Electromagnetic force holds a reciprocatively movable bolt in a charged position in resistance to compressive force from a bolt actuating spring, while generating recoil impacts that simulate firing rounds of ammunition from an ammunition belt in imitation machine gun. Terminating the electromagnetic force allows the compressive force from the actuating spring to move the bolt from the charged position after simulating the firing of the last round from the ammunition belt.

In modern circumstances, it is difficult and expensive to train soldiers and military defense personnel in the effective use of high-powered rapid-fire machine guns, by simply allowing such individuals to practice using the actual guns with live ammunition. The ammunition rounds are expensive, for example costing up to five dollars per round. The cost of ammunition alone quickly multiplies when it is recognized that a typical machine gun is capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute. Adequate space for a practice gunnery range may not be readily available. Increased cost is involved in transporting the personnel and the equipment to suitable remote locations where adequate gunnery practice can be performed. Safety is always a major consideration when live ammunition rounds are fired, both to military personnel involved in gunnery practice and to non-military personnel who may be adjacent to the gunnery range. It is difficult to instruct during a live ammunition training session due to the noise and safety considerations involved when others are involved in similar, close-by, live-ammunition practice activities. Furthermore, it may be difficult to vary the targets quickly at a live-ammunition gunnery range.
These problems and practical constraints are exacerbated when training individuals to shoot from a moving vehicle such as a helicopter. If live ammunition practice is attempted from a moving helicopter, a large space is required in order to maneuver the helicopter and to provide targets and adequate safety barriers, especially when multiple individuals are involved in similar simultaneous training exercises. As a result, live gun practice requires considerable space, and the cost of operating the helicopter greatly multiplies the overall training cost.
Because of these and other considerations, simulated weapon training programs have been developed for teaching purposes. Such training programs use imitation machine guns which closely simulate the sensational aspects and the mechanical and physical requirements of firing actual machine guns. Firing is simulated by reproducing effects which mirror the sensual perceptions associated with firing the actual machine gun. The environment and the targets are electronically displayed, allowing them to be more easily varied and to simulate movement of the targets and the machine gun. The trajectory of the simulated bullet fired is also calculated. In those cases where the simulated fired bullet emulates a tracer, the trajectory of that simulated bullet is also displayed in the surrounding environment.
For helicopter gun training, the imitation machine gun is mounted in an open door of an imitation portion of the helicopter fuselage. The environment and the targets are displayed outside of the open door. The portion of the imitation helicopter fuselage is moved or shaken in a manner similar to the movement of an actual helicopter in flight while the display of the surrounding environment and the targets are moved to simulate the flight path of the helicopter.
Simulated weapons training programs offer other benefits. Environments of remote areas of the world may be simulated, thereby providing training exposure to such environments prior to actually deploying the military personnel to those locales. The accuracy of the training program and the abilities of the individuals trained may be assessed. The accuracy in shooting, and the success of the training itself, is gauged by comparing the calculated, projected trajectory of the simulated bullets relative to the displayed targets. The number of simulated rounds fired may also be counted to evaluate the efficiency of the individual doing the shooting. Other factors can be evaluated from the vast amount of information available from such computer-based simulated weapons training programs.
Of course, to be effective for training purposes, it is necessary to create a realistic simulated environment and a realistic experience of firing the imitation machine gun. Such simulation is accomplished principally by multiple computer systems which are programmed to perform their specific simulation activities in coordination with each other. In the end, the capability of the simulated weapons training program to imitate the actual use of the actual machine gun in an actual environment is the ultimate measure of effective and successful training.
Individuals become accustomed to the imitation machine gun due to the amount of simulated training received. Because of the familiarity gained from training with the imitation machine gun, use of the imitation machine gun should be essentially the same as the use of the actual machine gun; otherwise, differences in functionality or performance create unexpected problems or difficulties when using the actual machine gun.
One of the important aspects of training with an imitation machine gun is to simulate the recoil of firing an actual machine gun. Recoil in an actual machine gun occurs in response to firing an ammunition round. A momentary rearward impact occurs in reaction to the forward acceleration of the bullet moving out of the barrel and in reaction to a reciprocating movement of an internal bolt of the gun. The explosive force from firing the round drives the bolt rearward against the force of a bolt actuating spring. The rearward movement of the bolt automatically ejects the spent casing, withdraws the next live round from the ammunition belt, expels a connection link which joined the withdrawn round to the next round of the ammunition belt, positions the withdrawn round on the bolt for loading and firing, and advances the ammunition belt to locate the next round to undergo similar actions after active round has been fired. Depressing the trigger enables the compressed bolt actuating spring to drive the bolt forward to load the round into a firing chamber and then fire that loaded round. The pressure from the exploded round drives the bolt rearwardly against the compression force of the bolt actuating spring. The sequence of events continues in the same manner with each subsequent pull of the trigger, or the sequence of events continues repetitively and continuously while the trigger remains depressed. Each ammunition round fired, accompanied by the reciprocating movement of the bolt in the manner described, creates a reactive impact. The individual operating the gun feels the sensation of this reaction as recoil of the machine gun. One very effective recoil simulation device, and its method of use, are described in the above-referenced US patent application.
To ready an actual machine gun for firing live ammunition rounds from a newly-loaded ammunition belt loaded, the operator must "charge" the bolt. Charging the bolt involves manually moving the bolt rearward against the force of the internal bolt actuating spring. Charging the bolt removes the first round from the ammunition belt and positions the removed round on the bolt for loading and firing. Charging the bolt enables the compressed bolt actuating spring to drive the bolt forward to load and fire the round. Thereafter, the explosion from firing that round drives the bolt rearward and compresses the bolt actuating spring to enable the continuous repetition of these actions with each subsequent pull of the trigger or on a continuous basis while the trigger remains depressed.
Loading a simulated ammunition belt in an imitation machine gun is also an important part of training to use the actual machine gun. The imitation machine gun must emulate the functionality of charging the bolt each time a new simulated ammunition belt is loaded. After simulated ammunition belt is loaded and the bolt is charged, the recoil simulator mechanism of the imitation machine gun simulates the recoil impacts generated by firing rounds and the reciprocation of the bolt. When the last round of the simulated ammunition belt is fired stimulatively, the bolt is released from its charged position. The bolt in the imitation machine gun thereafter assumes the same position that the bolt of an actual machine gun assumes after the last round of an actual ammunition belt has been fired.
One previous technique used in an imitation machine gun to simulate the action of charging the bolt involves holding the bolt in the charged position after the bolt has been manually charged by the operator. A holding pawl of the imitation machine gun pivots into contact with the bolt in the charged position to restrain the bolt against the considerable compression force from the bolt actuating spring. A spring pivots the holding pawl into position to restrain the bolt when the bolt is charged. The holding pawl is intended to restrain the bolt while the recoil simulation device generates the impacts which simulate firing the rounds from the simulated ammunition belt loaded into the imitation machine gun. A solenoid acts against the holding pawl to pivot it and release the bolt when all of the rounds of the simulated ammunition belt have been fired stimulatively. The released bolt moves forward to the position of the bolt in an actual machine gun after the last round of an actual ammunition belt has been fired. Thereafter, in both the actual and the imitation machine guns, a new ammunition belt must be loaded and the bolt must be charged before firing can commence again.
Often, the frictional forces acting on the holding pawl from the bolt and the forces from the pawl holding spring are too much for the solenoid to overcome and release the bolt. A failure to release the bolt when all of the rounds of the simulated ammunition belt has been fired stimulatively prevents the user from executing all of the actions necessary to load another simulated ammunition belt and ready the imitation machine gun for firing. On the other hand, if the pawl holding spring is weakened enough to allow the solenoid to pivot the pawl and release the bolt, the pawl holding spring is typically not strong enough to maintain the holding pawl in the bolt restraining position under the influence of repetitive recoil impacts generated by the recoil simulation device. Under such circumstances, the bolt is released prematurely before all of the rounds of the simulated ammunition belt have been fired.
In both cases, where the bolt is not released after all of the rounds of the simulated ammunition belt have been fired stimulatively, or where the bolt is released prematurely before all the rounds of the simulated ammunition belt have been fired stimulatively, dissimilarities in the performance of the imitation machine gun compared to the actual machine gun occur. The operator of the imitation machine gun is required to perform different and unusual activities which are not involved in operating the actual machine gun. As a result, the quality of the training is compromised. Furthermore, the resulting erratic effects have the potential of adversely influencing the coordination of the computer systems which control the simulated weapons training program, because those computer systems anticipate firing the full number of simulated rounds of the simulated ammunition belt. As a result, the training experience may be disrupted.

Bolt capture and release mechanism and method for an imitation machine gun


A method and apparatus for a browser supporting multiple user identifying states. A plurality of browser instances are initiated on a client. One of a plurality of user identifying states is selected for each of the plurality of browser instances. Each selected user identifying state is used in a distinct session between the browser and a server.

