A cylinder block has a cylinder block body and a cylinder liner block mounted by casting in the cylinder block body. The cylinder liner block is formed from a material having a rigidity larger than that of the cylinder block body, and the cylinder liner block comprises a liner section mounted by casting in position in a cylinder barrel portion of the cylinder block body, and a reinforcing wall section mounting by casting in position in a bearing wall of a crank case portion of the cylinder block body in a. Thus, it is possible to increase the wear resistance of cylinders in the cylinder block, as well as to provide an increase in performance by reductions in vibration and noise of the engine including the cylinder block, and to provide reductions in size, weight and cost of the cylinder block by a reduction in thickness of the bearing walls.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cylinder block for an internal combustion engine and a process for casting the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A cylinder block for an internal combustion engine is produced by a high pressure casting process such as a die casting process. In such a case, a cylinder liner block defining cylinders in the cylinder block is formed with cylinder liners of into a cylindrical shape and mounted in a cylinder barrel portion of a cylinder block body which forms a main portion of the cylinder block (see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 28289/89).
The conventional cylinder liner block is formed mainly for the purpose of increasing the wear resistance of the cylinder in which a piston slides, but this cylinder liner block does not contribute to an increase in rigidity of the cylinder block itself and particularly to an increase in rigidity of a bearing wall which supports a crankshaft in a crank case portion of the cylinder block.
The conventional cylinder block body is formed into a complicated shape having a cylinder barrel portion including a plurality cylinders, and a crank case portion formed with a plurality of bearing walls for supporting the crankshaft. Therefore, the cylinder block body has both thin and thick portions and hence, it is difficult to make the chilling or solidifying rate uniform over the entire region during solidification of the cylinder block. For example, a base portion of the bearing wall for supporting the crankshaft is formed thick and hence, has a volume larger than those of other portions, thereby bringing about casting defects such as sink marks due to solidification shrinkage effects.
Thus, in order to prevent such casting defects, there has been conceived an approach for partially accelerating the solidifying rate by additionally using a chiller metal portion or other partially chiller means. However, such an approach results in complicated casting equipment and process, thereby bringing about an increase in cost.
Further, in the prior art casting process, in order to form a water jacket directly surrounding an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder liner block and particularly a water jacket having an undercut portion, a core such as a sand core must be used.

Cylinder block and a process for casting the same


A mobile unit managing network is provided which is capable of supporting a communication area being wider than ever by one highest-layer router. A radio base station transfers a path updating notification fed from a mobile terminal to a lowest-layer router. The lowest-layer router establishes a path in which a network address to the mobile terminal exists in the radio base station and transfers path information to an intermediate-layer router serving as an upward router. The intermediate-layer router establishes a path in which the network address to the mobile terminal exists in the lowest-layer router and transfers path information to the highest-layer router. The highest-layer router, when having received path information notification from the intermediate-layer router, establishes a path in which the network address to the mobile terminal exists in the intermediate-layer router.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile unit managing network and a path establishing method to be used for the mobile unit managing network and more particularly to a method for setting up a hierarchy-type network.
The present application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-165839 filed on Jun. 11, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional mobile unit managing network based on host routing, as shown in FIG. 4, a hierarchy-type network is set up using one unit of a highest-layer router R1 as a root router in which each of routers Ra to Rf manages a path for each of mobile terminals MN1 to MN4, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-223219 (Pages 5 and 6, FIG. 1).
That is, the disclosed conventional mobile unit managing network includes the highest-layer router R1, intermediate-layer routers Ra and Rb, lowest-layer routers Rc to Rf, radio base stations BS1 to BS8, and mobile terminals MN1 to MN4 in which the highest-layer router R1 is connected to the routers Ra to Rf through wire and the radio base stations BS1 to BS8 are connected to mobile terminals MN1 to MN4 by wireless.
Path updating notification fed from each of the mobile terminals MN1 to MN4 is transmitted through each of the radio base stations BS1 to BS8 to each of the lowest-layer routers Rc to Rf from where the path updating notification is further transmitted to the highest-layer router R1. The highest-layer router R1 manages only a network "xxxx::/64" and network addresses "xxxx::1", "yyyy::2", "aaaa::3", and "bbbb::4" are assigned respectively to the mobile terminals MN1 to MN4.
In this case, a communication route is established by the highest-layer router R1 so that the network address "xxxx::1" exists in the intermediate layer router Ra, and "yyyy::2", "aaaa::3", and "bbbb::4" exists in the intermediate router Rb.
A communication route is established by the intermediate-layer router Ra so that the network address "xxxx::1" exists in the lowest-layer router Rd. A communication route is established by the intermediate-layer router Rb so that the network address "yyyy::2" exists in the lowest-layer router Re. A communication route is established by the lowest-layer router Re so that the network address "aaaa::3" and "bbbb::4" exist in the lowest-layer router Rf.
A communication route is established by the lowest-layer router Rd so that the network address "xxxx::1" exists in the radio base station BS3. A communication route is established by the lowest-layer router Re so that the network address "yyyy::2" exists in the radio base station BS5. A communication route is established by the lowest-layer router Rf so that the communication address "aaaa::3" exists in the radio base station BS7 and the communication address "bbbb::4" exists in the radio base station BS8.
However, a conventional network set-up method has a problem. That is, in the conventional network set-up method, since only the number of routes for a mobile terminal that can be managed by a highest-layer router can be managed by one mobile unit managing network, a wide communication area can not be covered. To solve this problem, a method is required in which when a mobile terminal moves in a wide communication area, two or more mobile unit managing networks are set up in parallel.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system of updating routing/establishing paths in a hierarchical network


Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method comprising sending a first list of formats associated with media content to a client device via a network, and receiving from the client device a selection of a format from a second list of formats filtered from the first list using filtering criteria. The second list includes formats compatible with the client device. The filtering criteria can be based on performance metrics of the network and on capabilities of the client device. During presentation of the content at the client device in the selected format, transmission of the content item can be dynamically altered in response to a message that the presentation be continued in a different format. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Media content can be delivered over a network to client device(s) using adaptive bit rate (ABR) streaming. The format in which the content is best presented depends on several factors including performance of the network, configuration of the client device, and capabilities of the client device. These factors can change over time, and in particular can change during presentation of the content.

Dynamic playlist customization by adaptive streaming client


A monitoring apparatus, and method of use, that is capable of determining the joint characteristics by means of waveforms shifts at zero-crossing angular distortions through predictive failure algorithm specific to circuit under test.

Connections Points of power transmission networks have been historically joined through a mechanical means referred to as a splice. These joints are typically the "weak link" of any transmission network and presently there are limited methods to determine the splice integrity after mechanically joining these components. When installing these splice in the field, there is no easy or cost effective means to inspect the integrity of the splice either at the initial install or from future breakdowns due to environmental conditions or material degradation. This degradation reduces electrical conductivity, increased transmission losses, and typically leads to catastrophic failures before splice is replaced.
There is a critical requirement for technologies and/or products that can rapidly, accurately, and cost effectively be deployed to characterize the conditions of the installed splices and forecast the life expectance of the splice before catastrophic events occur. Preventive maintenance practices can be deployed with the "time to failure" (TTF) information that provides management with the means to forecast manpower, budgets, and resources to sustain the network.
One such typical application that is in need of preventive maintenance of joint integrity is the high voltage transmission network which is made up of high power tension lines, each of which requires a splice approximately every ½ km. These individual sections of power lines are connected by a large mechanical crimped splice, which are considered to be the critical link by the utility companies. Currently the majority of these joints are past their life expectance and inherently due for catastrophic failures across North America.

Method and apparatus for predicting life cycle of a splice


An apparatus, a system, and a method for improvements in fused filament fabrication (FFF). Characteristics of a filament may be measured during production of the filament and the characteristics stored in a memory for retrieval by a 3D printer. The 3D printer adjusts print settings as necessary based on the measured characteristics, thereby resulting in better print quality.

