A lubrication dispensing apparatus for lubricating a device with moving parts includes a lubricant reservoir, a lubricant dispenser for dispensing lubricant from the lubricant reservoir, an ultrasonic detection module which detects the amplitude of ultrasonic energy emitted by said device when its parts are moving and produces an signal related thereto, and a control module which analyzes the amplitude of the signal from the ultrasonic detection module and, in response to a lubricate signal, causes the lubricant dispenser to automatically dispense lubricant onto the moving parts of the device until the signal from the ultrasonic detector indicates that the ultrasonic energy produced by the device has decreased to a particular level. The control module includes a programmed processor and a storage memory. The memory stores as a base value the value of the detected amplitude of ultrasonic energy when the device is operating properly. After receiving a signal to lubricate the device, the processor causes the dispenser to start the flow of lubricant to the device, compares the signal from the ultrasonic detection module when the parts are moving to the base value, and causes the dispenser to cease the flow of lubricant when the signal substantially decreases.

a. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a controllable grease dispersion tool for use in lubricating the bearings, gears or transmission of a device or machine and, more particularly, to a portable grease dispersion tool incorporating a portable ultrasonic detector to detect the condition of motor bearings, gears or transmission as lubrication is applied.
b. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasonic sensors have been used to detect ultrasonic energy generated by friction within mechanical devices, such as that created by deteriorated bearings, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,977 to Goodman, et al., the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The greater the amount of friction, the greater is the intensity of the generated ultrasonic energy. Applying a lubricant to the device reduces friction and consequently the intensity of the generated ultrasound drops. Measuring ultrasonic energy thus provides a way to determine when lubrication has reached the friction generating surfaces. Additionally, faulty devices, such as bearings, generate a higher level of ultrasonic energy than do good bearings and thus, this condition can also be detected.
In the past, decisions have been made on when to lubricate bearings based on the amount of time that has passed since the last application of lubricant and the specific amount of lubricant added at that time. Typically, this information was compared to manufacturer's recommendations. However, a major reason for bearing failure is improper lubrication, not just a failure to lubricate. In particular, over lubrication can be a problem. It is known in the art to combine a lubrication tool with an ultrasonic detector to help control the application of lubricant to bearings. Such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,122,966 and 6,339,961 of Goodman et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
As indicated in U.S. Published Patent Application US2006/0209632-A of Goodman, the details of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, both motors and electrical discharges in electrical cabinets used in large facilities may be positioned at widely separated locations
Since acoustic energy created by faulty bearings is detectable in both the audible and ultrasonic frequency ranges, generally in the range of 28 to 40 kHz, in noisy audible environments, the audible components are too difficult to unaided humans to detect. The ultrasonic component is easily detected and located. Thus, means are typically provided for heterodyning, or demodulating, the detected signal into the audio range, and various schemes are available for doing this.
When using ultrasonic energy to detect leaks, deteriorating bearings, electrical discharges or other malfunctions, it is useful to have a portable ultrasonic sensor which indicates the presence and intensity of ultrasonic energy both visually and audibly. U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,977 to Goodman et al. discloses an ultrasonic sensor that displays the intensity of the detected signal on an output meter operable in either linear or logarithmic mode, and also provides for audio output through headphones. U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,769 to Peacock et al. discloses an ultrasonic detector that displays the amplitude of the detected ultrasonic signal on a ten-stage logarithmic LED display. However, the detector disclosed in Peacock does not process the detected signal to produce an audible response, nor does it provide for signal attenuation after the initial pre-amplification stage.
A portable device which has been used in the past to detect ultrasonic energy is the UE 10,000 made by U.E. Systems of Elmsford, N.Y. This device is covered by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,707,762, 6,804,992 and 6,996,030 to Goodman et al, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The UP 10,000 detects ultrasonic signals from deteriorated bearings and demodulates or heterodynes the signals to the audio range. These signals can then be heard by an operator through headphones as a way of detecting malfunctions. The heterodyned audio signal can be saved and later downloaded to an external spectrum analyzer in order to make more precise determinations of the status of the bearings.
After extended use of the detection equipment, operators often tend to begin to use their ears as a guide to the condition of the motor bearings, as opposed to the amplitude readings on the display of the ultrasonic device. However, it is extremely difficult for a person to discern with their ears the differences between inputs that are representative of bearings just beginning to deteriorate and those which are more seriously deteriorated. The use of the human ear is a highly unreliable way in which to predict faults. By delivering the heterodyned signal to an external spectrum analyzer, this can be overcome. The difficulty is that the motors with bearings under test can be spread out over large distances. By the time all of the motors have been surveyed, the portable detector has been returned to a maintenance facility and the stored heterodyned audio signals are downloaded to a spectrum analyzer, bearings which are marginal may fail. Complete failure of the bearings can leave a motor inoperable for a period of time. In some instances, it is very detrimental to have a motor out of service for even a small amount of time, e.g., a cooling pump.
In addition to ultrasonic detection apparatus, the UP15000 also includes a camera with which images of the machine under test can be recorded. This is useful in locating and identifying a particular motor which has a bearing problem.
It would be advantageous if a grease dispersion tool combined with a portable ultrasonic detector had the on-board capability to perform spectrum analysis on received signals. This would eliminate the time delay between a reading and confirmation of the detection of an impending fault and administering sufficient lubricant to prevent said fault.

Ultrasonically controllable grease dispensing tool


A system for reducing evaporative cooling water losses using an electric and magnetic field inducing device is disclosed. The device influences a liquid's properties including evaporation rate, diffusion, vapor, heat transfer rate, and/or fluid properties. The device comprises a malleable core with notches and electrically conductive windings wrapped around the flexible core around the notches. An insulative coating isolates the windings from the core. The device is pliable and is wrapped and/or attached around a conduit (e.g., a makeup line or pipe or a recirculating line or pipe of an evaporative cooling tower) with flowing fluid and current is passed through the windings to treat the fluid.

Water scarcity is an issue more pressing than climate change, oil and energy production, or any other global risk issue. Scarcity of water is critical to agriculture, human health, and industry. Clean water is a vital, limited, and finite resource. More effort should be directed to finding sustainable solutions to increase water supply, reduce water usage, or to otherwise make more water available.
In many areas, a significant percentage of freshwater supply is used to operate evaporative cooling systems to cool office towers, shopping malls, data centers, power plants, oil refineries, and other large-scale warehouse and manufacturing facilities. All evaporative water towers lose between 1.8 to 3 gallons per minute per one hundred tons cooling through the evaporation of water. In many instances, the large plumes of "smoke" seen leaving industrial facilities is actually water vapor of water lost during cooling processes. There are hundreds of thousands of such evaporative cooling towers in the United States, and millions of such systems worldwide. Accordingly, a system that could provide the same amount of cooling with only minimal energy cost while significantly reducing fresh water use would provide significant benefit to a variety of industries.
The embodiments described herein relate generally to generating electromagnetic and electric fields and exposing fluids, gases, and bacteria in evaporative cooling systems to these electromagnetic and electric fields, and more particularly, to a device for generating electromagnetic and electric fields to cause an influence on a fluid as well as minerals in the fluid.
Electric and magnetic fields cause a charging or discharging of fluids and minerals in a fluid and entail ionic carriers that move in and out of the fluid, which form an aqueous circuit. Fluid flowing through a pipe will result in the evaporation of molecules, macromolecules and solute which will most often be left behind. Specifically, water flowing through pipes generally results in the exit of the pipe in a usually standard predictable rate of evaporation. There are currently no electrical or magnetic field systems for aqueous evaporation reduction or modification. Other devices aimed at solving this problem involve polymers for evaporation modification; see U.S. Application No. 62/846,671.
There are different ways in which water-based fluids subject to evaporation can be distinguished such as hard, soft and distilled water. Evaporation occurs when ambient air and/or a heat source is exposed to or added to the fluid. Conventionally, there are typically no electrical or magnetic methods for fluid evaporation modification. The conventional method is to simply measure the evaporation rates, humidity, heat sources and ambient temperatures without any modification. However, these methods rely on calculations and monitoring instead of modification of the fluid as a technology.
Therefore, what is needed is a means or device that can help reduce evaporative water losses using an electric field circuit in an aqueous environment and corresponding energy absorption of the fluid without the use of added polymers or other chemical modification of the water or similar fluid.

Systems and methods for controlling evaporative fluid loss


A wastewater treatment system includes independent wastewater treatment facilities. Each of the facilities has a number of wastewater treatment subsystems. A wastewater collection subsystem holds wastewater to be treated. A pump subsystem moves wastewater from a wastewater collector to a filtration subsystem having a bioreacting filter. The filter has a sump and a fluidized-bed filter therein and supports the filter upright. The filter has an upwardly expanding, hollow, conical filter body with filter media. A monitoring subsystem measures wastewater process parameters. Control devices receive control commands and, dependent upon the command received, alter parameters of the wastewater treatment subsystems. A communication device connects the wastewater treatment subsystems and the control devices and sends information corresponding to the wastewater process parameters measured by the monitors, receives control messages corresponding to the control commands, and transmits control commands the control devices to, thereby, alter a wastewater process parameter.

