It is an object of the invention to provide a rapid and economically viable process which is notable for efficient use of material, especially of the silylating agent, and by means of which organically modified lyo- or aerogels are obtained in a rapid and simple manner. This object is achieved by virtue of the invention providing a process for producing organically modified gels selected from lyo- and aerosols by (i) emulsifying a basic polar phase comprising water and starting materials for silicatic gels in a nonpolar phase containing a water-immiscible precursor for an active silylating agent, (ii) starting formation of gel and ageing by lowering the pH, and then (iii) starting the silylation and the exchange of solvent by lowering the pH. If the gels are aerogels, the gels provided can be used for thermal and/or acoustic insulation.

Subject-matter of the invention is a process for producing organically modified gels selected from lyogels or aerogels, by (i) emulsifying a basic, polar phase comprising water and starting materials for silicatic gels in an apolar phase comprising a water-immiscible precursor of an active silylating agent, (ii) commencing gel formation and aging by lowering the pH, and then (iii) lowering the pH to commence silylation and solvent exchange.
Against a background of increasing awareness of sustainable development and of the increasing expense of energy, and also of increasing scarcity of fossil raw materials, a higher position has been acquired by heat insulation for the purpose of energy saving. These requirements with regard to optimizing heat insulation protection are equally valid both for buildings, in other words for new-builds or existing buildings, and for thermal insulation in the logistical or fixed-location sector.
Against the backdrop of a sustainable insulation which features low thermal conduction and low combustibility, the focus is increasingly on inorganic, porous materials.
Aerogels with high porosities (>60%) and low density (<0.6 g/ml) have low thermal conductivity and therefore find a broad spectrum of application as thermal insulators (M. A. Aegerter et al. (Eds.), Aerogels Handbook Series: Advances in Sol-Gel Derived Materials and Technologies, 1st ed. 2011, Springer Verlag, New York Dordrecht Heidelberg London).
Gels, particularly SiO2 gels, are constructed of networks which are composed of primary particles which, after their linkage and sintering of the contact faces, in a sol-gel process, form stable, liquid-filled networks, known as lyogels. Whereas in the case of a lyogel the pores are filled with solvent, a hydrogel represents a special case of the lyogel, in which at least 50% of the pore liquid consists of water. These lyogels can be converted, by removal of the solvent, into aerogels. The pores of the aerogel, accordingly, are filled with air.
It is desirable to maximize the hydrophobicity of the SiO2 aerogels in order to reduce the water absorption and therefore the loss of the thermal insulating effect. Permanent hydrophobicity is achieved by treating the surface of gel networks with hydrophobic groups, preferably by modification.
This hydrophobization not only fulfills the purpose of reduced water absorption in the dry state, but also allows subcritical drying of the gels. In subcritical drying, the capillary forces which act result in contraction of the gels, this contraction being irreversible in the case of hydrophilic surfaces with free Si—OH groups through the condensation of these Si—OH groups in the contracted state. Hydrophilic lyogels, moreover, are generally filled with polar solvents, which are responsible, by means of high capillary forces, for severe contraction of the gels. In the case of the hydrophobized surfaces, the lyogels are generally present in apolar solvents. As a result of the drying, reduced contraction is observed, on the one hand, and the possibility for condensation of the Si—OH groups is prevented as well, these groups having been functionalized by the hydrophobization.
For economically viable implementation of a process for producing organically modified aerogels which can be dried subcritically it is particularly desirable to develop extremely rapid and cost-effective operating steps which are distinguished by efficient use of materials and, in particular, by short times and ease of implementation for the individual process steps.
In EP 0 948 395 B1, accordingly, a process for producing organically modified aerogels was developed by directly surface-modifying a hydrogel without first replacing the aqueous pore liquid by organic solvents. The examples use a sodium silicate solution or silicon tetrachloride as SiO2 source and employ hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) or trimethylsilanol for modification. The free, hydrophilic Si—OH groups of the hydrogel react with the silylating agents used, and functionalization takes place with oxygen-bonded trimethylsilyl groups (TMS, (CH3)3SiO1/2). If the silylation is conducted with reaction of some of the water in the pores of the hydrogel with the silylating agent used (e.g., TMCS) to give the water-insoluble hexamethyldisiloxane, then the volume of the compound formed necessarily displaces at least some of the water from the pores. This leads, during the silylation of the internal surface of the network, to a simultaneous, complete or partial exchange of the liquid in the pores of the hydrogel for the water-insoluble, apolar medium.
A disadvantage of the process disclosed in EP 0 948 395 B1 is that either the hydrogels must be prepared from alkali metal silicate by prior desalting with ion exchangers, or the removal of the salts after silylation is difficult to accomplish. Upstream production of sol by neutralization of the alkali metal silicate solution constitutes an additional operating step which, because of the necessary cooling, for example, is energy-intensive and is costly and inconvenient as a process. Moreover, the process has the disadvantage that either the silylation takes place at temperatures of 80-100° C. or a very long reaction time of several days is required. Only through the use of large quantities of HCl and/or trimethylchlorosilane is success achieved here in a rapid and complete silylation. During the hydrophobization, the pore liquid is displaced from the gel and replaced by HMDSO; the authors of this patent, F. Schwertfeger and D. Frank, in a subsequent publication with M. Schmidt in Journal of non-Crystalline Solids (vol. 225, pp. 24-29, 1998), specify that for complete replacement of the pore liquid, they require at least 15 mol % of TMCS based on the pore water, corresponding to 81.5 g of TMCS per 100 g of hydrogel (see sample 2 in tab. 1), in order to obtain complete replacement of the pore liquid and hence to obtain aerogels of low density (less than 140 kg/m3). This results in 80 ml of HMDSO byproduct per 100 g of hydrogel. Raw materials costs here are high.
US 2012/0225003 describes a process for producing aerogel powders by mixing alkali metal silicate with an inorganic acid, preferably nitric acid, and an organosilane, preferably hexamethyldisilazane (HMN), and carrying out emulsification in an organic solvent, the selection here being specified from n-hexane, n-heptane, toluene, xylene or mixtures thereof. Both gel formation and solvent exchange take place simultaneously. A feature of the process is that it is very quick to implement, since the formation of sol, in other words the neutralization of the alkali metal silicate solution, takes place directly in the continuous phase. Gel formation and water displacement can be concluded here in about an hour. The removal of the electrolytes—that is, of the salts formed from the precursors, the silylating agent and the mineral acid—is accomplished in the course of the water displacement.
A disadvantage of this process is that the water-miscible silylating agent used, hexamethyldisilazane, is added in large quantities (60 ml per 500 ml of alkali metal silicate solution) and is consumed fully by the reactions which take place. Even the fraction which does not react with the surface in the course of the silylation is consumed by hydrolysis and condensation processes and cannot be directly recovered. The associated high costs for the raw materials, and the complexity of physical separation and/or disposal, result in high production costs.
The object was therefore to provide a rapid and economically viable process which is notable for efficient use of materials, particularly of the silylating agent, and which produces organically modified aerogels rapidly and easily.

Economically viable process for producing organically modified lyo- or aerogels


This disclosure relates to systems, methods, and software that involve system landscape aware inter-application communication infrastructure. This inter-application communication infrastructure may implement one metamodel to describe how an application could participate in an inter-application communication. The metamodel can describe the input parameters accepted but the application and the possible output of it. Based on the metadata, which would be exposed or otherwise available for involved applications, there is a protocol defining the communication flows between applications.

Computer programs, which may also be referred to as an application (such as a business application), operate within an operating environment. In some instances, operating environments are computer operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, by Microsoft Corporation of 1020 102nd Ave NE Bellevue, WA 98004. In some instances, the operating environment provides essential or necessary as well as optional operability or features available to one or more applications running in the operating environment. Typically, the features of an operating environment are known in advance, and the application is constructed or otherwise configured based on this advance information. That is, the application is specifically built based on the features known to be provided by the operating environment. More specifically, there is typically software installed from different vendors, in different versions and using different technologies. Even for landscapes that involve a single vendor, the business may have a wide range of different versions of the different products running at (and even these single-vendor products may be based on different technologies, languages, protocols, or messaging structures). Thus, there is a static relationship, even when implemented through dynamically linked libraries, between various applications and the operating environment.

