A coaster and mug assembly comprises a coaster and a mug. The coaster comprises a flat bottom and a resilient and flexible annular side wall formed integrally with the flat bottom and extending radially outwardly at an angle from the flat bottom and terminating at a resilient annular lip, the annular lip extending radially inwardly from the side wall. The mug comprises a bottom and a lower annular side wall extending radially outwardly at an angle from the bottom of the mug and terminating at a bend where it is integrally connected with an annular upper side wall, the annular upper side wall extending radially inwardly at an angle from the bend. The mug is snugly fitted inside the coaster with the annular lip of the coaster resiliently gripping the bend of the mug to hold the coaster securely to the mug. The coaster may be removed from the mug by lifting the resilient annular lip of the coaster and peeling it from the mug.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a mug and coaster assembly, and in particular, to a coaster that is adapted to be secured to a mug to prevent condensate, moisture and overflow liquid from contacting the supporting surface on which the mug and coaster assembly rests.
2. Description Of The Related Art
The present invention is applicable to mugs, glasses, receptacles and beverage containers alike, which shall hereinafter be collectively and interchangeably referred to as either "mugs" or "receptacles". The present invention shall be described hereinbelow in connection with a mug, although it will be appreciated that the principles of the present invention are also applicable to other similarly configured receptacles and beverage containers, such as glasses, for example.
There are many coasters that are provided for use with mugs to protect table surfaces or other supporting surfaces from condensate, moisture and overflowing liquid which may gravitate to the bottom of the mugs. Many of these coasters have also been adapted to be secured to the bottom of the mug so that the mug will not slide or slip off the coaster when used, for example, in an automobile. When so used, a user may lift up the coaster and the mug together when drinking, and then place the combined coaster and mug back on the dashboard after drinking. This allows the driver to keep his or her eye on the road without needing to look at the coaster to secure the mug to the coaster. Some of these coasters have also attempted to retain the coaster in a fixed position on the supporting surface.
One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,911 to Raymond et al., which discloses a coaster 10 which is not attached to the drinking glass 11. The drinking glass 11 is free to move and can be easily toppled.
Another example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,957,263 to Gray, which discloses, in FIG. 3, a coaster having a body 30 that has a wall 34 with a bead 36 formed around the upper edge. Gripping tongues 38 present a substantially continuous inwardly directed flange which frictionally engages the receptacle 40. However, depending upon the configuration of the receptacle 40, the coaster of the '263 Gray patent is not always adequately attached to the receptacle 40, and does not provide means to adequately hold the coaster to the supporting surface.
A recent example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,749 to Ige, which discloses a coaster 10 that is adapted to be attached to a recessed cylindrical portion 32 of a cup 30. The '749 Ige patent also teaches that the coaster 10 be made of a material such that its bottom surface can frictionally grip a supporting surface. However, the coaster 10 of the '749 Ige patent does not prevent condensate, moisture and overflowing liquid from reaching the supporting surface since the outer surface 16 of the side wall 12 is flush with the outer surface of the upper portion 34 of the cup 30. Also, it would be undesirable to use the cup 30 without the coaster 10 since the recessed cylindrical portion 32 is aesthetically unsightly. Further, the mere use of a material which frictionally grips the supporting surface may not be adequate on its own to hold the coaster 10 to certain supporting surfaces, such as to automobile dashboards which experience significant movement.
Thus, the above-described coaster and mug combinations each suffer from certain drawbacks. Thus, there still exists a need for a coaster and mug combination: (1) in which the coaster strongly grips the mug and yet the mug can be easily removed from the coaster and easily reinserted in a secure manner in the coaster, (2) where the coaster provides a trap for catching condensation, moisture and overflowing liquid which forms and drains down the side of the mug to prevent such moisture or liquid from reaching the supporting surface, (3) in which the coaster has means for holding the coaster to the supporting surface, (4) which looks aesthetically attractive when used in combination and when used as separate components, and (5) which can be manufactured at low cost to the consumer.


A sealing tape for wrapping up a cable, in particular a communication cable or the like, to be extended through a cable passageway opening, for forming a seal between the cable and the cable passageway opening, has on its inner surface facing the cable a roughened surface area that excludes axial and circumferential displacement of the sealing tape relative to the cable under influence of intervening axial and torsional loads, thereby insuring anti-skid placing of the cable in the cable passageway opening.

The invention relates to a sealing tape for wrapping up a cable extending through a cable passageway opening, in particular, a communication cable or a similar round member, for forming a seal between the cable and the cable passageway opening.
The prior art discloses a multiplicity of cable coupling boxes for connecting and branching cables such as communication cables. These cable coupling boxes all includes a socket with inserts located at its front end. The cable passageway opening is defined by a plurality of sealing rings of different diameters which, as the seal inserts, are formed as split-in-half elements and are individually removable to accommodate passage of cables of different diameters. With such coupling boxes, the seal inserts and the sealing rings are usually made of plastic materials. If a cable is to be placed without possibility of skidding in axial and circumferential directions under influence of axial and torsional loads acting thereon, first, the sealing rings themselves should be placed in cable passageway recesses without skidding relative to each other. To this end, the cable passageway recesses and the sealing rings have inner radial stop notches for receiving respective stop lugs for preventing displacement of the sealing rings in axial and circumferential direction (see German Utility Model DE-GM 91 07 914). In addition, the cable itself should be placed in the cable passageway opening, which is formed by the sealing rings, without a possibility to skid under influence of intervening axial and torsional loads. In fact, a cable inserted through the sealing rings corresponding to the cable diameter, being wrapped up with a sealing tape that forms a seal between the cable and the cable passageway opening. However, a relative displacement between the wrapping tape and the cable under sufficient high axial and torsional loads is not excluded.
Accordingly, the main object of the invention is an improved sealing tape for wrapping up a cable extending through a cable passageway opening, in particular a communication cable or a similar round member, and which is characterized by an increased gripping capability and excludes any relative movement between the wrapped up sealing tape and the cable with these advantageous features being achieved by simple and functionally appropriate means.

Sealing tape for wrapping up a cable extending through a cable passageway opening


The present invention provides a hard-coat-layer-forming composition whereby a hard coat layer having excellent scratch resistance and cracking resistance can be formed, and an optical member. The hard-coat-layer-forming composition is a composition used to form a hard coat layer on a plastic substrate, and includes: metal oxide particles; at least one type of component X selected from the group consisting of an organic silicon compound represented by a predetermined formula, a hydrolysate thereof, and a hydrolytic condensate thereof; and at least one type of component Y selected from the group consisting of an organic silicon compound represented by a predetermined formula, a hydrolysate thereof, and a hydrolytic condensate thereof, and a glycoluril crosslinking agent, a hydrolysate thereof, and a hydrolytic condensate thereof.

It has been commonly performed to additionally form a hard coat layer on a surface of a plastic base such as a plastic lens in order to provide scratch resistance to the plastic base.
For instance, in Patent Literature 1, a composition containing metal oxide particles and γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane is used to form a hard coat layer.

Hard-coat-layer-forming composition and optical member


There is provided an optical limiter device for protecting an object from incident light having a wavelength in the visible, infrared or ultraviolet spectrum. The device comprises a plurality of nanoparticles of a metallic material including free electrons that undergo collective oscillations when exposed to the incident light. The plurality of nanoparticles of the metallic material include a plurality of nanoparticles of a non-spherical particle geometry, which may include a geometry having a plurality of sharp protrusions on a spherical body. The metallic material may include gold, silver, aluminum, indium or copper. The device further comprises a structurally rigid transparent medium in which the plurality of nanoparticles of the metallic material are embedded; and a mechanical support mounting the transparent medium between the incident light and the object.