Additive manufacturing, including three dimensional printing, represents a very significant advance in the development of not only printing technologies, but also of product research and development capabilities, prototyping capabilities, and experimental capabilities, by way of example. Of available additive manufacturing technologies (collectively "3D printing"), fused filament fabrication ("FFF") printing is one of the most significant types of 3D printing that has been developed.
FFF is an additive manufacturing technology that allows for the creation of 3D elements on a layer-by-layer basis, starting with the base or bottom layer of a printed element and printing until the top or last layer. The layers are formed, for example, by heating and extruding thermoplastic filaments into the successive layers. Simply stated, an FFF system includes a print head with a material guide leading to a heated nozzle, wherein the print material filament is fed through the material guide. The FFF system further includes an X-Y planar control for moving the print head in the X-Y plane and a print platform, upon which the base is printed and which additionally moves in the Z-axis as successive layers are printed.
More particularly, the FFF printer nozzle transfers heat to the thermoplastic print filament received through the material guide from the print head, thereby converting the print filament to a semi-liquid state. Typically, the semi-liquid thermoplastic is deposited in variably sized beads along the X-Y planar extrusion printing path plan provided for building of each successive layer of the element. The printed bead/trace size may vary based on the par, or aspects of the part being printed. Further, if structural support is needed within a part, the trace printed by the FFF printer may include removable material. The removable material is subsequently removed to form a scaffolding to provide the support within the part where needed. Accordingly, FFF may be used to build simple or complex geometries for experimental or functional parts such as for prototyping, low volume production, manufacturing aids, and the like.
FFF printers feed the filament material to the print head from a spool. A consistent filament diameter is essential for delivering a consistent amount of filament during a print job because a volume of the filament that is delivered per unit of length of the filament deposited is a function of the filament's diameter. Thus, if the diameter varies from an expected diameter (for example, the diameter is on the high or low side of the reported tolerance for the filament), then the volume of the filament that is deposited will be too much or too little. When purchasing the filament for 3D printing, consumers can buy filament with tighter diameter tolerances, however there are limitations to how tight the tolerance can be for the filament diameter during production of the filament. There is a need in the art for an FFF printer that makes adjustments to the printer based on the exact spool that is being fed to the machine. By compensating for deviations in the diameter of the filament, more consistent printed parts can be produced.
There is a need in the art for an apparatus, system, and method of making 3D printer adjustments to compensate for variations in the diameter of the filament based on information that is specific to the spool of the filament that is being fed to the printer.

Apparatus, system, and method of characterizing filament properties and adjusting 3D printer parameters for decreased filament deposition variability


The present disclosure relates to the technical field of rock mechanics, and in particular to a method for accurately measuring a reopening pressure of hydraulic fracturing induced fracture in a deep borehole. The method includes: pumping a fluid into a sealed inner space of a drilling pipe for energy storage; and opening a valve at a lower end of the drilling pipe such that energy is released from the fluid in the inner space of the drilling pipe under the action of pressure to inject the fluid into a test interval. In the method according to the present disclosure, a fluid is pumped into an inner space of a drilling pipe so that the inner space of the drilling pipe is used as a high-pressure fluid pump to inject the fluid in the inner space of the drilling pipe to the test interval until the closed fracture is reopened.

A method for measuring in-situ stress by hydraulic fracturing is currently generally recognized as the most effective technical method for directly measuring in-situ stress in a deep borehole. Due to the advantages that a stress value, in particular a minimum principal stress, can be directly measured with simple operation without rock mechanical parameters, and that the measurement depth is theoretically unlimited, the method for measuring in-situ stress by hydraulic fracturing has been widely used in engineering fields such as hydropower, mines, tunnels, nuclear waste disposal and petroleum strategic storage site selection, as well as the fields such as research on continental dynamics, evaluation of regional crustal stability, and research on seismogenic mechanism, and important social impacts and huge economic benefits are created.
A typical apparatus for the hydraulic fracturing test is designed such that a test zone (generally referred to as a test interval) is sealed and isolated in a borehole with two inflatable packers, and a liquid is injected thereinto using a high-pressure water pump at the ground surface; as the liquid is continuously pumped, the hoop stress state at a location of the borehole wall of the borehole corresponding to the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress gradually changes from the compressive stress state to the tensile stress state; when its tensile stress value exceeds the tensile strength of rock, the borehole wall starts to be fractured, and the corresponding liquid pressure in this case is referred to as a fracture pressure, which is denoted as Pb. If the test interval is again pressurized, the fracture is reopened, and at this time the fracture reopening pressure Pr can be obtained. In this case, if the pumping is stopped and the water pressure loop is kept in a sealed state, an instantaneous shut-in pressure Ps is recorded.
Regarding the calculation and interpretation of the shut-in pressure, it is generally believed in the industry that the calculation and determination of the minimum horizontal principal stress are reliable; in contrast, the calculation and determination of the maximum horizontal principal stress are relatively controversial, and the controversy focuses on the Pr in Formula (1), i.e., the hydraulic fracturing-induced fracture reopening pressure. Many scholars have carried out in-depth discussions and research on this issue. The relevant knowledge about the reopening pressure Pr in the measurement of in-situ stress by hydraulic fracturing may be summarized as follows:
1) The value of the reopening pressure is affected by the compliance of the entire test system. Here, the compliance of the test system is defined as a change in volume of the system caused by a change in unit pressure.
2) The compliance of the test system is mainly affected by the volume of water in the entire test system. For a drilling-pipe-type system for measuring in-situ stress by hydraulic fracturing, the deeper the test depth is, the greater compliance the system has. Taking a 50 mm drilling pipe, which is currently most commonly used in China, as an example, the system compliance will reach 4.52×10−4 m3/MPa when the test depth is 840 m.
3) Relevant research results show that the error of the calculated and determined reopening pressure can be controlled within 10% when the compliance of the test system is not greater than or is less than the magnitude level of 5×10−7 m3/MPa. To meet such compliance requirements, the depth of the borehole to be measured is generally limited to shallow boreholes of several hundred meters. Once the measurement depth is close to or exceeds one kilometer, the interpretation error of the reopening pressure caused by the excessive compliance of the test system may exceed 100%.
4) The drilling-pipe-type hydraulic fracturing measurement method severely limits the precision of measurement of the in-situ stress in a deep borehole due to its inherent technical characteristics. However, a deeper measurement depth inevitably leads to a significant system compliance, which in turn results in a large error in the induced fracture reopening pressure, which ultimately severely distorts the result of calculation of the maximum horizontal principal stress (see Formula (1)). On this basis, in the technical field of measurement of in-situ stress by hydraulic fracturing, the following basic consensus has been reached: in the case of using the drilling-pipe-type hydraulic fracturing method, when the measurement depth is close to or exceeds a depth of one kilometer, only the measured value of the minimum horizontal principal stress is reliable, and the value of the maximum horizontal principal stress is severely distorted.
It can be seen that for the prior method for measuring in-situ stress by hydraulic fracturing, only after important improvements are made starting with the test process method or key equipment, this measurement technology can be better adapted to the measurement of in-situ stress in a deep borehole to provide reliable data on in-situ stress for related fields. To this end, a lot of explorations and practices have been carried out by scholars and technicians in the related fields. The following representative methods are currently available in the published literatures:
1) A test system equipped with a downhole flowmeter is used. The system has the technical characteristic that a pressure sensor and a flowmeter are integrated into a downhole measurement assembly. The water pump at the ground surface and the downhole measurement assembly are connected by two flexible hydraulic hoses, and the two flexible hydraulic hoses are usually used as a wireline hydraulic fracturing system. After water is injected, the two hoses are used for pressurizing a packer and a test zone, respectively. Since the use of the drilling pipe as a water guiding channel is abandoned in the system, the compliance of the entire test system is significantly reduced. From this point of view, there is a significant effect on the increase of the precision of measurement of the in-situ stress.
However, this system has two most obvious technical defects. Firstly, a drilling pipe is abandoned and a wireline is used in the system, and the rigid connection is changed into a flexible connection manner to lift or lower the downhole measuring equipment and instruments, which significantly increases the risk that the equipment is blocked and stuck in the downhole during the measurement. In the measurement of in-situ stress at a deep location, a wireline-type measurement system should be used with caution. This is also the reason why the drilling-pipe-type measurement system is widely used while the wireline-type measurement system is rarely used in the measurement of the in-situ stress, currently, in China. Secondly, in this measurement system, the downhole measurement assembly should comprise an electromagnetic switch to function as a drilling-pipe-type downhole push-and-pull switch for sealing and unsealing the packer, in addition to the pressure sensor and the flow sensor. In a deep borehole to be measured having a depth of more than one kilometer, the difficulty in integration, as well as reliability, and practicability of the downhole equipment are significantly increased by controlling the operation of the downhole equipment by means of supplying electric power via wires. The above two technical defects are the commonalities present in the wireline-type in-situ stress measurement systems, which severely restrict the popularization and application of such measurement systems in the measurement of in-situ stresses in deep boreholes.
2) In view of the problems existing in the above measurement system, some scholars have proposed another method and process procedure for measuring in-situ stress by hydraulic fracturing, which is called baby borehole hydraulic fracturing method, simply referred to as BABHY. The method is mainly divided into three steps: firstly a baby borehole is drilled in a large borehole, a core is taken therefrom and its integrity is observed, and then the baby borehole is cleaned; then hydraulic fracturing measurement is carried out in the baby borehole, and all the test equipment, including the pressure sensor and the high-pressure water pump, are placed downhole, so that the compliance of the test system is minimized, and the minimum pumping flow rate required by the test system is also minimized, whereby the measurement precision can be greatly improved; and after the hydraulic fracturing is finished, the test system is lifted, and impression and orienting operations are completed to obtain the orientation of a fracture induced by hydraulic fracturing, i.e., the orientation of the maximum horizontal principal stress.
However, the BABHY method is designed too idealistically, and its operational steps are more complicated than conventional hydraulic fracturing tests. In the BABHY method, a single measurement of in-situ stress is divided into multiple steps; in addition, it is necessary to detect the rock core of the baby borehole before the test to determine a test zone that is not affected by natural fracture. In this process, if there is no suitable measurement interval, it is further necessary to expand the hole again and drill the hole deeper to find a next test interval, and it is unknown whether a small hole suitable for the test can be found before each measurement of the in-situ stress, which greatly increases the uncertainty of the experimental result, as well as the time cost and expense cost. This technical method also has a great disadvantage, that is to say, the BABHY method can only obtain the stress state of one test interval in one test, which is very inefficient for the measurement of the in-situ stress in a deep borehole.