System landscape aware inter-application communication infrastructure


A system that provides packaging for a surface acoustic wave filter in such a way that the surface acoustic wave filter is capable of integration with a number of additional electronic devices on an integrated substrate. The surface acoustic wave filter is mounted in a xe2x80x9cflip chipxe2x80x9d configuration that enables the surface of the surface acoustic wave filter to be protected from a molding compound during and after the encapsulation of the surface acoustic wave filter and other circuitry contained on the integrated substrate. The manner in which the surface acoustic wave filter is packaged provides a great reduction in cost and occupied real estate on the integrated substrate, in that, the surface acoustic wave filter is mounted in such as way as not to require conventionally used ceramic packaging that encases the surface acoustic wave filter. An air gap is preserved between the surface acoustic wave filter side of the surface acoustic wave filter and the integrated substrate on which it is mounted. This air gap ensures proper operation of the surface acoustic wave filter. In addition, a passivation layer is deposited on the surface acoustic wave filter side of the surface acoustic wave filter before it is mounted in the xe2x80x9cflip chipxe2x80x9d configuration, thereby provided a degree of protection of the surface acoustic wave filter side of the surface acoustic wave filter.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to electronic device packaging; and, more particularly, it relates to surface acoustic wave filter packaging on a multi-chip module.
2. Related Art
Traditional surface acoustic wave filters are available in relatively expensive ceramic packages. These ceramic packages are expensive not only in terms of initial cost, but they are expensive in terms of subsequent costs such as mounting and subsequent packaging and integration of them into larger scale devices. This relatively expensive purchase cost of conventional surface acoustic wave filters is mostly attributed to the relatively complex packaging of the surface acoustic wave filter that must be performed to ensure its proper performance once it is subsequently integrated into a device. Typically, the surface acoustic wave filter itself is fully enclosed in a ceramic package that itself contains contact pads such that the entire package is capable of being mounted on a substrate. The ceramic package contains, inside of the ceramic package, sufficient space so that the surface acoustic wave filter can properly propagate surface acoustic waves without obstruction. While the operation of these conventionally packaged surface acoustic wave filters is adequate, the cost of procuring them is often prohibitively high for their integration into certain low cost applications. In addition, even for some applications that have the overhead to accommodate their relatively high purchase price, the subsequently associated cost to incorporate them into a device is another cost barrier that must be overcome. These ceramic packages are typically hermetically sealed and surface mounted into their respective devices, and the handling of the relatively delicate ceramic packaging increases the cost of the overall integration of the device into which it is to be installed.
Absent the use of a surface acoustic wave filter that comes pre-packaged in a packaging such as the ceramic packaging described above, the surface acoustic wave filter is commonly incapable of being included into an end product that is to be encapsulated. This is because, using traditional packaging methods, the operation of the surface acoustic wave filter will be greatly compromised by the encapsulation process. This is largely due to the fact that after the encapsulation process has been performed, the surface acoustic waves are unable to propagate on the surface acoustic wave filter due to the obstruction of the material applied during the encapsulation process.
One major problem facing the incorporation of conventional surface acoustic wave filters is how to protect the surface of a surface acoustic wave filter such that it can operate properly even after encapsulation of the surface acoustic wave filter once it has been mounted into a device. Absent the use proper packaging of a surface acoustic wave filter using methods described above such as the ceramic packaging, the conventional art of including surface acoustic wave filters into devices does not permit their proper operation. In addition, the cost associated with their inclusion into many devices is often excessive and prohibitive of their incorporation into various devices. A method to incorporate such devices into so that the difficult cost margins are adequately met simply does not exist in the art. Also, the conventional manner in which surface acoustic wave filters are packaged, in ceramic, is inherently consumptive in real estate on a motherboard or other circuit board, in that, the surface acoustic wave filter requires a fixed amount of space on the board.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional systems will become apparent to one of skill in the art through comparison of such systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.
Various aspects of the present invention can be found in a wireless transceiver that receives a signal. The wireless transceiver contains a motherboard that itself contains an integrated substrate. On the integrated substrate are numerous circuitries and dies, namely, a switching circuitry, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die, a low noise amplifier (LNA) die, and a mixer die, among other things. The signal that wireless transceiver receives is passed from the switching circuitry to the surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die, then to the low noise amplifier (LNA) die, and then to the mixer die. From the mixer die, the signal is passed to other circuitry on the motherboard. The surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die is mounted on the integrated substrate in a xe2x80x9cflip chipxe2x80x9d configuration in accordance with the present invention.
In certain embodiments of the invention, an antenna is used to receive the signal and pass it to the switching circuitry. The wireless transceiver is operable in a variety of different devices such as a wireless communication device or a cellular telephone. In some cases, the signal provided to the wireless transceiver is a speech signal.
The mounting of the surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die on the integrated substrate in the xe2x80x9cflip chipxe2x80x9d configuration provides an air gap between the surface acoustic wave filter die and the integrated substrate. This air gap ensures proper operation of the surface acoustic wave filter. Also, if desired, a passivation layer composed of a dielectric material is deposited on the surface acoustic wave filter die prior to the surface acoustic wave filter die being mounted on the integrated substrate.
Other aspects of the present invention can be found in a multi-chip module having an integrated substrate and a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die. The surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die is mounted in a xe2x80x9cflip chipxe2x80x9d configuration in accordance with the present invention and it is encapsulated on the integrated substrate.
Additional circuitry is included in the multi-chip module in various embodiments of the invention. For example, the surface acoustic wave filter die is itself contained within a flip mounted circuitry, and a surface mounted circuitry and a chip on-board circuitry are included in the multi-chip module. The surface mounted circuitry contains a switching circuitry, and the chip on-board circuitry contains a low noise amplifier die and a mixer die. Each of the flip mounted circuitry, the surface mounted circuitry, and the chip on-board circuitry is mounted on the integrated substrate. To perform the encapsulation of the surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die on the integrated substrate, a molding compound is applied. The multi-chip module is operable in a number of electronic devices including a personal communication device. In addition, a passivation layer composed of a dielectric material is deposited on the surface acoustic wave filter die prior to the surface acoustic wave filter die being mounted on the integrated substrate in certain embodiments of the invention.
Other aspects of the present invention can be found in a method to package a surface acoustic wave filter die. The method includes, among other things, passivating a filter side of the surface acoustic wave filter die, then mounting the surface acoustic wave filter die in a flip chip configuration on a substrate, and then encapsulating the surface acoustic wave filter die on the substrate.
In certain embodiments of the invention, the method is performed such that a number of solder balls are applied to the various contacts pads of the surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die before it is mounted in the flip chip configuration on the substrate. In addition, the various contacts pads on the surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter die are covered before the passivation is performed to the filter side of the surface acoustic wave filter die. The flip chip configuration provides for an air gap between the surface acoustic wave filter die and the substrate. If desired, a dielectric material is applied to the surface acoustic wave filter die to perform the passivation of the filter side of the surface acoustic wave filter die.


A single aperture antenna system disposed to operate simultaneously in active radar and passive broadband modes is disclosed herein. The dual mode antenna apparatus 40 of the present invention includes a waveguide antenna array 50 which generates a first radiation pattern of a first polarization within an antenna aperture A described thereby. The antenna apparatus 40 of the present invention further includes a broadband antenna array 60 coupled to the waveguide antenna array 50 for generating a second radiation pattern of a second polarization within the aperture A.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antenna arrays. More specifically, the present invention relates to slotted waveguide and broadband antenna arrays.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
1. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, many conventional missile target detection and tracking systems employ active radar. In such systems the missile radar typically illuminates a target with pulsed radiation of a predetermined frequency and detects the return pulses. Unfortunately, the bandwidth of such active radar systems is typically only approximately three percent of the frequency of the illuminating radiation. The narrow bandwidth of conventional active radar increases susceptibility to jamming. In particular, if an intended target vehicle can discern an approximate frequency range within which the operative frequency of the active radar is included, the target may "jam" the radar by saturating it with large quantities of radiation within this range. These emissions may prevent the active radar from discriminating the return pulses from the radiation transmitted by the jamming vehicle, which may allow the intended target to evade the active radar. Moreover, utilization of active radar discloses the location thereof to the intended target.
A target tracking system complementary to that of active radar is known as broadband anti-radiation homing (ARH). Broadband ARH systems are passive. That is, ARH systems do not illuminate a target with radiation, but instead track the target by receiving radiation emitted thereby. Consequently, an intended target may not frustrate an ARH system simply by emitting radiation as such emissions aid an ARH system in locating a target. Additionally, employment of an ARH system does not reveal the position thereof to the intended target. Nonetheless, an ARH system is generally of utility only to those instances wherein an intended target emits an appreciable quantity of radiation.
As may be evident from the above, a target tracking system incorporating both an active radar and a passive ARH system would be foiled much less easily than one constrained to function in an exclusively active or passive mode. Missiles, however, typically have an extremely limited amount of "forward-looking" surface area available on which to mount antennas associated with either an active radar or broadband ARH system. Consequently, attempts have been made to devise antenna arrays--operative through a single antenna aperture--for both active and passive target tracking.
A first approach to such a single aperture system entails deploying an array of broad frequency bandwidth radiating elements together with a broadband feed network. However, these arrays have limited efficiency, and thus low gain, due to losses in the broadband circuits included therein. Thus, when operative in the active radar mode these circuits typically lack the high efficiency and power capabilities of conventional active radar. In a second unitary aperture approach, active target tracking and passive target identification are attempted to be effected by suspending broadband dipole elements above an active radar array. Unfortunately, such an approach is unsuitable for broadband passive target tracking due to the small number of dipole elements which may be included within the antenna aperture.
Hence, a need in the art exists for an antenna system operative through a single antenna aperture which is capable of functioning simultaneously in active radar and passive broadband modes.