Web browsers are an integral part of the internet. Web browsers access information from web servers, and present the information to users in a convenient, easily understood manner.
How a web browser interacts with, and receives data from, web servers depends upon a number of parameters. A first type of parameters may be user selectable from a preferences or options menu of the web browser. These parameters include security preferences, javascript preferences, popup blocking preferences, web viewing preferences, and so on. For each of these parameters, a user can select a specific option (e.g., enable, disable, etc.).
A second type of parameters is a set of data structures that define a user identifying state. Examples of such data structures include a browser history, a browser cache, one or more cookies, etc.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A particle imaging system and a method provided for analyzing particles in a fluid; the system comprising a means for capturing image data of the fluid within a sample cell, and a means for flow control, a valve and a pump, wherein the fluid within the sample cell is periodically stopped, or slowed down, for image capturing and moved rapidly between image capturing events. Advantageously, the present invention allows to increase exposure times, which is particularly significant for fluorescent imaging at low illumination levels.

Instruments which analyze small particles suspended in liquids in order to provide parameter distribution data or classification of the particle types are of practical importance in fields which include microbiology, medicine, and drinking/wastewater processing. Some of these instruments form images of a volume of liquid along with any particles contained within this volume and analyze these images to obtain the required parameters. In order to analyze a reasonable number of particles in an acceptable time period, the liquid containing the particles is flowed through an optical sample cell at sufficient speed so that successive images (frames) taken by the camera are of fresh material. Since the particles are in motion, each frame must be collected sufficiently quickly so that motion during image capture is controlled to an acceptable level. Rapid image collection requires an adequately fast detector and adequate illumination intensity to achieve an acceptable signal to noise ratio with these detectors.
Detection systems most often employ the use of computers or powerful processor-based systems coupled to one or more charge coupled devices (CCD). CCD or pixel arrays of detecting elements, which detect the presence of one or more particles projected upon a portion of the array of charge coupled elements. Often thousands of frames of information are collected. Within a single frame more than a single particle may be detected; therefore, the software is programmed to find clusters of pixels, indicating the presence of a particle, and to determine a number of pixels, or a pixel total, for the cluster. Some software can determine instances where portions of particles overlap and determine the size of each particle.
Many prior art systems exist for detecting the presence of particles or size of particles in a fluid, such as a supply of potable water. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,408 entitled "Measuring Device and Method for the Determination of Particle Size Distributions by Scattered Light Measurements" discloses the use of a CCD camera. U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,130 entitled "Apparatus for Determining the Particle Size Distribution of a Mixture" discloses an apparatus that includes a CCD matrix. By identifying particles by predetermined parameters, such as diameter or cross-sectional area, such systems can ascertain the presence or absence of unwanted harmful bacteria in a water sample if a range of diameters of the bacteria is known.
Some of these systems have also been known to be useful in analyzing other fluids such as blood and blood products. Such systems in the area of microbiology and medicine use fluorescent imaging for particle detection and analysis in blood products or other fluids.
Fluorescence is re-emission of light by certain molecules, fluorophores, as they revert to the ground state following excitation by an optical source. The emitted wavelength spectrum is normally longer than the excitation/absorption wavelength spectrum and is characteristic of the molecule being excited. The intensity of fluorescent emission depends on intensity of the excitation light. For the small objects of interest in micro-biological analysis, fluorescence intensity is normally small and high intensity illumination combined with sensitive signal detection is employed.
Fluorescence is commonly employed in microbiological analysis for identification of target entities through detection of naturally occurring fluorophores which they contain. If a target does not contain natural fluorophores, a fluorescent stain or tag may be employed. Different stains are used to selectively label the entity (or parts of the entity) of interest.
In image gathering by static fluorescent microscopy, static samples, positioned on a microscope slide, are illuminated with an excitation light which will be absorbed by the fluorophore. The sample is imaged either by eye or by a camera at a wavelength band corresponding to the emission wavelength. The excitation light is excluded by wavelength selective filtering. Since the target is static, the time taken to acquire the image may be as long as required. The microscope may subsequently be adjusted to obtain a non-fluorescent image of the same target. If this process is carried out manually, scanning a large number of entities is time consuming.
Automatic scanning instruments may consist of microscopes provided with stepwise movement of a slide under computer control. Successive locations on the slide are illuminated, examined for fluorescence and imaged. For example, a microorganism detecting apparatus provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,396 in the names of King, et al. granted on Sep. 19, 2000, comprises a fluorescence microscope and a motor-driven stage assembly for moving a sample slide underneath an imaging subsystem and above an illumination subsystem.
In automatic fluorescent flow cytometry systems, images are not collected but individual detectors are used to detect and measure, in one or more wavelength bands, the total fluorescent emission of target particles suspended in a flowing liquid. This information along with additional, non-fluorescent, morphology measurements, obtained by measuring scattered signals, is used to examine and classify selectively tagged targets commonly consisting of cells or cell fragments.
For example, an optical analytical apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,824 granted to Mathies et al. on Dec. 25, 1990. This apparatus is based on a flow cytometry system and utilizes a spatial filter to define a small probe volume that allows for detection of individual fluorescent particles and molecules. Laser power and exposure time of the sample are selected to enhance signal-to-noise ratio. Real-time detection of photon bursts from fluorescent particles is used to provide the number, location or concentration of the particles.
For particle imaging systems employing a constant fluid flow, exposure time of a single frame is limited by the effect of streaking when particles within the fluid change their positions significantly during exposure. In order to obtain statistically significant results, it is required that a large number of particles be analyzed in a reasonable period of time, so rates of 1000 to 10,000 particles/sec or more are desirable. High throughput of an imaging system is associated with a high velocity of the fluid, which causes streaking, undesirable and limiting the exposure. The shorter exposure time requires more intense illumination, which, in turn, can adversely affect the sample, especially in applications related to microbiology and medicine.
There are partial solutions known in the art for extending exposure time by electronically compensating for an accurately predetermined object velocity, e.g. the time-delay integration technique used in U.S. Pat. No. 6,975,400 issued to Ortyn, et al. on Dec. 13, 2005.
It is known in the art, that fluorescent imaging requires relatively long exposure thus slowing down flow velocity in a particle imaging system. Moreover, it is advantageous to collect both fluorescent and non-fluorescent images of the same sample, which further decelerates the fluid flow.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for automatic imaging of particles in a fluid, allowing for long exposure of a sample while providing a high rate of sampling.

Particle imaging system with a varying flow rate


Methods of improving anaerobic digestion by enhancing the microorganism population through the creation of a nutrient environment more favorable for microbial growth and through the addition of microbes and, more particularly, by the addition of chelating agents, chelating agents and nutrients, and methanogens. Methods for the improved production of said methanogens by the provision of controlled amount of methanol and H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2. Methods for the improved preservation of said methanogen by ultra-freezing and freeze-drying.