Microbial denitrification is a frequently used and inexpensive method of removing nitrogenous waste from wastewater. Two common configurations utilize either packed beds (also referred to as fixed film) or fluidized beds. Denitrifying microbial cultures have been supported on a variety of substrates including sand, ceramics, polymers, clay, and gels, to name a few. Fluidized bed denitrification systems offer a cost-effective solution to wastewater treatment, as they are self-adapting and provide a very large reactive surface area for a given volume compared to fixed film-based filtration systems. The primary disadvantage of microbial systems (or bioreactors) is that the organisms require an environment conducive to supporting their metabolic needs. While biological treatment systems can be flexible and robust, temperature, pH, oxygen content, and contaminant levels are variables to be controlled for optimum performance. Despite this requirement, microbial denitrification is still a cost effective way to treat wastewater.
Such systems can, and typically are, used in conjunction with other wastewater unit processes to achieve acceptable levels of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and/or the removal of other pollutants including, but not limited to, phosphorus, nitrogen, heavy metals, miscellaneous solids, and toxic organics.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgate regulations that require entities generating wastewater to confine the discharge to permissible levels. Examples of regulated materials and chemicals included in discharged wastewater are ammonia, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, and heavy metals. Typically, entities generating wastewater create holding ponds at their site. These ponds can be part of the treatment system and act as storage structures for the wastewater before, during, and after processing. Some processes allow the entities to either discharge their effluent to local waterways, others recycle the treated water by reusing it, for example, for cleaning or irrigation. Addition of wastewater treatment systems prior to these holding facilities can reduce the size required for these holding ponds.
Various entities spend millions of dollars annually to treat their wastewater. The cost of discharging untreated water to a municipal wastewater treatment facility can be prohibitive. In addition, every dollar spent on such discharge could have been spent on other, more beneficial, endeavors, including, for example, improvements to facilities.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, if the filter uses standard 3-inch diameter plumbing, for example, then standard 3-inch parts can be used. At the top of the plumbing, a 3-inch DWV clean out 200 can be connected to a 3-inch cross 202. The horizontal fill pipes 120 can comprise a pair of 3-inch by 7.25-inch sch-160 PVC fittings each on opposing sides of the cross 202 with each being connected to one of a pair of 3-inch by 20.5-inch sch-160 PVC fittings through a 3-inch compression coupling 204. Each of the horizontal fill pipes 120 is terminated by one of the two input bulkheads 110. The hatched areas of the pipes connected to the cross 202 illustrate the cement joints of the respective pipes. The vertical injector pipe 130 can be a 3-inch by 89-inch sch-160 PVC pipe that is terminated at the bottom thereof by a 4-inch bulkhead 206 holding a 3-inch drain gate 208, a 4-inch by 2-inch bushing 210, and, finally, a 2-inch plug 212. In this exemplary embodiment, four 1.5-inch holes, 2.5-inches on center are at the lower end of the vertical injector pipe 130.
Some existing denitrification filters may use a fluidized bed bioreactor having an inverted cone shape. Such a configuration optimizes the active volume of the bioreactor and reduces the volume and pumping requirements for any given throughput due to the high velocity of the liquid at the small part of the cone relative to the average liquid velocity of the entire vessel. An exemplary configuration of a fluidized bed reactor is shown in FIG. 1. In this filter, wastewater W is injected through the top of the filter element through a pipe that discharges at the base of the fluidized bed reactor. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the exemplary filter 100 can receive water to be treated W from either of two input bulkheads 110. Passing through horizontal fill pipes 120, the water W enters a vertical injector pipe 130 and exits out ports 140 adjacent the lowermost end of the vertical injector pipe 130 into the interior 102 of the filter body. Accordingly, the high-pressure stream of water W is forced upwards through the column of bed material 150, e.g., sand (not shown but indicated by dotted underline), which material 150 fills a lowermost portion of the filter's interior (for example, up to fill line 160 when dry). As the water W mixes with the bed material 150, it creates a fluidized bed having an upper boundary above fill line 160. A cone-shaped filter maximizes the efficiency of the fluidization within the column of the fluidized bed. An ideal fluidized bed reactor is one where the entire volume of the bed material becomes fluidized. Cone shaped fluidized beds (compared to straight cylinders) are more tolerant of variations in flow rates and media size uniformity that can lead to media washout in cylinders. It is beneficial if this filter system design is self-leveling and has a built-in overflow capability. To function best, however, a fluidized bed's long axis should be oriented as close to vertical as possible.
An exemplary diagram for a denitrification process flow that can use a fluidized bed reactor 100 is provided in FIG. 3. Effluent wastewater W is introduced into a set 300 of sumps and filters that are configured in series because microbial reduction of ammonia in an influent stream is a multi-stage process. In a first stage 310, ammonia (NH3) is converted to nitrate (NO3) in the presence of oxygen, an aerobic process called nitrification. Oxygen can be added either as O2 or as a constituent of air. Nitrates are as problematic as ammonia as a contaminant in waste streams. Accordingly, they must be treated as well. As such, in a second stage 320, nitrates are converted to atmospheric nitrogen (N2) in an anaerobic process called denitrification. The number of aerobic and anaerobic filters in any given system is not fixed, but rather depends on the nature of the wastewater being treated and the desired characteristics of the system effluent. FIG. 3 shows a configuration where the first aerobic stage is succeeded by two anaerobic stages. As shown in FIG. 3, the influent W is discharged into an aerobic sump 312 where air 330, for example, is injected to maintain an adequate oxygen concentration sufficient for the aerobic microbes in the ammonia reduction stage of the process. This aerated water is recirculated through a first set of two fluidized bed reactors 314. Aerobically treated water W1 from the aerobic sump 312 then flows to the first of two series-connected anaerobic sumps 322, 324. A second set of two fluidized bed reactors 326 recirculate influent water W1 within a first anaerobic sump 322, which discharges partially treated water W2 to a second anaerobic sump 324, at which a third set of two fluidized bed reactors 328 recirculate fluid therein. Denitrified water W3 flows out of the second anaerobic sump 324 to a final sump 340, where any number of secondary removal systems 350 can be present. For example, if another pollutant is to be removed, then a secondary removal system 350 can be used. Treated water W4 from this final sump 340 can then either be recycled or discharged. Possible direction of the treated water W4 can be to a storage pond, a natural water body, and/or to a wastewater treatment facility as desired. Each of the sumps 312, 322, 324 can be accommodated to fit the needs of a particular facility.
The basic chemical process for treatment of the liquid in the first stage 310 involves aerating a stream of ammonia-rich wastewater and introducing this wastewater to an aerobic sand filter(s) where it first contacts an aerated zone. Here, the ammonia is converted to NO3 as set forth in the following equation:NH4+2O2→NO3−+2H++H2O.
Then, the nitrate-rich effluent of the first stage 310 enters at least one anoxic filter where a high density of denitrifying bacteria converts the nitrate to N2 as set forth in the following equation:NO3−+Carbon Source→N2+CO2+H2O+Biomass.
This two-step process is represented in the schematic flow diagram of FIG. 4, which also includes the vertical orientation of influent and effluent within the system of FIG. 3. First, effluent wastewater W is introduced into the aerobic sump 312, the nitrification sump. Liquid from the nitrification sump 312 is removed from the bottom thereof and injected in the filter 314 through the lower port(s) 140. The pressure provided by the liquid coming out of the port 140 is made sufficient to maintain fluidization of the bed material in the filter 314. The fluid in the nitrification sump 312 is aerated, which aeration can occur directly in the nitrification sump 312 or indirectly in a separate aeration sump 312′, the latter of which is shown in FIG. 4. In this first stage 310, ammonia converts to nitrate.
Ammonia-free liquid containing nitrate W1 is, then, transferred to an anaerobic sump 322 of the second stage 320. Liquid from the anaerobic sump 322 is injected into the filter 324 through the lower port(s) 140. The pressure provided by the liquid coming out of the port 140 is made sufficient to maintain fluidization of the bed material in the filter 324. The fluid in the anaerobic sump 322 is not aerated, enabling nitrate in the filter 324 to convert to N2. If further anaerobic filtration is needed to completely convert the nitrate, the portion of the second stage 320 shown in FIG. 4 can be repeated as desired (indicated with the ellipses in FIG. 4) and, as shown in FIG. 3, to transfer effluent Wn from the anaerobic sump 322 to additional repetitive filtration stages.
It is desirable to remove as much solids from wastewater as possible before introducing the wastewater W into the denitrification system. One way to remove such solids is to first send the wastewater W to a solids separator (e.g., a screw press or inclined screen solids separator), in which some of the suspended solids are removed. These solids can be used as a soil amendment if desired. The liquid portion that exits from the solids separator can then be treated with the denitrification system to remove other contaminants.
Removal of nitrogen and odor causing contaminants from wastewater can allow for the reuse of this water for process and waste flushing purposes. Such a practice lowers fresh water usage, which is more environmentally friendly and cost effective than constantly using fresh water.
The flow of water needed to keep the fluidized sand filter systems fluidized often exceeds the overall flow of liquid through the system. As a result, fluidized sand filter systems have traditionally needed to be coupled with additional tankage (sumps) to hold the additional water needed to keep the beds fluidized. This need for additional tankage increases the footprint of the system by as much as two times. Accordingly, there is a need for a system that reduces this extra space for sumps.
Residences, commercial and industrial establishments generate wastewater or sewage. Sewage includes household waste from toilets, baths, kitchens and washing machines as well as wastewater produced from industrial processes like food and chemical production. In a typical metropolitan area all of these sources of wastewater are connected by a network of underground sewers to a sewage treatment plant where the water is processed to eliminate components in the water that could harm the environment. The sewer system includes pipes and pumping stations that move the wastewater from its sources to the waste treatment plant. Some sewer systems also handle storm water runoff. Sewage systems capable of handling storm water are called combined systems. These systems are expensive to operate as they must have the capacity to process surges of storm water along with the normal volume of sewage they treat. As a result, many municipalities have separate sewage and storm water treatment facilities.
Conventional sewage treatment generally includes three stages, generally referred to as primary, secondary and tertiary or advanced treatment. Primary treatment is a process in which raw sewage is screened or treated in holding basins to remove solids. In the holding basin, a scum layer forms and includes, for example, oil, grease, soap, and plastics. The solids and scum are separated from the water and the remaining liquid is, then, further processed. In the secondary treatment step, nutrients, organic constituents, and suspended solids are removed by bacterial organisms in a managed environment. Tertiary or advanced treatment involves the further nutrient and suspended solids removal and disinfection before it is discharged into the environment.
Sewage can also be treated close to where it is generated using septic tanks, biofilters, or aerobic treatment systems. These systems process the wastewater produced from residential, commercial, or agricultural sources at or near the location where they are generated. These systems, which include septic tanks, do not require extensive sewer systems and are, generally, used in locations where access to sewage treatment plants is not practical. Septic tanks employ physical and biological removal of organics similarly to conventional sewage treatment plant but do not have the capacity to handle large surges of wastewater. Because the water in a septic tank is discharged at the same rate it enters the system, the input waste stream can exceed the capacity of the system to process the water before it is discharged. As a result, these systems can and do discharge untreated sewage into the water table. This is a deleterious condition that needs to be eliminated.
Subdivisions and planned urban developments that are not located near sewage treatment plants sometimes use wastewater treatment systems called package plants. Package plants are miniature sewage treatment plants that are configured to handle the needs of a subdivision or an institution, such as a school, from which bathroom and cafeteria wastewater can be processed. Like septic tanks, package plants can be hydraulically overloaded during peak loading hours, after lunch is served for example, when large volumes of wastewater enter the system, forcing contaminated water to be discharged before it can be properly processed. Preventing this condition would be desirable.
In municipal areas where large, centralized wastewater treatment facilities are established, sewage can be effectively processed and water discharged into the environment can be controlled and regulated. In rural areas where package plants and septic systems are employed, wastewater discharge into the environment is uncontrolled, largely unregulated and contaminants are routinely discharged into the environment. Preventing such discharge would be desirable.
The same is true for agricultural operations, particularly, large establishments like confined animal feeding operations and dairy farms. There are no standard agricultural wastewater treatment systems on the market. Typically each farming operator retains a wastewater treatment consultant and a custom system is designed to meet their individual needs. Due to the massive amounts of waste created by these facilities and the high cost of municipal-class treatment systems, agricultural waste processing systems often rely on large lagoons to provide secondary and tertiary processing of their waste. Unfortunately these systems are subject to failure due to overflow from heavy rains and leakage from the lagoon basin. Consequently, nutrient-rich water can be discharged into the aquifer and surrounding bodies of water. Preventing such discharge would be desirable.
Thus, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art systems, designs, and processes as discussed above.
Thus, a need exists to overcome the problems with the prior art systems, designs, and processes as discussed above.

