An animal restraint cage which comprises a generally rectangular frame equipped with a pair of side panels and stanchion securing means to restrainably retain an animal therewithin. The side panels are adjustably positioned laterally within the frame and are provided with means for tightening the side panels together, such as by means of a winch block or the like. The stanchion means comprises a pair of spaced apart rod members which are designed to contact the restrained animal at a point adjacent the top of the neck and behind the base of the skull. The side panels are provided with axially aligned bores to receive restraint rods to prevent upward movement or jumping of the animal when positioned within the means. If desired, a ramp may be removably positioned between the ground and the platform of the restraint for elevating an animal accessing the restraint.

The present invention relates generally to an improved animal restraint means, and more particularly to an animal restraint means which is designed to gently and controllably restrain an animal for predetermined periods of time. The restraint is designed primarily for veterinary use, and provides a gentle means for temporarily confining an animal undergoing one or more veterinary procedures. The animal restraint means of the present invention is particularly adapted to temporarily confining animals undergoing procedures wherein invasive devices such as needles or the like are necessarily employed. The arrangement is particularly well adapted for use with animals having rowdy or generally uncontrollable dispositions.
In certain other applications, the animals may be restrained while undergoing vaccination, inoculation, and artificial insemination as well.
In the past, various restraint means including cages, pens and the like have been employed for assisting veterinarians while undertaking procedures with animals. It has been found that certain of these restraints are less than gentle upon the animals, and their ability to recall may render the animals difficult to effectively restrain on subsequent or repeat occasions. It is, of course, always important to provide a means of protecting the individual attending the animal, and it is also equally important to avoid injuring or wounding the animal or otherwise inflicting damage to their bodies, including their bones, flesh, organs including skin, and fur.
The animal restraint means of the present invention includes a frame means, preferably fabricated of metallic tubing, with the frame being provided with means for receiving auxiliary components including a floor, side panels, access ramp, and stanchion means. Each of these components functions to assist the animal in gaining access to the restraint means, and also for effectively restraining and confining the animal while disposed therewithin. For purposes of utilization in typical veterinary clinics treating domestic animals such as domesticated dogs or other smaller beasts, the restraint means is provided with casters or wheels to permit alternate movement between an in-use location and an inactive or storage location.
It is, of course, appropriate to consider designing and constructing animal restraint cages in accordance with the present invention which are sized to accommodate smaller domestic animals including dogs as well as sheep, and other species.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved animal restraint means which is provided with means for gently holding or restraining an animal therewithin while undergoing typical veterinary procedures.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved animal restraint means which is capable of restraining animals of various sizes and dispositions, including relatively small animals and larger animals including the larger breeds of dogs and the like.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved animal restraint means which is readily serviced, set up, and cleaned as required.
Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.


The invention relates to a semiconductor device and the process of forming a metal oxy-nitride gate dielectric layer or a metal-silicon oxy-nitride gate dielectric layer. The metal oxy-nitride or metal-silicon oxy-nitride dielectric layer comprises at least one of a metal, silicon, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms where the nitrogen to oxygen atomic ratio is at least 1:2. The metal oxy-nitride or metal-silicon oxy-nitride material has a higher dielectric constant in comparison with a silicon dioxide, providing similar or improved electrical characteristics with a thicker thickness. Other benefits include reduced leakage properties, improved thermal stability, and reduced capacitance versus voltage (CV) hysteresis offset.

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor structure, and more particularly to a process for forming a metal oxy-nitride dielectric layer.
In an effort to make faster transistors, the dimensions of Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFET) have continually scaled down. A thin and critical layer of the MOS transistor is the gate dielectric. Current gate dielectric thicknesses are near 3 nanometers (nm) and are rapidly scaling down to the sub-2 nm regime.
The study of high permittivity gate dielectrics for its application in Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technologies has recently intensified. The increased interest in high permittivity gate dielectrics is due to the semiconductor industry""s realization that conventional silicon dioxide (SiO2) gate dielectrics will not meet the gate leakage requirements when the dielectric thickness is in the sub-2 nm regime. Within this regime, the gate dielectric is about 13 atoms thick and results in gate leakage currents that exceed industry specifications for low power consumption products.
A solution to the problem of gate leakage currents as the dimensions of MOSFET continue to scale down, is to manufacture MOS transistors using gate dielectrics with permittivities higher than SiO2, such as metal oxide materials. With high permittivity gate dielectrics, the overall dielectric thickness is increased, thus reducing a direct tunneling effect without sacrificing gate capacitance. Unfortunately, there are many issues associated with the integration of metal oxide dielectrics into CMOS technologies. For example, metal oxide dielectrics have worse gate leakage properties than SiO2 films of equivalent physical thickness. In addition, metal oxide dielectrics exhibit poor thermal stability. In standard CMOS integration techniques, the gate dielectric is subjected to subsequent high temperature annealing ( greater than 1000 C.) for the source and drain dopant activation. During the source and drain anneals, the metal oxide dielectric reacts with the silicon substrate forming an undesirable SiO2 interfacial region between the silicon and the metal oxide dielectric.
Other thermal stability issues involve film microstructure. Annealing at such extreme temperatures can cause amorphous metal oxide dielectric films to crystallize. This phase transition roughens the dielectric surface, causing increased trapping density and leakage via grain boundaries. The phase transition also increases the propensity for boron diffusion from the gate electrode to the substrate. Boron penetration through the gate dielectric into the substrate results in high threshold voltage shifts and reliability problems.
Further, the metal oxide dielectrics frequently exhibit capacitive hysteresis as indicated by a capacitance versus voltage graph of the metal oxide dielectric layer. The hysteresis is an undesirable trait indicating instability in the threshold voltage and lack of control over the channel region by the gate voltage.

Process for forming a metal oxy-nitride dielectric layer by varying the flow rate of nitrogen into the chamber


An apparatus for monitoring fuel filter performance and transmitting performance information. The performance information may be transmitted wirelessly to a computer or a wireless telephone and then transmitted to a technician. The performance information is preferably transmitted with location information which identifies the location of the filter for which maintenance is required. The information may also be transmitted to a web server which can store the information in a database and also send information via text messaging or telephone voice transmission or other automatic electronic transmission mechanism.

Fuel stations typically have several fuel/gas pumps to sell fuel to motorists. In order to prevent contaminates such as sludge or sediment from being pumped into the fuel tanks of vehicles, the fuel pumps generally include fuel filters to strain the fuel prior to dispensing into the tank of a customer's vehicle. Typically a separate filter is required for each grade of fuel supplied to each dispenser so that a single fuel dispenser may have three or more filters. When the filters function as designed, the filter will eventually become clogged and fuel flow through the dispenser will become degraded and the dispenser will no longer operate. In many modern fuel dispensing stations, the station will be staffed by clerks who are not qualified to perform any sort of maintenance on the fuel dispensers and when a dispenser stops operating the clerks may be unaware that an interruption has occurred and even when the interruption in operation is discovered, all that can be done is to call in a person skilled in repair of the pumps to diagnose the cause of the interruption.
In view of the foregoing it can be seen that there is a need for a new fuel dispenser monitoring system to provide operating diagnostics and automated maintenance requests to enhance the operability of fuel delivery systems.

Gas pump filter optimization and alarm system with GPS and web enabled monitoring


An apparatus for perforating a subterranean formation may include a casing, an energetic material, a liner, and an acid-generating material. The casing may have a slotted end configured to receive a detonator cord, and an open end. The energetic material may be disposed in the open end and in ballistic. The liner may enclose the open end, and the liner may include an acid-generating material that is configured to form an acid upon detonation of the explosive material.

1. Field of Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for perforating a well casing and/or a subterranean formation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydrocarbon producing wells typically include a casing string positioned within a wellbore that intersects a subterranean oil or gas deposit. The casing string increases the integrity of the wellbore and provides a path for producing fluids to the surface. Conventionally, the casing is cemented to the wellbore face and is subsequently perforated by detonating shaped explosive charges. When detonated, the shaped charges generate a jet that penetrates through the casing and forms a tunnel of a short distance into the adjacent formation. Often, the region that is perforated, and in particular the walls of the tunnel, may become impermeable due to the stress applied to the formation by the perforating jet as well as stresses that may be caused during the firing of the perforating gun. The loss of permeability and other harmful effects, such as the introduction of debris into the perforation, may adversely affect the flow of hydrocarbons from an intersected hydrocarbon deposit.
In aspects, the present disclosure addresses the need for perforating devices and methods that provide cleaner and more effective well perforations.