Anaerobic digestion is a biological process which can be used to convert inexpensive, readily available and inexhaustable resources, notably sewage sludge, industrial and municipal waste and biomass material to valuable product gases, principally methane. Anaerobic digestion has been used commercially for the treatment and stabilization of organic wastes for a century. Almost every municipality disposes of most of its sewage sludge by anaerobic digestion. In addition, many industries treat solid and liquid waste streams in anaerobic treatment facilities. The process has advantages, not only in its suitability for treating wastes having a high water content or difficulties in incineration, but also facilitates the recovery of methane as a source of clean energy. A great deal of effort has gone into designing anaerobic digestion systems which operate reliably, efficiently and quickly. Among the designs developed for anaerobic digestion systems are the completely mixed reactor, the anaerobic contact process, the upflow and downflow packed bed reactors, the fluidized bed reactor, the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket, the baffled reactor, and various two stage processes. (The apparatus employed in carrying out the anaerobic digestion processes are referred to as reactors or digesters.)
All of these processes are dependent upon the same anaerobic microorganisms to perform the conversion of the organic matter to methane. While Applicant does not wish to be bound by any particular theory or hypothesis with regard to this discussion or any other throughout this application, anaerobic digestion of organic matter to methane and carbon dioxide is presently thought to occur in three stages, each of which involves a different type of bacteria.
The first stage of anaerobic digestion involves the fermentative bacteria. Fermentative bacteria hydrolyze the polymers of the primary substrates, such as polysaccharides, proteins and lipids, and ferment them to produce fatty acids (such as propionate and butyrate), organic acids, alcohols, ammonia, sulfide, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2.
The second stage of anaerobic digestion is the degradation of the fatty acids, some organic acids and alcohols produced in the first stage. These compounds are degraded by a second group of bacteria called the obligate H.sub.2 -producing (i.e., proton-reducing) acetogenic bacteria. Only a few of these microorganisms have been isolated and studied. The products of the second stage degradation include acetic acid, H.sub.2 and CO.sub.2.
The third and final stage of anaerobic digestion involves the methanogenic bacteria. Some methanogenic bacteria cleave acetic acid to product CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4. This reaction is very important because approximately 70% of the methane produced during anaerobic digestion is derived from the methyl group of acetic acid. Other methangenic bacteria utilize the H.sub.2 produced by other microorganisms to reduce CO.sub.2 and CH.sub.4.
Depending on the content of the waste material fed into an anaerobic digester, different stages may be the rate-limiting step in the digestion process. In the digestion of soluble compounds, the rate-limiting step has been identified as the third stage or methanogenesis, and more specifically, the aceticlastic (uses acetic acid) methanogenic step. For the digestion of insoluble wastes, the hydrolysis of these materials, or the first stage of anaerobic digestion, may be the rate-limiting step.
Hydrogen, which is involved in many principal biological reactions, is recognized as being the controlling influence on the overall scheme of waste utilization. Hydrogen exerts control at certain points of anaerobic digestion.
Hydrogen plays an important role in regulating the proportions of the various products produced by the fermentative bacteria. During fermentation, H.sub.2 is produced from electrons generated in the oxidation of reduced pyridine nucleotides: EQU NADH+H.sup.+ .revreaction.H.sub.2 +NAD.sup.+ .DELTA.G.degree.'=18.0kj/reaction
H.sub.2 formation is favored only when the partial pressure of H.sub.2 is very low, as it is when H.sub.2 is effectively metabolized by methanogens during the third stage of anaerobic digestion. At low partial pressures of H.sub.2, the flow of electrons (NADH) generated during glycolysis is toward the reduction of protons, resulting in H.sub.2 formation. The H.sub.2 allows pyruvate to be degraded to acetate, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. When the partial pressure of H.sub.2 is increased, the flow of electrons from NADH shifts from H.sub.2 production to the formation of reduced electron sink fermentation products, such as propionate and longer-chained fatty acids, lactate or ethanol from pyruvate. Therefore, in ecosystems in which methanogens are effectively utilizing H.sub.2, fermentative bacteria produce more acetate, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2, but produce little or no ethanol or lactate and produce considerably less propionate and butyrate.
Hydrogen also exerts control during the process in which acetogenic bacteria act on fatty acids, organic acids and alcohols to produce acetic acid and hydrogen. The equilibrium reactions for the degradation of butyrate and propionate under standard conditions are: EQU CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COO.sup.- +2H.sub.2 O.revreaction.2CH.sub.3 COO.sup.- +H.sup.+ +2H.sub.2 EQU .DELTA.G.degree.'++48.1 kJ/reaction EQU CH.sub.3 H.sub.2 COO.sup.- +3H.sub.2 O.revreaction.CH.sub.3 COO.sup.- +H.sup.+ +2H.sub.2 EQU .DELTA.G.degree.'=+76.1 kJ/reaction
As indicated by large positive values for .DELTA.G.degree.', these reactions do not favor degradation. However, when the partial pressure of H.sub.2 is maintained at a very low level in the digester, H.sub.2 production from these compounds is thermodynamically favorable. For example, when the partial pressure of H.sub.2 is decreased below 0.15 atm, the degradation of ethanol becomes energetically favorable. However, the degradation of butyrate or propionate is not energetically favorable until the partial pressure is lowered to about 2.times.10.sup.-3 atm or 9.times.10.sup.-3 atm, respectively. Thus, a slight increase in the partial pressure of H.sub.2 will halt the degradation of these compounds, with propionate degradation being the first reaction to be inhibited. As expected, studies have shown that during digester failure, propionate is the first acid that accumulates.
Thus, as discussed above, the partial pressure of H.sub.2 not only regulates the proportion of end products of the fermentative bacteria in stage one but also the degradation of these fermentation products by the H.sub.2 -producing acetogenic bacteria in stage two.
Methanogenic bacteria, in addition to producing gaseous fuel (methane) in stage three, can be used to maintain the H.sub.2 concentration in the reactor at a very low level and thus allow the digestion of organic matter to proceed efficiently. Therefore, to obtain maximum performance from an anaerobic digester, the concentration of methanogens within the digester should be maximized. Several methods have been used to obtain high concentrations of bacterial biomass (including high concentrations of methanogens) in anaerobic digesters. These methods include: (1) the recycle of solids in the anaerobic contact process; (2) attachment of biomass to supports in fixed films and fluidized or expanded beds; and (3) formation of granular biomass in a sludge blanket. While these methods have been successful in achieving high bacterial concentrations, they do not increase th population of methanogens in proportion to the other bacteria. Hence, the H.sub.2 partial pressures are not regulated in these systems and rates are not maximized.
The reaction kinetics of anaerobice digestion are quite slow. Reaction times of up to 30 days may be required to efficiently stabilize and reduce sludge volumes and/or reduce the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) to acceptable levels. In addition, the start-up of anaerobic digesters for sludge treatment is a slow and uncertain process. It may take several months after inoculation before a digester is operating at its desired capacity. In some cases, for example, in a very large fixed film reactor, it may take up to one year for the anaerobic biomass to develop sufficiently to attain maximum digestion efficiency.
Once a digester has achieved maximum efficiency, if the digester is shocked, for example, by shortening the retention time, overloading the system or adding a toxic substance, recovery can also be very slow. As anaerobic digestion is presently practiced, it may take several months to recover from the resulting lowered conversion efficiency or complete inhibition of conversion and regain the conversion efficiency which existed before the upset.


Provided are a method and an apparatus for humidifying rice grains. Rice grains immediately after polishing and, hence, still maintained at an elevated temperature are supplied with water. The rice grains are further humidified under application of a pressure. This two-staged humidification remarkably shortens the time required for the humidification of rice grains after polishing.

The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for humidifying rice grains, particularly rice grains after polishing.
It is well known that rice grains are polished in a rice polishing machine which has a polishing cylinder having a perforated cylindrical wall and a polishing rotor. During the polishing, water contents are carried away from the rice grains due to generation of heat, with the result that the taste is impaired. Therefore, it has been a common practice to humidify the polished rice grains to a moderate level of moisture content. The humidification is practically conducted by placing the polished rice grains in a tank which is provided with a moistening device which can moisten polished rice grains at such a low rate that would not cause cracking of the rice grains due to quick absorption of water, e.g., about 0.2% per hour, taking a long time of 5 to 10 hours. The humidification of the polished rice grains is therefore an essential process which has to be effected on the polished rice grains, partly because of the drying of rice grains during the polishing and partly because of the tendency that the farmers furnish the reaped rice grains in an excessively dry condition to rice processing firms. The current/rice milling factories usually have a series of treating apparatus arranged in a line to attain a large treating capacity and a high treating efficiency. Unfortunately, however, the humidification process which requires 5 to 10 hours as described undesirably poses an impediment to the efficient uniform treatment work of the rice grains.


A combination transducer and water-blocking film for acoustic signaling through ambient water. The water-blocking film has an etched fluoropolymer film and adjacent bonding film interposed between the transducer and the water. Potting material extends adjacent to and is bonded to both sides of the water-blocking film. The film and potting material create an acoustic window. The etched fluoropolymer film is approximately one to two thousandths inch thick and the bonding film is approximately one thousandths inch thick, and the potting material is a polyurethane matrix.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to acoustic transducers. More particularly, the invention relates to a cost-effective and reliable device that simultaneously functions as a barrier for water and an acoustic window for acoustic signals in a water medium.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Instrumentation/sensor packages for use underwater usually must be waterproof in order to function reliably. In addition to needing a water barrier, acoustic transducer packages used for undersea detection and/or communications further require a reasonable acoustic match through what is called an acoustic window to the surrounding water medium. Transducers operating in the active mode (projecting acoustic signals into ambient water) and/or passive mode (receiving acoustic signals from ambient water) need an acoustic window capable of responsively, bi-directionally passing the acoustic signals to and from the ambient water medium.
Contemporary acoustic windows seal acoustic devices while allowing acoustic signals to pass to the device. The devices typically consist of a minimal layer of water-blocking material such as neoprene, nitrile, or ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EDPM) rubber and an intermediate layer of acoustically acceptable material such as caster oil or polyurethane. The water-blocking layers described are not good Rho-C matches to water and are therefore applied at a minimal thickness so as not interfere with the signal. The water-blocking layers also require an elevated temperature and pressure cure that can be harmful to the components of the acoustic device. As a result, the water-blocking layer is fabricated as an envelope or boot. The acoustic device is placed inside the water-blocking enclosure which is then backfilled with the Rho-C matching materials described.
Other water-proofing and engineering materials have been applied to acoustic windows to enhance their physical performance. One such application is the bonding of a thin titanium sheet (about 1/31″ thick) to an acoustic array for added impact resistance. Another application is gold plated titanium foil which is wrapped around a polyurethane molded acoustic device and local preamplifier for the purpose of water-proofing and electronic shielding. However, working with titanium is difficult, and without gold plating it is expensive.
One type of acoustic window not to be confused with the invention herein described is the hydrodynamic fairing such a bow dome on a ship or submarine that is placed over an acoustic sensor or array of such sensors. These hydrodynamic fairings typically are freely-flooded with a layer of water between the fairing and the acoustic transducer elements and protect against damage from impact.
Thus, a need exists for a thin layer of etched (chemical or radiation etched) fluoropolymer bonded into potting materials for stopping water permeation in undersea instrumentation packages including acoustic transducers. The layer should be inexpensive and easy to work with and a better waterblocker than neoprene, nitrile, or ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EDPM) rubber etc.