System and process for removing nitrogen compounds and odors from wastewater and wastewater treatment system


Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining first magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of a subject, wherein the first MRI data is obtained during a first scan of a subject, wherein the first scan has a first diffusion sampling time, and wherein the first diffusion sampling time is selected in order to facilitate use of the first MRI data to determine a first Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) effective diffusion coefficient in a Stationary Random Flow (SRF) regime; obtaining second MRI data of the subject, wherein the second MRI data is obtained during a second scan of the subject, wherein the second scan has a second diffusion sampling time, wherein the second diffusion sampling time is longer than the first diffusion sampling time, and wherein the second diffusion sampling time is selected in order to facilitate use of the second MRI data to determine a second IVIM effective diffusion coefficient in a pseudodiffusion regime; determining a blood velocity value based upon the first MRI data; and determining a segment length value based upon the second MRI data. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

The worldwide cost of dementia and related disorders had been estimated at $818 billion in 2015 with costs expected to reach $2 trillion by 2030. Over 500,000 deaths were attributable to Alzheimer's disease (AD) alone in 2010. While the cost of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are clear, both in financial and human terms, developing effective treatments has in effect remained out of reach. It is believed that this is likely due to a combination of failure to understand key steps in the pathogenesis of dementia as well as a lack of mechanisms to measure the emergence of pathobiological changes in the early stages of dementia through noninvasive biomarkers.
To understand the changes in the microvascular architecture that accompany AD, investigators have traditionally relied on sophisticated histological and immunohistological methods to laboriously document changes in post-mortem samples in selected regions of the brain (as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B—see Baloyannis S J, Baloyannis I S. The vascular factor in Alzheimer's disease: a study in Golgi technique and electron microscopy. J Neurol Sci. 2012; 322(1-2):117-21). These histological techniques, while capable of visualizing the degradation of the microvasculature in great detail, one microscope field at a time, fundamentally lack the ability to be incorporated in prospective longitudinal studies tracking individuals at risk of developing AD or other forms of dementia or to incorporate information about functional measures of blood flow.

Measuring blood vessel characteristics with MRI

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


A button mechanism includes a circuit structure and an actuating structure. The circuit structure includes a substrate, a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are disposed on the substrate, and the second electrode layer is separated from the first electrode layer. The first electrode layer includes a first section and a second section. The second electrode layer includes a third section and a fourth section. The second section stretches to the third section, and the fourth section stretches to the first section. A predetermined gap is formed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and the predetermined gap includes a plurality of curved portions. The actuating structure includes a conductive portion for conducting the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a button structure, and more particularly, to a button structure having small volume and utilizing an actuating structure to trigger a plurality of electrode layers and an electronic device therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a button mechanism in the prior art. A button mechanism 10 includes a circuit structure 12 and an actuating structure 14. The circuit structure 12 includes a substrate 16 and two U-typed electrode layers 18. The U-typed electrode layers 18 are alternately disposed on the substrate 16. A predetermined interval is formed between the two U-typed electrode layers 18 for preventing signal interference due to close distance of the two U-typed electrode layers 18. The actuating structure 14 is for contacting with the U-typed electrode layers 18 simultaneously, so as to electrically connect the two electrode layers.
For conforming to design specification and reliability test of the button structure 10, the conventional button structure 10 has large volume, so that it is difficult to arrange position and number of the button structure in limited mechanical space of the electronic device. In addition, the button structure 10 has an indicating function by emitting light, which occupies the mechanical space of the electronic device. Thus, design of the button structure having small dimension and preferable reliability is an important issue of the button mechanism.

Button mechanism and electronic device therewith


A polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ. ID NO. 2, 3, 4, 7 or 8. The polypeptide may have the sequence of an immunogenic fragment thereof comprising at least eight amino acids, wherein the immunogenic fragment is not one of SEQ. ID NOS. 6 or 11 to 16. The polypeptide may have a sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to the aforementioned polypeptide or immunogenic fragment. The polypeptide is less than 100 amino acids in length and does not comprise the sequence of any of SEQ. ID NOS. 10, 46, 56, 57 or 59 to 62 and does not consist of the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 58. The polypeptide is useful in the treatment or prophylaxis of cancer.