Since the invention of laser irradiation, there has been a need for the protection of photosensitive objects from the intense light generated by lasers. Laser exposure may either be accidental, such as that from a portable range-finding device, or it may be deliberate, such as that from a hostile action. The protection is required for human eyes as well as for sensitive optical equipment, such as specialized cameras. In the case of eye protection, the maximum allowable energy or power incident on the eye has been quantified by the American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers (Laser Institute of America, ANSI Z136.1-2007), and it depends on the laser wavelength and pulse duration. For example, for lasers in the visible (400-700 nm) and pulses of 1 ns to 18 μs, the maximum exposure is 0.5 μJ/cm2. Herein, references to "eye protection" may also refer to "equipment protection," unless otherwise specified.
There are several approaches to designing eye protection devices. One possibility is a non-varying device that always blocks radiation, such as dark sunglasses. However, in order for such sunglasses to provide adequate blocking of intense radiation, they would have to be too opaque to be useful to the wearer. Another possibility for non-varying eye protection is to block only a narrow wavelength band of radiation, which would correspond to the incident laser wavelength. Narrowband blocking is accomplished by applying an optical interference filter, comprised of multiple thin films whose thicknesses and refractive indices are selected appropriately. This approach would succeed only if the incident laser wavelength is known, which is not always the case, and only over a narrow range of incident angles.
A better approach than a non-varying optical filter is a device that decreases its transmission in response to changes in the intensity of the incoming radiation. Such devices are termed "optical limiters," because at low incident light intensities they are transparent, while as the intensity increases, they become progressively more opaque, so that the transmitted light intensity is "limited" to a certain level. Ideally, optical limiters should satisfy several requirements: first and foremost is sensitivity, i.e., their transition from transparency to opaqueness should occur at eye-safe incident intensities. Next, their dynamic range should be high enough that the transmitted intensity is "clamped" at eye-safe levels even when the incident intensity varies by orders of magnitude. Third, for many applications optical limiters should have a fast response time, on the scale of nanoseconds or less. Fourth, they should recover their transparency quickly, if not quite on the nanosecond scale, after the threat is over. Other ideal requirements are insensitivity to the polarization of incident light, a wide acceptance angle, simplicity, environment stability, and so on. Several optical limiting material systems have been investigated in the past. In particular, the requirements of fast response and recovery times have led researchers to explore multiphoton electronic transitions in molecules, such as efficient two-photon absorption in the visible, especially if the excited state absorption coefficient is unusually high. A number of organic compounds with such properties have indeed been identified, e.g., porphyrins and phthalocyanines. However, these molecules are often environmentally unstable, or they can be damaged by very high laser intensities. Even more importantly, according to published papers the incident intensities required to induce changes in transmission are still several orders of magnitude too high (10-100 mJ/cm2), even in the most sensitive optical limiters.
In addition to organic molecules as optical limiters, there have been a few reports indicating that inorganic nanoparticles can also exhibit optical limiting behavior, especially nanoparticles of gold or silver. Unlike in the organic molecules, in the case of inorganic nanoparticles the underlying mechanism for the optical limiting behavior is not well understood, but at least in one publication it has been ascribed to two-photon absorption by the surface plasmons. Prior investigations have studied spherical nanoparticles, randomly distributed in liquid suspension. Until now nanoparticles have not been considered as serious alternatives to organic molecule limiters, because their reported photosensitivity has been no better, and often worse than that of the organic optical limiters: 100-1000 mJ/cm2 have been required to induce a significant increase in absorption.

Optical limiting using plasmonically enhancing nanoparticles


An improved gate for a gate valve will allow shearing of a wireline extending through the gate valve while preserving post-shear seal integrity. The improved gate comprises an inlay of a hard ductile material such as Stellite along the shearing edge of the gate. The gate also comprises a coating of an extremely hard material such as tungsten carbide on the sealing surface of the gate. The invention also covers an improved gate seat. The improved seat also comprises an inlay of a hard ductile material such as Stellite along its shearing edge. The improved seat can also have a coating of an extremely hard material such as tungsten carbide on part of its sealing surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to gate valves, and in particular to an improved gate and seat which allows shearing of a wireline while maintaining post-shear seal integrity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During oil and gas production, wirelines are often lowered through some type of gate valve. Ideally, the wireline is removed from the well before the gate valve is closed. However, due to emergencies, or for other reasons, it sometimes becomes necessary to close the gate valve while the wireline is still located in the well and through the gate valve. In these situations, it is desirable for the gate and seat of the gate valve to be capable of shearing the wireline while retaining post-shear seal integrity.
Also of importance in gate valves used in the oil and gas industry is the durability of the sealing surfaces. Since the valves are opened and closed often, and usually under severe operating conditions, the durability of the sealing surfaces is important to avoid leakage and the necessity of having to frequently perform maintenance on the valves.
In the prior art, two types of coatings are generally used on valve gates. Some gate valves are coated with a layer of very hard material such as a carbide material. This type of coating offers great durability. However, use of this type of coating in valves that might have to shear a wireline is not recommended. This type of coating is generally brittle thereby being inherently subject to chipping. Also, this type of coating is generally thin, averaging between 0.003 inches and 0.005 inches. In this section thickness, this coating is not capable of holding an edge while cutting. Furthermore, since this coating is not metallurgically bonded to the substrate material, high shear stresses are developed at the coating-substrate interface which promote cracking of the coating. Cracking or chipping of the coating is not desirable because it reduces sealing efficiency, thereby requiring replacement of the gate more frequently.
Since coatings of very hard materials such as carbides are not ideal for wireline cutting applications, wireline shearing gates have been typically hardfaced with a hard ductile material such as Stellite or Colmonoy to provide protection against chipping when used for shearing. However, large areas are sometimes difficult to coat with these materials without cracking of the coating. Also, such ductile materials have markedly inferior wear characteristics compared to carbides and are easily scratched or otherwise damaged.
Because of the above problem with coating or hardfacing gates with either only an extremely hard material or only a more ductile material, prior art gate valves have not been suited for shearing wireline while retaining post-shear seal integrity.


Described herein are methods and systems related to the use of the pre-existing ion injection pathway of a mass spectrometer to perform beam-type collision-activated dissociation, as well as other dissociation methods. Following injection and selection of a particular ion type or population, that population can be fragmented using the pre-existing ion injection pathway or inlet of a mass spectrometer. This is achieved by transmitting the ions back along the ion injection pathway. As the ions pass into the higher pressure regions located in or near the atmospheric pressure inlet, the ions are fragmented and then trapped. Following fragmentation and trapping, the ions can either be re-injected into the primary ion selection device or sent on to a secondary mass analyzer.

The ability to identify proteins and determine their chemical structures has become central to the life sciences. The amino acid sequence of proteins provides a link between proteins and their coding genes via the genetic code, and, in principle, a link between cell physiology and genetics. The identification of proteins provides a window into complex cellular regulatory networks.
Ion trap mass spectrometers are among the most widely used platforms for molecular analysis—spanning natural products, to pharmaceuticals, to biologics such as proteins. Most mass spectrometer-based experiments begin with the isolation of a group of compounds from a set of samples through some sort of extraction technique, e.g., proteins from tissues, cell lysates, or fluids followed by proteolytic digestion of those proteins into peptides (i.e., bottom-up proteomics). Frequently, but not necessarily, the mass spectrometers are then coupled with some form of separations, e.g., electrophoretic or chromatographic. Over the course of just a few hours, mass spectral instruments can autonomously interrogate tens of thousands of molecular species via tandem mass spectrometry.
Although some of the initial descriptions of low-energy collision activated dissociation tandem mass spectrometric analysis were performed using beam-type dissociation on triple quadrupole mass spectrometers, due to the speed and sensitivity of quadrupolar ion trap analyzers, resonant-excitation collision activated dissociation is arguably the most widely used dissociation method for many common types of analyses (e.g., bottom-up proteomics, glycomics, etc.). Recently though, there has been a surge in interest in beam-type collision activated dissociation—particularly its application towards the interrogation of precursors that are typically not amenable to resonant excitation collision activated dissociation (e.g., phosphorylated peptides, metabolites, etc.).
Developed in parallel with these rising interests, hybrid instruments that possess multiple analyzers and multiple means of peptide fragmentation—including beam-type collision activated dissociation—have become common place (e.g., the LTQ-Orbitrap, and the Velos-Orbitrap). One common element to all of these instruments that are capable of beam-type collision activated dissociation is that they have dedicated collision cells for conducting the fragmentation technique. The price for enabling beam-type collision activated dissociation on these instruments, therefore, is increasing instrument complexity and cost.
The characteristics and performance of commonly used types of mass spectrometers are presented in Table B1. Check marks indicate available, check marks in parentheses indicate optional. Pluses indicate possible or moderate (+), good or high (++), and excellent or very high (+++), respectively. Seq., sequential.
TABLE B1Characteristics and Performance of Commonly Used Types of Mass Spectrometers*IT-LIT1Q-Q-ToF2ToF-ToF3FT-ICR4Q-Q-Q5QQ-LIT6Mass accuracyLowGoodGoodExcellentMediumMediumResolving powerLowGoodHighVery highLowLowSensitivity (LOD)GoodHighMediumHighHighDynamic rangeLowMediumMediumMediumHighHighESI7√√√√√MALDI8(√)(√)√MS/MS capabilities√√√√√√Additional capabilitiesSeq.Precursor,Precursor,Precursor,MS/MSNeutralNeutralNeutralloss, MRMloss, MRMloss, MRM9Identification+++++++++++Quantification++++++++++++++Throughput++++++++++++++Detection of modifications+++++++*Table adapted from Domon and Aebersold, Science 14 Apr. 2006: Vol. 312. no. 5771, pp. 212-2171Ion Trap - Linear Ion Trap,2Quadruple-Quadruple - Time of Flight,3Time of Flight - Time of Flight,4Fourier Transform - Ion Cyclotron Resonance,5Quadruple-Quadruple - Quadruple,6Quadruple-Quadruple - Linear Ion Trap,7Electrospray Ionization,8Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization,9Multiple Reaction Monitoring
As can be seen from Table B1, a multitude of different mass-spectral techniques and instrumentation have been developed over the years. Many mass-spectral instruments have been designed to carry out one type of mass-spectral analysis without the ability to carry out other types or are very limited in their scope of application. This has led to instruments of increasing complexity designed to carry out increasingly complex mass-spectral analysis. The increasing complexity of instruments designed to carry out MSn analysis, for example, has led to increasing costs for such instruments. These instruments add a separate mass selection region for each additional MS step, which increases the cost and complexity with each added MS step capability. A need, therefore, exists in the art for the ability to perform MSn experiments without the need to increase the complexity and cost of traditional MS or MS/MS instruments.