Bondable fluoropolymer film as a water block/acoustic window for environmentally isolating acoustic devices

The United States of America represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Provided are formulations and related methods, for coating or impregnating a medical device, as well as a coated or impregnated medical device, for example, a device that is a catheter or cannula, where a different formulation may be used for interior surface of device and for exterior surface of the device.

Catheters and other devices that are implanted into vessels or cavities in the clinical or veterinary situation are associated with infections, including biofilms on the medical device, local infections, and bloodstream infections. Catheter-related bloodstream infections affect over 2 million hospitalized patients per year (Krein, et al (2007) Mayo Clin. Proc. 82:672-678). Certain catheters are accessed multiple times per day, for example, for taking measurements or obtaining samples for laboratory analysis. Multiple samplings increase the potential for contamination and infections. Short-term catheters are more associated with microbial contamination of the external surface of the catheter, while internal surface or lumenal microbial colonization is associated with long-term implantation. Catheters, catheter cuffs, and other medical devices are sometimes coated or impregnated with antimicrobial or antiseptic agents, with the goal of decreasing infections. Use of catheters impregnated with agents, such as chlorhexidine, can partially reduce the risk of infections (see, e.g., Trautner and Darouiche (2004) Arch. Intern. Med. 164:842-850). Chlorhexidine has been used for coating medical devices, including catheters, cuffs, and synthetic membranes (see, e.g., O'Grady, et al (2002) Pediatrics 110:e51-e75; Chen, et al (2003) J. Periodontol. 74:1652-1659). This agent has broad activity against gram positive and negative bacteria, as well as against yeasts and some viruses (Milstone, et al. (2008) Healthcare Epidemiology 46:274-281).

Enhanced formulations for coating medical devices


The commode includes a commode frame and a commode seat adapted to be removably attached to the commode frame. The commode frame includes two spaced frame elements. The commode seat includes a seat body having an underside adapted to bear on the commode frame and a pair of spaced apart elongate members on the underside. The pair of spaced apart elongate members are adapted to co-operatively engage the two frame elements of the commode frame. The elongate members also defines rails adapted to slidingly receive and releasably support a receptacle beneath a seat.

This invention relates to a commode seat adapted to be detachably attached to a commode frame structure, and also to a commode having such a seat.
Commodes are often used when providing care and assistance to aged and disabled patients.
Commodes generally comprise a frame structure and a seat supported on the frame structure. In some cases, the commode seat is detachable from the frame structure to facilitate cleaning and maintenance of hygiene, as well as for ease of maintenance and seat exchange where necessary.
Because commodes are used by the infirm, there is a need for the seats to be securely attached to the commode frames. Commonly, mechanical fasteners such as screws are used for such a purpose. However, detachment of the seat can be cumbersome in cases where mechanical fasteners are used.
One proposal providing a commode seat which is readily detachable from a commode frame is disclosed in the applicant""s Australian patent 714750. The patent discloses a commode seat having a coupling means which is operable with a snap engagement action and which has proved to be very effective in use.
With commodes, there can also be a need for a receptacle positioned below the commode seat, particularly where commodes are intended for use as a toilet. This introduces a requirement for a mechanism to removably support the receptacle below the commode seat.
It would be advantageous to provide a commode seat having means for detachably attaching the seat to a commode frame, in which such means also has provision for removably supporting a receptacle below the commode seat.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a commode seat for removable attachment to a commode frame, the commode seat comprising a seat body having an underside adapted to bear on the commode frame and a pair of spaced apart elongate members on the underside, the pair of spaced apart elongate members being adapted to co-operatively engage two spaced apart frame elements of the commode frame for detachably attaching the commode seat to the commode frame, the elongate members also defining rails adapted to slidingly receive and releasably support a receptacle beneath the seat.
Preferably, the rails each have a locating portion at one end section thereof upon which a leading portion of the receptacle can be located prior to the receptacle being moved along the rails. The locating portion may have an upstanding lip at the outer end thereof.
Preferably, at least one elongate member is resilient to provide a releasable snap engagement with the respective commode frame element. More preferably, both elongate members are resilient.
Each elongate member may comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion extending downwardly from the underside of the seat for engagement against the respective frame element of the commode frame, and the second portion extending laterally to define the respective rail.
Each first portion may be configured to conform to the profile of the respective commode frame element to which it is adapted for engagement. Where the commode frame element is of circular cross-section as is typically the case, the first portion may incorporate a concave section to conform to the circular profile of the commode frame element.
Preferably, the second portions extend laterally in an inward direction towards each other.
Preferably, the second portion of each elongate member extends beyond the concave section at one end of the elongate member to define the locating portion at the end of the rail.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a commode having a commode seat as defined above.
According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a commode comprising a commode frame and a commode seat adapted to be removably attached to the commode frame, the commode frame including two spaced frame elements, and the commode seat comprising a seat body having an underside adapted to bear on the commode frame and a pair of spaced apart elongate members on the underside, the pair of spaced apart elongate members being adapted to co-operatively engage the two frame elements of the commode frame for removably attaching the commode seat to the commode frame, the elongate members also defining rails adapted to slidingly receive and releasably support a receptacle beneath the seat.
Preferably, the commode is a shower commode.


A gas turbine engine includes a buffer system that includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit can communicate a first buffer supply air to a first portion of the gas turbine engine and the second circuit can communicate a second buffer supply air to a second portion of the gas turbine engine.

This disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to a buffer system that can communicate a buffer supply air to one or more portions of the gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines typically include at least a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. During operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section and is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are communicated through the turbine section which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine modes.
Gas turbine engines typically include shafts that support a plurality of airfoil supporting rotors of the compressor section and the turbine section. Generally, these shafts are supported by bearing structures that define bearing compartments. The bearing compartments house one or more bearings and contain lubricant that is used to lubricate the bearings. The lubricant is contained within the bearing compartment by one or more seals. A predetermined differential pressure must be maintained across the seals so the lubricant cannot leak past the seals.

