image obtaining portion 95 can read an image appropriately, regardless of the thickness of the document.

Image reading apparatus capable of shielding illumination light not to leak outside


An optical wireless communication apparatus includes: a modulator for generating a reference signal including periodically repeating binary zeros and ones, receiving an input of a first binary data signal, and outputting a second binary data signal, wherein the second binary data signal has the same frequency as the reference signal, and has the same phase as the reference signal when the first binary data signal comprises binary zeros and has an opposite phase to the reference signal when the first binary data signal comprises binary ones, or has the same phase as the reference signal when the first binary data signal comprises binary ones and has an opposite phase to the reference signal when the first binary data signal comprises binary zeros, and a transmitter for turning a first light source on or off according to the reference signal, and turning a second light source on or off according to the second binary data signal.

Recently, as the Visible Light Communication (VLC) technique, which enables wireless communication by adding communication functions to a visible light wavelength using an infrastructure in which lighting of incandescent bulbs or fluorescent tubes is replaced by Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting, is actively studied and IEEE 802.15.7 international standard specification is completed, development of business models for commercialization is in progress. However, since IEEE 802.15.7 is generally limited to data transmission using a photo diode (PD), it has a problem in that a dedicated communication apparatus such as a VLC dongle or the like should be used. Accordingly, international standardization of Optical Wireless Communications (OWC), which mainly uses an image sensor such as a camera of a smart phone rather than a photo diode and includes infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths, as well as visible light, is progressed in IEEE 802.15.7r1 OWC TG (Task Group).
The inventor of the present invention is the chairman of IEEE 802.15.7r1 OWC TG of International Standard Organization, leading OWC international standardization by presenting many contributions related to OWC techniques, and the present invention relates to the Spatial 2-Phase Shift Keying (S2-PSK) modulation method, which is one of most essential techniques of OWC international standard techniques.

S2-PSK optical wireless communication method and apparatus

KOOKMIN UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY ACADEMY COOPERATION FOUNDATION


The present invention is relating to various embodiments of a respiratory interface device, such as a mask, that includes a fabric body structured to accommodate one or both of a nasal and oral region of a user's face. The fabric body includes a fabric connecting member extending therefrom structured to receive a coupling device for delivering a gas to the respiratory interface device. In another embodiment, the fabric body includes a non-fabric support element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to respiratory interface devices for transporting a gas to and/or from an airway of a user, and in particular, to respiratory interface devices, such as masks, that include a fabric body constructed of a fabric material.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of respiratory masks are known which contact the areas surrounding the nose and/or mouth of a human user and that are designed to create an effective fit against the user's face. Typically, gases can be provided at a positive pressure within the mask for consumption by the user. The uses for such masks include high altitude breathing (aviation applications), swimming, mining, fire fighting and various medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
One requisite of many of these masks, (e.g.) particularly medical respiratory masks, is that they provide an effective fit against the user's face and that the mask contours with the user's face to limit or prevent leakage of the gas being supplied. Commonly, in conventional mask configurations, an effective mask-to-face fit has been attained in many instances only with considerable discomfort for the user. This problem is most crucial in those applications, especially medical applications, which require the user to wear the mask continuously for hours or perhaps even days. In such situations, the user often will not tolerate the mask for long durations and therefore optimum therapeutic or diagnostic objectives will not be achieved, or will be achieved with great difficulty and considerable user discomfort.
Several types of respiratory masks for the types of applications mentioned above are known. Perhaps the most common type of mask incorporates a substantially rigid structure such as a faceplate to support the more flexible sealing member which comes into contact with the user's face, such as a back cushion portion. The rigid structure of the faceplate restricts or limits the ability of the cushion portion to conform to the facial contours of the user. If the fit is not effective, there will be gaps in the mask-to-face interface resulting in gas leaking from the mask at the gaps.
Considerable force will be required to compress the mask member to close the gaps and attain a satisfactory seal in those areas where the gaps occur. Typically, this required force will be provided by straps that are connected to the mask to securely fit the mask to the face of the user. Such force is undesirable because it produces high pressure points elsewhere on the face of the user where the mask contour is forcibly deformed against the face to conform to the user's facial contours. This will produce considerable user discomfort and possible skin irritation and breakdown anywhere the applied force exceeds the local perfusion pressure, which is the pressure that is sufficient to cut off surface blood flow. Thus, it would be desirable to minimize or eliminate the rigid structure of the mask to improve the ability of the cushion portion to conform to the facial contours of the user and therefore to enhance the fit of the mask to the user's face.

Respiratory interface device with flexible cover


A hermetically sealed semiconductor package (10, 100, 200) in accordance with the invention and includes at least one integrated circuit (14, 15 or 16) with each integrated circuit having first (20) and second (22) opposed faces with the first face having at least one electrode (17-19) providing at least one first circuit connection to the integrated circuit and with the second face providing a second circuit connection to the integrated circuit; a thermally conductive base (32) thermally coupled to the second face for conducting heat generated by operation of the at least one integrated circuit; an insulator (30) electrically isolating the first circuit connection from the second circuit connection; a sidewall (34) extending upward from the base; and a lid (36) extending from the sidewall, the base, sidewall and lid forming a hermetically sealed cavity (12) in which the at least one integrated circuit is disposed and the lid having at least one depression (38) projecting inward below an inner and outer surface of the lid into the cavity and electrically contacting at least one of the circuit connections at a plane below the inner surface of the lid within the cavity.