Dual mode antenna apparatus having slotted waveguide and broadband arrays


Compounds represented by structural formulas such as Structural Formula (I):

Iron metabolism in primates is characterized by a highly efficient recycling process. Consequently, there is no specific mechanism for eliminating this transition metal. Because of the lack of an iron clearance mechanism, the introduction of "excess iron" into this closed metabolic loop often leads to chronic overload and can ultimately lead to biological damage (e.g., peroxidative tissue damage). There are a number of ways in which excess iron is introduced, including a high-iron diet, acute iron ingestion or malabsorption of the metal. In each of these situations, a subject can typically be treated by phlebotomy to reduce iron levels. However, for iron-overload syndromes resulting from chronic transfusion therapy, e.g., aplastic anemia and thalassemia, phlebotomy is not an option. In these secondary iron overload syndromes, the origin of the excess iron is the transfused red blood cells. Since removing the red blood cells to remedy the iron overload would be counterproductive, an alternative method of removing iron is chelation therapy.
Although considerable effort has been invested in the development of new therapeutics for managing iron overload resulting from thalassemia, particularly therapeutics that can be administered orally, desferrioxamine B, a hexacoordinate hydroxamate iron chelator produced by Streptomyces pilosus that is administered subcutaneously, is still the protocol of choice. However, desferrioxamine B is not ideal for chelation therapy, because iron is removed with a low efficiency. In addition, oral activity of desferrioxamine B is marginal, thereby requiring parenteral administration, which can result in poor patient compliance, particularly for patients in need of long-term chelation therapy.
A substantial number of synthetic iron chelators have been studied in recent years as potential orally active therapeutics, e.g., pyridoxyl isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH), hydroxypyridones and bis(o-hydroxybenzyl)-ethylenediaminediacetic acid (HBED); however, the synthetic chelators have not yet demonstrated the desired properties (e.g., effective chelation, suitable oral activity, acceptable toxicity). Siderophores including enterobactin and rhodotorulic acid have also been studied. However, both enterobactin and rhodotorulic acid have exhibited unacceptable toxicity and neither possessed any oral activity. In general, although a large number of siderophores and synthetic iron chelators have been developed, most have been abandoned because their properties are not suitable for use in treating chronic iron overload.
Therefore, a need still exists for novel iron chelators that can be used in chelation therapy, especially chronic chelation therapy. These iron chelators should be efficient in chelating and removing iron from an organism, possess suitable oral bioavailability and/or pose minimal toxicity to a subject.

Desferrithiocin derivatives and methods of use thereof

Abstract: are highly efficient in clearing excess iron from an organism. The invention also discloses methods of treating conditions such as metal overload, oxidative stress, and neoplastic and preneoplastic conditions.

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


Aqueous cable pulling made from propylene glycol, mixture of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroethyl cellulose, mixture of methyl- and propylparabens and water and method of preparing such compounds are claimed. The composition includes from about 10% to about 30% by weight of propylene glycol, from about 0.1% to about 1% by weight of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of hydroxyethyl cellulose, from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of methyl paraben and from about 65% to about 90% by weight of water.

The pulling compounds are lubricants that are used for lubricating the interface between two relatively moving surfaces where a number of requirements have to be met. The compounds must be essentially chemically and physically inert with respect to the surfaces. The compounds must reduce the force required to move one surface over the other. In addition, the compounds must be in a form that permits the easy application to one or both surfaces.
In the prior art, the pulling compounds were prepared by thickening natural fats and oils and clay or chalk in order to provide sufficient lubrication during pulling an object through a conduit. With the start of the petroleum industry lubricant oils and greases were prepared from heavy petroleum oil fractions. In many applications petroleum lubricants are undesirable. Petroleum lubricants can interact with many organic and inorganic substances such as plastics and rubbers, can be difficult to clean up after application and can be unpleasant to workmen.
In view of the serious drawbacks that petroleum lubricant can have in certain applications, water based lubricants were developed. The use of many different water based lubricants is well known. More specifically, aqueous based compositions of high molecular weight polyalkylene oxide polymers have been prepared for a variety of applications including lubrication. Many other compounds have been used in preparing aqueous lubricants such as various fatty acid soaps, acrylate polymers, waxes, alkylene glycols, guar gum, Irish moss, carboxymethyl cellulose, phenolic and amine-formaldehyde resins, hydrocarbon sulfonic acids, gelatin, polyurethanes, and others.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,652 (Ackerman) describes an aqueous lubricant comprising ethylene oxide homopolymer having the average molecular weight about 100,000.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,000,826 (Gililand) describes an aqueous cutting oil composition comprising water as the main constituent, 5 to 40 percent of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol or a mixture thereof, 3 to 18 percent alkali metal nitrite and 2 to 15 percent of a secondary or tertiary alkonol amine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,299 (Alexander) describes a water soluble cable pulling lubricating composition. The composition includes an aqueous solution of from about 1 to 4 percent of a water soluble cellulose derivative such as carboxymethyl cellulose, and from about 0.5 to 2 percent of polyacrylamide. The lubricant may also include a hydroscopic agent such as ethylene glycol to prevent the lubricant from drying out too rapidly in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,733 (Jonnes) relates to aqueous gel lubricants used during installation of electrical or telephone cable in conduit. The lubricant comprises a major portion of water, a polyelectrolyte acrylate compound, a fatty acid compound and a C.sub.1-6 alcohol.
The known aqueous based pulling compositions suffer certain disadvantages. The compositions are expensive, can be stiff, nonthixotropic, can be hard to handle and apply to the surface, can fail to reduce the coefficient of friction under a broad load range.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved pulling compositions which are inexpensive, have low coefficient of friction and easy to handle.


Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to systems and methods for providing improved aircraft fuel cell systems. In one embodiment, the system provides separate zones, maintaining various equipment components in separate controlled hydrogen concentration zones. In one embodiment, the fuel cell system provided may be simpler such that it functions without a power converter and autonomous such that it functions without need for power from any aircraft supply.

Vast numbers of people travel every day via aircraft, trains, buses, and other vehicles. Such vehicles are often provided with components that are important for passenger comfort and satisfaction. For example, passenger aircraft (both commercial and private aircraft) can have catering equipment, heating/cooling systems, lavatories, water heaters, power seats or beds, passenger entertainment units, lighting systems, and other components, which require electrical power for their activation and proper operation. These components are generally referred to as "non-essential" equipment. This is because the components are separate from the "essential" equipment, which includes the electrical components required to run the aircraft (i.e., the navigation system, fuel gauges, flight controls, and hydraulic systems).
One ongoing issue with these components is their energy consumption. As non-essential equipment systems become more and more numerous, they require more and more power. Additionally, because more equipment components are converted to electrically powered equipment (rather that hydraulically or mechanically powered equipment), power availability can become a concern aboard aircrafts. These systems are typically powered by power drawn from the aircraft engines drive generators (although they may derive power from an aircraft auxiliary power unit or ground power unit when the aircraft is on the ground.). However, the use of aircraft power produces noise and CO2 emissions, both of which are desirably reduced. The total energy consumption can also be rather large, particularly for long flights with hundreds of passengers on board.
The technology of fuel cell systems provides a promising, cleaner, and quieter way to supplement energy sources already aboard commercial aircraft. A fuel cell system produces electrical energy as a main product by combining a fuel source of liquid, gaseous, or solid hydrogen with a source of oxygen, such as oxygen in the air, compressed oxygen, or chemical oxygen generation. Fuel cell systems consume hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) to produce electric power. The H2 and O2 gas may be provided via gas distribution systems that generally include high pressure cylinders for storing the gases.
Fuel cell systems are generally designed with two in-line pressure regulators on both gas distribution systems (H2 and O2) in order to expand gases from the high pressure storage cylinders to the low pressure inlets (the appropriate fuel cell inlet pressure for the H2 and O2 gases). The anode and cathode pressure of the fuel cell system should be linked in order to limit the pressure differential between the two fuel cell inlet pressures (anode and cathode) so as to avoid damaging of the fuel cell membrane.
Whenever hydrogen or other potentially explosive gas is in use, there are regulations to be met. For example, the ATEX directive consists of two European directives that outline requirements for what equipment and work environment is allowed in an environment with a potentially explosive atmosphere. (ATEX derives its name from the French title of the 94/9/EC directive: Appareils destinés à être utilisés en ATmosphères EXplosibles.) Fuel cell systems typically need to use ATEX actuators and sensors, and otherwise be ATEX compliant. This disclosure relates to improvements for fuel cell systems that allow them to be ATEX compliant, while reducing the total number of required compliant components and limiting the portions of the fuel cell systems where compliant components are required. This disclosure also relates to improvements for fuel cell systems that allow the fuel cell system to operate autonomously. The fuel cell systems may operate without requiring power from the aircraft. The fuel cell systems may also be designed to operate without requiring a power converter.


The invention is a single piece, self seating and locking dynamic intervertebral spacer. The dynamic spacer is load-supporting but also able to undergo flexure in either or both the lateral and sagittal planes.