Cancer is a disease characterised by new and abnormal growth of cells within an individual. Cancer develops through a multi-step process involving several mutational events that allow cancer cells to develop, that is to say cells which display the properties of invasion and metastasis. Generally speaking, there are two classes of genes in which mutation can occur and give rise to cancer: oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes. The activation of oncogenes gives rise to new properties of the cell such as hyperactive growth and division, protection against programmed cell death, loss of respect for normal tissue boundaries and the ability to become established in diverse tissue environments. Tumour suppressor genes can be inactivated which permits the loss of normal functions in the cell such as accurate DNA replication, control over the cell cycle, orientation, and adhesion within tissues and interaction with protective cells of the immune system.
Numerous approaches have been proposed for the treatment and prophylaxis of cancer. One approach is the use of antigenic peptides which comprise fragments of tumour specific antigens. Such antigenic peptides, when administered to an individual, elicit an MHC class I or class II restricted T-cell response against cells expressing the tumour specific antigens.
It is to be appreciated that in order for such a T-cell response to occur, the antigenic polypeptide must be presented on an MHC molecule. There is a wide range of variability in MHC molecules in human populations. In particular, different individuals have different HLA alleles which have varying binding affinity for polypeptides, depending on the amino acid sequence of the polypeptides. Thus an individual who has one particular HLA allele may have MHC molecules that will bind a polypeptide of a particular sequence whereas other individuals lacking the HLA allele will have MHC molecules unable to bind and present the polypeptide (or, at least, their MHC molecules will have a very low affinity for the polypeptide and so present it at a relatively low level).
It has also been proposed to provide a vaccine comprising a nucleic acid molecule that encodes such an antigenic peptide. Such a vaccine operates by way of a similar principle except that after administration of the vaccine to an individual in need of treatment, the nucleic acid molecule is transcribed (if it is DNA molecule) and translated in order to synthesise the peptide which is then bound and presented by an MHC molecule as described above.
Telomerase is an enzyme that has the function of replicating the 3′ end of the telomere regions of linear DNA strands in eukaryotic cells as these regions cannot be extended by the enzyme DNA polymerase in the normal way. The telomerase enzyme comprises a telomerase reverse transcriptase subunit ("TERT" or "hTERT" for humans) and telomerase RNA. By using the telomerase RNA as a template, the telomerase reverse transcriptase subunit adds a repeating sequence to the 3′ end of chromosomes in eukaryotic cells in order to extend the 3′ end of the DNA strand.
It has been observed that the telomerase enzyme is activated in the vast majority of all human tumours. It is believed that this occurs because, without the expression of the telomerase enzyme, the telomeres of cells are gradually lost, and the integrity of the chromosomes decline with each round of cell division of a cell which ultimately results in apoptosis of the cells. Thus, expression of the telomerase enzyme is generally necessary for a cancer cell to develop because without such expression, programmed cell death will usually occur by default. In view of the role of telomerase activation in cancer, telomerase has been regarded as a tumour specific antigen and thus as a potential target for cancer therapy.
WO03/038047 discloses a peptide designated as T672 which is reported to elicit a proliferative T-cell response from cells of healthy donors. Various other peptides of hTERT are also disclosed but were not subject to any experimental testing.
WO00/02581 discloses polypeptides of telomerase which elicit an MHC class I and/or class II restricted T-cell response. One of the polypeptides disclosed (having the amino acid sequence EARPALLTSRLRFIPK, (SEQ ID NO: 10) which is also known as GV1001) is undergoing a phase III clinical trial (Telo Vac) in the UK in pancreatic cancer patients as a vaccine treatment.
WO02/094312 discloses certain polypeptides derived from hTERT. Liu J P et al (2009 Telomerase in cancer immunotherapy Biochim Biophys Acta. September 12) reviewed 26 hTERT peptides that had been shown to induce efficient immune responses to hTERT positive tumour cells.
Dendritic cells transfected with hTERT mRNA have also previously been employed to treat metastatic prostate cancer patients (Su et al, 2005, Telomerase mRNA-transfected dendritic cells stimulate antigen-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cell responses in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. J Immunol. 174(6):3798-807). Su et al demonstrated successful generation of hTERT-specific T cell responses measured as IFNγ secreting CD8+ T cells and CTL-mediated killing of hTERT targets. Four patients also experienced partial clinical responses. However, no hTERT epitopes were characterized in these studies.
There is always a need for further antigenic polypeptides (and nucleic acid molecules which encode such polypeptides) for the treatment of cancer, such as polypeptides which can elicit a more effective immune response in individuals and/or polypeptides which are presented by HLA alleles present in a greater proportion of the population.
The present seeks to alleviate one or more of the above problems.

Telomerase polypeptide vaccine for treating cancer


A communication cable includes two-core communication wires, a drain wire, and a metal foil collectively covering the two-core communication wires and the drain wire. The two-core communication wires are twisted, and the metal foil is wound around the two-core communication wires with an adhesion strength of 1.21 MPa or more. Preferably, the two-core communication wires are twisted with a twist pitch of 20 mm or more and 60 mm or less. The communication cable further may include a restraint formed of a resin coating extruded around the metal foil or a resin film laterally wound around the metal foil.

In the related art, in a communication wire for an automobile, for the convenience of a layout of a wire harness, a large number of bent portions of an electric wire are generated in space-saving, and therefore a shielded twisted pair (STP) wire in which the electric wires are twisted to have flexibility has been used. In such an STP wire, for example, a metal foil is provided around the twisted wire, but a distance between a conductor of the twisted wire and the metal foil is likely to be uneven, so that a large increase in an attenuation amount (suck-out) at a specific frequency is generated.
Therefore, in the consumer field, a shielded parallel pair (SPP) wire has been used in which a drain wire is arranged in a gap between two-core communication wires arranged in parallel, and these wires are collectively covered with a metal foil (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). In the SPP wire, the two-core communication wires are not twisted, a distance between a conductor of the communication wire and the metal foil is likely to be stable, and suck-out can be suppressed.


The disclosure relates to a method (20) for initiating a blind handover of a terminal (2) in a wireless communications system (1). The terminal (2) is served by a first cell using a first frequency band and a first radio access technology, wherein the wireless communications system (1) employs a method for dynamically changing coverage in at least one of the first cell and a second cell. The method (20) comprises estimating (21) the coverage in the second cell, wherein at least one of a second frequency band and a second radio access technology of the second cell may differ from the first frequency band and the first radio access technology, an initiating (22) the blind handover for the terminal (2) to the second cell only if the estimated coverage in the second cell meets a criterion. A wireless communications system (1), computer programs and computer program products are also provided.

Advanced antenna systems may be used to enhance performance of wireless communications systems in uplink (UL) as well as in downlink (DL). One way to accomplish this performance enhancement is to use beamforming. Beamforming enables a radiation pattern of the advanced antenna system to be controlled by transmitting a signal from a plurality of antenna elements using a gain and phase specific for the individual antenna elements. In this way, radiation patterns with different pointing directions and beam widths in both elevation and azimuth directions may be created.
In wireless communications systems such as High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and Long Term Evolution (LTE), common reference signals are transmitted (Common Pilot Channel, CPICH, and Cell Specific Reference Signal, CRS, respectively). These signals are measured by terminals (denoted user equipment, UE, in case of LTE) for instance for selecting a network node to communicate with, and as demodulation reference signals for data to be received by terminals served by the network node. Often, the area where a specific cell specific reference signal is received with highest power (as compared to cell specific reference signals transmitted from other network nodes) is referred to as a cell, and changing of beamforming patterns of the cell specific reference signal may therefore be referred to as "cell shaping".
This modification of cell uptake areas, i.e. the cell shaping, may for instance be done in order to distribute terminals between the cells more evenly (load balancing in the network nodes), which in turn may optimize coverage and/or capacity in the wireless communications system. The cell shaping in a wireless communications system may be automatically adjusted by employing a reconfigurable antenna system and a self-organizing network (RAS-SON) algorithm that adjusts the cell shapes based on some given network measurements and target performance metric.
Blind handover is an existing feature in which the network node, e.g. an evolved NodeB (eNodeB, or also denoted eNB) in case of LTE, may initiate a handover procedure for a terminal without doing conventional measurement configuration and without considering measurement reports. This feature may be beneficial when a fast handover is needed and candidate cell measurements are unavailable, or would impose an unwanted delay. Using the blind handover in such case removes the time and signaling needed to conduct handover measurements, hence giving the desired fast handover.


A structure and method for fabricating the structure that provides a metal wire having a first height at an upper surface. An insulating material surrounding said metal wire is etched to a second height below said first height of said upper surface. The metal wire from said upper surface, after etching said insulating material, is planarized to remove sufficient material from a lateral edge portion of said metal wire such that a height of said lateral edge portion is equivalent to said second height of said insulating material surrounding said metal wire.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and corresponding structure that prevents insulator cracking at a corner or edge of a non-planar damascene metal wire.
2. Background
Insulator cracking at the corner or edge of non-planar damascene wire is a common problem in semiconductor fabrication where the metal wire inductor structures are relatively thick, (>3 microns), and the surrounding adjacent insulating materials, (e.g., silicon dioxide, SiO2), are relatively brittle. Since the metal inductors and corresponding insulators have a significant mismatch in their coefficient of thermal expansion, e.g., a copper (Cu) inductor may have a coefficient of thermal expansion of approximately twenty (20) times that of the coefficient of thermal expansion of a SiO2 insulator, the mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion typically causes the more brittle insulator to crack at stress risers located on the inductor. These stress risers are usually located at corner portions of the metal inductors that occur at discrete layers of a damascene metal structure during the fabrication of the entire non-planar damascene metal inductor.
Advanced analog and mixed-signal applications require these metal inductor layers and are typically fabricated in matching networks for very high frequency applications. However, for high quality inductors with low resistive losses, the inductor thickness is typically much greater than interconnect wiring. Thus, to achieve the design requirements of low resistive losses, the metal damascene inductors are relatively large in size with respect to the surrounding insulator material, and therefore, have a higher propensity of causing cracking due to stress build-up between the two thermally-mismatched materials.

