A method of controlling fluid flow through a circulation valve disposed in a borehole includes flowing a fluid at a first flowrate through a first jet and a second jet disposed in a throughbore of a sliding sleeve disposed in a housing of the circulation valve, flowing the fluid at a second flowrate through the first jet and the second jet to actuate the sliding sleeve from a first position to a second position, and flowing the fluid from the throughbore of the sliding sleeve through a housing port of the housing in response to actuating the sliding sleeve from the first position to a second position.

This disclosure generally relates to tools for use in a borehole extending into a subterranean formation. More particularly, the disclosure relates to downhole tools for boosting annulus flow in the borehole as part of an oilfield drilling operation of a well system.
Drilling operations may produce a borehole having a cross-sectional diameter that varies along the borehole's length. Particularly, the borehole may have a diameter that is larger near the surface and is gradually reduced moving along the length of the borehole towards the toe or bottom of the borehole. For instance, the borehole diameter may change in size between casing or liner tubular members of different diameters that line the inner surface of the borehole. Some oilfield drilling operations include a drill string that extends through the borehole and terminates at a drill bit disposed at the bottom of the borehole for cutting into the subterranean formation into which the borehole extends.
In some such drilling operations, drilling fluid or mud may be pumped down through a central passage of the drill string from mud pumps disposed at the surface to the drill bit, where the pumped mud may cool the drill bit and circulate entrained drill cuttings to the surface through an annular flowpath formed between the borehole wall and the drillstring. Due to the varying cross-sectional diameter of the borehole along its axial length, the cross-sectional area of the annular flowpath may vary along the axial length of the borehole, with the annular flowpath having a larger cross-sectional area near the surface than towards the bottom of the borehole by the drill bit. As the drilling mud and entrained drill cutting flow upwards through the annular flowpath, the flow speed of the returning fluid, commonly known as annulus velocity (AV), may decrease in response to the increasing cross-sectional area of the annular flowpath moving towards the surface. Moreover, if the AV decreases by a sufficient degree, the AV may drop below the slip velocity of the returning fluid, causing the entrained drill cuttings to settle out of the recirculating mud, thereby inhibiting the recirculating mud from carrying the drill cuttings to the surface for removal from the borehole.


A rinser for a gravity feed can conveyor system includes a plurality of nozzles for directing high pressure water into the cans as they pass by the rinser. At least some of the nozzles are angular oriented with respect to the cans in the conveyor system so that some water impinges on side surfaces of the cans in such a manner as to urge the cans through the conveyor. A rotator following the rinser rotates the cans from a downward angle to a vertical position for filling in at least three succeeding sections of conveyor.

Gravity feed can conveyors are used to transport cans from a storage or preprocessing area to a filling machine. At this stage, the cans are essentially open ended containers. Tops are attached to the cans only after filling. During transport, the cans are generally passed through a rinser which cleans various contaminants, such as dust, from the cans prior to reaching the filling machine. The conveyors normally transport the cans in a horizontal orientation, i.e., in an orientation in which the cans can roll. As the cans approach the rinser, they are rotated into a tilted position with the open ends angled downwardly, typically at about 35.degree. below horizontal. Upon exiting the rinser, the cans are passed through a rotator, essentially a short section of conveyor, which rotates the cans into an upright position.
The rinser section of a gravity feed can conveyor has always presented a slow-down in can movement. Rinsers commonly comprise a water feed line running parallel to the conveyor with a plurality of nozzles directing water in a transverse direction with respect to the direction of movement of cans on the conveyor, so that water enters the open end of the cans to effectively rinse contaminants out. The water is directed at the cans as a spray under relatively high pressure. This water spray forces the cans away from the nozzles such that the closed ends of the cans abut against a guide rail of the conveyor. This abutting action creates a friction interface which tends to slow movement of the cans.
In early systems, cans were processed at relatively slow rates, such as, for example, at 400 to 500 cans per minute. Additionally, cans were formed from steel and had a much greater weight than present day thin wall aluminum cans. At slower speeds and with greater weight, the cans could be processed through the aforementioned rinsers adequately although the rinser was often the limiting factor in conveyor line speed. In present day systems, an empty aluminum soft drink or beer can weighs less than half an ounce so that the effect of a high intensity rinser spray is greater and the gravitational force on the cans is less. Furthermore, new systems are intended to operate at speeds exceeding 1500 cans per minute so that restrictions at such rinsers are more critical.
Still further, the prior art systems are arranged to rotate the cans exiting the rinser in a single stage rotator. This rotator comprises a relatively short section of conveyor trackwork which transitions the cans from the below horizontal orientation to an upright or vertical orientation necessary to fill each can. These short rotation sections have also been found to contribute to can slow-down and, in addition, often result in damage to the cans as they are pushed into side rails of the conveyor trackwork. Such pushing and damage can cause misalignment of the cans as they enter the filling machine and result in incomplete filling of some cans.


Impingement cooling of a jet engine subassembly, such as a combustor. Adjacent raised corrugation portions and intervening plate portions (having impingement cooling holes) of a corrugated plate define coolant channels in fluid communication with the engine compressor. Dividers positioned transverse to the corrugation portions have a top side attached to a bottom surface of the plate portions and have a bottom side attached to the combustor liner. Corrugation portions define therewithin return channels in fluid communication with post-impingement cooling air. The dividers prevent crossflow between the impingement cooling air and the post-impingement cooling air.

The present invention relates generally to cooling of jet engine components, and more particularly to impingement cooling of such components. The phrase "jet engine" includes gas turbine, ramjet, and scramjet engines. Such jet engines may be used to power flight vehicles, and the gas turbine engine type of jet engine may also be used to power ships, tanks, electric power generators, pipe line pumping apparatus, etc. For purposes of illustration, the invention will be described with respect to impingement cooling of an aircraft gas turbine engine component using cooling air. However, it is understood that the invention is equally applicable to impingement cooling of other types of jet engines (such as scramjets) and/or to impingement cooling using other cooling fluids (such as liquid fuel, water, steam, and the like).
A gas turbine engine includes a core engine having a high pressure compressor to compress the air flow entering the core engine, a combustor in which a mixture of fuel and the compressed air is burned to generate a hot propulsive gas flow, and a high pressure turbine which is rotated by the propulsive gas flow and which is connected by a shaft to drive the high pressure compressor. Engine thrust comes from the core engine airflow after it flows through the high pressure compressor to the combustor and is expanded past the high pressure turbine and out the exhaust nozzle. A gas turbine engine, such as an aircraft turbofan jet engine, may include other components, such as a thrust producing fan, a low pressure compressor, and a low pressure turbine.
Certain components of gas turbine engines, such as combustor liners, turbine airfoils (i.e., blades and vanes) and shrouds, and exhaust nozzles, are subjected to hot combustion gases. Current engine designs require that such components be cooled to keep their temperatures within design limits. A known technique for cooling gas turbine engine components is impingement cooling of a component wall surface, such as impingement cooling of a back surface of a combustor liner whose front surface is exposed to hot combustion gases. In this technique, a plate is spaced apart from the impingement cooled surface (e.g., the liner) and contains impingement cooling holes through which pressurized impingement cooling air flows in a jet-like fashion, impinging generally perpendicularly against the surface to be cooled (i.e., the impingement cooled surface, such as the liner). The "spent" cooling air (i.e., the post-impingement cooling air) typically flows out of the cooling zone by flowing generally parallel to the plate in the region between the plate and the impingement cooled surface (e.g., the liner). As crossflow from the (generally parallel-flowing) spent cooling air against the (generally perpendicularly-flowing) impingement cooling air weakens the impingement flow and lessens its heat transferring capabilities, techniques are needed to improve the effectiveness of impingement cooling.

Recuperative impingement cooling of jet engine components


An adapter fitting made of two parts, a mounting member containing a fluid cavity and a flange member having bolt holes therein, is designed to enable fluid flow components of the type which can be bolted together and provide sealing at mating faces to be used with threaded connections and bolt-on flange connections.