Method for accurately measuring reopening pressure of hydraulic fracturing induced fracture in deep borehole

Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences


Apparatus for carrying out mass transfer processes with high-viscosity liquids comprising a vertically arranged vessel (1) having a feeder (4) for the liquid to be treated, an outlet (7) for volatile components and an outlet (6) for the treated liquid, the feeder means (4) being equipped with a distributor element (3) having a multiplicity of orifices (8, 10) for subdividing the high-viscosity liquid to be treated into a multiplicity of individual streams, wherein essentially vertically arranged wire loops (2) are disposed in the vicinity of the orifices (8, 10), along which wire loops the high-viscosity liquid runs off under the action of gravity.

The invention relates to an industrial apparatus for carrying out mass transfer processes with high-viscosity liquids, particularly for boiling down and/or devolatilizing polymer melts. The apparatus is essentially based on a vertically disposed vessel, in which the high-viscosity liquid to be treated is divided into a multiplicity of individual streams which under the action of gravity run off into the sump of the vessel.
Important mass transfer processes in the case of liquids include boiling down and devolatilization of solutions, dispersions or melts. During the preparation of polymer plastics, in particular, the problem of separating low molecular weight substances, e.g. water or monomers, from the plastic melt is encountered, as such substances adversely affect product quality or, in some cases, are even toxic.
To boil down polymer melts, use is often made, according to the prior art, of thin-film evaporators, as described in the publications DE 3 310 676 A1, DE 4 328 013 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,689. The drawbacks of such machines are the relatively high investment costs and especially the wear of rotating parts of such machines.
Also known are strand evaporators, in which the polymer melt is divided, in a vertically disposed vessel, by means of a nozzle plate into a multiplicity of individual strands or filaments which in free fall flow separately and parallel to one another through the vessel from top to bottom and are recombined at the vessel bottom. The polymer melt is therefore separated at the head of the vessel into strands which taper in free form under the influence of gravity and at the bottom of the vessel dip into the melt sump. Such apparatuses are described in the patents U.S. Pat. No. 2,719,776, U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,728 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,433. A basic drawback of the apparatuses described is that these are suitable only for those liquids which, after emerging from the nozzle plate, by themselves form long filaments in a similar manner as in a spinning process. A further drawback is that a prolonged dwell time in the devolatilizing chamber can only be achieved with the aid of a very great drop out and consequently great overall height of the apparatus.
In addition, the publication CA 2 168 630 describes a method of preparing polycarbonate, wherein a mixture of monomers and prepolymer is distributed onto a multiplicity of individual wires which are arranged vertically in a reactor and along which the liquid mixture runs off downwards and at the same time polymerizes to completion. The polymerization therefore takes place in a thin liquid strand enveloping the wire; i.e. by means of the vertically mounted wires a defined polymerization zone is established in the reactor. This publication gives no description of the devolatilization of finished polymer solutions.
It is an object of the invention to develop an industrial apparatus for mass transfer processes which ensures a long product dwell time in the gas space while maintaining as narrow as possible a dwell time spectrum and which is also suitable for high-viscosity liquids where the formation of continuous strands or filaments is impaired or prevented by foaming or the formation of bubbles.
This object is achieved, starting from the apparatus described at the outset comprising a vertically disposed vessel, by wire loops being disposed essentially parallel to the vertical plane at the liquid feeder means in the vessel, at the top ends of which wire loops at least one liquid feeder means each is provided for feeding in a substream which runs off downwards along the wire loop. xe2x80x9cParallel to the vertical planexe2x80x9d in this case means that the plane of the wire loop coincides with the vertical plane, minor deviations being quite permissible all the same. In the case of a high-viscosity, nonfoaming liquid the substream running off via the wire loop forms a liquid lamella and in the case of a foaming liquid forms a thin layer which extends in part or in its entirety across the plane of the wire loop. In both cases, the liquid is delimited and guided by the wire loop. At the top end of the wire loop the liquid is supplied continuously. At the bottom end it drips off again. The effect of the wire loop is that the thin liquid layer or lamella is stabilized and maintained in the flowing state, large phase interface areas being provided for mass transfer.
The invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out mass transfer processes with high-viscosity liquids, particularly for boiling down and/or devolatilizing polymer melts, comprising at least one vertically disposed vessel having a feeder means for the liquid to be treated, an outlet for volatile components and an outlet for the treated liquid, the feeder means being equipped with a distributor element having a multiplicity of orifices for subdividing the high-viscosity liquid to be treated into a multiplicity of individual streams, characterized in that essentially vertically arranged wire loops are disposed in the vicinity of the orifices, along which wire loops the high-viscosity liquid runs off under the action of gravity.
The wire loops can have different geometries, e.g. form squares, rectangles or triangles. The wire loops are preferably bent from steel wire having a thickness of from 0.5 to 6 mm and, depending on the field of application, preferably have a length (height) of from 0.5 to 4 m.
In a preferred apparatus, the distributor element is a perforated plate.
Preferably, according to one variation, the distributor element includes at least one horizontally arranged tube which has orifices for the outflow of the high-viscosity liquid pointing downwards and/or upwards (i.e. counter to the direction of flow of the liquid).
Preferably, for better cleaning, the wire loops in the vicinity of the orifices in the distributor element are disposed detachably.
Particularly advantageous is an apparatus in which the distributor element comprises at least one horizontally arranged tube which has slotted orifices pointing upwards.
Particularly preferably, the distributor tubes have an inner diameter of from 10-100 mm. The slot width of the orifices is particularly preferably 0.2-10 mm, and the slot length, particularly preferably, is 10-100 mm.
More easy to clean is also a further preferred variation of the apparatus, in which the distributor element comprises at least one horizontally arranged tube which has slotted orifices pointing upwards, into which the wire loops are clipped.
Particularly preferred is an apparatus in which two, three or more of the wire loops at a time are combined into a basket-like lattice or wire mesh.
Particular advantages also result if, in a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, two or more adjacent lattices or wire meshes are linked to one another.
To achieve a further increase in stability in a particularly preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the wire loops can be additionally attached to the vessel bottom.
In a preferred embodiment, the wire loops can be heated, particularly by means of electric resistance heating means.
A further preferred variation of the apparatus is characterized in that the distributor elements are formed by heat exchange tubes which are vertically arranged in the vessel, debauch into the vessel and have orifices, the wire loops being attached to the bottom ends of said heat exchange tubes.
The area enclosed by a wire loop is preferably from 0.5 cm to 2500 cm2.
Another preferred embodiment of the apparatus is characterized in that the wire loops taper in the direction of flow of the liquid and, in particular, terminate in an acute angle at their bottom ends.
For the purpose of improved heat exchange in a particular embodiment of the apparatus, the vessel is designed to be heatable and/or coolable, and in particular is provided with a jacket for an electric heater or for a heat transfer medium to be passed through.
A further alternative of the invention consists in the wire loops not being fastened to a distributor tube or a distributor plate or to the heat exchange tubes as described above, but instead being disposed, by means of a suitable mounting, on the vessel bottom, whilst still running to the orifices of the distributor tubes or distributor plate or to the vertical heat exchange tubes.
The invention achieves the below-described advantages, compared with the apparatuses known from the prior art:
Compared with a strand evaporator, considerably longer product dwell times can be obtained in the gas space.
A suitable selection of the geometry of the wire loops (especially their length and area!) allows the dwell time to be varied further within wide limits and to be tailored to process-specific requirements.
The publication CA 2 168 630 describes vertically arranged wires for the purpose of extending the product dwell time in a reactor. In this arrangement, a wire is associated with one or more product outlet orifices. Owing to the driving gravitational force, the product flows downwards along the vertical wires. Adhesion of the product to the wire surface results in shear stresses which, especially in the case of high-viscosity products, counteract the force of gravity. This allows the mean product dwell time to be extended compared with free-falling filaments (as in the case of the strand evaporator).
Compared with the reactor apparatus comprising a single vertical wire, the apparatus according to the invention comprising a wire loop or wire mesh, which e.g. is produced by partial or complete linkage of the wire loops, which inevitably will not be strictly vertical throughout, has various advantages:
The wire loops will often be in contact with polymer foam which does not evenly enter the devolatilization vessel, the individual product orifices instead being subject to fluctuations in throughput. A vertical wire is unable to cushion these product pulsations to any significant extent, which means that the product quality at the outlet will likewise fluctuate considerably. A simple wire loop evens out these fluctuations in a number of respects. Furthermore, the product dwell time distribution and the mean product dwell time can be adjusted much more flexibly. Specifically, the advantages are as follows:
By virtue of an arrangement in which more than one vertical wire section is supplied with product, the product run-off at the wires is evened out as a result of the lamella effect.
By virtue of the wire loops tapering off (the wires pointing downwards are not aligned precisely vertically), different product inlet orifices are able to wet a wire loop with product. This results in considerable evening-out in the event of pulsed delivery from the individual orifices (overall, the product delivery as a rule is constant by virtue of an upstream pump).
The preferred crosslinks of the wires (transverse to the force of gravity) result in an additional flow resistance encountered by the product (known as resistance coefficient Cw or pressure loss coefficient Cd). In particular, a lattice which is mounted transverse to the flow direction and has a specific packing density results in advantages regarding adjustable product dwell time based on the wire surface and the evening-out described.
Wire lattices transverse to the product inflow can also be used multiply in a plurality of superposed layers, resulting in high design flexibility to achieve the desired flow resistance. In the case of high-viscosity products, the lattice can usually be wide meshed. The lattice is also effective, however, in the case of low-viscosity liquids, if the packing density of the wires is close: a collimated jet vertically impinging on a screen face intermittently is expanded and will leave the screen surface with approximately constant throughput.
Compared with the known apparatus comprising single, suspended wires, the interlinking of the wire loops (lattice) additionally results in considerably higher mechanical stability.
Particularly preferred, therefore, is an apparatus characterized in that one or more wire lattices essentially arranged horizontally above one another are additionally provided below the orifices.
Also preferred is a variation of the apparatus in which the top ends of the wire loops are disposed at different orifices, particularly at distant orifices not disposed directly next to one another.
The defined laminar flow of high-viscosity media in the wire loops ensures a narrow dwell time spectrum. This means that all the liquid volume elements in the apparatus will undergo approximately the same thermodynamic process. This results in greater uniformity in product quality, especially of thermally sensitive products.
Compared with the known apparatuses, a large phase interface area is provided for mass transfer in the gas space.
The apparatus according to the invention is suitable for devolatization both of foaming and of nonfoaming polymers. In the case of the devolatilization of foaming polymers, as far as devolatization efficiency is concerned, the advantages of thin-film devolatilization can be combined with the advantages of foam devolatilization.
The total surface area of the wire loops made of metal is comparatively small, thereby greatly reducing the risk of the product being damaged by undesirable chemical reactions on the metal surfaces (e.g. cracking processes).
The outlay in terms of equipment to implement the apparatuses according to the invention is less, compared with the known apparatuses.
The main fields of application of the invention, as already described, are boiling down and devolatilization of high-viscosity polymer melts, particularly in a viscosity range of 0.01-40000 Pa.s, but also selective chemical reactions between the liquid layer in the wire loop and the surrounding gas space which contains a reactive gas component, and condensation reactions.
The invention therefore also relates to the use of the apparatus according to the invention for boiling down and devolatilizing high-viscosity liquids, particularly for boiling down and/or devolatilizing polymer solutions or polymer melts, equally preferably polycarbonate solutions or polycarbonate melts and the use for carrying out chemical reactions between the liquid layer in the wire loop and the surrounding gas space which contains a reactive gas component, and for condensation reactions.
The invention is explained below in more detail with reference to the figures by means of the examples, which do not limit the invention, however.