Top corner rounding of damascene wire for insulator crack suppression

International Business Machines Corporation


A method, system and apparatus for synchronization queue management. A synchronization queue management system can include a connection manager programmed to establish a synchronization link between a host pervasive device and a synchronization partner platform. The system further can include a link quality analysis service programmed to indicate a link quality for an established synchronization link. Finally, the system can include a synchronization application coupled to the connection manager and the link quality analysis service. The synchronization application can be configured to synchronize data in a synchronization queue in the host pervasive device with the synchronization partner platform over the established synchronization link. The synchronization application further can be configured to manage the synchronization queue based upon a link quality indicated by the link quality analysis service. Preferably, the link quality can be a throughput measurement or a usage cost measurement.

1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of pervasive computing and more particularly to mobile device synchronization for pervasive computing devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computers no longer are the most common vehicle through which users connect to data communications networks like the Internet. Now that computing can be viewed as being truly everywhere, computer scientists and information technologists have begun to rethink those services that can be provided to meet the needs of mobile computing users. In consequence, the study of pervasive computing has resulted in substantial innovation in the field of network connectivity. "Pervasive computing" has been defined as referring to any non-constrained computing device not physically tethered to a data communications network. Thus, pervasive computing devices refer not only to computers wirelessly linked to networks, but also to handheld computing devices, wearable systems, embedded computing systems and the like.
Most pervasive devices, including notebook computers, handheld computers and even data enabled cellular telephones permit data synchronization with a different computing device, for example a desktop computer. Data synchronization refers to the harmonization of data between two data sources such that the data contained in each data source can be reconciled notwithstanding changes to the data applied in either or both of the data sources. Modern pervasive devices provide for a synchronization process through a direct cable link, a modem link, or a network link to a host computing device. Wireless pervasive devices further can accommodate synchronization over infrared or radio frequency links.
Direct cable links between a pervasive device and a host computing device often can provide the quickest means of performing a data synchronization. In the case of a direct cable link, the link can be monopolized by the two devices in performing the data synchronization and the transmission distance between the devices can be minimized. By comparison, when performing a data synchronization over a more restrictive medium, such as a wireless, radio frequency media, data synchronization can be a slow and error prone process. The difficulties in performing data synchronization over a challenged medium can become compounded where the type of data to be synchronized can be large in size such as a large e-mail attachment or graphic or audio data.
The quality of a connection between pervasive device and host device often can be determinative when choosing whether or not to engage in a data synchronization session. As the quality of a connection deteriorates, it can be advisable to avoid data synchronization until the quality of the connection improves. Yet, some portions of the data synchronization process can execute seamlessly despite a poor connection. In particular, small data items can synchronize with little risk, even over a shaky wireless link. By comparison, a very large data item can enjoy little likelihood of speedy success in the face of the same shaky wireless link.
A similar circumstance can arise where the cost of a connection can vary. In this regard, some wireless connections do not require the payment of airtime fees for usage, while other wireless connections may involve substantial per minute charges. As such, one would prefer not to perform data synchronization for large, time consuming files where airtime fees can be incurred. Yet, the transmission of small, time insignificant files can be transmitted cost effectively, even over a link involving airtime charges. Accordingly, as the data synchronization process does not account for the nature of the connection, the presence of large data items when combined with a poor or expensive connection can prejudice the ability to synchronize small data items over the same poor or expensive connection.

Queue management for connectivity quality awareness for intelligent device synchronization


A single corrugated paper board layer with horizontal corrugations is formed into a rear and two doubled over side walls which fold overlapping the rear wall reinforced with a single corrugated corrugated paper board layer. The side walls have doubled over top and bottom edges. A molly type molded thermoplastic fastener and metal grommet assembly secure shelf support ropes to the two side walls via members clamped to the rope ends. Corrugated paper board display shelves fold over into overlapping members via juxtaposed hinge flanges which are secured to the rear wall by the fastener assemblies. The shelves rotate to an open display state where they are supported by the ropes at their front regions. The shelf hinge flanges are apertured to permit one flange to slide relative to the other as the shelves are rotated. The lowermost shelf is formed as a collapsible box-like structure which supports the lowermost regions of the side walls in the open display state and which fold together to form a planar structure in the folded retracted state. The stand external surfaces are waxed to provide a durable washable soil resistant finish. The corrugation paper board laminations are bonded with a moisture resistant adhesive.

Corrugated paper board display stands are widely used at the retail level for display of merchandise for sale to consumers. Many such displays are nothing more than cardboard boxes imprinted with advertising material. Some more sophisticated display stands are foldable to provide portability. These latter stands exhibit a number of problems. These stands comprise a rear wall and two foldable side walls with foldable shelves secured to the rear wall. These tend to be relatively flimsy structures and therefore tend to deteriorate rapidly when folded and unfolded repeatedly for transport to different display sites.
In supermarkets for display of food products the paper board legs stand directly on the supermarket floor and are subject to high moisture exposure, for example, due to liquid spills and even mopping of floors in the adjacent region. The water due to such mopping seeps into the paper board structure, causing delamination of the corrugated layers and warping of the legs. This can cause toppling of the structure and its contents. In addition, high humidity levels in the ambient atmosphere can cause delamination of the corrugated layers destroying the usefulness of the stand. Another problem, the cause of which is not generally understood, is bowing inward of the side walls at the supporting floor region. This bowing action reduces the footprint of the structure causing it to be easily toppled, again spilling its contents. Another problem is general weakness of the rear and side walls which tend to bend while in use due to the weight of objects being displayed and possibly the weight of the structure itself. For this reason these structures typically have their corrugations run vertically in an attempt to provide as much strength to the structure as possible, the corrugations being believed to act like reinforcement ribs to support a vertical load. However, even with the corrugations running vertically such structures are known to bend in response to vertical loads.
Still another problem is that the shelves, typically paper board. While secured to the rear wall need to be supported at their front region. To provide for this supporting action, dowels, typically wooden, are releaseably attached to the side walls at the front region of the side walls just beneath a shelf to be supported. The dowels can easily be lost or misplaced and are cumbersome to deal with in that they represent additional parts that need to be assembled and disassembled and transported with the primary structure forming the display stand. Yet another problem is that the paper board construction becomes soiled relatively quickly, becomes unsightly and needs to be discarded.


A multilevel image segmentation technique using graph cuts is disclosed. A reduced resolution image is generated from a full resolution image which is to be segmented. The reduced resolution image is then segmented in order to identify a boundary between an object and a background within the image. The identified boundary then identifies a portion of an increased resolution image which is segmented in order to refine the earlier identified boundary. The steps may be iterated for successively increasing image resolutions in order to refine the boundary as required by a particular application. An initial identification of object and background portions of the image may be provided as input by a user. Alternatively, a user may identify only the object portion, and the background portion may be automatically determined.

The present invention relates generally to image processing, and more particularly to multilevel image segmentation.
Digital image processing is becoming increasingly popular as digital imaging devices continue to become more powerful. For example, digital cameras can generate pictures having 10 million pixels, and Computed Tomography (CT) scanners may produce volume data having more than 100 million voxels. Processing these images places a large computational burden on the various devices that perform image processing.
One type of processing that is often performed on image data is segmentation, whereby a boundary is determined between different portions of the image. For example, in digital photography, it is often desirable to define a boundary between a main object and background, in order to segment out the main object. After the main object is segmented, the main object and background may be processed separately. Similarly, in the medical imaging field, it is often desirable to segment out a particular object, or portion of an object, from a CT scan image. For example, in the case of a CT scan of a human heart, it may be desirable to segment out a portion of the heart (e.g., left atrium) in order to allow a physician to more easily analyze the image. One example of segmentation is illustrated in FIG. 1 which shows a rough image 100 of the left side of a human heart. Assume that the object of interest is the left atrium 102 with the remaining portion of the image not being of interest. A desirable segmentation is one which provides a boundary between the object of interest 102 and the remaining portion of the image. Such a boundary is shown in FIG. 1 as dotted line 104. Thus, an appropriate segmentation process would generate boundary 104 between the object of interest 102 and the remainder of the image.
One well know technique for image segmentation is the use of graph cuts, as described in Y. Boykov and M. Jolly, Interactive Graph Cuts for Optimal Boundary & Region Segmentation of Objects in N-D Images, Proceedings of International Conference on Computer Vision, Vol. 1, July 2001, Vancouver, Canada, pp 105-112. As will be described in further detail below, the graph cuts technique is an interactive segmentation technique that divides an image into two segments, an object and background. A user imposes constraints for the segmentation by indicating certain pixels that are part of the object and certain pixels that are part of the background. The image is then automatically segmented using graph cuts to find the globally optimal segmentation of the image.
The above identified graph cuts technique has become one of the leading algorithms for interactive image segmentation in 2 dimensions (2D) and 3 dimensions (3D). While this technique provides accurate results for low resolution images, it is of limited use for high resolution images due to its intense memory requirements and its supralinear time complexity. For example, to segment a typical CT volume of 5123 voxels in a medical imaging application, the memory consumption would be more than 8GB, which is impractical for current clinical computers. Further, in a worst case complexity scenario, such segmentation could require an extremely long processing time in order to complete, which is impractical for a medical imaging application.
Thus, what is needed is a computationally efficient segmentation technique that provides acceptable segmentation results.