Power semiconductors are utilized in diverse applications for controlling current in accordance with a control signal such as a switching signal or a signal to be amplified in which one or more integrated circuits are contained within a hermetically sealed package. One or more control signal inputs are applied to the hermetically sealed package to produce a controlled high power current output signal. Such semiconductor hermetically sealed packages may be used for inverters for switching a pair of DC potentials applied to the hermetically sealed package under the control of a switching signal having a frequency of 400 Hz. for generating three phase alternating current in airframes at 400 Hz. The assignee of the present invention manufactures inverters which are used in airframes for switching DC potentials applied to hermetically sealed packages containing power semiconductor integrated circuits for producing three phase alternating current.
A first type of hermetically sealed power semiconductor integrated circuit package which has been developed by the assignee utilizes compression bonding. With compression bonding, a compressive force is applied to power semiconductor integrated circuits located within the hermetically sealed package to complete the necessary high power electrical connections for controlling the flow of high power current through the package. Compression bonded circuits for controlling the switching of large currents to produce three phase 400 Hz. alternating current have been developed by the assignee. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,830,979, 4,954,876, 4,985,752 and 5,034,803. The present invention does not relate to this type of hermetically sealed power semiconductor integrated circuit package. Compression bonding cannot be used with insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power semiconductors.
A second type of hermetically sealed power semiconductor integrated circuit package, which does not utilize compression bonding to complete connections through which high power current flows to one or more semiconductor integrated circuits within the package, utilizes wire bonds which are connected to a plurality of electrodes on a first face of at least one semiconductor integrated circuit to a metallic bus. The individual electrodes are connected to circuits contained within the integrated circuit which are operated in parallel to provide a high power output by connecting the electrodes in parallel. One or more conductors, which are electrically connected to the bus, extend from inside of the hermetically sealed package to outside the package. A second face of the semiconductor integrated circuit functions as a second electrode which is in common with a plurality of individual circuits located within each semiconductor integrated circuit which function to amplify or switch current in parallel to provide the high power controlled current for use external to the hermetically sealed package. A metallic thermally conductive base is thermally connected to the second face of the semiconductor integrated circuit to provide a heat sink to dissipate heat caused by the operation of the circuits within the semiconductor integrated circuit. Moreover, the conductive base may function as one of the power terminals external to the hermetically sealed package.
While the use of one or more semiconductor integrated circuits contained within a hermetically sealed package which individually contain a plurality of individual circuits which produce a common output in parallel using wire bonds to produce a controlled current such as a switched or amplified high power current has diverse applications, there are a number of disadvantages consequent from the wire bonding between the power electrodes of the at least one integrated circuit and the external connections to the hermetically sealed package. First, the wire bonds represent an inductive load which slows the rate at which current may be changed in response to a control signal applied to the hermetically sealed package. Second, once the package is hermetically sealed, it is impossible to determine whether individual circuits within a semiconductor integrated circuit which are being operated in parallel to produce a high power output are, in fact, operating or operating up to power specification since there is no mechanism available to monitor the signal output or temperature of individual electrodes of the individual parallel circuits within a semiconductor integrated circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,129 discloses a hermetically sealed package for semiconductor circuits. The '129 patent discloses electrical connections between a power semiconductor circuit located within a cavity of the hermetically sealed package and an electrical conductor mounted on an external surface of the package by conductors extending through a dielectric plate.
Recently, IGBTs have become available which have a highly desirable characteristic for switching high currents at high voltages to generate alternating current. However, IGBTs are not available in compression bonded configurations which are utilized with high power bipolar transistor switches. The advantage of IGBT is that smaller signal levels may be used for controlling the switching of a IGBT than a bipolar transistor.
Prior art electrical connections from inside of a chamber of a hermetically sealed power semiconductor integrated circuit package to the outside which are used to make electrical connections external to the power semiconductor integrated circuit within the package have used pins. The pins are typically brazed or sealed with glass or ceramic into an aperture through an insulator in a sidewall. The resistance of the pins for high power circuits may result in undesired heating and electrical loss and further contribute to the inductance of the circuitry within the hermetically sealed package which is undesirable for switching applications, such as those used in inverters.
External bus connections in the prior art hermetically sealed packages have been connected to pins extending through the walls or lid of the hermetically sealed package which produces an offset between the outer surface of the hermetically sealed package and the bus. This offset produces a higher profile package which increases the overall volume of the package which is undesirable in applications for inverters used for generating three phase alternating current in airframes where spatial utilization is important.
The breakdown voltage for a fixed gap of atmospheric air varies as a function of altitude in accordance with Paschen' Law which is expressed as: EQU V=f(.rho.d)
where .rho. is the gas density and d is the gap. As a result, a greater atmospheric spacing is needed at high altitudes of aircraft operation to prevent electrical breakdown between different electrical potentials of an electrical power generating system. As a result of Paschen's law, greater separation is required between different external buses of an inverter airplane electrical power generating system operated at different potentials at high altitude when compared to lower altitude operation. The geometry and materials of a hermetically sealed package containing the switches of an inverter electrical power generating system determine the available spacing between different potential buses and the package and mounting structure.

Power semiconductor integrated circuit package


The present application provides a sound adsorbing material, including a microporous material and an adsorbate gas adsorbed in the microporous material. The microporous material includes a zeolite molecular sieve, and the zeolite molecular sieve has a framework and extra-framework cations. An adsorption capacity of the adsorbolite molecular sieve to the adsorbate gas is greater than an adsorption capacity of the adsorbolite molecular sieve to air. The present disclosure further provides a speaker box adopting the sound adsorbing material. Compared with the related art, the sound adsorbing material provided by the present disclosure has good application effects, and the speaker box using the sound adsorbing material has a better low frequency acoustic performance.

With the advance of science and technology and the improvement of living standards, electronic products are rapidly developed in many aspects such as energy saving, light weight, intelligence, information, multi-system, multi-function, and entertainment. As a result, higher requirements have been raised on performance and volume of the electronic products, and thus higher requirements are raised on a speaker box of the electronic product, especially the speaker box of a mobile phone, which is required to have a smaller size and also provide excellent sound quality.
The speaker box in the related art includes a housing having a receiving space, a speaker unit disposed in the housing, and a virtual acoustic cavity surrounded by the speaker unit and the housing. The virtual acoustic cavity is filled with a sound adsorbing material.
However, since an electronic consumer product is more compact, a rear cavity of the speaker box has a smaller volume, which will significantly reduce a response at low frequency band, thereby resulting in a poor sound quality. The sound adsorbing material is usually a microporous low-frequency improvement material (i.e., microporous material), such as activated carbon, zeolite and the like. Generally, the sound adsorbing material mainly adopts a porous carbon material of Panasonic Electronics and an MFI molecular sieve of Knowles Electronics, as well as FER and BEA molecular sieves and the like. The sound adsorbing material adsorbs the desorbed air in the rear cavity with its vibration along with the speaker unit of the speaker box, thereby increasing the volume of the virtual acoustic cavity, and thus increasing a response of the speaker box at a low frequency band. However, since the microporous material has a small adsorption capacity to air molecules at room temperature, the improvement on the response of the speaker at the low frequency band is limited.
Therefore, it is urgent to provide a new sound adsorbing material and a speaker box adopting the sound adsorbing material to solve the above technical problems.