This invention relates to the art of fluid flow piping systems and, more particularly, to adapter fittings and connectors for use in such systems.
Piping, hose and tubing systems have been in use for many years for harnessing fluid flow. In the past fifty years the need to harness flows of higher pressures has arisen and there have been provided many adapters and connecting systems in an attempt to better utilize fluid flow systems. These systems have attempted to provide constructions which contain the flow without failures or leakage and with ease of assembly and maintainability. More recently, the hydraulic industry in the United States has promoted the SAE Straight Thread Standard J1926 and the SAE Four Bolt Standard J518 as the ports that best meet this criteria. Further, the rest of the world is tending to follow the United States industry in this regard. However, the connecting of these systems with the devices of the prior art is accomplished in an awkward and inefficient manner by employing numerous connectors in combination to make the interconnection between the fluid flow components. While welded connections have been used to help reduce the number of connectors and improve the integrity of the assembly, this generally involves higher costs.
In practice, it is always desirable to have a component terminate at a flange port. The SAE Four Bolt Standard J518 port incorporates a port with a flat flange face surface and four taped mounting holes in a rectangular bolt pattern. The SAE Straight Thread Standard J1926 port has a counterbored face containing a standard O-ring which makes for a virtually leakproof joint while the straight thread is employed only for the mechanical strength of the joint. By having a component terminate at a flange port, each component may be easily slipped out of the system simply by removing the bolts holding the connecting flanges together. However, in present-day systems, many components are only supplied with SAE straight threads or the old tapered pipe threads. Also many components, when supplied with the SAE flange ports, are available at a significant premium in price. Accordingly, for the above-stated reasons, it is necessary to make a large number of thread-to-flange connections and with the present-day connection fittings available in the art, it is inefficient to do so.
It is the general object of the invention to provide a vastly improved system and devices for adapting and connecting threads to flange ports. Preferably, this system will employ the straight thread as this ensures a virtually leakproof connection and the accurate positioning of the flange. An important advantage of the system of the invention is that a small number of connectors are required to provide a large number of efficient and effective connecting means.
The present invention is an improvement over the adapter fitting disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 776,497 filed Sept. 16, 1985 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,369, wherein it is taught how to effectively adapt a thread to a flange. In accordance with the present invention, the art is taught how to further connect the adapter fittings of said patent application to various novel connectors to very efficiently and effectively mechanically interconnect system components. Moreover, this desirable result is achieved in a manner that does not require welding and employs a minimum of connectors, time, skill and effort while ensuring a virtually leakproof system of high integrity that also permits easy maintenance and replacement of components.
More specifically, the invention solves one of the greatest needs and desires of the hydraulic industry, namely, to eliminate port leakage and improve system integrity by permitting the use of only SAE straight thread ports and SAE four bolt ports pursuant to SAE standards. The invention provides an effective adapter system between the above-described SAE straight thread ports and the SAE four bolt ports, which are the two preferred ports of the hydraulic industry.


The present technology relates to a medical image processing apparatus, a medical image processing method, and a program that permit superimposition of images at an appropriate mixing ratio without deletion of detailed information. An acquisition section, a superimposition ratio calculation section, and a superimposition processing section are included. The acquisition section acquires a normal frame captured with normal light irradiated on a subject and a special frame captured with special light irradiated on the subject. The superimposition ratio calculation section calculates, on the basis of an intensity value of the special frame, a superimposition ratio indicating a ratio at which the normal frame and the special frame are superimposed. The superimposition processing section performs a superimposition process of superimposing the normal frame and the special frame on the basis of the superimposition ratio. The present technology is applicable to an image processing apparatus for medical use.

Various technologies have been proposed to date for combining a normal image of organs captured with an endoscope with a special image representing positions of blood vessels and lesions such as tumors that are difficult to distinguish in the normal image and displaying a combined image.
For example, PTL 1 describes capture of normal and special images in a time-divided manner. Also, for example, PTL 2 describes combined display of normal and special images.
Here, a normal image refers to an image captured with normal light irradiated, for example, on an organ, a subject. A special image refers to an image captured with special light having a given wavelength different from that of the normal light irradiated. It should be noted that when a special image is captured, a fluorescence agent that reacts to irradiated special light is mixed or applied to blood vessels (blood) or lesions, a subject.

Medical image processing apparatus, medical image processing method, and program


Bleeding from blood vessels located in difficult-to-compress regions of the body (especially the abdomen, pelvic or groin region) is controlled by the use of a portable, small-footprint belt-like device that contains multiple inflatable bladders. The inflatable bladders are selectively positioned and inflated over exsanguinating blood vessels, thereby exerting pressure to stop the bleeding. The device may also be used to provide perfusion support in low flow disease states such as hemorrhagic shock and cardiac arrest.

Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to controlling bleeding from severed or damaged peripheral blood vessels that are located in an area where it is difficult to apply conventional compression, such as the abdomen, pelvic or groin region. In particular, the invention provides a portable, small-footprint device with inflatable bladders that can be selectively positioned and inflated to exert pressure over peripheral blood vessels to stop exsanguination. In addition, the device may be used to assist in increasing perfusion pressure to the heart and brain in a number of disease sates such as hemorrhagic shock, cardiogenic shock, and cardiac arrest.
Background of the Invention
Hemorrhage from vascular injuries in the proximal extremities, pelvis, and abdomen is extremely difficult to treat. While the treatment of such injuries is challenging when they occur in civilian populations, they are even more difficult to treat in combat situations. While improvements in body armor have reduced mortality from combat injuries to the chest, the incidence of penetrating injuries to the extremity and their associated mortality remain high. It has been estimated that a well-designed battlefield tourniquet could potentially prevent 10% of all combat deaths due to exsanguinating peripheral vascular wounds. While it is gratifying that recent robust efforts have developed to create better tourniquets for treatment of these wounds, there remains a very important subset of lower extremity wounds in the region of the groin that cannot be treated with traditional tourniquets. Although the exact percentage of these wounds are unknown, both military and civilian reports detail the challenges in controlling ongoing hemorrhage of vascular injuries in this anatomical area especially in the pre-surgical time period.
Clearly, wounds to the groin, pelvis, and abdomen are complex and may involve several systems either alone or in combination, including major vascular structures, the bony pelvis, solid organs such as the liver and spleen, and even hollow organ injury to the bowel and bladder. Wounds directly involving isolated major vascular structures above the level of the femoral artery and vein such as the iliac artery and veins are most challenging to deal with followed by complex bony pelvic injuries from high velocity penetrating trauma resulting in complex arterial and lower pressure venous bleeding similar to those of blunt pelvic injuries experienced in a civilian trauma center.
Lastly even injuries involving isolated major vascular injury at or just above the inguinal ligament pose a tremendous field challenge in creating hemostasis. The femoral artery is usually palpable at the level of the inguinal ligament. Despite this, the ability to control bleeding by application of direct pressure by either the injured combatant or by others including fellow soldiers or medic aides will usually not suffice especially if rapid manual transport must take place. Controlling hemorrhage by application of direct manual pressure may be particularly challenging in cases where there is no large tissue defect allowing for packing and more pressure in closer proximity to the injured vessels. In fact, currently the only way to address this is by exploring the wound site, locating the artery and clamping it with hemostats. For deeper vascular injuries to the pelvis and abdomen, exploration is not an option until the time of surgery.
Similarly, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to "restart" the heart of an injured patient is frequently necessary in emergency situations. During the period of time when a heart is not beating, and until it regains the ability to do so, it is imperative that respiration (i.e. lung inflation and deflation) be maintained so that blood circulation continues. It is especially essential to maintain blood circulation to the heart and brain during this time, or serious irreversible damage can occur. Even when a trained first aid provider performs chest compressions is these circumstances, blood flow in the victim is still well below normal (e.g. 20-30%). Thus, there is an ongoing need to provide adjunct therapies and devices that can aid in maintaining adequate blood flow during emergency situations that require CPR. In particular, it would be of benefit to have available a low-cost, portable, small footprint device that could be rapidly utilized in a straight forward manner. It would be especially desirable to have available a device with these attributes that could be used for both 1) the control of bleeding and 2) as an aid to CPR.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,150 to Kaplan et al. teaches an apparatus for the treatment of shock. The apparatus includes a single piece of double-walled material that can receive pressurized gas. Inflation of the device causes pressure to be exerted on an individual wearing the apparatus, thereby decreasing the volume of pooled venous blood and stabilizing the individual during transport. However, the pressure is exerted is globally or circumferentially and is not specifically directed onto the bleeding site, and thus does little for bleeding from locations that are difficult to access.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,792 to Buckman et al., discloses an apparatus for promoting hemostasis, especially of skin-penetrating wounds of the periphery. The device includes fluid impermeable barriers surrounded by exterior dams to be held in place over a wound by applied force. However, such devices are not suited to promote hemostasis in regions that are difficult and thus where it is difficult to exert pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,314 to Hall et al. teaches an automatic chest compression system, for example, during CPR. The system utilizes a bladder that is comprised of a plurality of individual sections that are preferentially in fluid communication with each other. When the bladder is disposed over the sternum of a patient and inflated (e.g. with a gas or fluid), pressure is exerted on the chest of the patient. However, the positions of the sections of the bladder are fixed with respect to each other and thus the device does not provide flexibility with respect to positioning of the bladder sections. This device would not be suitable for use, for example, to control bleeding in regions where it is difficult to exert pressure, such as the groin.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,864 to Baldwin discloses an apparatus for performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation with active reshaping of a patient's chest. However, the apparatus requires a piston as the driving force for compression, and is clearly not designed for easy storage and transport for use in the field, and the technology is not transferable to use in controlling bleeding in regions where it is difficult to exert pressure.
The prior art has thus far failed to provide a device to aid in the temporary isolation and occlusion of an artery by the application of precisely directed pressure. In particular, the prior art has not provided a device that can be so-used that can also be employed as an adjunct to provide chest compression during CPR.