A process is disclosed for the production of novel monoalkylbenzenes or substituted benzenes by aromatics alkylation wherein the alkylation catalyst is an acidic shape selective metallosilicate catalyst and the alkylating agent is the olefins dimer by-product of the oligomerization of alpha-olefins in contact with reduced valence state solid chromium oxide catalyst on a porous support. The alkylated benzenes produced comprise those mono-alkylbenzenes wherein the alkyl group contains 12 to 28 carbon atoms and have high viscosity index, low pour point and low viscosity. They have a low degree of residual olefinic unsaturation and are useful as additives to thermally and oxidatively stabilize lubricant materials. The process comprises reacting benzene or substituted benzene with C.sub.6 -C.sub.14 alpha-olefin olefinic dimer having a branch ratio of less than 0.19, or mixture of said dimers, in contact with acidic shape selective zeolite catalyst having large pore size.

It has been well established in the prior art that hydrocarbon oils possessing superior properties in applications such as low viscosity lubricants, insulating fluids for electrical transformers, additives for lubricants, and the like can be prepared by alkylation of aromatic compounds using using higher molecular weight olefins and olefinic oligomers.
Pellegrini, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,343 discloses a synthetic oil composition useful as an insulating fluid in electrical apparatus comprising the mono or di-alkylation product from the alkylation of aromatics with oligomers containing at least 30 and up to 60 carbon atoms. The oligomers are prepared by Lewis acid catalysis by methods well known in the art. The alkylation reaction is conducted using conventional liquid Lewis acid catalyst and the degree of substitution is controlled by the aromatic to olefin mole ratio. Dimers are separated from oligomers and not included in the alkylation reaction.
Dressler et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,491 discloses a synthetic oil composition for functional fluids such as lubricants, heat transfer fluids, vacuum pump oils, etc. The compositions comprise mono and polyalkylated naphthalenes prepared by the alkylation of naphthalene with alpha-olefins in contact with high silica zeolites. The alkyl substituent on naphthalene contains between 12 and 26 carbon atoms.
Yoshida et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,794 discloses a synthetic oil composition comprising monoalkylated naphthalene obtained by alkylation of naphthalene with alkyl halide, alcohol or a straight chain mono-olefin having six to twenty four carbon atoms. The mole ratio of alpha to beta substitution on naphthalene is at least 1.0. The products exhibit high oxidation stability.
Recently, novel lubricant compositions (referred to herein as HVI-PAO) comprising polyalpha-olefins and methods for their preparation employing as catalyst reduced chromium on a silica support have been disclosed in U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 210,434 and 210,435 filed June 23, 1988, incorporated herein by reference. The process comprises contacting C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 1-alkene feedstock with reduced valence state chromium oxide catalyst on porous silica support under oligomerizing conditions in an oligomerization zone whereby high viscosity, high VI liquid hydrocarbon lubricant is produced having branch ratios less than 0.19 and pour point below -15.degree. C. The process is distinctive in that little isomerization of the olefinic bond occurs compared to known oligomerization methods to produce polyalpha-olefins using Lewis acid catalyst. Lubricants produced by the process cover the full range of lubricant viscosities and exhibit a remarkably high viscosity index (VI) and low pour point even at high viscosity. The assynthesized HVI-PAO oligomer has a preponderance of terminal olefinic unsaturation.
In the preparation of the novel HVI-PAO lubricant, alpha-olefin dimer containing olefinic unsaturation can be separated from the oligomerization reaction. The composition of the dimer mixture conforms to the unique specificity of the oligomerization reaction in that little double bond isomerization is found and shows a low branch ratio.
According, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process for the alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons using HVI-PAO olefinic dimer.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the monoalkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons with HVI-PAO dimer.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for increasing the thermal stability of lubricant compositions using monoalkylated aromatics derived from HVI-PAO dimer.

Aromatic alkylation with alpha-olefin dimer


A directing apparatus for guiding, deflecting and/or diverting a web of material including a block which has a curved surface. The block is segmented, i.e. divided into sections, and in each section there is a certain number of bores, to which streams of medium are admitted at various velocities or with various quantities of medium. In each of the sections, a predetermined number of bores are connected to one another and are connected via a common line to a common medium supply device. The medium may be either compressed air or a liquid.

The invention relates to a directing apparatus for guiding, deflecting and/or diverting a web of material which is guided over a number of rollers, said apparatus being connected to a medium supply device. More particularly, the invention relates to such an apparatus in which the directing apparatus extends over the entire width of the rollers and has bores, through which a stream of medium flows against the web of material in a direction which is predetermined in each case.
German Offenlegungsschrift 3,904,314 discloses such an air directing apparatus for guiding an endless web of material, for example a web of paper, which runs in a meandering manner over a plurality of cylinders or alternately over cylinders and directing rollers. This air directing apparatus is connected to a blown air supply and extends transversely over the entire width of the cylinder and directing rollers, air being blown against the web of material via blow openings extending in the predetermined direction. The blowing direction of the air is reversible, with the reversal taking place by two successive pressure chambers which are separate from each other and of which one acts in normal operation as a suction chamber and the downstream one acts as a blowing chamber. These chambers are switchable in such a way that the pressure chamber on the feed side is made to act as a blowing chamber and the downstream pressure chamber is made to act as a suction chamber. The air directing apparatus can also be divided transversely to the running direction of the web of material into a number of separate air chambers. In this case, a chamber at the edge is provided for transferring a transfer strip during starting or after a tearing-off of material. Each air chamber can be set individually with respect to the blowing direction, according to the predetermined blowing direction or the direction inverted or perpendicular thereto. Similarly, the quantities of air can be set according to the blowing direction.
By the known air directing apparatus, on the one hand, the endless web of material is guided reliably on its path to and between the cylinders and/or the directing rollers. On the other hand, the known apparatus maximizes the conditioning of the web of material, for example its drying.
In the normal operation of a paper machine, the web of paper runs from cylinder to cylinder. The air directing apparatus counteracts the forces acting on the web due to adhesion, friction, vacuum, dynamic pressure, the weight of the web, and centrifugal forces. In this case it must be taken into consideration that with such air directing apparatuses, it also intended to achieve an optimum drying effect. An optimum drying effect is achieved if air is blown out against the running direction of the web of paper, since this has the effect of producing turbulence on the surface of the web of paper, which accelerates the drying. However, during starting of a paper machine or after a tearing-off of the web of paper during threading of the so-called transfer strip, such a blowing direction against the running direction of the web of paper is unfavorable, since the relatively narrow transfer strip is blown away by the blow jet on account of its relatively small weight. In the case of the known air directing apparatus, an individual adaptation of the direction and conditions of the blown air to the respective operating state and the respective type of material is possible by virtue of the fact that the blowing direction can be inverted and, what is more, the web of paper can be subjected to the blowing of air in different sections, considered in the running direction.
German Offenlegungsschrift 4,003,956 discloses a vacuum nozzle system for the contactless supporting and treating of webs of material, for example for drying, heating and cooling. This vacuum system comprises a nozzle casing which has a surface which lies against the web and on which there are two nozzle gaps. The nozzle system is asymmetrical in relation to the perpendicular center plane of the vacuum supporting surface. The nozzle casing has a substantially planar supporting surface, at the one edge of which an arcuate Coanda air directing surface is attached, at which the first nozzle of the nozzle system is located. The blowing direction of this nozzle initially runs substantially perpendicularly against the plane of the web of material to be supported. The Coanda air directing surface is arranged in such a way that it diverts the air flow emerging from the first nozzle in the direction of the plane of the supporting surface and the web of material running over the latter. In the edge region opposite the first nozzle there is a directing baffle which smoothly continues the planar supporting surface. A second blowing nozzle is arranged in the region of or at the outer edge of the directing surface. The direction of the second nozzle runs parallel to the directing surface of the supporting surface.
An apparatus for monitoring the edge of the web of a guided web of material is described in German Offenlegungsschrift 3,903,783. This concerns an apparatus for conveying a flat article, in particular an endless web of material. The apparatus comprises conveying means for moving the article in a predetermined direction and a monitoring device for monitoring the position of the article. The monitoring device includes a blowing nozzle which is directed at the edge region of the surface of the article and blows out a jet of gas. On the side of the article opposite the blowing nozzle there is provided a pressure measuring device for generating a measuring signal corresponding to the proportion of the gas jet flowing past the edge. The pressure measuring device is connected to an evaluating and controlling arrangement for processing the measuring signals into position signals, which reproduce the position of the edge of the article. Such an apparatus permits an exact processing and working of articles since a web of material such as paper or some other flat article can be conveyed along a predetermined path while preventing lateral positional deviations. This is performed by the continuous monitoring of the position of an edge of the above material or of the flat article and by corrective measures being initiated if deviations from a predetermined position of the edge occur. By this side-edge control, consequently, a lateral shifting of the article is prevented.
Side-edge controls are also known in which the unwinding reel for the web of material is displaced axially or the angle of a directing roller perpendicular to a web plane is altered. Both versions require greater mechanical complexity and are limited in their dynamic characteristics.