Sound adsorbing material and speaker box


A mobile phone manages display area 12 as twelve partial areas obtained by dividing the display area into a matrix of four rows and three columns, which is identical to an arrangement of keys of a numeric keypad; if plural windows are displayed in a partial area arranged in the same position as a pressed key, assigns a key to each of the windows displayed in the partial area, the key being for selecting the window, and notifies the keys; and if one of the notified keys is pressed, selects a window to which the pressed key has been assigned.

Mobile phones are not provided with a pointing device such as a mouse or a trackball, because portability is critical to mobile phones. Accordingly, it is difficult to select an icon displayed on a screen of a mobile phone, as compared with a personal computer, which has a pointing device. To address such a problem related to operability, for example, patent document 1 describes displaying plural icons on a screen such that they have the same arrangement as keys of a numeric keypad; activating an icon that is in the same position in an array as a pressed key; and displaying a number of a corresponding key on each icon. Alternatively, patent document 2 describes, as shown in FIG. 4 thereof, assigning to a "tree" object OBJ4 positioned at block B (4, 3) of an image displayed on a mobile phone, which image is divided into a matrix of four rows and three columns in the same way as keys of the phone, a function of starting a game and a key which is arranged at a position corresponding to block B (4, 3), and if the key is pressed, selecting object OBJ4 to start a game. Alternatively, patent document 3 describes dividing an image displayed on an LDC into plural areas arranged in the same way as keys of a numeric keypad, and enlarging an image in an area corresponding to a pressed key.    Patent document 1: JP-A-2004-179870    Patent document 2: JP-A-2005-216170    Patent document 3: JP-A-2005-175977
Based on the inventions described in patent documents 1 to 3, it is possible to conceive of selecting a window from among plural windows displayed on a screen. However, windows are different from icons described in patent document 1 and objects described in patent document 2, in that a size and a position can be freely changed by a user on a screen. Accordingly, if a configuration of displaying plural windows on a screen in the same array as keys of a numeric keypad, as in the case of icons described in patent document 1, is employed, it is necessary to change a size and a position of each window as determined by a user. However, since a size and a position of each window have been arbitrarily determined by a user to make them easy to use, if they are automatically changed, a user has to again change a size and a position of each window in accordance with the user's preference. Also, if a configuration of assigning a key of a numeric keypad to each window in advance, as in the case of objects described in patent document 2, is employed, and if a position or a size of a window is changed, a correlation between positions of windows on a screen and an arrangement of keys of the numeric keypad is lost. As a result, it becomes unclear which key is to be pressed; namely, operability is lowered.
Also, if a configuration of dividing a displayed area into plural areas arranged in the same way as keys of a numeric keypad, and selecting a window displayed in an area corresponding to a pressed key is employed, and if plural windows are displayed in an area corresponding to a pressed key, it is impossible to identify which window is to be selected.

Information processing device and program


A coil of pre-lubed steel strip has a steel strip substrate coated on each surface with a uniform coating of solid lubricant. The coating has a coating weight greater than 20 mg/ft..sup.2 (0.22 g/m.sup.2) for lubricity during cold deforming of the strip, as by stamping or drawing. The coating weight is less than 100 mg/ft..sup.2 (1.08 g/m.sup.2) to prevent slippage during operations incident to blanking of the strip prior to cold deforming. The coating has a needle penetration hardness in the range 9-250. Various procedures for applying the coating are described.

The present invention relates generally to coiled steel strip and more particularly to coiled steel strip with a solid lubricant coating.
Coiled steel strip is the starting material for a number of manufacturing operations involving cold deforming, such as a stamping or drawing operation. These manufacturing operations are used to produce parts for automobiles and appliances, for example.
Before the steel strip undergoes the cold deforming operation, it is subjected to a blanking operation in which the coiled strip is uncoiled and cut into smaller pieces called blanks. The blanks are then individually subjected to the cold deforming operation. Incident to the blanking operation is the employment of equipment including metering rollers which meter the uncoiled strip to the blanking station and leveling or flattening rollers which remove from the steel strip any residual curvature or "coil set" carried over from the coil.
To facilitate the cold deforming operation, the surfaces of the steel strip are coated with a lubricant prior to cold deforming. It is also desirable to protect the steel strip against corrosion between the time it was coiled at the steel mill and the time it is uncoiled incident to the blanking operation. The coiled steel strip can be coated with a film of material which functions both as a corrosion resisting agent and as a lubricant during the cold deforming operation. Coiled steel strip coated with such material is known as pre-lubed strip. The coating material can be either liquid or solid. An example of a solid coating material for pre-lubed steel strip is described in Sech, U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,743, entitled "Hot Melt Metal Working Lubricant", and the disclosure thereof is incorporated herein by reference.
Many of the considerations involved in the cold deforming of steel strip, and in the selection of a pre-lube coating material for steel strip subjected to cold deforming are discussed in detail in the Sech patent and need not be repeated here. The solid lubricant coating disclosed in the Sech patent comprises, in a general sense, (a) a major portion composed of at least one substantially saturated ester formed of a polyhydric alcohol and at least one carboxylic acid; (b) a plasticizer for (a); and (c) a small amount of a polymeric composition. The Sech patent contains a number of examples in which steel blanks are coated with a solid lubricant having a coating weight in the range 100-1000 mg/ft..sup.2 (1.08-10.8 g/m.sup.2).
A problem which can arise incident to a blanking operation performed on pre-lubed steel strip is slippage of the strip at the metering rollers and the leveling rollers. Slippage at the metering or leveling rollers can cause variations in the size of the blanks which is undesirable. Slippage can occur if there is too much lubricating material on the steel strip. On the other hand, during the cold deforming operation, if there is too little lubricating material on the steel strip, the lubricity of the steel strip is impaired, and this can have an adverse effect on the cold deforming operation and on the part produced thereby.
There is a paper delivered Feb. 23, 1987, SAE Technical Paper Series, 870648, entitled "Tribological Behavior of Solid Lubricant Films on Bare and Coated Sheet Steel Products", Phillip L. Coduti, author. This paper describes tests conducted on a steel strip coated with a solid lubricant having a coating weight of 200.+-.25 mg/ft..sup.2 (2.16.+-.0.27 g/m.sup.2) on each side. One of the tests involved varying the hardness of the coating by increasing the oil content thereof. Hardness was determined with a needle penetration test: the deeper the penetration, the softer the coating. The hardness was reflected by a hardness number: the larger the number, the softer the coating. The hardness of the coating was compared with the lubricity of the coating, and it was found that, at a needle penetration hardness in the range 20-30, lubricity was maximized for a coating of 200.+-.25 mg/ft..sup.2 (2.16.+-.0.27 g/m.sup.2).