System and method for enhanced wellbore perforations


The present invention relates to a memory device and a method of fabricating the same. The memory device comprises a substrate, a tunnel dielectric film on the substrate, pairs of source and drain regions formed in the substrate, and a number of separate storage blocks between each pair of the source and drain regions. Each storage wire block includes a storage medium and a silicon dioxide layer. Two storage blocks are separated by an interval of at least 100 angstroms.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Background of the Invention
Flash memory is a type of non-volatile memory, which can retain its content without consumption of power and can be written to and erased multiple times. One type of flash memory stores information in an array of floating gate transistors, each of which (called "cell") generally stores one bit of information. Newer devices, sometimes referred to as multi-level-cell devices, may store more than one bit per cell, by using more than two levels of electrical charge placed on the floating gate of a cell. Multi-level-cell devices may double memory capacity but they may suffer slower reading and write operations.
One type of flash memory is known as nitride read only memory. Nitride read only memory may include an array of nitride read only memory cells for data storage. Each nitride read only memory cell may include a source, a drain and a gate structure formed on a p-type substrate. The gate structure may include a polysilicon layer overlaying an oxide/nitride/oxide (ONO) stacked layer, with the nitride layer serving as charge trapping layer. Each nitride read only memory cell may store one or more bits of data. For example, dual bit memory devices allow storage of two bits of data in a single cell, one bit being stored in the trapping layer proximate to the source region and the other being stored in the trapping layer proximate to the drain region.
In multi-bit memory devices that utilize an ONO stacked layer to store charges, the charge added or removed during programming (i.e., write) and erase operations should be confined to the respective source and drain regions of a cell. However, in reality, as gate length is scaled down below 65 nm, the charges in one of the source and drain regions may overlap with the charges in the other region, thus changing the reading, programming and erase characteristics of the cell over time. Eventually, the overlap of two groups of charges changes the threshold voltages for determining the state of the respective bits in a cell and thus causes unreliable bit sensing.
In addition, a memory with a floating gate structure may encounter the issue of stress-induced leakage current, especially when the memory device shrinks (i.e., the memory has a thinner tunnel oxide film) and when the voltage is applied on the drain terminal of a memory cell. In other words, the memory device may have a leakage path at a weak point on the tunnel oxide film and thus the data is lost through the leakage path.

Method of fabricating a non-volatile semiconductor memory device


A solid-state battery, in which a battery case and electrode terminals are integrally formed by resin molding, includes a solid-state battery laminate including a cathode having a cathode layer on a first current collector, an anode having an anode layer on a second current collector, a plurality of solid electrolytes located between the cathode and the anode, and a plurality of bipolar electrodes, each bipolar electrode being located between adjacent solid electrolytes and including another cathode layer and another anode layer on both surfaces of a third current collector, a cathode terminal plate, an anode terminal plate, and a resin case encapsulating the solid-state battery laminate and the cathode and anode terminal plates.

Recently, increase in required performance of storage batteries (secondary batteries) for vehicles is being accompanied by increase in electric energy used to control vehicles and equipment for vehicles and commercialization of hybrid vehicles and/or electric vehicles. Particularly, hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles require a high battery capacity and rates occupied by a battery to the hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles are increased in terms of weight and space volume, as compared to gasoline vehicles. Therefore, miniaturization and weight reduction of storage batteries are important. Further, storage batteries are also used in power generation facilities using natural energy, such as solar photovoltaic power facilities, and, herein, miniaturization and weight reduction of storage batteries are important but not as much as in vehicles.
With such a background, solid-state batteries, such as a lithium ion battery, are being developed as storage batteries having a higher energy density. A solid-state battery is a battery which generally uses a solid electrolyte, instead of a liquid electrolyte.
However, a conventional solid-state battery (for example, Patent Document 1) is being developed as laminate cells, but causes problems, such as requiring tabs to take electrode terminals out of the cells, requiring spacers to connect the terminals when the cells are connected to be modularized, decrease in a driving distance due to decrease in volume energy density of a battery module, great interfacial resistance between a solid electrolyte and electrodes due to the solid electrolyte, requiring a pressure process (at a pressure of about 500 MPa) in manufacture of the solid-state battery.


An aerosol glitter composition for achieving the “sugar” glitter effect comprises a solvent, binder, square polyester glitter, optionally a rheology modifier, and propellant.

"Sugar" glitter is a popular effect in the craft market. Typically the effect is achieved by applying dry glitter over glue to adhere the glitter to a substrate. Other products which claim to provide a sugar glitter effect are gels that must be brush applied. The present invention provides an aerosol glitter product capable of providing the sugar glitter effect.


This invention relates to tri- and tetra-substituted-oxetanes, e.g. (.+-.)-cis- and (.+-.)-trans-2-[(4-(4-isopropylpiperazin-1-yl)phenoxy)methyl]-4-(2,4-dihal ophenyl)-4-[1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-methyl]oxetane and tri- and tetra-substituted-tetrahydrofurans, e.g. (.+-.)-cis- and (.+-.)-trans-1-[4-[[2-(2,4-dihalophenyl)tetrahydro-2-[(1H-azol-1-yl)methyl ]-5-furanylmethoxy]phenyl]-4-yl-1-substituted piperazine-3-one and related derivatives which exhibit antifungal and antiallergy activities, pharmaceutical composition thereof, methods of their use in treating or preventing susceptible fungal infections and allergic reactions in a host including warm-blooded animals such as humans.

This invention relates to tri- and tetra-substituted-oxetanes, e.g. (.+-.)-cis- and (.+-.)-trans-2-[(4-(4-isopropylpiperazin-1-yl)phenoxy)methyl]-4-(2,4-dihal ophenyl)-4-[1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)methyl]oxetane and tri- and tetra- substituted-tetrahydrofurans, e.g. (.+-.)-cis-and (.+-.)-trans-1-[4-[[2-(2,4-dihalophenyl)tetrahydro-2-[*1H-azol-1-yl)methyl ]-5-furanyl]methoxy]phenyl]-4-yl-1-substituted piperazine-3-one and related derivatives which exhibit, e.g. antifungal, antiallergy as well as immunomodulating activities, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, methods of their use in treating or preventing susceptible fungal infections, hyperproliferative skin disease and allergic reactions as well as treating autoimmune diseases in a host including warm-blooded animals such as humans.
This invention also relates to antifungally active intermediates and to intermediates for preparation of the antifungal, antiallergic and immunomodulating compounds.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,518,415 and 4,636,247 disclose 1-(tetrahydrofurylmethyl)azoles useful as plant growth regulators and fungicides which are disubstituted at the 2-position by imidazol-1-ylmethyl or triazol-1-ylmethyl and phenyl or substituted phenyl and at 3, 4 and 5-positions by hydrogen and substituted alkyl, cyloalkyl, aralkyl, or phenyl. However, these references do not disclose the compounds of the present invention.

Tri- and tetra-substituted-oxetanes and tetrahydrofurans and intermediates thereof


An installation for mounting an outer sun gear in a reduction gear. The reduction gear includes an outer sun gear and planet gears meshing with an inner sun gear and with the outer sun gear and each mounted for free rotation around a pivot of a planet carrier. The outer sun gear includes a first crown having a first toothing and a second crown having a second toothing each meshing with first and second toothings of the planet gears. The installation includes a frame for supporting the reduction gear along its longitudinal axis, and first and second torque applicators, such as cylinders, that apply a torque around an axis of first and second rings, respectively. The first ring is configured to engage with the first crown of the outer sun gear and the second ring is configured to engage with a second crown of the outer sun gear.