Device for control of difficult to compress hemorrhage


An exercise board sized to the patient's abdominal area provides for maximum lateral range extension of the shoulder rotator and limb musculoskeletal system. A ferrous loaded exercise disk on top of a flat surface sheet is magnetically coupled to permanent magnets housed below in a laterally free space to establish a magnetically induced lateral frictional resistance against the patient's lateral force on the disk anywhere on the plane of the surface sheet. An incline exercise apparatus is formed by combining the board with an incline stand and a rope, pulley and pull ring, allowing a patient's good limb to assist in rehabilitating the acutely impaired limb, as from stroke, shoulder rotator damage, or surgery. Circuitous indicia paths, some with obstacles for the disk, provide a method for the determination the patient's range performance and energy expended.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the rehabilitation of acutely impaired upper limbs and shoulders of patients recovering from stroke, accident, and post surgical trauma. More particularly, the invention relates to an ergonometric system of exercise which maximizes the range of motion of the treatment and also provides a method for the measurement of energy of performance of the upper limb and shoulder musculoskeletal system. The invention opens new options in the field of patient challenged treatment for prescription by the therapist, which are a) variable resistive lateral restraint and b) patient assisted therapy whereby the good brain/good limb is utilized to help reconnect the communication network of the recovering brain/recovering limb in rope/pulley assisted climbing over obstacles on an incline plane.
B. Description of the Background Art
Acute rehabilitation facilities are in need of apparatus which more effectively provide for patient recovery by the exercise of upper limb and shoulder muscles and joints. Physical therapists modalities are presently limited to the utilization of dead weight lifts, spring and pulley resistive devices and simple table top slide equipment for patient exercise routines. The practitioner may manually assist the patient to extend muscles to the desired mobility range not allowed by presently available exercise equipment. Ergometers which measure the amount of work done by muscles over a mobility range are limited to linear or straight line practice. The present invention overcomes these limitations and allows exercise with work/energy measurements over a complex and circuitous range of motion. Further, the present invention maximizes the use of patient challenged and patient assisted therapy.
In view of the foregoing considerations, the present inventors conceived of the presently disclosed exercise apparatus and energy measuring method and system with ergonometric interface with the patient, thereby providing a more universal range of exercise for upper limb muscles and joints.

Portable, ergonomic, upper limb and shoulder rotator exercise apparatus with patient assist, muscular energy measurement method


Method and apparatus for generating images of a scene from image data of the scene and displaying the images to provide a sense of depth. In some embodiments of the method and apparatus the generated images are mosaics.

Panoramic images are images of a scene having a wide field of view, up to a full 360°. Panoramic images may be recorded using a wide angled lens, a mirror, or the like, providing a wide field of view. Panoramic images having a wider field of view can be generated by, for example, recording a plurality of images around a particular point and, using conventional mosaicing techniques, generating a single mosaic image. Panoramic images may also be generated of simulated scenes using conventional computer graphics techniques. Stereoscopic panoramic images can also be generated from images using various techniques known to those skilled in the art. In one technique, described in Joshua Gluckman, et al., "Real-Time Omnidirectional And Panoramic Stereo," DARPA Image Understanding Workshop, 1998, two omnidirectional cameras, vertically displaced along a common axis, record panoramic images of the surrounding scene. Since the cameras are displaced, the pair of images recorded by the cameras, when considered in combination, will provide depth information for objects in the scene surrounding the cameras. However, since the displacement is vertical, the recorded images are inappropriate for human stereo panoramic perception.

System and method for capturing and viewing stereoscopic panoramic images

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem


Disclosed herein is an innovative plasmonic droplet including a droplet of fluid, a detection-target material which is in the droplet of fluid, and a nanoplasmon probe which is on a surface of the droplet of fluid and/or in the droplet of fluid. The plasmonic droplet may be applied for plasmon based optical sensing techniques, for example, for ultrasensitive analysis of bacteria, pathogen, etc.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to a plasmonic droplet, a method and apparatus for preparing the same, a detection method using the palsmonic droplet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical absorption energy spectroscopy at visible wavelength range is a common analytical method in chemistry and biology since it has merits such as simplicity in measuring and data processing, wide usuage, non-tagged analysis, etc.
Probes used in most optical systems so far have been developed primarily based on organic reporters which are detected by a change of color or fluorescence emission spectrum.
Meanwhile, plasmon based optical sensing techniques such as localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS), plasmon resonance energy transfer (PRET) etc. have been studied.
The plasmon based optical sensing techniques use surface plasmonic resonance which occurs when light is confined within a metal surface due to interaction with free-electrons in the metal.
In general, as the plasmon based optical sensing techniques take advantage of locally enhanced electromagnetic field by the incident light-metal interaction in very small length scale, the sensitivity and selectivity can be dramatically improved. Furthermore, in the techniques, spatial resolution can be minimized by shrinking the detection site.

Plasmonic droplet, method and apparatus for preparing the same, detection method using plasmonic droplet

Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Sogang University


A procedure for repairing a polymer matrix composite component is provided. The procedure includes the steps of: providing a polymer matrix composite component having a site prepared for repair by removal of damaged or defective material; locating an uncured, polymer matrix composite repair patch at the site to re-build the component thereat; and curing the polymer matrix of the repair patch by heating the patch using eddy currents induced by one or more alternating current coils. The repair patch is without metallic additives, such that the repaired polymer matrix composite after the curing step is also without metallic additives in the vicinity of the repair patch.

Carbon fibre composites (CFCs) are used extensively in aerospace applications. However, components formed from CFCs can suffer from defects or damage, such as: matrix cracks, delamination between adjacent plies, fibre breakage and impact damage.
When a defect or damage is detected (e.g. a matrix crack detected by non-destructive evaluation (NDE)), one option may be to repair the component. In a typical repair process, the damage is mechanically ground out, after which a "wet lay-up" or prepreg patch is applied to the ground out region to re-build the component. The patch comprises an uncured thermosetting resin infused into an array of carbon fibres, which may be provided as a complex lay-up of multi layers whose thickness and orientation are defined by the application. To cure the patch, both heat and pressure may be required, the heat inducing cross-linking of the resin and the pressure eliminating voids and promotes adhesion to the parent structure. In a typical cure cycle, maximum temperatures of between 120 and 180 degrees Celsius may be reached. The curing temperature is determined based on the resin used in the composite patch, which ideally is the same resin used in the parent structure to be repaired.
There are different conventional approaches for achieving the curing temperature and pressure can be achieved.
One approach is to apply a one-sided thermal blanket and a vacuum bag over the patch during curing. Vacuum bagging is an established and generally effective way of applying the pressure. However, the thermal blanket is generally is less effective as much heat is lost to the environment and carbon fibre composites are poor thermal conductors, particularly in the through-thickness direction of the fibre layers. In addition, the poor inter-lamina thermal conductivity makes controlled curing of all points through the thickness of the patch difficult as the temperature at the outer surface of the patch, adjacent to the blanket, may be much greater than the temperature at its inner surface at the bottom of the ground out region.
An alternative approach is to cure the patch in an autoclave. This provides controlled temperature and pressure conditions, but is generally incompatible with in situ component repair. Thus typically the damaged component must be disassembled and transported to the autoclave for repair. This may not be feasible with complex engineering structures where a damaged component may be integrated into a larger structure which would also then require disassembly (e.g. a composite wing box). Further, in many instances, even if autoclaving for repair is possible, it may not be desirable as the parent structure also undergoes the thermal curing cycle, which may undermine its own mechanical properties.
A third approach is to induction heat the patch using an alternating current (AC) coil that is placed in close proximity to the patch. The coil induces a changing magnetic flux density in the patch, which in turn induces an eddy current perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field in accordance with Faraday's Law. The eddy current circulating through electrically conducting components of the patch raises the temperature by Joule heating. Thus Fink, B. K. (1999), Non-Polluting Composites Repair and Remanufacturing for Military Applications: Induction-Based Repair of Integral Armor, Army Research Laboratory describes induction heating of CFCs for repair by incorporating electrically conductive copper mesh between plies of CFC layers within the repair patch, pressure being applied by a vacuum bag. The AC frequency range was 100 to 600 kilohertz, generating a peak-to-peak current in the copper mesh of from 0 to 55 amps, which resulted in a sufficient temperature rise to induce cure. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,248,864 and 6,056,844 propose similar techniques. Thus in U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,844 electrically conductive additives to the resin were used to couple with a magnetic field to induce heating. The conductive filler was a magnetic powder such that a combination of hysteresis and eddy current losses induced temperature rises in the patch.
Although this third approach avoids some of the problems associated with the use of thermal blankets and autoclaves, the use of electrical conductive additives such as copper mesh or magnetic particles changes the electrical, mechanical and thermal properties of the CFC. Particularly in aerospace applications, these electrically conductive additives can have some or all of the following detrimental effects:
degraded lightning strike protection as the path to ground may be adversely affected via the provision of an un-planned ground plane in the aircraft structure;
alteration of electromagnetic shielding behaviour; and/or undermining of the mechanical properties of the parent structure and weakening of the patch repair.
In addition a patch repair incorporating conductive additives would typically be a non-standard material requiring additional test and fight certification.
Hence, electrically conductive additives to CFC patches are undesirable and a hazard for aerospace applications.


An illumination unit including a discharge lamp is provided. The discharge lamp may have an electrode, and a reflector with a reflective surface and an optical axis, the electrode having in a sectional plane, which includes the optical axis, a sectional area, and a projection of the reflective surface of one of the halves of the reflector that are separated by the section perpendicularly into the sectional plane along optical paths that are free for the light of the illumination unit resulting in a projected area, wherein the overlap of the projected area and the sectional area is smaller than the area of the electrode in a plane which is perpendicular to the sectional plane and includes the optical axis.