The present invention relates to implants for repair of spinal defects and injuries. It relates in particular to implants having utility to maintain intervertebral spacing after disc removal. It further relates to intervertebral spacers which can permit at least some remaining spinal flexibility.
Natural intervertebral spinal discs serve multiple purposes. The first, and perhaps most basic, is to preserve the anatomical spacing between adjacent vertebrae such that the spinal column and horizontally branching nerve bundles are allowed to function normally. A second major purpose is to allow relative flexural motion between adjacent vertebral bodies. Natural flexibility, at least of the upper spine, permits rotation about two horizontal axes and one vertical axis. Finally, the disc also serves as a shock absorber for columnar loading of the spine. However, mechanical trauma, degenerative disc disease, and other pathogenesis can compromise a disc""s ability to maintain the spacing, facilitate flexibility, and provide the shock absorbing function.
One option after the surgical removal of a damaged disc might be to allow the intervertebral space to collapse. Collapse, however, usually causes compressive damage to the spinal cord and the associated nerve bundles. Also, the intervertebral space may fill with scar tissue that can aggravate nerve damage. Thus the simple removal of a damaged disc, without providing for maintenance of the normal vertebral spacing is undesirable.
Discectomy therefore is usually supplemented by (1) rigid fusion of the adjacent vertebrae with new bone growth; (2) application of rigid nonfusing hardware; or (3) insertion of an artificial disc. As the patent literature shows, these approaches have been tried in many variations but have significant disadvantages.
a. Vertebral Fusion
Well-known to those skilled in the art is interbody fusion wherein the disc is partially or wholly excised and living bone or various forms of calcium phosphate or other substrate material is placed within the space previously occupied by the disc for the purpose of restoring the normal separation, strength, and stability. Fusion is intended to provide healthy, living bone between the adjacent vertebrae.
For fusion to occur within the disc space, it is frequently necessary to prepare the adjacent vertebrae by excising portions of the cortical exterior surfaces, usually of the vertebral endplates so as to allow an interposed bone graft to come into direct contact with the cancellous (and vascularized) interior of the vertebrae.
Historically, two types of bone grafts have been available for anterior cervical fusion. One type is a round dowel plug-like configuration, such as the original Cloward dowel. The second type, a rectangular plug in a rectangular hole, is often referred to as the Smith-Robinson technique. The bone can be obtained from the patient""s own iliac crest, from allograft cadaveric crest, or cut from a hard femoral cortical bone.
Both techniques can have disadvantages. For example, the dowel approach frequently flattens the intervertebral space, causing it to induce an undesirable kink in the natural lordosis. Also, the instrumentation used to implant the dowel is bulky and tends to be difficult to use. Thus many surgeons have abandoned this technique. The Smith-Robinson approach has problems because lack of preparation of the endplates leads to non-incorporation and eventual collapse. Moreover, the use of autograft bone to fill the disc space is often less than optimal since it requires an additional incision and healing and is of limited availability in its most useful form.
b. Artificial Discs
Extensive research has been devoted to developing an effective artificial disc. No such device has yet been found that is medically acceptable. Examples of various prosthetic or artificial disc attempts include Fassio, U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,622; Stubstad, U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,728; Froning, U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,595; Patil, U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,777; Kuntz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,921; Hirayama, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,378; Nishijima, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,941; Bryan, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,130. Substantial numbers of others exist.
c. Spacers
A number of intervertebral spacers designed for installation between adjacent vertebrae have been patented. These include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,613 to CAMINO, et al., relates to intervertebral spacers used in connection with spinal fusion. U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,762 to McKay describes a spacer body having an outer surface and a height approximating the height of a human disc space, said body composed of a porous, biocompatible ceramic material for permitting tissue ingrowth therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,291 to RALPH, et al. describes an intervertebral spacer having a pair of opposing plates for seating against opposing vertebral bone surfaces, separated by at least one spring mechanism. In a first embodiment there are two Belleville washers which are oriented in opposite directions such that the narrow ends thereof are in contact with each other and the wider ends are in contact with the respective end plates. The Belleville washers work as springs. (Belleville washers are described as frustoconical in shape.)
U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,922 to McKay describes a spinal fixation device consisting of an intervertebral body wedge which is inserted between vertebral bodies by sequentially expanding the disc space using a spacer. No posterior fixation devices are needed for stabilization of the vertebrae. U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,222 to COATES, et al. describes a spinal spacer that engages adjacent vertebrae. The spacer includes a body having two ends, at least one of which xe2x80x9cdefinesxe2x80x9d an inferior vertebral engaging surface having a set of migration resistance grooves. U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,029 to Shia discloses an articulated vertebral body spacer consisting of a pair of upper and lower joint pieces to be inserted between vertebrae. This spacer allows its components to pivot in accordance with forward/backward and bending motions of vertebral bodies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,086 to Dogy discloses a spinal stabilization device positionable between separated but neighboring vertebrae. A wrench can be inserted into the opening until it engages a pair of pins, and then the wrench can be rotated to advance the pins into the abutting vertebral bodies.
Two spacer inventions that are designed specifically for use in connection with subsequent fusion processes are: U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,223 to BRAY, Jr., which discloses an anterior fixation device consisting of an oval shaped hollow intervertebral spacer and a retaining plate. The spacer has a side wall and superior and inferior walls. The superior and inferior walls are dome-shaped and porous to allow bone to grow through the device to achieve fusion of two adjacent vertebral bodies; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,848 to Baker describing a spinal fusion implant assembly for spacing vertebrae. The device includes a translation mechanism for providing relative motion between the components.
An additional area of prior art includes all devices designed to be applied to one or more exterior surfaces of the spine. Such devices include all types of plates, struts, and rods which are attached by hooks, wires and screws. Other devices are simply variations on the use of rods (e.g. Harrington, Luque, Cotrel-Dubosset, Zielke), wires or cables (Dwyer), plates and screws (Steffee), or struts (Dunn, Knowles).
A preferable spacer would at least to some extent preserve the ability of the patient to rotate portions of the spinal column about two perpendicular horizontal axes (and linear combinations thereof) and about the vertical axis. All of the prior art approaches suffer from the drawback that they either do not attempt to preserve such flexibility or they are unable in practice to achieve a workable device. In addition they suffer from other drawbacks.
The principal drawbacks of the fusion approach are that until very recently the success rate, that is, actual achievement of fusion, has been very modest. Secondly, in cervical as opposed to lumbar application, the diminution in mobility of the spine about rotational axes is a much more significant lasting effect for the patient.
The principal aim of artificial discs has been to provide a prosthesis which preserves as much of the patient""s prior ability to move as possible. The principal drawback of artificial discs is that they simply do not work in a medical sense.
Spacers have the drawback that, by themselves, they do not achieve the beneficial results of fusion. On the other hand, most of them are rigid, and therefore also have the same drawback as successful fusion, namely reducing the patient""s flexibility.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a single-piece intervertebral implant that can serve as a spacer between adjacent cervical vertebrae. Another object of the invention is to provide an intervertebral implant that allows relative motion of the adjacent vertebral bodies. Another object of the present invention is to provide a low cost intervertebral implant that is small enough to allow rapid and easy anterior or posterior installation into either the cervical or the lumbar regions of the spine. Another object of the present invention is to provide an intervertebral implant device that is self-adhering upon installation. Another object of the present invention is to provide an intervertebral implant device that can maintain intimate, grasping adherence with the vertebral bodies, even when loaded in tension. Another object of the present invention is to provide an artificial disc prosthesis able to allow for full bending movement of the two vertebral bodies between which it is installed, allowing flexibility within both the lateral and sagittal planes. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an intervertebral implant device that can pierce the bony cortex of the vertebral bodied during installation. And yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an intervertebral implant device that provides self-centering alignment upon installation.
Additional objects of the invention are to provide a single-piece spacer device which alone, or with a second such spacer device, can serve as a spacer between adjacent vertebra within the lumbar region of the spine as part of a vertebral fusion process. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an intervertebral implant device that provides the correct amount of loading in order to promote bone growth and vertebral fusion A final object of the invention is to provide a single-piece device which alone in the cervical region of the spine or in combination with a second like device in the lumbar region of the spine can be driven into an intervertebral space with a single force-applying operation for each of the one or two devices.
The present invention is an implantable intervertebral spacer designed to both preserve the space between adjacent vertebrae and to provide some continued spinal flexibility by virtue of its flexible construction. This spacer is also characterized by single piece construction and by the property of being self guiding upon initial insertion into the intervertebral space. This invention also has four spaced-apart tail pieces flexibly linked to one another, consisting of one upper set of two horizontally spaced-apart tail pieces and one lower set of two horizontally spaced-apart tail pieces, the upper and lower sets also being vertically spaced-apart from one another. Each of the two upper spaced-apart elongated tail pieces is independently flexibly linked to each of the corresponding spaced apart elongated lower tail pieces. Each of the tail pieces also comprises an elongated post supporting a bone gripping barb and a cutting edge having an inwardly angled facet. Upon installation between adjacent vertebral bodies, the implant is self locking by virtue of strain induced in the elongated barb-supporting posts. The device is implantable as a single unit within the intervertebral space between adjacent cervical vertebrae or it is implantable in conjunction with a second spacer within the same intervertebral space. Because of the cutting edges and barbs, it is implanted by being impacted with a driver device, at which point it is firmly seated and will not pull or creep out. The device also has a wedge shaped front portion to guide it into the desired position during installation. The bone gripping induced strain manifests within each of the elongated posts supporting each barb of each spaced-apart pair of barbs when the facet causes inward bending strain of the elongated posts upon installation into the vertebral bone.
The present invention is an implantable intervertebral device that can be configured also to promote bone growth and vertebral fusion. The vertical slot between the upper and lower sets of the two horizontally spaced-apart tail pieces can be loaded with bone graft material and/or bone morphogenic protein so as to create a fusion column and promote intervertebral fusion. It is known that compressive loading of graft material promotes new bone growth and healing. (This principle is generally referred to as Wolff""s law.) The horizontal slot between the upper and lower sets of tail pieces can be varied in height, and the radius of the internal void in the portion connecting the upper part of the device to the lower part of the device can be varied, both so as to provide flexing sufficient to produce enough loading on the graft material to promote bone growth and vertebral fusion while still providing sufficient compressive strength to maintain the necessary intervertebral spacing.
The spacer of the current invention can be fabricated from metal, preferably titanium or stainless steel. Or it can be fabricated from organic polymer such as thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic unfilled or filled with fibers such as glass, metal or carbon. Preferably, said implant spacer, if fabricated from organic polymer, is to be fabricated from polyether ether ketone (PEEK), most preferably filled with fibers of metal or glass or, most preferably, carbon.
A second embodiment of the said cervical lumbar implant spacer employs the use of bullets situated upon elongated posts instead of barbs as a way to grip the vertebral bone. The forward cutting edge of each bullet has an angled facet that causes induced strain to arise within the elongated support post during installation.