Directing apparatus for guiding, deflecting and/or diverting a web of material


A speaker device according to an embodiment includes a panel, a plurality of vibration elements, and a driving unit. The plurality of vibration elements vibrate the panel. The driving unit applies, to a first vibration element, a first driving signal that includes a modulated wave provided in such a manner that a carrier wave in an ultrasonic wave band is modulated by a sound signal in an audible wave band and applies, to a second vibration element, a second driving signal that includes the carrier wave and is different from the first driving signal, so that a vibrational region is formed on the panel.

A speaker device has conventionally been known where a plurality of ultrasonic vibrators are arranged in an array shape to have a directivity thereof. Such a speaker device is also called a parametric array speaker and applies an ultrasonic voltage that is modulated by a sound signal in an audible wave band to a plurality of ultrasonic vibration elements so that it is possible to generate an audible sound in a particular direction (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-022347).
For such a speaker that has a so-called narrow directivity, one is also proposed that includes a vibration element in at least one site on a panel-type vibration plate and generates a standing wave on the vibration plate due to vibration of such a vibrator in such a manner that each of antinodes of such a standing wave is a sound radiation unit and radiates a sound wave that has a directivity in a predetermined direction with respect to a panel surface.
Generally, in such a speaker device, a sound pressure level of an audible sound to be output is increased with increasing a voltage that is applied to a vibration element. However, in a speaker device as described above, an applicable voltage is limited from a viewpoint of durability of a vibration element. Accordingly, it is desired that an applied voltage is reduced and a sound pressure level of an audible sound to be output is raised.

Speaker device and control method for a speaker device


Cigarette blocks comprising an even number of individual cigarettes arranged in an odd number of rows are formed through the use of a hopper having a linear array of parallel shafts with one of the shafts being permanently occupied by a blocking member at the level of an intermediate row. Cigarettes are delivered singly to the blocked shaft beneath the blocking member in synchronism with the transfer, in a direction transverse to the feed direction, of all of the cigarettes comprising the block to downstream apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the grouping of individual cigarettes into "blocks" for subsequent packaging and particularly to the formation of cigarette blocks comprising three rows of cigarettes with the middle row containing one cigarette less than the outer rows. More specifically, this invention is directed to apparatus for reliably and gently assembling individual cigarettes into generally rectangular-shaped groups, these groups being defined by an odd number of rows with an even total number of cigarettes, the apparatus further including means for delivering the assembled group of cigarettes as a unit into downstream apparatus for subsequent wrapping. Accordingly, the general objects of the invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus of such character.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is customary to package cigarettes in groups of twenty, such groups typically being comprised of two outer rows having seven cigarettes each and a middle row, wherein the cigarettes are staggered with respect to those in the outer rows, comprising six cigarettes. Apparatus for forming such three row cigarette "blocks" are known in the art. An exemplary such device may be seen from published German Patent Application 3,116,156. In the apparatus of this published German application, subsequent to arrangement of the cigarettes to be packaged into three rows of equal length, one cigarette in the middle row is laterally restrained when the remaining cigarettes are ejected from the block forming device. The restraint of this one cigarette in the middle row is accomplished through the use of a mechanical stop. During movement of the cigarettes which are being ejected as a unitary "block", the contact between the cigarettes being ejected and the cigarette being retained results in friction which may damage the relatively fragile cigarette. Any such damage is unacceptable since the retained cigarette will be included in the next succeeding block which is formed. Additionally, the separating-out of an individual cigarette requires a precisely coordinated and synchronized process. Bearing in mind that the cigarettes are delivered under the influence of gravity to the point where they are arranged in multiple-layer rows, it is possible that one cigarette may move into position more slowly than another. Any such uneven movement will upset the synchronism of the separation transfer procedure and will contribute to the possibility of damage to an individual cigarette. While the possibility of cigarette damage, particularly due to uneven speed of movement, can be reduced by judicious selection of the size of the shafts in which the rows of cigarettes are formed, it is impossible to totally eliminate the possibility of a damaged cigarette. Accordingly, the prior art apparatus must be provided with a mechanism which halts the production line when the retained cigarette is subjected to a relatively large, and thus potentially damaging, force. Interruptions in the packaging process resulting from halting the block forming apparatus are, of course, very undesirable due to the "ripple effect" such interruptions have on various other devices such as, for example, the devices which supply the wrapping material.

Maschinenfabrik Alfred Schmermund GmbH & Co.


The invention provides a lubricating composition containing an antiwear agent and an oil of lubricating viscosity. The invention further relates to the use of the lubricating composition in a mechanical device such as an internal combustion engine, or a driveline device.

It is well known for lubricating oils to contain a number of surface active additives (including antiwear agents, dispersants, or detergents) used to protect internal combustion engines from corrosion, wear, soot deposits and acid build up. Often, such surface active additives can have harmful effects on engine component wear (in both iron and aluminium based components), bearing corrosion or fuel economy. A common antiwear additive for engine lubricating oils is zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP). It is believed that ZDDP antiwear additives protect the engine by forming a protective film on metal surfaces. ZDDP may also have a detrimental impact on fuel economy and efficiency and copper corrosion. Consequently, engine lubricants may also contain a friction modifier to obviate the detrimental impact of ZDDP on fuel economy and corrosion inhibitors to obviate the detrimental impact of ZDDP on copper corrosion. Other additives may also increase lead corrosion.
Further, engine lubricants containing phosphorus compounds and sulphur have been shown to contribute, in part, to particulate emissions and emissions of other pollutants. In addition, sulphur and phosphorus tend to poison the catalysts used in catalytic converters, resulting in a reduction in performance of said catalysts.
With increasing control of both the formation of sulphated ash and release of emissions (typically to reduce NOx formation, SOx formation) there is a desire towards reduced amounts of sulphur, phosphorus and sulphated ash in engine oils. Consequently, the amounts of phosphorus-containing antiwear agents such as ZDDP, overbased detergents such as calcium or magnesium sulphonates and phenates have been reduced. As a consequence, ashless additives such as esters of polyhydric alcohols or hydroxyl containing acids including glycerol monooleate and alkoxylated amines have been contemplated to provide friction performance. However there have been observations that ashless friction modifiers may in some instances increase corrosion of metal, namely, copper or lead. Copper and lead corrosion may be from bearings and other metal engine components derived from alloys using copper or lead. Consequently, there is a need to reduce the amount of corrosion caused by ashless additives.
Canadian Patent CA 1 183 125 discloses lubricants for gasoline engines containing alkyl-ester tartrates, where the sum of carbon atoms on the alkyl groups is at least 8. The tartrates are disclosed as antiwear agents. Other references disclosing tartrates and/or tartrimides include International Publication WO 2006/044411, and US Patent Applications 2010/0190669, 2010/0197536, and 2010/0093573 for internal combustion engines requiring reduced amounts of sulphur, sulphated ash, and phosphorus. The lubricant composition has anti-wear or anti-fatigue properties. The lubricating compositions are suitable for road vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,022 discloses tartrimides useful as additives in lubricants and fuels for effective reduction in squeal and friction as well as improvement in fuel economy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,470 and International Publication WO 2005/087904 disclose lubricants containing at least one hydroxycarboxylic acid ester or hydroxy polycarboxylic acid (in particular citrates or ethyl glycolate). The lubricant composition has anti-wear or anti-fatigue properties.
International Application WO2008/070307 discloses engine lubricants containing antiwear agents based on malonate esters.
Citrates are disclosed in US Patent Application 20050198894.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,640 discloses a lubricant antiwear agent prepared by a two step reaction involving (i) reacting glycolic acid with an alcohol containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and (ii) reacting the product of (i) with phosphorus pentasulphide. The antiwear agent is reported to be useful for a cam-follower set.
Lubricants additives derived from thioglycolic acid derivatives have been contemplated as additives. Additives from thioglycolic acid derivatives are summarised in a variety of U.S. Patents, Japanese patent application and an East German Patent. The U.S. Patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,157,970, 4,863,622, 5,132,034, 5,215,549, and 6,127,327. The Japanese Patent Applications include 2005139238 A, Japanese Patent Applications 10183161A, 10130679A, and 05117680A. The East German Patent is DD 299533 A5.
For driveline power transmitting devices such as gears or transmissions, especially axle fluids and manual transmission fluids (MTFs), there are highly challenging technological problems and solutions for satisfying the multiple and often conflicting lubricating requirements, whilst providing durability and cleanliness. One of the important parameters influencing durability is the effectiveness of phosphorus antiwear or extreme pressure additives at providing devices with appropriate protection under various conditions of load and speed. However, many of the phosphorus antiwear or extreme pressure additives contain sulphur. Due to increasing environmental concerns, the presence of sulphur in antiwear or extreme pressure additives is becoming less desirable. In addition, many of the sulphur-containing antiwear or extreme pressure additives evolve sulphur due to numerous volatile sulphur species being present, resulting in lubricating compositions containing antiwear or extreme pressure additives having an odour and possibly also being detrimental to health and the environment.
A lubricating composition having the correct balance of phosphorus antiwear or extreme pressure additives provides driveline power transmitting devices with prolonged life and efficiency with controlled deposit formation and oxidation stability. However, many of the antiwear or extreme pressure additives employed have limited oxidative stability, form deposits or increase corrosion. In addition, many phosphorus antiwear or extreme pressure additives typically also contain sulphur, which results in a lubricating composition containing the phosphorus antiwear or extreme pressure additives which may be odorous.