In the case of high-pressure discharge lamps, the light is produced when current passes through a gas or metal vapor plasma in an enclosed discharge vessel. In order that the light can be used, for example, for imaging in a projection application, the discharge vessel is arranged in a reflector, which concentrates the light and passes it on to a further optical system.
It is known in this respect that some of the radiation emitted by the discharge lamp is reflected back to the discharge lamp by the following optical system. The electrodes of the discharge lamp partially absorb this reflected-back radiation, whereby additional power is introduced into the electrodes along with the power occurring as a result of the electrical operation. This may have the effect that the electrodes heat up considerably, and the temperatures may become so high as to cause the electrodes to deform. This impairs the functionality of the electrodes, and consequently of the discharge lamp; ultimately, failure of the entire illumination unit may result.
A discharge lamp typically has two electrodes arranged lying opposite each other on the optical axis of the reflector. In order to protect particularly the electrode facing the following optical system from reflected-back radiation, the optical axis of the following optical system is typically tilted by an angle of 10° to 30° with respect to the optical axis of the reflector on which the electrodes are arranged. Nevertheless, an introduction of power caused by reflected-back radiation may still be found to occur.

Reduction of the power introduced into the electrode of a discharge lamp by back-reflection

Osram Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung


A method for application in conjunction with an exhaust gas post-treatment system for metering an ammonia-releasing reducing agent into the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine installed in a motor vehicle and operated with excess air. A control unit meters the quantity of reducing agent as a function of a stored model and during the operation of the internal combustion engine varies the metered quantity during certain operating phases and compares the change in the measured value of at least one NOx sensor installed downstream of the SCR catalyst with an expected value.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a method for metering an ammonia-releasing reducing agent into the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine installed in a motor vehicle and operated with excess air, wherein a control unit meters the quantity of reducing agent as a function of a stored model and during the operation of the internal combustion engine varies the metered quantity during certain operating phases and compares the change in the measured value of at least one NOx sensor installed downstream of the SCR catalyst with an expected value.
2. Description of the Related Art
In addition to solid particles, nitrogen oxides belong to the legally restricted exhaust gas components that form during combustion processes. The permitted levels of these components is continually being lowered. Various methods are in use today to minimize these exhaust gas components in the internal combustion engines operated in motor vehicles. Lowering the levels of nitrogen oxides is usually done with the help of catalysts. To raise the selectivity and the NOx conversion rates, a reducing agent must also be present in the oxygen-rich exhaust gas.
These approaches have become known under the collective term "SCR method", where SCR stands for "selective catalytic reduction". They have been used for many years in the power plant industry and recently also in internal combustion engines. A detailed description of these methods can be found in DE 34 28 232 A1. V2O5-containing mixed oxides such as those in the form of V2O5/WO3/TiO2 can be used as SCR catalysts. The amounts of V2O5 present are typically in the range of 0.2-3%. The use of iron-containing and/or copper-containing zeolites is also conceivable.
Ammonia or compounds, which split off ammonia such as urea or ammonium formate in solid form or in the form of a solution, are used as reducing agents in practical applications.
Urea decomposes at high temperatures into isocyanic acid and ammonia:(NH2)2CONH3+HNCO  (1)
The isocyanic acid is hydrolyzed by water in the exhaust gas to NH3 and CO2:HNCO+H2ONH3+CO2  (2)
Upon complete hydrolysis of one mole of urea, therefore, two moles of ammonia and one mole of carbon dioxide are formed:(NH2)2CO+H2O2NH3+CO2  (3)
As a result, the hydrolysis of urea makes available the same reliable reducing agent used in the power plant industry, namely, ammonia.
One mole of ammonia is required to convert one mole of nitrogen monoxide:4NO+4NH3+O24N2+6H2O  (4)
The ratio of NH3 to NOx is called the feed ratio and respectively.α=NH3/NOx  (5)
In the case of an ideal catalyst, this means that, at a feed ratio of one, all of the nitrogen oxides are reduced; that is, a NOx conversion of 100% is achieved, because the following is true for NOx conversion XNOx:XNOx=(cNOx,0−cNOx)/cNOx,0
where                CNOx,0 raw NOx emissions, ppm;        CNOx: NOx emissions after the catalyst, ppm.
If, to form NO2, a platinum-containing NOx oxidation catalyst is installed upstream of the SCR catalyst:2NO+O22NO2  (6)
then the SCR reaction can be greatly accelerated, and the low-temperature activity can be significantly increased.NO+2NH3+NO22N2+3H2O  (7)
Nevertheless, in the presence of NO2, it must also be expected that the emissions of nitrous oxide will also increase according to the following reaction:2NH3+2NO2+½O22N2O+3H2O  (8)
In the case of internal combustion engines operating in motor vehicles it is difficult to use the SCR method to lower the nitrogen oxides, because the operating conditions are always changing. For example, the exhaust gas temperatures, the quantities of exhaust gas, and the raw NOx emissions are subject to frequent fluctuations. This makes it difficult to add the proper quantities of the reducing agent. On the one hand, the goal is to achieve the highest possible conversion of nitrogen oxides, but at the same time care must be taken not to allow the emission of nitrous oxide, isocyanic acid, or unconsumed ammonia.
To meter the reducing agent for the SCR method in motor vehicles, there are currently two different ways in which the correct metered quantity of reducing agent is determined.
The first is a pure open-loop control method without any feedback for determining the actual emissions downstream of the catalyst system. The metered quantity is determined in this case with the help of models based on data which are acquired and/or stored in the memory of an electronic engine control device of the internal combustion engine in the form of tables, curves, characteristic diagrams, or functions and possibly with the help of sensors for determining the catalyst temperature and the quantities of NOx and exhaust gas. The raw emissions of the engine are calculated, for example, from the injected quantity, the engine rpm's, the injection pressure, and fuel/air ratio, etc. The possible NOx conversions and the metered quantities of reducing agent required to achieve them depend in turn on the catalyst temperature, on the raw NOx emissions, on the quantity of exhaust gas, etc. The actual emissions downstream of the system are not detected and thus have no effect on the metered quantity (DE 43 15 278 A1, DE 195 36 571 A1, DE 199 06 344 A1, EP 898 061 A1).
A disadvantage of this method is that, because of the absence of feedback concerning the actual emissions, it is almost impossible to compensate for errors, defects, or environmental influences.
The second possibility is a standard closed-loop control circuit with NOx, sensors downstream of the system. For this purpose, the actual values being supplied currently by the sensors are compared with the nominal values, and the metered quantity is adjusted continuously.
Nevertheless, the problem of permanent closed-loop control consists in the inertia of the system and of the sensors and simultaneously in the highly dynamic way in which an internal combustion engine operates in a motor vehicle. For example, during an acceleration process or an increase in the load on an exhaust gas-turbocharged internal combustion engine, the NOx emissions can rise by a factor of 10 within one second. In the case of naturally-aspirated engines, the rise occurs even faster because of the lack of inertia of the exhaust gas turbocharger. The same is also true when loads are shed or on the transition to operation in push mode.
The sensors used to determine the emissions are not able to detect these highly dynamic processes. One of the reasons for this is the inertia of the sensors. The typical t90 time, that is, the time at which 90% of the end value is reached, of these sensors is found in the range of 300-500 ms. Another reason is the necessity to position the sensors behind the catalyst system. Thus the gas transit time from the discharge point from the cylinder head to the discharge point from the catalyst system alone is in the range of 200-2,000 ms, depending on the volume flow rate of the exhaust gas and the volume of the exhaust gas system.
One possibility of partially solving this problem is to add up or to integrate the nominal and actual emissions over a relatively long period of time and to adjust the metered quantity on the basis of the difference between nominal and actual (DE 101 00 420 A1).
The NOx sensors required for closed-loop control are described in JP 63038154 A, JP 10062374 A, and JP 9288084A. Common to all these sensors is their high cross-sensitivity to reducing exhaust gas components. This is especially problematic when sensors of this type are used in SCR systems, because large quantities of the strong reducing agent ammonia can be present in the exhaust gas. Because ammonia delivers a signal as strong as that of NOx, it is not possible to distinguish between NOx and NH3; that is, strong sensor signals can correspond to high NOx concentrations and/or to high NH3 concentrations. If unconsumed ammonia is emerging downstream of the SCR catalyst, it is for this reason no longer possible to arrive at a specific NOx concentration downstream of the SCR system by closed-loop control.

Method for adjusting the metered quantity of reducing agent for selective catalytic reduction


The present invention provides a split outer race for use in a rolling bearing. The split outer race is formed by bending a strip-shaped metallic plate into a substantially semicircle shape. At least one end of the split outer race in a circumferential direction has a concave-and-convex shape including a first slope portion which is inclined to an axial direction and a second slope portion inclined in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first slope portion is inclined. An edge portion formed on an inner surface of the one end in the circumferential direction has a round shape.