Multi-circuit buffer system for a gas turbine engine


A liquid supply device for supplying liquid to a recording head is disclosed. The device includes a liquid container for holding liquid to be supplied to the recording head, a first connecting portion for connecting the recording head and the liquid container, and a second connecting portion having one end thereof in the liquid container, and the other end being open to the air outside and positioned lower in height than the liquid discharge port of the recording head. The device is capable of adjusting negative pressure against the nozzle of the recording head to prevent ink leakage without depending on the deformation of an ink bag.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid discharge recording apparatus that records on a recording material by discharging recording liquid. The invention also relates to a liquid supplying device used therefore.
2. Related Background Art
As a mode of a recording apparatus that forms images (characters, graphics, patterns, and the like are called images inclusively) on a recording material, such as recording sheet, there is an ink jet recording apparatus that discharges micro ink droplets from fine discharge ports. Generally, the ink jet recording apparatus provided with a recording head having nozzles used for discharge ink droplets, and an ink that contains ink to be supplied to the recording head. Then, ink is induced from the ink tank to the recording head, and the energy-generating element, such as heat generating element or piezoelectric element, which is installed near the discharge port of each nozzle of the recording head, is driven in accordance with recording signals to discharge ink droplets from each discharge port for recording by the adhesion thereof to a recording material. This ink jet recording apparatus is the so-called non-impact type recording apparatus that makes it possible to perform high-speed recording, and record on various kinds of recording mediums, and has an advantage, among others, that almost no noise is generated at the time of recording, thus being popularized and widely used.
For an ink jet recording apparatus of the kind, it is required to keep ink always under a negatively pressurized condition at the discharge port in order port, with the exception of a designated amount of micro ink droplets to be discharged, that is, to prevent ink leakage from the discharge port when driving is not given (recording on standby or the like), and also, to prevent any excessive ink flow out from the discharge port in the process of recording.
Conventionally, in order to keep ink under a negatively pressurized condition, a structure is adopted to make the height of the ink tank that contains ink lower than that of the discharge port for the utilization of water-level difference. Then, in order to keep the holding pressure of ink regulated by such water-head difference at a constant level under any circumstances, there is a need for the ink tank to be capable of changing the volume thereof in accordance with the amount of ink retained therein. For example, the structure should be arranged so that when the amount of ink inside the ink tank is reduced by a supply of ink to a recording head, the volume of the ink tank is reduced accordingly or when the amount of ink inside the ink tank is increased with a flow-in of ink from the recording head, the volume of the ink tank is increased accordingly. In generally, therefore, a flexible container, such as an aluminum-laminated bag, is used.
FIG. 8 is a view that schematically shows the structure of an ink jet recording apparatus provided with the conventional ink-supplying device. This apparatus has a recording head 110 of ink jet method that records by discharging ink, and an ink supplying device that supplies ink to the recording head 110.
The ink supplying device is provided with an aluminum-laminated flexible bag (ink tank) 210; a tank case 200, which is a highly robust housing to cover the aluminum-laminated bag 210; an ink supply tube 170, which is a pipe type connecting member to supply ink from the aluminum-laminated bag 210 to the recording head 110; and a joint 190 that couples the ink supply tube 170 with the aluminum-laminated bag 210.
The recording head 110 is provided with nozzles 150 that discharge ink; a common liquid chamber 140 serving as a pool to supply ink evenly to each of the nozzles 150; a sub-tank 120 that provisionally retains ink supplied from the ink supplying device before being supplied to the common liquid chamber 140; a filter 130 for removing dust particles contained in ink supplied from the sub-tank 120 to the common liquid chamber 140; and ink suction tube 180 for sucking ink by use of a pump (not shown) when ink is supplied for the first time to a recording head yet to be used.
For this ink jet recording apparatus, the aluminum-laminated bag 210 is filled with ink to form a closed space where no air is present. Ink is supplied to the recording head 110 from the aluminum-laminated bag 210 through the joint 190 and the ink supply tube 170. Inside the recording head 110, a certain amount of ink is retained in the sub-tank 120. Then, from the sub-tank 120, ink is supply to each of the nozzles 150 through the common liquid chamber 140. The sub-tank 120 is not filled with ink up to its total capacity, but there is a remaining portion to enable the air to be accumulated. Also, a rubber plug, valve, or the like (not shown) is used here to airtightly close the ink suction tube 180 so as not to allow ink leakage. At the tip of each nozzle 150, meniscus of ink 160 is formed, and by the surface tension of the meniscus 160, ink is held near the discharge port at the tip of nozzle 150 so as not to allow it to drop down. At this juncture, the aluminum-laminated bag 210 is positioned lower than the recording head 110 to generate a water-head difference h between the discharge port at the tip of nozzle 150 and the ink outlet of the aluminum-laminated bag 210 (the portion where the joint 190 is installed) so that the meniscus of ink 160 is positioned appropriately inside the nozzle 150, while making it possible to prevent ink from being dropped down by enabling the surface tension work appropriately.
In this conventional ink jet recording apparatus, when the inner temperature of the recording head 110 rises due to heat generation or the like along with the recording operation, the air in the sub-tank 120 expands to increase the inner pressure of the sub-tank 120. Then, ink in the sub-tank 120 flows inversely to the ink tank 200 through the ink supply tube 170, thus eliminating the pressure increase in the sub-tank 120. The ink thus inversely flows is contained in the aluminum-laminated bag 210. The aluminum-laminated flexible bag is deformed to swell. In this way, it deals with the increased amount of ink along with the inverse flow of ink form the recording head 110. As a result, the negatively pressurized condition of ink in the recording head 110 is kept at a constant level, and no change occurs in the meniscus 160 that prevents ink from being dropped down.
Also, in the ink jet recording apparatus, when ink inside the recording head 110 is consumed by the recording operation, ink inside the sub-tank 120 is reduced to lower the pressure in the sub-tank 120. Therefore, the ink inside the aluminum-laminated bag 210 flows in the sub-tank 120 through the ink supply tube 170 to eliminate lowering the pressure in the sub-tank 120. In this way, ink in the aluminum-laminated bag 210 is reduced to deform the aluminum-laminated flexible bag 210 for the performance of smooth ink supply.
In this manner, by the flow of ink between the sub-tank 120 and the aluminum-laminated bag 210, it is possible to keep the negatively pressured condition of ink in the recording head 110 at a constant level. In other words, the increase or decrease of pressure in the recording head 110 and in the entire system of the ink supplying device is absorbed by the increase or decrease of the capacity resulting from the deformation of the aluminum-laminated bag 210.
As described above, for the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, pressure exerted on ink is adjusted by the deformation of the aluminum-laminated flexible bag 210 in order to prevent ink from dropping down, while making the smooth ink supply possible. Therefore, it is required for the aluminum-laminated bag 210 to be flexible and deformable. Further, in order not to impede the deformation of the aluminum-laminated bag 210, particularly, not to impede increasing volume thereof, it is required to provide a sufficient space around the aluminum-laminated bag 210. For example, in the structure shown in FIG. 8, the tank case 200 that surrounds the aluminum-laminated bag 210 should be formed to provide a large volume so as not to impede a large swelling of the aluminum-laminated bag 210. This is the cause that the entire size of an ink jet recording apparatus should be made larger inevitably.
Meanwhile, in recent years, an ink jet recording apparatus is used even in a case where a large amount of prints is needed along with the higher speed capability, higher durability, quietness, lower running costs, and other enhanced performance, which are made available for an ink jet recording apparatus. It is also required to make the capacity of an ink tank larger to retain more ink accordingly. The ink jet recording method also makes it easier to provide images in colors, and in recent years, most of ink jet recording apparatus can record in colors. As a result, not only one black color, but also, ink of many colors, such as four colors, six colors, or seven colors, are needed, thus requiring many numbers of large-volume ink tanks to serve the purpose. This naturally causes an ink jet recording apparatus to be made larger eventually. Under such circumstances, the conventional structure as shown in FIG. 8 that uses the aluminum-laminated flexible bag 210 or some other deformable ink tank, and requires the security of space outside the ink tank, becomes extremely unfavorable in terms of the voluminal efficiency in retaining ink. As compared with the capacity of retainable ink, the volume that such pace occupies in the ink supply device is large.
As described above, there are many causes overlapping that make the conventional ink jet recording apparatus larger inevitably, and the status quo is such that it is extremely difficult to meet the requirement of downsizing and lighter weight of the apparatus for which the serviceability or the like is taken into consideration. Ultimately, for the conventional ink jet recording apparatus, it is utterly impossible to make compatible the capability of printing in a large quantity or recording in colors finely, which requires a large size of the apparatus inevitably, and the capability of enhancing serviceability, which means downsizing and making the apparatus lighter.
Now, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ink supplying device (liquid supplying device) capable of adjusting negative pressure against the nozzle of a recording head to prevent ink from dropping down, among some others, without depending on the deformation of an ink tank in the system to supply ink from an ink tank to an ink jet head, and capable of contributing to downsizing the device as compared with the conventional structure, and also, to provide an ink jet recording apparatus (liquid discharge recording apparatus) that uses such ink supplying device.
In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the liquid supplying device of the present invention for supplying liquid to a recording head for discharging liquid comprises a liquid container (ink tank) for containing liquid (ink) to be supplied to the recording head; a first connecting portion for connecting the recording head and the liquid container; and a second connecting portion having one end thereof in the liquid container, and the other end thereof being open to the air outside. For this ink supplying device, the one end of the second connecting portion connected with the liquid container is positioned lower than the height of liquid discharge port of the recording head, and an interface between liquid and the air outside exists in the second connecting portion, and by the surface tension of meniscus formed on the interface, negative pressure is generated against the liquid discharge port of the recording head.
For this liquid supplying device, it is preferable to position the other end of the second connecting portion opened to the air outside higher than the one end thereof, and also, to position the other end of the second connecting portion opened to the air outside lower than the height of the liquid discharge port of the recording head. It is also conceivable that the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion extend from the bottom face of the liquid container downward, and are bent upward on the way, respectively.
Further, it is preferable to install a buffer chamber between both ends of the second connecting portion to provisionally retain liquid overflowing from the liquid container. In this case, it is desirable to arrange a liquid absorbent in the buffer chamber or to arrange the atmosphere-opening hole provided for the buffer chamber to be downward.
The liquid supplying device thus structured keeps the negative pressure constantly with the movement of the interface in the second connecting portion following the pressure changes inside the liquid container and recording head.
Further, the first connecting portion supplies liquid from the liquid container to the recording head when liquid in the recording head is consumed, and the second connecting portion induces the air outside into the liquid container when pressure in the liquid container is reduced.
As described above, the liquid supplying device of the present invention is provided with a liquid container (ink tank) that contains liquid (ink) to be supplied to a recording head; a first connecting portion that connects the recording head and the liquid container; and a second connecting portion having one end thereof in the liquid container and the other end thereof being open to the air outside, and one end of the second connecting portion connected with the liquid container is positioned lower than the height of the liquid discharge port of the recording head. Then, the structure is arranged so that there exists an interface between liquid and the air outside in the second connecting portion, and by the surface tension of meniscus formed on this interface, negative pressure is generated against the liquid discharge port of the recording head. In this way, liquid is prevented from being dropped down form the discharge port of the recording head. Further, it is arranged to move the interface in the second connecting portion in accordance with the changes in pressure in the liquid container and recording head so as to keep the negative pressure constantly. Therefore, it is unnecessary for the liquid container to deform. It can be a simple housing. The restriction of usable materials is small accordingly, and the manufacture is also simpler and executable at lower costs. Then, liquid can be filled in the liquid container up to its capacity, while it is unnecessary to secure space surrounding the liquid container, hence making efficiency extremely favorable in containing liquid. Also, there is no need for making the liquid supply device too large, thus contributing to saving space in the liquid discharge recording apparatus provided with this liquid supplying device.
Also, an liquid discharge recording apparatus, which is provided with the liquid supply device described above, and a recording head, and which performs recording by discharging liquid form the recording head to a recording medium, belongs to the present invention. With the structure thus arranged, it is unnecessary to make the liquid supplying device larger, thus implementing downsizing the liquid discharge apparatus as a whole. It is particularly effective for the liquid discharge recording apparatus that performs recording in a large quantity or fine color recording.
Also, with the provision of a buffer chamber that retains liquid provisionally between both ends of the second connecting portion, the buffer chamber functions to be receptacle for liquid that may be pushed out of the liquid container due to the expansion of air in the liquid container when temperature rises, thus preventing the inside of the recording apparatus from being stained by liquid contained in the liquid container.