Method to perform beam-type collision-activated dissociation in the pre-existing ion injection pathway of a mass spectrometer


An apparatus and method for scanning an object with a helical CT scanner, the method comprising: acquiring an amount of data corresponding to the object that is scanned by the CT scanner, wherein the amount of data is generated by an x-ray source that projects a fan beam of x-rays toward a detector array on an opposite side of a gantry of the CT scanner, the fan beam being generated at multiple x-ray source positions as the x-ray source is rotated about the object as the object passes through an opening in the gantry disposed about a conveyor for moving the object through the opening; monitoring a position of the conveyor as the object passes through the opening in the gantry; determining if the conveyor has been stationary for more than one rotation of the gantry and discarding redundant data after one rotation, optionally turning off the x-ray tube if the conveyor has been stationary for more than one gantry rotation, and if so preventing the conveyor from moving again until the tube is turned on and is stable, inputting the position of the conveyor at each x-ray source position into a reconstruction algorithm; and presenting an image of the object.

This present invention relates to methods and apparatus for controlling a computed tomography imaging system. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are related to methods and apparatus for operating a computed tomography (CT) imaging system in conjunction with a system of conveyors. Such a system may be used for security screening or non-destructive testing.
X-ray based security systems are deployed world-wide in airports to detect explosives, weapons, contraband, or other prohibited items in carry-on and checked baggage. Currently, most carry-on inspection systems are line scanners, which produce a transmission image (also known as scan projection or SP image) of a bag. More advanced CT systems are often used for checked baggage inspection. In many such systems, bags are transported into and out of the scanner by means of a system of conveyor belts.
Line scan systems utilize a scan projection (SP) image for presentation to the operator. In line scan systems, scan projection images are created by moving an object under a fan beam of x-rays from a stationary x-ray source. X-ray intensities, after being attenuated by the object being scanned, are measured by an array of detectors. The x-ray intensity data is converted through a process called normalization so that each pixel represents approximately the total mass traversed by the ray.
In computed tomography (CT) imaging systems, an x-ray source projects a fan-shaped beam, which is collimated to lie within an X-Y plane of a Cartesian coordinate system and generally referred to as an "imaging plane". The x-ray beam passes through an object being imaged. The beam, after being attenuated by the object, impinges upon an array of radiation detectors. The intensity of the attenuated radiation beam received at the detector array is dependent upon the attenuation of the x-ray beam by the object. Each detector element of the array produces a separate electrical signal that is a measurement of the beam intensity at each detector location. The intensity measurements from all the detectors are acquired separately to produce a transmission profile.
In third generation CT systems, the x-ray source and the detector array are rotated around the object to be imaged such that the angle at which the x-ray fan beam intersects the object constantly changes. A group of x-ray attenuation measurements (e.g., projection data), from the detector array at one gantry angle is referred to as a "view". A "scan" of the object comprises a set of views made at different gantry angles, or view angles, during one revolution of the x-ray source and detector about the object or patient being imaged. A cross sectional image of the scanned plane can be reconstructed using well-known tomographic reconstruction algorithms such as direct Fourrier or filtered back projection methods.
Many modern CT systems are helical scanners (also known as spiral scanners), in which the scanned object is continually moved while the projection data is being acquired. The path of the X-Ray source describes a helix with respect to the scanned object. Most helical scanners have multiple rows of detectors, and the x-ray fan is collimated into a cone to illuminate the entire array of detectors. The angle between the x-ray source and the first and last detector rows is referred to as the "cone angle".
The entire volume scanned by the helical scanner can be reconstructed using well-known tomographic reconstruction algorithms such as direct Fourrier or filtered back projection methods, and more exact methods described by Feldkamp and Katsevich. The advantage of a helical scanner is that much more of the object is scanned with each rotation of the x-ray source, thereby decreasing the time required to acquire sufficient data to reconstruct the scanned volume. For medical scanners this means that the patient must remain motionless for less time; for luggage scanners this means that more bags can be scanned per hour.
A CT system for checked baggage or carry-on items may be receiving objects (i.e., luggage) that need to be scanned from a series of conveyor belts, each of which provides an input and an output to the CT system. Moreover, the CT system itself will also have an independent conveyor that operates in conjunction with the output and input conveyors. Most conveyor systems at airports have a series of conveyors, each of which is configured to start, stop, slow down, or accelerate in conjunction with specific requirements of perhaps another single segment of the conveyor. For example, and when an output belt or slide of a single segment of a system is overloaded with luggage that has not been removed that segment will be stopped until the "log jam" is removed. This segment can no longer accept another bag, so if there is a bag on the preceding conveyor, the preceding conveyor must also be stopped, then the conveyor before that one must be stopped, and so forth, until perhaps the entire conveyor system has been stopped. This process is known as a dieback. When the original log jam has been cleared, each conveyor will start in sequence when the conveyor after it is ready to receive a bag.
A CT scanning system and in particular, a helical scanning system is typically configured to utilize reconstruction algorithms that are based upon a constant velocity of the item being passed through a gantry opening of the CT scanner. In other words, reconstruction algorithms that are based upon constant belt velocities will know exactly how much of the object as passed through the scanner after the x-ray source has made one complete revolution about the gantry as the object has passed therethrough. For example, each successive view from a particular x-ray source position along the gantry will correspond to a regular or constant interval and thus, the control algorithm of the scanning system will be written accordingly. As used herein, view refers to a particular location of the x-ray source along a path of rotation, which surrounds an opening of the CT scanning system through which the object is passed and scanned.
Accordingly, and when the CT scanning system is used in a conveyor system that must decelerate and stop, and then restart, this will mean that views (as defined herein) are not taken at regular intervals in the direction of belt movement, and standard spiral interpolation as is known in the related arts cannot be used. It is impractical to back up and restart a belt in a system of conveyors unless additional queuing conveyors are provided on both ends of the scanner. In addition, and if the conveyor belt is stopped for any length of time, a large amount of data will be acquired (e.g., the x-ray source will continue to rotate about the object and accumulate data). The data acquired after the belt stops and the CT source has made one complete revolution at the stopped position is redundant. The amount of redundant data acquired may become too large to save in an appropriately fast storage medium. Moreover, and if the conveyor belt is stopped for an extended time, the scanner may impart an unnecessary amount of radiation on the object being scanned. In order to ensure that the belt speed remains constant during the acquisition of a bag, CT scanners of the prior art must employ a conveyor system such that the entire bag can move through the CT gantry without stopping. Such a conveyor system requires longer or additional belt segments, increasing the overall size of the system. The conveyor system may also require greater spacing between bags, thereby reducing the number of bags that can be scanner per hour.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus and method for continuous data acquisition of an object being scanned when the conveyor belt runs at various speeds, or stops, as the object is being passed through the CT scanner.

Apparatus and method for controlling start and stop operations of a computed tomography imaging system


A looper is brought into an advance state at the end of sewing, and a looper thread hanging hook arranged on the right rear side of a needle drop position is forced to advance and retreat to catch a looper thread running to the rear side of the looper and hold it on the rear side of the needle drop position. After performing sewing for one stitch in this state, the thread cutting hook arranged on the right side of the needle drop position is forced to advance and retreat to catch the looper thread running to the rear side of the looper with a first hold section and catch needle threads and the looper thread held by the looper thread hanging hook with a second hook section, and then these threads are collectively cut by bringing them into slide-contact with a thread cutting knife.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus that is provided in a sewing machine for performing sewing using a looper thread and needle threads, such as a multi-thread chain stitch sewing machine and a covering chain stitch sewing machine, to prevent raveling of a seam at the end of sewing, and also relates to a ravel preventing method implemented using this apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In a multi-thread chain stitch sewing machine and a covering chain stitch sewing machine, loops of needle threads 6a and 6b and a looper thread 7 are intertwined in an inter-looping manner on the back side of sewn cloth, and a seam shown in FIG. 1A is formed. The seam formed in such a manner has the following problem. If an end of the looper thread 7 cut at the end of sewing is pulled as shown by an arrow in FIG. 1A, the looper thread 7 may slip out of the final loops 6c and 6d of the needle threads 6a and 6b, and may move consecutively toward the sewing start side and cause a ravel.
Conventionally, various kinds of methods for preventing such raveling and apparatuses for implementing such a method have been put into practice, and one example is the ravel preventing method and apparatus invented by the applicant of this application (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2879399). In this method and apparatus, there is provided a looper thread hanging hook for holding a looper thread, which is passed into the loops of needle threads by the advance of the looper, on the left advance end of the looper. After temporarily suspending sewing by bringing the looper into an advance state just before the end of sewing, the looper thread is put on the looper thread hanging hook. Then, after sewing for one stitch in this state, the needle threads and looper thread are cut.
According to this invention, as shown in FIG. 1B, there is formed a seam in which the looper thread 7 caught by the looper thread hanging hook is intertwined in an interlacing manner with the final loops 6c and 6d of the needle threads 6a and 6b formed before suspending the sewing. Since the looper thread 7 intertwined in such a manner will not slip out of the final loops 6c and 6d even when its end is pulled as shown by an arrow, it is possible to certainly prevent raveling of the seam at the stage of occurrence, and thus it is possible to provide a reliable ravel prevention effect. Moreover, the seam at the sewing end portion does not look differ from other portion as shown in FIG. 1B, and therefore does not deteriorate the appearance.
The ravel preventing method proposed in the publication of Japanese Patent No. 2879399 is an excellent method capable of certainly preventing raveling that may occur in the vicinity of the sewing end portion in a sewing machine, such as a multi-thread chain stitch sewing machine and a covering chain stitch sewing machine, which performs sewing using a looper thread and needle threads.
By the way, in an apparatus for implementing the above-mentioned ravel preventing method, the looper thread hanging hook for catching the looper thread is arranged on the rear side of a needle drop position, on the left advance end side of the looper that advances from the right to left side of the needle drop position, and advances or retreats in the forward and backward direction at this position to catch the looper thread on the rear side of the looper.