Coiled steel strip with solid lubricant coating


A method for facilitating creating one or more calendar entries in one or more client devices is provided. The method includes receiving an iTIP (iCalendar Transport-Independent Interoperability Protocol) message from a first client device. The method further includes generating an iMIP (iCalendar Message-Based Interoperability Protocol) message using the iTIP message. The method also includes providing at least one of a copy of the iTIP message and a copy of the iMIP message to a least one of the second client device and a second communication server device connected to the second client device for enabling the second calendar application to generate a calendar entry in the second client device. The method also includes determining whether one of a first action and a second action is to be taken. The method further includes performing one of said first action and said second action based on said determining.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for creating calendar entries in client devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for facilitating the creation of at least a calendar entry in at least one recipient's client device according to a calendar message sent from the message originator's client device.
Presently, there are various calendar applications suitable for various operating systems utilized by various client devices. For example, there are the Outlook® calendar application for the Windows® operating, system, the Entourage® calendar application for the Mac OS® operating system, the iCal® calendar application for the Mac OS® operating system, etc. Windows®, Outlook®, and Entourage® are available from Microsoft Corporation, www.microsoft.com. Mac OS® and iCal® are available from Apple Inc, www.apple.com.
Different calendar applications may be compatible with different protocols, such as different communication protocols and different calendar message protocols, for transporting calendar messages. For example, Outlook® is compatible with IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and iMIP (iCalendar Message-Based Interoperability Protocol), Entourage® is compatible with the WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) protocol and iMIP, and iCal® is compatible with the CalDAV (Calendaring Extensions to WebDAV) protocol and iTIP (iCalendar Transport-Independent Interoperability Protocol). Differences in protocols may result in incompatibility between calendar applications and calendar messages (or interoperability problems between calendar applications).
In general, a user of a client device may create and access calendar entries in the client device utilizing the calendar application implemented on the client device. The user may also send a calendar message to another user, i.e., a recipient of the calendar message, for a calendar entry to be created in the recipient's client device. For example, the calendar message may include a notice concerning an event, such as a meeting, an appointment request, or a party invitation. If the calendar message, when received by the recipient's client device, is in a format compatible with the calendar application implemented on the recipient's client device, the event notice may be correctly displayed by the recipient's calendar application, and a calendar entry (which specifies one or more of the time, the location, the attendees, etc. pertaining to the event) ma be correctly created in the recipient's client device by the recipient's calendar application. However, if the recipient's calendar application is incompatible with the calendar message, the recipient's calendar application may not be able to correctly create a calendar entry according to the calendar message.
Prior art techniques may be unable to effectively resolve the incompatibility or interoperability problems. One of the reasons is that prior art techniques may utilize complicated identifiers for identifying calendar message originators and recipients. As an example, the originator identifier in a prior art calendar message may be a complicated directory path or address, for example, in the format of "http://servername/principals/users/bill". The information contained in the prior art originator identifier may not be efficiently and effectively resolved by the recipient's calendar application and/or the communication server device associated with the recipient's client device. As a result, the recipient's calendar application may not be able to effectively create a calendar entry based on the calendar message.
In addition, prior art techniques may not provide desirable reliability and efficiency in generating and/or transporting calendar messages. For example, accordingly to prior art arrangements, identifiers for calendar message originators and recipients may need to be retrieved from a LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) server that is external to the communication server device responsible for transporting calendar messages. When the LDAP server is busy or not responding, the identifiers may be unavailable. Consequently, calendar messages may not be timely generated, and/or the delivery of calendar messages may be delayed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for facilitating creating calendar entries in client devices