Typically, a power transmission reduction gear in a turbomachine comprises planet gears meshing with an outer sun gear and a central or inner sun gear. The planet pinions are carried by a planet carrier and mounted freely rotatably on axes. Such a reduction gear can be used in particular for the power transmission from a drive shaft such as the shaft of a low-pressure compressor, to a blower wheel via a central pinion supported by the shaft.
There are several reduction gear architectures. In the state of the art of double-flow turbomachines, the reduction gears are of the planetary or epicyclic type. In other similar applications, there are so-called differential or compound architectures:                On a planetary reduction gear, the planet carrier is fixed and the outer sun gear is the output shaft of the device, which rotates in the opposite direction to the inner sun gear.        In an epicyclic reduction gear, the outer sun gear is fixed and the planet carrier is the output shaft of the device which rotates in the same direction as the inner sun gear.        On a differential reduction gear, no element is fixed in rotation. The outer sun rotates in the opposite direction to the inner sun and the planet carrier.
In a particular arrangement of a reduction gear, the outer sun gear comprises a first downstream crown and a second upstream crown meshed with first downstream toothing of the planet gears and second upstream toothing of the planet gears, respectively. The use of an outer sun gear consisting of a first and a second crown is necessary when the toothing of the first crown, the toothing of the second crown and the first and second toothing of the planet gears are inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the reduction gear, i.e. the axis of rotation of the turbomachine. In this configuration, the inner sun gear also has two toothings. The same necessity is even more obvious when the toothings have a herringbone configuration. Remember that a herringbone toothing has the advantage of reducing the noise level and increasing the number of contacts between the planet gears and the inner and outer sun gears. Thus, when the outer sun gear comprises a first crown and a second crown, the first crown is engaged axially on the first toothings of the planet gears in a first direction and the second crown is engaged axially on the second toothings of the planet gears in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
In order to allow optimum engagement with the planet gears, the first and second crowns must be precisely positioned and oriented in relation to each other, i.e. have their respective toothings concentric and be precisely angularly oriented in relation to each other. If they are badly positioned and/or badly oriented, this leads to a higher load asymmetry in operation on one of the crowns compared to the other crown, which can therefore weaken it as well as the associated toothings of the planet gears. This can also lead to premature wear of the toothings of the crown and the planet gears, degrade efficiency, increase noise generation and increase vibration.
A special difficulty arises specifically with regard to herringbone toothings. Indeed, each tooth of the first toothing of the inner or outer sun gear or planet gears comprises two flanks and a straight line extending along one of the flanks intercepts a straight line extending along a flank of the second toothing at a given axial position. To ensure correct operation of the reduction gear, the various axial positions mentioned above must all lie in a same radial plane. However, the axial positions of the intercepts depend on machining defects. To compensate for these machining defects, the following solutions for centring the first and second crowns are used.
In the known technique, crowns are manufactured separately, assembled, and then ground once assembled. They are then paired and considered as a set. The alignment of the first and second crowns is achieved in several ways. Thus, according to a first possibility, an annular centring of the first and second crowns around the axis of the reduction gear is carried out and a pin is used to carry out the angular orientation of the first and second crowns. A second possibility is to use two pins shrunk into one of the crowns and engaged in two fitted holes in the other of the crowns. In a third possibility, three pins distributed at 120° to each other around the axis of the reduction gear are used, shrunk into one of the crowns and mounted in three fitted oblong holes in the other of the crowns. Finally, in a fourth possibility, screws are used to fix the first and second crowns as centring screws, thus allowing combined positioning and orientation, which replace the pins while ensuring that the first and second crowns are held in position as well as the torque recovery between the first and second crowns.

Installation for mounting an outer sun gear


A method, performed at a portable electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, includes displaying a list of items on the display. The method also includes displaying an item in the list with just a portion of the item visible on the display. The method further includes detecting a first gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the item. The method further includes, in response to detecting the first gesture, marquee scrolling the item in a predefined marquee scrolling direction.

The use of touch-sensitive surfaces as input devices for computers and other electronic computing devices has increased significantly in recent years. Exemplary touch-sensitive surfaces include touch pads and touch screen displays. Such surfaces are widely used to manipulate user interface objects on a display.
Exemplary manipulations include selecting and/or performing one or more actions on one or more user interface objects, such as scrolling one or more objects. Exemplary user interface objects include text, digital images, icons, and other graphics. For portable devices with small displays, these objects may need to be scrolled to view various portions of an object.
One type of scrolling is marquee scrolling, in which text, images, and/or other objects scroll as if they were on a marquee. For example, in a handheld portable media player, marquee scrolling may be used to view file names and other information about the content on the player.
But existing methods for performing marquee scrolling are cumbersome and inefficient. For example, it may be unclear to a user what action(s) is/are required to perform marquee scrolling, which creates a significant cognitive burden on a user. In addition, existing methods take longer than necessary, thereby wasting energy. This latter consideration is particularly important in battery-operated devices.

Device, method, and graphical user interface for marquee scrolling within a display area


A wide-band antenna multiplexing method and device of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are disclosed. The method comprises: by a wide-band antenna, receiving an external signal and sending the received external signal to a first power divider; by the first power divider, dividing the external signal received from the wide-band antenna into multi-way sub-signals, and sending each sub-signal respectively to a receiving filter of a plurality of receiving filters, each of which is connected to the first power divider and corresponds to a functional modules of the UAV respectively; and by each respective receiving filter, performing filtering processing on the received sub-signal, obtaining a signal corresponding to the working frequency band of each respective functional module of the UAV, and sending the signal corresponding to the working frequency band of each respective functional module of the UAV to a corresponding functional module.

A pilotless aircraft, also referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is an unmanned aircraft operated by a control device, and is commonly used in aerial photography, geographic mapping, real-time monitoring of traffic, inspection of power supply lines, and spraying of pesticides.
With the development of UAV technology, more and more electronic devices are added to UAVs. On the one hand, the new electronic devices added to UAVs improve the performance of UAVs, and on the other hand, they increase the power consumption and reduce the flight endurance of UAVs. The flight endurance of a UAV is related to the weight of the UAV; the larger the weight is, the shorter the flight endurance is. At present, the flight endurance of the commercial UAVs in the market is typically less than 30 minutes.
A UAV communicates with the outside by an antenna. The conventional UAVs are only provided with an antenna for receiving a remote control signal and an antenna for receiving a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal. In the prior art, in order to improve the performance of the UAV, more antennas are provided. However, these antennas increase the weight of the UAVs and reduce the flight endurance of the UAVs, which restricts the market expansion of UAVs to a certain extent. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.

Wide-band antenna multiplexing method and device of unmanned aerial vehicle


An electrical connector to be connected to a mating connector includes a housing formed of an insulation material; and a terminal disposed in the housing. The terminal is formed in a curved shape bent in a thickness direction thereof. The terminal includes a held portion fixed to the housing, an elastic arm portion, and a connection portion to be connected to a circuit board. The elastic arm portion includes a contact portion and a slant surface portion. The slant surface portion has a thickness decreasing toward a distal end portion of the elastic arm portion, and the contact portion is disposed adjacent to the slant surface portion.

The present invention relates to an electrical connector including a terminal. The terminal is formed by bending a metal strip in a thickness direction thereof.
A conventional electrical connector (a connector) is disclosed in Patent Reference. In the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, a terminal of the connector has a shape of an approximate S-shape combining a U-shape portion with an upside-down U-shape portion. The upside-down U-shape portion or a held portion of the terminal is disposed from an upper direction in a circumferential wall of a housing. The U-shape portion of the terminal includes a contact portion for contacting with a mating terminal of a mating connector.    Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-035291
In the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the housing includes a central wall rising from a bottom wall thereof in a region surrounding by the circumferential wall. The central wall includes a terminal holding groove. The U-shape portion of the terminal is situated along an inner surface of the housing, in other words, from an inner surface of the circumferential wall to a surface of the central wall, through the bottom wall. The U-shape portion has elasticity.
In particular, an elastic arm portion is provided in a portion rising along the surface of the central wall. Most part of the elastic arm portion is situated in the terminal holding groove. The elastic arm portion includes a contact portion at a distal end portion thereof. The contact portion protrudes toward the held portion. The contact portion is formed by bending the distal end portion into an angular shape so that an apex portion of the angular shape is situated outside the terminal holding groove.
When the conventional connector is connected to the mating connector from the upper direction, the apex portion of the contact portion is pressed by the mating terminal, thereby the elastic arm portion is displaced elastically in a direction perpendicular to a direction the connectors are connected (a connecting direction). Accordingly, the contact portion contacts with the mating terminal with a certain contact pressure.
The conventional connector disclosed in Patent Reference is soldered to a circuit board so that the bottom wall thereof is placed on the circuit board. Electronic components including the connector are loaded on an electrical device in a state of being mounted on the circuit board. Therefore, it is demanding to lower a height of the electronic component. Accordingly, the connector needs to have a low height in the connecting direction. Therefore, it is important to shorten the elastic arm portion while maintaining the contact pressure at the contact portion, since the terminal governs the height of the connector most effectively.
In the conventional connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the terminal has a certain height, in other words, the elastic arm portion has a certain length from a lower end portion thereof to the contact portion thereof necessary to be displaced elastically by a certain amount in order to maintain the contact pressure at the contact portion. Further, the contact portion is bent into the angular shape so that the apex portion thereof contacts with the mating terminal.
Therefore, a portion situated upper side of the apex portion functions only for guiding the mating connector, without contribution to contacting with the mating connector, the elastic displacement. Moreover, the portion situated upper side of the apex portion extends an entire length of the elastic arm portion.
On the other hand, it becomes difficult to guide the mating terminal successfully when the portion situated upper side of the apex portion is eliminated. When the contact portion lowers a position thereof as maintaining the angular shape thereof, the elastic arm portion shortens the length thereof, resulting in the lower elasticity. The thinner the terminal is made in order to obtain the sufficient elasticity, the weaker the contact pressure becomes.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector including a terminal enabling a height of the connector to be lowered, by shortening a height of an elastic arm portion thereof while maintaining an adequate length of the elastic displacement arm portion and a contact pressure.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


A form or a series of forms for forming the bridge diaphragm from concrete material includes one or more bottom walls having an inner surface thereof abutting a bottom surface of the diaphragm. There is at least a pair of side walls upstanding on the inner surface of the bottom wall or walls at a respective longitudinal edge thereof and has an inner surface thereof abutting a respective side surface of the diaphragm. The at least the pair of side walls define each of a generally open top and a generally hollow interior of the form. There is also means for securely attaching each end of the form or series of forms to one of a side surface of at least one of the pair of longitudinal members and an end of another form for forming the diaphragm from the concrete material. Bracing of upper edges is also provided.