A network node (200), a wireless device (202) and methods therein, for handling discontinuous transmission, DTX, in a communication using multiple uplink carriers. The communication involves a primary uplink carrier using a first Transmission Time Interval, TTI and a secondary uplink carrier using a second TTI which is different than the first TTI. Values of DTX parameters defined for only one of the first and second TTIs are selected (2:4) for the communication, and the wireless device (202) is instructed (2:7) to use the selected values of DTX parameters for transmission on both the primary uplink carrier and the secondary uplink carrier. Thereby, misalignment of DTX cycles employed on the two uplink carriers can be avoided or reduced.

In this disclosure, the term "wireless device" is used to represent any communication entity capable of radio communication with a radio network by sending and receiving radio signals, such as e.g. mobile telephones, tablets, laptop computers and Machine-to-Machine, M2M, devices, also known as Machine Type Communication, MTC, devices. Another common generic term in this field is "User Equipment, UE" which is frequently used herein as a synonym for wireless device. Functionality has been devised for wireless devices to apply Discontinuous Transmission, DTX, in order to save battery power in the wireless device and/or to reduce interference in the radio network. DTX may be applied with different predefined periodicities or of transmission, referred to as "DTX cycles" e.g. DTX cycle 1, DTX cycle 2, etc.
Further, the term "network node", is used herein to represent any node of a radio network that is operative to handle discontinuous transmission, DTX, in a communication with a wireless device using multiple uplink carriers. The network node in this disclosure may refer to a base station, radio node, Node B, base transceiver station, access point, etc., which communicates radio signals with the wireless device. The network node in this disclosure may also refer to a node in the network, such as a Radio Network Controller, RNC, that controls one or more base stations or radio nodes that communicate radio signals with wireless devices. The term "Node B" is also used frequently herein to represent such a base station or radio node.
In Rel-9 (Release 9) of the standard defined by the third Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, Dual Carrier High-Speed Uplink Packet Access, HSUPA (DC-HSUPA) was introduced to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System UMTS standard allowing the UE to transmit on two uplink carriers simultaneously. Later on in Rel-13, Dual-band dual-carrier HSUPA (DB-DC HSUPA) was added to the standard aiming at configuring two uplink carriers on different frequency bands. On this matter, high-frequency carriers have relatively smaller coverage than the low-frequency carriers. For example, there is a coverage difference of around 7.3 dB between a carrier operating at 900 MHz and a carrier operating at 2.1 GHz.
TTI, Transmission Time Interval, is a parameter related to encapsulation of data into frames for transmission on the radio link. TTI refers to the duration of a transmission on the radio link. The TTI is related to the size of the data blocks passed from higher network layers to the radio link layer. To combat errors due to fading and interference on the radio link, data is normally divided at the transmitter into blocks and then the bits within a block are encoded and interleaved. The length of time required to transmit one such block corresponds to one TTI.
In UMTS when a TTI of 2 ms is configured, the radio frame of 10 ms is divided into five independent sub-frames. On the other hand, when a TTI of 10 ms is configured, all the 15 slots in the radio frame are used to deliver the transport block.
Until Rel. 13, for multi-carrier scenarios the UMTS standard only allowed to configure a Transmission Time Interval, TTI, equal to 2 ms on both carriers for (DB-DC)/DC-HSUPA. Nonetheless and continuing with the evolution of the UMTS standard, a recently approved Rel-14 Work Item entitled "Multicarrier Enhancements for UMTS" will allow to configure 10 ms TTI on one or both uplink carrier frequencies in (DB-DC)/DC-HSUPA scenarios.
Enabling different TTI configurations per carrier in (DB)DC-HSUPA will open the possibility of having a variety of scenarios when using multiple uplink, UL, carriers, also referred to as UL Multicarrier. For example, since 10 ms TTI offers a better coverage than 2 ms TTI, then in DB-DC HSUPA the 10 ms TTI may be configured on the high frequency band and the 2 ms TTI may be configured on the low frequency band aiming at trying to compensate for the different propagation properties associated with each band. It is well-known that a high frequency band has poorer signal propagation and coverage than a low frequency band, and therefore it is motivated to compensate, at least to some extent, for this by using a longer TTI in the high frequency band than in the low frequency band. In general, the TTI based compensation would typically be only around 1 dB or 2 dB, while for example the coverage difference between the 900 MHz and 2 GHz bands is around 7.3 dB.
In addition, the mixed TTI configuration for UL Multicarrier will have some side effects on features that today are compatible with (DB-DC)/DC-HSUPA. For example, when aiming at reducing the UL interference and the so called "Dedicated Physical Control Channel" (DPCCH) is configured to be transmitted discontinuously, it will have to be taken into account that the periodicity or cycle length for the discontinuous transmission (DTX) of the UL DPCCH is different for 10 ms TTI as compared to the 2 ms TTI. Moreover, since aiming at achieving further UE battery savings, the periodicity of the Discontinuous Reception, DRX, is typically aligned, i.e. coordinated, with the DTX cycles, then both DTX and DRX will be impacted in (DB-DC)/DC-HSUPA scenarios having a mixed TTI configuration.