There is adopted a constitution of arranging a spacer 53 at a shaft center portion and arranging a retainer 52 and a roller 51 (cage & roller) at two sides thereof in order to prevent the roller (roller) from being rolled at the center portion in an axial direction of the shaft maximizing an amount of bending the shaft. At the double side rows, the bending of the shaft is not as large as that of the center portion and therefore, the roller (roller) is not hampered from being rolled smoothly.

The present invention relates to a radial needle-like roller bearing and a pinion shaft used in, for example, a planetary gear mechanism of a vehicular automatic transmission.
A planetary gear mechanism is generally used in an automatic transmission mounted to a vehicle or the like. Meanwhile, in recent years, also an automatic transmission tends to be formed by multistages with an object of improving fuel cost. At the same time, a planetary gear mechanism referred to as so-to-speak Ravigneau type is tried to be used to form an automatic transmission of 4 speeds as a main stream currently by mutlistages of, for example, 5 speeds or 6 speeds to downsize the automatic transmission. The Ravigneau type planetary gear mechanism is combined with two planetary gear mechanisms commonly using a planetary gear and is described in, for example Patent Reference 1.
Here, a characteristic of the Ravigneau type planetary gear type mechanism resides in that since a width in a axial line direction of the planetary gear commonly used is enlarged, a length in an axial line direction of a pinion shaft supporting the planetary gear relative to a diameter thereof is prolonged, that is, the pinion shaft becomes slender. Meanwhile, as shown by Patent Reference 2, as a rolling bearing for supporting a planetary gear in a general planetary gear mechanism, there is frequently used a radial needle-like roller bearing in which a needle-like roller is arranged as a rolling member between a pinion shaft serving also as an inner ring of the bearing and the planetary gear serving also as an outer ring of the bearing. However, although an such a needle-like roller bearing, there is generally used an all roller type which is not provided with a retainer in a background art, recently, there is a case of using a so-to-speak cage & roller type having a retainer for rotating the planetary gear at high speed. When a plurality or more of rows of rollers (rollers) are constituted by the all roller type, it is general to provide a guide ring for guiding end portions of the rollers (rollers) between the rows. In contrast thereto, according to the cage & roller type, even when a plurality or more of those of rollers (rollers) are constituted, it is general that the guide ring is not provided since the retainer guides the end faces of the rollers (rollers).
[Patent Reference 1]
Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. Hei4-126055
[Patent Reference 2]
Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. Hei5-62729
Here, in a planetary gear mechanism, a planetary gear is revolved to move and therefore, a centrifugal force operated to the planetary gear and a force of being brought in mesh with other gear elastically deform a pinion shaft. Although hardened steel is normally used for the pinion shaft, owing to a retained austenite structure inevitably present therein, in using the pinion shaft at a high temperature equal to or higher than 100° C., the retained austenite structure is disintegrated to expand a volume thereof. When the pinion shaft is elastically deformed at 100° C. or higher, a rate of disintegrating the retained austenite structure at a portion of operating a tensile stress faster than at a portion of operating a compressive stress and therefore, generally, the remoter from the portion of the pinion shaft attached to a carrier, the more the plastically bending is brought about in a bow-like shape, and the higher the temperature of the shaft, the faster the speed of revolving the planetary gear, further, the slenderer and the longer the pinion shaft, the higher the torque loaded to the gear, the more the rate tends to increase.
Particularly, when the Ravigneau type planetary gear mechanism disclosed in, for example, Patent Reference 1 is used for downsizing the planetary gear mechanism of a vehicular transmission of an automatic transmission or the like, there poses a problem that plastic bending of the long pinion is liable to be brought about since the shaft length is prolonged. When a sum of the plastic bending and elastic bending determined by loading conditions of the shaft which increases agingly is increased and a distance between the shaft and an inner diameter face of the pinion gear becomes smaller than a roller diameter, there poses a problem that the roller (roller) cannot smoothly be rolled and flaking is brought about at the shaft or the roller (roller).

Radial needle-like roller bearing and pinion shaft


A composite pallet member that provides enhanced performance characteristics. A composite pallet member comprising at least one deck member having a first surface and a second surface. The deck member having a plurality of open spaces and a strengthening layer positioned against at least one of the first surface and the second surface.