The present invention relates to a split outer race, to a split rolling bearing using the split outer race, and to a manufacturing method for a split outer race. This split rolling bearing is used in a structure using a shaft as an inner race member, for example, in a connection portion between a crankshaft of an automobile engine and a large end part of a connecting rod thereof.
For instance, a rolling bearing used in the connection portion between the crankshaft and the large end part of the connecting rod has paired split outer races, plural rollers circumscribed on the inner surfaces of the paired split outer races, and paired split cages for holding the rollers arranged in such a way as to be substantially equally spaced in a circumferential direction thereof. The split outer races are produced by using, for example, bearing steel to thereby manufacture a cylindrical outer race, and by thereafter splitting the cylindrical outer race into two. To split the cylindrical outer race into two, notches for inducing splitting are provided in a part of the cylindrical outer race. Then, the cylindrical outer face is split by applying an external force thereto by pressing (see, for instance, JP-A-7-317778).
However, at the splitting, most of cracks produced in the notches extend therefrom straightly along an axial direction. Thus, when a split rolling bearing using the split outer races is incorporated into the place of use, the paired split outer races are apt to be displaced in an axial direction. Additionally, a processing stress generated at the splitting causes both ends of each of the paired split outer races to open in the direction of an outside diameter. However, the degree of opening of each of the split outer races is not constant. When the paired split outer races are combined with each other, both ends of each of the split outer races are displaced in a radial direction, so that a step-like part due to a difference in inside diameter between the outer races is apt to be produced at an abutting portion at which both ends of one of the split outer races abut against the corresponding ends of the other split outer race. Thus, when the rolling bearing is in a used condition, the rollers, which roll on the inner surfaces of the paired split outer races, ride on the step-like portion, so that vibrations and noises are generated.

Split outer race, split rolling bearing using same, and manufacturing method for split outer race


A process for the production of gasoline stocks wherein lower molecular weight olefins are first oligomerized and the oligomers then hydrogenated. In the first instance the oligomerization is carried out in a single pass fixed bed boiling point reactor. The oligomers are then hydrogenated in a distillation column reactor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a process for the production of gasoline boiling range stocks from lower boiling olefins. More particularly the invention relates to a process wherein C3 to C5 olefins are oligomerized to produce C8 to C9 olefins which are then hydrogenated to produce desirable gasoline blending stocks.
2. Related Art
Conversion of olefins to gasoline and/or distillate products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,960,978 and 4,021,502 wherein gaseous olefins in the range of ethylene to pentene either alone or in admixture with paraffins are converted into an olefinic gasoline blending stock by contacting the olefins with a catalyst bed made up of a ZSM-5 type zeolite. In U. S. Pat. No. 4,227,992, Garwood and Lee disclose operating conditions for the selective conversion of C3+olefins mainly to aliphatic hydrocarbons. Also U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,062 and 4,211,640 disclose a process for converting olefins to gasoline components. Chang, et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,133 disclose production of synthetic lubricants by oligomerization of C2-C5 olefins and subsequent hydrogenation of the higher boiling olefins. A liquid phase process for the oligomerization of C4 and C5 isoolefins is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,124 wherein the reaction mixture is allowed to boil to remove the heat of reaction and in one embodiment a further dimerization is obtained in a reactive distillation column.
Brunelli, et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,555 disclose that the two isomers of di-isobutylene, 2,4,4-tri-methyl pentene and 2,4,4-tri-methyl-2-pentene when hydrogenated both yield 2,2,4 tri-methyl pentane which is the standard for octane measurement, i.e., RON=100 and MON=100.

Process for the production of gasoline stocks


A clamp includes a first arm, a first clamp member disposed at an end of the first arm, a link arm coupled to the first arm and movable relative to the first arm between a first position and a second position, and a second clamp member coupled to the link arm for movement therewith between the first position and the second position. The clamp also includes a second arm movable relative to the first arm and a third clamp member coupled to the second arm. The second and third clamp members are engageable with a workpiece to clamp the workpiece between the second and third clamp members when the link arm is in the first position. The first and third clamp members are engageable with the workpiece to clamp the workpiece between the first and third clamp members when the link arm is in the second position.

Clamps come in a variety of different types and styles. For example, a face clamp typically includes two clamp pads with planar clamping faces that abut opposite sides of a workpiece to be clamped. A pocket hole clamp typically includes clamp pad opposite a cylindrical projection. The cylindrical projection is insertable into a pocket hole in a workpiece, and the clamp pad engages an opposite side of the workpiece. Generally, multiple different clamps are needed to suit different applications.


An exercise apparatus utilized for toning and building muscles in different areas of the body, including the arms, chest, shoulders, abdominal muscles, thighs, calves, and hips. The exercise apparatus has a support assembly, having a horizontal bottom support bar, and various components positioned along the support bar. The components include a seat assembly located at the rear end, a pair of thigh press bars located at the middle portion, a foot support assembly located at the front end, and elastic bands. The elastic bands are attached between different movable parts of the apparatus in order to provide resistance to the user when attempting to move such movable parts with respect to each other while exercising.

The invention relates to an exercise apparatus. In particular, the invention is exercise equipment that enables a user to exercise almost every body part with the use of a single piece of equipment. The apparatus employs resistance training, through the use of tension bands, to strengthen and tone the user""s muscles.
Exercising, coupled with the use of exercise apparatus, has become increasingly popular among men and women of all ages. Through regular and proper use of the exercise equipment, the individual can improve his or her muscle tone, strength and general fitness level.
Besides exercising to stay in shape and lose weight, people exercise to build muscles and relieve stress. Unfortunately, it is difficult to tone muscles without the use of weights or a means of resistance. Accordingly, people are limited as to where they can exercise to effectively tone their body areas and parts. Further, a different piece of equipment is typically needed for each body part. This usually forces a person to exercise at a gym or health spa since it is impractical for most people to have various pieces of exercise apparatus in their homes.
Thus, there exists a need for an exercise device that allows a user to tone and build muscles in various parts of the body with the use of a single piece of equipment. The device is intended to target different regions of the body, including arm, leg, abdominal, and back muscles, enabling a user to tone and build up muscles in these areas with a single apparatus.
While the units available may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved exercise apparatus. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved exercise apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises an exercise apparatus utilized for toning and building muscles in different areas of the body, including the arms, chest, shoulders, abdominal muscles, thighs, calves, and hips. The exercise apparatus has a support assembly, having a horizontal bottom support bar, and various components positioned along the support bar. The components include a seat assembly located at the rear end, a pair of thigh press bars located at the middle portion, a foot support assembly located at the front end, and elastic bands. The elastic bands are attached between different movable parts of the apparatus in order to provide resistance to the user when attempting to move such movable parts with respect to each other while exercising.
It is an object of the invention to produce an exercise apparatus that permits a user to perform several different exercises targeting different areas of the body using a single piece of equipment. Accordingly, the exercise apparatus has several components that are used to focus on different areas of the body.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.