Methods, network node and wireless device for discontinuous transmission


The invention provides a highly active S-cyanohydrin lyase obtained by mutating an amino acid residue at position 103 of a wild-type cassava S-cyanohydrin lyase. The mutation can significantly increase an expression of a mutant enzyme in E. coli and does not require a decrease in temperature when induced. Further mutations at position 128 and other sites were performed to obtain mutants with increased catalytic activity.

Cyanohydrin lyase is an industrial enzyme that is very useful in chemical production. Its natural activity is to catalyze the cleavage of cyanohydrin and release hydrocyanic acid. The cyanohydrin lyase can catalyze reverse reaction, i.e., the addition of HCN to aldehyde ketone, to obtain an optically active α-cyanohydrin product. S-type cyanohydrin (SCMB) of m-phenoxybenzaldehyde (m-PBAld) is a key intermediate for pyrethroid pesticides. The traditional chemical method has the problem of low stereoselectivity, while the production process of SCMB catalyzed by S-cyanohydrin lyase has the selectivity.
Natural S-cyanohydrin lyase is present in a few plant tissues such as rubber, cassava and sorghum, with low abundance and difficulty in purification. In 1995, Wajant isolated the cassava cyanohydrin lyase MeHNL from cassava by five-step purification method (Plant Sci., 1995, 108, 1); White et al. extracted MeHNL from cassava leaves using three-step method and obtained enzyme solution by means of salting out and dialysis, but the stereoselectivity of the enzyme applied in chemical catalysis was not high (Plant Physiol 1998, 116, 1219). The cyanohydrin lyase (MeHNL) derived from Manihot esculenta is an S-cyanohydrin lyase. It has been reported that MeHNL can catalyze the chemical synthesis of S-type chiral cyanohydrin with an ee value of >99%. The lyase has high application value, but the enzyme activity is still not high enough to meet the requirements of practical application.
Therefore, the skilled in the art are working to develop a S-cyanohydrin lyase with higher activity to reduce the application cost.

Highly active S-cyanohydrin lyase and application thereof


The present invention provides a process cartridge includes a first unit and a second unit separable (detachable) from the first unit. The first unit includes a photosensitive member, a developing unit that forms an image on the photosensitive member, and a cleaning unit that collects residual toner from the photosensitive member. The second unit includes a toner hopper unit that supplies toner on the photosensitive member, and a waste toner box that stores the collected residual toner. The developing unit engages with the toner hopper unit so as to engage the first unit with the second unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process cartridge and a recording apparatus. The process cartridge is structured from multiple removable components and contains a photosensitive drum, developing unit, and other parts that relate to the development process.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional process cartridge of the type noted above incorporates an photosensitive drum, developing unit, charger, toner hopper, cleaning unit, waste toner box, and other components used in the image development process, in the cartridge.
The components contained in the process cartridge do not have a uniform service life. That is, some of the components have a relatively long service life, and some have a short one. In regard to the type of process cartridge that can be replenished with toner, the service life of the entire cartridge is only as long as that of the component with the shortest service life. Furthermore, as expensive and inexpensive components must all be replaced together with the installation of a new cartridge, the expense of replacing the cartridge increases the cost of operating the photocopier.
One attempt to reduce the process cartridge replacement expense has been to divide the cartridge into two sub-assemblies in which the first sub-assembly consists of the photosensitive drum, charger, cleaning unit, and waste toner box, and the second sub-assembly consists of the developing unit and toner hopper. With this type of structure, only the second sub-assembly is replaced when the toner in the hopper has been depleted. As the service life of the developing unit is generally shorter than that of the photosensitive drum, only the second sub-assembly, which includes the developing unit, is replaced when a refill is required, thus reducing the toner refill expense.
The structure discussed above, however, has some inherent shortcomings which are explained below.
A photoelectric copying process using the jumping development method generates a larger amount of waste toner than the standard development method. As a result, the service life of the first sub-assembly that contains the waste toner box can be shortened to a period of time equivalent to the service life of the second sub-assembly, thus necessitating replacement of the first sub-assembly while the photosensitive drum contained therein remains usable.
To solve this problem, it has been proposed that the waste toner box be structured as a separate component that essentially becomes a third sub-assembly. Structuring the process cartridge in this manner avoids replacing the first sub-assembly while the photosensitive drum is still usable, and thus reduces the expense of operating the photocopier.
If the process cartridge is designed to be disassembled into a greater number of separate components, however, the number of replaceable components increases as well as the frequency of component replacement. The problem with this design is that it diminishes the convenience and ease with which the process cartridge, which contains various image processing components, can be replaced.
In the process cartridge structure delineated above, the developing unit and toner hopper are contained in the second sub-assembly, so both components must be replaced concurrently despite the fact that the developing unit is a more expensive component than the toner hopper.
The present invention, when applied to a recording apparatus that may even employ the jumping development method which generates a large amount of waste toner, offers the benefits of an easy process cartridge replacement procedure and reduced replacement cost.
The present invention puts forth the following mechanisms and structures to rectify the problems discussed above.
The present invention provides a process cartridge includes a first unit and a second unit separable from the first unit. The first unit includes a photosensitive member, a developing unit that forms an image on the photosensitive member, and a cleaning unit that collects residual toner from the photosensitive member. The second unit includes a toner hopper unit that supplies toner on the photosensitive member, and a waste toner box that stores the collected residual toner. The developing unit engages with the toner hopper unit so as to engage the first unit with the second unit.

Process cartridge attachable to recording apparatus and recording apparatus


A sintered complex oxide comprising metal oxide particles (a) having a hexagonal lamellar structure and containing zinc oxide and indium, and metal oxide particles (b) having a spinel structure and containing a metal element M (where M is aluminum and/or gallium), wherein the mean value of the long diameter of the metal oxide particles (a) is no greater than 10 μm, and at least 20% of the metal oxide particles (a) have an aspect ratio (long diameter/short diameter) of 2 or greater, based on the number of particles.

Transparent conductive films have high transmittance and high conductivity in the visible light range, and are used in electrodes of liquid crystal display units or various light receiving elements such as solar cells, while they are also widely used in thermic ray reflective films or antistatic films for automobiles or construction materials, and anti-fogging transparent heating units in freezer showcases and the like.
Such transparent conductive films that are known include indium oxide films that contain tin as the dopant, indium oxide films that contain zinc as the dopant, and zinc oxide films that contain one or more elements of Group III of the Periodic Table as dopants.
Indium oxide films that contain tin as the dopant are known as ITO films, and they easily yield low resistance films. However, because the indium in ITO films is an expensive rare metal, there has been a limit to cost reduction when such films are used. Furthermore, because indium reserves are low and can only be obtained as a by-product of zinc mineral processing, it is currently difficult to achieve significant production increase and stable supply for ITO films.
Indium oxide films containing zinc as a dopant are known as IZO films and are films exhibiting excellent low resistance, but the problems associated with the indium starting material are the same as for ITO films.
Consequently, avid efforts are being made to develop a material for transparent conductive films as a substitute for ITO. Among them, zinc oxide films that comprise zinc oxide as the main component and contain elements of Group III of the Periodic Table, due to the very low cost of the main starting material zinc and the high abundance of its reserves and product, are raising interest as they do not entail concerns regarding resource depletion and stability of supply as with ITO films, while they are also inexpensive and chemically stable, and exhibit excellent transparency and conductivity as well (see Patent document 1, for example).
Incidentally, zinc oxide (ZnO) is an oxide semiconductor, and intrinsic defects such as oxygen vacancies, due to deviations from the stoichiometric composition, form a donor level such that n-type properties are exhibited. When the zinc oxide contains an element of Group III of the Periodic Table, the conduction electrons are increased and resistivity is reduced. As elements of Group III of the Periodic Table included in zinc oxide there are known aluminum (see Patent document 1 and Patent document 2, for example), gallium (see Patent document 3, for example) and boron (see Patent document 4, for example).
When known zinc oxide-based sputtering targets of the prior art are used as means for forming thin-films such as transparent conductive films, anomalous discharge that occurs during sputtering results in problems such as a reduced availability factor of the sputtering apparatus and lower product yield due to the effect of generated particles.
As means for inhibiting anomalous discharge generated during sputtering there has been proposed, in Patent document 1 for example, an inhibiting effect by high-densification of the sintered compacts through modification of the production method. It has also been shown that anomalous discharge can be further inhibited by, for example, densifying the sintered compact and limiting to no greater than 5 μm the aluminum component aggregation diameter attributed to the aluminum oxide that has been added as the oxide of an element of Group III of the Periodic Table (see Patent document 5).
It has additionally been shown that if the mean particle size of ZnAl2O4 particles composed of zinc oxide and the aluminum oxide additive is limited to no greater than 0.5 μm, anomalous discharge during sputtering is inhibited and the production yield of thin-films with improved humidity resistance is increased (see Patent document 6).