Seam ravel preventing apparatus and ravel preventing method


A money handling apparatus is arranged to receive items of currency and classify each into at least one class. Each class of currency items is stored and managed by the money handling apparatus in order to be able to extract the received items. In some implementations, the money handling apparatus is arranged to receive items of currency, store items of currency, receive at least one service media, and transport at least one stored currency item to a removable storage unit in a specified sequence or order.

It is known to provide a machine to receive and dispense items of currency in response to user activity. In conventional automated teller machines, a banknote is received from a user, authenticated and stored within a cashbox. In other conventional ATMs, the machine is configured to temporarily store currency for later dispensing to a user as change in a transaction. In some conventional devices, the inserted currency may be stored in individual cashboxes or recycling containers according to denomination.
In each of the above examples inserted items deemed to be non-authentic or unable to be identified are typically returned to the user and considered to be "reject" items. In other conventional systems there may be a permanent storage container or cashbox in which all non-authentic and poor quality authentic inserted currency items are place for later removal.

Handling of different classes of currency


A torque measurement system for measuring a torque acting on a rotatable shaft is provided. The torque measurement system includes a first housing portion having a first end adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft and a second end. The torque measurement system includes a second housing portion having a first end spaced apart from the second end of the first housing portion so as to define a gap between the first housing portion and the second housing portion. The second housing portion is adapted to be fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft. The torque measurement system includes at least one sensor that observes at least one of the second end of the first housing portion, the first end of the second housing portion and the gap and generates sensor signals based on the observation. The sensor signals are indicative of a torque acting on the rotatable shaft.

In certain instances, it is desirable to measure a torque acting on a rotating shaft. Generally, in the example of a stationary shaft, torque is measured by using strain gauges connected to the stationary shaft that converts torque into a change in electrical resistance. These strain gauges are mounted into a Wheatstone bridge, which converts the resistance change of the strain gauges into a measurable electrical output signal. With a rotating shaft, however, it is difficult to supply power to the strain gauges as the shaft rotates, and to extract and transmit the measured signal from the rotating shaft.
In certain applications, two speed sensors located at each extremity of the rotating shaft have been used to measure the torque acting on the rotating shaft. However, the speed sensors have to be placed a great distance apart in order to measure the torque acting on the shaft, which increases the cost and size of the torque measurement system.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved torque measurement system and method for measuring a torque acting on a rotating shaft, which is compact, cost effective, and is able to measure a torque acting on a short rotating shaft. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Systems and methods for measuring torque on rotating shaft


A monitor display task displays a layout frame which is a layout position image for a print status image on the screen of a monitor. Then, the monitor display task displays the print status image in that portion on the screen which corresponds to the displayed layout frame. This can allow a user to quickly check the layout of the print status image.

The present invention relates to a display control method and display control apparatus for a layout image to display, for example, an image to be printed.
Generally, photographs taken by a digital camera are stored in a memory card as image data. Some printers read image data directly from the memory card and print the read image data without intervention of a personal computer. At the time of printing image data stored in a memory card using this type of printer, the memory card is inserted into a card slot of the printer. Then, image data to be printed is selected and the number of prints to be made is designated both through the operation panel of the printer, after which initiation of printing is instructed through the operation panel. The operation panel has a liquid crystal display section and a plurality of operation keys. By operating the operation keys while viewing the liquid crystal display section, a user selects image data to be printed, set the number of prints to be made and instruct the initiation of printing.
Another type of printer has a monitor (color liquid crystal display) capable of displaying an image to be printed or a print status image. This type of printer can allow a user to check the print status before printing without using a personal computer.
Recent digital cameras have the capability to store print attribute information in a memory card in addition to image data. The print attribute information includes the number of prints, the type and size of a sheet to be used in printing, and a layout to be adopted at the time of printing. The print attribute information is reflected on a print status image which is displayed on the monitor.
In the case where three pieces of image data are to be printed on a single sheet, for example, three print status images 81 based respectively on the three pieces of image data are displayed on a monitor screen 80 in the same layout as the layout included in the attribute information, as shown in FIG. 18. To display the print status images 81 on the screen 80, a preview display switch provided on the operation panel is to be depressed.
In general, the processing speed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) which is used in a printer is however slower than the processing speed of a CPU which is used in a personal computer. It therefore normally takes several seconds (e.g., two to three seconds) for the print status images 81 to be displayed since the depression of the preview display switch. Even in the case where a user wants to check only the layout of the print status images 81, therefore, the user cannot give an instruction for another process until the display of the print status images 81 is completed.
In addition, every operation of the operation panel is disabled while the display of the print status images 81 is completed after the depression of the preview display switch. Even if the preview display switch is depressed erroneously, therefore, the user cannot instruct another process until the display of the print status images 81 is completed.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-79913 (pages 11 to 14 and FIGS. 31 and 32) discloses a method for displaying the thumb-nail image of a real image before displaying the actual image. The amount of data on a thumb-nail image is smaller than the amount of data on a real image. Therefore, the time needed to display a thumbnail image is shorter than the time needed to display a real image. This method can permit a user to check the layout of a real image, without waiting for the display of the real image to complete, at the point when the display of its thumb-nail image is completed. However, the time needed to display a thumb-nail image (about 0.5 second) is not short enough though shorter than the time needed to display a real image. That is, the user cannot check the layout of a real image in so short a time.

Display control method and display control apparatus for layout image


A circuit interrupter including a housing having an internal cavity. The internal cavity includes a space at a first end thereof, and includes an internal wall extending from the space to a second end of the housing. A vacuum interrupter is disposed in the space. The vacuum interrupter has at least one movable contact for contacting at least one stationary contact. An operating rod extends through the cavity, and is operable to move the moveable contact. At least one baffle is fixed to the operating rod, and disposed in the cavity. In a preferred embodiment, at least one step is formed in the wall. The step separates a first internal wall section from a second internal wall section, and the first internal wall section is closer to the space than the second internal wall section.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The field of invention is electrical circuit interrupters, and more particularly to a dry high voltage circuit interrupter having an increased strike distance.
High voltage circuit interrupters are used to selectively interrupt the flow of electrical current through a circuit. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9chigh voltagexe2x80x9d means a voltage greater than 1,000 volts. Two types of high voltage circuit are generally in use, dry high voltage circuit interrupter and wet high voltage circuit interrupters. The primary difference between the two high voltage circuit interrupters is that the wet type is filled with oil, or some other dielectric fluid, which can leak.
Dry high voltage circuit interrupters typically include a vacuum interrupter encapsulated in an epoxy housing mounted to a frame. The vacuum interrupter includes a pair of electrodes, one being stationary and the other movable between an open position and a closed position to open and close the circuit. The movable electrode is typically mounted on the end of an operating rod which moves the moveable electrode between the open and closed positions.
The operating rod typically extends from the vacuum interrupter to engage an actuating mechanism mounted in the frame. The operating rod is insulated from the electrode to prevent the operating rod from conducting high voltage electrically energy from the electrode to the frame.
The housing typically includes an internal cavity for supporting the vacuum interrupter and operating rod. The shape of the internal cavity must also be designed to prevent high voltage energy from bridging the gap between the vacuum interrupter and the frame. The high voltage energy can bridge the gap by xe2x80x9ctrackingxe2x80x9d along the internal wall of the cavity formed in the housing, or by striking the frame directly through the cavity.
Tracking is a phenomena resulting from contamination or condensation forming on the internal cavity walls which allows electrical charges to creep along the surface of the internal cavity wall from a high potential at the vacuum interrupter to the frame which is at ground potential. Tracking can be minimized by increasing the distance the electrical charge must creep before reaching the frame. Typically, increasing the distance between the vacuum interrupter and the frame requires increasing the overall height of the circuit interrupter to increase the distance between the vacuum interrupter and the frame. Unfortunately, a larger, that is taller, circuit interrupter is not always desirable.
In one known dry high voltage circuit interrupter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,765, a vacuum interrupter is disposed in an upper end of an internal cavity formed in the housing. The housing is mounted to a frame, and the internal cavity is open to the frame. Convolutions formed in the internal wall of the cavity increases the length of the internal wall between the vacuum interrupter and the frame to minimize tracking.
Providing convolutions minimizes the problems associated with tracking and allows a shorter circuit interrupter. Unfortunately, the shorter circuit interrupter increases the chance for a direct strike between the vacuum interrupter and the frame because of the shorter physical distance between the two components. Accordingly, a need exists to minimize direct strikes between the vacuum interrupter and the frame.
The present invention provides a circuit interrupter including a housing having an internal cavity. The internal cavity includes a space at a first end thereof, and includes an internal wall extending from the space to a second end of the housing. A vacuum interrupter is disposed in the space. The vacuum interrupter has at least one movable contact for contacting at least one stationary contact. An operating rod extends through the cavity, and is operable to move the moveable contact At least one baffle is fixed to the operating rod, and disposed in the cavity. In a preferred embodiment, at least one step is formed in the wall. The step separates a first internal wall section from a second internal wall section, and the first internal wall section is closer to the space than the second internal wall section.
A general objective of the present invention is to increase the through-air strike distance between the vacuum interrupter and frame without increasing the overall height of the circuit interrupter. This objective is accomplished by providing a baffle in the cavity formed in the housing which blocks the most direct through-air path inside the housing between the vacuum interrupter and the frame.
The foregoing and other objectives and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention.