(Not Applicable)
(Not Applicable)
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a pallet member. More particularly, the invention relates to a composite pallet member with enhanced physical properties.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pallets are used to serve several purposes which range from the loading of equipment, or the stacking of food items for transportation and storage. Regardless of the purpose, a pallet must maintain durability to serve the particular purpose for which it is being used. The vast majority of pallets have been primarily constructed of materials such as wood and plastics. However, most pallets become damaged during transit over the passage of time. For example, many pallets constructed from wood either break or become detached. Additionally, pallets constructed from plastic are often extremely expensive and remain susceptible to deterioration with normal wear and tear. Also, wooden and plastic pallets pose fire hazards due to the high flammability of the materials.
UL 2335 xe2x80x9cClassification of Warehouse Palletsxe2x80x9d establishes minimum requirements that pallets used and stored in warehouses should adhere to in order to obtain reduced restrictions and improved fire retardancy. For example, obtaining a UL 2335 classification allows plastic pallets to use the same code rules as wood pallets, thereby eliminating several of the imposed restrictions associated with plastic pallets. A UL 2335 classification permits the use of wood and/or plastic pallets with the use of specifically defined restrictions. Wood pallets provide the basis for most all fire protection systems, although these types of pallets are recognized as being extra hazardous. Pallets which are not classified under UL 2335 are penalized significantly more than wood pallets. The associated penalties influence the use of pallets within certain aspects. For example, penalties can include restrictions on a pallets stacking height, corresponding sprinkler protection systems, and other forms of restrictions which can become very expensive. Pallets which are classified under UL 2335 are allowed the same protection systems afforded to ordinary wooden pallets. Consequently, it is desirable to design pallets that can be used to serve normal functions such as for packaging and transporting of goods, while also maintaining durability and exhibiting fire retardant qualities under UL 2335.
Currently, pallet compositions do not possess superior qualities in regards to durability, nor the ability to maintain sufficient fire performance. Although some pallets may provide a few of these qualities, none are optimally suited for multiple purposes. Attempts have been made to overcome present pallet technology. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,037 discloses a method and composition for manufacturing sheets having a highly inorganically filled matrix. The inorganic sheets may exhibit properties substantially similar to sheets presently made from traditional materials like paper, cardboard, polystyrene, plastic, or metal. These inorganic sheets may prove to be beneficial in some instances, however many of the same concerns presented by lack of durability and strength are prevalent.
Nanocomposite technology refers to a relatively new class of plastics often derived from a highly defined form of bentonite that reacts with plastic resins. Nanocomposite polymers are prepared by fully dispersing or exfoliating intercalated clay platelets into a host polymer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,812 discloses nanocomposite polymer containers composed of a polymer material integrated with a plurality of nanosize particles of clay mineral which act to enhance the barrier properties of the container. The nanocomposite containers disclosed do not teach the use of additional substrate material to further reinforce the containers or pallets, nor the use of innovative design concepts to further structural integrity.
The prior art fails to address the need to have pallets and containers that improve the mechanical strength and durability of pallets and containers, while also providing increased thermal, barrier, and heat resistance properties, at economical prices.
The present invention relates to a composite pallet member that provides enhanced performance characteristics.
According to the invention, a composite pallet member can comprise a deck member having a first surface and a second surface. The deck member of the composite pallet member can include a plurality of open spaces located on the surface of the deck member. A strengthening layer can be positioned against at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the deck member. The plurality of open spaces and strengthening layer can provide enhanced strength. The plurality of open spaces can extend from the first surface toward the second surface. The plurality of open spaces also can extend from the second surface toward the first surface. Alternatively, the plurality of open spaces can extend from the first surface toward the second surface and also extend from the second surface toward the first surface. The open spaces can be arranged in a periodic relationship across the surface of the deck member and each open space can provide a closed end.
Several variations of the geometry of the open spaces may be incorporated into the composite pallet member. These differing variations in geometry can provide structural integrity and increased structural support. One embodiment of the invention can include a plurality of open spaces having a triangular geometry. In this embodiment, the plurality of open spaces are formed by three sidewalls arranged substantially in a triangular orientation. The space defined by the three sidewalls decreases in cross sectional area as the open spaces extend from the first surface toward the second surface. The space defined by the three sidewalls can decrease in cross sectional area as the open spaces extend from the second surface toward the first surface. The open spaces may vary in their positioning on the surface of the deck member depending on the particular pallet design. For example, in other embodiments of the invention the open spaces can be arranged in a honeycomb configuration or any other suitable configuration. The open spaces may be filled with foam, expanded metal, or a solid substrate. Additionally, the open spaces can be filled with intumescent paper, fiber sheets, coatings and fabrics. The filling of the open spaces provide additional reinforcement to the composite pallet member.
The deck member can be composed of a variety of materials such as wood, plastic, particle board and metal. The deck member also can be formed utilizing nanocomposite technology. Nancomposites utilize many different materials intermingled on a nanometer scale. Nanocomposites can be made from a variety of starting materials including, but not limited to gases, minerals, and plastics. Nanocomposite technology provides the benefit of increased physical properties. Nanocomposites can provide higher heat distortion temperatures, less shrinkage, less warping, electrical conductivity and better fire performance. The nanocomposites utilized in the composite pallet member can include an organic-inorganic complex of material. The deck member can be composed of a nanocomposite material comprising a polymer material integrated with a clay between 0.1% and 20% weight of the nanocomposite. The weight of the clay used in the nanocomposite comprising the deck member also can include clay between 0.1% and 10% and clay between 10% and 20% weight of the nanocomposite. The clay utilized can include a silicate or silicate derivative such as montmorillonite (alumino-silicate). Nanocomposite technology has demonstrated a significant reduction in heat release rates on the order of 50 to 75% while increasing stiffness, heat distortion temperatures, cold temperature impact and other barrier properties. Nanocomposites also can be utilized in conjunction with flame retardant resins. Flame retardant resins further enhance the fire resistance of pallets. Examples of fire performance enhancing resin technologies used are zirconia, boron oxides, polybenzoxazine, polymers and carbon-silicone resin additives.
The strengthening layer can be positioned against the surface of the deck member. The strengthening layer can be positioned to at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the deck member. The strengthening layer also can be positioned against both the first surface and second surface of the deck member in one embodiment. The deck member and strengthening layer provide the multiple layered pallet member with added durability and load support. The composite pallet member is resilient to normal wear and tear. Nanocomposite technology can be incorporated into the strengthening layer. The strengthening layer can be composed of a nanocomposite material comprising a polymer material integrated with a clay between 0.1% and 20% by weight of the nanocomposite. The weight of the clay used in the nanocomposite comprising the strengthening layer also can include clay between 0.1% and 10% and clay between 10% and 20% by weight of the nanocomposite. The strengthening layer also can be composed of materials such as wood, plastic, particle board, metal, or any other suitable material. The strengthening layer can be detachable or permanently attached to any surface of the deck member. For instance, the strengthening layer can be attached to the first surface of the deck member while no strengthening layer is attached to the second surface of the deck member. Conversely, a strengthening layer can be attached to the second surface of the deck member leaving the first surface without a strengthening layer. Additionally, a strengthening layer can be attached to the first surface of the deck member while a separate strengthening layer can be attached to the second surface of the deck member. The strengthening layer also can include a plurality of holes in its surface. The holes provide a mechanism that facilitates the release of fluids and gases from the surface of the deck member and strengthening layer.
The invention provides a composite pallet member where a plurality of legs can be mechanically integrated into the deck member. The legs also can be composed of a nanocomposite material comprising a polymer material integrated with a clay between 0.1% and 20% weight of the nanocomposite. The weight of the clay used in the nanocomposite comprising the legs also can include clay between 0.1% and 10% and clay between 10% and 20% weight of the nanocomposite. The composite pallet member also can include a plurality of deck members. The plurality of deck members provide additional support and structural integrity to the pallet member. In addition, the plurality of deck members also can include a plurality of open spaces which further compliment the particular design of the specific composite pallet member. The plurality of deck members also can be detachably coupled to form the shelving members. Shelving members can be adapted to provide additional storage space for the composite pallet member. The shelving members can be collapsible or foldable, which improves stacking and storage qualities as compared to traditional single layer pallets.


A test taking arrangement for several separate testing points, especially for ground water and ground air tests, the arrangement has a guiding tube insertable into a ground opening and having a wall which is gas and liquid permeable at least in regions of testing points, transverse walls arranged in the guiding tube between the regions of the testing points and provided with closeable openings for testing conduits and a cylinder-piston unit train, a cylinder-piston unit train having a plurality of coaxially arranged cylinder-piston units and piston rods, a joint drive device coupled with all the piston rods of all the cylinder-piston units of the cylinder-piston unit train, a plurality of suction conduits and pressure conduits, and an alternating valve to provide a connection of each cylinder chamber of the cylinder-piston unit train with a corresponding suction conduits ending in the region of a testing point and with a corresponding one of the pressure conduits leading to a corresponding sample taking point.

The present invention relates to a test sample taking arrangement for several test points separated front one another, particularly for ground water and ground air testing.
In arrangements for cleaning contaminated ground regions through negative pressure shafts provided in the contaminated ground region it is desirable, prior to or during the operation of the arrangement to determine the degree of contamination in different ground depths and this purpose to take samples from the regions of interest.


Techniques are provided for receiving a connection request at a first network node configured to request a connection from the first network node to a second network node. At the first network node, it is determined if a path to the second network node without an optical regenerator is available for the connection. In response to determining that a path without an optical regenerator is not available, a path to the second network node is determined that has a minimum number of optical regenerators. The connection is set up using the path with the minimum number of optical regenerators.

When routing optical connections in large scale Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexed (DWDM) networks, the optical signals may be optically regenerated to overcome losses due to attenuation and distortion induced by long-haul fibers. Optical regenerators receive an incoming optical signal at an optical wavelength, convert the optical signal to an electrical signal, process the electrical signal, and then retransmit the processed signal (after it is converted back to an optical signal) at an outgoing optical wavelength. Thus, optical regenerators act as optical-electrical-optical (OEO) repeaters.
Due to the high data rates that are carried on DWDM networks, high speed electronics are needed for the OEO conversion performed in an optical regenerator. The high speed electronics are expensive and consequently make optical regenerators the most expensive component along the communications path. Therefore, their use should be minimized. Since such regenerators are not necessarily on the shortest physical path between the endpoints, the nodes need to consider all feasible paths in the network to find one that minimizes regenerator usage. As a result, approaches based on considering a predetermined number of shortest paths during the connection signaling phase will not necessarily minimize regenerator usage.

Selecting an optical path for a new connection with the minimum number of optical regenerators


Method and systems for simultaneously performing link fault sectionalization (LFS) tests for multiple time division multiplexed (TDM) channels are disclosed. An LFS test state machine may simultaneously process test data for multiple TDM channels by receiving test data associated with the TDM channels, accessing stored LFS state information associated with the TDM channels from an LFS state storage element, sequentially processing the test data for the channels, generating new LFS state information for each channel, and storing the new LFS state information in the LFS state storage element.