A dichroic dye can be blended with a non-dichroic dye (melanin and melanin derivatives) and still maintain a commercially acceptable level of polarizing efficiency. Efficient polarizers exhibit polarizing efficiencies of greater or equal to 95% and the best are even greater than or equal to 98%. Since melanin has unique features with respect to absorption of wavelengths of light, melanin is very useful to have in combination with a polarizer that takes advantage of this absorption. The blending can be done by a mixture (preferably an aqueous mixture) of melanin and a dichroic dye in a ratio sufficient to achieve the desired color and polarizing effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to polarizing elements, particularly to polarizing lenses, more particularly to polarizing goggles, eye shields or ophthalmic lenses, and to novel compositions of polarizing layers in ophthalmic lenses comprising melanin and substituted/derivatized melanin.
2. Background of the Art
Optical polarizing film is widely used for glare reduction and for increasing optical contrast in such products as sunglasses and Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD). One of the most commonly used types of polarizers for these applications is a dichroic polarizer which absorbs light of one polarization and transmits light of the orthogonal polarization. One type of dichroic polarizer is made by incorporating a dye into a polymer matrix which is stretched in at least one direction. Dichroic polarizers may also be made by uniaxially stretching a polymer matrix and staining the matrix with a dichroic dye. Alternatively, a polymer matrix may be stained with an oriented dichroic dye. Dichroic dyes include anthraquinone and azo dyes, as well as iodine. Many commercial dichroic polarizers use polyvinyl alcohol as the polymer matrix for the dye.
Another type of polarizer is a reflective polarizer which reflects light of one polarization and transmits light of another orthogonal polarization. One type of reflective polarizer is made by forming a stack of alternating sets of polymer layers, one of the sets being birefringent to form reflective interfaces in the stack. Typically, the indices of refraction of the layers in the two sets are approximately equal in one direction so that light polarized in a plane parallel to that direction is transmitted. The indices of refraction are typically different in a second, orthogonal direction so that light polarized in a plane parallel to the orthogonal direction is reflected.
One measure of performance for polarizers is the extinction ratio. The extinction ratio is the ratio of a) light transmitted by the polarizer in a preferentially transmitted polarization state to b) light transmitted in an orthogonal polarization state. These two orthogonal states are often related to the two linear polarizations of light. However, other types of orthogonal states, such as, left and right-handed circular polarizations or two orthogonal elliptical polarizations may also be used. The extinction ratios of dichroic polarizers vary over a wide range depending on their specific construction and target application. For example, dichroic polarizers may have extinction ratios between 5:1 and 3000:1. Dichroic polarizers used in display systems typically have extinction ratios which are preferably greater than 100:1 and even more preferably greater than 500:1.
Dichroic polarizers typically absorb light in the non-transmission polarization. However, dichroic polarizers also absorb some of the light having the high transmission polarization. The amount of this absorption depends on the details of the construction of the polarizer and the designed extinction ratio. For high performance display polarizers, such as those used in LCDs, this absorption loss is typically between about 5 and 15%. The reflectivity of these polarizers for light having the absorption (i.e., low transmission) polarization tends to be small. Even with surface reflections included, this reflectivity is typically less than 10% and usually less than 5%.
Reflective polarizers typically reflect light having one polarization and transmit light having an orthogonal polarization. Reflective polarizers often have incomplete reflectivity of the high extinction polarization over a wavelength region of interest. Typically, the reflectivity is greater than 50% and is often greater than 90% or 95%. A reflective polarizer will also typically have some absorption of light having the high transmission polarization. Typically, this absorption is less than about 5 to 15%. Structures and materials for the manufacture of light polarizing films with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and dichroic dyes include at least U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,859,039, 4,992,218, 5,051,309, 5,071,906, 5,326,507, 5,582,916, and 6,113,811. These patents are incorporated herein in their entirety for their disclosure of materials, ancillary materials, and processes and structures for polarizing elements and layers.
Ophthalmic lenses are also well known for having dyes and/or pigments therein for absorbing electromagnetic radiation, particularly electromagnetic radiation such as visible radiation, ultraviolet radiation and any other ionizing radiation. The use of Melanin as a pigment in ophthalmic lenses for absorbing electromagnetic radiation is taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,112,883, 5,047,447, 5,036,115, and 4,698,374, which patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for their teachings of melanin, the properties of melanin, their utility in radiation absorbing layers, ancillary materials, processes of manufacture, structures and the like containing melanin.
It is generally known and accepted in the polarizing art that structures use only a dichroic dye or combinations of dichroic dyes to get the desired color and absorption of light in the PVA polarizers. This is specifically disclosed and considered in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,039. It is noted therein that, (column 3 line 35) xe2x80x9cMixing various dyes is necessary, which respectively have different absorption and polarization characteristics at different wavelength regions within the range of 400-700 nm. One dye only is hardly able to provide a polarizing film, over the entire visible light region of 400-700 nm, showing the same absorption characteristics, i.e., neutral gray, and having a high polarizing coefficient.xe2x80x9d Then it is noted that, (column 2 line 27) xe2x80x9cAny organic direct dyes may be employed in the present invention, as long as the dichroism ratio is large.xe2x80x9d
A dichroic dye can be blended with a non-dichroic dye (Melanin, synthetic melanin and melanin derivatives) and still maintain a commercially acceptable level of polarizing efficiency of  greater than 97% (as later defined in this text). Efficient polarizers exhibit polarizing efficiencies of  greater than 95% and the best are  greater than 98%. Since Melanin has unique features with respect to absorption of wavelengths of light, melanin is very useful to have in combination with a polarizer that takes advantage of this absorption. The blending can be done by a mixture (preferably an aqueous mixture) of Melanin and a dichroic dye in a ratio sufficient to achieve the desired color and polarizing effect. Alternatively, the PVA film may be first passed through the solution of the dichroic dye and then the solution of Melanin dye or the Melanin dye and then the dichroic dye. It was found that an efficient polarizer layer can be made where the dichroic dye contributes from 10-90% of light absorption (preferably from 30-70% or 35-65%, or 40-60%, e.g., one half) and the melanin dye contributed the remaining amount of the desired absorption of light in the region of 400-700 nm. To make the polarizing sheet, for example, the oriented PVA film is passed through the aqueous mixtures as described in the examples in 4,859,039. The films may be used in providing polarizing properties to any reflective or transmissive element such as reflecting mirrors, goggles, eye shields, swimming or diving goggles, sunglasses, ophthalmic lenses and the like.


Specialized tool storage boxes may be produced by defining an inventory of tools to be stored in the box. The tools may be positioned in proposed desired locations. Shadows of the tools in their respective desired locations may be produced. Image of the shadows may be produced on an insert for the tool storage box. The insert may be placed in the box so that the tools can be replaced in the desired locations after being removed from the box.

The present invention generally relates to storage units for sets of tools that may be associated with a particular task. For example, maintenance of a particular type of vehicle may be efficiently performed if a tool set is established and organized so that all required maintenance tools are readily accessible. For such a system to be effective, the tools need to be replaced to particular locations in a dedicated storage system after each use. Proper storage of the tools may result in ready availability for successive usage.
As can be seen, there is a need for a tool storage system which can easily be employed by a user to replace tools in their proper storage location. Additionally there is a need for such a system to be adaptable to numerous variations of tool sets.


A heated handgrip is disclosed wherein a tubular sleeve is overlayed by a sheath with a heating wire sandwiched between the sleeve and the sheath.. The sheath and the sleeve are connected threadedly and lock means are provided to preclude relative motion between the sheath and the sleeve.

In the prior '429 patent, a heated handgrip for a vehicle, such as a recreational vehicle, snowmobile, motorcycle and the like, is disclosed in which a wire heating element extends throughout spiral grooves in a land and groove configuration formed on the exterior of a tubular core or sleeve.
A complementary sheath overlays the sleeve and forms the exterior of the handgrip and defines the portion of the grip which is grasped by an operator.
It has been found that although the handgrip disclosed and claimed in the '429 patent is operative, there are certain deficiencies therein.
For example, since the sleeve and the sheath have mating helical land and groove configurations, i.e., spiral lands and grooves or the exterior of the sleeve mating with complementary spiral lands and grooves on the interior of the sheath, there is a tendency for the sheath to separate from the sleeve.
That is, the sheath rotates relative to the sleeve in the fashion of a jackscrew with the result that the sheath and sleeve are displaced relative to one another. Obviously this occurrence is undesirable because it degrades the utility of the grip. Furthermore, since screw action disturbs the placement of the heating wire, there is a danger of short circuits.
In addition, it is desirable to have the resistance wire thoroughly sandwiched between the grooves of the sleeve and the lands of the sheath.
That is, the sleeve is usually molded in a separate operation of a thermoplastic material such as (but not limited to) acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer or nylon. Thereafter the resistance wire is wound upon the sleeve. Following that step, the sheath is molded about the wired sleeve using a vulcanizable elastomeric material such as (but not limited to) compounded polymers or copolymers of butadiene or neoprene which create a comfortable grip.