Liquid supplying device and liquid discharge recording apparatus


A wearable device (100) includes a body (1) and a detection electrode (21). The body (1) includes an electrocardiosignal collection circuit (11), and an inner electrode (12) and an outer electrode (13) that are electrically connected to the electrocardiosignal collection circuit (11). The inner electrode (12) is configured to collect an electric potential signal of a first wearing position (200), and the outer electrode (13) is configured to collect an electric potential signal of a non-wearing position (300). The detection electrode (21) can move relative to the body (1), and the detection electrode (21) is configured to electrically connect to the electrocardiosignal collection circuit (11) and collect an electric potential signal of a second wearing position (400). The non-wearing position (300) and the second wearing position (400) are different from the first wearing position (200). The wearable device (100) can measure electrocardiosignal data in time.

For some people who have a heart disease such as an electrocardiogram abnormality, the abnormality can be discovered in time only when electrocardiosignal data is detected in time, to prevent a possible lesion or a relapse as early as possible. Most conventional electrocardiogram (Electrocardiogram, ECG) measuring instruments are handheld all-in-one machines connected to clamp electrodes, suction chest electrodes, and tab electrodes by using lead wires. The conventional electrocardiogram measuring instrument in a large size is not easy to carry, and is mainly used in a scenario such as a hospital. Therefore, a purpose of in-time measurement cannot be achieved.


In a mobile communication method by which a mobile station (UE) transmits a control signal to a radio base station (eNB) in an uplink by using an uplink dedicated resource, different methods for determining whether or not a synchronization state is established in the uplink, are used depending on whether or not the uplink dedicated resource is set up.

In general, in a mobile communication system, transmission delays of signals from mobile stations UE at a radio base station eNB differ depending on the difference between the distances to the radio base station eNB from the respective mobile stations UE. For example, a transmission delay of a signal from a mobile station UE located at a cell edge is larger than a transmission delay of a signal from a mobile station UE located near the radio base station eNB.
In a radio access scheme such as "LTE (Long Term Evolution)" which has been promoted by the 3GPP for standardization in recent years, if timing differences of receiving signals (each being an uplink data signal, a control signal or the like) from mobile stations UE at a radio base station eNB are within a certain range (a Cyclic prefix length given to each information symbol in a radio sub-frame), the signals from the respective mobile stations UE are orthogonal to each other. Thus, it is determined that a synchronization state is established in an uplink for each mobile station UE.
Specifically, in the above radio access scheme, if an uplink dedicated resource (for example, a PUCCH: Physical Uplink Control Channel) is set up, the radio base station eNB can measure an offset between reference reception timing, and reception timing of a control signal (for example, a Sounding Reference signal, CQI information, or a Scheduling Request) transmitted from each mobile station UE by use of the uplink dedicated resource, and thus can determine whether or not a synchronization state is established in an uplink for each mobile station UE.    Non-patent Document 1: 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #47bis R1-070106 (Jan. 15, 2007)

Mobile communication method and radio base station


Each section (10) of the machine comprises a parison moulding apparatus (12), a final moulding apparatus (14) and an invert mechanism (16). The invert mechanism is driven by a servo-motor (108) connected to a gear (100, 102) secured to an end portion of a neck ring support (90, 92) of the invert mechanism away from the center-line of the section. The baffle mechansim (32) of the parison moulding apparatus (12) is mounted on an overhead structure (22) and the mould portions (62) of the final moulding apparatus (14) are moved in a straight line to open and close the moulds. By these measures, the center-line of the section (10) is cleared enabling the radius of the invert mechanism (16) to be reduced.

This invention is concerned with glassware forming machines of the individual section type.
The individual section type of glassware forming machine is well known and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,119. A machine of this type manufactures glass containers from gobs of molten glass and has a number of sections each of which receives gobs from the same source and deposits completed containers on the same conveyors. The sections receive gobs in turn and operate identically but with phase differences between them.
Each section of an individual section type machine comprises a section frame on which the various mechanisms of the section are supported, the frame being in the form of a box whose top forms a table on which some mechanisms are supported and in holes in which other mechanisms are mounted. Each section comprises a parison moulding apparatus operable to mould gobs of molten glass supplied to the section into parisons, which term is used for an intermediate shape between a gob and a completed container. A parison moulding apparatus conventionally comprises a pivot pin on which two blank mould supporting arms are mounted for pivoting motion towards or away from one another. Each arm supports at least one mould side portion and movement of the arms brings opposed side portions into engagement to define a mould cavity in which a parison can be moulded or into a separated condition to allow removal of parisons. A plunger mechanism is mounted beneath each blank mould to move a plunger into or out of the mould cavity. A baffle mechanism is operable to move a baffle into position on a mould to close the top thereof and in most cases a funnel mechanism is provided to move a gob guiding funnel into position to guide a gob into the mould cavity and then to remove the funnel from the path of the baffle.
Each section also comprises a final moulding apparatus operable to mould parisons formed by the parison moulding apparatus into glassware containers. Conventionally, a final moulding apparatus comprises a pivot pin on which two final mould supporting arms are mounted for pivoting motion towards or away from one another. Each arm supports at least one mould side portion and movement of the arms brings opposed side portions into engagement to define a mould cavity around a parison which can then be moulded in the cavity or into a separated condition to allow removal of a container and introduction of a further parison. The final moulding apparatus also comprises a bottom plate forming the bottom of the mould cavity and a blowhead mechanism operable to place a blowhead on a parison in a mould cavity so that air blown into the parison through the blowhead causes the parison to expand to the shape of the mould cavity.
Each section also comprises an invert mechanism operable to move parisons arcuately about a horizontal axis to transfer them from the parison moulding apparatus to the final moulding apparatus. A conventional invert mechanism comprises a neck ring support mounted to turn back and forth about said horizontal axis to move parison-gripping neck rings mounted thereon between the parison moulding apparatus and the final moulding apparatus, and drive means operable to turn the neck ring support as aforesaid. The neck rings are arranged to form a neck portion of the mould cavity of the parison moulding apparatus, to support the parison when the mould opens, and to support the parison during its arcuate movement to the final moulding apparatus and then release it into the mould of the final moulding apparatus. The drive means of an invert mechanism conventionally comprises a gear centrally mounted on the neck ring support, i.e. on the centre line of the section, and a vertically-disposed piston and cylinder assembly operable to move a rack meshed with the gear to move the neck ring support arcuately as aforesaid.
In a conventional section, the pivot pin for the blank mould supporting arms, the plunger mechanism, the piston and cylinder of the invert mechanism with its rack, and the pivot pin for the final mould supporting arms are all supported on the centre line of the section. The baffle mechanism and any funnel mechanism are supported by the top of the section frame away from the centre line but project close to said centre line. The blowhead mechanism is supported by an overhead structure of the section.
In a conventional individual section machine section, the mean radius of the invert mechanism is 12 inches (30.5 cms) for a 4.25 inch (10.8 cms) machine, i.e. the distance from the axis of the invert mechanism to the central point of two blank or final moulds spaced with their centres 4.25 inches apart is 12 inches. Some 4.5 inches (10.4 cms) of this 12 inches is occupied by the moulds and the remainder is required to clear the baffle mechanism, any funnel mechanism, and the piston and cylinder assembly of the invert mechanism with its rack (on the one side of the axis), and the pivot pin of the final mould supporting arms (on the other side of the axis).