In signaling system 7 (SS7) telecommunications signaling networks, signal transfer point (STP) nodes terminate SS7 signaling links that carry signaling data. SS7 signaling links terminated by an STP are typically 56 kbps or 64 kbps DS-0 links. In order to transfer signaling information across long distances, many DS-0 channels may be multiplexed into a single high-speed channel, such as a DS-1 or E1 channel. A DS-1 channel uses a T1 carrier, which operates at 1.544 Mbps, while an E1 channel uses a carrier that operates at 2.048 Mbps. As transmission distances increase and the number of intermediate signal processing/handling components (e.g., signal regenerators, cross-connects, patch panels, etc.) increase, the potential for link failures or degradations in link quality also increases. Consequently, link fault sectionalization testing techniques have been developed to monitor and diagnose signaling link transmission problems.
Link fault sectionalization (LFS) is a technique that allows a node within a signaling network to test links, so as to determine where in the network a fault or failure is occurring. The node initiating a LFS test is able to send patterns along the path of the signaling link and place successive downstream nodes into a loopback mode of operation. The node then analyzes the patterns that come back to determine if there is a fault between the sending node and a remote node
One significant limitation of current LFS test systems involves the fact an LFS controller can only control and test one channel of a TDM facility (e.g., a T1 or E1 trunk) at a time. This limitation is generally illustrated by the LFS loopback test scenario presented in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates a signaling environment 100, which includes a first signal transfer point (STP) node 102 and a second STP node 104, which are connected via a TDM T1 trunk 106. TDM trunk 106 includes 24 individual DS-0 signaling channels, including a signaling channel 108. Because of the physical distance separating the STP pair, a T1 repeater element 110 is employed to perform intermediate regeneration of any signals communicated on the T1 span connecting the STP pair. As such, the repeater element 110 effectively divides the T1 span into two span segments, a first span segment 112 and a second span segment 114. In the event of a communication problem involving T1 trunk 106, STP node 102 may initiate an LFS loopback test in order to locate or isolate the T1 span segment that is responsible for the communication difficulty. More particularly, STP node 102 may select a single DS-0 signaling channel, in this case signaling channel 108, and place the signaling link channel in loopback mode. LFS diagnostics may be performed on the single channel over span segment 112. Once the test for the first channel is completed, the test must be repeated for each individual channel until the fault is isolated. Thus, current LFS test systems require that tests for individual channels be run serially.
In other words, an LFS controller function associated with STP node 102 is dedicated to processing a single channel of the TDM signaling facility for the duration of an LFS test. Consequently, each time that a different signaling channel or link needs to be tested, an operator must manually reconfigure the LFS controller to test the desired TDM channel. This operating limitation becomes significantly burdensome when it is considered that, as part of link installation, network operators typically run LFS tests for up to 24 consecutive hours on a single, specific link to assess the bit error rate (BER) characteristics of that link. Consequently, per link LFS testing on an entire communication trunk (e.g., a T1 trunk) could take weeks. Furthermore, network elements are becoming increasingly capable of handling higher link density communication interfaces, which will only serve to exacerbate this problem.
Accordingly, there exists a long-felt need for improved methods and systems for performing LFS testing in a communications network.

Methods and systems for simultaneous, multi-channel link fault sectionalization testing


An anti-lock control system for motor vehicles is designed to have its computed vehicle speed modified as the motor vehicle is braked. In this invention, the computed vehicle speed persists along a reference deceleration gradient line representing a predetermined acceleration follow-up limit measured with respect to the wheel speed for a predetermined period of time from a point of time when the deceleration of the computed vehicle speed reaches the reference deceleration gradient line for the first time after the motor vehicle was braked. Thereafter, the computed vehicle speed is modified to follow a deceleration gradient line with a gradient that is gentler than that of the reference deceleration gradient line, until a threshold speed is reached, which is lower by a predetermined amount than and follows the computed vehicle speed with such a speed difference.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to an anti-lock system for a motor vehicle, which is adapted to prevent the wheels of the motor vehicle from being locked during a braking operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has conventionally been proposed an anti-lock system of the three-channel type, for example, which is arranged to secure improved steering performance and running stability of a motor vehicle during a braking operation, while at the same time shortening the braking distance. With such a conventional anti-lock system, signals representing respective wheel speeds Vw1 to Vw4 are provided on the basis of pulse signals derived from speed sensors associated respectively with the wheels; the signals representing the front lefthand wheel speed Vw1 and front righthand wheel speed Vw2 are passed to first and second control logic circuits as first channel speed Vs1 and second channel speed Vs2 respectively; and the lower one of the rear lefthand wheel speed Vw3 and rear righthand wheel speed Vw4 is selected (referred to as "select low" hereinafter) and passed to a third control logic circuit as a third channel speed Vs3. Furthermore, the highest one of the respective wheel speeds Vw1 to Vw4 is selected (referred to as "select high"), and the thus selected highest wheel speed has its acceleration and deceleration limited in the range from +1G to -1G (G is a unit of acceleration equal to the standard acceleration of gravity) to set up a computed vehicle speed Vv, approximate to the actual wheel speed, which in turn is passed to the respective control logic circuits, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,580. With the respective control logic circuits, a threshold speed Vt is set up which is lower by a predetermined amount .DELTA.V (.DELTA.V=5 km/hour, for example) than and follows the computed vehicle speed Vv (Vt=Vv-.DELTA.V); the aforementioned first to third channel speeds Vs1 to Vs3 are regarded as wheel speed Vw to be controlled (referred to simply as "wheel speed Vw" hereinafter); pressure increasing valves and pressure reducing valves associated with the respective channels are on-off controlled based on the wheel speed Vw, acceleration Vw of the wheel speed, computed vehicle speed Vv, threshold speed Vt and so forth; and in this way, anti-lock control including periodic buildup, reduction and holding of the brake fluid pressure, one cycle of which comprises the time period from a pressure buildup starting point to the next one, is effected to control the wheel speed Vw, as shown in FIG. 1.
With each cycle of anti-lock control as shown in FIG. 1, in a pressure buildup starting point waiting mode, brake fluid pressure buildup is started at a point where the following conditions (1) and (2) are met at the same time:
(1) the wheel speed is higher than the threshold speed Vt; and
(2) it is detected that the wheel speed Vw has reached a high peak or a level close thereto.
In this case, the fact that such a condition that the acceleration or deceleration Vw of the wheel speed is lower than a predetermined acceleration or deceleration Go (including the case where Vw<0) persists for a period of time equal to or longer than a predetermined time To, is regarded as the detection of the wheel speed Vw having reached a high peak or a level close thereto as mentioned above in the paragraph (2).
However, such a conventional anti-lock control system is disadvantageous in the below-mentioned points.
With the conventional system, as mentioned above, the highest one, VwH, of the four wheel speeds is selected (select high); in the case where the acceleration or deceleration of the highest wheel speed VwH is within the range from +1G to -1G, for for example, this speed VwH is used as computed vehicle speed Vv; and in the case where the acceleration or deceleration of the highest wheel speed VwH is outside the range from +1G to -1G, for example, a speed having an acceleration of +1G or a deceleration of -1G is set up as the computed vehicle speed Vv. Thus, in case the speeds of four wheels running on a road surface of a low friction coefficient are dropped so that all the wheels tend to be locked at the same time, the computed vehicle speed Vv decreases with a deceleration gradient of -1G that is one of the follow-up limits therefor, and the threshold speed Vt is lower by .DELTA.V than and follows the computed vehicle speed Vv. In this way, it happens that the wheel speed Vw, even when it has not yet recovered sufficiently and is in a recovering process, goes above the threshold speed Vt so that a high peak of the wheel speed Vw occurs, and thereupon the aforementioned pressure buildup starting conditions (1) and (2) are both satisfied at the same time so that brake pressure buildup is started, as a result of which the wheel speed Vw is further dropped, and early-locking of the wheels tend to be caused.
Especially with a direct-coupled 4-wheel drive system, if, in the course of one wheel speed being recovered after a reduction of the brake fluid pressure, the other wheel speed is increased abruptly, then due to interference between the wheels, said one wheel speed is decreased temporarily; and thereafter, when said one wheel speed is changed from decrease to increase, said other wheel speed is decreased temporarily. In this way, the wheel speed Vw moves toward recovery while changing slightly due to such interference as mentioned above. With a front wheel drive system, the speed of the front wheel when the gear is engaged, moves toward recovery while changing slightly under the influence of engine brake. Especially with a motor vehicle of the direct-coupled 4-wheel drive or front wheel drive type, even when the brake fluid pressure is being reduced or held, it often happens that temporary increase and decrease in the wheel speed Vw occur repetitively while the wheel speed is on the way toward recovery, so that a high peak of the wheel speed Vw is more likely to be detected. Thus, the aforementioned drawback turns out to be more serious.