The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to layer(s) that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrophotography, including digital, apparatuses. More particularly, the present embodiments provide the negatively charged electrophotographic imaging members with a novel cross-linked charge blocking undercoat layer, which is created to comprise of a binary composition of melamine and formaldehyde or a triple composition consisting of a hydroxyl functional acrylic polyol binder and a methylolation of melamine-formaldehyde, and methods for making the same. The charge blocking layer provides stabilized cyclic photo-electrical properties, enhanced mechanical adhesion bonding, and improved copy print out quality for service life extension.

The presently disclosed embodiments relate in general to electrophotographic imaging members which are provided with a novel charge transport layer. In particular, the imaging members of present embodiments are negatively charged members comprising an improved charge blocking layer designed with a specific material composition having great capacity to prevent and/or stop hole injections into the imaging layer(s) from the conductive ground plane during the electrophotographic imaging process. The prepared imaging member, having the improved charge blocking layer, has stabilized cyclic photo-electrical properties to impact copy printout quality enhancement and extends service life when used in an electrophotographic imaging system. The present embodiments also provide a process for making and using these imaging members that further meet the service life function objectives in the field.
In electrophotographic reproducing apparatuses, including digital, image on image, and contact electrostatic printing apparatuses, a light image of an original to be copied is typically recorded in the form of an electrostatic latent image upon a photosensitive member and the latent image is subsequently rendered visible by the application of electroscopic thermoplastic resin particles and pigment particles, or toner. Electrophotographic imaging members are well known in the art. Typically, the electrophotographic imaging members are, for example, photoreceptors) commonly utilized in electrophotographic (xerographic) processing system. Generally, these imaging members comprise at least a supporting substrate and at least one imaging layer comprising a thermoplastic polymeric matrix material. In an electrophotographic imaging member or photoreceptor, the photoconductive imaging layer may comprise only a single photoconductive layer or multiple of layers such as a combination of a charge generating layer and one or more charge transport layer(s).
Electrophotographic imaging members can have two distinctively different configurations. For example, they can comprise a flexible member, such as a flexible scroll or a belt containing a flexible substrate. Since typical flexible electrophotographic imaging members exhibit spontaneous upward imaging member curling after completion of solution coating the outermost exposed imaging layer, an anticurl back coating is therefore required to be applied to back side of the flexible substrate support to counteract/balance the curl and provide the desirable imaging member flatness. Alternatively, the electrophotographic imaging members can also be a rigid member, such as those utilizing a rigid substrate support drum. For these drum imaging members, having a thick rigid cylindrical supporting substrate bearing the imaging layer(s), there is no exhibition of the curl-up problem, and thus, there is no need for an anticurl back coating layer.
Although the scope of the present disclosure covers the preparation of all types of electrophotographic imaging members in either a rigid drum design or a flexible belt configuration, but for reasons of simplicity, the embodiments and discussion following hereinafter will be focused solely on and represented by electrophotographic imaging members in the flexible belt configuration.
Electrophotographic flexible belt imaging members may include a photoconductive layer including a single layer or composite layers. The flexible belt electrophotographic imaging members may be seamless or seamed belts. Seamed belts are usually formed by cutting a rectangular sheet from a web, overlapping opposite ends, and welding the overlapped ends together to form a welded seam. Typical electrophotographic imaging member belts include a charge transport layer and a charge generating layer on one side of a supporting substrate layer and an anticurl back coating coated onto the opposite side of the substrate layer. By comparison, a typical electrographic imaging member belt does, however, have a more simple material structure; it includes a dielectric imaging layer on one side of a supporting substrate and an anti-curl back coating on the opposite side of the substrate to render flatness. Since typical negatively-charged flexible electrophotographic imaging members exhibit undesirable upward imaging member curling after completion of coating the top outermost charge transport layer, an anticurl back coating, applied to the backside, is required to balance the curl. Thus, the application of anticurl back coating is necessary to provide the appropriate imaging member with desirable flatness.
One type of composite photoconductive layer used in xerography is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990 which describes a negatively-charged photosensitive member having at least two electrically operative layers. One layer comprises a photoconductive layer which is capable of photogenerating holes and injecting the photogenerated holes into a contiguous charge transport layer.
Photosensitive members having at least two electrically operative layers, as disclosed above, provide excellent electrostatic latent images when charged in the dark with a uniform negative electrostatic charge, exposed to a light image and thereafter developed with finely divided electroscopic marking particles. The resulting toner image is usually transferred to a suitable receiving member such as paper or to an intermediate transfer member which thereafter transfers the image to a receiving member such as paper.
In the case where the charge generating layer (CGL) is sandwiched between the outermost exposed charge transport layer (CTL) and the electrically conducting layer, the outer surface of the charge transport layer is charged negatively and the conductive layer is charged positively. The CGL then should be capable of generating electron hole pair when exposed image wise and inject only the holes through the charge transport layer. In the alternate case when the charge transport layer is sandwiched between the CGL and the conductive layer, the outer surface of Gen layer is charged positively while conductive layer is charged negatively and the holes are injected through from the CGL to the charge transport layer. The CTL should be able to transport the holes with as little trapping of charge as possible. In a typical flexible imaging member web like photoreceptor, the charge conductive layer may be a thin coating of metal on a flexible substrate support layer.