Lubricating composition containing an antiwear agent


In vehicle headlamp control apparatuses, which receive a direct current voltage Es, light discharge lamps by square waves, and drive motors, in each of which the number is at least one, arithmetic operations are performed for synchronizing the square waves for lighting the discharge lamps and pulses for driving the motors with each other and for driving the motors within a substantially constant time after polarities of the square waves for lighting the discharge lamps are inverted. By using an inexpensive microcomputer, the vehicle headlamp control apparatuses make it possible to realize lighting controls for the discharge lamps and smooth drive controls for headlamps and auxiliary lamps by the motors for varying optical axes thereof.

In recent years, in the field of the high intensity discharge lamp lighting device, a high intensity discharge lamp control system with such a high function that moves, for example, a spotlight and the like by an actuator has been examined while the conventional apparatus only lights a lamp in response to ON/OFF of a power switch.
In particular, in the field of the vehicle headlamp, a vehicle that mounts thereon a high intensity discharge lamp (hereinafter, referred to as an HID lamp) as a load has been widespread, and a vehicle headlamp lighting device (HLB: head light ballast) that lights the HID lamp has also been being widespread. Moreover, in recent years, a vehicle that mounts thereon a control ECU (electronic control unit) that drives the headlamp or an auxiliary lamp up and down and left and right in response to vehicle information such as a steering angle and a vehicle speed has also been started to be widespread.
Heretofore, the lighting device of the vehicle HID lamp has started to operate by ON/OFF of the power switch located close to the hand of a driver, and lights the HID lamp by using a square wave after the HID lamp is started. In this event, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-355833, since a voltage and current of the lamp are unstable at the time when a polarity of the square wave is inverted and for a predetermined time, a period (sample hold time) while the voltage and the current are not being detected and a control for constantly maintaining the power is not being performed is provided. Specifically, during this period, a load on a microcomputer that performs the control for constantly maintaining the power is small.
Moreover, in recent years, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-178829 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-159989, there has been a technology in which, separately from the lighting device of the HID lamp, an ECU that starts to operate by operating an ignition switch or an accessory switch (alternatively, always operates by direct connection to a battery) and drives the headlamp or the auxiliary lamp is provided in the vicinity of the headlamp, in a vehicle cabin or in the like. The drive of the headlamp or the auxiliary lamp affects visibility at night, and accordingly, a control for a motor that drives the headlamp or the auxiliary lamp is performed extremely complicatedly. Microcomputers are used individually for the lighting device and the ECU in order to realize the above-described control.
Configurations of these components are shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28. In these diagrams, reference symbols M1 and M3 denote optical axis varying motors of a left lamp body, reference symbols M2 and M4 denote optical axis varying motors of a right lamp body, reference symbol La1 denotes an HID lamp of the left lamp body, and reference symbol La2 denotes an HID lamp of the right lamp body. Reference symbols HLB1 and HLB2 denote headlamp lighting devices, and upon being supplied with power Es by a switch located close to the hand of the driver, the headlamp lighting devices HLB1 and HLB 2 light the lamps La1 and La2. Reference symbols W1, W2, W3 and W3 denote bundles of wire harnesses for driving the respective motors.
In a first conventional example of FIG. 27, an ECU in the vehicle cabin obtains the information on the vehicle speed and the steering angle by a vehicle network (CAN communication line) represented, for example, by CAN (controlled area network) and the like. The ECU drives the headlamps or the auxiliary lamps up and down or left and right based on the information on the vehicle speed and the steering angle. With regard to the lighting of the headlamps, the HID lamps are lighted by the switch located close to the hand of the driver.
In a second conventional example of FIG. 28, an ECU in the vehicle cabin obtains the information on the vehicle speed and the steering angle by a vehicle network. The ECU arithmetically operates target positions for driving the headlamps or the auxiliary lamps, target angles of optical axes, and the like based on the information on the vehicle speed and the steering angle, and communicates with individual ECU1 and ECU2 on the left and right lamp body sides through a local communication line (for example, LIN (local interconnect network)) different from the above-described network. The individual ECU1 and ECU2 on the left and right lamp body sides drive the headlamps or the auxiliary lamps up and down or left and right based on such information thus obtained. In a similar way to the first conventional example, with regard to the lighting of the headlamps, the HID lamps are lighted by the switch located close to the hand of the driver.
Note that, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-7987, a configuration is disclosed, in which the lighting device of the HID lamp and the ECU that drives the headlamp or the auxiliary lamp are integrated with each other.
However, in the configurations of FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, the lighting devices of the HID lamps and the controlling microcomputers for the respective ECUs become necessary. Accordingly, in each of the configurations, total cost of a front module is increased. In this connection, it is considered to reduce the total cost by integrating the lighting devices and the ECU with each other in terms of control. However, the lighting device of each HID lamp performs a fine feedback control for the lamp power so as not to give flickering of light to the driver. Meanwhile, each ECU that varies a light distribution in response to the steering angle is required to perform a communication control, acquisition of vehicle information by A/D conversion, and a smooth motor control so as to give more safe and comfortable visibility to the driver. Both of the power feedback control and the motor control largely affect the visibility of the driver, real time performance is required for each thereof, and a major part of the performance of each microcomputer is occupied for controlling these factors. Therefore, it has been extremely difficult for one microcomputer to realize the feedback control for the lamp power and the control for the motor.
Moreover, though such a vehicle headlamp control apparatus is shown here, a similar problem is inherent also in the case of realizing, by one microcomputer, a lighting control for an HID lamp for common illumination, such as a spotlight and a downlight, and a control for varying a light distribution thereof.
The present invention has been made in consideration for the above-described points. It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to realize, by an inexpensive microcomputer, the lighting control for the discharge lamp, other communication controls, and the smooth drive control for the headlamp or the auxiliary lamp by moving the motor.

Vehicle headlamp control apparatus, vehicle headlamp control system and vehicle headlamp, high intensity discharge lamp control apparatus, high intensity discharge lamp control system and vehicle headlamp


According to one aspect of the invention, medical devices are provided which contain the following: (a) an interior region that contains at least one degradation promoting agent and (b) an exterior region disposed over the interior region that contains at least one biodegradable polymer and at least one therapeutic agent.

Numerous polymer-based medical devices have been developed for implantation or insertion into the body. For example, in recent years, drug eluting coronary stents, which are commercially available from Boston Scientific Corp. (TAXUS), Johnson & Johnson (CYPHER) and others, have become the standard of care for maintaining vessel patency. These existing products are based on metallic balloon expandable stents with biostable polymer coatings, which release antiproliferative drugs at a controlled rate and total dose.
Specific examples of biostable polymers for drug eluting polymer coatings include block copolymers of polyisobutylene and polystyrene, for example, polystyrene-polyisobutylene-polystyrene triblock copolymers (SIBS copolymers), which are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,097 to Pinchuk et al., which have proven valuable in implantable and insertable medical devices for a variety of reasons, including their excellent elasticity, strength and biocompatibility. SIBS copolymer systems are also effective drug delivery systems for providing therapeutic agents to sites in vivo.
Biodegradable polymers, on the other hand, offer the potential of reducing or eliminating long term effects that may be associated with non-biodegradable polymers (e.g., foreign body effects, etc.), because they are metabolized over time.

Medical devices for the release of therapeutic agents


A bundle pack, especially a cigarette carton, formed from a plurality of cuboid packages which are wrapped in an outer wrapper made of cardboard, paper or plastic film has to be designed such that the individual cigarette packages can be easily marked on one outer side without opening the outer wrapper. For this purpose, the outer wrapper is provided with cut-outs which are located in the region of the outer sides of the packages. Adjacent cut-outs (17) are delimited from one another by narrow webs (19) of the outer wrapper (14).

The invention relates to a bundle pack, especially a cigarette carton, formed from a plurality of cuboid packages which are wrapped in an outer wrapper made of cardboard, paper or plastic foil.
Relatively small products such as cigarette packages are packed into larger bundles for easy handling during transport and in the shops. Individual cigarette packages are preferably grouped together by means of a further wrapper to form cigarette cartons. Revenue or tariff regulations of various countries require the application of revenue stamps on each individual cigarette package, particularly shortly before the package is sold to the ultimate consumer, Consequently, the stamps can not be affixed during packaging. Instead, the retailer has to open the bundle pack, affix the revenue stamps and subsequently reclose the bundle pack. This procedure is very time-consuming and uneconomical.

Cigarette carton with openings for revenue stamps