A finger pick for being retained on a user's finger and for aiding in the playing of a stringed musical instrument includes a base portion, sizing wings, a spoon portion, and an opening defined by the base portion and the sizing wings. The sizing wings are bent upward from the base portion to define an interior space into which a user's finger is received to attach the finger pick to the finger. The opening extends transversely across the base portion and upward into the sizing wings when the sizing wings are bent upward. When the finger pick is inserted on the finger of a user, the soft tissue of the finger will protrude outwardly from the sizing wings and also through the opening, providing for three points of contact to the retain the finger pick on the finger.

Musical instruments, in particular stringed musical instruments are well known in the art. Stringed instruments can include acoustic or electric guitars, banjos, violins or fiddles, bass guitars, as well as other common and less common stringed instruments.
The basic construction of a stringed instrument depends on the type of stringed instrument. However, in most cases, the instrument includes a main body portion and a neck portion extending upwardly from the main body portion. The strings are typically connected at one end to the main body portion and at their other end to the top of the neck portion. The strings have varying thicknesses such that when they are actuated by the musician, they will produce a different sound relative to the other strings, such that a musician can play a desired note by actuating a desired string. The tension in the strings is also typically adjustable, such that the strings can be tuned and re-turned over time.
In some cases, the instrument will include frets located on the neck of the instrument. The frets are located in specific positions that allow a musician to produce a different note on the same string during a performance. The musician can effectively shorten the length of a string by pressing down on the string near a desired fret such that the string vibrates at a different frequency relative to the vibration that would be produced if it was allowed to vibrate over its entire length. In some cases, the length of a string's vibration can be adjusted without the use of frets.
The manipulation and actuation of the strings on a stringed instrument is an important factor in producing the desired musical notes and at the desired rhythm. Accordingly, playing aids of various types have been produced to assist musicians in their ability to play the instrument as desired.
One manner of playing a stringed instrument without an aid involves the musician using multiple fingers to actuate the strings. However, this can lead to blistering or discomfort to the musician due to the repeated direct contact with the strings. Moreover, the volume produced by using fingers without an aid is lower than that produced with playing aids.
One type of aid includes the use of a traditional guitar pick. A guitar pick is in the form of a thin plate-like structure that is typically held between the thumb and forefinger of the musician, allowing the musician to actuate one or more strings of the instrument. This type of device is particularly beneficial for "strumming" the strings. However, the pick can easily be dropped from the fingers, forcing the musician to stop playing or revert to using his fingers, both of which can be undesirable. One solution to this problem is in the form of a tether that can be attached to one of the musician's fingers, such that the pick is easily retrieved if dropped, but it does not prevent dropping of the pick.


Disclosed is a method for subjecting feed air to fractionation for recovery of a product oxygen fraction therefrom in a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process utilizing a nitrogen-selective adsorbent (“NSA”) that is sensitive to water. The PSA process includes the steps of feed pressurization, production, equalization, and blowdown. The improvement to this PSA process commences with placing a bed of pre-treatment adsorbent between feed air and a bed of NSA. Next, a controllable valve is interposed between the pre-treatment adsorbent bed and the NSA bed. Finally, the controllable valve is kept closed during the steps of production, equalization, and when the process is idle. An advantageous NSA is LiX zeolite, Li-LSX zeolite, CaX zeolite, and similar adsorbents, particularly highly hydrophilic zeolites. Another feature of the disclosed PSA cycle is that the pre-treatment adsorbent bed blows-down while the NSA bed equalizes.

In the field of gas concentrators it is known to use, for example, zeolite to adsorb adsorbate in a gas concentrator. The use of zeolite herein is intended to be exemplary. It would be known to one skilled in the art to tailor the use of a specific adsorbent, whether a particular type of zeolite or other adsorbent. As is known in the prior art, zeolite consists of molecular sized polyhedral cages. Oxygen and nitrogen molecules (for example) can access the inside of these cages through holes in the crystalline structure. The crystalline structure contains cations. Gas adsorption occurs when molecules respond to the forces of physisorption, which fall into two main categories: van der Waals (or dispersion) forces and electrostatic forces. The latter are prominent in attracting the gas molecules to these cations. Nitrogen molecules, for example, bind more strongly to the zeolite cations than do oxygen molecules. As a result, if a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, such as found in atmospheric air, is pressurized into a chamber full of zeolite particles, nitrogen will adsorb into the zeolite particles more readily than does oxygen. There will be a higher concentration of oxygen in the empty space between the zeolite particles, (hereinafter referred to as zeolite void space), than there was in the original gas mixture.
Adsorption processes commonly employ fixed beds of adsorbent particles. These fixed beds are normally within a vessel, which when cylindrical is called a column. The adsorption process frequently operates cyclically in which uptake and release (regeneration) occur repeatedly. The adsorbent particles may be granules, beads, or pellets, as well as other diverse shapes. Being fixed implies that the adsorbent is generally stationary (held in place by gravity or other mechanical forces) while the fluid being treated flows between the adsorbent particles. Depending on the geometry, the flow direction may either be axial or radial, or in some other consistent direction, during a particular step in an adsorption cycle. Commonly, the flow direction reverses from one step in an adsorption cycle to the next, i.e., from upwards to downwards or from radially outwards to radially inwards, depending on the mechanical layout of the adsorption vessel.
In particular, LiX and LiLSX zeolites as adsorbents for nitrogen and oxygen, which are sensitive to moisture and carbon dioxide, as shown by Dr. J. C. Santos (Ph.D. dissertation in chemical engineering, University of Porto, Portugal, 2005). Dr. Santos conducted tests to determine the causes of loss of capacity of the adsorbents after being used in a pressure swing adsorption unit. H is study involved exposing the adsorbent to water vapor, or carbon dioxide, and both simultaneously. After regenerating it, he determined a nitrogen adsorption equilibrium point to assess the loss of efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,748 to Ackley discloses the removal of contaminants of air, typically water and carbon dioxide, in a pretreatment stage at the feed end of the adsorbent bed, by zeolites, activated alumina, activated carbon and/or silica gel. Highly-exchanged LiX zeolites are taught to be useful in the main stage of the disclosed process. Likewise, Rege, et al., "Limits for Air Separation by Adsorption with LiX Zeolite" Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. (1997), vol 36, pp. 5358-5365, teaches the use of a pretreatment bed to remove water and carbon dioxide from the feed gas before it enters the main LiX bed. Notaro, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,909, also describe using layers of adsorbents to prevent deactivation of lithium-exchanged X zeolite. U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,590, to Dee, et al., shows different configurations of pretreatment layers, intended to protect lithium-exchanged X zeolite from deactivation by moisture or carbon dioxide.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,608,133 shows an adsorbent process for separating CO2 from an air stream using LiX adsorbents where a passive, check valve is used between the LiX zeolite adsorbent bed and the LiX zeolite column.
None of this prior art suggests physically isolating the pretreatment layer(s) from the LiX or LiLSX layer(s) by means of a controllable (switchable) valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,491,261 discloses an improved sieve bed design to manage breakthrough and the mass transfer zone by way of volumetric division. Fractionation of air to recover a highly enriched oxygen fraction is an exemplary use of the '261 technology. An empty space in the product end is separated from adsorbent-filled sieve space in the feed end by a mid-diffuser plate. The ratio of the empty product end void space to the adsorbent filled sieve space within a sieve bed may be determined by the relative percentages of the gases to be separated and the bulk loading factor of the molecular sieve. A product end void space of the correct volume may ensure the maximum volume of nitrogen has been adsorbed before breakthrough occurs. In operation, pressure in the sieve bed empty space and sieve filled space may be equal at any instant. This contains breakthrough to the location of the mid-diffuser plate.