Anti-lock control system for motor vehicles


A method of optimizing the exposure times of regions of pixels of an image sensor array during exposure is accomplished by utilizing time interval sampling of an image sensor array comprising of pixels configured to generate digital image signals. Luminance values are extracted from each digital image signal and analyzed to determine if a pixel has reached the optimal exposure. If a pixel has reached the optimal exposure, subsequent digital image signals from this pixel will not be recorded. This preserves the recording of the optimal digital image signal generated by the pixel at the time when the pixel reached its optimal exposure. This process of selectively terminating the recording of digital image signals based on optimal exposures of the pixels can be performed on individual pixels or can be performed on a region of pixels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image sensors for converting an optical image into electrical signals and particularly to a method and apparatus for optimizing exposure time in image acquisitions.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image sensor is used to convert an optical image focused on the sensor into electrical signals. The image sensor typically includes an array of photodetectors, where each photodetector produces a signal corresponding to the intensity of light impinging upon that photodetector when an image is focused on the array. These signals may then be used, for example, to display a corresponding image on a monitor or otherwise used to provide information about the optical image.
One very common type of image sensor is a charge coupled device (CCD). Integrated circuit chips containing a CCD image sensor have a relatively low yield and are expensive due to the specialized processing involved. The CCDs also consume a relatively large amount of power. Other well known disadvantages exist.
A much less expensive type of image sensor is formed as an integrated circuit using a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. In such a CMOS type image sensor, a photodiode or phototransistor (or other suitable device) is used as the light detecting element, where the conductivity of the element corresponds to the intensity of light impinging upon the element. The variable signal thus generated by the light detecting element is an analog signal whose magnitude is approximately proportional (within a certain range) to the amount of light impinging on the element.
It is known to form these light detecting elements in a two dimensional core array which is addressable by row and column. Once a row of elements has been addressed, the analog signals from each of the light detecting elements in the row are coupled to the respective columns in the array. An analog-to-digital (A/D) converter may then be used to convert the analog signals on the columns to digital signals so as to provide only digital signals at the output of the image sensor chip.
Present technologies only address the speed and the reduction in size of the image sensor array. U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,425 to Fowler et al. discloses the use of pixel level A/D converters to speed up the conversion of the optical image into digital data streams. U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,657 to Fowler et al. discloses a method for simultaneously performing bit serial analog to digital conversion which also speeds up the conversion of an optical image into digital data streams. However, none of the present technologies have addressed the issue of photodetectors reaching saturation in certain areas of the image sensor array before the rest of the photodetectors in the image sensor array do. This causes problems with over or under exposure of the image sensor array.
A need therefore exists for providing a method and an apparatus to optimize the exposure times of regions of pixels in an image sensor array during the exposure.
One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a method of optimizing the exposure times of regions of pixels of an image sensor array during the exposure. This is in contrast with present technology that requires 2 exposures in order to optimally capture 1 image. The first exposure is to determine the optimal exposure parameters and the second exposure is to actually capture the image using the optimal settings.
In view of the foregoing objectives, a method of the present invention utilizes time interval sampling to optimize the exposure of an image acquisition system. The digital signals generated by pixels in an image sensor array are passed through a color separator in order to extract luminance values for each pixel. These luminance values are statistically analyzed in order to determine the saturation levels of each pixel. A pixel in this invention comprises of a photodetector and analog-to-digital conversion circuitry. Because digital signals, as opposed to analog signals, are generated by the pixels, the read out of the digital signals from the image sensor array can be performed very quickly. This enables the present method of multiple time interval sampling during one exposure period.
During an exposure period, the image sensor array is sampled at multiple time intervals, to determine the saturation levels of each pixel. Once a pixel is determined to have reached an optimal saturation ceiling, the subsequent digital image signals from this pixel are not recorded. This preserves the optimal digital image signal that is generated by the pixel at the time when the pixel has reached the saturation ceiling.
This process of selectively terminating the recording of digital image signals based on saturation levels of the pixels can be performed on individual pixels or can be performed on a region of pixels.

Method and apparatus for optimizing exposure time in image acquisitions


A flat-pressing manufacturing method of a bionic adhesive structure based on a micro through-hole nickel-based mold is disclosed. The method includes the following steps: preparing a nickel-based mold with a micro through-hole array; placing the nickel-based mold on an elastic pad in a magnetic mold closing system; coating a liquid prepolymer uniformly on a backing, and placing a side of the backing coated with the liquid prepolymer on the nickel-based mold, covering a sealing diaphragm on the backing to separate a cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, and performing a vacuum treatment on the lower chamber and an inflation treatment on the upper chamber to apply a uniform pressure on the backing layer and achieve a full filling of prepolymers with different viscosities; and after the filling is completed, curing and demolding to obtain the bionic adhesive structure.

In nature, many organisms exhibit the ability of full-space adhesion in their living environment, such as from Boston Ivy in the plant kingdom to viruses in the non-cellular life forms, and from octopuses and mussels in the ocean to flies, spiders and geckos on the land. It can be intuitively found from the morphology of the terminal units of their adhesion system that "tip expansion" is the main structural feature of these biological functional units. Many organisms with full-space adhesion abilities exhibit excellent adhesion properties due to the structural characteristics of their adhesion functional units with expanded tips. The bionic adhesive structures with expanded tips show a broad application prospects in many fields, such as non-destructive handling, bionic wall climbing, and space operations.
In the past 20 years, scholars worldwide have conducted abundant research on the preparation of bionic adhesive microstructures, and there are many companies related to bionic adhesive materials in Germany and the United States, which has laid a good foundation for promoting the engineering application of biomimetic adhesion technology. However, the actual research found that due to the impact of cost, production capacity, product diversity and other factors, the actual situation is not satisfactory, and bionic adhesive materials are often not marketable. The lack of large-scale technology of bionic adhesive materials in China has contributed to the monopoly of European and American countries in this technical field. In 2012, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the United States began to implement research on space application of bionic adhesion technology through the "Phoenix Program". Mastering the adhesion technology in space environment will greatly enhance manned spaceflight, on-orbit services, space security, and operational capabilities for non-cooperative targets, which shows the great national defense significance of the bionic adhesion technology.
Currently, the manufacturing methods of the tip-expanded bionic microstructures are mainly silicon-based lithography template molding or soft template molding. For example, in 2011, Professor Carlo Menon et al. of Simon Fraser University in Canada (US2011011732A1) used silicon-based lithography template to prepare tip-expanded bionic adhesive materials. In 2017, Professor Metin Sitti et al. of Carnegie Mellon University in the United States (US00973122B2) proposed that the preparation of the tip-expanded microstructure can be achieved by two-step dipping process based on silicon-based molding. The key element of the preparation of bionic adhesive material is the development of mold with excellent performance. Compared with the fragility of silicon-based molds and the easy deformability of polymer soft molds, metal molds have become the preferred solution of polymer molding technology due to their high mechanical strength, high thermal conductivity, good durability and other advantages. However, it is difficult to process and control the group of holes (hole density>10,000/cm2) in the metal mold for the tip-expanded bionic microstructure, and the physical behavior of the interface during the molding process is complicated, which restricts the smooth promotion of the large-scale utilization of the metal mold.
In 2015, Gottlieb Binder GmbH, Germany, based on the technology of Professor Gorb's team from the Kiel University, proposed the roll-pressing manufacturing technology of the bionic adhesive structure with expanded tips (US20150010732A1), and put forward the application modes of through-hole flexible template in roll-pressing process. Compared with flat-pressing process, in the roll-pressing process, due to the role of the hoop force of the roller, it is easier to achieve the tip face sealing between the through-hole template and the surface of the roller. This patent provides design ideas for the flat-pressing process, but the roll-pressing process brings many difficulties to the injection molding and demolding of the mold structure with a large depth-to-diameter ratio, and restricts the formation of the microstructures with complex morphology.
In 2017, Professor Tian Yu's team of Tsinghua University (CN106378894A) proposed the processing method of wedge-shaped gecko-inspired surface mold on aluminum surface based on ultra-precision diamond cutting technology, showing the high cost-effective characteristics of preparing the bionic adhesive structure. However, due to the complexity of the interface physical behavior during the manufacturing of metal molds and the molding process, the smooth promotion of the large-scale manufacturing of the mushroom-shaped bionic adhesive structure with enlarged tips is restricted.
Therefore, it is necessary to carry out innovative work on the manufacturing technology of bionic adhesive structures with complex morphology based on metal molds, so as to provide technical support for the large-scale manufacturing of the bionic microstructure with enlarged tips.

Flat-pressing manufacturing method of bionic adhesive structure based on micro through-hole nickel-based mold

NANJING LI-HANG INDUSTRY INSTITUTE OF BIONIC TECHNOLOGY LIMITED COMPANY


The present invention relates to a method of image touch panel, which comprises the steps of first extracting a background image, comparing the background and a touch image for producing a positioning image, positioning a location of the touch image according to the positioning image for giving the location touched by a user, and hence executing the corresponding function. Thereby, the function of a touch panel can be achieved. By adopting the method of image touch panel according to the present invention, it is not necessary to purchase a physical touch panel to own the functions the touch panel has for executing the functions provided by an electronic product with ease. In addition, the present uses mid- to low-end cameras, and hence reducing the costs.

Owing to global competition, advancement in information technology, and the prevalence of computer technologies, there are one or more computers in every house. However, the peripherals of a computer, such as the display, the keyboard, the speaker, and the mouse, occupy much space. In particular, the mouse takes up the relatively largest room. In addition, a user has to operate a computer by means of a mouse. When the user uses the mouse to operate the computer over a long period of time, fatigue or even injuries in hands occur. Thereby, how to reduce the space required by a mouse and how to facilitate a user to operate a computer has become a major subject today.
Due to the reasons described above, many electronic products adopt touch panels for reducing the required space and for eliminating the need of a mouse for operating a computer. A touch panel is a typical input device. By pressing lightly the function displayed on the panel using the finger or a touch stylus, a user can executes the function provided by the electronic product with ease and convenience. Because of its friendly interface and convenience, the applications of a touch panel are increasing. Depending on the structures and the sensing methods, touch panels can be categorized into resistive, capacitive, optical, acoustic, and electromagnetic touch panels. Accordingly, the development of modern touch panels has been very mature.
Nevertheless, current touch panels are still high-tech products. Their manufacturing technologies are relatively complicated, and hence making their price prohibitively high. Thereby, when some schools, institutions, or homes in short of funds plan to purchase multimedia equipment, the budget problem prohibits them from adopting touch panels.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of image touch panel for solving the drawbacks described above. It facilitates users to operate computers without mice and to execute the functions provided by the computers with ease. According to the present invention, the users need not to purchase touch panels for fulfilling the functions of the touch panels. Besides, the present invention adopts mid- and low-end cameras, and hence reducing costs and solving the problems described above.