As more advanced, higher speed electrophotographic copiers, duplicators and printers were developed, however, degradation of image quality was encountered during extended cycling. The complex, highly sophisticated duplicating and printing systems operating at very high speeds have placed stringent requirements including narrow operating limits on photoreceptors. For example, the numerous layers used in many modern photoconductive imaging members must be highly flexible, adhere well to adjacent layers, and exhibit predictable electrical characteristics within narrow operating limits to provide excellent toner images over many thousands of cycles. One type of multilayered photoreceptor that has been employed as a belt in electrophotographic imaging systems comprises a substrate, a conductive layer, an optional blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, a CTL and a conductive ground strip layer adjacent to one edge of the imaging layers, and an optional overcoat layer adjacent to another edge of the imaging layers. Such a photoreceptor usually further comprises an anticurl back coating layer on the side of the substrate opposite the side carrying the conductive layer, support layer, blocking layer, adhesive layer, CGL, CTL and other layers.
Typical negatively-charged imaging member belts, such as flexible photoreceptor belt designs, are made of multiple layers comprising a flexible supporting substrate, a conductive ground plane, a charge blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a CGL, and a CTL. The CTL is usually the last layer to be coated to become the outermost exposed layer and is applied by solution coating then followed by drying the wet applied coating at elevated temperatures of about 115° C., and finally cooling it down to ambient room temperature of about 25° C. When a production web stock of several thousand feet of coated multilayered photoreceptor material is obtained after finishing the CTL coating through drying/cooling process, upward curling of the multilayered photoreceptor is observed.
This upward curling is a consequence of thermal contraction mismatch between the CTL and the substrate support. Since the CTL in a typical photoreceptor device has a coefficient of thermal contraction approximately 3.7 times greater than that of the flexible substrate support, the CTL exhibits a larger dimensional shrinkage than that of the substrate support as the imaging member web stock (after through elevated temperature heating/drying process) as it cools down to ambient room temperature. This dimensional contraction mis-match results in tension strain built-up in the CTL, at this instant, is pulling the imaging member web stock upward to exhibit curling. If unrestrained at this point, the imaging member web stock (for example, one comprising a 24 micrometer polycarbonate-diamine imaging layer and a 3.5 mil polyethylene terephthalate substrate) will spontaneously curl upwardly into a 1.5-inch roll. To offset the curling, an anticurl back coating is applied to the backside of the flexible substrate support, opposite to the side having the charge transport layer, and render the imaging member web stock with desired flatness.
Conventional photoreceptors are disclosed in the following patents, a number of which describe the presence of light scattering particles in the undercoat layers: U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,961; U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,839; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,638. The term "photoreceptor" or "photoconductor" is generally used interchangeably with the terms "electrophotographic imaging member." The terms "charge transport molecule" are generally used interchangeably with the terms "hole transport molecule." And also, the term "charge blocking layer" is generally used interchangeably with the term "hole blocking layer".
Relevant prior arts to the present disclosure are collectively summarized for reference and presented in the following.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,452, it discloses an electrophotographic imaging member comprising a thick undercoat layer further comprising specific binders. The binders contain metal oxide nanoparticles and a co-resin of phenolic resin and aminoplast resin.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,253, it discloses an electrophotographic imaging member comprising a charge generation layer, a contiguous charge transport layer comprising an aromatic amine or hydrazone charge transport molecules in a continuous polymeric binder phase, and a hydroxyl alkyl cellulosic hole trapping material located on the same side of the charge transport layer as the charge generation layer. The hydroxyl alkyl cellulosic hole trapping material being used is free of electron withdrawing groups. A process for using this electrophotographic imaging member is also disclosed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,169, it discloses an electrophotographic imaging member comprised of a supporting substrate, a ground strip layer, a hole blocking-adhesive layer comprised of a polyphosphazene, including polyorganophosphazeness, a photogenerating layer, and a hole transport layer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,566, it discloses a structurally simplified electrophotographic imaging member including a substrate, a hole blocking/adhesive layer, a charge generation layer, and a charge transport layer, the hole blocking/adhesive layer including a film forming binder having dispersed therein a particulate reaction product of metal oxide particles and a hydrolyzed reactant selected from the group consisting of a nitrogen containing organo silane, an organotitanate and an organozirconate and mixtures thereof. In embodiments, the imaging member is free of any distinctive adhesive layer in contiguous contact with the hole blocking/adhesive layer. This imaging member may be utilized in an electrophotographic imaging process
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,961, it discloses an electrophotographic imaging member including a substrate, a charge blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, and charge transport layer, the blocking layer comprising solid finely divided light scattering inorganic particles having an average particle size of from about 0.3 micrometer to about 0.7 micrometer selected from the group consisting of amorphous silica, mineral particles an mixtures thereof, dispersed in a matrix material comprising the chemical reaction product of (a) a film-forming polymer selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl alkyl cellulose, hydroxyl alkyl methacrylate polymer, hydroxyl alkyl methacrylate copolymer, and mixtures thereof and (b) an organosilane.
Thus, electrophotographic imaging members (comprising a supporting substrate, having a conductive surface on one side, directly coated over a charge blocking layer with subsequent photo-electrically active layers and an anticurl back coating layer coated on the other side of the supporting substrate) used in the negative charging system do still exhibit deficiencies which are undesirable in advanced automatic, cyclic electrophotographic imaging copiers, duplicators, and printers. While the above mentioned electrophotographic imaging members may be suitable or limited for their intended purposes, further improvement on these imaging members are needed. For example, there continues to be a need for improvements in such systems, particularly for an imaging member belt that includes an active charge blocking layer that is easy to apply by a solution coating process and with effective hole blocking property to enhance image printout quality free of spot defects in the output copies.