Glassware forming machine of the individual section type


According to some embodiments, systems and methods are provided, comprising receiving at least one filter parameter in a filter parameter field and tracing features for tracing execution of an application, wherein the application includes a source code; executing the application while tracing the execution, based on the tracing features, to generate a trace; analyzing the generated trace; and determining a portion of the source code associated with a software bug based on the analysis. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Organizations often receive software applications in a standard configuration. These organizations may enhance the standard configuration by modifying the computer code of the application to create an application that suits their specific business needs. However, execution of the modified code may result in the generation of error incidences. The error incidents may be a result of the enhancement itself, or a result of a bug in the standard software. Typically, the organization may consult the provider of the original software to analyze and/or resolve the errors. Determining the source of the error may be a time-consuming task, and the longer it takes to determine the source of the error, the longer it may take to resolve the error. Increased time in resolving the error may lead to customer dissatisfaction, long running issues with the software, high probability of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) violations, and a negative impact on support quality.
Systems and methods are desired which support efficient identification of errors in customer-modified software.


A recording apparatus reads and stores video signals on a recording medium. The recording apparatus has a recording mode and a recording pause mode. In the recording mode, the video signals are stored in a memory, and the video signals read from the memory are recorded. In the recording pause mode, the video signals are stored in the memory by cycling through selecting storage addresses, and the recording of the video signals is terminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recording apparatuses, and in particular, to a recording apparatus that records video signals on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional camcorders are known as examples of the recording apparatuses.
In camcorders, a predetermined time lag is necessary from a user""s instruction to start recording until recording actually starts. This causes a problem in that if the user activates recording when the user wants to record, it is often too late to record the scene, and the user may feel that the utility of the camcorder is limited.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus to solve the above problem.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording apparatus that securely records the desired image, no matter how recording is activated.
To these ends, according to the present invention, the foregoing objects are achieved through provision of a recording apparatus including a storage unit for holding video signals; a control unit for controlling the operation of the storage unit; a recording unit for recording the video signals read from the storage unit; and a mode-setting unit for selectively setting one of a plurality of modes including a recording mode in which the control unit stores the video signals in the storage unit, and the recording unit records the video signals read from the storage unit, and a recording pause mode in which the control unit stores the video signals in the storage unit by cycling through selecting storage addresses of the storage unit at which the video signals are stored, and the recording of the video signals is terminated.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a recording apparatus includes a memory storing video signals of n frames where n represents an integer not less than 2. Recording means are provided for recording, on a recording medium, the video signals read from the memory. Instruction means manually instructs a start of the recording of the video signals by the recording means. Control means controls the storing operation of the memory and the recording operation of the recording means. The control means also writes the video signals into the memory by cyclically designating write addresses of the memory. The control means controls the memory and the recording, means so that, in accordance with an instruction received from the instruction means, video signals corresponding to the (nxe2x88x921)th frame at the time of the instruction are read from the memory and recorded by the recording means.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a recording apparatus includes a memory storing video signals of n frames where n represents an integer not less than 2. Recording means are provided for recording, on a recording medium, the video signals read from the memory. Instruction means manually instructs a stop of the recording of the video signals by the recording means, and control means controls the storing operation of the memory and the recording operation of the recording means. The control means writes the video signals into the memory by cyclically designating write addresses of the memory. The control means also controls the memory and the recording means so that, in accordance with an instruction received by the instruction means, the video signals of n frames, from the time of the instruction, are read, and after that, the recording of the video signals by the recording means is stopped.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a recording means comprises a memory storing video signals of n frames where n represents an integer not less than 2. Recording means are provided for recording, on a recording medium, the video signals read from the memory. A first instruction means manually instructs a start of the recording of the video signals by the recording means, while a second instruction means manually instructs a stop of the recording of the video signals by the recording means. Control means controls the storing operation of the memory and the recording operation of the recording means. The control means writes the video signals into the memory by cyclically designating write addresses of the memory. The control means controls the memory and the recording means so that, in accordance with an instruction received by the instruction means, video signals corresponding to the (nxe2x88x921)th frame at the time of the instruction from the first instruction means are read from the memory and recorded on the recording means. The control means controls the memory and the recording means so that, in accordance with an instruction received by the second instruction means, the video signals for n frames from the time of the instruction of the second instruction means are read before the recording of the video signals by the recording means is terminated.

Recording apparatus having a pause mode in which video signals are written to memory by cyclically designating write addresses


An apparatus and method for testing the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor wafer, including integrated circuit components thereof. An outer layer surrounds an inside needle, such that the outer layer comprises a hard material, which can penetrate through a semiconductor layer to permit subsequent testing of at least one semiconductor integrated circuit component located below the semiconductor layer. The inside needle may be adapted to electrically contact one or more electrical semiconductor circuit components located below the semiconductor layer. The inside needle generally comprises a prober, while the outer layer generally comprises a piercer. The outer layer may be configured from a hard material, such as diamond or carborundum. The inside needle and the outer layer together form a concentric double layer structure prober. The outer layer generally comprises a sheath formed from a hard dielectric material, such that the sheath comprises a piercer.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for the testing of semiconductor devices. Specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods thereof, which facilitate the creation of a temporary electrical connection with semiconductor devices for the purpose of testing the functionality of the semiconductor devices. The present invention also relates to electrical prober devices and methods thereof.
Usually in the field of manufacture of semiconductor devices, such as integrated circuits (ICs), and during one of the final stages of the manufacture, the electrical characteristics of semiconductor devices, called IC chips, formed on a silicon wafer or the like are examined. Such examination is normally effected prior to cutting the wafer to divide the same into respective IC chips. For the sake of such examination, an integrated-circuit tester, called an IC tester, and a probing apparatus, called a wafer prober, are used. The examination itself of the electrical characteristics of each of the IC chips is carried out actually by the IC tester, and the wafer prober is used in order to establish an electrical connection between the IC tester and each of the IC chips on the wafer.
Manufacturers of semiconductor products thus commonly test their products prior to shipping them to their customers. These tests are usually performed both at the wafer level (xe2x80x9cwafer sortxe2x80x9d), where the semiconductors are remain in the form in which they were manufactured, and at the package level (xe2x80x9cpackage sortxe2x80x9d), after the wafer has been sawn up and the individual chips have been mounted into their protective carriers. To perform these tests, a temporary, non-destructive electrical connection must be formed between the semiconductor device and the testing apparatus. The device used to perform this function at the wafer sort stage is generically known as a xe2x80x9cwafer probe cardxe2x80x9d. Thus generally, when the electrical characteristics of a wafer chip are tested, respective probes contact a plurality of microscopic electrode pads on a chip and the electrical test is performed through these probes.
Individuals with ordinary skill in the art will be familiar with various types of wafer probe cards and associated probers. Those skilled in the art are also familiar with the conventional assemblies utilized to interface, both mechanically and electrically, the semiconductor test computer""s xe2x80x9ctest headxe2x80x9d with an automated wafer prober in which a wafer probe card is positioned. The purpose of a test head is generally to place the high speed xe2x80x9ctest electronicsxe2x80x9d needed to test certain types of electronic devices as close as possible to the device-under-test (DUT). This shorter path greatly facilitates the passing of signals between the test electronics and the DUT. Wafer probers may be implemented as automated or manually controlled devices. A wafer prober may be configured as a conductive metal prober.
The physical relationship between the test head and the wafer prober has, historically, been problematic. The electrical connection between the test head and the wafer prober is generally a rigid member and a number of inventions have been created with the goal of forcing the test head and prober into an idealized physical relationship. Unfortunately, these rigid systems are generally either unwieldy or unsuccessful in their goal of forcing the test head and the prober into alignment. The result of this is a lack of reliable electrical contact between the test head and the probe card. Another undesirable result of this technique is warping of probe cards due to the forces induced on them either directly by the test head or by the Prober-Tester Interface (PTI).
Copper deposition manufacturing processes are gradually being adopted for deep sub-micron semiconductor manufacturing due its associated low resistance. A thin protecting silicon dioxide dielectric film is usually capped on intermetal wafers to prevent copper degradation before electrical measurement. It is generally difficult for a conductive metal prober to pierce through the hard dielectric film of a semiconductor wafer requiring testing. Moreover, state-of-the-art prober tips are designed as round-shaped tips, resulting frequently in worn-out probers. Most importantly, a significant noise due to poor prober-to-bond-pad contact can cause inaccurate measurement results, even though metal probers successfully pierce through the protecting dielectric film.
Based on the foregoing, the present inventors have concluded that a need exists for an improved semiconductor wafer prober, which can overcome the aforementioned problems associated with prior art probers. The present inventors further realize that a need exists for a prober, which provides accurate and increasingly reliable electrical measurement data and a reduction in metal prober consumption.
The following summary of the invention is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the present invention, and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.
It is therefore one aspect of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for testing the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor integrated circuit.
It another aspect of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for piercing through a semiconductor layer to test electrical components configured below the semiconductor layer.
It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide a piercer, which is configured from a hard material, such as, for example, diamond or carborundum.
It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for testing semiconductor wafers and integrated electrical components thereof based on a piercer combined with a prober.
It is still another aspect of the present invention to provide a cocentric double layer structure prober.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a piercer mounted as an outer layer surrounding an inner layer which functions as conductive metal prober.
It is also an aspect of the present invention to provide a dummy probe card, which can be installed with piercers made from a hard material such as, for example, diamond or carborundum.
It is yet an additional aspect of the present invention to provide a round tip metal probe, which can be utilized to measure electrical characteristics of a semiconductor wafer, including integrated circuit components thereof.
The above and other aspects of the present invention can thus be achieved as is now described. An apparatus and method for testing the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor integrated circuit are disclosed herein. In a first embodiment of the present invention, an outer layer surrounds an inside needle, such that the outer layer comprises a hard material, which can penetrate through a semiconductor layer to permit subsequent testing of at least one semiconductor integrated circuit component located below the semiconductor layer. The inside needle may be adapted to electrically contact one or more electrical semiconductor circuit components located below the semiconductor layer. The inside needle generally comprises a prober, while the outer layer generally comprises a piercer. The outer layer may be configured from a hard material, such as diamond or carborundum. The inside needle and the outer layer together form a concentric double layer structure prober. The outer layer generally comprises a sheath formed from a hard dielectric material, such that the sheath comprises a piercer.
In a second or alternative embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for testing the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor integrated circuit can include a piercer comprising a hard material, wherein the piercer permits enhanced piercing of at least one semiconductor layer to thereby test at least one semiconductor integrated circuit component located below the semiconductor layer. Such an apparatus may also include a dummy probe card for establishing an electrical contact path between a conductive electrical prober thereof and one or more one semiconductor layers, thereby permitting subsequent electrical measurement of one or more semiconductor integrated circuit components located below such semiconductor layers. The conductive electrical prober may comprise a round tip metal probe, which can pierce through a Cu process path prior to Cu electrical interconnections thereof.