As is generally well known, end, intermediate and continuity diaphragms are cast-in-place between a pair of spaced apart longitudinal beams in bridges as well as other structures affording vehicle and/or pedestrian traffic. Wood material is utilized in the field to build a form structure or through into which the concrete is poured and is allowed to set. After the concrete has been set, the wood form is removed. However, the construction and tear-down of the wood form requires considerable filed time slowing bridge construction process and increasing labor costs.
Accordingly, prior to the conception and development of the instant invention, efforts have been made to reduce time required to provide diaphragms. U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,403 issued to Nagle discloses precast concrete diaphragm for placement between longitudinal beams of the bridge structure. Ends of the diaphragm are adapted with pockets to receive concrete for tight joints.
However, it has been determined that there is a further need for reducing bridge construction costs and duration.

Concrete diaphragm including form spanning between spaced-apart longitudinal members


Content transfer involving a gesture is described. In an implementation, a method is implemented by a mobile communications device that includes recognizing a gesture input via a touchscreen of the mobile communications device that is indicative of a direction, the touchscreen including a display of content. One or more other mobile communications devices are located that are positioned, approximately, along the indicated direction of the gesture. A communication is formed to transfer the content to the located one or more other mobile communications devices.

Mobile communication devices (e.g., wireless phones) have become an integral part of everyday life. However, the form factor employed by conventional mobile communications devices is typically limited to promote mobility of the device.
For example, the mobile communications device may have a relatively limited amount of display area when compared to a conventional desktop computer, e.g., a PC. Therefore, conventional techniques used to interact with a desktop computer may be inefficient when employed by a mobile communications device. For example, traditional techniques that were used to transfer content typically forced a user to navigate through a series of menus to select content to transfer, select a device to receive the content, and then initiate the transfer. Accordingly, these steps may result in user frustration, especially when transferring multiple items of items of content to different users.


A received power control device (200) that performs control of received energy, which is an amount of power received from a power system per predetermined time at a power receiving point to which a load (302) and an electric storage device (303) are electrically connected, the received power control device (200) performing the control by controlling charge and discharge of at least the electric storage device (303), including: a received energy obtainer (201) that periodically obtains information indicating the received energy; a controller (202) that causes at least the electric storage device (303) to discharge to prevent the received energy from exceeding a first threshold; a remaining capacity obtainer (203) that periodically obtains information indicating a remaining capacity of the electric storage device (303); and a threshold setter (204) that increases the first threshold when an amount of decrease in the remaining capacity per unit time exceeds a second threshold.

A technique has been proposed that controls received energy by controlling the charge and discharge of an electric storage device. PTL 1 discloses an example of such technique.
More specifically, the controller disclosed in PTL 1 calculates a target value such that the total energy, out of predicted energy consumption, that exceeds the target value is less than or equal to the amount of power discharged from a storage battery. The controller controls the discharge of the storage battery on the basis of such target value, while measuring the energy consumed by a load. This allows for the reduction in the peak value of power supplied from a commercial power source.

Received power control device and received power control method

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


A method of emulating an input device. The method receives a set of data associated with a touch input. The set of data includes a set of coordinates of each data point, the force applied at each data point, and the time the data for each data point is received. The method adds several data points to the first set of data points to create a second set of data points. For each data point in the second set of data points, the method calculates a set of parameters based on the set of data associated with the data point. The method provides a subset of the calculated parameters and the data associated with a subset of the second set of data to an application to emulate the input device.

Touch inputs are received from input devices such as touchpads or touchscreens to enter input by touching the screen with fingers or a stylus pen. Touchpads (or trackpads) use one or more sensors to translate a person's fingers position or movement to relative positions that are input to the device. Touchscreens are display screens that are also used as input devices. Touchscreens are typically covered by a touch sensitive material that either creates an electric current or a charge when touched. The resulting electric current or charge is sensed and processed as the user input.
Receiving a touch input and displaying or storing the results is used in applications such as entering logographic alphabets for Chinese handwriting, writing notes, inputting signatures, etc. However, since different touch sensitive devices have different technology and different touch sensitivities, the user experience is often not uniform across multiple devices.


In a soft start device for pneumatic systems comprising a primary inlet where compressed air can be supplied at primary pressure, wherein the primary inlet is, via a valve circuit, connected to at least one secondary outlet which can be coupled to a load and where compressed air can be discharged at secondary pressure, the secondary pressure being lower than or equal to the primary pressure, wherein a main valve is installed between the primary inlet and the secondary outlet, a restrictor device being installed in the bypass, wherein the main valve and the restrictor device together with further directional valves of the valve circuit are interconnected such and the valve circuit can be switched into a standard switching position for venting such that the secondary outlet is vented, the valves of the valve circuit are interconnected such that several further switching positions for venting are possible.

The invention relates to a soft start device for pneumatic systems and to a method for the operation of a soft start device. The soft start device comprises:                a primary inlet where compressed air can be supplied at primary pressure,        wherein the primary inlet is, via a valve circuit, connected to at least one secondary outlet which can be coupled to a load and where compressed air can be discharged at secondary pressure, the secondary pressure being lower than or equal to the primary pressure,        wherein a main valve of the type 2/2 nc (normally closed) which can be bypassed by means of a bypass is installed between the primary inlet and the secondary outlet, a restrictor device being installed in the bypass,        wherein the main valve and the restrictor device together with further directional valves of the valve circuit are interconnected such that, in a soft start process while the main valve is initially closed, compressed air is applied to the secondary outlet at a secondary pressure which is lower than primary pressure and increases gradually, until from a defined ratio between secondary and primary pressure the main valve is switched into its open position, so that compressed air arrives at the secondary outlet at primary pressure, and so that        the valve circuit can be placed in a standard switching position for venting, so that the secondary outlet is vented.
Soft start devices are used in pneumatic systems to supply compressed air to functional units sensitive to pressure surges, such as service units etc., in conditions where the pressure gradually increases from a relatively low secondary pressure to the higher primary or operating pressure. In this way, pressure surges at harmfully high primary pressure are avoided. Functional units sensitive to pressure surges include filter units or double-acting pneumatic cylinders. In the case of double-acting pneumatic cylinders, the piston may be in an intermediate position in the "pressure-less" state of the cylinder, so that the piston, if subjected to the full pressure surge, could suddenly move into one of its end position, which may result in damage to the piston or to the end stop of the cylinder. The unintended piston movement could moreover damage a downstream functional unit, which may once again result in a hazardous situation. Such dangerous movement could result in personal injury in particular. This is prevented by a soft start, causing the piston to move into its end position relatively slowly.
A soft start device is for example disclosed in EP 0 758 063 B1, which describes a starting valve in the form of a seating valve, the valve being vented via a fast venting device. The starting valve comprises a housing wherein a single flow path runs from the inlet to the outlet, the seating valve acting as a restrictor being disposed in the flow path.
In pneumatic systems, certain safety aspects have to be observed. These are for example categorised in the standard EN 954-1 and in the follow-up standard DIN EN ISO 13849-1. To fulfil the requirements of category 3 of EN 954-1, the pneumatic device is subject to so-called "single fault safety" in safety-relevant functions. This means that the system must be capable of venting even if a single fault is present.
A soft start device of the type referred to above which offers "single fault safety" is disclosed in EP 645 755 A2. If one of the valves malfunctions, the secondary outlet can nevertheless be vented. This being so, this soft start device fulfils the requirements of EN 954-1, category 3.
The follow-up standard DIN ISO 13849, however, requires a higher test quality for category 3 and in particular for category 4. It demands in particular that a test or diagnostic mode of the valves should be run prior to the soft start process, in order to eliminate faults in the initiation of the soft start process.

Soft start device for pneumatic systems and method for the operation of a soft start device


Orthodontic bracket assemblies with torque-adjusting drums. The drum defines at least a majority of the archwire slot of the corresponding bracket assembly, and the drum may be selectively rotated about its longitudinal axis to adjust the prescriptive force that is applied to a patient's tooth during orthodontic use of the bracket assembly. The bracket assembly includes a positioning assembly that selectively retains the drum in a selected orientation relative to the base of the bracket assembly, thereby defining a prescription to be imparted by the bracket assembly to a patient's tooth. In some embodiments, the bracket assembly includes a biasing mechanism that selectively urges the positioning assembly to a position in which the drum is, or is not, retained in a selected position. In some embodiments, the bracket includes a release mechanism that selectively disengages the positioning assembly to permit adjustment of the drum.