A signal light passes through an isolator, and is coupled by a coupler with a pump light from a pump light source. Then, the signal light passes through an ASE reflection filter, is amplified by an EDF, and is transmitted from an isolator. At this time, an ASE light having a predetermined wavelength among ASE lights that occur within the EDF and proceed to the ASE reflection filter is reflected and again input to the EDF. By setting the predetermined wavelength to a wavelength on the short wavelength side of an amplification band of the EDF, gain deviation occurring on the long wavelength side of the amplification band can be cancelled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber amplifier applied when the capacity and the distance of a WDM transmission system are increased.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the demand for increasing the amount of information has been sharply increasing with the progress of Internet technologies. Additionally, a further increase in a capacity and flexible network building are required for a trunk line optical transmission system on which the amount of information is concentrated.
In the present situation, a WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) transmission method is the most effective means that meets such a system demand, and the U.S. is currently taking the initiative in commercializing the transmission system.
An amplifier on which a rare-earth element is doped to amplify a light, such as an EDFA (Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier), can collectively amplify a wavelength-multiplexed signal light by using its wide gain band. Therefore, this is a key component for implementing a WDM optical transmission system.
It is known that the EDFA can cover not only an amplification band (1530 to 1565 nm) called a conventional band (C-band), which is mainly used so far, but also an amplification band (1570 to 1605 nm) called a long wavelength band (L-band), the coverage of which has been enabled in recent years.
The current EDFA system allows a wavelength-multiplexed signal including signal lights of approximately 200 wavelengths to be amplified in a band into which the C-band and the L-band are combined.
With the EDFA, an inversion population ratio must be selected so that the gain of each wavelength-multiplexed signal light becomes equal in a wavelength band to be used.
FIG. 1 shows the wavelength dependency of the gain coefficient per unit length of an EDF (Erbium-Doped Fiber) when the inversion population ratio is varied.
Namely, the graph of this figure shows the average of the inversion population ratio of the EDF over a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the EDF. The characteristic with the smallest gain shown in FIG. 1 indicates the state where a rare-earth element is not pumped (inversion population ratio is 0), whereas the characteristic with the largest gain indicates the state where all the atoms of a rare-earth element are excited (inversion population ratio is 1). Characteristics between them respectively indicate the case where the inversion population ratio is incremented by 0.1.
The following points are known from FIG. 1.
(1) The C-band EDFA is in the neighborhood of the central wavelength (1530 nm) of the emission/absorption of an Er ion. A sufficient gain can be secured with a short EDF.
(2) The L-band EDFA per unit length is small. A longer EDF is required in comparison with the C-band EDFA.
FIG. 2 shows the fundamental configuration of an L-band EDFA for optical amplification.
1 indicates an EDF, 2-1 and 2xe2x80x942 indicate optical isolators, 3 indicates a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) coupler, 4 indicates a semiconductor laser (LD) for pumping, and 5 indicates a transmission line.
A wavelength-division multiplexed signal light supplied from the transmission line 5 is provided to the EDF 1 via the optical isolator 2-1 and the WDM coupler 3. The EDF 1 must be made long so as to provide an L-band signal light with almost the same gain, and to make the gain equal to that of a C-band signal light.
In an optical amplifier of a gain shift type, whose inversion population ratio to obtain a flat gain for a target amplification wavelength band is low, and whose rare-earth element doped fiber length must be made long to obtain a necessary gain, such as an L-band EDFA, amplification must be performed stably and efficiently.
Several results of studying the above described optical amplifier of a gain shift type, such as an L-band EDFA, are described below.
As shown in FIG. 1, the length of an L-band EDF must be made longer than that of a C-band EDF so as to obtain a gain equal to that of the C-band in the L-band.
FIG. 3 shows the inversion population ratio in the longitudinal direction resultant from a simulation where an EDF is forward pumped with a constant pump light source power.
The following two points are known from FIG. 3.
(1) The inversion population ratio of the Er ion of the EDF length required for an L-band EDFA is low in the neighborhood of an output end. This is because the EDF length is long, and the pump light power does not fully reach the output end.
(2) The inversion population ratio of the Er ion of the EDF length required for a C-band EDFA is high throughout the EDF. This is because the EDF length is short, and the pump light source power fully reaches also the output end.
FIG. 4 shows the outputs of respective wavelengths in the longitudinal direction of an EDF, which are resultant from the simulation where signal lights having the same power are positioned at intervals of approximately 0.4 nm, and the 80 wavelengths are multiplexed between 1570 to 1605 nm (within the L-band)
In this figure, the highest characteristic indicates a 1570-nm signal light channel ch1, from which signal channels start to be increased in units of 8 downward, and the lowest characteristic indicates a 1605-nm signal light channel ch 80.
It is known from FIG. 4 that there are significant differences among the respective signal light channels in the power distribution in the longitudinal direction.
Namely, for the L-band EDFA, there are a tendency such that lights on the short wavelength side secure a large gain in the neighborhood of the input end, and decrease in power toward the output end after reaching a maximum value, and a tendency such that lights on the long wavelength side monotonously increase in power from the input end toward the output end.
Namely, it is known from FIGS. 3 and 4 that the wavelength characteristic of a gain significantly changes as the inversion population ratio varies.
Accordingly, a long EDF required for the L-band EDFA is proved to have an effect that a signal light on the long wavelength side in the neighborhood of an output end contributes to optical amplification with energy that absorbs signal light power on the short wavelength side, as is known from the above described tendency of FIG. 3 such that the inversion population ratio decreases in the neighborhood of the output end of the long EDF used for the L-band EDFA, and the output value and the wavelength characteristics in the longitudinal direction in FIG. 4.
Assume that signal lights having arbitrary wavelengths among the 80 signal light channels shown in FIG. 4 are amplified unchanged as being wavelength-multiplexed in the system configuration shown in FIG. 2. Further assume that lights of 2 wavelengths such as a signal channel ch1 on the shortest wavelength side and a signal light channel chX on its longer wavelength side are input to the optical fiber amplifier, and collectively amplified on the condition that the pump light power is constant. In this case, if a comparison is made between the output of the signal light channel chX on the longer wavelength side in the case where the channels are collectively amplified, and the output of the signal light channel chX in the case where the signal light channel ch1 on the shortest wavelength side is dropped, a phenomenon that the power of the signal light channel chX on the longer wavelength side in the case where the signal light channel ch1 on the shortest wavelength side is dropped is sometimes lower, occurs.
FIG. 5 assumes the system having the configuration of FIG. 2 in which an arbitrary number of wavelengths among the 80 channels shown in FIG. 4 are multiplexed, and shows the dependency of the varying output of the signal light channel ch80 on the EDF length in the case where the signal light channel ch1 is driven on the condition that the pump light power is constant, and in the case where the signal light channel ch1 is dropped.
With a predetermined EDF length or longer, the output level of the signal light channel ch80 becomes lower. With the EDF length required for optically amplifying an L-band light, the output level of the signal light channel ch80 becomes lower when the signal light channel ch1 on the shortest wavelength side is dropped under the above described condition.
In the meantime, with the EDF length required for a C-band light, the output level of the signal light channel ch80 becomes not lower but higher.
The above described phenomenon can be explained by the relationship of the energy level of the Er ion within the EDF, and by FIGS. 1 and 3.
FIG. 6 shows the energy level of the Er ion within the EDF for an L-band EDFA.
In this figure, a state transition is made from 4I15/2 to 4I11/2 by 0.98-xcexcm pumping, a state transition is made from 4I15/2 to 4I13/2 by 1.48-xcexcm pumping, a state transition is made from 4I13/2 to 4I15/2 by spontaneous emission occurring in a 1.55- to 1.57-xcexcm band, a state transition is made from 4I13/2 to 4I15/2 by GSA (Ground State Absorption), and a state transition is made from 4I13/2 to 4I15/2 by induced emission with an induced light (an L-band signal light) in a 1.55- to 1.61-xcexcm band.
Viewing the characteristics shown in FIG. 1, the gain coefficient is smaller than 0 in the L-band if the inversion population ratio is lower than 0.3, so that an absorption coefficient is larger than the gain coefficient, and the GSA shown in FIG. 6 exceeds the radiation transition (spontaneous emission, and induced emission). Additionally, the absorption coefficient tends to be larger on the shorter wavelength side.
Furthermore, in FIG. 3, the inversion population ratio is lower than 0.3 at the length exceeding approximately 20 m. Accordingly, a signal light on the long wavelength side is considered to be amplified with the GSA of a signal light on the short wavelength side in the neighborhood of the output end, which exceeds approximately 20 m, in the L-band EDFA.
Normally, the GSA of a signal light wavelength is dominant not in the amplification of a C-band light of a short EDF, but in the neighborhood of the output end of a long EDF for the amplification of an L-band light. Therefore, absorption on the short wavelength side becomes larger as described above. Accordingly, the presence/absence of a channel on the short wavelength side exerts more influence on the amplification of an L-band light.
FIG. 7 assumes the case where lights of arbitrary wavelengths are multiplexed among the 80 signal light channels shown in FIG. 4, and shows a specific example of the power distribution of the channel ch1 on the shortest wavelength side and the channel ch80 on the long wavelength side in the longitudinal direction of an EDF.
In this figure, a pump light input to the EDF is assumed to be a forward pump for a signal light, and the power of the pump is made constant. xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d indicates the output characteristic of the signal light channel ch1 when the signal light channels ch1 and ch80 are optically amplified. xe2x80x9cbxe2x80x9d indicates the output characteristic of the signal light channel ch80 when the signal light channels ch1 and ch80 are optically amplified. xe2x80x9ccxe2x80x9d indicates the output characteristic of the signal light channel ch80 when only the signal light channel ch80 is optically amplified.
As shown in FIG. 7, a phenomenon that the signal light channel ch80 is significantly attenuated at the output end at the time of the amplification of only the signal light channel ch80, but the gain of the ch80 at the time of the amplification of the two wavelengths is larger, even with the same pump light power, than the gain at the time of the amplification of only one wavelength, occurs.
Even if feedback control works on the pump light, for example, to make the gain or the output level constant, the output of the signal light channel ch80 becomes transiently low, and an error can possibly occur instantaneously in the signal light channel ch80 at a receiving end due to the above described phenomenon, if the signal light channel ch1 is blocked by any trouble, etc. when the signal optical channels ch1 and ch80 are used. Furthermore, this phenomenon is considered to occur not only when an Er-doped fiber optical amplifier for an L-band is used, but also when a relatively long fiber, such as a Tm-doped fluoride fiber optical amplifier made by decreasing the inversion population coefficient, and by making the fiber length longer to obtain a gain (a gain shift type similar to an EDFA), is used.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber amplifier that does not deteriorate an amplification characteristic on a long wavelength side even if a signal on a short wavelength side is disconnected in a wavelength-multiplexing amplifier.
An optical fiber amplifier according to the present invention comprises: an amplifying unit, which is doped with a rare-earth element, amplifying a signal light; a pump light source unit supplying optical energy for amplifying the signal light; and an ASE returning unit returning a light having a wavelength that is longer than a wavelength with which an ASE light occurs with a maximum efficiency, and shorter than an amplification band among ASE lights occurring when the signal light is amplified.
According to the present invention, optical energy is supplied to the amplifying unit by returning an ASE light to the amplifying unit, and used to amplify a signal light on the long wavelength side of a wavelength band to be amplified. As a result, an optical fiber amplifier having a stable amplification characteristic can be provided without deteriorating the amplification gain of the signal light having a long wavelength, even if a signal light having a short wavelength within the amplification band is instantaneously disconnected.