Imaging members having an enhanced charge blocking layer


There are disclosed therapeutic microcapsules for beneficial insects having a non-toxic matrix with a medicament for treating a beneficial insect disorder substantially uniformly distributed therethrough and therapeutic compositions in which the microcapsules are in a carrier. Also disclosed is the method of treating beneficial insect disorders with such microcapsules and compositions.

The present invention relates to ingestible therapeutic compositions for beneficial insects and to the method of treating disorders of beneficial insects.
There are a number of disorders that affect beneficial insects with an example being controlling parasitic and/or pathogenic infestations in bees, particularly honeybees. It is known, for example, that certain mites affect and destroy entire colonies. Other organisms (parasites, fungi, bacteria, viruses, and the like) cause Nosema disease, chalk brood disease, sacbrood disease, American and European foulbrood diseases, and the like. Certain of such disorders also affect other useful bees, such as alfalfa leafcutting bees (Megachile rotundata), orchard bees (Osmia species), and bumblebees (Bombus species) used in commercial production.
Other beneficial insects used for commercial or scientific purposes, such as silkworms, are also affected by parasites and microorganisms. Insects and arthropods kept in culture for commercial or scientific research are susceptible to similar diseases and nematode worm parasites.
In order to treat such disorders, a number of techniques are utilized. Referring to treatment of mite infestation in bees, it has been known to use a variety of chemicals to fumigate the bee colonies, or to place certain other compounds therein to try to eliminate the mites from the hive where the colony resides. Among such materials are menthol, formic acid, bromopropylate, Coumaphos, pyrethrum extracts (both naturally occurring and synthetic types) and the like.
While generally useful, all of these compositions and techniques are not effective for a variety of reasons. One of the problems is that certain of these compounds, such as menthol and formic acid, when placed in the hive adversely affect the behavior of the bees. Because of their strong odor, the bees have an aversion to them and make every effort to remove them from the hive. With other compounds the bees must be removed from the hive, the hive treated, and the bee colony then returned after a period of several weeks. This is a costly and time-consuming process. Also, formic acid is corrosive and difficult and dangerous to handle. Moreover, certain of these compounds are only effective in warm weather conditions. This is particularly true with menthol, which requires at least two weeks of warm weather to cause it to vaporize in order to be effective. In many areas of the world this is a condition that does not exist throughout the year and, thus, is not effective.
Moreover, with certain miticides it is difficult to cause the bees to ingest the same and this is particularly a problem in trying to treat tracheal mites residing in the trachea of the bees. If they cannot ingest the miticide to place it into their hemolymph, then the miticide will not be effective.
These same types of problems are present with other bee and other beneficial insect disorder treatments. Chemical insecticides when used, as in treating parasitic wasps affecting alfalfa leafcutting bees, have to be used in levels that can adversely affect the bees. These adverse effects include aversion to feeding; memory loss; reduced growth, longevity, and fecundity; and temporary to chronic aberrancies in behavior. Silkworms are treated in commercial rearing operations with antifungal agents and antibacterial agents, as are many insects used for biological control and integrated pest management to prevent the cultures from dying out. In addition to possible aversion to the treatment agent, there is also the problem of the need of high levels of usage which can have adverse effects on the beneficial insect. Here again, there is the need to ensure insect intake of the treatment agent, while at the same time minimizing the amount of agent used to minimize, and preferably eliminate, possible adverse effects.
There is, thus, the need to have a composition that can be effective all year round with regard to temperature, that will ensure that the medicament can be ingested by the insect, and above all it must be a cost effective means of controlling the disorder to make it economically feasible for use. In the case of honeybees, there is the further need to ensure that the treatment will not result in unacceptable levels of toxic chemicals in the hive products such as honey, beeswax, pollen, propolis, venom, and the like.

Medicaments for beneficial insects and method


Aspects of a method and system for coexistence between 20 MHz and 40 MHz OBSSes in WLANs. Aspects of a system may include a receiving device, such as a WLAN station (STA), which enables reception of an information frame, such as a management frame, via a wireless communication medium. The receiving device may be associated with a wireless network device group, such as a basic service set (BSS). The information frame received by the receiving device may transmitted by a transmitting device, such as a transmitting access point (AP), which is associated with a foreign wireless network device group, for example a foreign BSS. The receiving device may be reconfigured to restrict RF channel bandwidth utilized for transmitting and/or receiving signals via the wireless communication medium based on the received information frame.

IEEE 802.11 describes a communication architecture, which may enable computing devices to communicate via wireless local area networks (WLANs). One of the building blocks for the WLAN is the basic service set (BSS). A BSS may comprise a plurality of computing devices, or stations (STA), which may communicate wirelessly via one or more RF channels within a coverage area. The span of a coverage area may be determined based on the distance over which a source STA may transmit data via an RF channel, which may be received by a destination STA.
An independent BSS (IBSS) refers to a BSS, which comprises a set of STAs, which may communicate with each over within the coverage area for the BSS. In an IBSS each STA may engage in direct communication with any of the other STAs within the IBSS provided that each STA is within the coverage area of the other. An IBSS may be referred to as an ad hoc network.
An infrastructure BSS refers to a BSS, which may be associated with an extended service set (ESS). The ESS is identified by a service set identifier (SSID). An infrastructure BSS may also be referred to as a BSS. Each of the BSSes within an ESS is identified by a BSS identifier (BSSID). Thus, STAs within a BSS generally determine their association within the BSS based on a BSSID and an SSID.
Each BSS comprises a plurality of STAs and an access point (AP). The AP forms an association with each of the STAs within the BSS. The AP identifies each association by an association identifier (AID). The AP may provide communication services to STAs within a BSS based on the presence of an established association. The AP may comprise STA functionality.
STAs within a BSS or IBSS may negotiate operating parameters, which the STAs may utilize to enable communications with other STAs within the BSS or IBSS. The operating parameters may include determination of an RF channel bandwidth that is to be utilized between communicating STAs. An RF channel utilized for communication between STAs may utilize a 20 MHz bandwidth or a 40 MHz bandwidth. The operating parameters may also include assignment(s) of RF channels to be utilized by communicating STAs within a given BSS or IBSS. Each RF channel may comprise a distinct range of frequencies as determined by applicable IEEE 802.11 specifications. A 20 MHz RF channel may comprise a single 20 MHz channel. A 40 MHz RF channel may comprise a 20 MHz primary channel and a 20 MHz secondary channel.
The operating parameters may also include specification of a modulation method that is to be utilized by STAs when transmitting data via the assigned RF channel. For example, a STA, for which communications are based on IEEE 802.11g specifications may utilize complementary code keying (CCK) modulation when transmitting data via an RF channel, while a STA, for which communications are based on IEEE 802.11n specifications may utilize orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) when transmitting data via an RF channel.
STAs, which utilize IEEE 802.11 specifications may utilize a collision sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) method to gain access to the wireless medium. Collisions may occur in a wireless communication medium when multiple STAs, within an RF transmission coverage area, concurrently utilize overlapping RF channel(s) in an attempt to transmit data. RF channels may overlap when at least one frequency is common between two or more of the concurrently overlapping RF channels. Collisions may result in unsuccessful transfer of data via the wireless communication medium, which may in turn result in reduced data transfer rates for data transmitted by the STAs.
STAs associated in a BSS_1 may communicate via a 40 MHz RF channel, RF_1. STAs associated in a BSS_2 may communicate via a 20 MHz RF channel, RF_2. When at least a portion of the RF_2 channel is also contained within the RF_1 channel, the BSSes BSS_1 and BSS_2 may be referred to as overlapping BSSes (OBSS). An OBSS may occur when at least one of the STAs associated in BSS_1 is within the RF coverage area for BSS_2 and/or when at least one of the STAs associated in BSS_2 is within the RF coverage area for BSS_1. For example, at least a portion of the RF_2 channel may correspond to at least a portion of the secondary channel for the RF_1 channel. In this case, collisions may result when STAs within BSS_1 attempt to communicate concurrently with communications between STAs within BSS_2.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method and system for coexistence between 20 MHz and 40 MHz overlapping basic service sets (OBSS) in wireless local area networks