Orthodontic brackets are typically small, slotted devices for use during orthodontic treatment. The brackets usually are configured for attachment to the front surfaces of teeth, either by directly cementing the bracket to a tooth surface or by bonding the bracket to a metal band that encircles the tooth, though they also may be attached to the back surfaces of teeth. The slots in the brackets, which may be referred to as archwire slots or archwire passages, are disposed horizontally or generally horizontally and are configured to receive an archwire. Traditionally, an archwire is a resilient, curved piece of wire that may be bent or twisted prior to installation in the bracket slots, with an archwire typically extending through the slots of all of the orthodontic brackets that are attached to a patient's upper or lower teeth. The engagement between the archwire and the brackets creates corrective, or prescriptive, forces that are directed to the teeth by the orthodontic brackets to urge the teeth into a correct or desired alignment or occlusion.
The archwire may be secured in a bracket's archwire slot by a variety of mechanisms, such as depending on the bracket's configuration. For example, a "ligating" bracket typically requires a separate fastener, such as a ligature wire or elastic band, which is tied or otherwise positioned around ligating structures, such as tie wings, on the bracket body to secure the archwire in place. A "self-ligating" bracket, on the other hand, typically includes a clamp, gate, or other self-locking closure mechanism, such as a closeable bracket slot, that allows such a bracket to retain the archwire without requiring the use of ligatures or other separate fasteners.
Expressed in slightly different terms, conventional ligating and self-ligating orthodontic brackets define an archwire slot with an opening into which the archwire may be inserted into the slot (other than by axially inserting the archwire through the opposed ends of the archwire slot). The opening of the archwire slot typically extends in a plane generally parallel to the base of the bracket and/or surface of the corresponding tooth to which the bracket is secured. The archwire typically is inserted into the archwire slot by inserting the wire through the opening. However, a conventional ligating bracket requires a ligature or other structure that is not part of the bracket to obstruct or otherwise close the opening to prevent removal of the archwire therethrough. In contrast, a conventional self-ligating bracket includes a movable gate or closure that is coupled to the body of the bracket for relative movement with respect to the body without removal or separation of the gate or closure from contact with the body. The gate or closure is configured to be slid, pivoted, or otherwise moved from an open position, in which an archwire may be inserted into the archwire passage through the opening, to a closed position, in which the opening of the archwire passage is closed or otherwise obstructed to prevent removal of the archwire therethrough.
Regardless of whether the bracket is a self-ligating bracket or whether the bracket requires separate fasteners or ligatures to secure an archwire in the bracket's archwire slot, orthodontic treatment of a patient's teeth typically requires periodic adjustment of the forces that are imparted to the patient's teeth by the installed orthodontic brackets, archwire(s), etc. These adjustments may include changing the magnitude and/or direction of the forces that are imparted to the patient's teeth, such as to adjust the degree to which torque, tip, and/or rotational forces are imparted to the patient's teeth to change the angulation, inclination, rotation, height and/or location of the teeth in order to move the teeth toward an optimal occlusion. As used herein, tipping forces refer to forces applied to the tooth in the mesio-distal direction. Thus, tipping forces may impact angulation. Torsional forces refer to forces applied to the tooth by an archwire that is in torsion within the archwire passage. Thus, torsional forces tend to rotate the tooth in the bucco-lingual direction and may impact inclination. Rotational forces refer to applied forces that tend to rotate the tooth about its long axis.
Adjustment of some of these forces, including torsional (i.e., torque) forces, typically requires removal of the archwire from the corresponding brackets, along with replacement of the archwire and, in some cases, removal and replacement of the bracket. Even with a bracket that permits the applied forces to be adjusted without removal of the bracket from a patient's tooth, fine adjustment of these forces still may be challenging.


The present invention discloses a method of preparing a terpolymer-doped polyaniline super-hydrophobic composite anticorrosive paint. The method includes: firstly by adopting solution polymerization, stirring a hydrophilic vinyl monomer, a fluorine-containing acrylate monomer and an oil-soluble initiator in a solvent evenly and carrying out a reaction for a period of time, then adding a functional acrylic monomer or long-chain acrylate monomer as a third monomer for further reaction for a period of time to obtain a fluorine-containing terpolymer surfactant; then mixing the fluorine-containing terpolymer surfactant with an aniline monomer and an oxidant evenly, and carrying out a reaction for a period of time to obtain super-hydrophobic polyaniline; and finally dispersing the prepared super-hydrophobic polyaniline evenly in a resin matrix to prepare the polyaniline super-hydrophobic composite anticorrosive paint with an excellent anticorrosive performance.

Metal corrosion has caused great losses in science and technology and economic construction. Coating an organic coating on the surface of a metal substrate is one of the common strategies for protecting against metal corrosion. However, the anti-corrosion performance of a resin matrix itself can no longer meet the anti-corrosion requirements. Therefore, a corrosion inhibitor is often added to improve the anti-corrosion performance of the resin matrix. Polyaniline can not only provide a physical barrier for an anti-corrosion coating, but also provide electrochemical protection for a metal, and thus is often used as the corrosion inhibitor to be compounded with the resin matrix. A hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic coating has good water resistance, can effectively prevent the diffusion of a corrosive medium on a metal surface, and has great development potential in the field of anticorrosion. It is of great significance to combine superhydrophobicity with the excellent performances of polyaniline to apply in the field of anticorrosion.
The preparation of the super-hydrophobic polyaniline is often realized by two methods, one is to modify the surface of polyaniline with a low surface-energy substance such as fluorine and siloxane, and the other is to construct a multi-classification micro-nano structure of polyaniline by copolymerization or modification with a surfactant. At present, the preparation of the super-hydrophobic polyaniline by modification with a surfactant usually involves firstly synthesizing polyaniline, and then modifying the surface of polyaniline with a common surfactant such as sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and the like. The research in which the super-hydrophobic polyaniline is prepared by using the fluorine-containing terpolymer surfactant as a soft template and dopant during aniline polymerization, and then it is compounded with a resin matrix to prepare an anticorrosive paint has not been reported.

Method of preparing terpolymer-doped polyaniline super-hydrophobic composite anticorrosive paint


A method of and a device for controlling a counter of a rolled material on a multi-high rolling mill with which method and device very accurate shape control can be attained with certainty and in high responsibility. A strip shape of a rolled material in its widthwise direction on the outgoing side of the rolling mill is detected by a strip shape meter, and the detected shape and a strip thickness are synthetically evaluated using a total performance index. Operation amounts for a strip shape controlling actuator and a strip thickness controlling actuator which make the value of the total performance index minimum are always found out, and the actuators are controlled simultaneously in accordance with the operation amounts to control the strip shape of the rolled material. The apparatus comprises a saddle receiver the vertical position of which is controlled by a roll gap controlling device in accordance with an estimated value to change the gap between upper and lower work rolls of the rolling mill.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for controlling the shape of a rolled material on a multi-high rolling mill such as, for example, a 12-high or 20-high rolling mill in which automatic strip thickness control and automatic strip shape control are performed in the rolling of a strip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, in the rolling of a strip of a copper alloy or the like, not only is automatic strip thickness control executed on a multi-high rolling mill in order to meet a requirement for accuracy in strip thickness, but also a high degree of accuracy is required for the shape of a strip and accordingly an automatic shape controlling method has been developed.
For example, in a rolling mill of the type wherein a strip thickness is controlled with a roll depressing position while a shape is controlled with a forcing amount of backup rolls or a shifting amount of taper rolls, strip shape control is conventionally executed such that a shape of a strip in a widthwise direction (elongation of a rolled material in the rolling direction) is approximated with a quadric expression in response to a signal from strip shape meters. Coefficients of individual terms of the quadric expression are divided into symmetrical components and asymmetrical components to fix a shape and strip shape controlling actuators are operated in accordance with such components (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-151066. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-19401. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-42144). It is also a common practice that a change in strip thickness caused by a change in operation amount of such strip shape controlling actuators is forecast and a roll depressing position is modified in accordance with a predetermined calculation expression to prevent a change in strip shape (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-3908. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-3909).
However, since work rolls in a multi-high rolling mill are small in diameter, a complicated composite elongation including edge wave, a center buckle and so forth often takes place in a shape of a strip. Accordingly, if fixation of a shape of a rolled material is performed and controlled on a multi-high rolling mill involving such an approximation with a quadric expression as described above, sufficiently good shape control cannot be attained.
On the other hand, when the strip shape controlling actuators are operated, even if a change in strip thickness is forecast to change the roll depressing position, a vicious cycle takes place wherein also the shape changes as the roll depressing position changes. Accordingly, there is another problem that control cannot be attained with a high degree of accuracy.
Further, when the condition of a shape is remarkably bad such as at an initial stage of rolling, the level of signals outputted from shape controlling devices to shape controlling actuators is so high that some of the actuators may not follow a target signal from a restriction arising from a response characteristic. As a result, there is a further problem that the improvement in shape is delayed.
Further, in case noise is involved in a strip shape from a shape detecting device at each point of time, it is also desired to eliminate a possible error in operation which may be caused by such noise.
Meanwhile, a multi-high rolling mill has been developed which includes, in order to control the shape of a rolled material in a widthwise direction finely and accurately, a crown controlling device which includes a mechanism wherein a plurality of axially divided backup rolls are supported by means of saddles such that the forcing amounts of the individual divided backup rolls can be adjusted individually by way of the saddles and which locally controls the forcing amounts of the individual backup rolls to control the crown shape of a rolled material, an inclined depression controlling device which includes depressing driving mechanisms on the driving side and the working side so that the gap between upper and lower work rolls may be relatively adjusted between the driving side and the working side, and a lateral controlling device wherein intermediate rolls having tapers at the opposite end portions thereof are provided for axial movement in order to change deflections at the opposite end portions of the work rolls and the axial (lateral) positions of the intermediate rolls are adjusted.
Each of the controlling devices listed above operates as a strip shape controlling device for controlling the strip shape of a rolled material, and the strip shape of a rolled material is controlled finely and accurately by adjusting an operation amount of a strip shape controlling actuator with each of the controlling devices, that is, by adjusting a forcing amount of each of the divided backup rollers, a relative gap between the upper and lower work rolls on the driving side and the working side, and the axial positions of the intermediate rolls.
However, in such a multi-high rolling mill, if an operation amount of a strip shape controlling actuator is adjusted with a shape controlling device in order to control the shape of a rolled material, not only the strip shape of the rolled material is changed, but also an influence of the same is had on the outgoing side strip thickness of the rolled material, which will result in variation of the strip thickness. Consequently, there is a problem that control with a high degree of accuracy cannot be attained.