Moisture mitigation in PSA air fractionation


Embodiments described herein provide a method for accessing a host memory through non-volatile memory over fabric bridging with direct target access. A first memory access command encapsulated in a first network packet is received at a memory interface unit and from a remote direct memory access (RDMA) interface and via a network fabric. The first memory access command is compliant with a first non-volatile memory interface protocol and the first network packet is compliant with a second non-volatile memory interface protocol. The first network packet is unwrapped to obtain the first memory access command. The first memory access command is stored in a work queue using address bits of the work queue as a pre-set index of the first memory access command. The first memory access command is sent from the work queue based on the pre-set index to activate a first target storage device.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the inventors hereof, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that does not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted to be prior art against the present disclosure.
In a computing system, to access a solid-state drive (SSD), a host processor typically communicates with the SSD controller via a non-volatile memory host controller interface, which is usually adapted for a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus. The non-volatile memory host controller interface adopts a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) protocol, which defines communication between the host processor and a target device for accessing an non-volatile memory (NVM) sub-system. Conventionally, the host processor is directly connected with the NVM sub-system, e.g., a storage device, via a PCIe bus.

Methods and systems for accessing host memory through non-volatile memory over fabric bridging with direct target access


A collector contact (6) is fabricated which is attached on the side to the collector zone (1), and around which a moat (3) is produced which laterally restricts the collector zone (1). The depth of the moat (3) is so dimensioned to be at least equal to the vertical thickness of the collector zone (1). The collector contact (6) comprises a polycrystalline silicon layer which contains dopants of the same conductivity type as the collector zone (1), and covers a highly doped contacting zone (7') which has been diffused from the adjoining collector contact (6).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention deals with a structure for a space-saving contact to an integrated bipolar transistor and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, contacts are applied to the contact zones in an integrated circuit by a method of lateral extension as is described on pages 68 and 69 of the German technical journal Elektronik, 10(of May 18, 1984).
Moreover, contact with the collector zone on the bottom surface of a U-shaped moat surrounding the base zone is shown in German patent publication No. DE-A26 21 165.
However, each of these prior art structures require a predetermined planar area of the chip in order to achieve a good low resistance contact with underlying regions in the transistor, particularly as is required by the collector contact of a bipolar transistor. What is needed then is a structure for an integrated circuit contact and a method of making the same whereby these requirements are avoided or at least minimized.

Collector contact of an integrated bipolar transistor


Determining the extent of thermally-induced expansion of media of a storage device. A controller may write a second signal on a number of ID and OD sideband tracks of the media immediately adjacent to a center track on which a first signal is written; calculate a jog offset range based on the number of ID and OD sideband tracks; over the calculated jog offset range, read the second signal at a first temperature and at a warmer second temperature and determining a jog value for each of the sideband tracks from a quantity related to the read second signal at the first and second temperatures; and compute a jog delta between the jog values at the first and second temperatures for each of the sideband tracks, which indicate the extent to which thermally-induced media expansion affects a position of the sideband tracks relative to the center track.

FIG. 1 shows a prior art disk format 2 as comprising a number of servo tracks 4 defined by servo sectors 60-6N recorded around the circumference of each data track. Each servo sector 6i comprises a preamble 8 for storing a periodic pattern, which allows proper gain adjustment and timing synchronization of the read signal, and a sync mark 10 for storing a special pattern used to symbol synchronize to a servo data field 12. The servo data field 12 stores coarse head positioning information, such as a track address, used to position the head over a target data track during a seek operation. Each servo sector 6, further comprises groups of servo bursts 14 (e.g., A, B, C and D bursts), which comprise a number of consecutive transitions recorded at precise intervals and offsets with respect to a servo track centerline. The groups of servo bursts 14 provide fine head position information used for centerline tracking while accessing a servo track during write/read operations.
Magneto-resistive (MR) heads comprise a MR read element spaced apart from an inductive write element. Due to the skew angle of the MR head relative to the concentric tracks recorded on the disk, the read element may not align circumferentially with the write element. At very high recording densities (tracks-per-inch (TPI)), the radial offset between the read and write elements may range from a fraction of a track to several tracks depending on the geometries and radial position of the head. When writing data to the disk, the read element is maintained over a centerline of a "read" track while the write element writes data to a "write" track (the read and write tracks may be the same track). Due to the radial offset between the read and write elements, the data may be written along a circumferential path that is offset from the centerline of the write track. During a read operation, the read element is maintained over the circumferential path of the recorded data by introducing an offset value referred to as a "jog offset" into the servo control loop. The jog offset corresponds to the offset of the recorded data from the track's centerline.

Methods and devices for determining thermally-induced expansion of magnetic recording media


An image forming apparatus (100) includes: a side cover (201) mounted on a side part of an apparatus body to be freely opened and closed; a fixing portion (80) mounted inside the apparatus body and close to the side cover (201) and fixing an image to a paper sheet P fed in a direction from a bottom to a top of the apparatus body; and a document platen (130) mounted at an upper part of the apparatus body and supporting a document placed thereon. The document platen (130) includes a cutout portion (130K) formed in a manner such that a portion opposed to an upper part of the side cover (201) is cut out inside; and the fixing portion (80) includes a nip (85) that, when the side cover (201) is opened, can be viewed obliquely from a lateral upper side of the apparatus body through the cutout portion (130K).

An image forming apparatus, if a paper jam (paper jamming) occurs during image formation, senses the paper jam by a sensor and stops feeding a paper sheet. At this time, a user needs to open a side cover mounted on the side part of an apparatus body, check the inside of the apparatus, and remove a jammed paper sheet.
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus excellent in visibility of a situation or removal performance of a jammed paper sheet when a paper jam has occurred at or near a fixing portion has been disclosed (see Patent Literature 1, for example). In the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a lever is operated to cause a guide member to be largely displaced by rotation, which releases a nip that a heating roller and a pressurizing roller contact. Thus, when a paper jam occurs at the fixing portion, the visibility of the state of a paper sheet is enhanced and a jammed paper becomes easier to be removed.


A control method and apparatus for an electronic system having a plurality of functional elements, both intelligent and non-intelligent, interconnected by a plurality of time-division multiplexed serial data links, wherein information is normally conveyed in time slots on the data links. Control information is exchanged between the elements by using one or more of said time slots as control channels for all control information. The format of the control information is compatible with both the intelligent elements and non-intelligent elements. The control information format includes a plurality of bits for providing command data, a plurality of address bits, a valid bit to indicate that the information being transmitted is a valid message, an interrupt bit to signal a microprocessor in an intelligent device to interrupt and service the message, and a parity bit for error checking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to distributed control systems and more particularly to a control technique wherein control information is embedded in the information that is communicated between elements of a system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The trend in modern telephony equipment designs has been to incorporate microprocessors as system control elements. In most cases, such equipment must support numerous replicated elements which provide standard telephony services or interface standard telephony signals such as DS1. Such elements are often designed to minimize cost due to the impact of replication and system cost. As a result, these elements are often designed as non-intelligent elements having simple, register-oriented control (ROC) interfaces; and which must be controlled by a common control element whose cost can then be effectively distributed across the replicated elements.
A distributed control system architecture may use multiple, distributed microprocessors (control elements) which must communicate with one another and with ROC interfaces in order to co-ordinate system operations. These intelligent control elements often communicate with each other using higher-level, message-oriented control (MOC). A challenging aspect of such architectures is to provide a mechanism for controlling the numerous distributed elements, both intelligence and non-intelligent, in a flexible, but cost-effective, manner.
Non-intelligent elements which employ ROC must receive control information from an intelligent control element. The non-intelligent element normally responds to control information immediately upon reception thereof. Non-intelligent elements also produce information which must be read and acted upon by the control element. This information may fall into one of two categories: urgent information which must be acted upon quickly, and other information which may be referenced on an as-needed basis or periodically scanned at an appropriate rate.
Intelligent elements which communicate via MOC typically send messages in order to report significant system events. Since the information carried in messages may be urgent in nature, the receiving control element must be notified upon arrival of a message in order to promptly initiate message interpretation. Also, since the number and frequency of messages handled may be large, it is often important to minimize the burden of message transmission and reception on the control elements.
A common method of implementing MOC is by using commercially available Data Link Control devices. These devices are both costly and bulky, and separate devices, or a separate channel of a multi-channeled device, must be dedicated to each full duplex MOC channel. Each such device requires interface circuitry to synchronize its transmission and reception. Also, a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller for each channel is usually needed to free the control element from handling each individual message character. While this technique may be acceptable for a small number of interconnected intelligent system elements, the cost and physical space required may become prohibitive in systems having a large number of elements.
For non-intelligent ROC elements, there are a myriad of techniques for implementing ROC, each one of which is typically customized and optimized to the type of element being controlled. In most cases where both ROC and MOC are present, the ROC technique is different and more primitive than the MOC technique. It is often required that the control element explicitly request information from the controlled element when needed. If information is needed frequently in a system with many replicated elements, the repetitious request/response dialogue may represent a significant overhead to the control element.

Embedded control technique for distributed control systems


A method for operating an electro-mechanical grating device comprises the steps of:. providing a beam of light; PA1 applying a first electrostatic actuation force for a certain amount of time thereby generating a first pattern in each group wherein the pattern comprises N different levels thereby diffracting the incident light beam into a first direction; and PA1 applying a second electrostatic actuation force for a certain amount of time thereby generating a second pattern in each group wherein the second pattern comprises N different levels thereby diffracting the incident light beam into a second direction different from the first direction.. The electro-mechanical grating device has a plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements disposed parallel to each other in the unactuated state and spanning a channel. The deformable ribbon elements are organized in groups of N elements wherein N is greater than 2. A plurality of standoffs are provided, wherein according to the longitudinal direction of the electro-mechanical grating device at least N-2 standoffs are associated with each group.