Sintered complex oxide, method for producing sintered complex oxide, sputtering target and method for producing thin film


A stent is positioned on an undersized mandrel and the stent is coated with an excess of a polymer and drug solution. The stent is rotated to spin off the excess of the coating. The stent is then moved into a new, clean position on the mandrel. The process is repeated a few times, after which time the coating is already dry and non-sticky. This process forms a conforming coating. Various important polymer solution parameters include viscosity, solvent evaporation rate and several others. The actual type of coating polymer is not as important as how the surface of the stent is treated, according to the steps described herein.

This invention relates to coating of stents. These stents contain a medicated coating composed of an immuno-suppressing drug dispersed in a polymer matrix. The purpose of the coating (about 10 to 15 xcexcm thick) is to slowly release medication that will inhibit the proliferation of smooth cells and therefore reduce risk of restenosis.
Three elements are required for a successful coating of a stentxe2x80x94the resin, the drug, and the application process. There have been identified a number of generic classes of materials, which can be considered as possible binders for the coating formulation. A process for applying these coatings in a reproducible fashion is required in order to evaluate the coatings. This invention deals with the development of such a process. Processes for coating stents are described, for instance, in Ser. No. 09/061,568, filed Apr. 16, 1998, and Ser. No. 09/512,432 filed Feb. 25, 2000, both of which are assigned to a common assignee and are incorporated herein by reference.
Thus, the objective of this invention is to produce a thin (around 10 xcexcm) conformal coating of polymer containing drug on the struts of the stent. The coating should encapsulate the struts of the stent so that the danger of small pieces of coating lifting or breaking off is eliminated. At the same time the coating had to be applied in such a way so as not to fill the openings between the struts or in any way obstruct the mechanical performance of the stent.
In summary, a stent is positioned on an undersized mandrel and the stent is coated with an excess of a polymer and drug solution. The stent is rotated to spin off the excess of the coating. The stent is then moved into a new, clean position on the mandrel. This forward movement is believed to remove excess solution from the inside of the stent. The process is repeated a few times, after which time the coating is already dry and non-sticky. This process forms a conformal coating. It should be understood that in terms of the process, important polymer solution parameters include viscosity, solvent evaporation rate and several others. The actual type of coating polymer is not as important as how the surface of the stent is treated, according to the steps described herein.
According to the present invention, the following steps are followed for coating a drug to a stent.
1. The stents are cleaned in a beaker to which about 20 ml solvent is added.
2. Cover with a watch glass.
3. Sonicate the stent/solvent beaker for about 1 minute.
4. Leave stents in solvent until use.
5. Clean 1.27 mm diameter mandrel by wiping with acetone. Set aside to dry on a clean surface.
6. Place stent on mandrel by using end of mandrel to insert into one end of the stent and slowly pushing onto the mandrel from the solution.
7. By tapping the mandrel from the opposite end, allow the stent to slide over the mandrel to the opposite end of the mandrel. One can also use a scalpel to slowly push the stent down; it should move freely.
8. Insert mandrel into mandrel chuck on apparatus (see FIG. 22)
9. Once on the apparatus, turn on the mandrel motor and rotate at high speed for a few seconds while blowing the stent with dry, clean nitrogen gas. This serves to dry the stent from any residual solvent
10. Weigh out a silicone polymer solution into a vial.
11. Weigh out the (rapamycin) drug and put into vial.
12. Add solvent (e.g. xylene) to vial. Record weights of all components.
13. Seal the vial with a screw top (note: vial top should be compatible with the solvents in use) and then shake the vial to mix the components. Sonicate the mixture for about 5 minutes.
14. Using a plastic syringe, transfer a small amount (about 0.5 ml) of the solution onto the stent by dropping the solution over the stent on the mandrel, thoroughly coating the stent.
15. Immediately turn on the mandrel motor and rotate at about 4000 RPM. This serves to throw off any excess solution from the stent and provide the proper distribution of the solution on the stent surface. Turn the motor on and off in pulses of about 1 second. This process serves to constantly accelerate/decelerate the stent to keep the stent moving relative to the mandrel so that it avoids sticking to the mandrel.
16. After about 15 seconds, turn off the motor and move the stent about one stent length along the mandrel to a clean section. Run the mandrel motor and pulse the motor for about 10 seconds. Repeat this step two (or more) times.
17. Turn off the motor and move the stent about 2 stent lengths down the mandrel to a clean section. Turn on the motor and run it at full speed while blowing the stent with clean, dry nitrogen for a time of about 20 seconds.
18. Turn off the motor; slowly move the stent forward to push it off the mandrel into a receiving vial.
19. Remove the mandrel from the apparatus, clean, and prepare for the next run.
20. A preferred polymer is an RTV (room temperature vulcanization, i.e., curing) silicone, which means that it cures at room temperature in about 24 hours. Moisture is required for the cure. Therefore, place the stent in a very moist environment. One easy way to do this is to use a forced air oven and place a container of water at the bottom of the oven. Maintain the oven temperature at ambient or slightly above. The forced air absorbs the moisture by evaporation from the container and cures the polymer on the stent.


An apparatus includes a scrubber bed, a cooling unit operatively connected to the scrubber bed, and a frame configured for a user to carry the apparatus. The cooling unit includes a compressor, a condensing coil operatively connecting the compressor to an expansion valve, and an evaporating coil operatively connecting the expansion valve to the compressor, and a first fluid circulating through the compressor, the condensing coil, the expansion valve, and the evaporating coil. A method of cooling a gas in a rebreather apparatus includes scrubbing an exhalation gas to produce a recycled gas having a lower concentration of carbon dioxide than the exhalation gas, compressing, condensing, expanding, and evaporating a refrigerant in a closed-loop system, transferring heat energy from the recycled gas to the refrigerant, and metering a cooled gas to the user.

The present disclosure relates to a portable breathing apparatus. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to portable, surface rebreather breathing apparatus having a cooling system.
A rebreather is a closed loop breathing apparatus. A user exhales into the rebreather and the exhalant gas stream enters a scrubber bed. The scrubber bed chemically absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) from the exhalant gas stream but allows the other components of the exhalant gas stream to pass through. Oxygen is added to the scrubbed exhalant gas stream to make up for any oxygen absorbed by the user during rebreather use. The O2 enriched scrubbed exhalant gas continues through the apparatus to be inhaled by the user.
The scrubbing of the CO2 in the scrubber bed creates an exothermic reaction, i.e., a temperature change. In some cases, the temperature of the scrubber bed can increase up to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit (about 66 degrees Celsius). Because the rebreather apparatus is a closed loop system, the temperature increase of the scrubber bed increases the temperature of the scrubbed exhalant gas. A temperature increase in the scrubbed exhalant gas can cause the user discomfort. Some surface rebreathers use ice blocks to cool the scrubbed exhalant gas to alleviate any discomfort for the user.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a more efficient cooling system in a closed-loop surface rebreather apparatus that also allows for multiple missions.


A counter rotating helico-axial pump is provided, the pump comprising: (a) an inner rotor comprising a plurality of outwardly extending helico-axial impeller vanes; (b) a hollow outer rotor comprising a plurality of inwardly extending helico-axial impeller vanes; (c) a single driving device configured to drive the inner rotor or the hollow outer rotor; and (d) a force transmission coupling joining the inner rotor and the hollow outer rotor and configured to permit rotation of the inner rotor and hollow outer rotor in opposite directions; wherein at least a portion of the inner rotor is disposed within the hollow outer rotor, and wherein the inner rotor, the hollow outer rotor and the helico-axial impeller vanes define a fluid flow path, and wherein the inner rotor and hollow outer rotor are configured such that at least some of adjacent helico-axial impeller vanes are configured to rotate in opposite directions.

The present invention relates to counter rotating helico-axial pumps. In particular, the present invention relates to counter rotating helico-axial pumps comprising a single driving device.
Counter rotating helico-axial pumps are known and are useful in both science and commerce, and are prized for their reliability and robustness when pumping fluids. Known counter rotating helico-axial pumps employ at least two motors to generate the counter-rotatory motion of two sets of helico-axial impeller vanes; a first set of helico-axial impeller vanes being driven by a first motor, and second set of helico-axial impeller vanes being driven by a second motor. The use of two motors, while enabling the required counter-rotatory motion of two sets of helico-axial impeller vanes, is problematic in that it restricts design options and builds the cost of two motors into such counter rotating helico-axial pumps. Thus, there is a need for additional improvements in the field of counter rotating helico-axial pumps.