Method of and apparatus for controlling shape of rolled material on multi-high rolling mill


A monolithic circuit, such as a piezoelectric device, semiconductor, or the like, may be fabricated by forming an operational metallization layer (12) on a substrate (10). A subsequent layer (40), such as a sealing ring pattern (42) may then be applied using a thin film deposition technique. A thin film material is applied through a mask assembly (28). The mask assembly (28) includes a mask material (30) that has been applied to a screen (24) and patterned as desired. The mask material (30) extends beyond the screen (24) so that only the mask material contacts the substrate (10) during thin film deposition. Preferably, the screen (24) is woven from individual wires (26) having circular cross-sectional shapes. The subsequent layer (40) is applied both through perforations (18) in the screen (24) and under the screen's wires (26).

Monolithic circuits, such as semiconductors, piezoelectric devices, ceramic filters, and the like, often require diverse materials to reside in diverse areas of a common substrate. Conventional thin film patterning, depositing, and etching techniques may be employed to successfully position the diverse materials at diverse areas of a substrate.
While these conventional techniques work well, they are occasionally unduly complex and expensive. For example, protective layers must often be applied in predetermined patterns to protect against unwanted etching. After etching, the protective layers must then be removed. Moreover, when several different materials are involved, separate etching steps may be required for each material. Consequently, if a material or several different materials can be applied using a process that does not require etching, significant savings may be obtained over the conventional thin film patterning, depositing, and etching techniques.
A conventional shadow masking process need not require etching steps. A shadow mask is a stencil. In a conventional shadow masking process, a mask is prepared in which a pattern to be formed represents an open or void area through the mask. A thin film deposition process may be used to deposit a material through the open area of the mask. Areas where a material is not to be applied are blocked by solid portions of the mask. Material is applied to a substrate only where permitted by the shadow mask, and etching steps are not required. On the other hand, conventional shadow masking processes do not work for all types of patterns.
In particular, conventional shadow masks do not support continuous ring, spiral, and like patterns. These patterns require the mask to include an open portion that, for the most part, surrounds a solid portion. The mask cannot mechanically hold the surrounded solid portion inside the open portion without running a solid "land" region across the open portion. When the pattern is a sealing ring to which a cap will attach to hermetically seal the monolithic circuit, the solid land region would produce a discontinuity or void in the sealing ring that would spoil any hermetic seal.
Thick film deposition techniques have been used to form continuous ring, spiral, and like patterns. Thick film techniques form a mask with open and solid areas on a screen. A viscous liquid material is then forced through the screen in open areas of the mask. The material may then flow together under the screen to smooth out any discontinuities caused by the screen. Thus, a continuous pattern may result. Unfortunately, the requirement for a liquid-like material makes this technique unworkable in many situations. The flowable nature of the material can require such high temperatures that the substrate and/or any prior processing on the substrate become damaged. Moreover, the flowable nature of the material often prevents high resolution patterning.