Electro-mechanical spatial light modulators have been designed for a variety of applications, including image processing, display, optical computing and printing. Optical beam processing for printing with deformable mirrors has been described by L. J. Hornbeck; see U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,992, issued Jun. 24, 1986, entitled "Linear Spatial Light Modulator and Printer". A device for optical beam modulation using cantilever mechanical beams has also been disclosed; see U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,435, issued Jan. 8, 1995 to Banton et al., entitled "Multiple Array Full Width Electro-mechanical Modulator," and U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,593, issued Aug. 26, 1997, to C. D. Engle entitled "Linear Electrostatic Modulator". Other applications of electro-mechanical gratings include wavelength division multiplexing and spectrometers; see U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,536, issued May 26, 1998, to Ricco et al., entitled "Electrically-Programmable Diffraction Grating".
Electro-mechanical gratings are well known in the patent literature; see U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,009, issued Mar. 8, 1977 to Lama et al., entitled "Reflection Diffraction Grating Having a Controllable Blaze Angle", and U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,344, issued May 19, 1992 to J. E. Jaskie, entitled "Tunable Diffraction Grating". More recently, Bloom et al. described an apparatus and method of fabrication for a device for optical beam modulation, known to one skilled in the art as a grating-light valve (GLV); see U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,360, issued May 10, 1994, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Modulating a Light Beam". This device was later described by Bloom et al. with changes in the structure that included: 1) patterned raised areas beneath the ribbons to minimize contact area to obviate stiction between the ribbon and substrate; 2) an alternative device design in which the spacing between ribbons was decreased and alternate ribbons were actuated to produce good contrast; 3) solid supports to fix alternate ribbons; and 4) an alternative device design that produced a blazed grating by rotation of suspended surfaces; see U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,610, issued Oct. 17, 1995, to Bloom et al., entitled "Deformable Grating Apparatus for Modulating a Light Beam and Including Means for Obviating Stiction Between Grating Elements and Underlying Substrate," and U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,797, issued Sep. 15, 1998 to Bloom et al., entitled "Method and Apparatus for Modulating a Light Beam." Bloom et al. also presented a method for fabricating the device; see U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,783, issued Oct. 14, 1997, entitled "Method of Making a Deformable Grating Apparatus for Modulating a Light Beam and Including Means for Obviating Stiction Between Grating Elements and Underlying Substrate".
The GLV device can have reflective coatings added to the top surface of the ribbons to improve the diffraction efficiency and lifetime of the GLV device. Preferred methods of fabrication use silicon wafers as the substrate materials requiring the device to operate in reflection for the wavelengths of interest. An increase in reflectivity is important to reduce damage of the top surface of the ribbons and avoid mechanical effects that might be attributed to a significant increase in the temperature of the device due to light absorption.
For GLV devices, the position and height of the ribbons has been symmetric in design. One drawback to this design is an inability to isolate the optical intensity into a single optical beam. This relatively poor optical efficiency is primarily due to the symmetry of the actuated device, which produces pairs of equal intensity optical beams. Each period of the improved grating must include more than two ribbons and create an asymmetric pattern of the ribbon heights. By creating an asymmetric pattern for the heights of the actuated ribbons, the intensity distribution of the diffracted optical beams is asymmetric and can produce a primary beam with a higher optical intensity. The direction of this primary diffracted beam can be switched by creating a different second actuated state for the ribbon heights. Unique to this work is the use of multiple heights in a GLV to create an asymmetric grating profile for improved optical diffraction efficiency that can be switched between two actuated states.

Multilevel electro-mechanical grating device and a method for operating a multilevel mechanical and electro-mechanical grating device


Systems and methods for controlling fluid flow utilizing a synthetic jet actuator, are provided. An example of a synthetic jet actuator system includes a synthetic jet actuator including a dual bimorph subsystem to provide low, medium, and high synthetic jet velocities and/or fine flow control response, and an arc-forming subsystem to provide enhanced pressure, velocity, and mass flow performance, enhanced flow control response, and/or heating of the fluid within the bimorph chamber to extend the performance or operating margin of the dual bimorph subsystem of the synthetic jet actuator. The arc-forming subsystem includes a pair of electrodes interfaced with inner surface walls of the dual bimorph subsystem. Various configurations of power supplies can be utilized to provide simultaneous function to both the subsystem and the arc-forming subsystem to allow selective activation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flow field management. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems for manipulating fluid flows utilizing synthetic jet actuators.
2. Description of the Related Art
Adverse (pressure gradient) fluid flows generated over aerodynamic surfaces can buffet and fatigue any downstream structures so exposed. Additionally, such flows can affect efficiency by increasing drag or resistance over the surface. Such adverse fluid flows can be generated at the fore body of an aircraft or other upstream structure, and damage control surfaces, engines, after body/empennage, nacelles, turrets, or other structures integrated into the airframe. Additionally, these adverse fluid flows can be ingested within engine air intakes or other like air inlets leading to poor performance and/or stalling of the aircraft engines. Stalling the aircraft engine creates a potentially hazardous condition. Next generation aircraft, such as blended wing body, compound this problem by incorporating gas turbine inlets with serpentine spines within the air frame. Additionally, exotic aperture shapes for the inlet and outlet may cause excessive propulsion performance losses. These losses emanate from strong secondary flow gradients in the near wall boundary of the airflow, which produce coherent large-scale adverse fluid flows.
In the past, aircraft components were designed to minimize the strength of adverse pressure gradient flow fields to reduce the extent of or eliminate the separation of boundary layer flow from aircraft surfaces to reduce the destructive structural impact of separated flow on aircraft components and performance. This approach limits design options and increases vehicle size, weight and cost. Alternatively, the components in the path of the adverse fluid flows were structurally hardened or replaced more frequently to avoid failures resulting from these stresses. Placing components, such as engines or control surfaces, in non-optimal positions in order to reduce these stresses often results in reduced vehicle performance. Similarly, adding structural weight to support increased stress loads caused by the flow field vortices also results in reduced vehicle performance.
Other solutions include the employment of active or passive control flows through mass injection using positive and/or zero mass devices to mitigate the effects of the adverse flow fields. These control jets manipulate the boundary layer, for example, through induced mixing between the primary fluid flow and the secondary fluid flow. The mixing is promoted by vortices trailing longitudinally near the edge of the boundary layer. Fluid particles with high momentum in the stream direction are swept along helical paths toward the aircraft surfaces to mix with and, to some extent replace low momentum boundary layer flow. This is a continuous process that provides a source to counter the natural deceleration of the flow near a solid surface in a boundary layer that can lead to flow separation in regions with adverse pressure gradients and low energy secondary flow accumulation.
It has been found that mass injection and other flow control devices can be used in place of mechanical flight or other vehicle controls. Mass injection devices utilizing a positive mass flow include, for example, passive jet spoilers which can utilize engine bleed air, ram air from an inlet or scoop, or a air/fluid pump. Such devices, however, require pneumatic/fluid conduits and/or manifolds to bring the control jets to regions requiring flow-control authority. Additionally, utilization of such devices result in added structural weight to supply and support the control jets, which results in reduced vehicle performance.
Various other types of positive mass flow devices include combustion-driven jet actuators, which oxidize a gaseous fuel-air mixture. Specifically, such combustion-driven jet actuators include a combustion chamber that is filled with a combustible mixture which is then ignited, resulting in high pressures inside the chamber and mass expulsion through a chamber orifice. Besides the necessary fuel and air conduits, such devices also require a fuel storage capability, mechanical valves, and a means for igniting the fuel, which result in added structural weight to supply and support the control jets, which results in reduced vehicle performance.
Zero mass flow-capable devices include mechanical synthetic jets, single or dual bimorph synthetic jets, and spark jets. Synthetic jets, for example, which may be large scale devices or small scale Micro-fabricated Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) devices, can be employed along an airfoil surface to control flow separation on the airfoil. A typical synthetic jet actuator includes a housing forming an internal chamber and an orifice in a wall of the housing. The actuator further includes a mechanism in or about the housing for periodically changing the volume within the internal chamber so that a series of fluid vortices are generated and projected into an external environment flow beyond the orifice of the housing. Various volume changing mechanisms include, for example, a reciprocating piston configured to move so that fluid is moved in and out of the orifice during reciprocation of the piston, and/or a flexible diaphragm forming one or more walls of the housing. In a similar device, the flexible diaphragm can instead be actuated by a piezoelectric actuator, such as, for example, one or more bimorph piezoelectric plates or other appropriate means connected by a flexible hinge or hinges. Regardless of the configuration, the fluid moved may be either a liquid or gas, depending upon the state of the operational environment.
Mechanical and bimorph synthetic jet actuators employing a flexible diaphragm typically include a control system is to create time-harmonic motion of the diaphragm. As the walls of the diaphragm (or diaphragms) move into the center of the chamber, the chamber volume decreases, and fluid is ejected from the chamber through a chamber orifice. As the fluid passes through the orifice, the flow separates at the sharp edges of the orifice and creates vortex sheets which roll up into vortices. These vortices move away from the edges of the orifice under their own self-induced velocity. As the vortices travel away from the orifice, they synthesize a jet of fluid, a "synthetic jet," through entrainment of the ambient fluid. As the walls of the diaphragm move outward with respect to the center of the chamber, increasing the chamber volume, ambient fluid is drawn in from large distances from the orifice and into the chamber. Notably, the inventors have found that such synthetic jet actuators, in general, and the dual bimorph synthetic jet actuators, in particular, are especially well-suited at low, medium, and relatively high jet velocities and where fine flow control is needed.
The other aforementioned zero mass-capable device, a spark jet, can also be employed, for example, along an airfoil surface in a similar fashion to that of the mechanical or bimorph synthetic jets to control flow separation on the airfoil. Akin to the mechanical or bimorph synthetic jets, a typical spark jet also includes a housing forming an internal chamber and a chamber orifice in a wall of the housing. In contrast to the mechanical or bimorph synthetic jet actuators, however, the spark jet includes electrodes to produce an electrical discharge to heat the fluid within the internal chamber, which causes the fluid to accelerate out of the chamber orifice. The walls of the spark jet are generally relatively rigid in order to withstand the chamber pressure resulting from the rapid heating of the fluid within the chamber, without significantly deforming. The inner chamber pressure is relieved by the exhaustion of the heated fluid through the chamber orifice. Fluid is returned to the inner chamber through a corresponding decrease in pressure caused by cooling of the chamber walls and the gases remaining within the internal chamber upon removal of the current to the electrodes. Notably, the inventors have recognized that although the maximum frequency of the spark jet is typically less than that of the typical bimorph synthetic jet due to its dependence upon the speed of cooling of the chamber between cycles, the rise time associated with the generation of operational pressure and mass flow during each spark jet cycle can be less than that of conventional synthetic jet actuators. The inventors have further recognize that such capability, if harnessed, could be utilized to enhance the performance of an airfoil utilizing solid-state synthetic jet actuators for primary flow control, particularly where changes in jet velocities and large flow disruption may be periodically needed, which approach or exceed the capability of the solid-state synthetic jet actuator.
Accordingly, the inventors have recognized that there is a need for flow control systems, apparatus, devices, controllers, program product, and methods which provide the advantages of both the solid-state synthetic jet actuator and the spark jet. Particularly, the inventors have recognized there is a need for flow control systems, apparatus, devices, controllers, program product, and methods which utilize the concepts of a spark jet to selectively enhance/extend performance of a dual bimorph synthetic jet, such as, for example, when maximum performance is desired.