An electrical device for measuring the liquid level in industrial tanks and the like with a microwave transmitter and receiver and a waveguide provided with an aperture and an antenna. The signal reflected from the liquid surface and the transmitted signal are fed to a frequency conversion stage (8), whose low-frequency output signal is sent via an A/D converter (12) to a microprocessor calculating the fill level. To reduce the effect of interference frequencies produced by reflection of microwaves in the optical aperture, etc., a band-pass filter (9,10) with a lower limiting frequency selected to attenuate the low-frequency interference frequencies is placed between the frequency conversion stage (8) and the A/D converter (12). The lower limiting frequency can either be controlled with microprocessor (13) or the band-pass filter (9, 10) has adjustable limiting frequencies. To inhibit overcontrol of the A/D converter, an amplification stage (11) controlled by microprocessor (13) is provided for band-pass filter (9, 10).

The invention concerns an electrical circuit for a device for measuring fluid levels in industrial tanks and the like. It has an electronic transmitter and receiver for microwaves and a cavity resonator equipped with an aperture and antenna in which the signal reflected from the liquid surface and the emitted signal are fed to a frequency conversion stage. Its low-frequency output signal is fed via an analog-to-digital converter to a microprocessor that calculates the fill level.
Level measurement devices utilizing microwaves are known. They transmit signals in the microwave range which are reflected on the surface of the medium in the tank and received by a receiver. The distance between the level measurement device and the surface of the medium is determined from the signals by means of an electronic circuit which includes microprocessors and electronic computers. When such microwave level measurement devices are used with tanks, like industrial tanks, subject to an underpressure or overpressure at high or low operating temperatures, especially when they contain explosive and/or corrosive and/or toxic media, it is necessary to separate the tank interior from the electronic transmitting and receiving part. For this purpose a cylindrical cavity resonator aperture made of quartz glass or the like is arranged in the waveguide or cavity resonator protruding through the top of the tank, this aperture advantageously having a low dielectric loss factor for microwave transmissions. In level measurement devices of this type a transmitted signal that continuously varies in frequency is generated by a voltage-controlled oscillator and directed toward the liquid surface via the waveguide provided with an aperture and antenna. The electromagnetic waves reflected by the liquid surface are received by the antenna and converted by the main part into an electrical frequency signal that is fed to a frequency converter. Owing to the level-dependent travel time of the microwaves in the tank the incoming signal undergoes a frequency shift relative to the emitted signal that is directly proportional to the level.
A frequency conversion stage converts the emitted and incoming signals to a low-frequency signal that is digitized and processed in the microprocessor. However, the optical aperture arranged in the waveguide disadvantageously causes interference signals by reflection of the microwaves, the amplitudes of which are much greater than those of the useful signal. In practice the output signal of the frequency conversion stage owing to any mode changes of the microwave signal and/or multiple reflections of the optical aperture contains a power density fraction that can be much higher than the fraction of the useful signal reflected from the liquid surface. The spectral lines of the power density spectrum that occur at different filling heights yield relatively high values at low frequencies that are due to reflection of the optical aperture, but lower values at higher frequencies as a result of the longer measurement path. The high low-frequency power fractions that occur, especially when the optical aperture is contaminated, are also present at low liquid level. The deviations between the low-frequency and high-frequency power density values can lie between 4- and 20-fold in industrial tanks and the like or even higher.
DE-OS 3,134,243 discloses a circuit for a level measurement device without a cavity resonator aperture, in which a filter is arranged between a frequency conversion stage and an A/D converter, which is intended to filter out undesired frequencies. Since distance information is part of the mixed frequency, filtering out undesired frequencies would also filter out the corresponding useful signals and not permit distance determination in this frequency range at all.

Electrical device for liquid level measurements in industrial tanks and the like


Various architectures for implementing multi-band reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexing with converged signal addition and removal are provided. Under the described architectures, channel isolation is improved, performance requirements for switching elements are lower, and it may be possible to reduce the number of line side switching elements by a factor of two. The use of additional spectrum per fiber with the described architectures results in fewer required ports per switching element. The degree of contention at signal addition and removal is also reduced. Moreover, the architectures support optical networks with higher capacities per fiber and therefore conserve fiber assets. The architectures are modular in nature, allowing a network to be deployed in a single-band setting and later upgraded to support multiple bands.

In fiber-optic communication, an optical add-drop multiplexer (OADM) is an optical node used in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) systems for multiplexing and routing different channels of light into or out of a single mode fiber. Typically, an OADM has the capability to add one or more new wavelengths to an existing multi-wavelength WDM system, and to drop, or remove, one or more wavelengths from the multi-wavelength WDM system by passing the dropped signals to another network path. A reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) is a type of OADM that enables an operation to remotely switch traffic from a WDM system at the wavelength layer without manual intervention.
The complexity of ROADMs in optical networking continues to increase, and has placed considerable strain on the requirements for switching elements such as wavelength selective switches (WSSs). However, increases in the number of ports and other features supported by a 1×N WSS impact isolation performance, and multiple switches become necessary to meet channel isolation requirements in ROADM. For example, broadcast and select architectures are expected to migrate to route and select, doubling the number of WSSs required on the line side of the ROADM, increasing complexity and cost. Architectures that provide a way to reduce the number of switching elements per ROADM degree are therefore of particular interest.
On the other hand, relentless growth in communications traffic continues to challenge optical network capacity. Additional bands of spectrum need to be considered eventually as a means for increasing transmission capacity per fiber. Indeed, early work on more extreme approaches such as the use of multi-core fibers is underway. The use of multiple spectrum bands conserves fiber assets, which is particularly important where fiber is scarce, where premium fibers are deployed and used, and where fibers are leased.
In optical networks today a single-band approach, e.g., C band or a somewhat wider "extended C band", is preferred, particularly for ROADM-centric architectures. The addition of further bands is possible, but the deployment of an essentially parallel set of equipment for one or more other bands, e.g., L band, on an existing fiber is typically less attractive than the deployment of a parallel set of C band equipment on a new fiber, especially when the fiber is readily available. For example the equipment required for other bands is often more expensive or commercially unavailable. Viable architectures that reduce the cost of multi-band equipment in comparison to equivalent single-band solutions are expected to become very important but are not yet available.

Multiband reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexing with converged signal addition and removal


An integrated plasmon detector includes a top layer of material adapted to generate a plasmon when excited by a beam of light incident onto a surface of the top layer, an interface layer joined to the top layer opposite from the surface of the top layer and adapted to slow polarons emitted by the plasmon to thermal electrons, and a collector layer joined to the interface layer opposite from the top layer and adapted to collect the thermal electrons from the interface layer.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to integrated plasmon detectors.
2. Related Art
When a species of atoms (whether gas, liquid, or solid) is ionized into an equal number of free electrons and ionized atomic cores known as ions, the atoms are said to be in a plasma state. In an ideal undisturbed gaseous plasma, the density of free electrons is equal to that of the positively charged ions and the overall distribution of charge is equal, and thus neutral, throughout the plasma. When this distribution is disturbed, the electrons seek to restore their neutral positions through the combined effect of repulsion from other electrons and attraction from the uniform positive charge background of the ions. This will induce an oscillation in the electrons as they attempt to return to their neutral positions known as plasma oscillation. [The Feynman Lectures of Physics, R. P. Feynman et al., Addison Wesley, Reading, Mass. 1964, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.]
In a metal, the density of free electrons is much higher, and their temperature much lower, than in a gaseous plasma. These free electrons are thus a quantum gas and, when oscillating, form what is termed a plasmon. Free electrons oscillating at a common frequency are oscillating at plasmon frequencies that are generally very high, having a typical value on the order of 3×1015 Hz (corresponding to a charge of about 12 eV). [Elementary Excitation in Solids, D. Pines, Benjamin, N.Y. 1964; and Statistical Mechanics, R. P. Feynman, Addison Wesley, Reading, Mass. 1972; the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.] For purposes of discussion and with reference to FIG. 1(a), whereas a plasmon is understood herein to refer to the state of quantum plasma in a solid, a jellium 2 is understood to mean a quasiparticle consisting of a negatively charged core 4 shielded by positive charges 6 gathered from the surrounding ions within a Fermi-Thomas radius λFT, which is comparable to the radius of a host atom in a metal lattice. The electron thus oscillates within this atom-sized sphere of positively-charge volume, evincing a high frequency and thus displacement that is small relative to the size of the sphere. When all such electrons oscillate in phase with one another, a standing plasmon wave arises (k=0), whereas a linear series of electrons having a definite phase relationship to one another correspond to a traveling plasmon wave having definite direction and mode numbers k (k≠0).
A quantum plasma in a solid also contains individual "hot" electrons that tend to interact (i.e. collide) with each other and with jelliums much more frequently that with the host ion lattice. When a hot electron 4′ penetrates a jellium 2, as shown in FIG. 1(b), there are two negative electron charges 4, 4′ inside a volume 6 of a unit of positive charge. This imbalance of charge leads the jellium to disintegrate by the expulsion of both electrons such that total momentum is conserved. Conversely, when two such hot electrons collide, as shown in FIG. 1(c), the result is a stationary jellium 2 at the point of impact and one free electron 4′. Molecular physics teaches us that the probabilities of these two opposite processes are equal.
When a metal is impinged upon by a laser pulse beam having a frequency below the plasmon frequency of the metal, electrons begin to be set in motion at randomly distributed frequencies lying between the laser beam and the plasmon frequencies (between 1015 and 3×1015 Hz). Initially most of these electrons are free hot electrons, with few jelliums. These hot electrons tend to favor the creation of jelliums through their collisions, and thus the subgroup of collective electron plasmonic oscillations begins to build up in jelliums as energy is transferred from the laser beam to the plasmon system. Depending on the length of the laser pulse and the thickness of the metal, the plasmon oscillations may reach a peak maximum range, with free electron density as high as 1023/cm3. These collective oscillations have a natural frequency or plasma frequency determined by the density of electrons in the neutral distribution n0, and can be expressed as
                    f        =                              (                          1                              2                                π                                      )                                                                                ⅇ                  2                                                                  n                  0                                                                              ɛ                  0                                                                  m                  e                                                                                (        1        )            where e is the unit electron charge, n0 is the neutral density of electrons in a plasma, ε0 is the permittivity of vacuum, and me is the unit electron mass.
When the laser beam ceases to impinge onto the metal, most jelliums continue to oscillate at their respective plasmon frequency characteristic of concentration and movement (mood number). When a jellium falls out of step with the whole class collective modes of existing plasmon oscillations, it drops out and an 'individual' hot electron (as opposite to a 'collective class' hot electron) results that eventually cools down to room temperature to become a thermal electron. However, if it does not pass through an adaptor layer to cool down quickly, the remaining heat will make detecting it functionally difficult.
Currently known methods and devices for measuring the decay of a plasmon all rely on photodetectors of various types to detect the emitted decay photons. This approach is limited by the fact that the decay photons have to travel a relatively long path from the surface to the detector, a path over which they undergo angular spreading misalignment, and environment influences. Thus, collection and detection of decay photons as a means of studying plasmon effects can be difficult and prone to inaccuracies. The present disclosure addresses these difficulties with a novel approach to plasmon detection: monitoring the hot electrons internally created by plasmon decay.