Piercer combined prober for CU interconnect water-level preliminary electrical test

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A delivery device includes a guide tool and an impact tool. The guide tool includes an elongate body formed with a longitudinal guide channel, whose inner perimeter is made to complement an outer contour of an implant. The elongate body is formed with a longitudinal impact-tool channel, whose inner perimeter is made to complement an outer contour of the impact tool.

There are many anatomical geometrical changes between one individual and another. A joint shape can vary between individuals and even between the joints in the same individual. Devices that are designed to be inserted into a certain joint space should therefore include means to adapt the geometry to suit the particular joint. For example, a device may have a straight shape, and as it is forced into the joint space, it must bend according to the arcuate joint space.
However, the insertion of the device into the joint space may require application of impact in order for the device to enter the joint space. The application of the impact may cause the device to bend before it properly enters the joint space. This may cause the procedure to fail, either because the bending of the device prevents its entry or the device may break as it bunches or buckles upon entry into the body lumen.


The vertical reflective enclosure, containing a double-pane bay window panels, with movable inserts between the panes, which function as shading devices, and a light reflective panels directly extending above the bay window panels at top portion, intended to channel the sunlight and an outside view from the translucent roof membrane to the exterior wall installed transparent mirror window. This enclosure, in the form of a bay shaft configuration adapted for positioning around such window, is attached at the upper end around the translucent roof membrane and at the bottom and terminated below the wall window. The bay window inside panes are made of reflective material so that the bay window panels having highly reflective surface with fully drawn shading devices, while being light translucent with pulled up the shading devices, thereby camouflaging an unpleasant outside view, opening up the house room to a pleasant illusionary vista due to the endless reflecting, enhancing light and view channeling to a dusky rooms, improving security, reducting noise level, securing privacy, and saving energy.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the addition of a wall window with a reflective enclosure for use in houses, apartments or commercial establishments without a pleasant view or sufficient sunlight or both. The main object of this invention is to camouflage an unpleasant outside view, open up an area within a structure to a pleasant illusionary vista, improve light or add a view of the sky.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are considerable prior art structures relating to improvements in roof windows or skylight design and which combine artificial light and natural light sources for day or night illumination. Examples of such structures can be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.
Freeman (U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,900) issued July 20, 1982; PA1 Van Dame (U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,505) issued Mar. 29, 1988; PA1 and Mori (U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,716) issued Aug. 2, 1988. PA1 Buck, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,546) issued Mar. 1, 1977 and PA1 Ruggiari, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,306) issued May 17, 1977.
There are also considerable prior art structures relating to improvements in bay or garden windows adapted to fit in the opening of a standard wall window frame. Examples of such structures can be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
Such known structures have, generally speaking, been constructed to improvement illumination of a room by way of natural or artificial light, save energy, add extra space and/or enhance the interior appearance of the room. However, many important options and considerations, such as directing light through a wall-opening in lieu of ceiling opening, thus creating more desirable effects, concealing an unpleasant outside view, adding views of the sun and sky, or opening a room to an imaginary view or enhancing an existing view by the addition of one or all of the above-mentioned choices to any area within a structure through planning and design have been made possible only by the features of this invention.


A compact assembly of two magnetic couplers for coupling two coaxial angular shaft movements through a vacuum barrier. Each coupler includes two concentric rings of radially oriented magnets, arranged to provide magnetic coupling in a radial direction between corresponding magnets in the rings. A relatively large number of magnets in each ring ensures stiff coupling between rings, but unwanted circumferential coupling between adjacent magnets in each ring is minimized by the presence of a flux ring associated with each ring of magnets. The flux rings provide a return path for radial magnetic flux lines between the rings. Cross-coupling between the couplers is minimized by the presence of a magnetic shield on each ring of magnets. The shields permit the couplers to be located in close proximity on their common axis of rotation. For corrosion resistance, each ring of magnets on the vacuum side of the barrier is housed in a stainless steel enclosure.

This invention relates generally to electromechanical robots for use in vacuum chamber or other non-atmospheric environments and, more particularly, to vacuum chamber robots using magnetic couplers for transmitting mechanical torque through a vacuum chamber wall without the need for vacuum seals. Robots of various types are often used to move workpieces within a vacuum environment. For example, in semiconductor fabrication, substrates or wafers may need to be moved in and out of processing chambers in a vacuum or near-vacuum environment.
There are two related problems in the design of vacuum chamber robots capable of angular and radial motion. In a typical processing system, the vacuum chamber is centrally located with respect to surrounding processing chambers, and the robot functions to move substrates or other workpieces from one processing chamber to another. One problem with this arrangement is that the vacuum chamber may have to be relatively large to accommodate a large substrate as it is withdrawn from a processing chamber, rotated to a new position, and inserted into another processing chamber. A design goal is to minimize the size of the vacuum chamber, since this results in a lower manufacturing cost, a processing system of smaller volume, and a reduced likelihood of contamination. Reduction of the size of the vacuum chamber may be difficult to achieve if there are many surrounding processing chambers that contribute to the size of the system, but volume reduction is usually an important goal when the number of processing chambers is relatively small.
One way to minimize the vacuum chamber volume is to provide a robot capable of positioning a substrate over the robot's center of rotation. Then the robot and substrate can be rotated in a chamber of the smallest possible size. Providing a robot that can be moved to an over-center position requires a robot drive mechanism that is coupled into the chamber from beneath the chamber. The present invention is concerned with magnetic couplers for transmitting the angular movement of coaxial shafts into the vacuum chamber.
Drive motors for a vacuum chamber robot are preferably mounted outside the chamber, and angular movement must be transmitted through the vacuum chamber wall. Designing the chamber wall to accommodate one or more rotatable shafts that pass through it is an unsatisfactory approach because seals around the drive shafts eventually fail. In the case of a robot providing movement in two dimensions, two independent drive motors are required, further complicating the problem. In some robots, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,601 to Maydan et al., it is desirable to transmit the two drive torques into the vacuum chamber coaxially. As discussed above, a coaxial drive mechanism is also needed if it desired to move the robot to a compact, over-center position.
Magnetic torque couplers have been used for many purposes in the past. Basically, a magnetic torque coupler consists of two sets of magnets, usually permanent magnets, mounted on separate, but often coaxial, shafts and separated by a vacuum barrier. The sets of magnets are coupled together magnetically, such that rotation of one of the shafts causes synchronous rotation of the other.
Although this concept is a simple one, there are significant difficulties in implementing it in a practical context, especially when providing coupling for two coaxial drives. A fundamental requirement is that the mechanical coupling has to be strong or "stiff." Rotation of one set of magnets has to result in practically synchronous rotation of the other, with minimal lag in response. Loose magnetic coupling results in robot positioning inaccuracies or, at best, in significant positioning delays. If two couplers are used to couple two drive shafts into the vacuum chamber, the couplers must typically be spatially separated to minimize unwanted cross-coupling between them.
Accordingly, there is still need for improvement in the field of vacuum chamber robots. The present invention addresses this need.

Dual coaxial magnetic couplers for vacuum chamber robot assembly