A combination ski and boot bag including an elongated generally tubular shaped main portion for holding skis and ends on the main portion, a zipper along at least part of the length of the main portion allows access to the inside. A strap has ends attached to the main portion and has a support area near about one-half the length of the main portion. At least two satellite boot compartments are connected to the outside of the main portion and are spaced from each other and generally equally spaced from the support area of the strap along the length of the ski bag. The satellite boot compartments having closures which permit the boots to the placed therein and removed. The bottoms of the satellite boot compartments are generally on the same plane near the bottom side of the bag so that boots will stand up when in the satellite boot compartments and set on a horizontal surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a luggage bag and in particular to a ski bag with satellite compartments, which when uniformly loaded may be carried in a balanced fashion by its carrying means.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Travel with ski equipment is at best cumbersome. Multiple bags are usually required to transport skis and ski boots. Carrying the multiple bags particularly at airports tends to be unwieldy and frustrating. The task of transporting all of the bags to a bus, car, hotel or airline counter usually means multiple trips or paying a porter.
Combination ski and boot bags do exist but all of them have drawbacks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,159 uses a central portion of the ski bag for holding the boots. The central portion thus becomes very balky. When the carrying strap of the ski and boot holder of the '159 patent is put over a shoulder the weight of the bag would extend outwardly and away from the vertical center axis of the carrier's body. The carrier would thus have to walk in an unbalanced and uncomfortable manner.
Another combination bag is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,137 which includes wheels and a frame to support a ski and boot bag. When empty the bag would still require substantial space to store the wheels and frame. Moreover, because ski bags often have to be lifted, the wheels and frame would make that task more difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,036 describes a rigid combination ski and boot carrying case. A rigid case presents a problem of storage at ski slopes where space is usually very limited. The '030 patent also does not address the proper distribution of weight to make the bag easier to carry. All of the above-noted patents are incorporated here by reference.
There is a need for and this invention provides a combination bag with satellite compartments which can be easily loaded and transported. The bag balances and is easy to carry when loaded so that the burden of transporting it is made as convenient as possible. The bag is also foldable when empty so that it can be stored in a minimum amount of space.


An adaptive MAP channel decoding apparatus and method in a mobile communication system. In the adaptive MAP channel decoding apparatus, a channel estimator calculates channel noise power and a scaling factor, a controller determines an operation mode by checking accumulated channel noise power and the scaling factor, and a MAP channel decoder performs a MAP decoding operation with an E function including a log function in a static channel mode and an E function free of a log function in a time-varying channel mode.

This application claims priority to an application entitled xe2x80x9cApparatus and Method for Adaptive Map Channel Decoding in Radio Telecommunication Systemxe2x80x9d filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on May 28, 1999 and assigned Ser. No. 99-19476, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a channel decoding apparatus and method in a radio telecommunication system, and in particular, to a MAP (Maximum Aposteriori Probability) channel decoding apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various channel codes are widely used to conduct communications reliably in a radio telecommunication system (e.g., satellite system, WCDMA, UMTS, and CDMA 2000) The present invention pertains to a turbo code decoding apparatus and method using recursive systematic convolutional codes for data transmission in a bad channel environment.
Turbo code decoding is implemented in a MAP or a SOVA (Soft Output Viterbi Algorithm) method. The former exhibits optimal performance in terms of bit error rate (BER). The performance of a MAP channel decoder is about 0.6-0.7 dB higher than that of a SOVA channel decoder in an ideal receiver. To achieve ideal operation of a receiver for MAP or SOVA turbo decoding, the following conditions must be satisfied: (1) the receiver estimates the current channel state accurately; and (2) the receiver uses a sufficient number of bits for inner operations.
Meanwhile, the receiver can also subject an input signal to RF (Radio Frequency) processing, down-conversion, ADC (analog-to-digital conversion), and symbol demodulation.
Generally, noise power estimation in a channel environment precedes a MAP operation. Therefore, a MAP channel decoder receives noise power estimated by a channel estimator and the noise power determines decoding performance.
A plurality of metrics are used as main variables in a MAP algorithm. Hereinbelow, equations required to implement the MAP algorithm will be described.
A branch metric (BM) is calculated by
Dki(m)=(La(dk)+Lcxc2x7xk)xc2x7i+Lcxc2x7ykxc2x7Yli(m)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
where La(dk) is extrinsic information obtained from a feed-back loop in a MAP channel decoder, Lc is channel reliability which can be expressed as 2/"sgr"2 ("sgr"2 is noise power estimated by a channel estimator), xk is a systematic code, yk is a parity code, i is an expected systematic code, and Yli(m) is an expected parity code.
A forward state metric (FSM), Alpha is
Aki(m)=Dki(m)+E1j=0(Akxe2x88x921i(Sbj(m))xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(2)
where Sbj(m) indicates a backward changed state when an information bit is j to set a current state to m. The E function is defined as
xEy=min(x, y)xe2x88x92log(1+exe2x88x92|xxe2x88x92y|)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(3)
In a MAP algorithm, x and y can be metric values such as Beta and Alpha as can be seen in (4) and (2)
A reverse state metric (RSM), Beta is
Bki(m)=E1j=0(Bik+1(Sbi(m))+Djk+1(Sfj(m))xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(4)
where Sfj(m) is a state changed forward when an information bit is input in a current encode state m.
If an information bit is dk at time k of MAP, a log likelihood ratio (LLR) is                               L                                (                          d              k                        )                          =                                            E                              m                =                0                                            NS                -                1                                                                                A                k                0                                                          (                m                )                                              +                                    B              k              0                                                  (              m              )                                -                                    E                              m                =                0                                            NS                -                1                                                                                A                k                1                                                          (                m                )                                              +                                    B              k              1                                                  (              m              )                                                          (        5        )
where L(dk) is an LLR when an information bit is dk at time k of MAP and ENSxe2x88x921m=0 indicates that an operation is performed on NS E functions.
The MAP decoder calculates a BM from a received code and then an RSM in the above equations, as stated above. The MAP decoder calculates an LLR being a decoded soft output simultaneously with calculation of an FSM.
As noted from Eq. 1, the MAP channel decoder needs Lc to calculate the BM. That is, the MAP channel decoder can calculate the BM only after it finds out the noise power of a channel environment. According to a general MAP algorithm, therefore, the decoding performance of the MAP channel decoder is sensitively influenced by the operation of a channel estimator.
If a channel decoder is implemented for turbo decoding, it is preferred that the channel decoder operates stably in a real mobile communication channel environment regardless of the current channel state.
Particularly, an input signal is multiplied by a scaling factor according to changes in the channel status, like fading, and it is not easy for a receiver to obtain an accurate scaling factor with respect to the current channel state. However, an accurate scaling factor must be reflected to obtain accurate estimation of the channel state. That is, when the channel reliability Lc is degraded, the decoding performance of a MAP algorithm is also degraded, unless the scaling factor is accurately calculated.
The receiver quantizes an input analog signal with limited bits. As a result, an input signal with strength greater than a predetermined level is clipped. The dynamic range of this input signal seriously influences the performance of the channel decoder, especially in power control.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a stable MAP channel decoding apparatus and method in the preset mobile communication channel environment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for decoding data stably in a real channel environment of a mobile communication system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a MAP channel decoding apparatus and method in which decoding is stably performed regardless of channel noise power in a channel environment of a mobile communication system.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a stable MAP channel decoding apparatus and method in which a MAP channel decoding is performed with a first E function including a log function if the current channel state is a static channel state and with a second E function free of a log function if the current channel state is a time-varying channel state to ensure optimal decoding performance in a real mobile communication channel environment.
Briefly, these and other objects can be achieved by providing an adaptive MAP channel decoding apparatus and method in a mobile communication system. In the adaptive MAP channel decoding apparatus, a channel estimator calculates channel noise power and a scaling factor, a controller determines an operation mode by checking accumulated channel noise power and the scaling factor, and a MAP channel decoder performs a MAP decoding operation with an E function including a log function in a static channel mode(good channel status) and an E function free of a log function in a time-varying channel mode.(bad channel status).
In the adaptive MAP channel decoding method according to another aspect of the present invention, a current channel state is first estimated. Then, an E function including a log function is performed if the current channel state is static and an E function free of a log function is performed if the current channel state is time-varying.

Apparatus and method for adaptive map channel decoding in radio telecommunication system


This invention provides a circular tower spiral escalator structure with counter-rotating sprocket wheels at the top and bottom floors that use a side bow roller chain to connect and drive the ascending and descending escalator steps. Two pedestal robots and a step conveyor at the top and bottom floors pick up each escalator step when it arrives and move it to the opposite side of the circular tower where it departs. An alternate design replaces the two pedestal robots and step conveyor with a double arm pedestal robot on the top and bottom floors. Both designs provide continuous transport of escalator riders to a plurality of floors of varying ceiling heights with level entries and exits on each floor.