Using a polaron interaction zone as an interface to integrate a plasmon layer and a semiconductor detector


A file tracking system including a processor, which maintains and interfaces with a database, a plurality of file folder retainers, and a plurality of file folders. The file tracking system actively maintains and updates the database, which includes file information, file location, and unique file address for the plurality of files, by providing interactive communication between the processor, the folder retainers, and the file folders. Each file folder may include an indicator light, such as an LED, which a user may cause to blink when trying to locate the file folder at a location accessed from the database.

In general, the present invention relates to an electronic system, hardware, and method for tracking the location of files and their containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic file tracking system that maintains a database identifying each file and its current location by interactive communication between a computer processor and the file folders. The invention is particularly adapted for use with office furniture.
In a typical office environment, files are normally stored in various file cabinets located throughout the office. Each file cabinet or group of file cabinets stores files belonging to a particular category. These files are typically organized in an alphabetical or numerical order within the drawers of the file cabinet or group of file cabinets. Files may also be stored on or in various shelving units, trays, boxes, work surfaces, bins, compartments, tables, desk drawers, or carts. In order to make these files accessible to all office personnel, the files must be stored in an organized manner. Office personnel expend a substantial amount of time retrieving files, replacing files back into the file cabinets, and maintaining the organization of the files.
When someone wishes to obtain a particular file, he or she must determine in which office, which file cabinet, and which drawer of the file cabinet the file is supposed to be located. If the person looking for the file does not know the location of the file first hand, he or she must make inquiries to the other employees or check a manually maintained listing of the file organization to locate the file. Once this person identifies where the file is supposed to be located, the person must search through the numerous files stored in the drawer to determine if the file is actually located in the drawer. In searching through the file cabinet drawer, this person may discover that the file is not located where it was supposed to be. The person must then again inquire about the office to determine if someone else has the file and, if no one else has the file, this person must search through other file drawers to determine if the file is misfiled or lost. Active files tend to become stacked on the desktops of the employees most recently using those particular files, leading to poor accessibility for others. Clearly, tracking down a file may consume a significant portion of an employee's time and any time spent looking for or reorganizing files is an inefficient use of that employee's time.
To maintain an organized system, when someone must add a number of new files to a particular drawer of a file cabinet that is already filled to capacity, he or she must shift those files in the back of the drawer to another drawer, which may also be filled to capacity. Further, whenever a sequential ordering scheme is used to organize files, even frequently accessed files may be dispersed throughout a number of drawers rather than in the front of a single file drawer where the frequently accessed files would be more easily accessible.
The above problems are particularly prevalent in hospitals, doctors offices, law offices, government agencies, and anywhere else where large amounts of printed documents or other media are handled and maintained.
One approach that was developed to alleviate some of the above problems in tracking files is to provide a bar code label on each file folder and to maintain a database correlating the bar code I.D. of the file and its relative location. In order to accurately maintain the file locations in the database, bar code readers are placed about the office for employees to scan the bar code and enter a new location whenever the employees move a file from one location to another.
The problem with this approach is its reliance upon the employees to take the time to scan the bar code and enter user and location identification information into the database every time an employee pulls a file out of a file drawer or off a shelf. Furthermore, the database may only identify the general location of the file, which may be a location where many other files are also located. Thus, although someone looking for a file may know its general location, this person may spend considerable time trying to locate the file amongst the numerous other files, particularly if the file is misfiled. Additionally, not all possible locations and potential users of the files may be identified within the database. Thus, the database may not accurately reflect the exact location of a file.

Electronic system, components and method for tracking files


Various embodiments generally relate to systems and methods for creation of voice memos while an electronic device is in a driving mode. In some embodiments, a triggering event can be used to indicate that the electronic device is within a car or about to be within a car and that text communications should be translated (e.g., via an application or a conversion platform) into a voice memo that can be played via a speaker. These triggering events can include a manual selection or an automatic selection based on a set of transition criteria (e.g., electronic device moving above a certain speed, following a roadway, approaching a location in a map of a marked car, etc.).

Modern communication networks and electronic devices have changed the way individuals in society interact and communicate. These devices increasingly provide advanced computing capabilities along with a variety of other features and options that improve the user's experience with the device. Some common examples of the features and options include e-mail, cameras, Wi-Fi, SMS and MMS messaging, web browsers, voice/video calling, image and video capturing, and GPS capabilities. In addition to these common features and options, modern electronic devices often include operating systems that can run software applications on one or more processors. The software applications can be installed (e.g., by the manufacturer, mobile carrier, or by the user) on these devices to perform a variety of specific tasks and/or extend the functionality of the devices.
As these networks and devices have evolved so has the ease at which users interact with the features and options. However, the use of these features can be distracting as users look at the screen. This can be particularly unsafe during a variety of activities, such as, driving. For example, users of these electronics devices will often look at the screen of an electronic device to use e-mail, read or send an SMS message, surf the web browsers, enter destinations, and/or use other features while driving. As a result, new techniques are needed to provide users of these electronic devices better ways to interact with the electronic devices without the need to look at the screen when their attention is needed to perform another activity.
The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Similarly, some components and/or operations may be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some of the embodiments of the present technology. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technology as defined by the appended claims.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automated text-to-speech conversion, such as driving mode voice memo


A device driver such as a print driver may be configured to a web site. A user may select a driver for sending and publishing data to a selected web site. The driver may automatically transform the content data, authenticates the user to the selected web site and send the data for publishing.

Most social networking websites require the user to login to the site, and either upload files (e.g., pictures, documents) or input text directly on a web page in order to publish content. Often, users may post the same content to more than one site. While most sites (e.g., Facebook™ and Blogger™) offer an Application Programming Interface (API) where developers can create applications to share data or upload content, a tool should be available to make the publishing of content as easy as possible, given the emerging and prevalent use of such social networking websites.
Commands like the "Print" command exist in a standard Windows™ or other application that displays printable material. Usually, after the Print command is selected, a selection of printers is shown to the user. Each of these printers has a corresponding printer driver that is developed conforming to the specifications, for example, in the Microsoft™ Driver Kit for those operating in Windows™ environment. Normally, the printer driver contains instructions on formatting output so that it can be printed on the selected printer. The printer driver sends the output to the printer spooler so it can be sent to the printing device.

Publishing content to social network sites from applications

International Business Machines Corporation


Some batteries can exhibit greatly improved performance by utilizing electrodes having randomly arranged graphene nanosheets forming a network of channels defining continuous flow paths through the electrode. The network of channels can provide a diffusion pathway for the liquid electrolyte and/or for reactant gases. Metal-air batteries can benefit from such electrodes. In particular Li-air batteries show extremely high capacities, wherein the network of channels allow oxygen to diffuse through the electrode and mesopores in the electrode can store discharge products.

Among all of the different electrochemical couples upon which energy storage devices can be based, metal-air systems can exhibit the largest theoretical specific energies. For example, a lithium-air system can exhibit a theoretical specific energy of 11,972 Wh/kg. However, electrochemical performance of metal-air batteries can depend greatly on many factors including the properties of the carbon-based air electrode. While various nanostructured carbon materials have been explored in attempts to improve metal-air energy storage devices, the practical capacity, specific energy and rate performance of such devices has not been sufficient for most energy storage applications. Accordingly, an improved metal-air energy storage device is needed.

Graphene-based battery electrodes having continuous flow paths