In a magnetic resonance imaging system having a scanner having a magnetic field system, a radio frequency system and a control device, and a method for operating such a system, the control device generates a control signal sequence on the basis of a control protocol for the purpose of executing a number of scan procedures and a number of adjustments for adjusting the magnetic field system and/or the radio frequency system, at least the scan procedures are predetermined by the control protocol. The control protocol furthermore contains a number of local scan transition indicators assigned to the scan procedures, and on the basis of the scan transition indicators, in each case the control device checks to determine if, directly prior to a scan procedure, an adjustment may be applied. The control signal sequence is then automatically generated by the control device such that, if for a scan procedure the necessary adjustment may not be applied prior to that scan procedure, then the relevant adjustment will be executed in advance and/or adjustment parameter values from previously executed existing adjustments will be used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present concerns a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, containing a magnetic field system and a radio frequency system as well as a control device, and a method for operating such a scanner, wherein the control device generates a control signal sequence based on a control protocol in order to execute a number of scans and a number of adjustments for the purpose of adjusting the magnetic field system and/or radio frequency systems, wherein at least the scans are predetermined through the control protocol.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic resonance imaging has become a widely used method for capturing internal images of the body of an examination subject. With this imaging modality, the body to be examined is exposed to a relatively high static magnetic field, e.g. of 1.5 Tesla, which with newer, so-called high magnetic field apparatuses can be high as 3 Tesla. It is then exposed to a radio frequency excitation signal using an antenna device designed for this purpose, which causes nuclear spins of certain atoms to be excited by magnetic resonance when this radio frequency field is altered at a certain flip angle with respect to the magnetic field lines of the static magnetic field. The radiated radio frequency signal resulting from the relaxation of the nuclear spins, the magnetic resonance signal, is then detected with an antenna device designed for this purpose, which may be the same as the transmitting antenna device. The raw data acquired in this manner are then used for the reconstruction of the desired image data. A spatial encoding is superimposed on the static magnetic field during the transmitting and the reading out or detecting of the radio frequency signals by defined magnetic field gradients.
Accordingly, such magnetic resonance imaging scanners contain multiple subsystems that must be activated in a scanning procedure within a predetermined scanning sequence with regard to fixed temporal restrictions. This includes, among others, the above mentioned magnetic field system, which contains a static magnetic field system for generating the static magnetic field, as well as a gradient system for generating the magnetic field gradients, as well a radio frequency system, which contains not only the transmitting and/or receiving antennas, but also the radio frequency apparatuses and receiving channels used for operating the antennas and for processing the received signals.
A magnetic resonance imaging examination typically is composed of numerous independent separate magnetic resonance scanning procedures, e.g. for recording data at various positions within the machine of the patient, in order to acquire magnetic resonance data for different physiological processes or to excite different nuclei, etc. For each separate MRI scanning procedure, the subsystems must be prepared appropriately, and this is done through the adjustment readings. For example, the appropriate resonant frequency and the transmitter reference amplitude suited to an individual scan may be determined. Furthermore, there are numerous additional adjustments for other purposes such as for magnetic field homogenization, for water signal suppression, for setting sensitivity conditions etc. The adjustments are normally carried out by the magnetic resonance system or its control device independently prior to the diagnostic scan desired by the operator in each case. For this reason, the determination of adjustments is normally very specific with regard to the parameters of the actual scanning procedure. Furthermore, the adjustments are normally not only dependent on the magnetic resonance imaging scanner itself, but also on the specific object being examined because the physical conditions that exist within the magnetic resonance imaging scanner, specifically the homogeneity of the magnetic field and the radio frequency field, are significantly influenced by the object being examined.
Normally, the control device is given a specific sequence of scans by an operator using a control protocol that is created by the operator or that is selected from a number of predetermined control protocols that, when necessary, may be altered by the operator. For this purpose, certain adjustments (choices) may be included in the control protocol. Other necessary adjustments are in turn automatically added by the control device as well. A control signal sequence is then generated on the basis of the control protocol, which may then be executed in coordination with the various subsystems of the magnetic resonance imaging scanner, thereby executing the adjustments and the scanning procedures.
A typical example of a scanning sequence is shown in FIG. 2. Three consecutive scanning procedures N1, N2, N3 are executed along a timeline t, each having two adjustments J1.1, J1.2, J2.1, J2.2, J3.1, J3.2. The adjustments J1.1, J1.2, J2.1, J2.2, J3.1, J3.2 in this case are then automatically inserted prior to the respective scans N1, N2, N3 in each case.
A problem occurs when the scanning procedures are to be done consecutively without a pause. One example of this is scanning procedures that need to be executed within a limited period of time, after a contrast agent has been administered to the patient, and the concentration or diffusion of the contrast agent in a certain organ is to be examined using the image data acquired from the magnetic resonance imaging scanner. A similar problem may also occur with objects that move, for example when examining a heart in order to record images in a specific sequence of movement phases. When such scanning procedures should or must be executed directly in sequence, then the adjustments that are automatically executed by the system are disruptive, because the initiation of the subsequent scan intended by the operator is delayed.
A magnetic resonance imaging scanner is described in the DE 198 24 203 C2 with a means for solving this problem, which allows the application of adjustment parameters, which have been executed for another, earlier scanning procedure, to a subsequent scanning procedure, as long as the two scanning procedures are carried out under compatible conditions. Furthermore, it has been suggested in this document that all adjustments within an adjustment sequence be collected, the adjustment parameters be stored, and then all of the adjustments be executed in a subsequent data acquisition sequence.
This process, however, has the disadvantage of being relatively inflexible. Some scanning procedures may not need to be carried out directly in sequence such that an immediately preceding adjustment is possible. Alternatively, the entire scanning may be extended by the unnecessary prioritizing of the adjustments, for example when adjustments must be carried out precisely at the same patient table position as the scans. In this case, the table must pass through the various positions sequentially within the entered adjustment sequence and then again during the actual image data acquisition at a later time.
The result of this is that in practice a recycling of reusable adjustment parameters from previous adjustments is implemented in order to reduce the number of adjustments. A general prioritizing of all of the adjustments then does not occur. This means the current magnetic resonance imaging scanners are still configured such that the control device directs that necessary adjustments take place prior to a scanning procedure when no suitable adjustment parameters are available from previous adjustment readings.
If it is then the case that when a particular scan is to directly follow a previous scan, it is currently the practice is that an empirical determination is made, usually from the scanning protocol of the developer (i.e. the operator or specialist who develops the protocol for the user in advance), as to which of the remaining adjustments for a certain magnetic resonance imaging scanner are to be executed additionally in the processing of a scanning protocol. If it is then determined that, prior to a scanning procedure which is to be carried out directly after another scan procedure, an adjustment shall be executed by the control device, then a suitable previous scanning procedure is modified such than an analogous adjustment is carried out in advance so that the results of the necessary adjustments are available in the memory and thus can be reused, and the system dispenses with the insertion of the undesired adjustments. If a modification of a previous scan is not possible, then a replacement "scanning procedure" is inserted (that in itself is unnecessary), solely to obtain an adjustment reading.
A direct specification of the necessary adjustments for a specific point in time in advance in the scanning protocol by the scanning protocol developer is unfortunately not possible, because the systems are extremely complex and dependant on the machine type and system type, so that as many as 20 adjustments, depending on the scanning procedure, must be carried out in advance. For this purpose, it should be taken into consideration that the precise sequence and in what relationship and which adjustments should be automatically applied by the control device, is not easily identifiable by the operator or the scanning protocol developer due to the complexity of the system. In comparison, it is normally possible for an experienced operator to determine which adjustments need to be carried out in running the program in the framework of a test. For this reason, the developers of the scanning protocol must rely on the previously described empirical protocol development and testing, even when this requires significantly more additional work.
A further problem with a control protocol developed in this manner is that the adjustments are, as noted, system dependant, and this dependency may vary from one model to another by the same manufacturer, or may vary even in the case of system changes within a model. A control protocol developed for one magnetic resonance imaging scanner thus can not simply be used on another magnetic resonance imaging scanner without first checking whether, with the new magnetic resonance imaging scanner, it is the case when two scans that are executed consecutively without a break, no undesired additional adjustments are inserted through the modification of the scanning process. The described empirical method is also particularly critical because changes in the magnetic resonance imaging scanner can induce new adjustments which are not taken into consideration in the previous control protocol. In this case, a scan procedure can be delayed by an unintentionally implemented adjustment—in the worst case, even unnoticed. Such an unintentional or unnoticed adjustment also can lead to faulty results, or at least result in the entire scan needing to be repeated, which is furthermore unpleasant for the patient as well.

Process and control device for operating a magnetic resonance imaging scanner


In some embodiments a channel is formed in printed circuit board material, the formed channel is plated to form at least two side walls of an embedded waveguide, and printed circuit board material is laminated to the plated channel. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

As Moore's Law drives the bandwidth of data buses increasingly higher, fundamental roadblocks associated with traditional microstrip and stripline transmission line structures limit channel speeds to frequencies lower than 15-20 gigabits per second. The signaling limits are fundamentally associated with transmission line losses caused by both the dielectric and the copper as well as the propagation modes supported by the microstrip and stripline structures. Further, the implementation of high performance dielectrics with standard transmission line structures might provide a minimal increase in bandwidth but at a significant increase in cost.
As signaling frequencies and carrier frequencies for modulated signals rise beyond 15-20 gigabits per second and increase toward 20-50 GHz and beyond, the standard microstrip and stripline structures become less effective as transmission structures. An alternative method of signal propagation is therefore required. In order to ensure a minimal loss and to guide the energy of such high frequencies, one solution might be to use waveguide structures. Waveguides are typically devices that control the propagation of an electromagnetic wave so that the wave is forced to follow a path defined by the physical structure of the guide. Standard waveguides cannot easily be integrated within a digital system based on current printed circuit board (PCB) process technology. Therefore, a need has arisen for an improved PCB waveguide.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Embedded waveguide printed circuit board structure


A improved process is provided for upgrading light olefins from hydrocarbon cracking, such as light crackate gas containing ethene, propene and other C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 lower aliphatics. The process comprises the steps of: maintaining an oligomerization reactor containing a fluidized bed of zeolite catalyst particles in a low severity reactor bed at oligomerization temperature conditions by passing hot olefinic gas upwardly through the fluidized catalyst bed under throughput rate conditions sufficient to convert at least 50 wt % of lower olefins to hydrocarbons in the C.sub.5 -C.sub.10 range; maintaining turbulent fluidized bed conditions through the fluidized bed by passing fresh ethene-rich feedstream gas upwardly through the fluidized catalyst bed and adding thereto sufficient recycled light byproduct gas to maintain a minimum gas velocity; cooling reaction effluent from the conversion zone to provide light gas byproduct and liquid hydrocarbon reaction product rich in C.sub.5 -C.sub.9 hydrocarbons; and recycling sufficient light byproduct gas recovered from effluent or maintaining turbulent regime gas velocity in the fluidized bed.

Hydrocarbon mixtures containing significant quantities of light olefins are frequently encountered in petrochemical plants and petroleum refineries. Because of the ease with which olefins react, these streams serve as feedstocks in a variety of hydrocarbon conversion processes. Many olefinic conversion processes require that the olefinic feed be provided in a highly purified condition. However, processes which may utilize the olefinic feedstocks without the need for further separation and purification are highly desirable.
Although the main purpose of fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) is to convert gas oils to compounds of lower molecular weight in the gasoline and middle distillate boiling ranges, significant quantities of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 hydrocarbons are also produced. These light hydrocarbon gases are rich in olefins which heretofore have made them prime candidates for conversion to gasoline blending stocks by means of polymerization and/or alkylation. Fractionation of the effluent from the fluid catalytic cracking reactor has been employed to effect an initial separation of this stream. The gaseous overhead from the main fractionator is collected and processed in the FCC gas plant. Here the gases are compressed, contacted with a naphtha stream, scrubbed, where necessary, with an amine solution to remove sulfur and then fractionated to provide, for example, light olefins and isobutane for alkylation, light olefins for polymerization, n-butane for gasoline blending and propane for LPG. Light gases are recovered for use as fuel.
Since alkylation units were more costly to build and operate than polymerization units, olefin polymerization was initially favored as the route for providing blending stocks. Increased gasoline demand and rising octane requirements soon favored the use of alkylation because it provided gasoline blending stocks at a higher yield and with a higher octane rating than the comparable polymerized product. However, catalytic alkylation can present some safety and disposal problems. In addition, feedstock purification is required to prevent catalyst contamination and excess catalyst comsumption. Further, sometimes there is insufficient isobutane available in a refinery to permit all the olefins from the FCC to be catalytically alkylated.
Conversion of olefins to gasoline and/or distillate products is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,960,978 and 4,021,502 (Givens, Plank and Rosinski) wherein gaseous olefins in the range of ethylene to pentene, either alone or in admixture with paraffins are converted into an olefinic gasoline blending stock by contacting the olefins with a catalyst bed made up of ZSM-5 or related zeolite. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,150,062 and 4,227,992 Garwood et al disclose the operating conditions for the Mobil Olefin to Gasoline/Distillate (MOGD) process for selective conversion of C.sub.3.sup.+ olefins.
The phenomena of shape-selective polymerization are discussed by Garwood in ACS Symposium Series No. 218, Intrazeolite Chemistry, "Conversion of C.sub.2 -C.sub.10 to Higher Olefins over Synthetic Zeolite ZSM-5", 1983 American Chemical Society.
In the process for catalytic conversion of olefins to heavier hydrocarbons by catalytic oligomerization using an acid crystalline metallosilicate zeolite, such as ZSM-5 or related shape-selective catalyst, process conditions can be varied to favor the formation of either gasoline or distillate range products. In the gasoline operating mode, or MOG reactor system, ethylene and the other lower olefins are catalytically oligomerized at elevated temperature and moderate pressure. Under these conditions ethylene conversion rate is greatly increased and lower olefin oligomerization is nearly complete to produce an olefinic gasoline comprising hexene, heptene, octene and other C.sub.6.sup.+ hydrocarbons in good yield.
The olefins contained in an FCC gas plant are advantageous feedstock for olefin upgrading. U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,762 (Avidan et al) discloses upgrading olefinic FCC light gas to olefinic gasoline by fluidized bed catalysis. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,012,455 and 4,090,949 (Owen and Venuto) and published European Patent Application Nos.0,113,180 (Graven and McGovern) disclose integration of olefins upgrading with a FCC plant. In the EPA application the olefin feedstock for oligomerization comprises the discharge stream from the final stage of the wet gas compressor or the overhead from the high pressure receiver which separates the condensed effluent from the final stage wet gas compressor contained in the gas plant. The present invention improves upon such integrated processes by incorporating olefins upgrading advantageously with the FCC gas plant.