Synthetic jet actuator system and related methods


A system and method are disclosed for processing grease trap waste to produce brown grease oil. Heat to promote waste grease stratification is provided by combustion of brown grease itself. A portion of the brown grease, which would normally be transported to an end user, is retained in a separate holding vessel at the grease processing site. The brown grease within the holding vessel is thermally conditioned to adjust viscosity so that it may be drawn through one or more pumps to increase pressure for atomization in a boiler. The heat of the brown grease combustion is applied to grease trap waste in the containment vessel by heating tubes immersed in the grease trap waste in which a heat transfer medium circulates and gives up its heat to the grease trap waste to thereby promote stratification of the grease trap waste and production of the brown grease oil.

In the processing of grease trap waste, the waste is typically loaded into a containment vessel configured to provide even heating of the waste so as to promote stratification of the waste into different layers. Heating of the waste is typically accomplished through the combustion of a petroleum based fuel, such as natural gas or light heating oil. The proper time and temperature relationship promotes stratification to form a bottom layer of mostly water. Directly above the layer of water will be a region containing food scrap residue. The top layer will consist of rich brown grease with viscosity, combustion, and heating value characteristics similar to the petroleum based product commonly known as Bunker 5, Bunker 6 or Heavy Fuel Oil. Typically, the brown grease layer is extracted to a separate storage vessel for transport to the end user.


Provided are preparation methods for the chemical compound represented by formula (I) and an intermediate thereof.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) is a receptor for fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling, which is a family consisting of four members (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3, FGFR4) and a glycoprotein composed of extracellular immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains, hydrophobic transmembrane domains and intracellular parts including tyrosine kinase domains. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) plays an important role in many physiological regulation processes such as cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell migration and angiogenesis through these receptors (FGFR). There are many evidences show that the abnormality of FGF signaling pathway (high expression, gene amplification, gene mutation, chromosome reorganization, etc.) is directly related to many pathological processes such as tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis. Therefore, FGFR has become an important therapeutic target, attracting extensive research and development interest.

Pyrazine-2(1H)-ketone compound preparation method

ZHANGZHOU PIEN TZE HUANG PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.


The riser pipe section comprises a main tube 22 and auxiliary line elements 23 arranged parallel to tube 22. The ends of the main tube comprise connectors 20a and 20b allowing longitudinal stresses to be transmitted. The ends of auxiliary line elements 23 comprise connectors 20c and 20d.

A drilling riser is made up of an assembly of tubular elements whose length generally ranges between 15 and 25 m, assembled by connectors. The weight of the riser borne by an offshore platform can be very great, which requires suspension means of very high capacity at the surface and suitable dimensions for the main tube and the connection fittings.
So far, the auxiliary lines: kill lines, choke lines, booster lines and hydraulic lines are arranged around the main tube and they comprise insertable fittings fastened to the riser element connectors in such a way that these high-pressure lines can allow a longitudinal relative displacement between two successive line elements, without any disconnection possibility however. Owing to these elements mounted sliding into one another, the lines intended to allow high-pressure circulation of an effluent coming from the well or from the surface cannot take part in the longitudinal mechanical strength of the structure consisting of the entire riser.
Now, in the perspective of drilling at water depths that can reach 3500 m or more, the dead weight of the auxiliary lines becomes very penalizing. This phenomenon is increased by the fact that, for the same maximum working pressure, the length of these lines requires a larger inside diameter considering the necessity to limit pressure drops.
Document FR-2,891,579 aims to involve the auxiliary lines, kill lines, choke lines, booster lines or hydraulic lines, in the longitudinal mechanical strength of the riser. According to this document, the tubes that make up an auxiliary line are assembled end to end by rigid connections allowing longitudinal stresses to be transmitted between two tubes. Thus, the auxiliary line forms a rigid assembly that affords the advantage of transmitting stresses between the top and the bottom of the riser.
One difficulty in achieving the riser according to document FR-2,891,579 lies in the assembly of two riser sections T1 and T2 shown in FIG. 1. When installing a riser at sea, section T1 is assembled end to end to section T2 of the riser. To connect them, connector C1 of main tube TB, respectively fastening means C2 and C3 of each auxiliary line tube TA, have to exactly coincide with connector C1′, respectively fastening means C2′ and C3′, of the section to be connected. Now, the manufacturing tolerances of the tubes of the main line or of the auxiliary lines can be several centimeters on 15 to 25-m long tubes. Furthermore, the welds performed between the connecting means and the tubes can increase the length difference between the various tubes of a riser section. For example, in FIG. 1, connector C1′ and fastening means C2′ and C3′ are aligned in plane P′. On the other hand, connector C2 is set back by an axial distance D1 with respect to plane P of connector C1 and connector C3 protrudes by an axial distance D2 with respect to plane P. Consequently, when connecting section T1 to section T2, while fastening means C3 abuts in C3′, connector C1 is only partly inserted in connector C1′ and fastening means C2 cannot cooperate with means C2′. The offsets in the axial position of the connectors, due to the length differences of the tubes, can make connection impossible.
The present invention aims to provide at least one of the tubes that make up the auxiliary lines with adjustment means for adjusting the axial length of the tube in order to achieve connection of the tubes between two riser sections.

Riser pipe with adjustable auxiliary lines

Abstract: Auxiliary line elements 23 consist of two parts 23a and 23b assembled by an adjustment device 23c or 30 allowing the axial length of each auxiliary line element to be adjusted.


This separator by Foucault current comprises an endless conveyor belt designed to transport the mixture to a sorting section, rotary drums on which the endless conveyor belt runs, and a multipole magnetic rotor driven in rotation so as to generate an alternating induction magnetic field. The sorting section is offset with respect to each rotary drum along the path of the endless conveyor belt. The magnetic rotor is arranged outside each rotary drum. The path of the endless conveyor belt comprises a discharge area which follows on from the sorting section.

The invention relates to the field of sorting of mixed solid materials, such as those originating from waste crushing. More precisely, the invention relates to a separator by Foucault current (also called Eddy current) for removing non-magnetizable conductive elements from a mixture of materials. The type of separator in question comprises:                An endless conveyor belt designed to transport the mixture to a sorting section and driven in a direction of progression along a path comprising this sorting section,        rotary drums on which the conveyor belt runs,        a multipole magnetic rotor able to be driven in rotation so as to generate an alternating magnetic field so as to induce Foucault currents in said conductive elements and to divert these conductive elements at the level of the sorting section.