For many centuries spiral stairs have been a fascination for architects, designers, builders and owners. Even more fascination occurred when the spiral design encompassed single supports either on the exterior wall or on an interior column. As strength of materials improved, construction designs provided for supports at the base and the floor above. The greater the ceiling height the more complex and spectacular the designs became.
Compared with elevators, straight-line escalators serving one floor at a time in both directions became an improvement in rider movement where less than a dozen floors were involved.
Next came the transition from straight to curved and even spiral escalators. The preference for spiral escalators became popular since the design requires less horizontal space than straight escalators, especially where there are variations of ceiling height. A spiral escalator was constructed at London's Holloway Road underground station in 1906 only to be dismantled almost immediately. The Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has successfully developed commercial designs and has manufactured curved and spiral escalators since the 1980s.
All of the current designs are limited to serve only one pair of floors at a time. Separate escalators are required for ascending or descending installations and are usually constructed side by side, requiring a large horizontal space. Only half of the steps are in use at any time for all escalators, due to the continuous travel requiring the returning steps passing under the conveyor. This results in having steps in use only half of the time.
Ever since 1883 when the first escalator (called "inclined elevator") was invented, the escalator has been a favorite means for mass transportation of riders in preference to vertical elevators. Through the years many inventions have been processed that attempted to improve the straight line escalators by: making more efficient use of the horizontal space required, serving multiple floors without requiring the riders to leave and re-enter at each floor, using all steps all of the time, utilizing large vertical space, improving the aesthetics and architecture, and increasing rider movement more economically and efficiently.
This invention achieves all of these aspirations by providing a circular tower spiral escalator structure with counter-rotating sprocket wheels that use a chain to connect and drive the ascending and descending escalator steps. Also, this invention provides at the top and bottom floors, robotic transfer of the escalator steps between the sets of ascending and descending steps. This eliminates the necessity for the upside down empty return of the steps underneath those steps that are bearing a load. For a given installation, this reduces the total number of steps, tracks and chains by about half.

Robotic step transfer system for connecting ascending and descending spiral escalator steps


An apparatus for conveying mail flats in an upright position with at least one conveying module has a circulating, horizontally oriented floor belt guided via return rollers, and two endless lateral guide belts guided via deflection rollers. A distance of the lateral guide belts from one another at ends of the conveying modules is greater than a thickest mail item. A height of a first lateral guide belt is less than that of a second lateral guide belt. Below the first lateral guide belt an elastic, narrow, endless pressure belt is provided, which is resiliently pressed against a lower part of the second lateral guide belt by pressure deflection rollers and pressed away from the second lateral guide belt by the mail items according to their thickness. Guide rails are mounted obliquely to a conveying direction and tangentially to the pressure deflection rollers.

The invention relates to an apparatus for conveying mail flats in an upright position.
In mail processing machines it is necessary to convey flat items past process equipment to various end points. The selection of suitable conveying principles is determined by required throughputs, required conveying speed, formats of the items to be conveyed and permissible gaps, mainly dictated by process equipment, between two consecutive items to be conveyed.
Known systems for conveying in a vertical orientation are mainly designed for specifically classified format ranges. In machines for primarily standard letter processing these are mainly pinch-belt systems in which flats up to approx. 10 mm thick are conveyed upright, clamped between two flat belts. Aside from the thickness, a format limitation of such systems is a necessary minimum flexibility which an item must exhibit for it to be conveyed successfully.
For larger and thicker formats and items having very low bendability, such systems can only be deployed using very large gaps and lower speeds.

Device for conveying flat postal articles in an upright position


Overhead wall mounted cat platform system with multiple access wherein access is provided by a carpeted pole or by one or more inclined suspension bridges. Each bridge comprises a plurality of spaced platforms. The platforms are interconnected by ropes and suspended from support ropes by connector ropes extending between the support ropes and the step ropes.

Owners of cats often provide perchs or platforms for the cats and in turn provision for access to the platform such as through poles having carpeting thereon or a plurality of steps thereon. Typical patents showing such platforms are 3,173,398, 3,479,990, 3,479,991, 3,595,209, 3,604,397 4,112,873 and 4,497,279.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a device which more fully exploits a cat's superior climbing abilities and sense of balance, to the greater enjoyment of the cat and entertainment of its owner. Another objective is to provide an improved cat platform which is wall mounted for maximum stability yet which occupies little human space. Final objectives are to provide a platform which can be made to blend with the furnishings and environment; which can be readily assembled; which can be adapted for cats with or without claws; and which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
The invention comprises an overhead platform with access to and from the platform via a carpeted climbing pole and by one or more suspended bridges. Each suspension bridge is made up of a plurality of small platforms or steps attached to ropes. The entire device is secured to the wall. The bridges and climbing pole can be adapted as shown to accommodate declawed cats who lack the purchase provided by claws.

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A combination of devices in which communication parameters are to be set is selected on the basis of information indicating the capabilities of communication devices located on a network, and an unselected device is notified of termination of the setting of the communication parameters. Therefore, the communication parameters are set in a desired combination of devices, and the communication parameters are not set in an unintended pair of devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication devices for performing communication parameter setting.
2. Description of the Related Art
When communication is to be performed between devices using IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks (LANs), wireless communication parameters such as a communication channel, a network identifier called a service set identifier (SSID), an encryption method, an encryption key, an authentication method, and an authentication key are set in the devices. Such communication parameters are generally set using user interfaces of the devices. However, the setting operation is time consuming. In particular, it is difficult for devices other than personal computers (PCs), such as digital cameras and printers, to input character strings such as a network identifier and an encryption key.
Recently, systems for performing communication over so-called ad-hoc networks have been realized. The ad-hoc networks allow devices to directly communicate with one another via a wireless LAN without using an access point. In the ad-hoc networks, there has also been a demand for a method for easily setting wireless communication parameters in devices.
U.S. Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-200564 (corresponding to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-328289) discloses a technique for establishing a communication channel between two wireless communication devices using wireless communication.
In U.S. Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-200564, however, if a response to a request for establishing a communication channel is issued from a plurality of devices, an operation for interrupting the establishment of the communication channel or an operation for causing a user to select a communication partner is performed.
Therefore, if an unintended device exists when a communication channel is to be established, the establishment of communication is performed again from the beginning, or, otherwise, a user needs to select a communication partner.

Communication device, communication method, control method for communication device, and communication system


A method for displaying a plurality of images is provided. The method includes: obtaining one or more image sets based on the plurality of images, wherein a similarity degree between each pair of images in each image set is greater than a similarity threshold; identifying an operation instruction triggered on at least one of the image sets; if the operation instruction triggered on the at least one of the image sets satisfies a predetermined updating condition, updating the similarity threshold; and displaying the plurality of images based on the updated similarity threshold.

A terminal may be used to store a large number of images, such as photos taken by a user or pictures downloaded from the Internet. When a user views images via the terminal, often many similar images stored in the terminal are shown on the display, and it is desirable to present the similar images by a same icon for viewing.
A conventional method to display similar images generally includes extracting by the terminal feature vectors of at least two images, calculating a similarity degree between each two images according to the feature vectors, adding the images having a similarity degree greater than a similarity threshold to an image set, and present the similar images based on the image set.


An internal combustion engine is constructed with metallic parts in its rons which are subjected to high stress (temperature, pressure) during combustion and polymeric materials in its regions which are subjected to relatively lower stresses. The integrated construction helps realize increased power densities and reductions in engine noise without compromising engine performance. V-configuration Diesel engines particularly benefit from this construction.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is generally related to internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to V-configurations of internal combustion engines which are designed to have reduced engine weight and engine noise. The invention has specific utility for Diesel engine designs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Internal combustion engines, such as gasoline piston engines or Diesel engines, operate by burning fuel within the engine proper rather than in an external furnace, as is done in a steam engine. Many internal combustion engines could benefit from being constructed with lighter weight materials, thereby increasing power density (horsepower produced per pound of engine weight). In addition, achieving noise reduction for the internal combustion engine without compromising the power density would be beneficial.
Diesel engines use the heat of highly compressed air to ignite a spray of fuel introduced after the start of the compression stroke. The combustion process in a Diesel engine is characterized by high cylinder pressures. Because of this high pressure, Diesel engine components typically have added material for extra strength which makes them heavier than gasoline engines. The Diesel combustion process also produces a very rapid rise in combustion pressure which is the cause of the Diesel engine's noise. Usually additional material is incorporated into the Diesel structure to minimize radiated noise. The additional material added to handle the large combustion pressures and noise of a Diesel engine decrease the power density.

Low vibration polymeric composite engine

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