Production of gasoline from light olefins in a fluidized catalyst reactor system


The invention relates to a method for producing a component from a medium-manganese flat steel product with 4 to 12 wt % Mn, preferably more than 5 to less than 10 wt % Mn, and with TRIP/TWIP effect. In order to improve the degrees of deformation of the shaped component while at the same time reducing the forming forces, the invention proposes shaping the flat steel product into a component in a first shaping step at a temperature of the flat steel product of 60° C. to below Ac3, preferably from 60° C. to 450° C. The invention also relates to a component produced according to said method and to a use for said components.

The invention relates to a method for producing a component consisting of a medium manganese flat steel product having 4 to 12 wt. % Mn, preferably more than 5 to less than 10 wt. % Mn and having a TRIP/TWIP effect. The invention also relates to a component produced by this method and a use for such a component.
European patent application EP 2 383 353 A2 discloses a flat steel product consisting of a manganese steel which has a tensile strength of 900 to 1500 MPa and consists of the following elements (contents in weight percent in relation to the steel melt): C: to 0.5; Mn: 4 to 12.0; Si: up to 1.0; Al: up to 3.0; Cr: 0.1 to 4.0; Cu: up to 4.0; Ni: up to 2.0; N: up to 0.05; P: up to 0.05; S: up to 0.01, with the remainder being iron and unavoidable impurities. Optionally, one or more elements from the group "V, Nb, Ti" are provided, wherein the sum of the contents of these elements is at most equal to 0.5. This steel is said to be characterised in that it can be produced in a more cost-effective manner than high manganese steels and at the same time has high elongation at fracture values and, associated therewith, a considerably improved deformability.
High-strength steels having a medium manganese content are also known from laid open documents US 2012/0070330 A1 and DE 10 2008 005 158 A1 US 2012/0070330 A1 relates to a method for producing a steel strip consisting of a high-strength steel having a medium manganese content of 4 to 14 wt. % Mn. During production, the steel strip is rolled at a rolling temperature of 60° C. to 500° C. during rolling with a rolling reduction R of 20% to 70%.
Also, German laid-open document DE 10 2012 013 113 A1 already describes so-called TRIP steels which have a predominantly ferritic basic microstructure having incorporated residual austenite which can convert into martensite during deformation (TRIP effect). Owing to its intense cold-hardening, the TRIP steel achieves high values for uniform elongation and tensile strength. TRIP steels are suitable for use inter alia in structural components, chassis components and crash-relevant components of vehicles, as sheet metal blanks and as tailored welded blanks.
Further steels having TRIP and/or TWIP properties are mentioned in laid-open documents US 2007/0289717 A1, DE 10 2012 111 959 A1, WO 2013/064698, WO 2005/061152 A1 and US 2006/0179638. Patents DE 10 2004 054 444 B3 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,387,192 B1 also disclose steels having TRIP/TWIP properties.
Furthermore, German patent DE 10 2013 104 298 B4 describes roll profiling, also referred to as roll forming, as a method for deforming medium or high manganese steel strips. Roll forming or roll profiling is a continuous bending method, in which the steel strips are deformed into a desired final shape by a multiplicity of roller pairs step-by-step up to roll profile products. Frequently, a combination of the roll forming with other production methods, such as e.g. punching, longitudinal welding or embossing was used in order to produce virtually any profile shapes even with cross-sections which vary over the component length.
A further known deformation process, the so-called internal high-pressure forming, is described in laid-open document DE 10 2008 014 213 A1 with the aid of the internal high-pressure forming of tubes. Tubular workpieces are hereby placed into at least two-part tools and are subjected on the inner side to an active medium under a high pressure. The workpiece is hereby expanded, formed into an engraving or geometry of the tool, partially pushed from behind and thus acquires the shape of the tool. The material must be configured such that a high deformation can also be absorbed locally without material failure.
Proceeding therefrom, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a component consisting of a medium manganese flat steel product, a component produced by this method and a use therefore, which objects are characterised by an improvement in the degrees of deformation of the deformed component whilst at the same time reducing the deformation forces.

Method for producing a shaped component from a medium-manganese flat steel product and such a component


A method and apparatus for delivering a message. A plurality of audio messages destined for a recipient is received from a corresponding plurality of senders. Each of the plurality of audio messages includes a corresponding first sender designated priority designated by the corresponding sender. Member configuration data that identifies a first recipient prioritization attribute is accessed. A prioritized list of the plurality of audio messages is generated based on both the corresponding first sender designated priority and the first recipient prioritization attribute associated with the each of the plurality of audio messages. A subset of the plurality of audio messages is provided to a client device associated with the recipient based on the prioritized list.

Some individuals have jobs that are characterized by sporadic periods of availability intermixed with substantial periods of unavailability. A doctor is an example of such an individual. On a typical day, a doctor's calendar may include nearly back-to-meetings (i.e., appointments) with patients, during which the doctor is generally unavailable to receive or respond to messages from other individuals. There is typically only a very short period of time between appointments. Consequently, it may be difficult for a doctor to respond to messages until the end of the workday, after her last appointment, at which time those seeking the doctor's response may not be available. Unfortunately, this delay results in further delays for those awaiting a response from the doctor, such as other doctors seeking the doctor's thoughts or advice on a matter, or can result in patient dissatisfaction in the event that a patient has to wait all day until he hears from the doctor.
Sometimes doctors have access to an open messaging environment, such as an email system, that allows individuals to send emails to the doctor, to which the doctor can respond. However, it is difficult to keep email addresses truly private, and over time most email inboxes become cluttered with wanted as well as unwanted messages, making it difficult for a doctor to quickly separate wanted emails from unwanted emails. An open messaging environment therefore may not be suitable for the delivery of time-critical messages.
Sometimes a doctor may arrange to have another individual attempt to receive and prioritize messages for the doctor so that the doctor can access messages on a prioritized basis in between appointments. However, prioritizing messages can be difficult. Messages having the same subject matter may have different priorities based on different underlying circumstances that may or may not be apparent from the text of the messages themselves. For example, different senders of similar messages may have widely different perspectives on their messages' urgency, which may affect how quickly they expect a response. A sender's perspective on the urgency of a message may affect how quickly the recipient doctor responds to the message, but it can be difficult or impossible to ascertain from the message itself. Moreover, without a suitable medical background, the individual prioritizing the messages for the doctor may not be able to prioritize the subject matter of the messages in an appropriate manner. Consequently, in between appointments the doctor may be handed numerous messages that require responses, only a few of which she has time to answer immediately, with little guidance as to which of the messages should be responded to first.
It would be beneficial for the doctor to be provided with a very limited number of the most important messages from her message queue, so that the doctor could ensure that her limited time was focused on only those messages which are most critical.
Accordingly, what is needed is a messaging system that automatically prioritizes messages in accordance with various criteria, including criteria designated by the recipient as well as criteria designated by the sender, and which presents the messages on a metered basis to an individual for processing, so that a limited number of the most important messages can be processed on a prioritized basis.

Method and system for delivering messages